Please critique my diet, not losing weight

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jenniferhanisch5
jenniferhanisch5 Posts: 44 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I've been trying to lose weight, exercising most days and tracking calories but still haven't been able to lose much weight. With 50lbs to go very frustrating to know progress is this difficult. All my food is measured/weighed.
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  • michikade
    michikade Posts: 313 Member
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    You're hitting calorie goals and doing rather well with hitting your macros so far as I can see.

    It looks like you've only been tracking since the 14th of July, is that correct? If so, the 6 lbs you have listed as lost is absolutely appropriate in 3 weeks.

    I hate to be cliche, but please try to remember: it's a marathon, not a sprint. I've have to learn this lesson the hard way with some yo-yo dieting before I kicked my own butt in gear a couple months ago.
  • jenniferhanisch5
    jenniferhanisch5 Posts: 44 Member
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    I've been working out since the start of the year. The 6lbs was mainly what I had gained carb/salt/water loading after my triathlon. I've been the same weight give or take a pound for 4 months. Just seem to be doing everything right and getting nowhere weight wise but my cardiovascular fitness/endurance is definitely improving
  • michikade
    michikade Posts: 313 Member
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    Ok, 4 months is a different animal.

    In the entries I looked at I didn't see a reason for you to not be losing, especially since you stated that you weigh / measure everything. It looks to me like you should have a caloric deficit and therefore should be losing weight, barring a medical reason for you to be retaining weight. There is something to be said about losing weight but gaining muscle also, but probably not to the tune of 4 months worth.

    Of course, I only looked through about 3 weeks worth, through the gap before July 14. I didn't review before that so I couldn't speak on any entries prior to that time because I found a few blank days and didn't look before then, so I can't speak to the entire four months we're talking about.

    EDIT: Ok, I looked a little closer. I can't speak to the recipes but I suppose I should ask if you're writing the recipes yourself or if you're using user added ones? If you've made them yourself than that's one thing but if you didn't perhaps that person doesn't make them like you do. Also, I see a day where you went out to eat for lunch at three different restaurants apparently? I'm confused by that entry.

    I several days where your sodium intake was a little on the higher side, so I'm wondering if some of your weight gain / inability to lose is water retention. I tend to go a little high on sodium myself, too, so I feel ya there ;)

    Also, I went through until April 1 and didn't see entries, still, before July 14. So I stand by my initial statement: 6 lbs in 3 weeks is appropriate and acceptable. Since I have no idea what you did prior to July 14, I can't speak to that at all, but 2 lbs/week isn't bad or slow. It may slow down as you get closer to goal but right now that sounds pretty decent to me.
  • simplydelish2
    simplydelish2 Posts: 726 Member
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    My take is that your body is starving for nutrition. You basically live off of coffee and italian sausage. Try adding some veggies and fruit. Also, I'm guessing your calorie goal is set too high. Yours is set at about what mine is set at - and I've got another 100+ pounds to lose.

    Good luck!
  • AmberLeannnn
    AmberLeannnn Posts: 28 Member
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    I see tons of sugar/ carbs and no fiber and vegetables. Also I noticed that you eat a lot of the same things... I would try changing up your foods a little and eliminating the Starbucks with syrups in the morning. Make your own cup of coffee with a little cream and you will save a lot of calories so you can eat better, healthier, and more calorie dense foods through out the day.
  • IHateThinkingOfAUsername
    IHateThinkingOfAUsername Posts: 568 Member
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    As you helped with my front crawl post I'll try to help here... Emphasis on try :)

    What method are you using to calculate your calories? Mfp or tdee?
    What activity level did you choose? And did this include your intended exercise?
    Or did you base your activity level on your day to day activity minus exercise and log this separately?

    There is definitely something going on, the fact you haven't lost or gained would suggest you're in maintenance. Either your logging is inaccurate or your calorie goal is set up wrong (be it too high to start with or miscalculating exercise burns).

    If you give us your data (age, weight, height) and an overview of what you do day to day (sit at a desk, on your feet all day or a physical manual lifting job for example), then we can advise you on your basic requirements. Then you can decide whether to up this based on your exercise and use tdee, or log your exercise and eat extra on those days as per mfp.
  • logg1e
    logg1e Posts: 1,208 Member
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    I would try improving the accuracy of your counting by using some kitchen scales and measuring as much as possible in grams.

    Also, your calorie goal is pretty close to my maintenance goal. Without knowing your height or weight (I'm just a little older than you) it certainly sounds as though you're just eating at maintenance.

    Finally, you are probably over-estimating your exercise calories. On Monday you earned 2,097 calories. You record twice the number of calories from biking than I do in a Spin class for the same length of time. A heart rate monitor would help you with this.

    So - the main "tweak" appears to be accuracy - accuracy in measuring your food and accuracy in measuring your calorie burns. You've got the hard stuff sorted (resilience, persistence, commitment etc)
  • OllyJ_79
    OllyJ_79 Posts: 126 Member
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    It may be a good idea to work our your TDEE, which includes your exercise in the total calories to consume.

    http://calorieline.com/tools/tdee

    The most important factor in losing weight is simply being at a sufficient calorie deficit. This site will help you calculate an achievable figure, and match up your activity levels.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    I see you using a lot of 'cups'. Are you using a scale for everything? Cups are not accurate. Same with tablespoons etc for solids. Weigh everything. 8oz of pork every time... how are you doing that? Those frozen fish fillets, did you weigh them? Most frozen items are heavier than what the label says. My guess is you're eating more than you think.
  • WBB55
    WBB55 Posts: 4,131 Member
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    My advice probably isn't too different. So mainly just to emphasize what I see:

    (1) Eat out less (and eat less processed food). It has a lot of salt, typically, and just makes weightloss slow and unpredicatable. And you can never be sure about restaurant's calorie counts.
    (2) Make your own lattes at home. Buy some protein powder (I use half vanilla and half chocolate), mix it with some almond milk and coffee. BAM. 180 calories, tasty, and lots of protein and calcium. And you're more in control of your choices.
    (3) Take a look at your day-to-day lifestyle (Real talk, here) Is it the lifestyle you want? Every food choice you make can either reinforce your path or take away from the person you want to be.
    (4) Weigh your food using a digital scale. ***this is the most important**
    (5) SALADS. Leafy green vegies. Find a way to love them.
    (6) FRUIT.
  • jenniferhanisch5
    jenniferhanisch5 Posts: 44 Member
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    Okay starting off I'm 5'10 and 199lbs.

    I will address the coffee first, I know this is a poor spot in my diet. But I'm actually coming from 1-3 frappucinos a day.

    Second I know my veggie count is low, I just don't particularly like them. But will make am effort to incorporate them into my diet more.

    I do have a food scale so will start using oz more than cups for measurement. But how I get 8oz of pork chops evrytime? I slice them when cooked and put them in baggies.

    I have been using mfp for calorie expenditure. I'm currently a charge nurse so I'm pretty sedentary at work with bursts of activity. I will be moving to a different position which I hope to be more active in. I work three nights a week. 14 hours a night. I do not usuaally eat my exercise calories back because I do believe they are too high. I do have a heart rate monitor somewhere I need to find it.

    Thank you all for your advice
  • eminentclapper
    eminentclapper Posts: 15 Member
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    I suggest that you avoid sugar, especially refined, as much as possible, as it only makes you hungry for more and makes it more difficult for your body to burn fat. Don't replace sugar with sweeteners as that has the same effect, your brain reacts the same way.

    Choose only one day a week when you indulge yourself in snacks and sweets, like a frappuccino, or any food you fancy, just so you at least can handle short term goals (like: no frappuccino today, but on Saturday? Mmmmm!!!!) but on a daily basis, stay away from all kinds of refined and pre-prepared food, instead prepare and cook everything yourself from fresh produce. This will ensure that your taste buds are not overloaded and you'll soon find your taste buds normalised and being a lot less hungry.

    In regards to exercise, aerobics is not very effective for losing weight. The main factor is to increase the resting metabolic rate, which can only be done in two ways: eat more or build more muscle. Obviously, eating more doesn't fit with your goal, so the solution is to build more muscle and the way to do that is resistance training, which also has a vast number of other benefits you simply won't get with aerobic exercise. You only need to spend an extra 30-45 minutes, 3 times a week, with 5-6 simple basic exercises, to make a big difference. Don't stop your aerobics though, as that is the best to train your heart. However, if you're not doing HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) aerobics, I suggest you start doing it, as it is by far the most efficient form of aerobic exercise.

    Finally, as another commenter mentioned: it's a marathon, not a sprint! Keep your main focus on the effort and process, not so much the end goal. Be the person who never skips a workout! Be the person who always does the best workout you can, on any given day! Be the person who cooks their own healthy food, every day! Be the person who only drinks frappuccinos once a week!

    Always look forward and never give up!

    All the best!
  • Jonalee1977
    Jonalee1977 Posts: 415 Member
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    First of all, take your time reading this:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1234699-logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide

    I can tell you right off the bat that your logging is not accurate. One of your meals yesterday was three taco shells yet there is no sodium listed. Huge red flag.

    Secondly, way too much processed junk. You need to lay off the sugary crap. If you can't drink coffee without all that disgusting syrup, then quit drinking coffee. Don't say it can't be done because it can. I quit drinking diet soda and coffee three months ago and have never felt better. You don't have to rely on sugar and caffeine for energy. Your body will reward you by being more energetic than you ever thought possible.
  • jenniferhanisch5
    jenniferhanisch5 Posts: 44 Member
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    I just skimmed a few days of your jourmal. Just curious, how much water are you drinking? I don't see any logged for any of the days I glanced at. Sorry if anyone else brought this up. I didn't read all responses.

    I drink over 2.5L/day. Other than the coffee and an occasional glass of milk it's the only thing I drink
  • jenniferhanisch5
    jenniferhanisch5 Posts: 44 Member
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    Okay I guess I don't understand how 1700 calories average, before any exercise is too much to lose any weight in four months when I exercise at least an hour most days with high intensity. But obviously you're right as its not working...
    Okay starting off I'm 5'10 and 199lbs.

    I will address the coffee first, I know this is a poor spot in my diet. But I'm actually coming from 1-3 frappucinos a day.

    Second I know my veggie count is low, I just don't particularly like them. But will make am effort to incorporate them into my diet more.

    I do have a food scale so will start using oz more than cups for measurement. But how I get 8oz of pork chops evrytime? I slice them when cooked and put them in baggies.

    I have been using mfp for calorie expenditure. I'm currently a charge nurse so I'm pretty sedentary at work with bursts of activity. I will be moving to a different position which I hope to be more active in. I work three nights a week. 14 hours a night. I do not usuaally eat my exercise calories back because I do believe they are too high. I do have a heart rate monitor somewhere I need to find it.

    Thank you all for your advice

    None of that matters, you're eating to much. A lot of people told you the same thing they just said it differently.
  • Jonalee1977
    Jonalee1977 Posts: 415 Member
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    You mention not liking veggies. Have you thought about incorporating them into a smoothie? I drink a green smoothie every morning for breakfast. It doesn't taste like veggies, but I'm still getting all the benefits.

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