412lbs and Trouble Losing Weight After 7 Months!? Uhg

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Replies

  • 19kat55
    19kat55 Posts: 336 Member
    I agree with the people talking about quality of food vs. quantity. Vegetables are your friend. The green leafy kind, not the starchy kind. Fruit is good. Berries are awesome. Blackberries, raspberries, strawberries etc. Your fat intake seems pretty high to me. If you are making those sloppy joes, trade the 90% fat free beef for 99% fat free ground turkey. Look for little changes like that you can make that will make a difference. I also agree with those saying it might be time to meet with a dietician. Increase activity as you can. Maybe you are not able to add two 30 minutes sessions of cardio to your week because of an injury but park farther away when you go somewhere, take a flight of stairs now and then. Also if you are not able to do the cardio because of a leg injury add some arm work at home on days you don't meet with the trainer. Final thing, LOG every single day. You state this is a typical day. But you really need to be consistent with your logging.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Please don't start using supplements to increase or decrease anything on your own. Speak to your doctor first and get reffered to a dietician/nutritionist. With your medical conditions you should have no problem getting insurance to cover it.

    Also, I see you have your daily intake set to 2200. That is pretty low for a man your size.

    Best of luck.

    ^^^This. You should definitely check into getting a nutritionist or dietitian. Given your current conditions and overall risk, insurance should cover you. Let them determine what your caloric goals should be, not the internet. When you are in the condition you are in, it throws standard calorie recommendations out the window....plus, you may be on meds that interfere with your weight loss efforts. I'm currently on a med that decreases my BMR by 10% so yeah...sucky.

    Go see the doc and be awesome like this guy:

    slip-n-slide-dude.gif
  • rborkows
    rborkows Posts: 4
    Try reducing your sodium intake. It's possible you're retaining a lot of water due to the large amounts of sodium you're taking.
    Reducing sodium intake to below 1500mg/day and upping potassium to 3500/day will show quick results. When I decided to fix my blood pressure I lost 10lbs in about a week via sodium/potassium management, just due to peeing off excess fluid. Result of this will be less weight for your joints to carry around, and likely lowered blood pressure (How is that btw?)

    Look at the sodium values of what you're eating. That meat flavouring stands out. You can make your own spice mix where you control the salt content.
    Easy way to boost potassium is via vegetables. Steamed broccoli, asparagus, tomatos, spinach, etc. Potato is another good source, but I don't know how that works with your diabetes.
  • Wrenbot87
    Wrenbot87 Posts: 100 Member
    I agree, you may not be eating enough of the good stuff! Though, I'm not expert! I say talk to your trainer and I bet they know of a good dietician for you to speak with. I know it took a while for me to figure out what made my body "work" for me and not against me. Also, You should try making the Skinny taste sloppy Joes, very filling, very tasty! Good luck!!
  • WBB55
    WBB55 Posts: 4,131 Member
    FRUITS & VEGIES!!!

    Seriously. Two servings of fruit and three servings of vegetables equal 200 calories. Make room for them in your calorie budget.

    If you like shakes, add some spinach or kale to your protein shake and mix in a blender. You won't taste it, we promise. Buying a juicer and drinking fresh juice might be an option for you, but honestly for you, I recommend to just eat them whole so you get the fiber.

    Also, if this regimen of sloppy joe mix and chicken works for you, and you lose 1# per week, then keep at it, I say. But adding some fruits and vegies would really make a difference overall. A lot of body processes, like efficiently converting stored fat to energy, are chemical reactions that take vitamins and minerals in abundant supply in order to make happen easily. If you don't give your body the tools it needs to convert stored fat to available energy, then your body will use the food you eat for its energy needs, since that's easier. The vitamins and minerals in fruits and vegies ARE the tools your body needs.

    But overall, good job. Keep tracking those triglyceride and other numbers. Those are more important than the number on the scale and how fast it's changing.

    Edit to add: save your money from the supplements and use that money to buy vegetables.
  • Brandon74
    Brandon74 Posts: 453 Member
    I am also a 38 year old male.

    You really should see a dietrician/nutrionist/weight loss specialist for advice.

    I do agree with others on here that you need to eat more greens and vegetables and drink a lot of water..and I mean A LOT of water by itself. Cut out the diet sodas, and sugary juices and drinks in general. Water will clean out your system. I drink almost 64oz of water a day.

    Also, how many calories are you burning from your workouts each day? If your personal trainer recommends you do more cardio, then you should be doing it. Your foot may be sore from the exercise. If you think it might be something else you should get it looked at. But there are other forms of cardio you can do that won't bother your achillies.

    You should also be logging everyday. I am guilty of not being consistent with this either sometimes, but it really needs to be done. No Excuses.

    Just from my own observation, I would lay off the Sloppy Joe mix you make. Look for healthier options like chicken and turkey which are lean and clean meats. They have a lot less fat which would be beneficial to you. Plus, it's cheapier and easy to fix quickly.
  • Routerninja
    Routerninja Posts: 201
    2200 calorie goal?

    That's quite low for someone your size. Eating too little is just as counterproductive as eating too much. I'm 5 feet tall, 128 lbs, and I eat 2100 to maintain. Surely you're eating too little.

    Yeah, I'm at 470 and I eat 3500 calories a day and thats BMR + 10% which some people will say is too low for me..
  • Deipneus
    Deipneus Posts: 1,854 Member
    mathjulz wrote:
    You've lost "only" 33 pounds over 7 months. That is almost 5 pounds a month, or a pound a week. This is a very healthy rate to lose weight.
    I was hoping someone would say this. Instead of comparing your rate of loss to others, consider what you are accomplishing now. Looks like you are doing pretty well already.
  • EatClean_WashUrNuts
    EatClean_WashUrNuts Posts: 1,590 Member
    Simply put....you're doing it wrong.

    If you are targeting 2200 Calories, you are not eating enough.

    Your BMR is calculated 3276. In a sedentary lifestyle, to lose 2 pounds/week, you should be eating 2576

    There is some good information that others have said, but it all starts with how much you are eating.
  • lynheff
    lynheff Posts: 393 Member
    Since you have achilles tendon problems you might try swimming instead of so much walking. It burns more calories/minute and is easier on your body. Since you are insulin resistant, you might do better by decreasing your carb intake a little further. I am hypoglycemic and find that I feel better and have fewer problems controlling my weight if I don't eat concentrated carbs like bread, pasta or rice. Instead my carbs come from veggies and some fruit. Congrats on the weight you have already lost!! Hope this helps. good luck
  • msgrowinggirl20
    msgrowinggirl20 Posts: 74
    I just wanted to say that you're awesome. I don't have any advice but .....Man...you're awesome!
  • monjacq1964
    monjacq1964 Posts: 291 Member
    have you ever considered weight loss surgery?
  • SmartAlec03211988
    SmartAlec03211988 Posts: 1,896 Member
    2200 calorie goal?

    That's quite low for someone your size. Eating too little is just as counterproductive as eating too much. I'm 5 feet tall, 128 lbs, and I eat 2100 to maintain. Surely you're eating too little.

    Bigger deficits are usually ok when your very overweight. At 301lbs I was eating 1300 as recommended by several doctors and dietitians.

    Zara
    Not when your deficit is below your BMR it isn't.
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  • MightyDomo
    MightyDomo Posts: 1,265 Member
    Definitely take a look at the roadmap 2.0! The lin kwas already posted :)

    Also you may want to adjust your macros (which is covered in the roadmap) to something that will definitely benefit your loss. Lose the extra sodium, aiming for 1500mg a day on average is going to help keep of water weight and is definitely a healthier intake, increasing your protein naturally isn't too hard using lean meats (I use sirloin steak, it's not entirely lean but has a great protein value without too much sodium) and legumes/nuts.

    I know the more you need to consume the harder it is to hit your targets without either going over in calories or in sodium/fat but it's something your body needs to help you lose weight in a healthy way. As someone suggested above, doing swimming is an excellent low impact way of working out, it's much easier on you and is a great burn. Another way is using an eliptical as it turns what is usually a higher impact activity to a low/moderate impact activity and can induce a similar calorie burn.

    Your loss so far has been fantastic so don't feel down about it, losing this slowly is incredible healthy and will help you maintain better when you reach your goal. A faster loss isn't always a better loss.
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  • Zoesmum025
    Zoesmum025 Posts: 37
    Where's the fruit & veg? You maybe need to look at the quality of your calories not just quantity.
    Exactly!
  • nikkifumasta
    nikkifumasta Posts: 21
    First off, huge congrats for taking the right steps in making a healthier life for yourself! Remember, to celebrate your successes!

    Second, A lot of good points have been made so far ... so I'll summarize :-)
    1 - No magic pills out there. Only thing I recommend using is vitamins, like B-Vitamin Supplement. Fish Oil. A Multivitamin.
    2 - Eat the rainbow! I have trouble with this, too, but I try to make sure with every meal I get a fruit, veggie or both! Plus, it's so much prettier to look at when you have some color!
    3 - Water! Drink LOTS of it. Helps flush your body naturally :-)
    4 - Change up your workout ... if you walk, try swimming or water aerobics. It might not aid weight loss, per say. But it may be mental and can help your body not stress out ... because stressing out = low weight loss.
    5 - Back away from the scale. Take queues from your body. Do your clothes feel better. Do YOU feel better? If so, just keep going.

    I hope this, and all the other great tips people are throwing out here, help <3 Keep up the wonderful work!
  • nikkifumasta
    nikkifumasta Posts: 21
    have you ever considered weight loss surgery?

    Why if he is able to lose weight on his own.

    I concur ... why surgery if he can on his own? Surgery should be an ABSOLUTE last resort. And even then, it's a major surgery and not one to be taken lightly.

    I say keep doing what you're doing, you'll lose the weight <3
  • kellygirl5538
    kellygirl5538 Posts: 597 Member
    Dude you are not logging everyday u will not loose without logging. WEIGH and measure all your food. Loose all the processed foodsd period. U mightbenefit from learning about food ...not as easy as it looks!
  • Arkhos
    Arkhos Posts: 290 Member
    WOW such great responses and so many so fast!! Thanks everyone!

    My trainer is also a license dietician/nutritionist/therapist. She is a female bodybuilder that does shows and has her picture taken for bodybuilder/health magazines. She is the one that came up with my meal plan - she does want me to add vegetables to two of my meals - I just need to remember to eat them (not a fan, lol). My plan was different when I started with higher calories and more fat, until I adjusted to eating better over time. This is the strictest my meals have been.

    Losing 5lbs a month would be ok, except my weight loss is sporadic, and at my size I should be losing more, especially with the changes in food and exercise (i think).

    In the beginning I logged EVERYTHING for 3+ months every day, anything that went in my mouth, but over time I started eating the same things almost daily so I stopped doing it. I also felt like my calories were at a level, that even if I ate something extra (cheated) I shouldn't be gaining/stabilizing weight.

    I was doing the extra cardio days when I started, but over time my achilles started to hurt too much. I just got custom othotics on Monday so hopefully they will get better.

    Not eating enough is something I've been wondering about, even my trainer said I may not be eating enough. I understand the body holding on for awhile, but not for months? And what about snacking on pretzels, and trail mix is that bad? I thought maybe the trail mix, pretzels was the problem.

    My A1C count has actually dropped me into Pre-Diabetic, a 5.4 I think it was! :) I don't have high blood pressure - always 120/80.

    I do snack on grapes at times, but I guess I could add more fruits throughout the day or celery/carrots.

    No artificial sweeteners, huh? Damn, I really started drinking the Diet Mountain Dews because they reversed my hours, so I need to wake up in the morning/day. But I also drink other non-soda drinks that are artificial in sweetener like Sparkling Water with Sucralose.

    Any suggestions for tasty drinks?


    Is there a meal plan option that you would recommend? Just so I have some comparison and maybe some options?


    Thank you all sooo much for the encouragement and the fast responses!!!! Awesome
  • kellygirl5538
    kellygirl5538 Posts: 597 Member
    When i was 250 it took me 3 months to loose 18 pounds it is SLOW.
  • kellygirl5538
    kellygirl5538 Posts: 597 Member
    NOOOO drinks water and milk in moderation...weight milk not more than a cup but u are a guy so u might be able to drink a tad more.
  • bpotts44
    bpotts44 Posts: 1,066 Member
    You are not logging regularly. This is your first step.

    Focus on lean protein source and fruits/veggies at every meal.
  • bpotts44
    bpotts44 Posts: 1,066 Member
    You are not logging regularly. This is your first step.

    Focus on lean protein source and fruits/veggies at every meal.

    I just saw your last post. Drink water or black coffee. Ditching all other drinks will have huge benefits over time and you will be surprised after a couple of weeks how refreshing cold water can be and how much you will enjoy black coffee after getting used to it a little bit. This was one of the best moves I made to get my weight down.

    I don't know how your calories are set in MFP but I think you should set your goals to 2 lb per week and make sure you eat back your exercise calories. Patience is the key to this game, to do it right it is going to take longer than you want. Enjoying the ride is the key.
  • Arkhos
    Arkhos Posts: 290 Member
    Also, my SloppyJoe Custom mix is newer, I've made my own Italian mix that was very similar but with a homemade tomato sauce. I just wanted to try a Sloppy Joe flavor and the can was easy - I may start to fiddle with it to try a mix to lower sodium.

    When I first started I was on a sodium craze and drastically lowered my sodium intake to under 2000, but I felt like I was focusing too much on sodium instead of protein so relaxed on sodium.

    I'm trying to stay positive, it just seems like I should be dropping a lot more weight due to my size and the changes I made. And these seem like little changes to make - is this really what's keeping me from losing?

    If anyone has another meal plan for me, I'll check it out.

    Again thank you all!
  • cunnart
    cunnart Posts: 11
    As others have said your calorie intake is to low. As a 360 lb man I was set at 2200 because I mostly sit all day long and rarely work out. With you working out you really should be eating more.

    Also with gaining weight this week did you eat something that may have triggered retaining water? More carbs than usual more salt?
  • AlabasterVerve
    AlabasterVerve Posts: 3,171 Member
    You have to log your food every single day in order for this to work. Then you'll have an accurate record to look back on and see where you can make adjustments.

    Hang in there, this will work just get back to the basics and log your calories every day.
  • WBB55
    WBB55 Posts: 4,131 Member
    You might be the kind of person that has to choose between (1) easy, simple 1# per week on average weight loss (which is what you're doing) which is slow, but works or (2) look into adding variety, while keeping to your fat/protein macros. The second is a "harder" method and you'll have to start logging every day again, since you don't just eat the same meal plan every day, day in, day out. But it could help you lose faster.

    So which do you prefer? Gradual "easy" method that is frustratingly slow? Or a potential faster but more "difficult" and time consuming method?

    P.S. be proud of yourself for how far you've come
  • Waffles1980
    Waffles1980 Posts: 4
    I noticed that you said you gained 8 pounds in one week. Do you have cardiac issues? You may want to get checked out by your doctor because sometimes a large weight gain in a short amount of time can be a congestive heart failure, which can easily be treated. Good Luck!

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