What am I doing wrong?

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Hi, I am new to this whole idea of asking for help, which is probably why I am 29 years old and 232 lbs. For the last month or so I have been trying to loose weight the healthy way. I tried lots of fad diets such as Cambridge, lighter life, Slimming World, etc. and always lost weight well but could never keep it off (I like my food).

I am now trying to eat a balanced diet which is lower in carbs (not low-carb though) as I find that I tend to bloat and over eat when carbs are in my diet. I have also tried to remove all potatoes and pasta as they are my worst carb offenders.

I am also doing Insanity and am half way through week 5 (recovery). I do not include my exercise in my food diary as I already have my exercise settings set to account for these.

I am also aware that I comfort eat and so when people look at my diet diary they can see there are a few days where I went a little AWOL. I weigh everything and am insistent on putting everything that crosses my mouth in MFP diary.

I drink between 2-4 litres of water/squash a day as I sweat a lot and have also have always been a big fluid drinker.

My problem is that apart from my beginning weight loss I am not loosing anything and after 2 bad days on the weekend where I consumed 2921 and 1284 calories of unhealthy food choices I have put on around 4 lbs.

I am so upset and need advise. Please help!!

Replies

  • trogalicious
    trogalicious Posts: 4,584 Member
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    I am so upset and need advise. Please help!!

    1. don't trust the initial setup that MFP provides. If you put in the wrong/inaccurate information, it'll tell you to eat an amount that may not be applicable.
    2. Make sure you eat enough.
    3. Figure out what works for you and is sustainable/healthy/long term.
    4. avoid fads. don't buy in to any "Hey, try the twinkie and vodka diet"
    5. Don't cut out anything now that you don't plan on literally giving up forever.
    6. GET A FOOD SCALE. Weigh everything. No, seriously.
    7. Get an HRM with a chest strap. You'll at least have a better idea of what you're burning. It'll be more accurate than the generic info in the exercise database.. and even more than the cardio machines. This is great for steady state cardio (run/walk/etc)
    8. Don't go balls out. You'll burn out. I see 300 lb people show up here, instantly start working out and cutting their intake SEVERELY... trying to cut out all of their carbs at once.. whatever. Take it slow. Figure out how much you need to eat FIRST in order to lose.. then incorporate exercise.
    9. Don't cardio yourself to death.
    10. Take the information on the forums with a grain of salt. A lot of people that have been here for a while.. and have been successful, may seem jaded. They give out GREAT advice day after day, only to be met with people that refuse to listen.
    11. Eat real food. Not diet food. Not "low fat, sugar free, now without X." It's easier to get/find/count.
    12. don't set time restrictions.
    13. measure yourself weekly. Don't just weigh. Measure and take pictures.
    14 BE PATIENT.
    15. Avoid forum topics that have "1200" in the title. It's just full of butthurt. Lots of it.
    16. This isn't a game, it's about changing your lifestyle. Do that.

    pretty much that.

    ...and don't fall into the "1200 calorie" vertigo of suck because of:

    the typical MFP users does this:
    1. I wanna lose weight, let's try MFP.
    2. OH! Wow, it tells me I can lose 2 lbs a WEEK? AWESOME!
    3. I just sit at a desk when I'm not working out, I guess I'm sedentary.
    4. MFP tells them 1200 calories, and they don't even eat that.. then they work out on top of it.. creating an even bigger deficit.
    5. Lose a lot, fast, brag about 1200 calorie success.
    6. Come back in a few months trying to figure out why they're dizzy, tired, not losing weight.
    7. Get on the forums, ask why they aren't losing.
    8. Get two responses (I eat 1200 and lose) (I eat 2200 and lose)
    9. Argument ensues about who is right.

    Now. That being said. These threads happen hundreds of times per day. Most times, and I mean really.. seriously.. 95% of the time.. people get the 1200 number because they don't put the right information in when they set up the account. There are a great number of people that are trying to help. I'm one of 'em.

    I'm a hardcore advocate of actually finding out what works for the individual.. by means of other calculators, averages, time, practice, and patience.

    Blanket prescriptions of 1200 calories "because it worked for me" is more harmful to the generic new user than the "figure out what you need to eat." Unfortunately, one is a LOT easier to type.

    Find out what you need: http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/

    and make sure to read: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
  • kiwitechgirl
    kiwitechgirl Posts: 145 Member
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    When you say you have your exercise settings set to account for it, do you mean when you joined MFP you entered in how much you were aiming for? If this is the case, then your daily calorie goal doesn't actually include that exercise - it's just a goal for you to aim at, it's not actually taken into account. Or are you working on the TDEE method rather than the MFP method.

    Secondly, squash is likely to have a load of sugar in it - this will push your calories way up. Give that up and switch to water only and I think you may notice a difference.

    Thirdly, you haven't put on 4lb since the weekend, not of fat anyway. That'll be water weight from too much sodium, nothing else.
  • mmk137
    mmk137 Posts: 833 Member
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    You've already admitted that carbs of potatoes and pasta are your enemy, so why not eliminate all man made carbs altogether. Bread, pasta, wheat, rice etc.

    Start eating real food, and eat more protein.
  • gloriamenard
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    I agree with trogalicious. If you do not put in your exercise, you are probably not eating enough. Then, your metabolism slows down. You cannot continue this so you binge WITH A SLOWER METABOLISM. Not a good thing.
  • michellekicks
    michellekicks Posts: 3,624 Member
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    I agree with more protein. Instead of thinking "lower carb" think "higher protein". Learn to eat about .7g per pound of body weight... somewhere around 160g daily. It will take time to get there. It has taken me about 18 months to increase my protein to near 150g daily. If you start each meal seeking to get 30g protein minimum and 5g fiber, you'll end up putting together meals that keep you satisfied until the next meal. In fact, you may find it hard to eat that much.
  • salsasam84
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    I am drinking no added sugar squash but do you think the aspartame and other sweetners may be a problem?

    Also I am having on average 100-110 g protein a day which I thought was pretty good but will attempt for more.

    Am only usually having around 100g cooked brown rice and occasionally half a wholemeal bagel as man made carbs so will attempt to cut them out as well.
  • mmk137
    mmk137 Posts: 833 Member
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    I am drinking no added sugar squash but do you think the aspartame and other sweetners may be a problem?

    Also I am having on average 100-110 g protein a day which I thought was pretty good but will attempt for more.

    Am only usually having around 100g cooked brown rice and occasionally half a wholemeal bagel as man made carbs so will attempt to cut them out as well.

    100% it's a problem. It's artificial and no way near good for you at all.

    veggies are carbs (they aren't fat and they aren't protein, so what else can they be). Eat more veggies.
  • bluelena
    bluelena Posts: 304 Member
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    I'd reiterate what trogalicious said, but he's already given you all you need to know so eloquently.