Switching from 17 DD to counting calories

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Beach4me5
Beach4me5 Posts: 21
in Health and Weight Loss
I started on the 17 day diet and lost 10 lbs. It has given me hope that I can do this.

The past week I have switched over to counting calories. I am hanging around 1200 calories and have started walking 2-3 miles in the evenings. I have added some healthy carbs and some lean read meat occassionaly which I did not have with 17dd.

I have gained a pound and a half back this week. Should I be worried that I am going in the wrong direction? I am getting nervous.

I am 5'1 and weight 170lbs. Up until this week I was not exercising. I would appreciate any advice.

Replies

  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
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    If exercise is new to you, then you are muscles will retain water for repairs.

    How much water do you drink a day? - If you don't drink enough water, you are more likely to retain water.

    Give anything you try 4-6 weeks.

    Are you close to your TOM? - Some women retain a lot of water around this particular week.

    To ease your mind a bit, this is what my weight loss looks like:
    2youxk2.jpg
  • slendercurves
    slendercurves Posts: 49 Member
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    I am 5'1 1/2". My starting weight was 160 lbs two months ago.

    Some new habits that helped me are
    - rarely drinking soda (you're just drinking calories),
    - refraining from eating 2-3 hours before bedtime,
    - and measuring the food portions that I eat using a food scale. I was surprised to find out what 1 oz of nuts and 1oz of potato chips really looks like!

    I say all this to say that you are probably doing right by eating healthy carbs and lean meat. Walking is definitely good.

    However, if you still notice an uptick in your weight next week, consider some creative new strategies like those above. I've lost 13 lbs in the past 2 months.
  • sun_fish
    sun_fish Posts: 864 Member
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    I am the same height and my starting weight was 178, and we are close in age, I am 51. So, I feel we have some things in common.

    I don't know what the 17 day diet is, but my advice to you is:
    ~ Forget the scale for awhile and focus on how you feel, how your clothes fit, and measurements and pictures if you like. Your weight can fluctuate several pounds everyday, and it can be discouraging if it goes up. The weight gain you experienced was not fat, unless you ate an additional 5250 calories. It is common to reduce calories when weight loss stalls, yet often what you need to do is increase calories to ensure your body is getting the nourishment it needs. Give each adjustment in calories at least a month to see if it is working.
    ~ Keep up the walking, and add some other exercise as you feel ready for it. Resistance training is recommended, as you are ready you can learn the many reasons why it will be so good for you.
    ~ Do some research here on MFP or google to learn that many beliefs we have been taught over the years are not true, especially regarding low calorie diets (not good for you), that you have to eat breakfast or every 3 hours to keep your metabolism up (not true), or that lifting weights make you bulky (again, not true). I recommend you join a group here called "Eat, Train, Progress" and read the stickies for the best information regarding health and losing weight.

    Good luck to you!
  • Beach4me5
    Beach4me5 Posts: 21
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    Thanks everyone! It feels so much better to know I am on the same journey as everyone else. I am just a little sensitive about the weight loss. I tried WW for about 7 months and lost only 6 lbs. I went to meetings, consulted with the group leader with my tracker and still no luck. I went to the doctor and no health problems. So I stopped WW and became desperate!!!!

    The 17 dd was low/no carbs, low calories (I bet it wasn't even 1200 a day) and no sugar. But I DID lose weight which is my goal and I thought...finally there is hope!! However, no one can sustain that for very long, so I switched to counting calories. I wonder if my weight is ticking up because I have added some carbs back in. I am not eating sweets or junk but I have added brown rice, some beans and other healthy choices.I only drink water and green tea and about 36-40 oz a day.

    According to the calculations, with the exercise included, I have a deficit of about 350-500 calories a day which should equal weight loss right over a week, right? But it isn't.

    TOM isn't for a couple more weeks. Can you hear me screaming???
  • julielongdon
    julielongdon Posts: 7
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    This may sound a silly question - but when u eat your 1200 calories and add what fitness you have done that day - it then says I have for an example 600 calories remaining for the day (as I do 2hours at gym)..... do I have to then eat them or save them ???? I am new to this as you all would have gathered lol x x
  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
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    Thanks everyone! It feels so much better to know I am on the same journey as everyone else. I am just a little sensitive about the weight loss. I tried WW for about 7 months and lost only 6 lbs. I went to meetings, consulted with the group leader with my tracker and still no luck. I went to the doctor and no health problems. So I stopped WW and became desperate!!!!

    The 17 dd was low/no carbs, low calories (I bet it wasn't even 1200 a day) and no sugar. But I DID lose weight which is my goal and I thought...finally there is hope!! However, no one can sustain that for very long, so I switched to counting calories. I wonder if my weight is ticking up because I have added some carbs back in. I am not eating sweets or junk but I have added brown rice, some beans and other healthy choices.I only drink water and green tea and about 36-40 oz a day.

    According to the calculations, with the exercise included, I have a deficit of about 350-500 calories a day which should equal weight loss right over a week, right? But it isn't.

    TOM isn't for a couple more weeks. Can you hear me screaming???

    True, but weight loss doesn't happen at a steady rate. I mean if you look at my chart, I went down to around 200 (April 28) and then back up to 204 (May 2). It happens, that's why you want to wait 4 - 6 weeks and see how things are progressing. If I had just gone by those 2 weights during that time, it would have seemed like what I was doing wasn't working. You might want to up the water a bit, I drink anywhere from 64oz to 128oz a day. Recommended daily amount is 64oz. Also keep in mind, if you ate a high amount of sodium before you weighed, you could be retaining water.

    Patience is key.
  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
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    This may sound a silly question - but when u eat your 1200 calories and add what fitness you have done that day - it then says I have for an example 600 calories remaining for the day (as I do 2hours at gym)..... do I have to then eat them or save them ???? I am new to this as you all would have gathered lol x x

    Some people save them for a cheat day later in the week, but it is recommended that you eat the calories back to prevent health problems down the road.
  • Beach4me5
    Beach4me5 Posts: 21
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    Karindiane thank you for pointing me to the "Eat, Train, Progress". It is great information and can't wait to read it all! I love all the information on MFP, although I do have to say it is overwhelming.
  • Beach4me5
    Beach4me5 Posts: 21
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    Shadow2soul, thank you so much for being so helpful. I have gone back examined my tracking and it looks like I avg around 100 grams of Carbs. Is that too high?

    I know you are right about patience but I guess the bottom line is I don't trust myself to do this correctly. I have done all the calculators, I am staying within my calories and exercising and still I am ticking up each day.

    I wish I could not weigh everyday but I just can't help myself....
  • astrampe
    astrampe Posts: 2,169 Member
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    Nothing wrong with 100g of carbs - the 17 day diet is a fad/starvation diet - you will gain some weight back because you starved your body for the sake of losing quickly...Once you stabilize (and probably eat more than 1200 cals) you will lose weight again...It might take a few weeks due to the damage that the 17 day fad diet did....

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