Nothing ever seems possible to stick to....

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Jimster1981
Jimster1981 Posts: 30 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello,

I wonder whether someone could give me advice on what to do as no matter what I try to do to lose weight, I always end up back at the original weight that I started at.

Taking MFP as an example, I am starting this (AGAIN) today and I will lose around 4-6lb of water over the next several days. Then after a few days I will get fed-up then go back to eating as I was before. It important to know that I've never been a bad eater. Don't get me wrong, maybe once a month I will have an off-day where I will eat some crisps and chocolate or something, thats about it. It just seems that no matter what I do, I cannot sustain weight loss.

Even eating without MFP, I would be lucky to hit 2,000 calories per day!

I have tried MFP and I have tried Low Carb eating which was great until I found it was too depressing and if I had 1 takeaway at the weekend, I would put the 4lb back on that I lost the week before!!! arraghhhh......

I do confess to liking a drink and maybe most nights I would have a bottle of red wine but thats my only vice. Having said this, I have not always enjoyed Wine and I've always had this problem.

My blood is tested regular so I have no issues with my Thyroid etc.

In terms of exercise, I walk for at least 2 hours per day with my dogs but the rest of the time I'm sedentary. I weigh 122KG and I am 5ft 11 inches tall.

Please can someone give me some ideas? a plan, or something.... that I can stick to religiously to see if I can break this barrier.

Thanks everyone
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Replies

  • Mr_AH
    Mr_AH Posts: 32
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    Well you just mentioned that most nights you have a bottle of wine. I assume you have not been counting that wine in your calorie total?

    Have you, in fact, been counting? I mean really counting with a scale? I'm 5'6 and am losing weight with my calorie goal at 2000 (oftentimes I'm under, sometimes as much as 400, sometimes I am over, one day I was 1000 over).

    You have to weigh everything and, where applicable, in accordance with what is directly on the nutrition label. Honestly, you have to count everything, butter, sauce, cooking oil etc etc.

    It took me about a month to see the scale move and I was getting really upset, thinking that I was mucking up somehow. That's normal for a lot of people, though, it can take a while to actually start the process going.
  • galprincess
    galprincess Posts: 682 Member
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    The plan is simple enter your details into the MFP calculator it does it all for you, eat no more than the calories it states, weigh all food accurately drink water and in doing so lbs drop, if you wish to incorporate exercise great it does work but make sure goals are realistic it takes longer than a week, after 3 weeks the scale only just moving patience accuracy and honesty and motivation that's all you need feel free to add me.
  • _Zardoz_
    _Zardoz_ Posts: 3,987 Member
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    My guess is your eating more than you think and your tracking is off. If you're not losing weight you are not eating at a calorie defecit. Other than drinking a bottle of wine a night isn't really good for you due to the amount of alcohol that on average wlll be 500 calories by itself.

    You need to log everything religiously. Weigh all your food measure all liquids and find out how much you are really eating. Make sure you use accurate entries those with generic in front are normally poor entries. Once you have this information you then have information to work from.

    As for giving up I'm afraid that's down to you. No one can make you do it you have to find the motivation. Others can encourage and help you but in the end you are the only person who can do it.

    It may be worth opening your diary as we can then see your logging over the first few days and may see any obvious logging areas that may be inaccurate.

    Basically you just need a calorie deficit to lose weight. Put your numbers in MFP set a reasonable amount to lose a week and then work from that figure. Any exercise you do you can eat those or a portion of those calories back
  • itsadogslife
    itsadogslife Posts: 209
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    Ditch the alcohol, or curb it down significantly. I did a bodybuilding diet for two months, and in that time I ate more food than I've ever consumed in my life, I usually couldn't finish it. Amazingly, I lost 17 lbs in a month and a half. The difference? No salt, measured all my fats, extremely low sodium and no alcohol. No drinking calories in any way shape or form unless it was milk in a protein shake. My coach for the brief period I was motivated to do it said he'd rather see me eat a burger than consume alcohol because alcohol has such negative impacts on the gains in the gym. That was a year ago,and in this last year, I've drank a handful of times since then because his advice really stuck with me. Vice or not, find a replacement. You're better off witha food vice than a booze vice.
  • Mr_AH
    Mr_AH Posts: 32
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    Looking into it a bit more 2000 might be slighty too few calories for you. How much exercise are you really doing? Are you getting your heart rate up? Try and aim for 2200 calorie goal and keep that up for at least six weeks (you have to change your calorie goal as you lose weight, too).

    You don't have to give up the things you like. I've heard of people giving up carbs and chocolate etc but my diet is very carb heavy. Tomorrow I'm having two white bread rolls and 300g oven cooked chips for example. You have to make your lifestyle change something you can keep up and I could not give up bread and chips, there is no way that would be sustainable to me.

    You need to look into weight lifting, too, because you don't want to lose weight only to become flabby (and it can help, somewhat, with loose skin).
  • Jimster1981
    Jimster1981 Posts: 30 Member
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    Please don't assume I have a drinking problem, or will get one :) - I can take or leave wine, thats not the issue here. As I said, I have the same problem whether I have a drink or not.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
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    Please don't assume I have a drinking problem, or will get one :) - I can take or leave wine, thats not the issue here. As I said, I have the same problem whether I have a drink or not.

    do you log your alcohol? A bottle of wine can be about 500 calories…

    if you are not logging your alcohol then you are not accurately measuring your calories...
  • Jimster1981
    Jimster1981 Posts: 30 Member
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    Thanks for your advise. MFP puts me at 1610 Calories per day for some reason. I will have to reset it again.
  • Jimster1981
    Jimster1981 Posts: 30 Member
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    Please don't assume I have a drinking problem, or will get one :) - I can take or leave wine, thats not the issue here. As I said, I have the same problem whether I have a drink or not.

    do you log your alcohol? A bottle of wine can be about 500 calories…

    if you are not logging your alcohol then you are not accurately measuring your calories...

    I will be doing now I am restarting MFP. I know Alcohol has lots of calories but I will be cutting this down to weekends only anyway.
  • itsadogslife
    itsadogslife Posts: 209
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    Please don't assume I have a drinking problem, or will get one :) - I can take or leave wine, thats not the issue here. As I said, I have the same problem whether I have a drink or not.

    not my assumption at all, a bottle of wine is nothing in terms of glasses of wine. Its just the effect on your body. My guess is things aren't being logged accurately, and you should maybe get your cortisol levels checked. Do you get regular sleep? Do you feel fatigued at all? Things like that can be issues behind not being able to lose weight as well.
    As far as sticking to things, I think that's a mentality that will set someone up for failure. You need to view it as a lifestyle change, not some regime you have to "stick to" in order to see success. View food as fuel, and focus on your macros for the day. Centre all your food around fitting in to your macros, and you will most likely see results. Its so hard to get away from the ENJOYMENT of food, whether it is healthy or not etc, we tend to eat when we aren't hungry and end up in trouble. Try to eat based on fulfilling your macros, keep foods you like involved.:smile:
  • lemur_lady
    lemur_lady Posts: 350 Member
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    Hello,

    I wonder whether someone could give me advice on what to do as no matter what I try to do to lose weight, I always end up back at the original weight that I started at.

    Taking MFP as an example, I am starting this (AGAIN) today and I will lose around 4-6lb of water over the next several days. Then after a few days I will get fed-up then go back to eating as I was before. It important to know that I've never been a bad eater. Don't get me wrong, maybe once a month I will have an off-day where I will eat some crisps and chocolate or something, thats about it. It just seems that no matter what I do, I cannot sustain weight loss.

    Even eating without MFP, I would be lucky to hit 2,000 calories per day!

    I have tried MFP and I have tried Low Carb eating which was great until I found it was too depressing and if I had 1 takeaway at the weekend, I would put the 4lb back on that I lost the week before!!! arraghhhh......

    I do confess to liking a drink and maybe most nights I would have a bottle of red wine but thats my only vice. Having said this, I have not always enjoyed Wine and I've always had this problem.

    My blood is tested regular so I have no issues with my Thyroid etc.

    In terms of exercise, I walk for at least 2 hours per day with my dogs but the rest of the time I'm sedentary. I weigh 122KG and I am 5ft 11 inches tall.

    Please can someone give me some ideas? a plan, or something.... that I can stick to religiously to see if I can break this barrier.

    Thanks everyone

    When you say you usually only last a few days, could that be because you are trying to make the changes too drastic? Do you equate losing weight with being hungry and miserable?

    At 122kg you probably should not be eating much under 2000 calories a day. I am 100kg and eating 2000 a day to lose 1-2lbs a week. Whats your calorie goal? Do you try and meet it every day?

    If you are not doing so already try taking the time to weigh your food just so you know your calories are accurate. It only takes a few seconds more just to weigh something out and can really help.

    Also make sure to eat back at east some of the calories you burn exercising.

    The only plan I can give you is to weigh, log and eat enough. Undereating in the mistaken belief that its a sustainable way to reach your goal weight is what makes most people fall off the wagon. And dont eat things you dont like because you feel that you have to. Eat the food you DO like just make sure you keep within your calorie goal. And dont cut anything out either if you think its going to cause you to give up and binge. Just eat in moderation (which is easier to do when you know the calorie values of everything).
  • Mr_AH
    Mr_AH Posts: 32
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    If you read the thread it's pretty clear that OP is not counting his calories properly. If he eats at too few calories he might lose weight too fast and end up with loose skin.
  • Jimster1981
    Jimster1981 Posts: 30 Member
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    Please don't assume I have a drinking problem, or will get one :) - I can take or leave wine, thats not the issue here. As I said, I have the same problem whether I have a drink or not.

    not my assumption at all, a bottle of wine is nothing in terms of glasses of wine. Its just the effect on your body. My guess is things aren't being logged accurately, and you should maybe get your cortisol levels checked. Do you get regular sleep? Do you feel fatigued at all? Things like that can be issues behind not being able to lose weight as well.
    As far as sticking to things, I think that's a mentality that will set someone up for failure. You need to view it as a lifestyle change, not some regime you have to "stick to" in order to see success. View food as fuel, and focus on your macros for the day. Centre all your food around fitting in to your macros, and you will most likely see results. Its so hard to get away from the ENJOYMENT of food, whether it is healthy or not etc, we tend to eat when we aren't hungry and end up in trouble. Try to eat based on fulfilling your macros, keep foods you like involved.:smile:

    Sorry, that wasn't meant for you :) thanks for your help.
  • FitMe758
    FitMe758 Posts: 177 Member
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    I agree with what everyone else has said.
    • Please get a food scale and measure*all* your food.
    • If you can "take or leave the wine" leave it for a couple of weeks. Or at least cut back to 1 or 2 glasses per WEEK.
    • Log ALL that you consume. Honestly and accurately, for at least a week.

    I think you will be shocked at how much calories are underestimated when not measured accurately, how many calories add up bc of wine consumption (trust me, I know) and how different "real" portions are vs what we think are normal portions of food.

    I don't think super restrictive diets are necessary unless the person has a medical condition.

    I think once you make those changes, you will start to see results and that will encourage you to stick to a more balanced way of eating.

    Doing the above things is working for me. That's no guarantee that they will work for you. But it's worth giving the approach a try if you feel like you have tried everything else and are doing things right and still stuck in a rut.

    Best of luck on your journey.
  • CloudyMao
    CloudyMao Posts: 258 Member
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    You said you can take or leave wine, ok then - leave it.
    Most nights? not even slightly nessecary - ofc if you don't have a problem, this wont be an issue for you, you could set yourself a goal, say - one bottle per month, make it last you a month.

    Don't eat un-needed calories, start using food as fuel, measure all your food, log every single bit, as others think you're probably eating more than you think you are.

    Honestly if you can't stick to that - then you are the issue, either you have decided that your health isn't worth commiting to, or you need to get some blood tests done and speak to your doctor, as you may have health issues holding you back.

    best of luck.
  • BurntCoffee
    BurntCoffee Posts: 234 Member
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    I just read somewhere that Cabernet Sauvignon has about 610 calories per bottle. If you are like me, you don't just drink the wine without cheese or some sort of other side. I bet that is what is getting you off track. 1 serving of wine is 5 oz. Why not try to cut back slowly until you are having just one or two glasses a day at most? Whatever it is that you are trying to fix with the wine can't be fixed with wine in the long term. Been there, done there, got very very heavy and miserable. I wish you well. At least consider it. :)
  • kgeyser
    kgeyser Posts: 22,505 Member
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    Taking MFP as an example, I am starting this (AGAIN) today and I will lose around 4-6lb of water over the next several days. Then after a few days I will get fed-up then go back to eating as I was before.

    What do you mean when you say you get fed-up? It would be helpful to know what triggers you to go back to the way you were eating so we can suggest a way to deal with that.

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