Constructive criticism, please?

agibsonky
agibsonky Posts: 124 Member
edited September 23 in Health and Weight Loss
I have been on this weight loss journey for 1 year this week. I don't eat perfectly, as sometimes life gets in the way, and sometimes, I just need chocolate (or marshmallows...like yesterday...). I only have about 15 pounds to go, and it is coming off, but VERY slowly - I have lost on average 0.4 pounds per week for the last 2 months. I am losing, but not very quickly. I have ramped up my exercise to 5 days a week, have tried eating my exercise calories (I never did that before), and I still seem to just continue losing very slowly. I am in this for the long haul, and will be OK if it takes 7 more months to get that last 15 off, but would really like it to come off a bit quicker. I have made my food diary public. I anyone out there has time to take a peek and offer constructive criticism on how I could eat better, I'd like to hear it. I don't, by the way, do supplements or protein shakes, or anything like that...I just don't like them.

Thanks for taking the time to look. You guys are wonderful and I couldn't have come this far without this site.

Replies

  • sarahnicolexoxo
    sarahnicolexoxo Posts: 230
    Are you eating a lot of sodium and drinking a lot of water?
  • Cinlan
    Cinlan Posts: 12
    Great record of loss! My mom, who lost almost 100 lbs, too, said the last 20 was the most stubborn to leave. Keep working the healthy life and the rest will fall away at it's own pace.
  • Kristierlong
    Kristierlong Posts: 163 Member
    You might not be eating enough, do you eat back your exercise calories?
  • traceytoo
    traceytoo Posts: 163
    You've lost 75 pounds .. you are not doing anything wrong lol ... the last bit is always the hardest and sometimes you have to accept that you might want to be a certain weight but your body has had enough! or you may just ahve to accept that this bit is going to be harder than the last 75 put together.

    For me your carbs are high, but that's because carbs rae a nightmare for me and they may affect you in a different way.

    Just keep doing what you are doig ... and accept that this bit is going ot be the toughest and slowest so far.

    Good luck xxx keep up the good work XX
  • reneelee
    reneelee Posts: 877 Member
    We could be twins! Just keep doing what you are doing it will come off, just not at our speed. When talking to a nuitritionist about the last ten pounds she told me it would take a year and keep up the good work. I thought a year you are crazy! She is right some months I loss .8 pounds and I'll take it. That being said I get a lot of complametes on how good I look and people noticing that I have lost more weight. I smile and say thanks I've lost another .8 pounds. At this point I think everything is tightneing up and looking better and I will take that too.
  • jewelzz
    jewelzz Posts: 326 Member
    We all know that as you weigh less its harder to loose the last little bit.I to am struggling with this.I have had to up my cardio intensity to get my heart rate up ,maybe that will help you loose the last little bit.:bigsmile:
  • bonnienm
    bonnienm Posts: 329 Member
    How are you not starving? I looked at your diary for about the last week and I'd be starving. Also, it looked like maybe you weren't eating enough. There were a couple of days where you were over but for the most part you were around 300 cal under. Might not be the problem but try increasing your calorie intake for a couple of days and then go back down and see if that helps. It worked for me a couple of times when I plateaued. On the other hand, if you lose it slowly I think you have a better chance of keeping it off and the last 5-10 pounds were the hardest for me to lose too:)
  • noiinteam
    noiinteam Posts: 92 Member
    maybe it is coming off slow b/c it will be forever this time :)
  • ladyhawk00
    ladyhawk00 Posts: 2,457 Member
    Great job on your progress! When you have that little to lose, it WILL be a lot slower - about 1/2 lb per week is probably the most you can expect. And once you get down that low, it is even more important to make sure all info is absolutely as accurate as you can get. Make sure food entries are accurate, as well as exercise entries.

    If you're not doing some already, you want to be doing strength training with weights. At this point, you've got to build muscle.

    Here are some good threads (if you haven't already seen them) that might help. Good luck to you!

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/61706-guide-to-calorie-deficits

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/153704-myth-or-fact-simple-math-3500-calories-one-pound-eat

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/20343-how-i-have-avoided-plateauing-length-warning
  • Panda86
    Panda86 Posts: 873
    Do you do strength training? If not, you definitely should. Muscle burns more calories than fat, and the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn while resting, which will raise your BMR (I think that's what its called). Every since I added strength training, I have been losing more steadily (except for the day after a strength workout- I always gain 1 lb for a day or two while my muscles repair. Totally normal.) That's my two cents! Best of luck to you!
  • bjberry
    bjberry Posts: 665 Member
    Add the drinks (water, juice, milk, sodas--which will cause you to retain fluids, etc.) into your calorie count. They can add up. They may be adding sodium, sugars, and fats to your diet. Drink lots of water to wash daily toxins out of your body--it will thank you.
    Meanwhile, you have done so well! Very impressive. Hugs, :drinker: (lots of water)
  • TLW77
    TLW77 Posts: 97 Member
    First of all...your awesome for losing 75lbs! That's just great and you are an inspiration for others for sticking to your plan. Now to your question you asked the thing I noticed, (and by no means am I an expepert and I have quite a bit of weight to lose myself) but I noticed you are eating a lot of frozen dinners like weight watchers and healthy choice everyday. From what I have been reading and watching lately, these are not really good for you to eat all the time because they are very high in sodium. Also I noticed that you don't have anything marked for water everyday so I don't know if you are getting your water in or not. But if it were me I would try to cut out the frozen dinners and replace it with something else and make sure you get your 8 glasses of water everday for a week or two and see if that changes anything for you. Good luck to you! :)
  • dhutt2011
    dhutt2011 Posts: 77 Member
    Your meal plan looks great! Because of where you are at in your journey. I would suggest changing your food diary to track sodium and sugars. Sodium more importantly and sugars secondly. You may find that your sodium intake is higher than recommended and if you aren't drinking enough water to flush the sodium out of your body.

    Fat Free or low fat products tend to have more sodium and sugar in them to make them taste better. Also, fruits and veggies are wonderful snacks and filler foods.

    I think you are doing great and it is a slow process. Which is good because then it means you will keep it off better because your body is used to this lifestyle.
  • Setof2Keys
    Setof2Keys Posts: 681 Member
    Try some metabolism boosting foods. Dr. Oz has a lot of them on his site and it's not trying to sell you products. Also, I would look at the times you are eating the heaviest. You have very light breakfasts and heavier lunches and dinner. That is less time for your body to burn off the calories. Try adding your some of your snack calories to your breakfast. Good luck and Congrats on the amazing accomplishment.
  • TLW77
    TLW77 Posts: 97 Member
    I have been watching the Dr. Oz show this week too and I love his tips!
  • tinkerbell1964
    tinkerbell1964 Posts: 152
    My sister in law went on a diet and lost loads , and had a similar problem with the last bit coming off, long story short , she ended up having polyps removed from her womb the size of 2 small melons weighing in at 22lbs for the pair
  • 1983Miller
    1983Miller Posts: 89 Member
    I read your food diary and it looks great, a like mine. But I did not see that water consumption meter have anything logged. Are you drinking at least 8 cups of water a day. I read on another site that you should drink 1/2 of your current body weight everyday. I personally struggle with 8 cups, but maybe increase your water intake?
  • Paige1108
    Paige1108 Posts: 432 Member
    Congratulations on the 75lbs that is so cool. You must be so proud of yourself.

    Now that you are a thin person, woo hooo, you have to diet like a thin person. It's much harder to lose with a big deficit. My recommendation would be to slowly lower your deficit to 1/2 per week and then eat almost all your exercise calories. You can maybe leave about 50-100 calories a day uneaten but that's really all. Food has to be your diet partner in these last few pounds.

    Eat your protein. Because you want to be really careful about maintaining as much of the lean muscle you have build up over the last year as you can. Once you are leaner your body uses food and then your lean muscle as energy and wants to save the fat. You have to tell your body that you want it to use the fat. And the best way to do that is to eat enough food. That is a totally simplified version of what's happening, but it's essentially true. So your want to eat plenty of protein to help your muscle and plenty of food to help calm your body into the idea that the fat is what it wants to use for energy.

    I would also like to recommend that you read these two articles. If you have read them you may want to read them again now that you are in a different place in your journey, I think you will see different things in them.

    Setting Goals
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/61706-guide-to-calorie-deficits

    Eat exercise calories
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/153704-myth-or-fact-simple-math-3500-calories-one-pound-eat

    Congratulation on all your success, and good luck with these last 15lbs. Have a great journey.
  • sweetdosia
    sweetdosia Posts: 28
    I also agree. The last little bit will be the hardest for you to lose.
    Try switching up your work out. (Do some laps in the pool, a workout class, or a sport like indoor volleyball)
  • sweetdosia
    sweetdosia Posts: 28
    I also agree. The last little bit will be the hardest for you to lose.
    Try switching up your work out. (Do some laps in the pool, a workout class, or a sport like indoor volleyball)
  • AScheif
    AScheif Posts: 157 Member
    Congratulations on making it this far!! I notice that you don't track your sodium or sugars in your food diary...those are 2 areas are just as important as the amount of calories or fat you are taking in. Also, those frozen dinners are usually low in calories, but high in sodium so try and stay away from those as best you can. I know we all get busy so I usually take a day on the weekend and make my own frozen dinners so i have something quick to pull out during the week.

    Regardless of changes you make those last 15 pounds or so will be a pain to lose, but hopefully some of the tips on here will help =)
  • agibsonky
    agibsonky Posts: 124 Member
    I don't log my water because truly, I'd never quit logging. I only drink water (with or without crystal light). No sodas or milk or juice or anything else (except the occasional diet hot cocoa if it is really cold out, but I log it). I get in probably 10-12 16 ounce bottles/glasses per day. I already do strength training 3 days per week on the Cybex circuit at the gym and just within the last 6 weeks have added some aerobics classes - I swim laps occasionally, but find the classes more fun. I do eat frozen dinners at works (I work 7 on, 7 off)...they are convenient, as I work night shift and the cafeteria is closed. I could try packing a sandwich or salad for that meal, but I don't really think I'll ever do away with them completely. I think what I'm hearing is to continue the status quo or maybe eat more. I haven't been eating my exercise calories lately - I tried that a bit ago and GAINED a couple of pounds, so I'm leary of doing it again. I could eat half of them, though. I am getting a HRM so I can accurately judge the calories used, but I still have $10 more to save before I can purchase it. Keep the ideas coming! Thanks a million! My MD said he was going to recommend a nutritionist, but I haven't gotten the referral yet...maybe I'll call the office and speed that along.
  • ladyhawk00
    ladyhawk00 Posts: 2,457 Member
    I don't log my water because truly, I'd never quit logging. I only drink water (with or without crystal light). No sodas or milk or juice or anything else (except the occasional diet hot cocoa if it is really cold out, but I log it). I get in probably 10-12 16 ounce bottles/glasses per day. I already do strength training 3 days per week on the Cybex circuit at the gym and just within the last 6 weeks have added some aerobics classes - I swim laps occasionally, but find the classes more fun. I do eat frozen dinners at works (I work 7 on, 7 off)...they are convenient, as I work night shift and the cafeteria is closed. I could try packing a sandwich or salad for that meal, but I don't really think I'll ever do away with them completely. I think what I'm hearing is to continue the status quo or maybe eat more. I haven't been eating my exercise calories lately - I tried that a bit ago and GAINED a couple of pounds, so I'm leary of doing it again. I could eat half of them, though. I am getting a HRM so I can accurately judge the calories used, but I still have $10 more to save before I can purchase it. Keep the ideas coming! Thanks a million! My MD said he was going to recommend a nutritionist, but I haven't gotten the referral yet...maybe I'll call the office and speed that along.

    Keep in mind that if you have been well under cal goals and start eating exercise cals - it is quite normal to gain a little at first. But that IS temporary. Once your body readjusts, you will start losing again and will lose fat instead of muscle! If you're not fueling the body enough, you will be losing muscle as well as fat, thus lowering your metabolism and making it harder to lose.
  • reneelee
    reneelee Posts: 877 Member
    maybe it is coming off slow b/c it will be forever this time :)

    I like that!
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