Would you mind looking at my diary and advising me?

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I lost about 18lbs in about 8 weeks and have now plateaued.

Apart from at weekends, I don't eat much processed food and I eat a lot of fresh veggies. I don't drink either.

From reading other similar posts, I know that I don't drink enough water (I don't log it at all) and that more water can increase weight loss. So I know this would help.

BUT.... Any other comments/ feedback that anyone could give me on my food and exercise diary would be gratefully received.
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Replies

  • samammay
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    I dont see anything in your diary that really calls out to me. You are way more meticulous than most about logging things (spices!).

    All I can say is that you probably are just hitting a natural plateau and will push past it in a week or two. 2+ lbs/week for 2 months is a pretty solid achievement and you should be proud.

    If you think it might help, try changing things up for a week. Maybe not eat at a deficit for a week and see if that kickstarts your body into losing again? I read a lot about people's bodies adapting to deficits so tricking it might help.

    Anyway, you are doing great and no need to worry too much.
  • amelo84
    amelo84 Posts: 11 Member
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    congrats on the 18 lb weight loss! those are really great results! i know you said you don't eat much processed foods, but i see a number of things (processed/packaged) on your diary that could be replaced with healthier, cleaner foods, if you seem to be hitting a plateau.

    your food intake seems to be heavily focused on processed or bad carbs - conchiglie pasta, british potato (1 a day might be OK, but i see that you ate 2 today), weetabix, pita bread, raisin bread, crumpet. i would replace those with healthier carbs, such as chickpeas, quinoa, beans, and fruits. you also did not get a lot of nutritious value today from the italian salami milano, hot chocolate, creme fraiche, etc., even though you didn't consume a lot of calories. try replacing some of those items with fresh fruits and veggies, and definitely add in more raw greens to your daily diet (spinach, kale, etc.).

    i hope this helps. i only looked back to your last two diary entries, but these are the things that jumped out at me. good luck!
  • pusspot
    pusspot Posts: 12 Member
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    Yeah ... Today has been a bad one... As I have been at a hotel on training so haven't had the same amount of control over my nutrition... That said, I've been on leave for a lot of the last few eels which has lent itself to eating more unhealthily !!... More generally we tend to have a carb day on and a carb day off, replacing with fresh veggies....
    Interesting that I had never though of weetabix as bad though... Good to know
  • pusspot
    pusspot Posts: 12 Member
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    Similarly trout I was being dead good using half fat creme fraiche instead of cream for pasta sauces... Again good to know.. Thanks... I've not been as good as I thought!
  • pusspot
    pusspot Posts: 12 Member
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    *thought
    Similarly trout I was being dead good using half fat creme fraiche instead of cream for pasta sauces... Again good to know.. Thanks... I've not been as good as I thought!
  • amelo84
    amelo84 Posts: 11 Member
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    i could be wrong about the weetabix, but, since it's processed, i assume it could help to replace with unprocessed, organic granola or oats.
  • Konfetti123
    Konfetti123 Posts: 26 Member
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    I know some people have a plaeteau for far longer but till now you seem to have done everything right, you lost a bunch!
    Maybe try changing your exercise routine that might help.

    The only suggestion I might have is that you could up your fiber intake a bit, might help with the loss too ;)
  • kyleekay10
    kyleekay10 Posts: 1,812 Member
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    i could be wrong about the weetabix, but, since it's processed, i assume it could help to replace with unprocessed, organic granola or oats.
    :noway:

    Clean eating is simply a preference, it doesn't inherently help with weight loss. The only reason some people see a trend with that is because they are naturally cutting calories- BUT, processed foods =/= weight gain. Eating excess calories, in ANY form (read: clean or processed) = weight gain.

    The only things that stand out to me are your fiber and protein, you are definitely eating pretty low under on those macros. I aim for ~25 grams of fiber per day, and 1g of protein per pound of body weight a day. Try upping those, and upping your workout intensity a little. I'm sure it's just a normal plateau that will pass soon. Also, if you're not lifting... start. :flowerforyou:

    Edited for clarification.
  • amelo84
    amelo84 Posts: 11 Member
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    i definitely don't agree that clean eating is simply a "preference." but, if you have reached a plateau, it doesn't hurt to change up your diet and see if that can help - "clean eating" and replacing processed foods or bad carbs with unprocessed foods and good carbs is a good place to start, in my opinion.
  • kyleekay10
    kyleekay10 Posts: 1,812 Member
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    It can't "hurt" to try I suppose, just saying eating non-processed foods won't make the weight magically fall off. It still comes down to calories in versus calories out. If OP switches to non-processed foods and what you call "good" carbs, she may end up eating less because those items will likely be more fiber dense (and she does need more fiber IMO). If she's eating less because she feels more full due to the fiber, she'll be consuming fewer calories, which is what will result in helping along the weight loss. So again, it's not about Good Food versus Bad Food, it's more about the nutrients that are in certain foods.

    That being said, you can still get good fiber intake from processed foods. Fiber One products are a good example of that.
  • amelo84
    amelo84 Posts: 11 Member
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    well, i never said the weight will magically fall off. she asked for comments and feedback on her food diary, which is what i gave.

    im also not sure what you are qualifying as good vs. bad foods, because it's pretty clear that most good foods will have more nutrients, which seems to be the point you are making above. empty or bad calories is NOT the same thing as good calories. i recommended that she replace some of the processed foods or the "bad" carbs with good carbs, which have a much higher nutritional value and probably just as much calories. you get much more health-wise out of eating a cup of chickpeas than you do eating white pita bread, even though the calorie-count is probably fairly similar. pasta is not the same thing as eating a piece of salmon with grilled veggies and quinoa, even though the calories may be similar.

    there is a problem with eating too many processed, packaged foods or refined/processed carbs (e.g. white bread). white bread has almost no nutritional value, and, if im not mistaken, the pasta and pita bread from yesterday's diary entry were probably processed carbs. i am not saying that you have to eat 100% clean, but, if you are eating 5 or 6 or more packaged/processed foods a day, it might be time to cut back and see if that can help you lose weight. if, by replacing some foods, you find that you are not eating enough calories, then replace it with something else that has higher calories. it's not about just replacing a piece of raisin bread with a carrot.

    ive struggled with eating enough calories while following a clean diet, but there are clean foods you can add into your diet to increase your calorie intake, and that's exactly what i've been trying to do. i do eat unclean foods now and again as well. add an avocado in there for some more calories. add a banana. add a cup of carrots. add in some beans.
  • pusspot
    pusspot Posts: 12 Member
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    Thanks for all of your comments.... I didnt want to start an argument :-(
  • Hildy_J
    Hildy_J Posts: 1,050 Member
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    Hey there! :-)

    I think we have a logging issue here.... *sherlock holmes face*

    Your baked potatoes are exactly 100g, your broccoli is exactly 50g, your beans are exactly 150g.

    I eat baked potatoes all the time - I haven't had two weigh the same amount yet. Perhaps you are estimating rather than weighing?

    Time to get the scales out!

    ALSO your babies are Absolutely Gorgeous. Beyond cute. :-)

    Good luck! xx
  • snazzyjazzy21
    snazzyjazzy21 Posts: 1,298 Member
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    Thanks for all of your comments.... I didnt want to start an argument :-(

    Don't worry it's just the clean eating vs IIFYM argument, it happens all the time :flowerforyou:
  • Hildy_J
    Hildy_J Posts: 1,050 Member
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    Don't worry it's just the clean eating vs IIFYM argument, it happens all the time :flowerforyou:

    Which is FOREVER hijacking other people's threads. *sigh*

    I wish the IIFYM (for the uninitiated, this stands for 'If It Fits The Parameters Which You Have Arbitrarily Selected For Yourself') zealots would join forces with the clean eating ('Piety Our Speciality') zealots and start their own thread.

    And stay there. No offence but it's getting old.
  • jayrudq
    jayrudq Posts: 475 Member
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    Thanks for all of your comments.... I didnt want to start an argument :-(

    Don't worry it's just the clean eating vs IIFYM argument, it happens all the time :flowerforyou:

    Oh, this was no argument. The posters were being quite civil and there is a refreshing lack of snark. And actually, Kyle, your explanation was very rationale as well as accurate. A calorie is a calorie, but we all know there is more strategies to being successful than simply counting calories.
  • snazzyjazzy21
    snazzyjazzy21 Posts: 1,298 Member
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    Thanks for all of your comments.... I didnt want to start an argument :-(

    Don't worry it's just the clean eating vs IIFYM argument, it happens all the time :flowerforyou:

    Oh, this was no argument. The posters were being quite civil and there is a refreshing lack of snark. And actually, Kyle, your explanation was very rationale as well as accurate. A calorie is a calorie, but we all know there is more strategies to being successful than simply counting calories.

    True, snark level was surprisingly low, I think we're getting somewhere as a group.
  • Hildy_J
    Hildy_J Posts: 1,050 Member
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    Oh, this was no argument.

    Monty Python anyone?

    'This isn't an argument, it's just a series of contradictions!'. - 'No it isn't.'
  • MrsFowler1069
    MrsFowler1069 Posts: 657 Member
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    I agree with weighing your food if you have the option. I don't have a scale yet, so it's a tad hypocritical of me, but I know measuring isn't as accurate and whenever I'm not sure, I under-measure or overestimate a bit. Not the greatest, but until I have the means to do better.... ::shrug::

    Clean eating certainly has it's benefits, but does not in itself affect weight loss. If you are accurately tracking to be sure that you're eating at a deficit, you can lose weight eating pizza and ice cream every day.

    The other thing you'll hear along the way (if you haven't already) is that "weight loss isn't linear," meaning that you will have times when you simply don't lose what you expect to for a week or whatever. It is part of the deal and doesn't necessarily indicate that you are doing something wrong. Maybe you are retaining a little extra water or whatever. My weight actually went up over the last few days almost 4 pounds - I just carried on, didn't stress about it, and ended up losing that and an extra four! Why? I have no idea, but I'll take it!!

    A short time doesn't really indicate a plateau - it's just part of the natural way of things. Sounds like you're off to a great start! Hang in there.

    ETA: Your kids really are adorable!:smile:
  • MrsFowler1069
    MrsFowler1069 Posts: 657 Member
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    Don't worry it's just the clean eating vs IIFYM argument, it happens all the time :flowerforyou:

    Which is FOREVER hijacking other people's threads. *sigh*

    I wish the IIFYM (for the uninitiated, this stands for 'If It Fits The Parameters Which You Have Arbitrarily Selected For Yourself') zealots would join forces with the clean eating ('Piety Our Speciality') zealots and start their own thread.

    And stay there. No offence but it's getting old.

    And thus ends the refreshing lack of snark. lol For the record, my macros have all been selected by MFP and aren't arbitrary at all, but are based on where I'm at now and on my goals. But it's cool, whatever.