Need help,please.

thinandprim23
thinandprim23 Posts: 8
in Health and Weight Loss
This is going to be long but i need to get this out and get your advice.
I'm 21 years old and I weigh 130 lbs,and I'm 5'6.I'm vegan,I also live with my boyfriend who eats ALOT.He's not vegan and hates veggies so pretty much the only meals we can eat together is pasta with sauce,home made fries etc,stuff that I don't prefer eating,but have gotten into the habit of eating.I'd like to get down to 115.I have kind of a gut,and I've been doing exercises at home such as crunches,jumping jacks,wall sits,lunges,but I feel like I should be doing more because nothing is happening.I need some exercises I can do at home without weights,I'm not very strong so even 5 pounds is alot to me,and something easy,and something that isn't too time consuming.What do you guys think?I'm at a loss and I can't deal with this anymore,it's beginning to make me depressed that nothing is changing because it feels like I'm doing the best I can,I've cut down on calories more recently,been exercising everyday in the best way I know how.Please help.

Replies

  • Madelinew22
    Madelinew22 Posts: 289
    This is going to be long but i need to get this out and get your advice.
    I'm 21 years old and I weigh 130 lbs,and I'm 5'6.I'm vegan,I also live with my boyfriend who eats ALOT.He's not vegan and hates veggies so pretty much the only meals we can eat together is pasta with sauce,home made fries etc,stuff that I don't prefer eating,but have gotten into the habit of eating.I'd like to get down to 115.I have kind of a gut,and I've been doing exercises at home such as crunches,jumping jacks,wall sits,lunges,but I feel like I should be doing more because nothing is happening.I need some exercises I can do at home without weights,I'm not very strong so even 5 pounds is alot to me,and something easy,and something that isn't too time consuming.What do you guys think?I'm at a loss and I can't deal with this anymore,it's beginning to make me depressed that nothing is changing because it feels like I'm doing the best I can,I've cut down on calories more recently,been exercising everyday in the best way I know how.Please help.

    running, but i guess thats time consuming. just remember~u get what u work for and if ur barely working for it, u will barely get results. also im 5'2 and i weight 121lbs i think u should set ur first weight loss goal closer to 120 and see how u feel at that weight first. oh and squats!! do those
  • FawnAnnette
    FawnAnnette Posts: 12
    Mediterranean diet choices allow for meats and veggies. Grains too. You cannot make your bf eat what you do. Neither is easy to eat separately. Can you make a meal and then bring to your plate these extra healthy foods, cutting back on the fried foods in particular. My husband is like your bf. I made this choice to eat differently this May. I do not have a good report for him. He is unhappy b/c I have lost 44 lbs. He remains overweight with a large gut and high cholestrol count. Prayers and hugs, new friend on mfp.
  • thinandprim23
    thinandprim23 Posts: 8
    Mediterranean diet choices allow for meats and veggies. Grains too. You cannot make your bf eat what you do. Neither is easy to eat separately. Can you make a meal and then bring to your plate these extra healthy foods, cutting back on the fried foods in particular. My husband is like your bf. I made this choice to eat differently this May. I do not have a good report for him. He is unhappy b/c I have lost 44 lbs. He remains overweight with a large gut and high cholestrol count. Prayers and hugs, new friend on mfp.
    I don't make him eat what I eat,he still eats meat,just I don't and he's always wanting to share meals with me,it's costly and time consuming to make separate meals all the time,so in a way,we're both compromising,I was doing wonderful on my weightloss as I've been vegan almost my whole like but once we moved in together it just be me to costly to keep on eating separately.He won't get off the couch and he's pretty heavyset now,he won't change his diet so like I find myself eating more junk foods out of price and convenience so I guess exercising is my only hope !
  • BurtHuttz
    BurtHuttz Posts: 3,653 Member
    I'm concerned to hear that five pounds seems like a lot to you. A few things may be going on. Are you on a very low-calorie diet? Your food diary is closed so I have to guess.

    A common vegan issue is a shortage of quality protein in the diet, and if you aren't getting enough protein, it's hard to build muscles. Without muscle tone, you may see that flabby-skinny look you describe. Additionally, a body with good strong muscles in it enables better calorie-burning workouts, and burns more calories at rest than a body without the same quantity of lean muscle mass.

    Edited to add: Doing even more exercise and cutting even more calories is probably going to be even more counterproductive, assuming you are in fact on a low-calorie diet and are not getting sufficient quality protein. Can you also provide your reason for being vegan?
  • thinandprim23
    thinandprim23 Posts: 8
    I'm concerned to hear that five pounds seems like a lot to you. A few things may be going on. Are you on a very low-calorie diet? Your food diary is closed so I have to guess.

    A common vegan issue is a shortage of quality protein in the diet, and if you aren't getting enough protein, it's hard to build muscles. Without muscle tone, you may see that flabby-skinny look you describe. Additionally, a body with good strong muscles in it enables better calorie-burning workouts, and burns more calories at rest than a body without the same quantity of lean muscle mass.

    Edited to add: Doing even more exercise and cutting even more calories is probably going to be even more counterproductive, assuming you are in fact on a low-calorie diet and are not getting sufficient quality protein. Can you also provide your reason for being vegan?
    Yes I am currently on a 1,000 calorie a day diet,providing I can get up to that,I eat what I can,when I can,I do my best not to go over 2,000 since I'm trying to lose weight.I don't get as much protein as I should,I take a vegan protein shake in the morning and I take multivitamins designed for vegans.

    My reason for being vegan is when I was 7 I didnt like the smell or taste of most of the meat my family bad me eat so I refused,then I learned more about what happens to the animals..I love animals and refuse to eat them,I haven't eaten a single animal since I was 8 years old.
  • BurtHuttz
    BurtHuttz Posts: 3,653 Member
    It sounds to me like your objectives should have much more to do with getting fit than losing weight. In getting fit, your body will handle the fat.

    Check out this thread:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

    Basically, find out your BMR and eat no less than that. It's probably a lot closer to 1700 calories than it is to 1000. Don't eat below your BMR because that is what your body uses to respirate, circulate blood, fight infections, think, etc. Long term consumption below your BMR damages the body in a cumulative way.

    Then, find out how much MORE to eat than that. You need to grow some muscles. It looks like you're already doing all the hard work, but you're not giving your body the building blocks to create that wonderful tissue, so you're wasting effort.

    Edited to add: as far as the vegan thing goes, I won't try to talk you out of it; but you'll need to really research protein supplements like soy, etc, and find a way to get those good fats that you need like via peanut butter.
  • thinandprim23
    thinandprim23 Posts: 8
    It sounds to me like your objectives should have much more to do with getting fit than losing weight. In getting fit, your body will handle the fat.

    Check out this thread:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

    Basically, find out your BMR and eat no less than that. It's probably a lot closer to 1700 calories than it is to 1000. Don't eat below your BMR because that is what your body uses to respirate, circulate blood, fight infections, think, etc. Long term consumption below your BMR damages the body in a cumulative way.

    Then, find out how much MORE to eat than that. You need to grow some muscles. It looks like you're already doing all the hard work, but you're not giving your body the building blocks to create that wonderful tissue, so you're wasting effort.

    Edited to add: as far as the vegan thing goes, I won't try to talk you out of it; but you'll need to really research protein supplements like soy, etc, and find a way to get those good fats that you need like via peanut butter.
    Generally when I eat more I tend to feel really sick.
    I eat plenty of peanut butter,as well as tofu when i get the chance,I've been vegan since I was 8 years old,I know how to get my proteins,it's just not always the easiest to get all I need !
    Thanks for referring me to the thread,I've read it,and it's a bit confusing but I'll try to figure it out!
  • katesinternet
    katesinternet Posts: 4 Member
    My husband eats somewhat differently than I do. I'm not vegan by any stretch, but I try to go vegetarian a few meals a week. He insists on having meat at nearly every meal.

    On my vegetarian/vegan meal days, I'll throw a chicken breast or fish filet on the skillet for him and serve it along side his portion of the vegetable feast.

    Have you had your vitamin levels checked lately? While you do say you are taking the vitamins, it can be harder for some women to absorb necessary ones from pills. I have two friends who are having issues even though they take pills prescribed by their doctors, their bodies just don't want to get the vitamins that way.
  • thinandprim23
    thinandprim23 Posts: 8
    My husband eats somewhat differently than I do. I'm not vegan by any stretch, but I try to go vegetarian a few meals a week. He insists on having meat at nearly every meal.

    On my vegetarian/vegan meal days, I'll throw a chicken breast or fish filet on the skillet for him and serve it along side his portion of the vegetable feast.

    Have you had your vitamin levels checked lately? While you do say you are taking the vitamins, it can be harder for some women to absorb necessary ones from pills. I have two friends who are having issues even though they take pills prescribed by their doctors, their bodies just don't want to get the vitamins that way.
    I get them checked every other month,because I'm so weak,but they've never said anything is wrong,they've ran tests for other things,and all is well,I guess I am just weak,but it's still being checked to make sure nothing is worsening because I am almost on the "low side or normal" for my vitamins.
  • BurtHuttz
    BurtHuttz Posts: 3,653 Member
    If you feel sick when you eat more, you may have done some damage already. You might want to consider speaking with a nutritionist or specialist in eating disorders. Best of luck to you :-)
  • thinandprim23
    thinandprim23 Posts: 8
    If you feel sick when you eat more, you may have done some damage already. You might want to consider speaking with a nutritionist or specialist in eating disorders. Best of luck to you :-)
    Well I don't have an eating disorder which is a given.

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