Fed up! Eating about 2000 cals less and gained, need advice :(
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clairabelle01 wrote: »Have you seen results simply calorie counting then?
A calorie deficit is, by definition and the Laws Of Physics, the only thing - the one-and-only-one thing that works and gets results. It is both necessary, and sufficient.
Necessary and Sufficient.
You don't need a gym. You don't need to work out. You don't need to eat certain foods. You don't need to deny other foods.
Calorie. Deficit.
How do you guarantee you are in a deficit? The best way is science. Count. Measure. Observe. Record.
It ain't Rocket Science but it is governed by the Laws of Science.
Those who accurately and diligently - with great discipline ( every-damned-thing that goes into the mouth) are those best equipped to see results and usually always see the results they are looking for.
Those who blow off, ignore, or get sloppy/lazy in counting calories are setting themselves up for failure ... and usually do fail.
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People also tend to unintentionally underestimate their calories even when diligently counting them according to labels. You're much better off using a scale and measuring by the gram vs by the cup.SergeantSausage wrote: »clairabelle01 wrote: »Have you seen results simply calorie counting then?
A calorie deficit is, by definition and the Laws Of Physics, the only thing - the one-and-only-one thing that works and gets results. It is both necessary, and sufficient.
Necessary and Sufficient.
You don't need a gym. You don't need to work out. You don't need to eat certain foods. You don't need to deny other foods.
Calorie. Deficit.
How do you guarantee you are in a deficit? The best way is science. Count. Measure. Observe. Record.
It ain't Rocket Science but it is governed by the Laws of Science.
Those who accurately and diligently - with great discipline ( every-damned-thing that goes into the mouth) are those best equipped to see results and usually always see the results they are looking for.
Those who blow off, ignore, or get sloppy/lazy in counting calories are setting themselves up for failure ... and usually do fail.
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SergeantSausage wrote: »clairabelle01 wrote: »Have you seen results simply calorie counting then?
A calorie deficit is, by definition and the Laws Of Physics, the only thing - the one-and-only-one thing that works and gets results. It is both necessary, and sufficient.
Necessary and Sufficient.
You don't need a gym. You don't need to work out. You don't need to eat certain foods. You don't need to deny other foods.
Calorie. Deficit.
How do you guarantee you are in a deficit? The best way is science. Count. Measure. Observe. Record.
It ain't Rocket Science but it is governed by the Laws of Science.
Those who accurately and diligently - with great discipline ( every-damned-thing that goes into the mouth) are those best equipped to see results and usually always see the results they are looking for.
Those who blow off, ignore, or get sloppy/lazy in counting calories are setting themselves up for failure ... and usually do fail.
So it's not the types of food you eat, for example would it make a difference if you ate 1200 cals of lean protein vs 1200 cals of pastry? Doesn't certain foods burn fat more efficiently.
I'm sorry if I seem stupid.0 -
You need protein to minimize muscle loss when losing weight, but from experience, if you ate nothing but protein your sweat, breath, and urine will smell like ammonia. Low altitude bombing missions over water also become very problematic if you know what I mean. Eating 1200 calories of pastry also wouldn't keep you feeling full very long, and you'd be super hungry later. Just eat a balanced diet. I do a 40/40/20 split for example, but find what macros work best for you and your body.0
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Great advice, thanks.0
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OK, here are some thing that will start to happen once you start counting calories and sticking to it:
1. You will notice that if you eat fruits and vegetables, you will eat more food. This is because most fruits and vegetables contain fewer calories, or even better, because it takes less energy expenditure to burn them. So as you progress through your myfitnesspal "diet', you will most likely start gravitating towards fruits and veggies simply because you get to eat more of them.
2. If you're honest with yourself, you will probably realize you've been overeating. That was certainly the case with me. Once you realize that you were overeating and accept that, you might be able to make those synapses in you brain that tell you "hey, you don't NEED all this extra food".
3. For me, it helps to not think of "dieting" but as a "change in diet" - see point 1.
Regarding lifting:
I would definitely recommend lifting, but I would only do it with help. Here's why I recommend it: if you do it, you will burn calories as you sleep This is because when you lift you basically tear muscle tissue up and as the body rebuilds it, you will burn more calories. HOWEVER, if your life is to be ruled by the scale, you should know that lifting will mot likely increase your weight, but your body composition will change so in that case the scale should not rule your life; you should go by how you look and feel. Additionally, do not lift unless you know proper form because you can hurt yourself and that will set you back.
If you want to lift for weight loss, the trick is high repetitions with little rest in between.
By the way, stop weighing yourself daily unless you want to drive yourself mad.
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1300 calories might be too aggressive, unless you are very short. I'm 5"8 ish, weigh 93 kilos, and I'm losing more than a pound a week on 1600 calories. In fact I've been eating more than that and still losing. You can still eat cake, chocolate, sweets, pizza, danish pastries, bread, bacon, cheese, wine, and fast food or whatever you love. You just need to plan it and make it fit into your calories for the day. Giving up foods, especially if they are your favourites, will just make you give up your diet.
It's tempting to try to lose 2 pounds a week. But you'll lose more and keep it off longer by losing more slowly over a longer period of time. And weighing yourself daily is ok, but only if you pay no heed to daily fluctuations. It's the overall trend that's important.
I eat back about half my exercise calories. Do you eat some of the extra calories MFP gives you for exercising? Doing so stops you being at too high a deficit (which will just make you lose more fat burning muscle along with fat) and it also gives you room for the sort of treats that will stop this feeling like torture and more like something you can keep up for however many months it takes.
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You dont have to cut out anything.
I started the first of October and eat around the 1200 to 1300 ( sometimes 1400) calories
I lost 56 pounds
I exercise an hour to 1.5 hour 6 days a week
For health reasons i cut out adding salt and adding sugar. So yes i eat fruit.
My food is
*Meat/Fish, veggies, fruit, eggs, nuts, herbs and spices, seeds, some diary and grain/pasta. So everything. But fresh and i cook from scratch.
I weigh everything!
It all comes down to moderation. I am not hungry at all. ( for me the protein trick works when i feel hungry). And i eat a good balance and get all my nutrition i need.
And that while i stay most days around the 1200. But when i feel hungry ( which i recognize now as hungry). I eat a bit more. Because my body ask for more fuel to keep the motor running.
I feel much better and energetic and even get impatient and find it a shame when it is my "rest day" of training. I just want to go.
My blood pressure is came down and my sugar level is normal again.
And when i want to eat something i will. But just a normal portion within my calorie allowance.
Thats all that there is too it.
So dont cut anything out ( other than for health reasons) and learn to eat in moderation and portion control.
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You do not need to cut out anything except for over eating.
Weight will fluctuate if the fluctuations bother you don't get on the scale daily.
Why are you eating 1200 calories?
Work on logging accurately and honestly
Learn portion control a digital food scale can help with this and accuracy
Have patience
I've lost over 120 lbs, and kept it off for a year now. I lost the weight eating 1500-1900 the foods included lean proteins, white rice, breads, veggies, fruits, almost daily ice cream, and anything else I could fit into my day while getting as close to possible to hitting my macros (protein, carbs, and fat).
Here's some great threads to read to help:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1235566/so-youre-new-here/p1
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819925-the-basics-don-t-complicate-it
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/872212-you-re-probably-eating-more-than-you-think
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clairabelle01 wrote: »
Wow that salad sounds delicious, mine have been dull and I'm starting to hate lettuce. Have you seen results simply calorie counting then?
YES!! I eat all kinds of stuff pizza beer cake cookies more beer.
When I eat under my caloric needs I lose, when I eat over I gain.
Scale fluctuates anywhere up to 10 lbs in a single day depending on the circumstances so I weigh every day to track trends.
The only reason I "cut out" certain foods is because I wish to eat more and I can eat more of some things than others, but I always eat stuff I love eating. Because, well, I love to eat.
Losing weight should not take away one's enjoyment of eating. Nor will avoiding certain foods magically make you lose weight.
I also don't exercise, at least not for the purposes of weight loss. It's WAY too much work for very little payoff. I'd rather not eat the cookie than walk for 30 minutes.
I have tried to incorporate more regular activity and be more active in general (again, so I can eat more food) but I have done so solely in ways that do not feel like "exercise".
I think this business of "trying hard" and not seeing fast enough results it a lot of what dooms many people to failure. I don't try hard, some weeks I see no results, some weeks the results are astounding. But because I don't feel like I am exerting much effort I don't mind if the results are slow going and I don't feel like I am being denied the results I "deserve"- you can't make the results come much faster anyway so why torture yourself?!?
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clairabelle01 wrote: »SergeantSausage wrote: »clairabelle01 wrote: »Have you seen results simply calorie counting then?
A calorie deficit is, by definition and the Laws Of Physics, the only thing - the one-and-only-one thing that works and gets results. It is both necessary, and sufficient.
Necessary and Sufficient.
You don't need a gym. You don't need to work out. You don't need to eat certain foods. You don't need to deny other foods.
Calorie. Deficit.
How do you guarantee you are in a deficit? The best way is science. Count. Measure. Observe. Record.
It ain't Rocket Science but it is governed by the Laws of Science.
Those who accurately and diligently - with great discipline ( every-damned-thing that goes into the mouth) are those best equipped to see results and usually always see the results they are looking for.
Those who blow off, ignore, or get sloppy/lazy in counting calories are setting themselves up for failure ... and usually do fail.
So it's not the types of food you eat, for example would it make a difference if you ate 1200 cals of lean protein vs 1200 cals of pastry? Doesn't certain foods burn fat more efficiently.
I'm sorry if I seem stupid.
Yes and no.
For weight loss (as the only goal), it does not matter what food makes up your calories. This has been proven time and again. The most popular example is the Twinkie diet. Some professor ate the majority of his calories in Twinkies and still lost weight and showed improvement in health markers like blood pressure and cholesterol.
For nutrition and satiety, the types of food you eat does matter. If you only ate carbs all day, you would be so hungry that you would want to gnaw your arm off. Fats and proteins are important too. You also want to try to get enough fiber and vitamins/minerals as well. But you can work treats into your daily calories too. It won't inhibit your weight loss and will make you more likely to stick to it since you aren't depriving yourself of your favorite foods too.
Here's what worked for me:
I took it in baby steps.
1. I put my stats into MFP and just tried to stay within my calorie goal, while eating the same types of food I was before. Remember that if you do exercise, you should log that and eat back some of those calories. Your weekly deficit is already built into your daily calorie goal, so exercise gives you bonus calories since you're burning more than they expected you to.
2. After a few weeks, I realized that I could feel fuller longer if I paid attention to my macros. Macronutrients are Carbs, Fat, & Protein. I started adjusting what I ate to hit my macro goals as closely as I can. It made me eat a little healthier, but I still use ~200 calories a day for a treat and can hit those goals.
3. Now, I'm focusing more on hitting my fiber and micronutrient goals. This is taking a bigger change in what I eat, but I'm slowly improving.
It doesn't have to happen overnight. Ultimately, the number of calories you consume determine your weight loss and that's a place to start. Focusing on nutrition is important too, but you shouldn't overwhelm yourself at the beginning.0 -
You've been at this 6 days. You didn't put all this on in one day, and it's not going to come off fast either. This process takes months, years, YOUR ENTIRE LIFE. Rather than focusing obsessively on the scale, focus on making changes to your diet where you're eating an appropriate number of calories with balanced macros. Focus on getting more nutrients. Don't kill yourself in the gym; find something you enjoy that you can sustain, and make sure you eat enough to fuel your workouts. Learn to make changes that you can sustain for the rest of your life, so when you do lose the weight, you successfully keep it off.
At 56 lbs to lose, 1200 calories may be too little for you. If you're set up to lose 2 lbs a week, that's too much. 1 to 1.5 lbs/week is probably a more appropriate goal. Within that, make sure you're getting adequate protein. Without your stats I can't say for sure, but 40% carbs, 30% protein, and 30% fat is usually a safe split. Yes, eat your lean meat and veggies - you need the protein and micronutrients - but also eat food you LIKE. You will lose weight as long as you stick to your calorie goal no matter what that food is.
As for exercise, do something you find manageable. It's one thing if you're just getting back into shape after not running for a while, but if it's killing your joints, maybe try a different cardio activity until you lose a few pounds. Lifting weights will help retain your lean body mass (muscle!) while you're losing, so yes, lifting is a good idea. Be aware that it will cause water retention, and you will see fluctuations on the scale. Don't be afraid of it.
In general, stop being afraid you're doing this wrong. This is a learning process. Be patient. Do things in steps if you need to - figure out the calories first, then the macros, then the exercise. It's a lot, but it gets easier as you go.0 -
If your goal is to lose weight, there isn't much value in weighing daily. You can easily gain four pounds or more just from the weight of your food. It takes two days for it to come back out and sometimes a lot of it comes out very quickly. If you weigh once a week at the same time on the same day, your weight figures will tend to be more consistent.0
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TimothyFish wrote: »If your goal is to lose weight, there isn't much value in weighing daily. You can easily gain four pounds or more just from the weight of your food. It takes two days for it to come back out and sometimes a lot of it comes out very quickly. If you weigh once a week at the same time on the same day, your weight figures will tend to be more consistent.
I disagree. If you can take away any emotions to the number on the scale, the data you can collect from weighing daily can be very beneficial. It helped me to see daily fluctuations and watch for overall trends. Data is very valuable to me0 -
clairabelle01 wrote: »Okay so I'm 15stone 6. Yesterday was 15stone 5 so have gained a 1lb despite only eating protein veg and total of 1300 calories. I've gained a 1lb in one day
You may be better off weighing just once a week. Weigh at the same time, same scale, same conditions- like right after you wake up and use the bathroom, before you get dressed or eat anything.
You can eat pretty normally. Just log it all as accurately as possible and reduce portion sizes especially of high calorie foods.
Your calorie goal may be way to low to start with. If you tell people your height/weight/age/activity level and what your goal is you might get some help figuring out a healthy starting point.
You don't have to kill yourself in the gym to lose weight. You can lose weight with no exercise or just 30 minutes of walking.
If you start out super intense and restrictive you will probably quit and gain everything back. If you set up a sensible plan you could lose 1 lb a week and keep it off for good.0 -
You don't *have* to alter your diet too radically - most people can't do it for very long unless they happen to actually want to, weight loss aside - take baby steps and just get used to counting calories and making smaller changes to your diet over time - for me, cutting way back on junk food lunches, snacks and dinnertime "seconds" are really the only big changes I made to get my calorie count in line. I have a favourite breakfast and lunch I eat most days so all I really end up having to manage more closely is dinners to stay on track0
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You've already received a lot of good advice. I will add only that, if you do want to weigh yourself every day, you should use a spreadsheet, or a website such as TrendWeight.com, to calculate an exponentially smoothed moving average. John Walker explains why in the chapter on "Signal and Noise" in The Hacker's Diet.
One more thing: I have lost 64 pounds over the last two years (most of it in the first year) without cutting any food out of my diet. Granted, I had a fairly healthy diet before I joined MFP; I was just eating too much. But I still have wine, beer, spirits, chocolate, cookies, pasta, bread, cheese, and many other things that some "experts" claim you have to cut out to lose weight. I just don't eat a lot of them.0 -
I agree with what's been said; you don't need to cut out foods infact I personally wouldn't cut out potato and pasta and they usually release energy slowly and would be helpful if you're working out. They are totally right, I lost 15lbs a few years ago with MFP without going to the gym once. And yeah you could techniqually eat 1,200 calories of chocolate alone and still lose weight but you'll feel like crap! it's about making healthier choices within that limit. You'll soon work out when you log things that you'll get much more food for your calories if you cook yourself and eat more veggies and less processed food. But that doesn't mean you can't treat yourself! look at it as less of a diet and more of a healthy lifestyle change. It takes time, hard work and motivation- but it's totally do-able.
- Best of luck chick!0 -
Thanks to everyone who took the time to reply. I'm on day 8 now and everything is logged in MFP I measure any oil I use etc, stuck to the plan this far and that's a huge step. I've had countless attempts, lasted 2or 3 days.
I know it will take time, I've a lot to lose, I just want to be on the right track. I'm desperately unhappy at this weight and I'm determined. I know it will be hard work, I did stop smoking 3 years ago with no help so have the willpower somewhere, however dieting is much harder. I know some say don't cut out anything but I am sticking with my no sugar rule. I already feel better 1 week without it, I know if I allow myself a little bit I'll end up back into old habits. I definitely overrated my way to this size.
I am going to keep weigh ins to once a week on a monday , I am obsessed with what scales say at minute, just want to know I'm doing it right. Ha
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Dont worry keep logging your calories and sticking to your target and the weight will come off. you just need to be patient. and most important never give up even if you have a rough couple of days. good luck0
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