Can I get some constructive criticism please?

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  • nmn2
    nmn2 Posts: 123 Member
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    I'm kinda in the same boat, still working to find the right calorie intake for me. I recently upped again based on recommendation from others and I'm trying to exercise more but I to hate it.

    We'll get there we just have to stick with it.

    Your profile pic is beautiful, btw!
  • fotofreak01
    fotofreak01 Posts: 397 Member
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    I'm kinda in the same boat, still working to find the right calorie intake for me. I recently upped again based on recommendation from others and I'm trying to exercise more but I to hate it.

    We'll get there we just have to stick with it.

    Your profile pic is beautiful, btw!

    Thank you. I'm sure I'll find the right combo, it just takes time and effort. It's a process...lol Good luck to you! =)
  • srcardinal10
    srcardinal10 Posts: 387 Member
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    Add strength training to your work out.

    This is from a friend of my from a couple years ago. Once I started lifting weight, I lost weight. When I'm strictly doing cardio, I seem to solely maintain.

    My bestie EJ (who played football in College) has been talking to me about losing weight for the 6 years I've known him and always tried to coach me along when I ask. Anyway, he sent me an article, which was kinda of boring, but it had one part that I wanted to share with you. The article was about this guy who works out but isnt seeing the results and this was the solution: weight training your BIG muscles and changing it up!

    "Mistake #1: You Don't Lift Weights

    You’ve no doubt been told that aerobic exercise is the key to losing your gut, but weight training is actually more valuable. Three reasons:

    1. Lifting protects your muscle. When people diet without lifting weights, research shows that 75 percent of their weight loss is from fat and 25 percent is muscle. That 25 percent may reduce your scale weight, but it doesn’t do a lot for your reflection in the mirror. However, if you weight train as you diet, your weight loss is more likely to be 100 percent fat. Think of it in terms of liposuction: The whole point is to simply remove unattractive flab, right? That’s exactly what you should demand from your workout.

    2. Lifting boosts your metabolism. Your muscles need energy to repair and upgrade your muscle fibers after each resistance-training workout. For instance, a University of Wisconsin study found that when people performed a total-body workout comprised of just three big-muscle exercises, their metabolisms were elevated for 39 hours afterward. What’s more, they also burned a greater percentage of their calories from fat during this time, compared with those who weren’t hitting the weights.

    3. Lifting torches calories. It’s considered common knowledge that jogging burns more calories than weight training. Turns out, when scientists at the University of Southern Maine used an advanced method to estimate energy expenditure during exercise, they found that weight training burns as many as 71 percent more calories than originally thought. The researchers calculated that performing just one circuit of eight exercises—which takes about 8 minutes—can expend 159 to 231 calories. That’s about the same as running at a 6-minute mile pace for the same duration. "

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  • packratpatty
    packratpatty Posts: 46 Member
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    Also I read that you are a "dispatcher" ... for a police department? I understand that situation because I was a dispatcher for a number of years. Either you are starving and are too busy to eat or even get to your lunch or you have hours and hours of down time.... boring down time with nothing to do but eat. Also I think the stress of the job, the odd hours and the being trapped in the building for long periods of time may contribute to your weight loss problems. Just my .02 worth.
  • daniellegwilliam
    daniellegwilliam Posts: 122 Member
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    congrats on your 5lbs!! thats down..and thats in the right direction.

    I agree with all th PP suggestions on your food. BREAKFAST IS #1
    Start there.

    as for weights, if you have 20 bucks, pick up some hand weights at walmart, and a DVD. I recommend the Biggest Loser Sculpting video. Its a great place to start and a great video to do at home if you dont have alot of space.

    Good Luck!
  • nancywho
    nancywho Posts: 18
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    Wow! Good job losing those 5 lb.! Going from 1400 to 1380 calories? That's only 20 calories difference. Like one nibble of meat. I make bigger mistakes than just 20 calories when I'm figuring my intake. Counting calories is an estimated science, there is no way you can figure exact amounts of calories in any food unless you are a chemist in a laboratory. If 1400 works for you then stick to it and be happy. You are on the right track! Keep it going!
  • fotofreak01
    fotofreak01 Posts: 397 Member
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    So, I'm finishing off my day and I have eaten at my calorie goal! Yay me! On a side note, I'm slightly miserable and feel like I may pop...lol. I did not eat back my exercise cals for that reason. Also, I purposely added 2 fruits to my day and a big *kitten* salad. I had planned to go to the gym again but I'm afraid it will completely throw off my sleep schedule. Instead, I am going to run out to Wal Mart and buy 2 or 3 sets of weights so that I have them when I wake up. Thanks again for all the support and suggestions all!!
  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
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    My Suggestions:

    Dont listen to the people who tell you that you have to eat 6 meals a day, it doesn't do a damn thing for metabolism.

    Don't listen to the people who tell you that you have to eat breakfast.

    Do listen to the ones who told you to lift weights, and eat at TDEE. Lifting weights is what is going to maintain your metabolism, due to the retention of lean muscle mass.

    Also, to avoid you feeling stuffed/like you are going to pop, eat more calorie dense foods. That way you are eating the same amount of calories, but less food.

    Personally, when I was losing I logged very consistently. Now that I'm maintaining, I just exercise and eat what I want when I want, as long as it's with in reason. I don't log, but I still come back for the support and to see what is going on in the fitness world.
  • jsd_135
    jsd_135 Posts: 291 Member
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    Nice job yesterday.
  • bushokie
    bushokie Posts: 180 Member
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    i've been doing a balancing act on calories..one day 1200-1500 and then next 1500-2000 and then back down..studies show it shocks your system and helps with weight loss..just a thought
  • wahmx3
    wahmx3 Posts: 646 Member
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    Just some tips I learned along the way:

    1. When I'm stuck, I have more success when I raise my calories as opposed to lower them. With that being said, I'm exercising about 6 days a week and I wasn't properly fueling my body so I would hit these super long plateaus on 1350 cals and not have any idea what the problem was. As soon as I bumped up my cals, I started losing again. In sum, eat more and exercise more.

    2. Be ridiculously honest with your diary. Get into the habit of measuring everything and weighing everything on a food scale. Your SO will roll their eyes when you measure your dinner before you eat it, but ignore!!! It's worth it! You'd be surprised at how much you can midjudge the calories in something by "eyeballing" it.

    3. Strength training yields much greater results (weight loss and reshaping your body) than ellipticalling to nowhere.

    4. You already lost 5lbs this month. That is incredible! I have been losing weight for 8 months now, and when I average it out, I lost 3.3lbs per month. 6 of the total 27 lbs I lost was during my first week, so the average is even lower. You will get impatient. You will get on the scale and see a gain or no change and be like WTF I DID EVERYTHING RIGHT!!! You will w/ant to give up because "it's not working". Yes it is. If you're being honest with your food diary and working out, it's working. Give it time.

    5. Last but not least, stick around MFP. I noticed along the way that when I forgot to log a day or two or didn't look at any of my friend's activities, it was tough to get back into it. My friends list seriously attributes to about 90% of my success with weight loss. They were there for me on bad days, on good days, and just whenever I needed to vent. I have support in my real life too, but there's something about the support of people that are going through the same thing you are that really carries you through.

    I hope I helped a little. Basically the most important things are to be honest with your food diary and be patient. The rest falls into place. Good luck. :)

    ETA: I forgot one more thing. Treat yourself once in a while. Remember what I said about this not being a race? A reason for that is because you need to be human every now and then and have a big ol' bowl of ice cream. If you can fit it into your calories for the day, awesome. If not, see if you can fit it into your weekly calorie goal, or do some extra exercise. If you have a really high calorie day, oh well! Move on. Don't give up from one bad day. You're only human.

    Great advice!

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