Weight loss help ( Even if harsh ! )

Options
So last year I tried everything I could to lose weight ! For at least 4 months straight without a pound of loss, with diet and exercise eating 1200 a day. My doctor suggested to increase calories and then do the 5:2 diet. This worked and i went from 12.10 to 11 stone.

At christmas time I put on a few pounds and now even though i'm back to exercising and eating under 1600 but putting weight on. Im now 11.5, somehow just keep increasing. I know it can't obviously be muscle weight. Im still doing 5:2 but scared to stop doing 5:2 incase I put on weight.

Ive been back on the diet for 3 weeks, I get really annoyed when people lose weight in their first few weeks and I dont, its hard to keep focused when you see no improvement.

Any help is help. Even if harsh. I dont think im eating well as I could so would just need some help.

Should I change my macros ? Try eat less carbs ? Cut all bad things from diet? Exercise more ?

Replies

  • gettinfitaus
    gettinfitaus Posts: 161 Member
    Options
    What exercise are you doing? Are you weighing food and tracking calories accurately? Are you taking measurements?
  • lshand28
    lshand28 Posts: 45 Member
    Options
    I do running, HIIT workouts, pole dancing, weights. I do take measurements :) I do weigh food or if i know the calories of something ill add in anything that meets the calories of the item of food. xx But I think I could weight better. I never put in the veggies that I eat either since they are not many calories ! Is this a bad idea ?
  • Hily93
    Hily93 Posts: 65 Member
    Options
    Hi are you on any meds? Some meds makes you gain weight and losing it is harder then normal.
  • lshand28
    lshand28 Posts: 45 Member
    Options
    I am but have been on them for years. I managed last year whilst on them :) x
    I had one doctor telling me that its difficult to lose weight and recommended the 5:2, then I had another doctor telling me to get a grip and eat less than 1500 a day and dont do any weight training until i lose my fat ?? I dont understand sometimes :P ! ( which i didn't think was the better option reading all the stories on MFP)
  • lawlifehanna
    lawlifehanna Posts: 90 Member
    Options
    lshand28 wrote: »
    I do running, HIIT workouts, pole dancing, weights. I do take measurements :) I do weigh food or if i know the calories of something ill add in anything that meets the calories of the item of food. xx But I think I could weight better. I never put in the veggies that I eat either since they are not many calories ! Is this a bad idea ?

    What does "weigh better" mean? If you weigh your food, you weigh it. If you don't, you don't. Only weighing some items is a good start, but at this point (when you seem to be having problems) you should really weigh everything.

    Do log veggies, if you eat lots it can be several hundred calories a day. One avocado can have 100 calories. I looked at my own diary, and yesterday I logged 250 calories from veggies and fruit. That's not even all of them, since I honestly didn't bother logging every item of the side salad I had with lunch.
  • Mycophilia
    Mycophilia Posts: 1,225 Member
    Options
    lshand28 wrote: »
    I do running, HIIT workouts, pole dancing, weights. I do take measurements :) I do weigh food or if i know the calories of something ill add in anything that meets the calories of the item of food. xx But I think I could weight better. I never put in the veggies that I eat either since they are not many calories ! Is this a bad idea ?

    You should weigh and track everything that goes into your mouth. If you're not losing weight, you are eating more than you think. Tracking accuracy is the name of the game here. And remember to track drinks that also contains calories.
  • cityruss
    cityruss Posts: 2,493 Member
    edited January 2015
    Options
    Are you weighing and tracking accurately? You must weigh and track everything you eat. Vegetables have calories just the same as chocolate. A few non tracked portions of vegetables can take you well in to a calorie surplus.

    If you consume less calories than your body uses you will lose. If you consume more calories than your body needs you will gain. This is true for every human being alive today, even people on medications and people with metabolic syndromes.

    You will get varying opinions on other things. For me there are no 'bad' foods or 'good' foods. Just foods that fit in with the calorie and macronutrient limits set.

    Want to eat carbs? Eat carbs. Want to eat a piece of cake? Eat a piece of cake. Want to spend all day eating lettuce and chia seeds, do it. As long as it fits in to your goal numbers.

    Obviously a degree of user sensibility has to be employed, a balance is needed, but nothing should be restricted.

    Create a happy flexible approach to eating, don't fall for fad diets and myth, hit your set goal numbers and you will lose weight/bodyfat.

    Do the above, continue with your exercise regime and you will lose body fat and change the way your body looks.
  • elphie754
    elphie754 Posts: 7,574 Member
    Options
    lshand28 wrote: »
    So last year I tried everything I could to lose weight ! For at least 4 months straight without a pound of loss, with diet and exercise eating 1200 a day. My doctor suggested to increase calories and then do the 5:2 diet. This worked and i went from 12.10 to 11 stone.

    At christmas time I put on a few pounds and now even though i'm back to exercising and eating under 1600 but putting weight on. Im now 11.5, somehow just keep increasing. I know it can't obviously be muscle weight. Im still doing 5:2 but scared to stop doing 5:2 incase I put on weight.

    Ive been back on the diet for 3 weeks, I get really annoyed when people lose weight in their first few weeks and I dont, its hard to keep focused when you see no improvement.

    Any help is help. Even if harsh. I dont think im eating well as I could so would just need some help.

    Should I change my macros ? Try eat less carbs ? Cut all bad things from diet? Exercise more ?

    I'm going to try to be nice in my responses, but if they come off as rude, I apologize in advance. This is work hour 15 for me lol.

    When you were eating the 1200 cals, were you weighing everything you put in your mouth? If you weren't, there is a very good chance you were eating over 1200 and didn't realize it. Also- were you consuming any liquids that have calories? Some people forget to log drinks as well. I'm glad to hear the 5:2 plan worked for you (Id end up on death row if I ate only 500 cals two days a week lol). However, your doctor was very very wrong. If you are not losing at a specific number of cals, it makes no sense to increase them. The "eat more to lose" mantra is just a myth, as is the term starvation mode most people throw around.

    For your weight now- are you weighing and logging everything? Teaspoons/tablespoons, cups etc are usually way off on serving sizes. For instance- the butter I use is 100cals for 2tbls. It also specifies it is per 14 grams. 14 grams is actually almost an entire half tbls off from the 2 they say is the size. So if I went by tbls I would be consuming an extra 25 cals per serving. I know that doesn't sound like a lot, but if all your portions are like that, they quickly add up.

    You don't need to cut anything from your "diet" unless you have a medical condition. To lose weight, you need to burn more calories than you eat. Yes, it really is that simple. Lowering carbs and cutting "junk" out is really just a way of reducing total calorie intake.

    I reccomend you tighten up on logging. Get a food scale and become best friends with it. Give it a month or so and if you still haven't lost any weight, see your doctor. Be sure to bring your food logs with you so they see you are really trying.
  • cincysweetheart
    cincysweetheart Posts: 892 Member
    Options
    If you are not logging your veggies… ABSOLUTELY START! They may not have a lot of calories… but they do have them and they still count. Depending how much you are eating… that could be wiping out your deficit right there. Log everything. Fruit, veggies, beverages. And any condiments you may be putting on your food… like if you add a touch of butter to your steamed veggies. No matter how little. And weigh them all (measure liquids).

    It make take you a little time to find your sweet spot on calories. How many were you eating when you lost weight before? Just make sure that you adjust your calories for every 5-10 pounds you lose. There is really nothing magic about 5:2… but the structure seems to help some people. If you are one them… go ahead and keep doing it. But if you don't want to… don't.

    Are you eating back your exercise calories? If so… maybe cut back on that. Only eat part of them back or don't eat them. We usually are pretty good at OVER-estimating our calorie burns. Overestimating calorie burn and underestimating calories eaten (or not logging everything) could be your problem right there.

    Also… pay attention to your sodium and water. Sometimes water weight can make a big difference on the scale.
  • elphie754
    elphie754 Posts: 7,574 Member
    Options
    lshand28 wrote: »
    I do running, HIIT workouts, pole dancing, weights. I do take measurements :) I do weigh food or if i know the calories of something ill add in anything that meets the calories of the item of food. xx But I think I could weight better. I never put in the veggies that I eat either since they are not many calories ! Is this a bad idea ?

    You never log veggies you eat? Yes, that is a bad idea. Some veggies have 100 cals per serving. If you have a serving at each meal, that is 300 calories over what you intended.
    cityruss wrote: »
    Are you weighing and tracking accurately? You must weigh and track everything you eat. Vegetables have calories just the same as chocolate. A few non tracked portions of vegetables can take you well in to a calorie surplus.

    If you consume less calories than your body uses you will lose. If you consume more calories than your body needs you will gain. This is true for every human being alive today, even people on medications and people with metabolic syndromes.

    You will get varying opinions on other things. For me there are no 'bad' foods or 'good' foods. Just foods that fit in with the calorie and macronutrient limits set.

    Want to eat carbs? Eat carbs. Want to eat a piece of cake? Eat a piece of cake. Want to spend all day eating lettuce and chia seeds, do it. As long as it fits in to your goal numbers.

    Obviously a degree of user sensibility has to be employed, a balance is needed, but nothing should be restricted.

    Create a happy flexible approach to eating, don't fall for fad diets and myth, hit your set goal numbers and you will lose weight/bodyfat.

    Do the above, continue with your exercise regime and you will lose body fat and change the way your body looks.

    Shhh. Chocolate doesn't have calories- what a horrible myth (kidding).

  • PeachyCarol
    PeachyCarol Posts: 8,029 Member
    Options
    lshand28 wrote: »
    I do running, HIIT workouts, pole dancing, weights. I do take measurements :) I do weigh food or if i know the calories of something ill add in anything that meets the calories of the item of food. xx But I think I could weight better. I never put in the veggies that I eat either since they are not many calories ! Is this a bad idea ?

    Yes, it is a very bad idea not to log your veggies. Start right now, weighing them before you cook them (with the exception of something like spaghetti squash which has a lot of waste before cooking) and log EVERY bite of food you eat. Measure liquids.

    Do you add cream or milk to your tea? Are you logging it? It sounds like, with your calorie allowances, that you're short. For us shorties, little things make big differences. It doesn't take that many calories to shift things in our favor. If your logging isn't tight, you'll never know EXACTLY how many calories you're eating (well, as close to exact as you can be) and you'll still be having trouble.




  • 3laine75
    3laine75 Posts: 3,070 Member
    Options
    Log EVERYTHING and weigh/measure EVERYTHING. You're probably eating more than you think.

    Before using this site I just thought, I can't eat what I used to anymore, it's harder to lose weight when you're older blah blah blah. When I finally started tracking everything and saw how much I was actually eating things became clear.

    I'm not 100% accurate with my log but if the scale stops going in the direction I want, I know it's time to track every sneaky sweetly or crisp, coffee and tea, weigh things like butter, Nutella, peanut butter instead of guessing.
  • DropITpj
    Options
    I'm SUPER late I think to respond but here goes.
    1st thing you should do is really pay attention to what you are eating and how it makes you feel afterward. Sometimes we have sensitivities to random foods that cause bloat which slows down our digestion heavily. Knocking some of those foods out might steer you Into the right direction.
    2nd exercise volume, I'm not sure how much you get in but make sure it is a LOT. Some of is have jobs where we spend most of the day sitting, thus not really burning calories as much as one doing .. Something like a construction job and etc keep acting at least 5 days a week.. If you don't have a class, he some mild to heavy cardio depending on how you are feeling or maybe even get yourself into a nice weight program.
    3rd stress levels .. I too oddly am highly effected by cortisol. When I'm stressed out it feels like I don't digest well, I lose my appetite and etc etc long story short.. Make sure your stress is under control because it affects us more than we realize smh.
    4 if you want you can email me personally and I will help with your foods, exercises, and you could even vent your issues out a little bit lol (for free) I do the same for some others. I wish you luck !
    Pforfitnessj@gmail.com
  • Pandamay96
    Options
    Hi I'm new to this page but yet I know what you are going through with struggling to lose weight ....
    when I was younger I found it easy to lose weight but then I got ill and couldn't lose weight even when I was doing rugby football going to gym every night etc . Yet I just kept gaining weight and that's when the doctor told me I have an under active thyroid so I was just thinking if you was staggering to lose weight ask a doctor about your thyroid it may help.

    I now do the 5:2 diet and as long as my thyroid is balanced the diet works and I don't do the football or ruby anymore since left school but I walk everywhere and am very active through the day and iv only been doing the 5:2 diet a week but iv already lost a bit of weight .

  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
    Options
    The only reason 5:2 works is because it puts you at a calorie deficit. All you need to do is take the total weekly calories you've been eating on 5:2 and divide that by seven to give you your daily calorie goal.
  • lshand28
    lshand28 Posts: 45 Member
    Options
    Thanks for all the responses guys !! I really appreciate it! Even the harsh ones - its what I need, telling someone to just try and it will come off isnt good enough ! So cheers :) !! I will start to use the scales as my new best friend !!! x
  • lshand28
    lshand28 Posts: 45 Member
    Options
    lshand28 wrote: »
    I do running, HIIT workouts, pole dancing, weights. I do take measurements :) I do weigh food or if i know the calories of something ill add in anything that meets the calories of the item of food. xx But I think I could weight better. I never put in the veggies that I eat either since they are not many calories ! Is this a bad idea ?

    What does "weigh better" mean? If you weigh your food, you weigh it. If you don't, you don't. Only weighing some items is a good start, but at this point (when you seem to be having problems) you should really weigh everything.

    Do log veggies, if you eat lots it can be several hundred calories a day. One avocado can have 100 calories. I looked at my own diary, and yesterday I logged 250 calories from veggies and fruit. That's not even all of them, since I honestly didn't bother logging every item of the side salad I had with lunch.



    For example I will weigh things or assume by looking it is a half an avocado or a quarter. But since that isn't working, i need to weigh better or start by weighing properly.
  • clambert1273
    clambert1273 Posts: 840 Member
    Options
    lshand28 wrote: »
    lshand28 wrote: »
    I do running, HIIT workouts, pole dancing, weights. I do take measurements :) I do weigh food or if i know the calories of something ill add in anything that meets the calories of the item of food. xx But I think I could weight better. I never put in the veggies that I eat either since they are not many calories ! Is this a bad idea ?

    What does "weigh better" mean? If you weigh your food, you weigh it. If you don't, you don't. Only weighing some items is a good start, but at this point (when you seem to be having problems) you should really weigh everything.

    Do log veggies, if you eat lots it can be several hundred calories a day. One avocado can have 100 calories. I looked at my own diary, and yesterday I logged 250 calories from veggies and fruit. That's not even all of them, since I honestly didn't bother logging every item of the side salad I had with lunch.



    For example I will weigh things or assume by looking it is a half an avocado or a quarter. But since that isn't working, i need to weigh better or start by weighing properly.

    yup you do and good for you recognizing that :) you will be amazed how weighing will change the ball game.
  • PeachyCarol
    PeachyCarol Posts: 8,029 Member
    Options
    lshand28 wrote: »
    lshand28 wrote: »
    I do running, HIIT workouts, pole dancing, weights. I do take measurements :) I do weigh food or if i know the calories of something ill add in anything that meets the calories of the item of food. xx But I think I could weight better. I never put in the veggies that I eat either since they are not many calories ! Is this a bad idea ?

    What does "weigh better" mean? If you weigh your food, you weigh it. If you don't, you don't. Only weighing some items is a good start, but at this point (when you seem to be having problems) you should really weigh everything.

    Do log veggies, if you eat lots it can be several hundred calories a day. One avocado can have 100 calories. I looked at my own diary, and yesterday I logged 250 calories from veggies and fruit. That's not even all of them, since I honestly didn't bother logging every item of the side salad I had with lunch.



    For example I will weigh things or assume by looking it is a half an avocado or a quarter. But since that isn't working, i need to weigh better or start by weighing properly.

    When I first came on MFP, I measured with measuring cups and had an analog scale. I lost weight just fine, but... I got a digital scale for Christmas, and oh boy... measuring to the gram? My rate of loss picked up. It's worth it to weigh properly.

  • GingerbreadCandy
    GingerbreadCandy Posts: 403 Member
    Options
    lshand28 wrote: »
    lshand28 wrote: »
    I do running, HIIT workouts, pole dancing, weights. I do take measurements :) I do weigh food or if i know the calories of something ill add in anything that meets the calories of the item of food. xx But I think I could weight better. I never put in the veggies that I eat either since they are not many calories ! Is this a bad idea ?

    What does "weigh better" mean? If you weigh your food, you weigh it. If you don't, you don't. Only weighing some items is a good start, but at this point (when you seem to be having problems) you should really weigh everything.

    Do log veggies, if you eat lots it can be several hundred calories a day. One avocado can have 100 calories. I looked at my own diary, and yesterday I logged 250 calories from veggies and fruit. That's not even all of them, since I honestly didn't bother logging every item of the side salad I had with lunch.



    For example I will weigh things or assume by looking it is a half an avocado or a quarter. But since that isn't working, i need to weigh better or start by weighing properly.

    Yep, you'll be surprised once you start doing that how big at an error you may be. :smile: