Losing too fast since I started swimming
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you can always add a large salad to one of your meals, a few strips of bacon crumbled on top and that will give you a bit added fat and protein. And the salad doesn't really add that much, carb wise.
I almost always go over in calories on the days when I snack on nuts. Love them, but be cautious because as an every day snack - they will potentially increase your LDL cholesterol.
There's always adding a snack of humus and veggies...
Or a piece of fruit? Peaches are lower carb than bananas
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or for an on-the-go treat ... Larabars... had one today that was dates, unsweetened coconut, ground nuts, and coconut oil. Totally delicious...
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I'm a swimmer and runner, and, like you, I can't eat right before a workout. I ran into a problem with losing too much weight and started adding avocado to everything that didn't move out of the way fast enough (salads, burgers, quesadillas, chicken...). I also changed from skim milk to 2% and started eating full fat cottage cheese and hard cheeses. I was able to gain back the extra 5 pounds, and I've stayed at my current weight for about a year (this was my goal).
If I swim in the morning, I find that I can eat a little bit all day, and that helps. If I swim at night, I wake up at 2 a.m. and want ALL the food RIGHT NOW!!! The time of day you eat should be dependent on when your body needs the food. Let me know if you figure that one out.
Congratulations on the weight loss thus far! That is a tremendous accomplishment. Keep up the good work.0 -
Posters have already given you good ideas, so I just wanted to mention this: switch to 2% Greek yogurt. It will add a small amount of fat and calories, but it tastes SO much better! Congrats on all your success so far!ILiftHeavyAcrylics wrote: »I don't think there's a hard and fast rule regarding when to add your workout calories. I find that eating more first thing in the morning and having multiple snacks works well for me but I know plenty of people who prefer the opposite. I would try it several ways and see what feels the best to you.
I would probably load up on fat, although who am I kidding, I do that anyway. Choose fattier cuts of meat like chicken thighs and pork. Use butter instead of margarine for cooking. If you've switched to low fat dairy go ahead and switch back. I know you're not a newbie so apologies if you've already done all of those things. Also keep in mind though that it may feel like a ton of calories now but you'll adjust over time so don't worry.
I never thought of the dairy. I use full fat hard cheeses and 1/2&1/2 in my coffee but my Greek yogurt is fat free. That would be a good idea to add a few more calories! Never used margarine, it would be a sacrilege for this descendant of Wisconsin dairy farmers
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You're working really hard to improve your health, and it's great that you're enjoying the swimming and water aerobics so much. Could you talk with your doctor and get her thoughts on how you can best add food to slow down weight loss? It sounds like she's been a really big help to you, and this is a good question to get her input. ~Lynn/Glucerna0
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Thank you everyone for your replies. After further consideration, I have made my plan. As I am sure some have guessed, I am very conservative when it comes to making changes in what has been working and upping my activity level to moderately active gives me more calories daily than I am comfortable with, so instead I am going to eat back most of my exercise calories on workout days only. I will start with adding about 600-700 on those days and will do it by adding a protein rich mid morning snack, doubling my protein for lunch, and filling in the rest with my evening snack (thank you everyone for your ideas!). I'll do that for a few weeks and see if the loss slows. If it doesn't slow enough, I will up my calories everyday a little.
I currently am losing at a comfortable pace plus I feel very healthy with lots of energy and am gaining more strength in both the lower and upper body and want to keep it all going like it. Losing 2.5 lb a week makes me nervous but if I can get in down to somewhere a little closer to 1.5-1.75 I will be happy. I am a firm believer in the old adage "you've got to dance with who brung you".0 -
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how much more do you need to lose? If it's still substantial- I'd just say roll with the 2.5 pounds untill it stops. Because it will.
Otherwise- just eat more.
I have another 72 lb to lose but have had fast losses before that have caused physical issues (like major hair sheds) and really don't want to risk that this time.
I know I need to eat more. My question is if it is better to eat more on the days I exercise to fuel the exercise or just in general. If it is to fuel the exercise, how is it best to do it?
2 pounds is still reasonable and medically sound.
If it goes up faster than than that I'd be more worried.
as far as timing- whenever you want.
As far as when- it depends on how you count your calories- I don't account for my workouts- it's built into my calorie count- I use TDEE.
if you use MFP's method- which is the NEET method- you add your workouts then eat back some of the calories- so if that's the method you're using- only eat extra on your workout days.
Don't over complicate it- at 250 calories-eating a single snickers bar the days you workout will more than compensate for extra calories- although- I wouldn't recommend that for you- just an example- a small snack of 200 calories is more than enough.
Apple sauce- glass of milk- glass of juice- whatever snack you like- more dairy- more egg.... don't over think it- we aren't talking about thousands of calories.
Actually, to slow my weight loss by around pound a week, we ARE talking about close to 3000 calories a week. My earned exercise calories are about 1100 on workout days so I should be adding at least 500-700 on those days. I also average about 300 extra from fitbit steps on non-workout days but I rarely eat those back because I thought I built them in when I changed my activity level from sedentary to lightly active.
I'm trying to not overthink this, but the extra weight loss has me concerned.
There's not a single reason in the world a person in your situation needs to be concerned about a 2.5 pound per week loss. That's not hair shedding territory. Not even close. And as Jo stated, this rate is temporary and will level off soon enough. Relax a bit and let the process work for you.0 -
As you become a better and more efficient swimmer and continue to lose weight, you will burn fewer calories by swimming. You're probably burning a lot now because your body hasn't adapted to it yet - it will
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As you become a better and more efficient swimmer and continue to lose weight, you will burn fewer calories by swimming. You're probably burning a lot now because your body hasn't adapted to it yet - it will
I understand that and will cut my calories back when it happens. I really am trying to keep a steady rate of loss rather than fast losses that gradually get slower.
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As you become a better and more efficient swimmer and continue to lose weight, you will burn fewer calories by swimming. You're probably burning a lot now because your body hasn't adapted to it yet - it will
I understand that and will cut my calories back when it happens. I really am trying to keep a steady rate of loss rather than fast losses that gradually get slower.
1. Swimming will feel easier but you'll burn the same amount of calories. A bit less wasted effort in inefficient movements perhaps, but it still requires the same amount of energy for a trained person to reach the other end of the pool as an untrained person.
2. All rates of loss will gradually get slower because that's how things work. This chasing of some magical ideal of 1.1854 pounds lost per week doesn't guarantee any of the things you think it does.
3. But you seem set of believing this, so I'll hitch a ride with Jo out of here.
4. I love the auto list feature0 -
As you become a better and more efficient swimmer and continue to lose weight, you will burn fewer calories by swimming. You're probably burning a lot now because your body hasn't adapted to it yet - it will
I understand that and will cut my calories back when it happens. I really am trying to keep a steady rate of loss rather than fast losses that gradually get slower.
1. Swimming will feel easier but you'll burn the same amount of calories. A bit less wasted effort in inefficient movements perhaps, but it still requires the same amount of energy for a trained person to reach the other end of the pool as an untrained person.
Only if they continually challenge themselves (sprints, etc)
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1. Swimming will feel easier but you'll burn the same amount of calories. A bit less wasted effort in inefficient movements perhaps, but it still requires the same amount of energy for a trained person to reach the other end of the pool as an untrained person.
Swimming is such a technical exercise, that I'm willing to bet that a trained swimmer can get to the end of the pool using less than half of the energy than an untrained beginning swimmer. An untrained swimmer will exhaust herself by just trying to stay afloat for a few minutes, whereas a seasoned veteran can stay afloat for hours without much trouble, provided that the water is warm enough.0 -
how much more do you need to lose? If it's still substantial- I'd just say roll with the 2.5 pounds untill it stops. Because it will.
Otherwise- just eat more.
I have another 72 lb to lose but have had fast losses before that have caused physical issues (like major hair sheds) and really don't want to risk that this time.
I know I need to eat more. My question is if it is better to eat more on the days I exercise to fuel the exercise or just in general. If it is to fuel the exercise, how is it best to do it?
2 pounds is still reasonable and medically sound.
If it goes up faster than than that I'd be more worried.
as far as timing- whenever you want.
As far as when- it depends on how you count your calories- I don't account for my workouts- it's built into my calorie count- I use TDEE.
if you use MFP's method- which is the NEET method- you add your workouts then eat back some of the calories- so if that's the method you're using- only eat extra on your workout days.
Don't over complicate it- at 250 calories-eating a single snickers bar the days you workout will more than compensate for extra calories- although- I wouldn't recommend that for you- just an example- a small snack of 200 calories is more than enough.
Apple sauce- glass of milk- glass of juice- whatever snack you like- more dairy- more egg.... don't over think it- we aren't talking about thousands of calories.
Actually, to slow my weight loss by around pound a week, we ARE talking about close to 3000 calories a week. My earned exercise calories are about 1100 on workout days so I should be adding at least 500-700 on those days. I also average about 300 extra from fitbit steps on non-workout days but I rarely eat those back because I thought I built them in when I changed my activity level from sedentary to lightly active.
I'm trying to not overthink this, but the extra weight loss has me concerned.
First, congrats on your steps to success. Many have suggested a few items I may repeat. Recognizing you are from Wisconsin I'd look at jerky and a piece of string cheese once you are out of the pool. Does it matter pre or post workout, nah. For me, as an old swimmer, I'll eat carbs pre, and have what I listed post. Knowing your carbs need to be at a certain level I'd shoot for some added fat pre workout too. Maybe those small packs of Jif PB, high fat, some sugar, but easy to carry and easy to get 2 of 3 MACROS in. To introduce avocado in you may want to try Holy Guacamole packs. Also, a variety of nuts float around the casa here. I take time on a weekend to weigh out and pre-package them in 1 ounce sizes and then have them available during the week. Full fat yogurt, honey, frozen blueberries, and some crushed pecans were dessert for me last evening. Best of luck and continued success.
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1. Swimming will feel easier but you'll burn the same amount of calories. A bit less wasted effort in inefficient movements perhaps, but it still requires the same amount of energy for a trained person to reach the other end of the pool as an untrained person.
Swimming is such a technical exercise, that I'm willing to bet that a trained swimmer can get to the end of the pool using less than half of the energy than an untrained beginning swimmer. An untrained swimmer will exhaust herself by just trying to stay afloat for a few minutes, whereas a seasoned veteran can stay afloat for hours without much trouble, provided that the water is warm enough.
That's the inefficient movement I referred to. In theory, you're correct, but in real life, once people figure out the proper technique, they move faster and for longer periods of time. So once she's using 30% less energy, she's also moving 30% faster and/or swimming 30% longer.0 -
herrspoons wrote: »Call me cynical, but you seem to be looking for an excuse to eat more.
Sorry, but I'm not going to give you one.
Yes, you are being a bit cynical. You have seen me around the forum and have even commented that I "get it" I am actually finding it hard to eat more so I was wondering if there was a way to make extra calories work better for my body. If so, I would add them in.
I really am just nervous about the fast weight loss because it has happened previous times I lost and I ended up not feeling the best. I also understand that my previous issues could have had nothing to do with the rate of loss but my nutritional profile at the time. I have been doing so well for 11 months so far and this sudden change is concerning, much more than the two plateaus I had, because I know and understand that they happen and weight loss is not linear.
"If it ain't broke, don't fix it" I guess I have to figure out if anything is broke.
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I'm in the "roll with it" camp. 'Hair loss' calorie levels should be way lower than what you're at. And I personally think a body "fuels workouts" the same way it fuels all our other daily activity while in a deficit-- funding the deficit from fat stores, and that that's ok, especially if you feel ok.
If I had 70+ lbs. to lose and was spending hours a day doing cardio to lose it, I'd be more into getting it off than eating more but that's just me.
Congrats on your progress and good luck! 0 -
I have one last question. I read all through the forums and people are being told that they are losing too fast and to eat more. Here I am being told to keep losing fast and not eat more. What is the difference? Do you really think this is just temporary, kind of like a reverse plateau? If so, I will go ahead and "roll with it" and keep doing what I am doing: eat more when I am feeling hungrier but stay close to my target otherwise.0
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I have one last question. I read all through the forums and people are being told that they are losing too fast and to eat more. Here I am being told to keep losing fast and not eat more. What is the difference? Do you really think this is just temporary, kind of like a reverse plateau? If so, I will go ahead and "roll with it" and keep doing what I am doing: eat more when I am feeling hungrier but stay close to my target otherwise.
The disconnect here is that 2 pounds per week for a person with your amount of weight to lose is not "too fast". Come to terms with that and all the other stuff will make sense0 -
i had wls a few months ago so i lose weight like mad every week to deal with the hair shedding cause of alot of weight loss durning the week they told me to make sure i eat 60 grams or more of protein a day and i have had no problems thus far so i would continue with what your losing cause it will slow down and just up your protein to help combat hair loss awesome job on what you have done lost0
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If I really am eating at a 8750 deficit, 300-500 calories per day will bring me back to the 5000-6000 deficit weekly. Should I do that daily, or eat closer to an extra 800-1000 just on the 3 days I work out?
It's up to you. Do what you feel most comfortable with as it won't make a difference in reality as long as you are deficit averages out to be roughly the same thing over time.
So it doesn't really matter if I target fuel my workouts, or just eat at a general deficit?
It doesn't matter. You can eat more only on days you exercise (half or 3/4 of your exercise calories), or you could eat a little more every day. If you were doing the TDEE - % method you would average all that exercise over the whole week and eat the same amount every day. If you are more hungry on days you exercise, then do it the MFP way and eat more according to your exercise days. Perhaps it would be easier for you because of your carb restrictions to figure out your meal plans for the same amount of calories every day.
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I have one last question. I read all through the forums and people are being told that they are losing too fast and to eat more. Here I am being told to keep losing fast and not eat more. What is the difference? Do you really think this is just temporary, kind of like a reverse plateau? If so, I will go ahead and "roll with it" and keep doing what I am doing: eat more when I am feeling hungrier but stay close to my target otherwise.
Generally the people who are being told that are the ones who have 50 or less pounds to lose (and especially the ones with 20 and less to lose and the vanity pound crew).
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I think too that you have a subset of forum people in here that responded that are not as "eat more" happy as some other subsets. I bet if you posted this in the general forum, you'd get more people who say to eat more and lose slower, maybe?I have one last question. I read all through the forums and people are being told that they are losing too fast and to eat more. Here I am being told to keep losing fast and not eat more. What is the difference? Do you really think this is just temporary, kind of like a reverse plateau? If so, I will go ahead and "roll with it" and keep doing what I am doing: eat more when I am feeling hungrier but stay close to my target otherwise.
It does seem like people are getting less fearful of the whole undereating thing (except in cases where it's young girls trying to get from 115 to 105, and it's warranted).
I also think the fast rate of loss is probably temporary. It'll either slow down or you'll get to feeling hungrier or you'll get to feeling tired of so much exercise. If you feel good now, I'd milk it. How long ago did you start swimming more? The change in activity can jump start losses.
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WalkingAlong wrote: »
I think too that you have a subset of forum people in here that responded that are not as "eat more" happy as some other subsets. I bet if you posted this in the general forum, you'd get more people who say to eat more and lose slower, maybe?I have one last question. I read all through the forums and people are being told that they are losing too fast and to eat more. Here I am being told to keep losing fast and not eat more. What is the difference? Do you really think this is just temporary, kind of like a reverse plateau? If so, I will go ahead and "roll with it" and keep doing what I am doing: eat more when I am feeling hungrier but stay close to my target otherwise.
It does seem like people are getting less fearful of the whole undereating thing (except in cases where it's young girls trying to get from 115 to 105, and it's warranted).
I also think the fast rate of loss is probably temporary. It'll either slow down or you'll get to feeling hungrier or you'll get to feeling tired of so much exercise. If you feel good now, I'd milk it. How long ago did you start swimming more? The change in activity can jump start losses.
I started lap swimming a month ago. Previously my cardio was mainly walking 6 x a week with a water aerobics class 3 x a week. The flare up of the arthritis in my foot is the reason I had to switch to lap swimming. I still walk, but cut down the time and distance to make sure I don't aggravate the foot.
I go to the pool 3 x a week and swim laps for 55 minutes, then take the aerobics class right after. As I am getting stronger, I have been increasing my laps so I still do the 55 minutes.
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Generally the people who are being told that are the ones who have 50 or less pounds to lose (and especially the ones with 20 and less to lose and the vanity pound crew).
What's the weight loss cut-off for the "vanity pound crew"? Do you have to be below Healthy BMI to join? If so, I'm afraid I'll never be able to join.
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If it were me I'd give it another month and see if the weight loss slows back down before adding in any extra cals. If its still going at the same rate and you absolutely want to slow it down (personally Id be thrilled at 2.5lb a week) then add some back in then. Might save you recalculating in a month0
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maoribadger wrote: »If it were me I'd give it another month and see if the weight loss slows back down before adding in any extra cals. If its still going at the same rate and you absolutely want to slow it down (personally Id be thrilled at 2.5lb a week) then add some back in then. Might save you recalculating in a month
Yeah, that's kind of what I have decided to do with the option of eating more (up to 1/2 of my exercise calories) on days that I feel more hungry. For now, I am going to treat this as a reverse plateau and wait it out.
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I'd love a reverse plateau!0
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