Very little weight loss: Looking for non-traditional advice

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Just curious, you said "I don't count calories or measure food", but then said "measure your food - done". As I'm sure many people will tell you, just because you're eating unprocessed "clean" food, doesn't necessarily mean you're eating within your macros or your optimal calorie consumption range for the day.

The food I eat is 90% whole, unprocessed, and clean. (I don't count calories or measure food because it simply isn't realistic for me. From time to do I do it short -term as a way to re-orient myself to correct portions.)

The above is why you are not losing weight. Also, you will not get much non-traditional advice (i.e. new diet, cut out all fat and sugar, etc) because those things are fads based on broscience and myths.

As far as weight loss goals go, in order to lose weight you must eat less calories than you burn. Even with medical conditions, you can find that number, but it takes a bit more work.

If you don't count calories or weigh your food, you have no idea how many calories you are eating. I suggest you make a habit of counting calories, weighing food (not measuring, because it's not accurate), and ensure that you are using correct portion entries. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1234699-logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide

Also, either figure out your TDEE or eat back a portion of your cardio calories.

Sorry, this is it. Bets of luck!

<snip>......(I don't count calories or measure food because it simply isn't realistic for me. From time to do I do it short -term as a way to re-orient myself to correct portions.)

Is is possible since you're not measuring and weighing foods daily that you might be under eating? That can definitely stall weight loss.

It's easy to over estimate or under estimate our foods if we're not measuring them a good part of the time. Some foods are easier to do a guesstimate than others, some foods are a shock when you guess then actually weigh them.

Having the thyroid & blood sugar issue only a short time ago may have some to do with this.

You'll likely get some helpful posts in the thread that may give more ideas.:flowerforyou:

(I don't count calories or measure food because it simply isn't realistic for me. From time to do I do it short -term as a way to re-orient myself to correct portions.)

If you are not going to count calories, the only ways I know to lose weight are intermittent fasting (probably not doable for you due to blood glucose and thyroid problems) or monitoring your hunger. By monitoring hunger - I mean you should feel slightly hungry all the time. This is the only way - without an accurate calorie count using scales and measuring - that you can ensure that you are eating at a deficit. Otherwise, you WILL not lose weight. No matter what you've heard, normal, healthy people do not lose weight (no matter how much they exercise or how clean they eat) without a plan and some discomfort, because our bodies will naturally cause us to eat more to make up for calorie deficits.

I personally cannot lose weight without weighing my food, despite running 25+ miles a week plus walking and strength training. Even though I am very familiar with portion size, I have discovered that I ALWAYS underestimate how much is on my plate. I suspect this is what is happening to you as well.

<snip>......(I don't count calories or measure food because it simply isn't realistic for me. From time to do I do it short -term as a way to re-orient myself to correct portions.)

Is is possible since you're not measuring and weighing foods daily that you might be under eating? That can definitely stall weight loss.

It's easy to over estimate or under estimate our foods if we're not measuring them a good part of the time. Some foods are easier to do a guesstimate than others, some foods are a shock when you guess then actually weigh them.

Having the thyroid & blood sugar issue only a short time ago may have some to do with this.

You'll likely get some helpful posts in the thread that may give more ideas.:flowerforyou:

Examples of under and overestimating today... because I am a dork, I will often choose a portion of food and see how close I was. Cut off a chunk of cheese this morning, wanted 1oz(28g). Hit 26g. Pretty darn good. Pour my half and half into my coffee cup (on top of the scale, with the numbers covered), was shooting for 30g, hit 38. Whoops. Small examples, but if you are off a little bit on EVERYTHING, it adds up.

I would definately weigh and measure your food. You do have time, I prepare most of my food for the week on Sunday...it is a pain the rear, but I take the time to do it and it works. Also, as far as the working out....ad weigh lifting in to your work outs. I have lost 7+ inches and 18.8 pounds in the last 5 weeks. I log EVERYTHING, the good the bad and the ugly, I work out every AM for at least 45 minutes with cardio, I work out 3 days a week with a trainer, 2 of those days are almost all lifting, (tonight is heavy lift night whoot whoot...I LOVE HEAVY LIFT DAY) and then I take 2 cardio classes a week as well. I eat "clean" for the most part, I make sure my protein is up, my salt is down and that the sugar I have comes from the foods that I eat and nothing added. I eat a lot of fruits and veggies and chicken ( i hate chicken ) but it is what I must do in order to have the success I have had.

Some times you have to do things that are hard and uncomfortable in order to make the changes that you want. 6 weeks ago I had been on a slump of working my *kitten* off and no weight loss....my trainer changed my sodium intake and BLAM...i started dropping weight to the tune of 3.76 pounds per week average. Some weeks I throw 5 pound losses, some weeks 1 pound...but I have not stopped losing since then. And the changes in my body...WOW!!!!!!!!! Too numerous to even get in to. ..... but I am definately not the same person I was 5 weeks ago.

Make some small changes, add weight lifting...you will do it....

If you aren't losing weight, you aren't in a deficit. If you aren't counting calories, you don't know how much you are eating. All the other traditional advice you listed is irrelevant at this point.

Yup.

Why isn't counting and measuring "realistic" for you? The phone app makes things really easy. I have a food scale both at home and at work.

Agree with what others have said - counting the calories is the way to go.

If counting calories isn't realistic for you, then fat loss won't be either. You can be consistent with exercise, be fit and stronger than ever, but if you're not at least in a small calorie deficit, the fat is not going to come off.

Just curious, you said "I don't count calories or measure food", but then said "measure your food - done". As I'm sure many people will tell you, just because you're eating unprocessed "clean" food, doesn't necessarily mean you're eating within your macros or your optimal calorie consumption range for the day.

This.

OP, I see you are getting a lot of very simple advice here about counting calories, measuring your food, etc. Why not give it a try? Measure/weigh/whatever...count very precisely for a couple of weeks, and see what happens.

I was skeptical too...I felt like I was practically starving myself and exercising a lot, eating 90% or more "healthy food" and it took me YEARS of being on track w/ that in order to lose any weight at all. Then I started tracking religiously and it feels like it was comparatively easy to lose the weight reflected in my ticker. Just sayin'. Nothing to lose but weight. har har

Since you mention thyroid/glucose issues maybe get your RMR tested so you have a more precise idea where to start and eat at a deficit from there. What are your stats? I get that counting is not sustainable for you. It is not for me either and I do what you do to lose about 5 lbs. It makes me focus way too much on food. But on the other hand I am not in a hurry.

Weigh and measure everything you eat. I run 20-30 miles per week and eat pretty healthy, but would not lose without counting every calorie I take in.

Buy a food scale, weigh your food = miracle solution. Really. Sure, it might not be sustainable long term for you, but I guess you can just complain that you're not losing weight and stay overweight instead. Personally, I'd rather take the 5 minutes a day it takes to weigh my food all my life if I have to, but rock my healthy weight body.

Here is a "non-traditional" way to count calories.

Once a week (or however many times you CAN), prepare a menu plan for yourself and count the calories in the menu plan.

Prepare your food, measure it, and store it for easy grab & go eating throughout the week. If you want a bit of variety in your week, do 2 different menu plans and alternate days.

If you want snacking wiggle room, prepare menus with 100-200 calories less and ONLY count your snacking calories.

It is not traditional "count as you go" but pre-counting calories. However, you don't have as much on the fly choices and you HAVE to stick with your menu unless you plan to count as you go when you deviate.

I don't count calories or measure food because it simply isn't realistic for me.

if you aren't willing to try this, then I got nothing for ya