Why am I not losing weight? 1600 calories
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Wow, great suggestions and pointers. I do confess I have a sweet tooth, I just figured if I stay within my 1,600 calories it wouldn't much matter, that a calorie is a calorie. I know there are many schools of thought on that, though.
I don't track sugar (like many of you have suggested) mainly because I'm not sure what kind of level I should be shooting for. I refuse to compromise with the sugar in my coffee, though. I can take coffee without cream, but without sugar, bleck. Maybe I could learn to live with less, though.
What kind of sugar "limit" should I be looking for?
Honestly, you can eat all your calories in sugar and lose weight if you're eating at a deficit. (See, the twinkie diet). If you're not losing weight, the most likely culprit is simply eating more calories than you're burning, regardless of where those calories came from. For health and fitness and such, eating a lot of sugar is a terrible idea, but simply in terms of making the scale go down, it doesn't matter (if you don't have a medical condition). Especially in terms of satiety, cutting back on sugar and filing up on protein and healthy fats will get you much farther on 1600 calories instead of sugary things. As for all the sugar in your coffee--have you ever tried truvia or splenda? Think of what you can eat for those 90 calories of pure sugar...
It will really help to get a food scale. $20 investment worth its weight in gold. For example. how did you measure .75oz of cream cheese on your bagel this morning? How do you measure your 1tbp of peanut butter? How did you measure your cereal? An actual serving size of cereal and peanut butter are especially depressingly small when you use scale to measure one serving.0 -
Sugar does count! It's here for a reason.
People who say sugar isn't important are usually at goal and are very healthy and lift weights or do cardio and in that case don't have to worry about it. This is not the same for someone who has a lot of weight to lose.
I believe the max is 50 grams a day and your liver doesn't know natural from processed0 -
I DO have a food scale, and I measure by weight/grams/ounces. For things like the cream cheese (I was actually at Panera yesterday morning) they give you a tiny 2 oz thing and I used less than half by sight. I do measure things, though. I also use smaller bowls and smaller plates to give the illusion that I'm eating more.
I think what I'll do from here, as a first step, is try and incorporate more veggies into my diet. Yes, my husband and I so eat a fair amount of processed foods, but when you try to feed 2 people for $70/week, it's a bit rough to find 'cheap' fresh foods. Many times we only buy what we have coupons for, and that's it. We buy in season, and it helps. Even still, I need to find ways to eat healthier on a budget, because this obviously isn't working.
Does anyone think that if I just worked out harder this wouldn't be an issue?0 -
Question.
Are you changing measurements? Far too many people get hung up on WEIGHT when it is BODY COMPOSITION that matters.
What are your measurements last month and now?0 -
Question.
Are you changing measurements? Far too many people get hung up on WEIGHT when it is BODY COMPOSITION that matters.
What are your measurements last month and now?
qft
If you haven't taken measurements, do so asap! Measurements are a way better comparison tool than scale weights IMO. The scale can fluctuate several pounds just over the course of the day but your measurements are going to be much more consistent.0 -
I DO have a food scale, and I measure by weight/grams/ounces. For things like the cream cheese (I was actually at Panera yesterday morning) they give you a tiny 2 oz thing and I used less than half by sight. I do measure things, though. I also use smaller bowls and smaller plates to give the illusion that I'm eating more.
I think what I'll do from here, as a first step, is try and incorporate more veggies into my diet. Yes, my husband and I so eat a fair amount of processed foods, but when you try to feed 2 people for $70/week, it's a bit rough to find 'cheap' fresh foods. Many times we only buy what we have coupons for, and that's it. We buy in season, and it helps. Even still, I need to find ways to eat healthier on a budget, because this obviously isn't working.
Does anyone think that if I just worked out harder this wouldn't be an issue?
Use your scale to measure cream cheese too. Even if they give the serving size in tbsp, it's also in grams.
If you really need so much sugar in your coffee though, I'd just cut out coffee altogether... or gradually get used to one packet of sugar instead of 6. Forget the flavored yogurts too, just buy plain and add your own fruit (you can find cheap strawberries right now I believe). Forget the kool aid.. stop drinking your calories. Buy a lot of frozen veggies. Stop buying chicken nuggets etc... just buy chicken and bake/grill it. Catfish is pretty cheap too and is really good for you.
Your diet is very unhealthy honestly.0 -
Start cooking fresh instead of junk and frozen foods.I use a lot of low fat and low calories and low carbs but sometimes when I am cooking I will use instead of low fat just regular stuff.It's what you are eating and the amount maybe.I will eat my lasagna and all and pop corn but portions and tons of water and most of all you do need to workout and do a cardio at least 3 times a week to get your heart rate up and sweat to lose weight.0
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I would really work on gradually lowering the amount of sugar in your coffee.
My father always drank coffee in the "would you like some coffee with your sugar?" fashion. After he was diagnosed with Type II diabetes, he was able to get used to drinking it with less. The diabetes also explained the sugar cravings he'd had for years and years. It was a running joke at the office, that he couldn't walk past the vending machine without buying a candy bar.0 -
I DO have a food scale, and I measure by weight/grams/ounces. For things like the cream cheese (I was actually at Panera yesterday morning) they give you a tiny 2 oz thing and I used less than half by sight. I do measure things, though. I also use smaller bowls and smaller plates to give the illusion that I'm eating more.
I think what I'll do from here, as a first step, is try and incorporate more veggies into my diet. Yes, my husband and I so eat a fair amount of processed foods, but when you try to feed 2 people for $70/week, it's a bit rough to find 'cheap' fresh foods. Many times we only buy what we have coupons for, and that's it. We buy in season, and it helps. Even still, I need to find ways to eat healthier on a budget, because this obviously isn't working.
Does anyone think that if I just worked out harder this wouldn't be an issue?
I am also on a very tight budget.
For veggies, I check the frozen veggies aisle every time I go in. I also subscribe to all the weekly supermarket fliers and see when they have veggies on sale. When they do, I buy as many as I can fit into the freezer. I can usually find broccoli (my favourite) and peas at an affordable price. I also check the canned vegetable aisle for sales -- the other week I found a huge amount of large cans of green beans at 40c/can.0 -
Maybe you can try and add some weight training to your normal exercise when you have the time.. sometimes youll find its not the number on the scale but when you start adding muscle youll loose inches because muscle is smaller then fat and also muscle is more metabolically active so youll burn more calories at rest
hope all goes well and improves soon.. 0 -
You must also consider your height, along with your activity level. I was having trouble with this too and the advise from MFP was all over the map so I joined the Jillian Michael's club with a coach for a couple of months. After two weeks of doing the same thing, my coach told me that at 5.4 inches and 1,400 cals a day, I was eating too much. She cut me back to 1,200 cals a day and told me NOT to eat back my exercises cals UNTIL I LOST THE EXCESS WEIGHT. Lo and behold, 1,200 cals was perfect for me but I also had to trick my body by eating different types of food each day.
That's my experience anyway.0 -
Are you weighing and measuring everything? It's easy to go over when you guesstimate...Before I got my food scale I was going over by a few hundred calories a day!!! A really deceptive one can be cereal. For example, I used to eat a cup of cereal because that was the serving size on the box. It was listed as a cup or 50 grams. But after I weighed the cup of cereal, it was actually more like 75 grams, which came out to be 1.5 servings. I'm fine with eating 1.5 servings, but I want to know that I'm doing it, so I can make adjustments in other areas. So now I weigh my food for accuracy. I find a lot of packaged foods have inaccuracies in their serving sizes. :flowerforyou:0
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I don't get the "I can't afford healthy foods" statement. Eating healthy shouldn't cost more because you eat less. Think about eating a plate full of pasta before compared to a fist full size now.
Aldi is a great place to get groceries if you have one close enough. Also, local farmers markets. I live in the UK but I spend £100 a week to feed a family of 6!
Also, Pannera bread isn't going to be cheap, beer isn't cheap, sugar isn't cheap, coffee isnt cheap. If you stop buying the junk, put it towards healthy foods. Your budget will go much further.0 -
Perhaps change the types off foods you're eating? Instead of fish, maybe tofu. Instead of white potatoes, maybe sweet potatoes... etc. More veggies, more water... you almost can't go wrong there.
I know this is not the case with everyone, but if I really want to lose weight, I have to stop drinking beer (and I love dark beers!). Even staying within my calorie range, I just won't lose if beer is in the picture, it's so unfair. But it's the case with me.
Good luck!
In regards solely to weight loss, if you're in a caloric deficit, you WILL lose weight. It's not the drinking beer or types of food you eat that stops that. Just an FYI.
THANK you. I lost 60 pounds eating white potatoes, fish, and drinking alcohol.
I don't like IPA either.0 -
TBH I'm not surprised you're not losing weight your diet is terrible.
What has being in law school got to do with your diet? (20 years qualified lawyer here running a business and I can guarantee I have more stress than you!)
Simply too many carbs, not enough (good) fat, not enough protein and you are eating 1600 cals of crap everyday - eat some proper food and get some nutrition in your body.
In the last week you have eaten tortillas, ritz crackers, hersheys chocolate syrup, pizza, m&m's, jelly, bread, chicken nuggets, ice cream, bagels, 6 packs of sugar on several days, mini wheats, corn on the cob (probably the worst vegetable you can eat), potatoes, cheese, pop corn, pretzels, lemonade, french toast maple syrup.....and then you wonder why you aren't losing weight.
A calorie is not a calorie, it is not just about eating a calorie deficit, it is about making those reduced calories count healthily.
You obviously have a sweet tooth so instead of eating all that sugar, eat blueberries, plums, strawberries, raspberries, yoghurt, low cal instant hot chocolate, but only if you really have to. Sugar is an addiction and if you get off it for a couple of weeks you wont miss it.
If you want a healthy 1600 cal diet to follow try:
Breakfast: Porridge oats with almond milk (200 cals)
mid morning snack: Apple and blueberries (100 cals)
Lunch: Tuna/chicken salad (no dressings) + a 0 fat yoghurt + ice pop (400 cals)
mid afternoon snack: 25g almonds (150 cals)
Dinner: large salmon/steak/chicken breast/pork/turkey, low fat cottage cheese and 2 boiled veg (brocolli/asparagus/peas/green beans) (700 cals)
supper: hot choc (40 cals)
Drink all the green tea & coffee with skimmed milk you want, plenty of water throughout the day (cals in the milk 100)
total 1790 cals, low fat, low carb and lots of protein.
I also recommend supplementing with 6g fish oil capsules per day & 2g CLA oil. If you do manage to work out it would be a good idea to have at least 1 low carb low fat protein shake (100 cals). They are pretty cheap in the supermarket. Protein powder is cheap if you buy online.
You also need to do HIITS preferably running for 20 mins and lift heavy weights - do all this and the weight will drop off but don''t expect to see decent results for at least 4 weeks. I know I've done it !
This. Print off what you are eating and go to a nutritionist if you need help or someone you trust to tell you the truth. Bagels should be a once a month treat, if that, not every day. Very high carbs and empty calories. And MEAT! Eat more protein!. If you can't afford to buy it in bulk, get some whey powder and mix it up with some milk. This is a no-brainer. We all cheat now and then, but don't make excuses. There has been too much conversation about this already. No one likes veggies, you just suck it up and eat them because you are an adult and know they are good for you.0 -
You must also consider your height, along with your activity level. I was having trouble with this too and the advise from MFP was all over the map so I joined the Jillian Michael's club with a coach for a couple of months. After two weeks of doing the same thing, my coach told me that at 5.4 inches and 1,400 cals a day, I was eating too much. She cut me back to 1,200 cals a day and told me NOT to eat back my exercises cals UNTIL I LOST THE EXCESS WEIGHT. Lo and behold, 1,200 cals was perfect for me but I also had to trick my body by eating different types of food each day.
That's my experience anyway.
I'm 5'4.75" tall and I eat just over 1400 cals a day and eat a few exercise calories back. I tried 1200, it's not enough0 -
Wow, great suggestions and pointers. I do confess I have a sweet tooth, I just figured if I stay within my 1,600 calories it wouldn't much matter, that a calorie is a calorie. I know there are many schools of thought on that, though.
I don't track sugar (like many of you have suggested) mainly because I'm not sure what kind of level I should be shooting for. I refuse to compromise with the sugar in my coffee, though. I can take coffee without cream, but without sugar, bleck. Maybe I could learn to live with less, though.
What kind of sugar "limit" should I be looking for?
A calorie is a calorie! I'm not saying you should be eating 1600 calories worth of snickers bars each day but honestly it does not matter when it comes to weight loss.
How active are you? Maybe you are too active for 1600 calorie a day? Maybe not active enough?0 -
Hello OP:
My suggestions for you are as follows:
1. Exercise more. If you're not seeing a change in your body with just diet alone, you need to include exercise. If you can find 30 minutes a day to squeeze in some exercise (I do it by waking up an extra 30 minutes earlier. I know that doesn't sound ideal, but I work 70 hours a week and don't have the time to really exercise any other time), then do it! I know allergies can be a PILL for outdoor exercising, so I would suggest grabbing some at home video programs. I know many people have had success with Jillian Michael's DVDs (yes, I know she's kind of a kook, but her DVDs really do get you sweating), and things of the like. You need to aim for a larger caloric deficit.
2. Try to stress less. Stress inhibits weight loss. If you find yourself stressing with law school, exercise is a great way to BLOW OFF stress! I have found boxing blows off so much of my work stress! Any exercise will help, though. I also try to meditate by going into a dark, cool room, sitting or laying on the ground, shutting my eyes, and just enjoying the silence. It took me a while to turn my brain off, but it's been a great help after I could just turn it all off and relax.
3. Water. DRINK MORE WATER. Aim for a gallon a day. That's just four, 32 oz bottles. I have a Rubbermaid flip top bottle that has measurements on the side. I got it at CVS for around $6. It is 32 oz, and I fill it up at least four times a day. Water helps your body in every way. It hydrates, lubricates, and helps flush your body of toxins, sodium, and other weight loss inhibitors. It's truly the nectar of the gods. Aim to only drink water, unsweetened green tea (I will drink it hot or brew it and pour it over ice), and things like this. Ditch the calorie laded drinks, and DITCH soda entirely. Screw diet soda. It's disgusting and terrible for you.
4. Watch your sodium intake. Aim for 2000 mg or less a day. Once you start drinking more water and eating a little better, you will realize just how salty everything is and tastes. It's pretty gross, actually. Use other spices to flavor food. Find the ones that you like and stick to them.
5. Try a sober month. It was hard for me to do, but I decided to do "Sober April" to help detox myself a bit. I would still go out with friends, but did not partake in the cocktails. It helped me a lot refocus on eating better and living healthier. It also helped me drop 10 pounds.
I hope this helps. Enjoy your journey!0 -
Your diary is definitely much healthier than mine... I'd suggest adding some form of exercise at least 30 mins every other day and see what happens. You say you are on a budget, so walking outside leisurely for 30 mins should do the trick since it's free.0
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I think what I'll do from here, as a first step, is try and incorporate more veggies into my diet. Yes, my husband and I so eat a fair amount of processed foods, but when you try to feed 2 people for $70/week, it's a bit rough to find 'cheap' fresh foods. Many times we only buy what we have coupons for, and that's it. We buy in season, and it helps. Even still, I need to find ways to eat healthier on a budget, because this obviously isn't working.
On $70 a week you can feed 2 people eating at 1,600kcal/day easy - I eat almost 3,200kcal/day and eat on $70 a week regularly.
Wal-Mart, baby...
Here's my typical weekly food roster , and I know you're not an athelete, but food is food and macros are macros so make HEALTHY changes where necessary.
Bananas, one cluster: At least 5 pcs @ $MARKET (they're cheap, fck it)
*breakfast shake ingredient
Rice Dream Enriched Ricedrink: Plain @ $1.99/ .5 gal
*breakfast shake ingredient
Peanutbutter, Jif: Reduced sodium, All Natural: $3.99 Large tub
*breakfast shake ingredient
Protein powder: $ASSORTED/roughly $20
*breakfast shake ingredient - *afternoon snack
Cottage Cheese, Breakstone's (Reduced Sodium): two tubs @ $2.60/unit
*morning snack - eat a cup/day/snack before lunch (great macros here)
Chicken Breast, Bone/Skinless: 5lbs @ $1.10/lb - Portions are lunch size; 1lb/day/lunch
*lunch - Don't smother it in BS, you'll make it unhealthy
Broccoli: $market
*lunch
Cauliflower: $market
*lunch
Wholoe grain/Power Grain Van's Waffles: $2.99-$4.00
*Breakfast or morning snack - Dry, no toppings. THIS AINT A GAME!
Talapia, 4-5 lbs: $market - usually $5ish/lb
*Dinner - watch the sauces/toppings - keep it healthy.
assuming you keep it real and get the sale items liek I do (bogo broccoli, or two4five veggies, etc) this all comes to $70-$75.
Like i said, I eat this week in and week out.
The most important thing about eating like this is it keeps your blood sugar stable. If you keep spiking your peptides/insulin, you'll never burn fat and lose inches. Real talk.
Daily macros are 50p, 25f, 25c - this is probably what you should be on, too.0 -
I agree with some of these people, I would add more fresh fruit n veggies, less bread and other things, too many carbs, maybe up your protein a bit. I have a family who lives off of carbs and thats whats making us fat anyways. I noticed that when I cut back and upped the protein. Maybe the one lady is right, cut back on beer, those calories your drinking are wasted calories. Use beer as a treat and not something you have to do on the weekends.0
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Too many carbs, too much sugar.
Replace the "squeeze tubes" of processed yogurts with fresh fruit. Eliminate sugar in the coffee. If you are going to have pasta, lay off the baked potato. Better to lay off the jarred sauce too - more sugar.
Add fruit, add greens, add other veggies.
Kool Aide is no one's friend.0 -
I hope this doesn't offend you but it doesn't seem like you are in the right frame of mind to lose weight at the minute.
Dieting and losing weight is a sacrifice if you are used to eating whatever you want all the time. I used to be exactly like you are now, trying to justify why I wasn't being as strict as I should when it came to watching what I was eating. But I personally feel like you have to go all in and try your hardest in order to see results.
Ultimately if you really do want to lose weight then unless there is an underlying medical issue, you need to reduce the carbs and sugar and try to add some more exercise into your routine.
Good luck! I hope you start to see the results you want soon 0 -
Okay. Kool-Ade?
While I'm a big fan of the idea that you don't have to toss out whole categories of food to eat healthily, I do think one of the first steps is to look at caloric beverages and make some choices about whether they're worth the calories. For me? Beer and wine are worth it, but pop and fruit punch mostly aren't.
I know about trying to eat healthy on a budget. I got my husband and I through his grad school on a very tight budget. Some thoughts:
1) You're eating out most breakfasts? that's money that could be spent elsewhere. Also, you might try adding more protein at breakfast - greek yogurt then, or cottage cheese, or even leftover meat from dinner.
2) caloric beverages, and not even beverages with any redeeming qualities like the reservatrol in wine. Even beer has antioxidants. Gatorade/Koolade? Not so much. I'm not one to say a food is "bad," but you have to admit, if you're going to eat/drink something, when it really doesn't have any purpose other than being sweet.
3) Vegetables. Where are they? Back in those Impoverished Grad School Days, I got a medical diagnosis that suggested I really needed to improve my diet. My first step was simply to say that there would be a veggie complement with every dinner. Even if iI was just nuking a bowl of frozen mixed veggies to put on the side of whatever we were eating. It doesn't have to be separate - for example, I see you logged a burrito? My burritos always have some sauteed peppers/onions or sauteed greens or shredded fresh baby spinach or I do a "slaw" of shredded carrots and kohlrabi with lime juice. We make pizza and load it with veggies.
4) I know fresh fruit is expensive, but it makes a great, and satisfying dessert. Buy frozen bagels for breakfast and spend some of the difference on a whole pineapple once a week -- they've been running $2.99 at my grocery store, and I get enough for four people to have a nice serving. Sliced strawberries with a sprinkle of blueberries. You can make it more "desserty" by topping with plain or vanilla yogurt (go greek for protein!) or even a sprinkle of granola.
5) Eating cheap? Beans and lentils are your friend. You can stretch your meat budget further and get more protein than if you stretch with pasta or potatoes. When we have burritos, we ALWAYS have refried beans in them as well as meat. I buy canned black beans (69c a can). After you cook the meat, scrape it out into a serving bowl, dump in a can of beans, heat them up and mash with a potato masher (assuming your skillet can handle that - I guess you could dump into a bowl and mash with a masher). Makes the burrito fillings go twice as far - and then I can take leftovers for lunch the next day. Or I have two dinners prepared for the time cost of one.
6) Eating cheap? Cabbage family veggies are also your friend. Cabbage is cheap and incredibly nutritious. Shred it, dress with oil and vinegar, coleslaw dressing, poppyseed dressing - whatever you like. Broccoli is fairly cheap - eat the flowers steamed and shred the stems. Mix up a bunch with ginger dressing for a cold salad. Both cabbage and broccoli salads store well, so you can make a large batch and take it as a packed lunch for several days.
7) Grill a bunch of chicken breasts at once, and slice thin, You can add it to salads, roll up in tortillas, stuff in a pita. Bagged salad greens are your friend for fast meals with this, but buying bulk salad greens is usually cheaper.
Side note: As an L2, are you getting enough sleep? Sleep is HUGE in weight control, they're finding.0 -
First, I get being embarrassed but seriously...the doctor who put you on this specific calorie diet needs to know it's not working for you so things can be tweaked. Maybe 1600 calories is too high? Maybe the meds just don't work for you? Bring your food diary with you so he/she can see what you're eating and see if they have advice. Also ask about getting a referral to a dietician or nutritionist.
While I believe in eating what you like within calories (and fully believe deprivation was the root of failure for all my previous dietining attempts), I also think it's also important to clean up your diet a little for health and keep the sweets for occassional treats (once or twice a week), not every day occurances. Agree that you need to add in more fresh fruits and veggies. As a p.s. to that, I'd also advise a change in your view on veggies. While technically things like potatoes, corn, peas and squash are veggies and have their nutritional benefits, you're much better off filing your plate with brighter colored less starchy veg like peppers, broccoli, green beans, etc. Use the treat schedule as motivation...I really want a piece of chocolate today but I'll hold off because I'd rather have that beer on Saturday.
Think of every change as a way to get healthier, not just lose weight. And make them lifetime changes, not just temporary in order to lose weight. Make compromises. You won't give up your weekend beer so what can you give up instead - how about switching to sugar free koolaid instead or just drinking water. Think of it in terms what what you CAN have, not what you can't have and you won't get that deprived feeling.
I don't think it's a matter of watching your sugars because a couple pieces of fruit can put you over the MFP limit. I'd just watch your carbs and clean up the sources a bit more.
And I have to join in on the "gotcha" with being on a budget yet getting breakfast at Panera. One of my favorites is a homemade breakfast sandwich but you don't do eggs so how about making up a big batch of steel cut oats on the weekend and doling out a cup with some berries and greek yogurt every morning. Very satisfying (good mix of carbs and protein) and healthy.
Change isn't easy but it is possible! You can do this!!0 -
Side note: As an L2, are you getting enough sleep? Sleep is HUGE in weight control, they're finding.
Actually, no, I wasn't getting enough sleep, and this is something I discovered a few months ago. I downloaded an app that tracks sleep using the accelerometer in my iPhone (the thing that can tell how you're holding the phone), and it showed that although I was in bed for 8 hours, I'd only really be sleeping for 6-ish. Now that the summer is here (and I'm only working part-time) I figure this is a good time to cement all new healthy habits so I can just maintain these new habits when I go back in the Fall. I'm working on having a more consistent sleep schedule now.
Someone mentioned something about my mindset - and you may be right. I'm sad, tired, and ashamed of how I've let myself go. I'm frustrated with myself and do a lot of self blaming. I'll think, "If I only had more discipline...Why do I suck and life... why do I continually fail?" Which I know is a self-defeating mindset. I don't always catch myself thinking this way unless my husband points it out.
Many suggestions seem to imply that we'd have to do daily cooking - which, for my husband and I , is not always realistic. During the summer this might work, but during the school year I get so swamped (and I'm usually the cook, because I'm better at it) that sometimes ordering out is just easier.
On that note, while there is something to be said for sacrifice while losing weight, I'm a firm believer that whatever changes I do make must be those that are maintainable even after I've reached my goal. If it's not a plan that I can actually follow through on every day of my life, then there's no point. Diets are temporary. What I need is a lifestyle change.
Thanks to everyone who responded, I appreciate all the input.0 -
Side note: As an L2, are you getting enough sleep? Sleep is HUGE in weight control, they're finding.
Actually, no, I wasn't getting enough sleep, and this is something I discovered a few months ago. I downloaded an app that tracks sleep using the accelerometer in my iPhone (the thing that can tell how you're holding the phone), and it showed that although I was in bed for 8 hours, I'd only really be sleeping for 6-ish. Now that the summer is here (and I'm only working part-time) I figure this is a good time to cement all new healthy habits so I can just maintain these new habits when I go back in the Fall. I'm working on having a more consistent sleep schedule now.
Someone mentioned something about my mindset - and you may be right. I'm sad, tired, and ashamed of how I've let myself go. I'm frustrated with myself and do a lot of self blaming. I'll think, "If I only had more discipline...Why do I suck and life... why do I continually fail?" Which I know is a self-defeating mindset. I don't always catch myself thinking this way unless my husband points it out.
Many suggestions seem to imply that we'd have to do daily cooking - which, for my husband and I , is not always realistic. During the summer this might work, but during the school year I get so swamped (and I'm usually the cook, because I'm better at it) that sometimes ordering out is just easier.
On that note, while there is something to be said for sacrifice while losing weight, I'm a firm believer that whatever changes I do make must be those that are maintainable even after I've reached my goal. If it's not a plan that I can actually follow through on every day of my life, then there's no point. Diets are temporary. What I need is a lifestyle change.
Thanks to everyone who responded, I appreciate all the input.
Then you're doomed to fail. You don't have to give up everything, but you clearly don't seem motivated enough to make the necessary change. What do you do while you wait for the food to come when you order out? How much harder would it be to put some chicken in the oven or the pan and nuke some veggies? I'm a terrible cook and I hate doing it, but even I can do it. And it's much cheaper, too. Heck even breakfast takes a whole of 3 minutes to prepare in the morning, even when I make a breakfast burrito.
You say you need a lifestyle change, but you don't seem to be willing to make that change.0 -
It sounds like you have a lot of things you won't compromise on. You will drink your beer, you will drink sugar in your coffee (at least you're willing to dial it back), you won't learn to like new foods, you don't want to stop ordering out. You do need to decide what is most important to you, and while I know you want this to be maintainable, you have to question whether you want to be drinking six packs of sugar in your coffee the rest of your life, or never building in time to cook. I'm not saying you have to compromise on everything, but you do need to start reassessing your boundaries here.
The fastest, easiest way I found to watch my calories and nutrition was to cook my own food. Period. Do I always do it? Nope. But setting some time aside, even a small amount of time, to do some pre-prep for the week makes a huge difference in what I eat for the whole rest of that week. Chicken breasts on sale? Throw a ton of them into a pan and stick them into the oven while you're outlining. Take them out and put them in the fridge. That saves you a ton of time for the rest of the week.
Good point. I think perhaps spreading prep out through the week might be easier on me and the DH. Monday, prep chicken breasts, Tuesday, make a soup, Wednesday, cut up veggies/blanch/freeze, etc. I seem to need to change my mindset - and treat food prep as something you just do everyday, like brushing your teeth or showering. Perhaps I've been building it up to be more of a hassle then it actually is. *shrug*
Perhaps I should also find a coffee that doesn't need a ton of sugar to cut the acidity. Those do exist, I hear.0 -
Perhaps I've been building it up to be more of a hassle then it actually is. *shrug*
Nope, it's a huge hassle for me too. I hate cooking lol. But you gotta do what you gotta do I guess. Just got to find that extra motivation to get started (and hopefully get some support from your hubby!). We cook really simple here, nothing fancy at all. In Summer hubby grills so it helps, otherwise we just throw chicken sausage or fish in the pan, nuke some veggies, sometimes boil some noodles or rice in the pan for a few minutes, or nuke some couscous in the microwave, and call it a meal. And we could probably try and make more so we have leftovers and don't have to cook as often too. It's pretty boring but you get used to it I guess.
I don't like coffee without sugar either, plus it made me sick so I just quit drinking it and it's been making things easier.0 -
It sounds like you have a lot of things you won't compromise on. You will drink your beer, you will drink sugar in your coffee (at least you're willing to dial it back), you won't learn to like new foods, you don't want to stop ordering out. You do need to decide what is most important to you, and while I know you want this to be maintainable, you have to question whether you want to be drinking six packs of sugar in your coffee the rest of your life, or never building in time to cook. I'm not saying you have to compromise on everything, but you do need to start reassessing your boundaries here.
The fastest, easiest way I found to watch my calories and nutrition was to cook my own food. Period. Do I always do it? Nope. But setting some time aside, even a small amount of time, to do some pre-prep for the week makes a huge difference in what I eat for the whole rest of that week. Chicken breasts on sale? Throw a ton of them into a pan and stick them into the oven while you're outlining. Take them out and put them in the fridge. That saves you a ton of time for the rest of the week.
Good point. I think perhaps spreading prep out through the week might be easier on me and the DH. Monday, prep chicken breasts, Tuesday, make a soup, Wednesday, cut up veggies/blanch/freeze, etc. I seem to need to change my mindset - and treat food prep as something you just do everyday, like brushing your teeth or showering. Perhaps I've been building it up to be more of a hassle then it actually is. *shrug*
Perhaps I should also find a coffee that doesn't need a ton of sugar to cut the acidity. Those do exist, I hear.
Necessity is the mother of invention. I could "cook" for myself at age 22. Over the next few years, as I negotiated the need to eat healthier for my own well-being and the fact that we were broke students, I taught myself to meal plan and to cook. Both were important for my budget and my well-being.
Look for a copy of "The Monday to Friday Cookbook." It's old, but not horribly dated, and as well as being a decent cookbook despite coming out of the "Fat is Evil Carbs are Great" era, it is full of advice and ideas for quick meal prep for busy people.
It's a habit you can build. It's a skill that gets much, much, easier with time.
Pick a few simple things you like to eat and work on getting those recipes and routines down until they're second nature. I can make beef and bean burritos in about 20 minutes - less time than it takes to go out, and they're much healthier (made wtih better ingredients) and cheaper (well, not cheaper than Taco Bell, but see the point about health).
Use the idea of "plannedovers." Cook once, eat two or three times.
It feels less like leftovers if you slightly repurpose things, but some things are just good the second time anyway.
Example from above: It doesn’t take longer to make twice as much burrito filling. Put half directly in the frdge before you eat, and have burritos 1-3 days later. Or use it to make a taco salad.
Having grilled chicken for dinner? Cook more, and you have chicken to top a green salad, or for chicken salad sandwiches, or for chicken tacos or chicken pasta.
Make a pot roast and mashed potatoes? Make twice as many potatoes, and use chopped-up roast topped with potatoes as Shepherd’s pie later in the week.
Realistically, ordering out is one of the biggest budget-blowers not only financially, but dietarily. Restaurant food is made to be super-palatable, because restaurants sell themselves as special occasion food. We are conditioned to think of restaurant food as a treat. Which means that if we eat it every day, or many times a week, It’s like EVERY week is Carnival, complete with large portions of rich food. Because I cook so much, I know what goes into my home cooked versions. I’ve used nutritiondata.com to produce very detailed food labels for some of my favorite meals. The “same” meal from a restaurant will often be twice as many calories as the home-cooked version – but it doesn’t fill me up any more! My body, my appetite – have no idea that they’ve just eaten an entire day’s calories in one meal!
(On that topic – in your copious free time as an L2? Read “The End of Overeating” for why restaurant food and processed treats are a real problem in weight control.)0
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