Just looking for some helpful guidelines?

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I guess the point of this is that I'm just hoping to get some helpful guidelines for what has been successful for other people. I've been a member of MFP since April and I have 20 pounds lost to show for it. This really isn't a bad rate of losing, but I do know that I could be losing faster (compared to other people's results). I've struggled with weight my entire life. Here are a few things that I know I need to change, and I'd just like some suggestions of what helps other people:

-I yo-yo a lot. I'm great about logging my food during the week, but once Friday night hits, I am horrible about logging. I still generally eat healthy, but I have my "cheats" on the weekends. I really want to get into the habit of logging everything, including the weekends, including the "cheats", but for whatever reason, it's like it slips my mind over the weekend. I hope I'm not the only one with this issue? Have any of you discovered tricks that help you stay motivated on weekends or times when you're stressed out and want to resort to food for comfort?
-I think I have medical issues, however I don't make much money and I don't have health insurance...A doctor really isn't an option right now, as much as I wish it was. Anywho, WebMD (which is sometimes a horrible thing...I have so many diseases according to WebMD lol, but these two I legitimately think I have) leads me to believe that I have an underactive Thyroid (very thin hair, brittle nails, slow weight loss, easy to gain but hard to lose weight) and PCOS. I know this isn't an alternative for medical advice, but it's the only option I have. Can anybody with these issues give me an idea of what they eat that really helps them lose? I have been trying to shoot for low fat/carbs, high protein for the past week or so.
-I was really great about exercise at one point, but I haven't been lately. Ever since I started school again I'm just drained by the time I get home...Working out is either not appealing because I'm exhausted or I have homework that has to be done (I work full time, go to school part time). I'm not sure if there are any words of advice in this category, but can anybody relate and tell me what works for them with a busy schedule? How do they squeeze that extra time in for working out (and still get 7-8 hours of sleep)?
-I have been following the Body by Vi 90 day challenge. I'm planning to open up my diary so you guys can truly get a glimpse of how I eat (start on Thursday of last week and go back, like I said I'm horrible about logging on weekends) I am so completely open to everyone's advice, but I do not want to hear about how bad Body by Vi is (not everyone will feel that way, but you all know there are plenty of people who are). I chose this program because I am not very good about eating balanced meals, I hate food prep, so this is how I get my nutrients. Plus, it's tasty and I love the convenience. I really don't want to come off as rude, but I did quite a bit of research on the product before I decided to try it, so I know it is the path I want to take (for now, not forever). I at least want to complete my 90 day challenge. Other than the shakes themselves, I'd love input on foods I should continue eating and foods I should avoid.

I appreciate your support and advice, everyone :smile:
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Replies

  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
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    Protein at 0.8 grams per day per lb of lean body weight perhaps 80 - 100 grams per day, moderate / low carb if you have PCOS and fat for the rest.

    You can't really do low carb and low fat as that only leaves protein.

    How tall / what weight are you ?
  • sparks044
    sparks044 Posts: 1 Member
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    Something you could do that would keep you motivated is place sticky notes all around your house (on your fridge, bathroom mirror, front door, wherever you can think of) with motivating quotes or your own personal pep talks to yourself written on them. You could also hang pictures of women who have the body that you hope to have one day next to the sticky notes that you placed. Or you could also ONLY buy healthy food and healthy snacks when stocking your fridge. Then, you wouldn't be as tempted to eat badly on the weekends. Just a few tips that have worked for me so far. But keep going girl, you can do it!! Stay positive and be proud of what you have accomplished so far!! :)
  • thelaurameister
    thelaurameister Posts: 689 Member
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    Also (forgot to mention this) I forget to log my water on here, but water is the one thing I can confidently say I'm consistent about. I drink anywhere from 9 to 12 glasses a day, just out of habit. I do drink diet soda sometimes, and crystal light. I personally don't believe they're that bad for you (in moderation), but if anyone disagrees, I'd be curious to hear your explanation of why?
  • thelaurameister
    thelaurameister Posts: 689 Member
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    Protein at 0.8 grams per day per lb of lean body weight perhaps 80 - 100 grams per day, moderate / low carb if you have PCOS and fat for the rest.

    You can't really do low carb and low fat as that only leaves protein.

    How tall / what weight are you ?

    You'll see if you check out my diary that I'm not really restricting them, just limiting them. I kind of have the mentality that the only way a diet will work for me is if it doesn't feel like a diet, but rather a lifestyle change. I still eat plenty of carbs (I think, please let me know if you disagree) and my fat intake is still higher than I'd like, it's a work in progress.

    I am 5'10", SW 292, CW 272
  • thelaurameister
    thelaurameister Posts: 689 Member
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    Something you could do that would keep you motivated is place sticky notes all around your house (on your fridge, bathroom mirror, front door, wherever you can think of) with motivating quotes or your own personal pep talks to yourself written on them. You could also hang pictures of women who have the body that you hope to have one day next to the sticky notes that you placed. Or you could also ONLY buy healthy food and healthy snacks when stocking your fridge. Then, you wouldn't be as tempted to eat badly on the weekends. Just a few tips that have worked for me so far. But keep going girl, you can do it!! Stay positive and be proud of what you have accomplished so far!! :)

    Those sound like great ideas! I made a Word document with inspiration quotes, but i never think to open it (don't have a printer at the moment)...maybe I'll try to print a few of the sheets at work....Thanks!!:drinker:
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
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    For weekend eating, I just had to get it in my head that just because I'm not working doesn't mean it's a free for all with food. I still exercise if I can and I stick with the same kinds of food I do during the week. Sometimes it's tough if Hubs wants to take me out to dinner or something but even if that comes up, I try to make the best choices I can.

    Also, if you know your weekends are consistently tough, make sure you're really good during the week so you build in kind of buffer of calories. Lots of people have cheat days and have plenty of success with them this way.

    Can't help you with the medical advice but you can try searching for PCOS using the Search function (see top of page) as it comes up quite a bit on the boards.
  • yoovie
    yoovie Posts: 17,121 Member
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    Im 5'10 - you can do this. You want some guidelines to start with? Here is the three most often ignored lessons that lead to people quitting.

    1. Consistency. Without doing this regularly for extended periods of time and taking the effort to train your body to understand that this is what life is going to be like now... Your results will be sporadic, harder to measure and all over the place and will result in plateaus for reasons you dont understand and hitting walls or getting injuries because you dont make it a priority to never go more than 3 days without a good workout.

    2. Motivation is NOT necessary. Self control, will power and determination ARE. Being motivated can make it more fun to work out and easier to get off the couch, but you cant just do this when its easy. You have to do it ESPECIALLY when its hard. Thats when you must exercise your WILL. Nothing is more powerful than your desire to reach your goals, not even a HIMYM marathon.

    3. No one else's behavior is an excuse for you not doing what you know needs to be done. Hubby doesnt want to eat healthy? Thats his problem. Kids dont like veggies? Too bad. Everyone else always needs you to do things for them so you have no time? Dont be a doormat, put your foot down. Make the people around you more self-reliant. Putting others first doesnt mean you must put yourself last. Putting yourself FIRST for a damn change, will actually enable you to be even BETTER for people around you. It will NOT make you selfish or vain, and when people are upset when you first change- it is THEM that are being selfish.

    Accept these things before you even google wtf TDEE is
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
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    Your diary's a little bit erratic to draw conclusions to be honest, but if you focus too much on reducing fat you're going to push up the carbs for a given calorie intake and what I read about PCOS that isn't a good idea. Low fat / diet / lean things are frequently higher in carbs.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/search?utf8=✓&phrase=PCOS may help
  • yo_andi
    yo_andi Posts: 2,178 Member
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    Im 5'10 - you can do this. You want some guidelines to start with? Here is the three most often ignored lessons that lead to people quitting.

    1. Consistency. Without doing this regularly for extended periods of time and taking the effort to train your body to understand that this is what life is going to be like now... Your results will be sporadic, harder to measure and all over the place and will result in plateaus for reasons you dont understand and hitting walls or getting injuries because you dont make it a priority to never go more than 3 days without a good workout.

    2. Motivation is NOT necessary. Self control, will power and determination ARE. Being motivated can make it more fun to work out and easier to get off the couch, but you cant just do this when its easy. You have to do it ESPECIALLY when its hard. Thats when you must exercise your WILL. Nothing is more powerful than your desire to reach your goals, not even a HIMYM marathon.

    3. No one else's behavior is an excuse for you not doing what you know needs to be done. Hubby doesnt want to eat healthy? Thats his problem. Kids dont like veggies? Too bad. Everyone else always needs you to do things for them so you have no time? Dont be a doormat, put your foot down. Make the people around you more self-reliant. Putting others first doesnt mean you must put yourself last. Putting yourself FIRST for a damn change, will actually enable you to be even BETTER for people around you. It will NOT make you selfish or vain, and when people are upset when you first change- it is THEM that are being selfish.

    Accept these things before you even google wtf TDEE is

    QFT.

    Also, with respect to PCOS and thyroid issues:

    I have PCOS (diagnosed 4 years ago). Until I actively started watching my carbohydrate intake (keeping it right around 100g a day except on days I run a lot) I gained and lost the same 5-10 lbs for years. Part and parcel of PCOS is insulin resistance, which means that insulin (which is a hormone) becomes less effective at lowering blood glucose and that has all sorts of nasty consequences including but not limited to diabetes, weight gain, increase in adipose tissue etc. Diet and exercise, along with really watching your carbohydrate intake should take care of this though.
  • yo_andi
    yo_andi Posts: 2,178 Member
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    Your diary's a little bit erratic to draw conclusions to be honest, but if you focus too much on reducing fat you're going to push up the carbs for a given calorie intake and what I read about PCOS that isn't a good idea. Low fat / diet / lean things are frequently higher in carbs.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/search?utf8=✓&phrase=PCOS may help

    This is also very true.

    My macros are set at 20% carbs, 35% protein, 45% fats. I make sure that the fats I'm ingesting are good, healthy sources like nuts, full fat dairy, nut butters and coconut oil.
  • Namwnguyen
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    My first suggestions to anyone whose weight loss is stalling would be the following

    1. cut down on the "healthy" foods that are high in calories but not very satiating, specifically nuts, nut butters, dread fruit, granola, avocados, liquid milk, protein shakes, and fruit juice. Those things are healthy for athletes who need extra energy but, in my opinion, they shouldn't be touched by anyone who is above their healthy weight range except as a treat.

    2. Make sure to log cooking fats separately from what you're cooking in them as it's easy to add hundreds of calories without knowing it. fats such as olive oil, lard, butter, and peanut butter have roughly 100 calories per tbspn and are best measured by tspn instead. Usually you can get away with using one teaspoon per frying pan of food (scrambling requires more oil than frying or making an omelette).

    3. Think of each meal as consisting of three parts, a lean protein (like chicken breast, fish, roast beef, ham etc), a high volume very low calorie filler (like sautéed vegetables, raw spinach/lettuce, steamed broccoli etc), and a small-as-possible fat or starch vehicle for the above (like oil for sautéing vegetables/frying protein, salad dressing, or a pita pocket for holding a high volume of vegetables and protein).

    4. Falling off the wagon a bit on weekends is not the worst thing in the world as long as your net calories for the week are below maintenance. If those stints of eating somewhat more allow your diet to be more maintainable then you might want to consider them a legitimate part of your regimen. The most important thing is bravely getting back on the scale after a backslide.

    5. Drink vodka & seltzer with lime or whiskey & seltzer with lemon instead of drinking beer. These drinks are btwn 65 and 100 cals per drink while beers are between 150 and 200 per drink and the hard liquor seltzers last you just as long and get you just as drunk.
  • yoovie
    yoovie Posts: 17,121 Member
    Options
    1. cut down on the "healthy" foods that are high in calories but not very satiating, specifically nuts, nut butters, dread fruit, granola, avocados, liquid milk, protein shakes, and fruit juice. Those things are healthy for athletes who need extra energy but, in my opinion, they shouldn't be touched by anyone who is above their healthy weight range except as a treat.

    WHAT THE HOLY HELLS BELLS IS THIS? Please please please where did you get that malarky?

    Those things are only for athletes who need extra energy??

    What on earth do YOU call a person who works out 4-6 times a week, steadily increases that amount as well as the difficulty and resistance and time????

    I call them an athlete! I call them someone who needs fat and protein! Holy....

    meh... you know what - I dont care.

    The people that figure it out on their own cause they care enough to learn are the ones that are going to succeed anyway. i cant get my panties in a knot every time someone tells someone else something awful on this site as though it will prevent them from ever finding success.

    Just... try not to make it harder on people for no reason other than - cause you read something on the internet and you thought a newbie needed to hear it.
  • yo_andi
    yo_andi Posts: 2,178 Member
    Options
    My first suggestions to anyone whose weight loss is stalling would be the following

    1. cut down on the "healthy" foods that are high in calories but not very satiating, specifically nuts, nut butters, dread fruit, granola, avocados, liquid milk, protein shakes, and fruit juice. Those things are healthy for athletes who need extra energy but, in my opinion, they shouldn't be touched by anyone who is above their healthy weight range except as a treat.

    2. Make sure to log cooking fats separately from what you're cooking in them as it's easy to add hundreds of calories without knowing it. fats such as olive oil, lard, butter, and peanut butter have roughly 100 calories per tbspn and are best measured by tspn instead. Usually you can get away with using one teaspoon per frying pan of food (scrambling requires more oil than frying or making an omelette).

    3. Think of each meal as consisting of three parts, a lean protein (like chicken breast, fish, roast beef, ham etc), a high volume very low calorie filler (like sautéed vegetables, raw spinach/lettuce, steamed broccoli etc), and a small-as-possible fat or starch vehicle for the above (like oil for sautéing vegetables/frying protein, salad dressing, or a pita pocket for holding a high volume of vegetables and protein).

    4. Falling off the wagon a bit on weekends is not the worst thing in the world as long as your net calories for the week are below maintenance. If those stints of eating somewhat more allow your diet to be more maintainable then you might want to consider them a legitimate part of your regimen. The most important thing is bravely getting back on the scale after a backslide.

    5. Drink vodka & seltzer with lime or whiskey & seltzer with lemon instead of drinking beer. These drinks are btwn 65 and 100 cals per drink while beers are between 150 and 200 per drink and the hard liquor seltzers last you just as long and get you just as drunk.

    You win the "ignoramus of the day" award.

    OP: please ignore all of this. Every bit of it. It's terrible advice.
  • yoovie
    yoovie Posts: 17,121 Member
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    2 and 3 are ok about remembering to log cooking fats and stuff.
  • yo_andi
    yo_andi Posts: 2,178 Member
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    2 and 3 are ok about remembering to log cooking fats and stuff.

    I would say that for someone who is worried that she may have a hormonal issue like PCOS that requires one to restrict carb intake, monitoring fats is important but keeping it as minimal as the poster suggested is unrealistic. She'd have to eat a ridiculous amount of protein every day to just get adequate calories if she limited both fat and carbohydrates.
  • krystina_letitia9
    krystina_letitia9 Posts: 697 Member
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    1. cut down on the "healthy" foods that are high in calories but not very satiating, specifically nuts, nut butters, dread fruit, granola, avocados, liquid milk, protein shakes, and fruit juice. Those things are healthy for athletes who need extra energy but, in my opinion, they shouldn't be touched by anyone who is above their healthy weight range except as a treat.

    WHAT THE HOLY HELLS BELLS IS THIS? Please please please where did you get that malarky?

    Those things are only for athletes who need extra energy??

    What on earth do YOU call a person who works out 4-6 times a week, steadily increases that amount as well as the difficulty and resistance and time????

    I call them an athlete! I call them someone who needs fat and protein! Holy....

    meh... you know what - I dont care.

    The people that figure it out on their own cause they care enough to learn are the ones that are going to succeed anyway. i cant get my panties in a knot every time someone tells someone else something awful on this site as though it will prevent them from ever finding success.

    Just... try not to make it harder on people for no reason other than - cause you read something on the internet and you thought a newbie needed to hear it.

    AGREED! I eat nut butters and avocados every single day - and I've lost 21lbs. I also drink "liquid milk". I'm by no means an "athlete".
  • crystalflame
    crystalflame Posts: 1,049 Member
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    K so before this thread spirals out of control, to address exercise:

    1) Try to find some time either in the morning or at lunch to work out so you don't skip it because you're tired in the evenings.
    2) Get extra movement in by walking extra or taking the stairs as much as possible.
    3) Give yourself a small, easy exercise you tell yourself you HAVE to do every day, like 50 squats or 200 crunches. It doesn't take much time, but if you do it every day you'll start to see a difference.
    4) Try to make exercise convenient for yourself. If going to a gym is too much, do a workout video at home or go for a run in your neighborhood.
    5) If nothing else works, get a workout buddy or a trainer - someone to hold you accountable so you HAVE to exercise.

    Good luck =)
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    Options
    My first suggestions to anyone whose weight loss is stalling would be the following

    1. cut down on the "healthy" foods that are high in calories but not very satiating, specifically nuts, nut butters, dread fruit, granola, avocados, liquid milk, protein shakes, and fruit juice. Those things are healthy for athletes who need extra energy but, in my opinion, they shouldn't be touched by anyone who is above their healthy weight range except as a treat.

    2. Make sure to log cooking fats separately from what you're cooking in them as it's easy to add hundreds of calories without knowing it. fats such as olive oil, lard, butter, and peanut butter have roughly 100 calories per tbspn and are best measured by tspn instead. Usually you can get away with using one teaspoon per frying pan of food (scrambling requires more oil than frying or making an omelette).

    3. Think of each meal as consisting of three parts, a lean protein (like chicken breast, fish, roast beef, ham etc), a high volume very low calorie filler (like sautéed vegetables, raw spinach/lettuce, steamed broccoli etc), and a small-as-possible fat or starch vehicle for the above (like oil for sautéing vegetables/frying protein, salad dressing, or a pita pocket for holding a high volume of vegetables and protein).

    4. Falling off the wagon a bit on weekends is not the worst thing in the world as long as your net calories for the week are below maintenance. If those stints of eating somewhat more allow your diet to be more maintainable then you might want to consider them a legitimate part of your regimen. The most important thing is bravely getting back on the scale after a backslide.

    5. Drink vodka & seltzer with lime or whiskey & seltzer with lemon instead of drinking beer. These drinks are btwn 65 and 100 cals per drink while beers are between 150 and 200 per drink and the hard liquor seltzers last you just as long and get you just as drunk.

    You win the "ignoramus of the day" award.

    OP: please ignore all of this. Every bit of it. It's terrible advice.

    #2 isn't bad advice.

    The rest?

    Well ...
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
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    2 and 3 are ok about remembering to log cooking fats and stuff.

    I would say that for someone who is worried that she may have a hormonal issue like PCOS that requires one to restrict carb intake, monitoring fats is important but keeping it as minimal as the poster suggested is unrealistic. She'd have to eat a ridiculous amount of protein every day to just get adequate calories if she limited both fat and carbohydrates.
    She doesn't necessarily have to limit, but she needs to be aware of her calorie intake, which means logging the oil, butter, etc.
  • mjbauer
    mjbauer Posts: 13 Member
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    On the point about not logging on weekends or your cheats... personally I find that logging my cheats are what really make me think twice about them. I use MFP on my iphone and on my computer, I find that if I look something up right before I'm tempted to eat it, half the time I don't follow through with the cheat because of what a shock it is to see how many calories are in it. It's not about denying yourself the things you really want, it's about learning to make healthier choices and still enjoying your life. Like if you are going out with your friends (this is what I always find that hardest) look at the menu of the restaurant online ahead of time and try and find the things that are lower in calories. A lot of food options out can easily be adapted by asking for things without cheese and/or sauce/dressings, and the rest can be pretty healthy!

    I find that drinking is something I just try to avoid completely on weekends, only because not only are there empty calories in the booze but then I tend to make bad food decisions once the booze is in me! But that's just me... If i do drink, vodka water with lime is actually pretty tasty, or vodka fresca!

    I also work and go to school, so I get that really busy/tired feeling. It took awhile, but now I actually LOVE to exercise. The hardest part is still going out and doing it, but once I'm doing it, I absolutely love it. Find something that you enjoy, I go to jazzercise, which is like dance aerobics kind of. There are mornings when I really just want to stay in my bed, and sometimes I do and miss it, and I always regret it, once I'm there I have such a blast and feel so much better. I say look for some exercise that you actually enjoy doing, once you find that, you'll see it can actually help increase your energy level all the time. Try going for walks on your lunch break at work, and park farther away from your classes/work than you normally would and just add in the extra steps where ever you can.

    I also just recently decided that I was done with losing the same 5-10 pounds over and over again (okay, so I always say this probably, but now I really want to do something about it) so I've started viewing it as a one day at a time thing. I find that makes me more accountable for my actions each day. If I think about things long term, then I tend to give myself excuses "it's ok, I can eat whatever I want today, tomorrow I'll do better" so now each morning I tell myself that today is going to be a good day and I'm going to make good choices just for today and I do it, every time I think about what I want to eat, or do, I try and make the best healthy choice, and I feel good at the end of the day like I accomplished something if I made the good choices, which tends to motivate me for the next day. Maybe it's silly, but that's what works for me.

    Be proud of what you've done, 20 pounds down since april is awesome! Keep up the good work, it's a long hard journey, and you are right, it's about making serious life style changes. I was probably around 285-295 at my heaviest and now I'm down to 211ish. I know how hard it is! Find what works for you, and keep up the good work! :)

    Wow this was long, lol, I hope it helps!