I need some objective advice
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sunnykt
Posts: 66
I haven't been on myfitnesspal since December last year.
In that time I've maintained the weight I lost (which is quite good considered I've been on two holidays that involved a lot of food I wouldn't normally eat!) and I've been eating reasonable well considering I'm currently staying with my parents, and their house is like a food-trap which I'm totally not used to!
I wanted to start up again because I have about 3-4 kgs I'd like to loose and some serious toning to do.
I'm torn between the thought pattern of "these are just vanity kgs" and the notion that I'm currently staying at my parents house, and that once I finish university and move out again I'll eat less because there will be less to eat (I basically just buy healthy nutritious foods and chocolate, and I've gotten over the chocolate obsession a bit)
The only reason I want to do this now is because I want to be at my physical and mental best when I finish university. I feel like I have nothing better to do with my spare time, I'm young and capable now, so why not? I want to get fit and skinny now so that I can focus on other goals once I'm finished.
But counting calories is making me feel like a miserable failure.
I went to the gym on Friday and did some serious strength training. When I got home and logged the foods I'd been eating it was maintenance. I was like "bla all this handwork for nothing", my friends and I had McDonalds (which I also don't do). And I felt so bad about it all that I was like "screw life I'm baking muffins and I'm eating them all." So I spent the weekend eating chocolate muffins (which I wouldn't have done if counting calories hadn't gotten me so "**** this ****. I'm going to do the exact opposite because this isn't working. Even though I know that's irrational"). Today I was like 'okay lets eat normally again', break. Whatever. Put that in the past. Move on. Probably jigged up my metabolism anyway etc.
So today;
I had a protein shake, some berries and a banana for breakfast.
For lunch I had a thai chicken salad and a mango frappe on pineapple juice.
For afternoon tea I had an apple and a chai latte
Steak and vegetables for dinner, and a piece of chocolate cake for dessert (which I didn't have until I logged the calories for the above foods, became disheartened and decided something along the line of "fudge this ****")
I then had a nighttime snack of two vitawheats with nut butter and two chai teas with lots of milk and honey.
The problem with this is that it's exactly that "eating normally". It's maintenance not weight loss. And I just don't feel like putting myself into the "weightloss" frame of mind again. It feels like the more I try to count calories the more I eat, because I'm actually thinking about eating. I feel like my motivation just isn't enough either. This time last year I was happily obsessed. I don't want to be obsessed. But I don't know how to cut down without becoming obsessed. I feel like I lack the willpower to just cut down and track calories without then wanting to get the high I get from analysing, controlling and tracking my diet. But because I don't want this to happen I'm shooting myself in the foot. Eating a normal maintenance diet, when I need to eat less in order to reach my goal, and then feeling crummy for not eating less.
All the reasons why I shouldn't be trying to cut calories out weigh the reasons why in my head right now. But I don't know how else I'm going to be able to keep track of my effort and ensure I'm loosing weight on schedule. Chances are Christmas will equal an extra 1/2 kg, and I want to accommodate that too. Even if I just loose 2 kgs in the next two months I would be happy. It seems like such a small amount, but the smaller the amount the harder it is I suppose. I'm feeling very conflicted.
It goes like this "should I use myfitnesspal and count calories" or "should I just stay away from junk foods, screw the calorie counting and exercise heaps"?
In that time I've maintained the weight I lost (which is quite good considered I've been on two holidays that involved a lot of food I wouldn't normally eat!) and I've been eating reasonable well considering I'm currently staying with my parents, and their house is like a food-trap which I'm totally not used to!
I wanted to start up again because I have about 3-4 kgs I'd like to loose and some serious toning to do.
I'm torn between the thought pattern of "these are just vanity kgs" and the notion that I'm currently staying at my parents house, and that once I finish university and move out again I'll eat less because there will be less to eat (I basically just buy healthy nutritious foods and chocolate, and I've gotten over the chocolate obsession a bit)
The only reason I want to do this now is because I want to be at my physical and mental best when I finish university. I feel like I have nothing better to do with my spare time, I'm young and capable now, so why not? I want to get fit and skinny now so that I can focus on other goals once I'm finished.
But counting calories is making me feel like a miserable failure.
I went to the gym on Friday and did some serious strength training. When I got home and logged the foods I'd been eating it was maintenance. I was like "bla all this handwork for nothing", my friends and I had McDonalds (which I also don't do). And I felt so bad about it all that I was like "screw life I'm baking muffins and I'm eating them all." So I spent the weekend eating chocolate muffins (which I wouldn't have done if counting calories hadn't gotten me so "**** this ****. I'm going to do the exact opposite because this isn't working. Even though I know that's irrational"). Today I was like 'okay lets eat normally again', break. Whatever. Put that in the past. Move on. Probably jigged up my metabolism anyway etc.
So today;
I had a protein shake, some berries and a banana for breakfast.
For lunch I had a thai chicken salad and a mango frappe on pineapple juice.
For afternoon tea I had an apple and a chai latte
Steak and vegetables for dinner, and a piece of chocolate cake for dessert (which I didn't have until I logged the calories for the above foods, became disheartened and decided something along the line of "fudge this ****")
I then had a nighttime snack of two vitawheats with nut butter and two chai teas with lots of milk and honey.
The problem with this is that it's exactly that "eating normally". It's maintenance not weight loss. And I just don't feel like putting myself into the "weightloss" frame of mind again. It feels like the more I try to count calories the more I eat, because I'm actually thinking about eating. I feel like my motivation just isn't enough either. This time last year I was happily obsessed. I don't want to be obsessed. But I don't know how to cut down without becoming obsessed. I feel like I lack the willpower to just cut down and track calories without then wanting to get the high I get from analysing, controlling and tracking my diet. But because I don't want this to happen I'm shooting myself in the foot. Eating a normal maintenance diet, when I need to eat less in order to reach my goal, and then feeling crummy for not eating less.
All the reasons why I shouldn't be trying to cut calories out weigh the reasons why in my head right now. But I don't know how else I'm going to be able to keep track of my effort and ensure I'm loosing weight on schedule. Chances are Christmas will equal an extra 1/2 kg, and I want to accommodate that too. Even if I just loose 2 kgs in the next two months I would be happy. It seems like such a small amount, but the smaller the amount the harder it is I suppose. I'm feeling very conflicted.
It goes like this "should I use myfitnesspal and count calories" or "should I just stay away from junk foods, screw the calorie counting and exercise heaps"?
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Replies
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And I just don't feel like putting myself into the "weightloss" frame of mind again. It feels like the more I try to count calories the more I eat, because I'm actually thinking about eating. I feel like my motivation just isn't enough either. This time last year I was happily obsessed. I don't want to be obsessed. But I don't know how to cut down without becoming obsessed.
This is the part that drew my attention.
It sounds like you've done a good job of maintaining, that's a huge accomplishment in itself. It also sounds to me like you want to give yourself permission to not worry about eating at a deficit. Do it. I did it for myself this spring/early summer by eating at maintenance and it was really good for me mentally. And physically. I'm eating at a deficit again now that I'm mentally able to deal with it again. But I would recommend keeping up with workouts. I don't think you need to be obsessive with them to compensate for not eating at a deficit though. Commit to a reasonable workout schedule and just focus on that. Even though the scale may not change, your body shape will. And in a few weeks, months, whenever, you may be ready to try a deficit again.0 -
Thank you for the advice.
I've been really torn. I don't know if calorie counting is necessary in order to loose the weight I want, or if it's actually a hinderance.
It's hard when it's only those last 5 pounds.0 -
Maybe you should look at intermittent fasting?
That way you could eat at maintenance 5 days a week and fast two days (and fasting doesn't necessarily mean no food all day, it may mean a very small meal, you can adapt it to your liking), so over the week you would be down the same calories if you ate at a deficit everyday, but you don't need to constantly think about eating- 5 days you eat normally at maintenance, and two days you don't eat.
There is a group here for it if you are interested. A lot of people like IF for the reason that you think less about food.0 -
IF made me obsess about food more, probably because I was so hungry. Ultimately, the only person who can motivate yourself is you, so it comes down to this, do you really want to lose that 2 kgs or not? How important is it to you, really?
I do think it's possible to lose those last 5 pounds without calorie counting. I have done it before. A few years ago before MFP, I was able to get a great body just by working out weights w/ a trainer twice a week, and 2-3 cardio sessions/week. I did not count calories, just tried to eat healthy. Ate a lot more veggies, avoided desserts, and didn't drink much alcohol. When I started lifting the weight just came off.
On the other hand, when it is just those "last 5 pounds" it can be tough. Last fall I started exercising a ton thinking that would be enough to take off the 10 or so pounds I had gained. I didn't work. I was still eating pretty healthy, but not getting results. This time around I think what was different is that I was stronger and had more muscle mass. Before the lifting triggered the weight loss, but not i had to get a little more scientific. It took me a while of counting calories until I lost again.
I travel sometimes for work and can maintain just fine when I'm on the road. I usually don't count calories since I'm eating out, just try and pick the best choice on the menu. I never put on weight when I'm traveling, only at home.
Now I workout at a gym where they encourage everyone to eat a paleo type diet- lots of meat, veggies, fruits, a little dairy, and no grains. They tell people specifically NOT to count calories, and everyone loses. I ate healthy before but lost doing this because I was so strict with the grains.
To me it sounds more like you are interested in toning up your body, which may result in no loss at all. I would try and incorporate more weight training, and just focus on eating healthy. If counting calories makes you obsessed, don't bother.0 -
Thank you for the good advice! Definitely thinking that calorie counting isn't for me at this stage. Even if I don't loose the weight, I know I'm going to loose it next year (just because I'll be living out of my parent's home again and I'm a super-healthy eater when alone ^.^), so toning is probably more important
(even though I'd still want to loose that weight even once I've toned).
I've been feeling shonky about my body this last month, having not lost any weight, but my Dad commented that even though the scales haven't changed I'm looking fitter and more muscular, and positive feedback is definitely helping my commitment! Failure/ going over my calorie limit was definitely effecting my self-esteem- causing me to eat more
I do try and avoid eating too many white carbs- I find any diet that focuses on fruits, vegetables and protein is good for both health and sustainable weight loss ^.^ (mainly due to a lack of carbs). So the paleo diet makes sense to me, it seems to me to just be good logic. Focus on vegetables, get your carbohydrates from fruits, eat occasional grains and ensure that they are grains that have been in our diet for longer (aka spelt instead of wheat- as it came into the human diet in the mesolithic or neolithic stone age, I don't remember). I wish I didn't drink so much milk though
I'm not a baby-cow so it doesn't make much logical sense to me to be drinking the sheer quantities I consume (I'd love to cut out all dairy but yogurt). My body has become so dependant on getting an over-abundance of calcium that it now needs more than it should (I believe). But I could easily get this from greens. ^.^
I do eat grains but I try to make them wholegrains- oats and quinoa mainly.
I'm diabetic so IF is probably not a good idea for me. Plus, even as a child I need to eat regularly to stop myself from being irritable...
I think the logic behind 4-6 meals a day rather than 2-3 big ones is generally incorrect (like the whole 80s "don't drink water with dinner!" type thing), so IF isn't necessarily bad. But for me smaller meals makes it easier to judge my blood sugar, even if is perhaps more time-consuming!0 -
I think the logic behind 4-6 meals a day rather than 2-3 big ones is generally incorrect (like the whole 80s "don't drink water with dinner!" type thing), so IF isn't necessarily bad. But for me smaller meals makes it easier to judge my blood sugar, even if is perhaps more time-consuming!
I'm with you KT, I think it's more a matter of personal preference. i think you can lose weight on either method, just whatever works for you and helps you not binge. My man seems to do much better only eating 1-2 large meals a day, but like you I just get cranky when I do that. So he knows I need to eat in the morning so I'm not a sour-puss lol. I'm not diabetic but sensitive to blood sugar changes as well, so when i eat more often I'm more even.0
