Diet, Exercise, Hard Work.... and NOTHING is paying off. Needing help guys!

245

Replies

  • I saw it earlier. Some things to consider is that not all fruits and vegetables are healthy. Rice, potatoes, corn and peas are high in carbohydrates and can help pack on the weight if not closely controlled or monitored. Strictly limit or omit breads, breaded and fried products. You need a little bit of carbs to support your exercise but monitor them closely. Avoid high fat proteins like beef and port. Remember that you are probably also putting some muscle on. In some cases, muscle could cause a weight gain which can be discouraging.

    • Buy a scale.
    • Weigh your foods 100% of the time.
    • Concentrate on lean dense proteins like chicken, fish and turkey.
    • Try to limit your proteins to between 4 and 8 oz./per meal.
    • Watch out for high sugar fruits. Fruits are healthier than junk foods but some are very high in carbs and sugars.
    •Get some protein shakes and try drinking one a day to replace a meal. Make sure they are high in protein, low in sugar and low in carbs. Make sure they have a good amount of other vitamins as well. The one I use is available at Sam's Club, has 30 g. of Protein, 1g. sugar and 5g. carbs.
    • Keep tracking in a food log. Pay attention to the nutritional values each day, don't let the calories beat your only guide. There is more to weight control than calories.
    • Keep up the exercise routine.

    I saw this too. Remember, the scale is just a number. You will know how you are doing by how things fit and how you exert yourself in exercise. The more exercise you can do with less tiring is a good sign. Your getting stronger.
    Be patient with yourself. Loss of 1 lb. a week is awesome. Don't expect to lose weight as fast as the folks on TV, they exercise 8+ hours/day, most of us can't.

    Good Luck!!
  • SLHysell
    SLHysell Posts: 247 Member
    edited December 2014
    I"m sure others have already said this, but you'll never lose weight by working out and "clean eating" alone. Both are great, but the only way to lose weight is to eat less calories than you burn. Based on what you've said, I'd wager you are eating a lot more than you think. Someone wise once said, "you get fit in the gym, but you lose weight in the kitchen". I learned the hard way myself that you can't lose weight by exercise alone. And I'm not even sure what clean eating is; different people define it differently. Believe it or not, you can lose weight on a diet of nothing but candy and french fries if you simply don't eat too much of them. Calories in/calories out is the ENTIRE formula.

    Although...I don't recommend the candy and french fry diet if any kind of good health among your goals.
  • fernandaBush
    fernandaBush Posts: 18 Member
    Have you tried a high fat, low carb and moderate protein diet?
  • Lleldiranne
    Lleldiranne Posts: 5,516 Member
    Welcome! You can do this.

    Feel free to add me. My youngest two are 3 years and 6 weeks (both boys). I want to lose about 25 pounds ... I've done this a few times (after each child), so I kind of know what I'm doing, and this is a great tool. I'm just starting today (after the 6 weeks of post-partum rest) but feel free to check out my diary from here forward if you are looking for suggestions.

    Don't aim for too much of a deficit (I would suggest 1 lb a week for you) and eat the calories it gives you, including about 1/2 your exercise calories. Make it something you can sustain long term :smile:
  • I just have to say you guys are awesome for giving me all of this advice so fast! This makes me feel extremely good about joining this site. You guys are definatly encouraging me and making me feel like calorie counting will help and make a major difference. I did just give birth so i know it will take time!
  • Michifan
    Michifan Posts: 95 Member
    I say this a lot, but you should seriously consider working with a RD/LD (registered/licensed dietician). This site has a mix of very good and very bad advice, and until you've either worked with a professional or learned the hard way what is what, you just might go down a stupid path and regret it.

    I'm 75 pounds down in 4 months - on track to a healthy BMI / 15-18% body fat by 6 months (which would be over 100 pounds lost). A RD/LD isn't just dealing with their own experience (which is as unique as you are), but has access to the science and a network of licensed professionals that have dealt with every probable combination of circumstances that would help your journey.

    Your caloric set point is too personalized to have someone on a website give you advice. I was shocked that I could do a <900 calorie diet so easily (and still exercise an hour every day, albeit at a slow burn rate), but my metabolism and nutritional needs are being met. That doesn't mean that everyone would / should do my plan - but if I listened to certain people here over my Doctor & RD, I would never have been as successful.

    Success is a plan completed. You need to not only have a good plan, but have the confidence that it is the right one - during all the ups/downs and sideways of your journey.
  • paulawatkins1974
    paulawatkins1974 Posts: 720 Member
    abartraw3 wrote: »
    I saw it earlier. Some things to consider is that not all fruits and vegetables are healthy. Rice, potatoes, corn and peas are high in carbohydrates and can help pack on the weight if not closely controlled or monitored. Strictly limit or omit breads, breaded and fried products. You need a little bit of carbs to support your exercise but monitor them closely. Avoid high fat proteins like beef and port. Remember that you are probably also putting some muscle on. In some cases, muscle could cause a weight gain which can be discouraging.

    • Buy a scale.
    • Weigh your foods 100% of the time.
    • Concentrate on lean dense proteins like chicken, fish and turkey.
    • Try to limit your proteins to between 4 and 8 oz./per meal.
    • Watch out for high sugar fruits. Fruits are healthier than junk foods but some are very high in carbs and sugars.
    •Get some protein shakes and try drinking one a day to replace a meal. Make sure they are high in protein, low in sugar and low in carbs. Make sure they have a good amount of other vitamins as well. The one I use is available at Sam's Club, has 30 g. of Protein, 1g. sugar and 5g. carbs.
    • Keep tracking in a food log. Pay attention to the nutritional values each day, don't let the calories beat your only guide. There is more to weight control than calories.
    • Keep up the exercise routine.

    I saw this too. Remember, the scale is just a number. You will know how you are doing by how things fit and how you exert yourself in exercise. The more exercise you can do with less tiring is a good sign. Your getting stronger.
    Be patient with yourself. Loss of 1 lb. a week is awesome. Don't expect to lose weight as fast as the folks on TV, they exercise 8+ hours/day, most of us can't.

    Good Luck!!

    No to pretty much all of this. Eat foods you love. ok, maybe cut down on junk just because less bang for your buck, but don't cut out meats. You can eat all the fruit you want (without going over cals of course) Unless you're diabetic. You don't need protein shakes, DO weigh your food and log everything.
  • rides4sanity
    rides4sanity Posts: 1,269 Member
    Thanks everyone. I do go to the gym for 2 hours a day, for 4 to 5 days a week. I was thinking of trying that Couch to 5K app, my goal is to run a 5k by the end of 2015. My main issue is eating as I said and this is my first time actually trying calorie counting so I hope it goes well and works for me. I was introduced to my fitness pal by a woman whom I met at the gym. So this is my first real attempt at calorie counting. I also just read a post here about weighing your food and the importance of it, so I told hubby to get me a scale otw home. I am trying to read as many posts as possible regarding logging since this is my first attempt at logging.

    There is seriously no reason for you to spend 2 hours a day 4-5 days a week at the gym unless you just enjoy it. If you enjoy it by all means do (I do sometimes), but the fact is especially in the early going it may be overkill... It is about effort. Everybody has different ideas of working out, but one common thing is you need to get your hear rate up. If you can chat as you go, you aren't working hard enough. You should be able to talk, but in a broken manner... Calorie burns on MFP are often exaggerated, so I'd suggest only eating back 50-75% of what it tells you. Start with 50% for a week or so. If you feel good, go with it. If you find your energy level is way down or you feel weak, bump it up a bit.

    As far as eating goes fruits and veggies are a great place to start (vitamins, fiber & hydration), but you also need protein. Not only will it keep you full longer, your body needs it if you are working out. This can be beef, chicken, turkey, eggs, tofu, dairy whatever.

    Watch the extras like dressings, dips and condiments... They add up quickly.

    Watch snacking on the kids leftovers... Little bites here and there can kill ya...

    BE HONEST WITH YOURSELF ABOUT YOUR INTAKE AND YOUR EXERCISE...

    Water is great, but there is no hard and fast rule that you have to drink 6 bottles of water a day...

    Don't change everything at once and become overwhelmed. Just try to make each day a little better than the day before. Know that you will slip and it isn't the end of the world.
  • Sorry that you are having so much trouble losing weight. I'm 67 and it is a real *kitten* for me too. I have been using that My Fitness Pal food and exercise diary and it is helping me to identify what I',m eating and keeps nagging me about how many calories I've taken in and how many I have left for the day. I'll assume that your doctor has checked both your thyroid function and your glucose levels (I',m diabetic - so that is an important one for me).

    The food diary is critical to weight loss - you must be honest about everything you put into your mouth both solid and liquids (liquor can pack a lot of calories quickly). Be very careful to eat enough -- too little and you'll move your body into a starvation metabolism mode and it will be almost impossible to get pounds off. My doctor told me to try to lose about a half a pound a week. He'd said, much faster than that and you not really be training yourself to adopt healthier eating habits.

    Get more exercise - and incorporate weight training, I was told. So I have, but mostly I watch the food intake and try staying away from fast foods, eating out and the like. My Doc told me an interesting thing about the exercise - he said concentrate on those exercises that strengthen the upper leg muscles - these really burn a lot of calories.

    If you're like me, you'll go off the plan from time to time. Don't fret, just get back on the plan and try to extend the time between excursions.

    Diet is such a nasty word - it evokes thoughts of punishment and deprivation. So I guess that biggest tip is to quit thinking of watching your intake of food as dieting and start thinking of it as a means to manage your health.


    Best of luck.

  • lishie_rebooted
    lishie_rebooted Posts: 2,973 Member
    abartraw3 wrote: »
    I saw it earlier. Some things to consider is that not all fruits and vegetables are healthy. Rice, potatoes, corn and peas are high in carbohydrates and can help pack on the weight if not closely controlled or monitored. Strictly limit or omit breads, breaded and fried products. You need a little bit of carbs to support your exercise but monitor them closely. Avoid high fat proteins like beef and port. Remember that you are probably also putting some muscle on. In some cases, muscle could cause a weight gain which can be discouraging.

    • Buy a scale.
    • Weigh your foods 100% of the time.
    • Concentrate on lean dense proteins like chicken, fish and turkey.
    • Try to limit your proteins to between 4 and 8 oz./per meal.
    • Watch out for high sugar fruits. Fruits are healthier than junk foods but some are very high in carbs and sugars.
    •Get some protein shakes and try drinking one a day to replace a meal. Make sure they are high in protein, low in sugar and low in carbs. Make sure they have a good amount of other vitamins as well. The one I use is available at Sam's Club, has 30 g. of Protein, 1g. sugar and 5g. carbs.
    • Keep tracking in a food log. Pay attention to the nutritional values each day, don't let the calories beat your only guide. There is more to weight control than calories.
    • Keep up the exercise routine.

    I saw this too. Remember, the scale is just a number. You will know how you are doing by how things fit and how you exert yourself in exercise. The more exercise you can do with less tiring is a good sign. Your getting stronger.
    Be patient with yourself. Loss of 1 lb. a week is awesome. Don't expect to lose weight as fast as the folks on TV, they exercise 8+ hours/day, most of us can't.

    Good Luck!!

    There's nothing wrong with rice, potatoes, corn, and peas. There is nothing wrong with breads or breaded/fried proteins. Nothing wrong with fat either.

    And very seriously doubt she's packing on muscle since it seems she's more than likely focusing on cardio.

    Your post is full of so much wrong.

  • lishie_rebooted
    lishie_rebooted Posts: 2,973 Member
    I'd be willing to take a look at your log if you want. The only real way to help you is to see exactly what you are eating. There are so many variables in this game, and people don't seem to realize that calories are only 1 variable (and that variable is not even as important as most others). In addition, most people don't consider their diet to be that bad. How often have you heard, "I can't lost weight, but my diet is not THAT bad." What exactly is "that bad?" It's a relative term. Anyways, let me know if you want me to take a look at your log.


    Strong first post.

    OP just joined today so there is no log to look at.

    What are these more important variables?
  • dramaqueen45
    dramaqueen45 Posts: 1,009 Member
    Losing weight is about 80% what you eat and 20% exercise. You can't eat what you want and exercise a lot and expect to lose weight, even eating a "bunch of vegetables". Create a calorie deficit with what you eat to lose weight, exercise to feel better and build muscle, raise your metabolism so the weight will come off easier.
  • gcarey3
    gcarey3 Posts: 4 Member
    Yes, it is discouraging when your doctor tells you the O word. I got the same news in 2011 along with the additional bad news that I was diabetic. On top of that the doctor wasn't really that supportive of my idea to get back on my bicycle after many years of neglecting exercise. But I had a plan and just needed some motivation along the way. I bought a nice shiny new bicycle and starting riding it. It was painful, yes. And dieting wasn't very easy either. But I kept at it and I eventually got results. I started out at 220 and now I'm down to 150.

    It sounds like you also have a plan so you're on your way. You can absolutely lose weight, feel good and look great. If you can figure out where your numbers are off and start to see your weight come down I think it will help wit the motivation. I know that works for me.

    Maybe I can offer a few tips that I've found were helpful while using MyFitnessPal and for my weight loss.

    First of all I log everything I eat. I have a food scale and I use it to weigh just about everything including the lunchmeat on sandwiches, etc. I read the nutritional information on every label and use that to make choices about what I eat. It drives other people nuts but I don't care. When I shop I make sure I only buy low calorie foods, that way I can't eat something I don't have.

    My doctor gave the advice to eat all the vegetables I want to eat and also fruits. I stick to mainly lean meats like chicken and fish. I cut the carbs way back so no pasta, bread, rice or anything like that. No sugary snacks or sugared drinks. When I'm real hungry I try to eat things that will fill me up like salads or fresh vegetables.

    Second, I do lots of aerobic exercise. I don't lift any weights at all. Not saying there's anything wrong with lifting to develop muscles but you get the weight loss from aerobics. I like to ride my bike more than going to the gym. When I'm outside the time goes by very quickly. Cycling is a sport that you can do for hours at a time and burn lots of calories. I vary my level of intensity but I generally try to keep my heart rate up to 75% of my maximum as much as I can. But even a casual ride at a lower intensity can really burn the fat. Of course I'm somewhat biased when it comes to choosing a sport and everyone's needs are different but if you can manage it cycling is a great activity to consider. There are bike clubs almost everywhere that turn it into a social activity as well.

    When I'm exercising I like to think about how much more I can eat based on my workout. That keeps me motivated. If I want to have an extra snack I workout longer. If I do a workout or bike ride that burns 1000 calories I reason that I can eat back some portion of those calories depending on how I feel and still contribute more to my daily deficit. When I calculate all the calories lost based on MyFitnessPal data it matches my actual weight loss pretty closely so I know that the numbers I'm using are fairly accurate.

    Here are some guidelines I use when using MyFitnessPal:

    If I have to estimate calories from food such as when I'm eating out somewhere, I tend to make my guesses higher rather than lower. Better to be safe than sorry. I'm sure restaurants are not looking at the caloric content of every ingredent they use to prepare a dish like I do. So if I end up guessing a little high then I'll probably be working out a little longer to make up for it which is a benefit and keeps me on track.

    I think MyFitnessPal grossly exaggerates calories burned from exercise. If I simply let MyFitnessPal estimate my calories based on the activity and time I don't think I would be losing any weight. I've seen people log 1,000 calories from riding their bike casually for an hour. That is simply ridiculous. Unless you are Tarzan swinging through the jungle for an hour you're not going to be burning calories like that. I consider myself an athlete and I think the most I can burn is about 700 on the bike and that is at 85% of my maximum heart rate such as when I'm racing or doing intense training. On the treadmill running at 80-75% of my heart rate I can burn slightly more, maybe 750 because I'm using my upper body a bit more. If I see MyFitnessPal exaggerating my efforts I go in and manually change them to more reasonable levels. If I think I can walk on a treadmill for 30 minutes and then go eat a big chocolate bar I'm going to get into trouble real fast.

    I make sure that I am well under my calorie goal every day. I don't cheat and if I want to pig out one day I document everything (like Thanksgiving for example when I ate like a 2000 calorie dinner). Of course I was on my bike trainer late at night burning some of those calories off to make my daily goal. If it's late in the day and I'm hungery and want to snack but I'm very close to my intake quota I will do a cardio workout on my bike trainer beforehand. And I'll make sure my workout is many more calories than what I plan to eat. That gets me closer to my goal.

    There is a good forum for figuring out where your numbers might be wrong and people that will help with figuring out where you might be off. It's the Eat, Train, Progess group. I think they have outlined most of the mistakes people make when trying to use tools like MyFitnessPal to lose weight. You may want to check it out.

    Hope this helps.


  • paulawatkins1974
    paulawatkins1974 Posts: 720 Member
    603reader wrote: »
    abartraw3 wrote: »
    I saw it earlier. Some things to consider is that not all fruits and vegetables are healthy. Rice, potatoes, corn and peas are high in carbohydrates and can help pack on the weight if not closely controlled or monitored. Strictly limit or omit breads, breaded and fried products. You need a little bit of carbs to support your exercise but monitor them closely. Avoid high fat proteins like beef and port. Remember that you are probably also putting some muscle on. In some cases, muscle could cause a weight gain which can be discouraging.

    • Buy a scale.
    • Weigh your foods 100% of the time.
    • Concentrate on lean dense proteins like chicken, fish and turkey.
    • Try to limit your proteins to between 4 and 8 oz./per meal.
    • Watch out for high sugar fruits. Fruits are healthier than junk foods but some are very high in carbs and sugars.
    •Get some protein shakes and try drinking one a day to replace a meal. Make sure they are high in protein, low in sugar and low in carbs. Make sure they have a good amount of other vitamins as well. The one I use is available at Sam's Club, has 30 g. of Protein, 1g. sugar and 5g. carbs.
    • Keep tracking in a food log. Pay attention to the nutritional values each day, don't let the calories beat your only guide. There is more to weight control than calories.
    • Keep up the exercise routine.

    I saw this too. Remember, the scale is just a number. You will know how you are doing by how things fit and how you exert yourself in exercise. The more exercise you can do with less tiring is a good sign. Your getting stronger.
    Be patient with yourself. Loss of 1 lb. a week is awesome. Don't expect to lose weight as fast as the folks on TV, they exercise 8+ hours/day, most of us can't.

    Good Luck!!


    There's nothing wrong with rice, potatoes, corn, and peas. There is nothing wrong with breads or breaded/fried proteins. Nothing wrong with fat either.

    And very seriously doubt she's packing on muscle since it seems she's more than likely focusing on cardio.

    Your post is full of so much wrong.
    agree

  • AmigaMaria001
    AmigaMaria001 Posts: 489 Member
    You know the old saying, "You can't outrun a poor diet" You cannot work off excessive calories girl and weight loss is not about working out it's about eating less.
    I just recently reached my goal of 60lb loss! I logged every single bite of food including the butter and oils I used to cook it with. I was pedantic about logging and staying at or under my calorie deficit every day. And BTW... I'm 61 years old so my metabolism is probably running WAY under yours.
    You absolutely can lose 60lbs if you work hard at eating less. I gave myself a year and lost the weight in 10 months.
    Get lots of friends on here to help support you and drop friends if they are supporting your bad eating habits! You need to be obsessed and compulsive calorie deficit, weighting and measuring - but most of all be patient. You didn't put the weight on overnight and it will not come off overnight. Don't try to lose too much too fast or you can't sustain the weight loss or lifestyle. Make this a lifestyle change otherwise, why bother!
    - Best of luck! You CAN do this.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    edited December 2014
    You are doing a lot of things right. The scale doesn't always reflect all the good choices I make in a week. I set other targets and rate my success that way.

    For instance, fitness goals which you are doing great at!

    If your lowest weight was 165, I respectfully suggest that this should be your target. BMI is a useful guide, but it's not the be-all end-all.

    I suggest this week make calorie tracking your only goal and see how that works out.

    In the following week, set a new, small target and see if that makes a difference.

    It's the combined power of small changes that leads to success.

    http://www.womenyoushouldknow.net/bmi-charts-put-this-woman-into-overweight-category-she-something-say-about/
  • SLHysell wrote: »
    I"m sure others have already said this, but you'll never lose weight by working out and "clean eating" alone. Both are great, but the only way to lose weight is to eat less calories than you burn. Based on what you've said, I'd wager you are eating a lot more than you think. Someone wise once said, "you get fit in the gym, but you lose weight in the kitchen". I learned the hard way myself that you can't lose weight by exercise alone. And I'm not even sure what clean eating is; different people define it differently. Believe it or not, you can lose weight on a diet of nothing but candy and french fries if you simply don't eat too much of them. Calories in/calories out is the ENTIRE formula.

    Although...I don't recommend the candy and french fry diet if any kind of good health among your goals.

    I love how you explained it.. but eating less than you burn.. wont make the body weak.. ???
  • lishie_rebooted
    lishie_rebooted Posts: 2,973 Member
    gcarey3 wrote: »
    ...snip...



    Second, I do lots of aerobic exercise. I don't lift any weights at all. Not saying there's anything wrong with lifting to develop muscles but you get the weight loss from aerobics. I like to ride my bike more than going to the gym. When I'm outside the time goes by very quickly. Cycling is a sport that you can do for hours at a time and burn lots of calories. I vary my level of intensity but I generally try to keep my heart rate up to 75% of my maximum as much as I can. But even a casual ride at a lower intensity can really burn the fat. Of course I'm somewhat biased when it comes to choosing a sport and everyone's needs are different but if you can manage it cycling is a great activity to consider. There are bike clubs almost everywhere that turn it into a social activity as well.

    ...snip...

    I make sure that I am well under my calorie goal every day. I don't cheat and if I want to pig out one day I document everything (like Thanksgiving for example when I ate like a 2000 calorie dinner). Of course I was on my bike trainer late at night burning some of those calories off to make my daily goal. If it's late in the day and I'm hungery and want to snack but I'm very close to my intake quota I will do a cardio workout on my bike trainer beforehand. And I'll make sure my workout is many more calories than what I plan to eat. That gets me closer to my goal.

    Lifting weights will help you with your biking. It'll help create stronger bones which at 54yo, you should be concerned with.

    And it's a good thing you stay 500-900 cals under your goal since you use a lot of generic entires instead of using the USDA version of the banana entry or a better coffee & milk entry... And measuring things in cups instead of weighing them like your parsnips and turnips. Or describing your sweet potato as "small"
  • RGv2
    RGv2 Posts: 5,789 Member
    Aditi1310 wrote: »
    SLHysell wrote: »
    I"m sure others have already said this, but you'll never lose weight by working out and "clean eating" alone. Both are great, but the only way to lose weight is to eat less calories than you burn. Based on what you've said, I'd wager you are eating a lot more than you think. Someone wise once said, "you get fit in the gym, but you lose weight in the kitchen". I learned the hard way myself that you can't lose weight by exercise alone. And I'm not even sure what clean eating is; different people define it differently. Believe it or not, you can lose weight on a diet of nothing but candy and french fries if you simply don't eat too much of them. Calories in/calories out is the ENTIRE formula.

    Although...I don't recommend the candy and french fry diet if any kind of good health among your goals.

    I love how you explained it.. but eating less than you burn.. wont make the body weak.. ???

    Not sure I understand the question. Eating less than you burn is called a caloric deficit, which is required for weight loss.

    Now, the deficit CAN make your body weak if the deficit is too large and your body can support the difference in energy stores that it already has.
  • lishie_rebooted
    lishie_rebooted Posts: 2,973 Member
    Aditi1310 wrote: »
    SLHysell wrote: »
    I"m sure others have already said this, but you'll never lose weight by working out and "clean eating" alone. Both are great, but the only way to lose weight is to eat less calories than you burn. Based on what you've said, I'd wager you are eating a lot more than you think. Someone wise once said, "you get fit in the gym, but you lose weight in the kitchen". I learned the hard way myself that you can't lose weight by exercise alone. And I'm not even sure what clean eating is; different people define it differently. Believe it or not, you can lose weight on a diet of nothing but candy and french fries if you simply don't eat too much of them. Calories in/calories out is the ENTIRE formula.

    Although...I don't recommend the candy and french fry diet if any kind of good health among your goals.

    I love how you explained it.. but eating less than you burn.. wont make the body weak.. ???

    What they're saying is to eat less than your TDEE - total daily expenditure. What your body burns all day based on your activity level.

    You need to eat between BMR (basal metabolic rate - what your body needs to survive and do nothing all day) and your TDEE.

    Example: I've got a calculated BMR of 1500 cals and a calculated TDEE of 2300 cals. I can eat under 1500 cals but I run the risk of damaging my body and not getting the appropriate nutrients. I also run the risk of losing muscle which I do not want to do, my muscles are awesome and sexy. So to lose weight safely and comfortably, I want to eat somewhere between 1550 and 2300 cals a day. Because I like my muscles and food and because I'm not overly concerned with losing weight, I'd eat closer to that 2300.


  • VeryKatie
    VeryKatie Posts: 5,961 Member
    edited December 2014
    You look like you're learning fast! Great job on exercise, you seem to have that down pat (people might recommend what you should do but I think you should do what you like to do. You can always change it up later).

    My tips for diet:

    1) Give yourself at least a month before expecting weight loss. And possibly to also get "used" to it. I was pretty stressed for the first month of my diet changes.

    2) You'll likely end up cooking more of your meals - if you're not used to it, it can be stressful and time consuming, but keep in mind you'll get better and faster, and you'll build some basic go-to meals and that really helps!

    3) When cooking, always remember to count the oil, butter, etc. They add up.

    4) Many people suggest not to drink your calories (except if you're lifting heavy weights you'll likely need protein drinks). You can eat several apples for the calories contained in a glass of apple juice and you'd be a lot more full feeling after eating several apples, right? So drink your water, maybe a diet soda (if you agree with that kind of thing) as a treat.

    5) Weigh all your food (which I see you know already)

    6) You don't need to cut down to 1200 calories, if that's what MFP suggested. You can slowly decrease and you might be happier for it. You have a lot on your plate with a toddler, a baby, and your exercise so maybe decreasing your calorie goal by 100 cals per day each week might be easier for you? It's up to you though! (Eg. 1st week you're at 2000 calories from Sun - Sat, second week you're at 1900 calories Sun - Sat).

    7) Foods that help to keep you feeling full are protein, fat, and fibre. Try to focus on them (I usually try to focus on them in that order).

    8) Ask for help when you need it! If you need a hand cooking, or if you need your family to give you recipes of the stuff they make you when you visit so you can calculate the calories, just ask for it. They should understand.
  • Bry_Fitness70
    Bry_Fitness70 Posts: 2,480 Member
    Thanks everyone.
    I always thought losing weight was about eating healthy. I think everyone has this misconception at first.
    obviously I am new to the sight so I wanted to post and get advice. This is my first day logging, and I am buying a kitchen scale today.

    I think that if you are being advised to eat a less-healthy diet in order to get healthier, that isn’t rational advice. Part of being a healthier person is having self-respect, which doesn’t entail shoveling garbage into your body as long as the garbage is within your macros / calorie parameters!

  • lishie_rebooted
    lishie_rebooted Posts: 2,973 Member
    bw_conway wrote: »
    Thanks everyone.
    I always thought losing weight was about eating healthy. I think everyone has this misconception at first.
    obviously I am new to the sight so I wanted to post and get advice. This is my first day logging, and I am buying a kitchen scale today.

    I think that if you are being advised to eat a less-healthy diet in order to get healthier, that isn’t rational advice. Part of being a healthier person is having self-respect, which doesn’t entail shoveling garbage into your body as long as the garbage is within your macros / calorie parameters!

    Define garbage.
  • RGv2 wrote: »
    Aditi1310 wrote: »
    SLHysell wrote: »
    I"m sure others have already said this, but you'll never lose weight by working out and "clean eating" alone. Both are great, but the only way to lose weight is to eat less calories than you burn. Based on what you've said, I'd wager you are eating a lot more than you think. Someone wise once said, "you get fit in the gym, but you lose weight in the kitchen". I learned the hard way myself that you can't lose weight by exercise alone. And I'm not even sure what clean eating is; different people define it differently. Believe it or not, you can lose weight on a diet of nothing but candy and french fries if you simply don't eat too much of them. Calories in/calories out is the ENTIRE formula.

    Although...I don't recommend the candy and french fry diet if any kind of good health among your goals.

    I love how you explained it.. but eating less than you burn.. wont make the body weak.. ???

    Not sure I understand the question. Eating less than you burn is called a caloric deficit, which is required for weight loss.

    Now, the deficit CAN make your body weak if the deficit is too large and your body can support the difference in energy stores that it already has.

    how much deficit is required for weight loss.. based on only food intake..?? according to this site I need to consume 1200 cal (considering my fitness n weight loss goal i guess).. should I consume less than 1200 for shedding weight??
  • lishie_rebooted
    lishie_rebooted Posts: 2,973 Member
    Aditi1310 wrote: »
    RGv2 wrote: »
    Aditi1310 wrote: »
    SLHysell wrote: »
    I"m sure others have already said this, but you'll never lose weight by working out and "clean eating" alone. Both are great, but the only way to lose weight is to eat less calories than you burn. Based on what you've said, I'd wager you are eating a lot more than you think. Someone wise once said, "you get fit in the gym, but you lose weight in the kitchen". I learned the hard way myself that you can't lose weight by exercise alone. And I'm not even sure what clean eating is; different people define it differently. Believe it or not, you can lose weight on a diet of nothing but candy and french fries if you simply don't eat too much of them. Calories in/calories out is the ENTIRE formula.

    Although...I don't recommend the candy and french fry diet if any kind of good health among your goals.

    I love how you explained it.. but eating less than you burn.. wont make the body weak.. ???

    Not sure I understand the question. Eating less than you burn is called a caloric deficit, which is required for weight loss.

    Now, the deficit CAN make your body weak if the deficit is too large and your body can support the difference in energy stores that it already has.

    how much deficit is required for weight loss.. based on only food intake..?? according to this site I need to consume 1200 cal (considering my fitness n weight loss goal i guess).. should I consume less than 1200 for shedding weight??

    It's very unlikely that you need to consume as low as 1200 to begin with so don't reduce further.
    Please provide your stats: height, weight, age, gender, activity level, etc.

  • 0somuchbetter0
    0somuchbetter0 Posts: 1,335 Member
    edited December 2014
    bw_conway wrote: »
    Thanks everyone.
    I always thought losing weight was about eating healthy. I think everyone has this misconception at first.
    obviously I am new to the sight so I wanted to post and get advice. This is my first day logging, and I am buying a kitchen scale today.

    I think that if you are being advised to eat a less-healthy diet in order to get healthier, that isn’t rational advice. Part of being a healthier person is having self-respect, which doesn’t entail shoveling garbage into your body as long as the garbage is within your macros / calorie parameters!

    No one has told her to eat garbage. We're just pointing out that "eating healthy" isn't enough to lose weight, you have to have a calorie deficit. 3000 calories per day of "healthy food" is going to make her gain weight.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    I'd be willing to take a look at your log if you want. The only real way to help you is to see exactly what you are eating. There are so many variables in this game, and people don't seem to realize that calories are only 1 variable (and that variable is not even as important as most others). In addition, most people don't consider their diet to be that bad. How often have you heard, "I can't lost weight, but my diet is not THAT bad." What exactly is "that bad?" It's a relative term. Anyways, let me know if you want me to take a look at your log.

    please explain these other factors….
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    abartraw3 wrote: »
    I saw it earlier. Some things to consider is that not all fruits and vegetables are healthy. Rice, potatoes, corn and peas are high in carbohydrates and can help pack on the weight if not closely controlled or monitored. Strictly limit or omit breads, breaded and fried products. You need a little bit of carbs to support your exercise but monitor them closely. Avoid high fat proteins like beef and port. Remember that you are probably also putting some muscle on. In some cases, muscle could cause a weight gain which can be discouraging.

    • Buy a scale.
    • Weigh your foods 100% of the time.
    • Concentrate on lean dense proteins like chicken, fish and turkey.
    • Try to limit your proteins to between 4 and 8 oz./per meal.
    • Watch out for high sugar fruits. Fruits are healthier than junk foods but some are very high in carbs and sugars.
    •Get some protein shakes and try drinking one a day to replace a meal. Make sure they are high in protein, low in sugar and low in carbs. Make sure they have a good amount of other vitamins as well. The one I use is available at Sam's Club, has 30 g. of Protein, 1g. sugar and 5g. carbs.
    • Keep tracking in a food log. Pay attention to the nutritional values each day, don't let the calories beat your only guide. There is more to weight control than calories.
    • Keep up the exercise routine.

    I saw this too. Remember, the scale is just a number. You will know how you are doing by how things fit and how you exert yourself in exercise. The more exercise you can do with less tiring is a good sign. Your getting stronger.
    Be patient with yourself. Loss of 1 lb. a week is awesome. Don't expect to lose weight as fast as the folks on TV, they exercise 8+ hours/day, most of us can't.

    Good Luck!!

    so much wrong in this post…

    there is nothing wrong with rice, potatoes, corn,etc, unless you have some medical condition that makes one sensitive to carbs. The same goes for sugar. You can eat sugar and carbs, be in a deficit, and lose weight.

    Meal replacements shakes are a horrible idea, and that is not going to lead to long lasting changes. Do you really think OP wants to drink a protein shake for lunch for the next 40 years????

    why one four to eight ounces of proteins per meal?
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    603reader wrote: »
    bw_conway wrote: »
    Thanks everyone.
    I always thought losing weight was about eating healthy. I think everyone has this misconception at first.
    obviously I am new to the sight so I wanted to post and get advice. This is my first day logging, and I am buying a kitchen scale today.

    I think that if you are being advised to eat a less-healthy diet in order to get healthier, that isn’t rational advice. Part of being a healthier person is having self-respect, which doesn’t entail shoveling garbage into your body as long as the garbage is within your macros / calorie parameters!

    Define garbage.

    yes, please define "garbage"….
  • lishie_rebooted
    lishie_rebooted Posts: 2,973 Member
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    abartraw3 wrote: »
    I saw it earlier. Some things to consider is that not all fruits and vegetables are healthy. Rice, potatoes, corn and peas are high in carbohydrates and can help pack on the weight if not closely controlled or monitored. Strictly limit or omit breads, breaded and fried products. You need a little bit of carbs to support your exercise but monitor them closely. Avoid high fat proteins like beef and port. Remember that you are probably also putting some muscle on. In some cases, muscle could cause a weight gain which can be discouraging.

    • Buy a scale.
    • Weigh your foods 100% of the time.
    • Concentrate on lean dense proteins like chicken, fish and turkey.
    • Try to limit your proteins to between 4 and 8 oz./per meal.
    • Watch out for high sugar fruits. Fruits are healthier than junk foods but some are very high in carbs and sugars.
    •Get some protein shakes and try drinking one a day to replace a meal. Make sure they are high in protein, low in sugar and low in carbs. Make sure they have a good amount of other vitamins as well. The one I use is available at Sam's Club, has 30 g. of Protein, 1g. sugar and 5g. carbs.
    • Keep tracking in a food log. Pay attention to the nutritional values each day, don't let the calories beat your only guide. There is more to weight control than calories.
    • Keep up the exercise routine.

    I saw this too. Remember, the scale is just a number. You will know how you are doing by how things fit and how you exert yourself in exercise. The more exercise you can do with less tiring is a good sign. Your getting stronger.
    Be patient with yourself. Loss of 1 lb. a week is awesome. Don't expect to lose weight as fast as the folks on TV, they exercise 8+ hours/day, most of us can't.

    Good Luck!!

    so much wrong in this post…

    there is nothing wrong with rice, potatoes, corn,etc, unless you have some medical condition that makes one sensitive to carbs. The same goes for sugar. You can eat sugar and carbs, be in a deficit, and lose weight.

    Meal replacements shakes are a horrible idea, and that is not going to lead to long lasting changes. Do you really think OP wants to drink a protein shake for lunch for the next 40 years????

    why one four to eight ounces of proteins per meal?

    I'm going to guess based on the outdated food pyramid.