Spinning my wheels

mrtentaclenun
mrtentaclenun Posts: 174 Member
edited September 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
I am discouraged, and stuck in a rut. In July I got a membership to a gym, as I had been laid off just for the summer and gained 16 pounds (putting me at 196). I started back at work and stopped going to the gym for various reasons (couple months of illness along with death in the family). I work at Starbucks at a University so running around campus/running around at work had led me to get down to 180. I decided I wanted to be thin by summer (ha) and started to work out more. Here is my gym routine:
Monday: Run a mile, 30 minutes of various cardio (elliptical or riding a bike/walking at quick paces) and 30 minutes of core exercises
Tuesday: 45 minutes arm exercises (weights)
Wednesday: Same as Monday
Thursday: 30 minutes of leg exercises (strength training. I would LOVE to do more but the little I do leaves me walking funny for two days, and I have really messed up knees from years of rugby)
Friday: Same as Monday

I have started counting my calories, and limited myself to 1200 a day, which only lasted about a week (lost two pounds) but I could not maintain so little calories. My Fitness Pal has since moved up to 1400 per day but I struggle to hit it, usually going over by 100 calories.

I am debilitatingly picky. I cant stand many foods based on the texture so I know my diet is probably the reason for this.
I eat either a bagel with cream cheese for breakfast or honey nut cheerios (better than my usual stack of waffles!), go to the gym, come home and eat lean cuisine french bread pizza, go to work and eat Subway at work and try my hardest to avoid the pastries there (it is so hard) and come home. I eat snacks throughout the day (fiber one bars, small handfuls of cheezits, granola bars etc). My diet severely lacks in the fruits and vegetables department, as the only ones of those I care for are on rare occasions a banana, corn, or carrots. All in all I eat maybe 20 things? Mostly variations of pepperoni pizza....



So 6 weeks now of 1400 calories, and all the gym above, and I have only lost two pounds! It is SO frustrating I just want to give up :( Help!

Replies

  • tammyquinnlmt
    tammyquinnlmt Posts: 680 Member
    Looks like you are eating a lot of processed food. Try tracking your sodium levels and see what that does. Don't give up...you can do this!
  • madams1062
    madams1062 Posts: 1
    I agree, don't give up! What 20 foods do you like? Perhaps you can mix and match them to make them better. Can you make healthy smoothies and instead of the bagel eat wheat toast with peanut butter or weight watchers cream cheese?

    What time of night do you stop eating, that matters sometimes too. Are you drinking enough water?

    Good luck!
  • zenfocus
    zenfocus Posts: 106 Member
    It is possible that you could actually not be eating enough calories to lose weight. Your body might be in starvation mode. I am eating 1400 calories a day and I weigh 145. So I'm thinking that maybe at your weight you should be eating around 1600? Try it at least for a week and see if it works. :) Also, as you lose more weight (in about 10 lb increments) you will be needed to drop your calorie intake in brackets. For instance, if I were 135 and wanted to weigh 125 I would probably be eating around 1200 at that point. Unless you have some crazy medical condition which I doubt, no one should ever go under 1200 calories... and that's like for the last 10-15 pounds of weight loss. I hope this helps and good luck!
  • jllipson
    jllipson Posts: 646
    I agree, make a little extra effort on fresh foods rather than frozen meals and othere prepared elsewhere. Also, depends on what you are eating at Subway - Add the veggies, lay off the condiments except maybe mustard, stick with turkey and ham - others are surprisingly high in fat and calories. Get some veggies and steam them, then pack them for your lunches (to heat up) or take them cold.
  • mrtentaclenun
    mrtentaclenun Posts: 174 Member
    Thanks for all of the positive comments! Where to start: at subway I get chicken breast on wheat bread, nothing else. My sodium is always way past what I'm allowed, would that really effect me?? I guess it must! I have no way to heat things up at work. As for what I eat: bagels with cream cheese, pepperoni pizza, chicken breast baked, steak, waffles, a few cereals, corn, carrots, peas, apples, bananas, strawberries (if they're in a smoothie. I lovelovelove the strawberry smoothie I can get at my gym but its expensive and I can't get it right at home), a variety of junk foods (I am one giant sweet tooth). Mac n cheese, spaghettios, spaghetti with meat sauce, hamburgers, and I can't think of anything else! If anything I need to broaden my menu for my boyfriends sake, I think he is tired of eating only pizza steak or spaghetti!
  • kdao
    kdao Posts: 265
    You are doing well so far, don't give up. I have learned that sodium is SO evil when it come to losing weight, it really makes a huge difference. Subway has so much sodium in their meats. Maybe try a veggie sandwich with avocado when you eat there. You CAN do this =)
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