Please help - I'm really trying and failing

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  • Frankietb
    Frankietb Posts: 69 Member
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    Up the proteins (eggs, not cereal for breakfast, every day)

    lower the carbs a little - don't go crazy.

    Try to lessen the canned foods.

    More real food - raw veggies - LOTS!
    I know it's expensive in the some places, but if you can... do.

    50 minutes 5 days a week is GREAT! Keep it up. I bet your body is healthy and happy.

    I second this wholeheartedly. You don't have to cut a ton of carbs but look at where they are coming from. Eating less snacky foods and more whole foods will get you better results! :)

    Thank you! You're right. I will make this happen. :)
  • Frankietb
    Frankietb Posts: 69 Member
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    Your calories don't add up to your macros. I would try and ensure

    1) You hit or exceed the protein every day
    2) you stay under on the carbs and sugar
    3) you make sure your food info is correct

    I counted up the macros to several days and one was off by 700 calories! You thought you ate 1700 but you ate 2400!! That is a big difference...

    OMG. This is something I have never checked in my own diary before . . . it never even occurred to me that it was a possibility! On the two sites I used to use before MFP, they would both correct erroneous data by upping the calories in the food to match the entered macros.

    I'm going to be going through my diary for the last month and adding everything up.

    I still (embarrassingly enough) don't understand what is meant by this. :( Could someone explain it to me. Thanks!

    Sorry, I was out of the office. Like somone else said, every gram of a macro nutrient contains a set number of calories...
    Carbohydrates have 4 calories per gram.
    Fats have 9 calories per gram.
    Proteins have 4 calories per gram.
    So when you add up your day, if you had
    200 Carbs
    120 Protein
    80 Fats
    That would equal out to 2000 calories... so if your macros are that (as above) and your calories say something like 1500.... then something is off.

    Thank you for the explanation. It's really something I didn't know. I just assumed that the end calorie result was the number I had to keep in mind and then the macros but it seems there is some discrepancy. Interesting... Thanks again! :)
  • Frankietb
    Frankietb Posts: 69 Member
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    I've been following the posts on this thread... thank you for everyone for the wonderful advice and for keeping it positive. I think this post has been really helpful to a lot of us!

    I agree and I am grateful for that. :)
  • HeathArrow478
    HeathArrow478 Posts: 9
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    Hi. I noticed that you were not counting your sodium intake and I see that you eat a lot of things that have extremely high sodium. I would suggest tracking that as well and see if you can get the numbers down.

    I agree that my sodium is high. :( I drink tons of water though so I always thought it would balance itself off. Could it be as simple as just lowering it and the weight would come off withough changing anything else? I could try to lower it. :) Thanks!

    I also drink tons of water but keeping your sodium down is not only good for bloating, it's also good for your heart. I have high blood pressure but I've managed to stay off of taking bp lowering meds from watching my sodium and diet and exercising. I just notice I lose more over time when I watch my sodium and drink plenty of water. Good luck!
  • Frankietb
    Frankietb Posts: 69 Member
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    Hi. I noticed that you were not counting your sodium intake and I see that you eat a lot of things that have extremely high sodium. I would suggest tracking that as well and see if you can get the numbers down.

    I agree that my sodium is high. :( I drink tons of water though so I always thought it would balance itself off. Could it be as simple as just lowering it and the weight would come off withough changing anything else? I could try to lower it. :) Thanks!

    I also drink tons of water but keeping your sodium down is not only good for bloating, it's also good for your heart. I have high blood pressure but I've managed to stay off of taking bp lowering meds from watching my sodium and diet and exercising. I just notice I lose more over time when I watch my sodium and drink plenty of water. Good luck!

    You're absolutely right. Thank you! :)
  • beachgirl172723
    beachgirl172723 Posts: 151 Member
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    OP- You have the most gracious responses to all this advice. Great advice throughout, but still--kudos to you! That's a lot all at once. :flowerforyou:
  • SanteMulberry
    SanteMulberry Posts: 3,202 Member
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    Please have a look at my profile and diary and please let me know what I'm doing wrong because I'm not losing weight or inches. I've been at this for months and it seems I’m spinning my wheels. I thought I was on the right track but not anymore.

    My husband started tracking at the same time as I did (early March), doesn't work out and has a very sedentary job and has lost weight and inches and everybody is commenting on how lean he looks. I'm happy for him but regardless of what I do and how hard I work, I'm just not succeeding. I am essentially the same as I was when I started; the only difference is that I feel tighter under my fat but the fat is still there.

    I measure everything
    I work out 5 times/week and burn about 350 calories (I lift heavy 3x a week)
    I eat 1800 and don’t eat back exercise (set at TDEE – 20%)
    I've read, understand and have applied the information on the Road Map

    I'm a strong willed person and if I can figure out what to do to get the results I will do it well. Please help me with this. Any suggestions would really be appreciated. Thank you.

    I tried to add a document that has my calorie report and progress report but I can't figure out how to do it. Will keep looking into it and add it later. :)

    Two minerals that affect thyroid function: magnesium and iodine. Without enough magnesium ions in the blood, your body cannot convert T-4 to T-3 and that spells functional hypothyroidism even with normal T-4 levels. Foods that are high in potassium are usually high in magnesium as well--vegetables actually have a lot of both. Spinach has a lot of both and so do sweet potatoes. About 85% of Americans are magnesium-deficient. You can address it further by taking a couple of Epsom salts BATHS a couple of times a week. Epsom salts are pure magnesium sulphate (and the sulphate is good for us too because we typically don't get enough sulfur in our diets either). One caution--NEVER take Epsom salts internally.

    Iodine uptake is blocked by estrogen and the result is the same--functional hypothyroidism. If you are not eating kelp or other sources of iodine, you may be deficient. Eating iodized salt may keep you from getting a goiter, but it may not keep you from being iodine deficient.
  • Mock_Turtle
    Mock_Turtle Posts: 354 Member
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    I'm going to get shouted down but I'd suggest you go a month eating 1400 with a higher protein and fiber intake and see what happens

    edit - I was grunching and didn't read the thread. My assumption is the 1800 intake has been extremely accurate .... if you've found it to be inaccurate and that you've actually consumed more, then my suggestion may not be necessary.
  • twinketta
    twinketta Posts: 2,130 Member
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    I only read 2 pages of the thread, and I looked at your diary for 1 week and it seems that you go over your cals most days?

    I am sorry if someone else touched on this, but what worked for me and is still working is keeping within the calorie goals set based on what I input to the MFP calculator.
  • Fairlieboy
    Fairlieboy Posts: 84 Member
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    Great responses & congratulations on progress.
    I looked at your food diary over the last week. My impression. Cut out the insidious fructose in your diet. Before my wife & i started on a 5:2 eat fast program I had endured her 30 years of Atkins, Weight Watchers etc. Dieting is a sure fire way of putting on weight because it requires commitment or a change of lifestyle.
    We are doing the 5:2 as it seems a good way of getting those metabolic benefits with least amount of commitment!
    David Gillespie in his book Sweet Poison summarized research & fructose is as addictive as cocaine. Also is 'empty calories ' .You eat, but remain hungry. It's really hard to eliminate because its in everything - even the peanut butter!
    Before you make any changes read the book or look at the science of excess sugar. I reckon with the changes you've made, & the advice from others you can easily reduce your empty calories by 200 per day; feel less hungry & that amount of fewer calories will see your progress really pick up.
  • Fairlieboy
    Fairlieboy Posts: 84 Member
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    Oh. BTW the average American has 13% of their calories as sugar.
    http://www.latimes.com/news/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-added-sugars-american-diet-20130501,0,3227085.story
    This 13% is added. Not in fruit or milk.
  • Siver12
    Siver12 Posts: 4
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    Yeah you are eating too many calories do many days in a row. I know everyday can't be perfect but having 2 good days the 4 bad followed by 3 good then bad again will not help you at all. You MUST get consistent. Maybe have a cheat meal 1x a week. Or a Cheat day if you don't go crazy.
  • Frankietb
    Frankietb Posts: 69 Member
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    OP- You have the most gracious responses to all this advice. Great advice throughout, but still--kudos to you! That's a lot all at once. :flowerforyou:

    Thank you beachgirl! There is a lot of good advice and I'll be taking the time to read it again. :)

    I have a fresh outlook on how to acheive my goals and it feels good. ;)
  • Frankietb
    Frankietb Posts: 69 Member
    Options
    Please have a look at my profile and diary and please let me know what I'm doing wrong because I'm not losing weight or inches. I've been at this for months and it seems I’m spinning my wheels. I thought I was on the right track but not anymore.

    My husband started tracking at the same time as I did (early March), doesn't work out and has a very sedentary job and has lost weight and inches and everybody is commenting on how lean he looks. I'm happy for him but regardless of what I do and how hard I work, I'm just not succeeding. I am essentially the same as I was when I started; the only difference is that I feel tighter under my fat but the fat is still there.

    I measure everything
    I work out 5 times/week and burn about 350 calories (I lift heavy 3x a week)
    I eat 1800 and don’t eat back exercise (set at TDEE – 20%)
    I've read, understand and have applied the information on the Road Map

    I'm a strong willed person and if I can figure out what to do to get the results I will do it well. Please help me with this. Any suggestions would really be appreciated. Thank you.

    I tried to add a document that has my calorie report and progress report but I can't figure out how to do it. Will keep looking into it and add it later. :)

    Two minerals that affect thyroid function: magnesium and iodine. Without enough magnesium ions in the blood, your body cannot convert T-4 to T-3 and that spells functional hypothyroidism even with normal T-4 levels. Foods that are high in potassium are usually high in magnesium as well--vegetables actually have a lot of both. Spinach has a lot of both and so do sweet potatoes. About 85% of Americans are magnesium-deficient. You can address it further by taking a couple of Epsom salts BATHS a couple of times a week. Epsom salts are pure magnesium sulphate (and the sulphate is good for us too because we typically don't get enough sulfur in our diets either). One caution--NEVER take Epsom salts internally.

    Iodine uptake is blocked by estrogen and the result is the same--functional hypothyroidism. If you are not eating kelp or other sources of iodine, you may be deficient. Eating iodized salt may keep you from getting a goiter, but it may not keep you from being iodine deficient.

    Interesting.. Thank you for the information. I will research this further. :)
  • Frankietb
    Frankietb Posts: 69 Member
    Options
    I'm going to get shouted down but I'd suggest you go a month eating 1400 with a higher protein and fiber intake and see what happens

    edit - I was grunching and didn't read the thread. My assumption is the 1800 intake has been extremely accurate .... if you've found it to be inaccurate and that you've actually consumed more, then my suggestion may not be necessary.

    Thank you for your response. :)

    I've given all the advice some thought and what I've realized is that because of various reasons, the amount that I've been eating is probably off (on the high side) so I've decided to lower my calorie goal to 1300 and eat back my exercise. This should help with the discrepancies.
  • Frankietb
    Frankietb Posts: 69 Member
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    I only read 2 pages of the thread, and I looked at your diary for 1 week and it seems that you go over your cals most days?

    I am sorry if someone else touched on this, but what worked for me and is still working is keeping within the calorie goals set based on what I input to the MFP calculator.

    Thank you for the recommendation and I'm actually going to do just that but with custom macro goals; I want to keep my protein intake high because I strength train. :) Congratulations on your success!
  • Frankietb
    Frankietb Posts: 69 Member
    Options
    Great responses & congratulations on progress.
    I looked at your food diary over the last week. My impression. Cut out the insidious fructose in your diet. Before my wife & i started on a 5:2 eat fast program I had endured her 30 years of Atkins, Weight Watchers etc. Dieting is a sure fire way of putting on weight because it requires commitment or a change of lifestyle.
    We are doing the 5:2 as it seems a good way of getting those metabolic benefits with least amount of commitment!
    David Gillespie in his book Sweet Poison summarized research & fructose is as addictive as cocaine. Also is 'empty calories ' .You eat, but remain hungry. It's really hard to eliminate because its in everything - even the peanut butter!
    Before you make any changes read the book or look at the science of excess sugar. I reckon with the changes you've made, & the advice from others you can easily reduce your empty calories by 200 per day; feel less hungry & that amount of fewer calories will see your progress really pick up.

    Thank you for the recommendation and I will research this further. :)
  • Frankietb
    Frankietb Posts: 69 Member
    Options
    Oh. BTW the average American has 13% of their calories as sugar.
    http://www.latimes.com/news/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-added-sugars-american-diet-20130501,0,3227085.story
    This 13% is added. Not in fruit or milk.

    My husband and I were discussing this the other day. Pretty scary stuff. :(
  • Frankietb
    Frankietb Posts: 69 Member
    Options
    Yeah you are eating too many calories do many days in a row. I know everyday can't be perfect but having 2 good days the 4 bad followed by 3 good then bad again will not help you at all. You MUST get consistent. Maybe have a cheat meal 1x a week. Or a Cheat day if you don't go crazy.

    Absolutely right and I'm going to work on this. Thank you. :)
  • kgoodman0108
    kgoodman0108 Posts: 158
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    You appear to have some days that you aren't logging your food. What are you eating on these days? Having too many days where you overeat will leave things averaging out. Its also possible that you are not measuring your food properly.

    If you feel that you are tracking your food properly, I would see your doctor. You could have thyroid issues, or be insulin resistant.

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