Advice

geral4479WECHANGED
geral4479WECHANGED Posts: 49
in Motivation and Support
I am frustrated with my diet. I may need to change it to eating less and losing about 2 lbs a week. I tried on some clothes and they don't fit and I just purchased those. I am dieting and exercising. I feel like I am gaining weight instead of losing weight. What should I do?

Replies

  • MuddyEquestrian
    MuddyEquestrian Posts: 366 Member
    if you make your food diary public then it may be easier to give some advice for you. But what I can say now is that it takes time and patience and perseverance, stick with it!
  • geral4479WECHANGED
    geral4479WECHANGED Posts: 49
    I do have some good news. I lost 2 lbs, but I feel like I have a long, long, long way to go.
  • Kari_L_Moore
    Kari_L_Moore Posts: 18 Member
    If you are accurately tracking your calorie intake and exercise and are coming in under your total calories without starving yourself, and you still aren't losing weight, you might want to see your doctor. It could be stress, it could be a thyroid issue, or any number of things.
  • WickedBean
    WickedBean Posts: 244 Member
    Well by looking at your profile you have over 100 pounds to lose and you started this month so.... did you expect it to come off over night? Not to be mean but seriously you can't expect to start eating properly and exercising and just to drop weight like crazy and be at your goal in 4 weeks, it just isn't possible.

    So the clothes you bought don't fit, use them as a motivation to get into them and when you do than go buy smaller ones and work towards that. It isn't going to be easy and to be honest it will suck at times but if you stick with what you are doing it is worth it in the end.

    you have lost 2 pounds, that is great! No seriously awesome! Don't look at the big picture losing 100 pounds is no small thing, I personally use 5 pounds as a goal.... I even set my ticker to show only 5 pounds at a time that way I do not get caught up in the "ZOMG I HAVE 100LBS TO LOSE"
  • Grnhouse
    Grnhouse Posts: 254 Member
    Yes I agree. Don't get to hard on yourself. Keep doing what you are doing. My trainer told me it takes about 4-6 weeks to see results that will remain. Quick drops will not help keep the weight off. Keep eating healthy and working out at least 30 minutes per day. If you are lifting weights you may want to hold off on it for a while until you reach your ideal weight. Lifting bulks up and may be causing you gain before you begin to lose.
  • WickedBean
    WickedBean Posts: 244 Member
    Yes I agree. Don't get to hard on yourself. Keep doing what you are doing. My trainer told me it takes about 4-6 weeks to see results that will remain. Quick drops will not help keep the weight off. Keep eating healthy and working out at least 30 minutes per day. If you are lifting weights you may want to hold off on it for a while until you reach your ideal weight. Lifting bulks up and may be causing you gain before you begin to lose.

    I disagree with some of this, lifting helps you keep the muscles you have or at least lose less, if you are eating in a deficit it is nearly to "bulk up". you will retain fluid yes so it will seem like you are gaining but really you aren't and you will come back down so don't panic - plus you will lose inches... losing inches is just as exciting as seeing the scale change. BUT muscle burns fat better, it also will help with excess skin. So if you are able to lift weights and you want to do it... do not hesitate to do so.
  • elyelyse
    elyelyse Posts: 1,454 Member
    If you just changed your goals today, then ignore what I am about to say*...
    Looking at your diary, you seem to be going consistency over your calorie goal, so that's something to look at. Sodium is way over some days as well, and that will make you hold on to water weight and feel bloated.


    (*if you just changed your goals, then you were probably not going over them, they were higher, but MFP makes the change universal, not just after the changes)
  • Agator82
    Agator82 Posts: 249 Member
    I will agree with the advice above and suggest that you add more water to your diet. My experience is that I have to drink 10-12+ cups of water to lose weight. Additionally, some people report having a little bit lower carb count also helps, but I am neutral on this.

    You are getting started and it will take time. You have already lost 23 lbs just keep working and building on your successes.
  • bpotts44
    bpotts44 Posts: 1,066 Member
    Here is where I would start:

    1. Drop the fried and processed foods. Eat more whole grains and lean meats. There is a lot of recipes advice on these boards do some searches.
    2. Don't exceed your calorie goal for the day.
    3.Eat back only 1/2 of your exercise calories. Cardio exercise calories are overestimated by mfp so if you aren't using a hrm then only use half.
  • hastinbe
    hastinbe Posts: 130 Member
    By looking at your diary it shows you're consistently going over, usually due to high sodium foods. I'd work at cutting some of those out. One tip I like for fixing a high sodium diet is to counter it with meals that have more potassium than sodium.
  • AZKristi
    AZKristi Posts: 1,801 Member
    It looks like you've only been tracking via MFP for about a week. Stick with it and see how it goes. You look like you are averaging about 1900 calories per day. This shouldn't cause a gain if you have 100+ pounds to loose. If your clothes are tight, it could be bloating due to excess salt consumption. 1900 might not be low enough to loose weight unless you are creating a caloric deficit with daily exercise (moderate intensity cardio and strength training). I would suggest aiming for 1500-1700 per day and getting in 30-60 minutes of exercise per day.
  • MuddyEquestrian
    MuddyEquestrian Posts: 366 Member
    I agree with the above posts. Cut out some of the sodium and all of the fried foods. Try cutting out as many processed foods as you can. With the way you're eating you shouldn't gain, but you certainly won't lose very well either!
  • xHelloQuincyx
    xHelloQuincyx Posts: 884 Member
    well, you have been over in more then just calories the past like 5 days in a row. one day you were 2000+ mg over in sodium. sodium makes you bloat. your water consumption isn't high enough to help with the sodium. most of what you eat is pre packaged, replace those things with the real thing. example: replace pineapple fruit cups with pineapple fresh and cut up. replace crasins with cranberries. etc.


    also you are in this for a life style change, NOT a diet. congrats on the 2lbs that is a marvelous loss for the first week. 2 lbs is a HEALTHY loss per week. look up "1 pound of fat" on google images... still only happy with a 2 lb loss?
  • FitzyFitzpatrick
    FitzyFitzpatrick Posts: 188 Member
    One day at a time. If today you go over, make your goal tomorrow to stay under.

    As one poster above said, remove the fried and processed foods, things will go easier.

    Only go for 1 pound loss per week. Sure it takes forever...but it's WAY more healthy for your body to lose it slow.

    Good luck, I sent a FR should you be interested.
  • ExplorinLauren
    ExplorinLauren Posts: 991 Member
    I am in NO way an expert... if you look at my diary in the last week... It was AWFUL!! I'm very embarrassed by it! But, if you track back .. most days and weeks I try to stay with good eating. For me, its clean.. what I CONSIDER clean for me.
    All I can say is that looking at your diary... some of the meals you eat 2ce a day.. (Idk if its because of financial reasons, or making one meal last into 2.) but .. some of that I would NEVER eat 2ce in a day, you probably shouldn't eat it even once a day... you can not lose weight eating fried chicken wings 2ce a day.. trust me, I've tried LOL... my fav food on the planet is fried wings or hot wings... and it just doesn't work.
    My very basic advice would be .. if it's not working for you.. change it up a little. Maybe decrease your daily limit by a 100 calories, and see how that works? And def add in wayyyy more veggies, and lean meat, and healthier foods. You can eat junk food and stay within your cals, but in the long run you aren't getting the best foods ..and could probably eat ALOT more of healthy stuff, and get rid of all the fried, processed crap...and feel fuller, longer and be happier at the end of the day. Just my opinion....
    oh, and drink more water :)
  • vvanm
    vvanm Posts: 157
    Congrats on your weight loss! I admire you for commiting to this journey, and it is a journey that just seems long from this end. Once you have accomplished your goal, the year will seem like it went swiftly and you know it will be totally worth it to be in a good place for the rest of your life! Glancing at your diary, I noticed that the salt items were too many, and the fatty foods need to be substituted for a lower fat version. I log in food after every meal, and when I've reached the limit I want I switch to decaf coffee, sparkling water mixed with a little real juice, whatever filler that doesn't add more fat or calories. Sometimes I eat everthing by 4 p.m. instead of pacing it out, but enough calories is enough calories. You might be eating when you are really in need of fluids. That is a major habit I had to break. Good luck to you! Dig in, and stubbornly pursue your goal. Just think how great the first 20 will feel and keep at it!
  • bpotts44
    bpotts44 Posts: 1,066 Member
    I might make another suggestion after viewing your diary this morning. I do overnight oats pretty much every morning I go into work. They are fast, healthy, and inexpensive.

    Here is my formula
    1/2 cup oat bran, oatmeal, or combination of the both (I typically do oat bran unless I'm doing big exercise that day)
    1 cup milk
    1/2 frozen blueberries or other fruit
    1-2 tbsp of ground flax seed, wheat germ, or another similar item
    1 tbsp of stevia, agave, or other natural sweetner

    Mix it up the night before, store in the fridge, and eat in the morning with a big glass of water. You'll be satisfied afterwards.

    This will get you started on the right track in the mornings with a relatively low calorie whole food that will give you the energy you need to get through to lunch.

    Then typically I'll follow up with leftovers from the night before for lunch and focus on cooking a healthy dinner after work. Hope this helps.
  • vvanm
    vvanm Posts: 157
    Your Mac N Cheese seems to be multiple servings that fill up the day's calories. They are also high salt. If you cannot switch to something leaner, like Lean Cuisine Mac N Cheese, try mixing in frozen veggies that taste good with that cheesy dish and make it two meals, not one. I do that with Smart Ones Tuna Noodle Cassarole. Love the creamy comfort food, but it needs to be diluted with something else. Lean Cuisine also redefines portion size that most people have to adjust to. I add frozen veggies to that too and can have my plate full. You always have to out-think your brain chemistry that tells you what food choices are a good idea. Your brain is just trying to maintain your weight and it needs to be reset. Lots of people rooting for your success!

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