HELP - Dieting, exercising, and ONE lb lost in 6 weeks

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Replies

  • cmeiron
    cmeiron Posts: 1,599 Member

    also... do i weigh my meat cooked or raw!?

    Either is fine, just pick the appropriate entry in the database (there's one for raw one for cooked).
  • ldrosophila
    ldrosophila Posts: 7,512 Member
    try this little experiment weigh yourself after a rest day.
  • concordancia
    concordancia Posts: 5,320 Member

    also... do i weigh my meat cooked or raw!?

    Either is fine, just pick the appropriate entry in the database (there's one for raw one for cooked).

    If you are coking it with anything else, weigh it raw. This is the normal standard for meat.
  • Cptrob
    Cptrob Posts: 80 Member
    the cooked or raw question. I struggled with this one for a good while!! but just stick to what is easiest for you and keep it consistent. weigh raw... always weigh raw.. if you weigh cooked then always weigh it cooked...

    also, i don't want to get into the whole CALORIE drama here. My 2 cents.. stay with your current caloric goal, but really start to weigh EVERYTHING.. and see if anything changes. and tweak from there. if you are not losing weight at 1600, i just don't see how adding calories will now put you at a deficit.
  • Bownzi
    Bownzi Posts: 423 Member
    Keep going.... it took me 5 weeks before I started to lose..... you will get ther.... keep you momentum going...
  • Cara75
    Cara75 Posts: 52 Member
    try this little experiment weigh yourself after a rest day.

    i will do that!!! That will be Monday =)
  • bumblebums
    bumblebums Posts: 2,181 Member
    try this little experiment weigh yourself after a rest day.

    Another good point--I would even say "two rest days" or more. Sore muscles get inflamed and retain water; if you have been working out a lot, give yourself breaks now and then.
  • ApexLeader
    ApexLeader Posts: 580 Member
    overestimate calories consumed, underestimate calories burned (and only track calories from actual focused exercise and not just random stuff you do).

    other than that, you could try cutting your carbs a lot also. you're at 400 grams of carbs on some days. try to stay under 200 every day for a few weeks and see if that speeds up your weight loss.
  • NewCaddy
    NewCaddy Posts: 845 Member
    Are you measuring food accurately? Using a digital food scale can help calorie counting be more accurate.

    Weighing your food makes a huge difference. A cup is not a cup and a TBSP is not a TBSP. You'll be shocked!!
  • Cara75
    Cara75 Posts: 52 Member
    the cooked or raw question. I struggled with this one for a good while!! but just stick to what is easiest for you and keep it consistent. weigh raw... always weigh raw.. if you weigh cooked then always weigh it cooked...

    also, i don't want to get into the whole CALORIE drama here. My 2 cents.. stay with your current caloric goal, but really start to weigh EVERYTHING.. and see if anything changes. and tweak from there. if you are not losing weight at 1600, i just don't see how adding calories will now put you at a deficit.


    THANK YOU!!!

    Everyone... i feel so much better... i HAVE A PLAN!! haa haha

    i was actually feeling crappy about going to Mexico in April, i really wanted to wear my summer clothes! DO NOT wanna have to buy fat clothes!! =( ** I quit smoking end of summer and gained 25+ lbs* was hoping to loose 20lbs of it before Mexico =(
  • bumblebums
    bumblebums Posts: 2,181 Member
    Oh, a question for you about your diary. Not about food but about exercise cals this time. I saw one day you entered 1400 calories for the day--it seems really high to me. Not impossible, but really, really high. Are you wearing the heart rate monitor all day long, or just during your exercise sessions? The reason I ask is this: MFP figures your regular sedentary expenditure into your goal, so you shouldn't log calories that are part of that number as exercise. If you ran a half marathon that day, then sure, log it. Otherwise, your exercise calories are probably inaccurate.
  • lynn1982
    lynn1982 Posts: 1,439 Member
    i do measure, tho i do not weight, i eye it out... i do have a scale... i will def pull it out and leave it on the counter and start weighing my protein!

    Weigh more than your protein. Weigh *everything*.


    This!!!

    When I first got a food scale, I was SHOCKED at how wrong my eyeballing estimates were! Even measuring things out using a measuring cup rather than weighing them was off.
  • senloe
    senloe Posts: 8 Member
    Try cutting out or cutting back on flour and added sugars from your diet.... I wouldn't recommend making drastic cuts but cutting back over time worked for me. Now there are days I don't have any simple carbs, only complex carbs with fruit and vegetables and I feel fine. I'm basically following a looser form of the DASH diet. I had plateaued for two weeks and found out about it on one of the message boards here on My Fitness Pal. Now I'm back to 1-2 pound weight loss each week.

    I also feel a lot better. SInce I cut out flour and added sugars (and processed foods) my energy level has gone up substantially and I'm eating a ton of vegetables and fruit every day. It also has lowered my stress level since I'm eating low glycemic index foods so my mood is more stable overall. I still occasionally have a slice of bread but I've limited it substantially. Funny thing is that now when I eat a lot of flour I physically become sick because it's much harder for the body to process.

    Good luck but keep with it. I agree with others about the food scale. Since I've been weighing my protein it helps me eyeball amounts when I go out to eat (which I'm in sales, so I eat out a lot!). The food scale has been my best purchase I made and I've lost over 25 pounds since early November...and counting :-)
  • krissy_krossy
    krissy_krossy Posts: 307 Member
    Don't cut your calories, but weigh your food. Eyeballing it doesn't work.
  • Cara75
    Cara75 Posts: 52 Member
    overestimate calories consumed, underestimate calories burned (and only track calories from actual focused exercise and not just random stuff you do).

    other than that, you could try cutting your carbs a lot also. you're at 400 grams of carbs on some days. try to stay under 200 every day for a few weeks and see if that speeds up your weight loss.

    HOLY HELL seriously!??

    Fruit and veggies are high carbs... by biggest issue is im a carb pig! ive cut my carbs back already by an easy 60-80%!!

    Ill split the difference with you.... ill try 300 g haa hahah if i dont DIEEEEEE ill decrease again LOL =)
  • brenda4life
    brenda4life Posts: 65 Member
    Oh, a question for you about your diary. Not about food but about exercise cals this time. I saw one day you entered 1400 calories for the day--it seems really high to me. Not impossible, but really, really high. Are you wearing the heart rate monitor all day long, or just during your exercise sessions? The reason I ask is this: MFP figures your regular sedentary expenditure into your goal, so you shouldn't log calories that are part of that number as exercise. If you ran a half marathon that day, then sure, log it. Otherwise, your exercise calories are probably inaccurate.

    Someone also mentioned that you shouldn't go by MFP for calories burned. Just a reminder - I have to change mine always as they are off 100+ every time.
  • Cara75
    Cara75 Posts: 52 Member
    Oh, a question for you about your diary. Not about food but about exercise cals this time. I saw one day you entered 1400 calories for the day--it seems really high to me. Not impossible, but really, really high. Are you wearing the heart rate monitor all day long, or just during your exercise sessions? The reason I ask is this: MFP figures your regular sedentary expenditure into your goal, so you shouldn't log calories that are part of that number as exercise. If you ran a half marathon that day, then sure, log it. Otherwise, your exercise calories are probably inaccurate.

    Yes that was really high!!! I ONLY wear my HRM when i work out... that day was the first day at this new workout and i read it wrong =/ ... took me about 2 hours to get thro it... PLUS im im kinda lousy shape... so i notice my heart gets really pumpin easy! Its gettin better!! already noticing an improvement. Today when i did the same workout CORRECTLY, it was 900 cals.

    Other days when i may have an unusually high cal burn is during my Roller Derby Traing... its long and brutal, i usually try to do little other activity that day
  • heronfolder
    heronfolder Posts: 27 Member
    Oh, a question for you about your diary. Not about food but about exercise cals this time. I saw one day you entered 1400 calories for the day--it seems really high to me. Not impossible, but really, really high. Are you wearing the heart rate monitor all day long, or just during your exercise sessions? The reason I ask is this: MFP figures your regular sedentary expenditure into your goal, so you shouldn't log calories that are part of that number as exercise. If you ran a half marathon that day, then sure, log it. Otherwise, your exercise calories are probably inaccurate.

    This and also, things like Roller Derby - Are you constantly skating for 90 mins or is that the length of the session? If you've got a HRM you should be able to start/stop when you're actually skating.
    Don't log day to day activities like cleaning or whatever, that's already taken care of by MFP's initial calculations. Anything over and above the norm of daily activities - go for it!

    With your food you should probably cut back on processed and reduce/cut out things like dressings. Try some new flavours that are lower in fat. Here in the UK there's a nice Thai style one that Waitrose does (Love Life range) which is tasty but not cream based, so it's low fat. I've been to the states a fair few times, spent 5 months there in one go in 2009, and i've always found that it's a very American thing to smother everything in a dressing or cheese. Let those natural flavours come out :) (OMG just noticed from your food diary you're in Canada! FORGIVE ME!!! :))

    If you're just trying to burn fat at the moment, do you need the protein supplement right now? I've only really ever known people who are bulking up and lifting once they've lost the weight to start adding powders to their diet. Forgive me if i'm wrong, it's just an observation from people I know! Surely cooking from fresh things like chicken or turkey will provide all you need at this time?

    And +1 for digital scales to weigh food. You could be surprised!
  • Cara75
    Cara75 Posts: 52 Member
    in derby ur doing more then skatine... ur falling jumping up... over and over... chasing and being chased... canning out. Its pretty intense... those blissful times when i get to stop and breath... my heart rate is still outta this world! Its a two hour training... pretty hard core

    your forgiven bwaahh ahahha

    i do cook most meals... but i read that i should be eating g protien for my LEAN WEIGHT. So for me about 160g protein. I do weights as part of my weight training... and my muscles get extrememly sore... i do notice when i manage to bring in a high protien amount i am much less sore next day.
  • Cara75
    Cara75 Posts: 52 Member
    BTW... yesterday was a BAD day for me... was craving chinese food, was irritated, frusterated and wanting to give up. I didnt workout and was feeling sorry for myself all day. I did NOT have chinese food, i had a stir fry at EDO with 1/3 the rice instead and congrat myself with spring rolls. LOL... def not perfect... but not a binge on Chinese smorg either =)
  • Joanneea
    Joanneea Posts: 37
    your sodium intake appears to be consistently high, have you tried eating clean only
  • bumblebums
    bumblebums Posts: 2,181 Member
    i do cook most meals... but i read that i should be eating g protien for my LEAN WEIGHT. So for me about 160g protein. I do weights as part of my weight training... and my muscles get extrememly sore... i do notice when i manage to bring in a high protien amount i am much less sore next day.

    Protein intake is important if you want to maintain lean body mass and exercise a lot. A lot of people eat what I would consider to be way too little (under 40 g a day). And it is hard to get from dietary sources only. I do not take protein supplements myself, but there isn't necessarily anything wrong with them.

    Btw, about weighing yourself: it is important not to be obsessed, but you should figure out if you can trust your scale and how much your weight fluctuates on a daily basis. Household scales have a big margin of error, and your weight can vary by as many as 7 lb or more THROUGHOUT THE DAY. So I would recommend weighing yourself every morning for a month, no clothes on and before breakfast, and tracking how your weight fluctuates. You might be surprised by the result.
  • Cara75
    Cara75 Posts: 52 Member
    yah... my weight is up and down like crazy!! i fing the boyfriend doesnt have as big of an issue of this as i do... so i cant blame the scale =(

    OK... ANOTHER question.. and i have a feelng i may get 100 different answers... BUT what should my cal- Fat-Cal-Prot ranges b at?

    I have mine set at 1600 cals, 30%carbs, 45%prot and 25% fat. Im pretty sure protein is right as its at 160g my lean mass weight, not sure about the crabs 107g and fat 40 g
  • bumblebums
    bumblebums Posts: 2,181 Member
    OK... ANOTHER question.. and i have a feelng i may get 100 different answers... BUT what should my cal- Fat-Cal-Prot ranges b at?

    I have mine set at 1600 cals, 30%carbs, 45%prot and 25% fat. Im pretty sure protein is right as its at 160g my lean mass weight, not sure about the crabs 107g and fat 40 g

    You will get wildly different answers on this, so be prepared. I like Lyle McDonald's take on it: don't set percentages, set a protein goal in grams based on your lean body mass.

    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/the-fundamentals-of-fat-loss-diets-part-1.html

    What you have there looks good to me, though I am no nutritionist obviously. The reason you'll see such different recommendations for macronutrient intake has to do with the research being all over the place. We've gone from "carbs are great, fat is evil" to "it depends on what fat" to "fat is great, carbs are evil" to "carbs are great as long as it's not wheat/fructose/cardboard", etc.

    Then there is also conventional wisdom and research on how you should eat for overall health. There, the recommendation is often to eat less meat and more fruits and vegetables, nuts, etc. People like to vilify eggs, dairy, meat, and grains. Since the first three of these are sources of good digestible protein (open the floodgates of dairy hate now please), you'll see contradictory advice.

    Anyway, I think eating a variety of foods is important, and it's great that you cook for yourself. You'll be okay, just be patient and don't get obsessed with the details :)
  • Cara75
    Cara75 Posts: 52 Member
    I thought i was pretty much on track... Ooo and i read the SWOOSHY FAT article... oh please oh please let me wake up and find it was swooshy fat!! LOL... ill drink 75oz of water min for next week... see if there is a difference.

    Yes, the different responses i get makes me want to smach my face against my key board... not that i do not appretiate the offered suggestions... just makes it so much more confusing... shoulda just joined WW =/

    Im leaving everything as it is for now, continuing my workouts, MIN water of 75 oz, watching sodium AND WEIGHING FOOD...


    THANK YOU FOR ALL THE HELP!!! And no dic comments =D hee hee
  • meeper123
    meeper123 Posts: 3,347 Member
    Oh thought of something are you sleeping enough?? I gain weight when i get less sleep
  • Cara75
    Cara75 Posts: 52 Member
    umm.. just barely probably. I average about 6-7 hours, not to bad i guess =)

    GUESS WHAT!!! Weighed myself this morning... TWO LBS DOWN!!! haa hahaha my official weigh in isnt till sunday, so i hope it holds!!!

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