Not losing weight and very frustrated.
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Slow is not the same thing as stopped. Stopped would be, you would die. Meaning it's slower... weight will come off slower, you will have to be more strict, and you may need a lower calorie target than most people. (In fact, I'm assuming you will probably need a lower calorie target than most people.) But slow does not equal impossible.
Just eat healthy, stick with the weighing and logging, stay on top of meds (getting better ones/better dosages if possible) and see where you are in, say, 6 months. You definitely have a lot of things going on that will work against you, but the good news is that that is not the same thing as making it impossible. If you really do want this (and you don't have to want this, unless a doctor has given you a medical reason to lose), then you should be able to do it... just at your body's pace, not your ideal pace.0 -
Salad - Iceberg Salad. Lettuce,, 2 cups
Strawberries - Raw, 0.25 cup, halves
Walnuts - Walnut Pieces, 0.1875 cup (28g)
Bellino - Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 1.5 Tbsp (15ml)
Turkey - Ground, cooked, 1 patty (4 oz, raw) (yield after cooking)
for example ( copied out of your diary)
cups and spoons.
But its your journey OP
if you dont believe in the fact that too much calories slows you down or makes you gain...so be it
I agree that menopause and medication can slow your process down, or make it harder because you have more apetite or fluctuations etc.
But as proven here on the site it makes it NOT impossible to lose weight as long you eat less than you burn
Knowing how much calories you eat as accurate as possible is only by weighing all your solid foods.
good luck on your journey
i know you will achieve what you want. 0 -
a cheat day every week? bro bible rule of thumb is one meal per week or one day per month
MFP rule of thumb is don't do cheat meals/days and just incorporate the foods you enjoy into a sustainable daily/weekly calorie goal0 -
don't weigh on mondays if you cheat on sundays.
weigh on saturdays.0 -
TheOwlhouseDesigns wrote: »Just leave this small video link here for when you are interested in what the difference in calories can be when you weigh your food on a food scale or use cups
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVjWPclrWVY
Not losing weight is almost always when people their calorie intake is too high.
medication only can slow the weight loss down or makes you have more apetite etc.
But the medication itself never makes you gain weight.
the affects makes you eat that makes you gain weight.
Wow...thanks for this! I know the importance of measuring your food...but, until I watched this I didn't realize just how badly you could miscalculate by using spoons and scoops. Guess my kitchen scale will be getting much more use now!0 -
With all of the "consumer reports" data coming in, some of those weight loss drugs are a sham. In the 70's before ASFDA pounced on the wagon, tape worm eggs were found in some of them. Others, as well as vitamin supplements consist of fine ground sawdust, and other fillers. Seriously, Google this and check it out. Most of the diet drugs are loaded with caffeine as well.0
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Most posters on here haven't actually looked at your profile before giving advice. You are 64, and have many more strikes against you in the metabolism-affecting areas.
You will not be able to lose weight on 2000 cals.
You CAN lose weight, but you have to be 100% strict on weighing/measuring/tracking calories, and one 'cheat day' can negate your entire weeks calorie deficit, for someone with such a small deficit window. And you may have to be happy with 1 pound per month, even if you do everything perfectly. It sucks. But it is the hand you are dealt at this point. If you truly must lose more weight, you will have to make some sacrifices.
Talk to your doctor about cutting back or getting off the seroquil, if that truly does cause cravings and weight gain. Surely there is another med you can use instead.
When cutting your calories so low, make sure you get enough protein and healthy fats in your diet, and then if you have leftover calories for carbs, use them on fruits and veggies. Processed sugar and processed grains can make you crave more sugars, and you also retain extra water when you eat more carbs, so it throws off your scale weight from day to day. Many people also have had much less pain, fatigue, and moodiness when they drastically cut their processed carbs. You might even be able to get off mood meds altogether by changing your diet and adding in as much exercise as possible. Fibro patients have a LOT of success with lower pain and other symptoms by following Paleo-type food plans.
One other thing you can try, if you still have trouble staying within the 1200 limit, is Intermittent Fasting. You choose one or two days to eat at a very low level to create a deficit, then spread the rest of your weekly calories over the rest of the days. This helps a lot of people because they can 'diet' a couple of days a week and relax more the rest of the week. Look into 5:2 Intermittent Fasting to find more about it.
And before anyone comes in bashing my suggestions- these are for THIS ONE person, with the limitations that she has. It is not intended to be suggested for anyone else.
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DebbieLyn63 wrote: »Most posters on here haven't actually looked at your profile before giving advice. You are 64, and have many more strikes against you in the metabolism-affecting areas.
You will not be able to lose weight on 2000 cals.
You CAN lose weight, but you have to be 100% strict on weighing/measuring/tracking calories, and one 'cheat day' can negate your entire weeks calorie deficit, for someone with such a small deficit window. And you may have to be happy with 1 pound per month, even if you do everything perfectly. It sucks. But it is the hand you are dealt at this point. If you truly must lose more weight, you will have to make some sacrifices.
Talk to your doctor about cutting back or getting off the seroquil, if that truly does cause cravings and weight gain. Surely there is another med you can use instead.
When cutting your calories so low, make sure you get enough protein and healthy fats in your diet, and then if you have leftover calories for carbs, use them on fruits and veggies. Processed sugar and processed grains can make you crave more sugars, and you also retain extra water when you eat more carbs, so it throws off your scale weight from day to day. Many people also have had much less pain, fatigue, and moodiness when they drastically cut their processed carbs. You might even be able to get off mood meds altogether by changing your diet and adding in as much exercise as possible. Fibro patients have a LOT of success with lower pain and other symptoms by following Paleo-type food plans.
One other thing you can try, if you still have trouble staying within the 1200 limit, is Intermittent Fasting. You choose one or two days to eat at a very low level to create a deficit, then spread the rest of your weekly calories over the rest of the days. This helps a lot of people because they can 'diet' a couple of days a week and relax more the rest of the week. Look into 5:2 Intermittent Fasting to find more about it.
And before anyone comes in bashing my suggestions- these are for THIS ONE person, with the limitations that she has. It is not intended to be suggested for anyone else.
I like the idea of fasting one or two days a week. I think that's doable. I also watched the video and have to admit I'm guilty when it comes to measuring my oatmeal so will start leveling it off like I measure flour when baking. I'm also going to give up my cheat day and maybe just treat myself to something within reason so I don't go crazy.
As far as getting off the Seroquel. I've had a sleep disorder for over 20 years and 3 sleep studies (even went to Mayo). I don't get REM sleep. My doctor and I have gone thru pretty much every sleep drug on the market and this was our last ditch effort. One problem the Seroquel has caused me is RLS (Restless Leg Syndrome) where I feel the need to constantly move my legs while in bed. Even if I got out of bed I couldn't sit down in a chair. So he put me on another drug, Requip, to counter the effects of the RLS. It helped, but is just another drug being thrown at me. I just started seeing a new therapist who uses EMDR therapy. We're going to try and see if it will help with the sleep issues.
I'm also dealing with some major health issues. Broke my front tooth off in March while on vacation and had to get an implant which will end up costing me $7,000. I won't have a front tooth for probably another 6 months. I wear a flipper retainer. I have a tear in the retina of my right eye, a macular pucker in my left along with serious scarring and cataracts. The eye dr. said I could no longer drive at night.
I called my doctor about getting off the Seroquel and he said I was dealing with serious anxiety so increased my anti-anxiety drug at night, which I was trying to decrease.
I'm not trying to make excuses, but want to say I'm proud of myself that I've been eating fairly healthy the last 3 weeks in spite of all the stress, which normally would make me crave carbs.
Thanks for all the advice and feedback. It's appreciated.
Mary
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marymickaela wrote: »DebbieLyn63 wrote: »Most posters on here haven't actually looked at your profile before giving advice. You are 64, and have many more strikes against you in the metabolism-affecting areas.
You will not be able to lose weight on 2000 cals.
You CAN lose weight, but you have to be 100% strict on weighing/measuring/tracking calories, and one 'cheat day' can negate your entire weeks calorie deficit, for someone with such a small deficit window. And you may have to be happy with 1 pound per month, even if you do everything perfectly. It sucks. But it is the hand you are dealt at this point. If you truly must lose more weight, you will have to make some sacrifices.
Talk to your doctor about cutting back or getting off the seroquil, if that truly does cause cravings and weight gain. Surely there is another med you can use instead.
When cutting your calories so low, make sure you get enough protein and healthy fats in your diet, and then if you have leftover calories for carbs, use them on fruits and veggies. Processed sugar and processed grains can make you crave more sugars, and you also retain extra water when you eat more carbs, so it throws off your scale weight from day to day. Many people also have had much less pain, fatigue, and moodiness when they drastically cut their processed carbs. You might even be able to get off mood meds altogether by changing your diet and adding in as much exercise as possible. Fibro patients have a LOT of success with lower pain and other symptoms by following Paleo-type food plans.
One other thing you can try, if you still have trouble staying within the 1200 limit, is Intermittent Fasting. You choose one or two days to eat at a very low level to create a deficit, then spread the rest of your weekly calories over the rest of the days. This helps a lot of people because they can 'diet' a couple of days a week and relax more the rest of the week. Look into 5:2 Intermittent Fasting to find more about it.
And before anyone comes in bashing my suggestions- these are for THIS ONE person, with the limitations that she has. It is not intended to be suggested for anyone else.
I like the idea of fasting one or two days a week. I think that's doable. I also watched the video and have to admit I'm guilty when it comes to measuring my oatmeal so will start leveling it off like I measure flour when baking. I'm also going to give up my cheat day and maybe just treat myself to something within reason so I don't go crazy.
As far as getting off the Seroquel. I've had a sleep disorder for over 20 years and 3 sleep studies (even went to Mayo). I don't get REM sleep. My doctor and I have gone thru pretty much every sleep drug on the market and this was our last ditch effort. One problem the Seroquel has caused me is RLS (Restless Leg Syndrome) where I feel the need to constantly move my legs while in bed. Even if I got out of bed I couldn't sit down in a chair. So he put me on another drug, Requip, to counter the effects of the RLS. It helped, but is just another drug being thrown at me. I just started seeing a new therapist who uses EMDR therapy. We're going to try and see if it will help with the sleep issues.
I'm also dealing with some major health issues. Broke my front tooth off in March while on vacation and had to get an implant which will end up costing me $7,000. I won't have a front tooth for probably another 6 months. I wear a flipper retainer. I have a tear in the retina of my right eye, a macular pucker in my left along with serious scarring and cataracts. The eye dr. said I could no longer drive at night.
I called my doctor about getting off the Seroquel and he said I was dealing with serious anxiety so increased my anti-anxiety drug at night, which I was trying to decrease.
I'm not trying to make excuses, but want to say I'm proud of myself that I've been eating fairly healthy the last 3 weeks in spite of all the stress, which normally would make me crave carbs.
Thanks for all the advice and feedback. It's appreciated.
Mary
You say you don't go into REM sleep… Neither do I.
You also say you take anti-anxiety meds…Which one if you don't mind me asking. I ask because anxiety medications are the reason I don't go into REM. It is a side effect of some drugs.0 -
marymickaela wrote: »...Seroquel ....Slows metabolism...
NO. It does not.
Seroquel spikes AMPK which leads to hunger signals which leads to snacking/over-eating.
Your diary has a lot of...dubious...entries. If you're having trouble, the first thing to do is really tighten up your logging. No more "1/2 cup of pilaf rice at Red Lobster" type entries - or "1 1/2 cups green beans and almonds" (how much was almonds? that makes a huge difference, calorie total could be off by literally 3x).
If you can't weigh each ingredient yourself, don't eat it, until you fix the problem.
Basics first. Good luck! :drinker:0 -
FatFreeFrolic wrote: You say you don't go into REM sleep… Neither do I. You also say you take anti-anxiety meds…Which one if you don't mind me asking. I ask because anxiety medications are the reason I don't go into REM. It is a side effect of some drugs.
I take Klonopin. I was down to 2mg until all this anxiety started acting up. Now I take 1mg during the day and 3mg at bedtime. It does seem to be helping.0 -
marymickaela wrote: »FatFreeFrolic wrote: You say you don't go into REM sleep… Neither do I. You also say you take anti-anxiety meds…Which one if you don't mind me asking. I ask because anxiety medications are the reason I don't go into REM. It is a side effect of some drugs.
I take Klonopin. I was down to 2mg until all this anxiety started acting up. Now I take 1mg during the day and 3mg at bedtime. It does seem to be helping.
What about caffein? Are you taking any pain killers like Exerdrin that have caffein in them?0 -
marymickaela wrote: »...Seroquel ....Slows metabolism...
NO. It does not.
Seroquel spikes AMPK which leads to hunger signals which leads to snacking/over-eating.
Your diary has a lot of...dubious...entries. If you're having trouble, the first thing to do is really tighten up your logging. No more "1/2 cup of pilaf rice at Red Lobster" type entries - or "1 1/2 cups green beans and almonds" (how much was almonds? that makes a huge difference, calorie total could be off by literally 3x).
If you can't weigh each ingredient yourself, don't eat it, until you fix the problem.
Basics first. Good luck! :drinker:
Mr. Knight,
I'm sorry. Are you a medical doctor? I got my info from "Mental Health Daily", but there are numerous credible sites that state the same thing. I agree it does increase appetite and cravings for sugar and junk food, but slower metabolism is definitely one of the factors.
MENTAL HEALTH DAILY STATES: ◾Slows metabolism: Even if you maintained the same diet and exercise patterns pre-drug that you did while taking Seroquel, you’d probably still gain some weight. This is due to the fact that the drug slows your metabolism. The degree to which it slows is subject to individual variation, but explains why most people end up gaining weight.
Appetite increase and cravings for sugar and junk food is a major factor, I gained 18 lbs in 4 months. However, I started my diet 3 weeks ago and eliminated the sugar and junk food, I've started eating much healthier, (at least for the most part - I'm not perfect). But I've gained weight instead of losing.
As far as my logging. We took my daughter to Red Lobster for her birthday last Monday so i was just guessing at the rice and agree, it was dubious. But the green bean and almonds I took directly from the box, which I felt must be pretty accurate. Either way I'm still eating at a deficit everyday so why am I gaining weight.
The diet I'm on allows butter and olive oil and I think I've been using too much of those. I'm going to start using a low cal salad dressing which only has 70 cal for 2 TBLS versus 120 cal for 1 TBLS for olive oil. The diet doesn't allow this, but I think it might make a difference. If that's the only sugar I'm eating it's pretty insignificant.
I am going to try and be more accurate, but have improved my logging the last 3 weeks by 100%. It does help to get feedback to be more accountable.
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From your log I suspect sugar isn't nearly the problem that hidden fat is.
Logging is, unfortunately, not as simple as it sounds.
Doubly so if packaged/prepared foods are involved, and triply so if they're measured by volume (cups) instead of weight (scale).
But it is doable - good luck! :drinker:0 -
While all these factors you mention can certainly affect weight loss, bottom line is you need to ingest fewer calories that you spend in order to loose weight. Instead of looking elsewhere, focus on your calorie intake. If you outsource the problem, you also outsource the solution and make it impossible to achieve your goal. To loose weight on a 2000kcal/day diet, you have to be very young or an athlete... I found this book to be very helpful, good luck: http://www.amazon.com/Foodaholic-Seven-Stages-Permanent-Weight-ebook/dp/B005FT9HIM/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1432396917&sr=1-1&keywords=foodaholic0
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i see you quoting a lot of excuses. stop using them and start weighing your food.0
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I have found while on MP that everyone is different and people have to find what works for them. My daughter was on MFP for 86 days and she gained weight. For the last 2 weeks, she started losing after tweaking her calorie goal down a little more. I tend to lose weight in fits and starts. I went through about 3-4 weeks when the scale did not move. [I did have a small hormonal imbalance and once that got addressed I saw the scale move. So, consider checking in with your healthcare team.] However, I just stuck with the program.
In the end, it has all evened out and I am losing about 1.5+ pounds per week on average. I am definitely not losing as fast as some on MFP. I just figure that I am playing the long game and over time healthy eating and exercise will work.
Please be gentle with yourself and stick with this. Find MFP friends who are willing to support your efforts before giving you advice. [Although, this may constitute advice . . . LOL!!!]
Blessings,
Em aka BrownSheep0 -
If it were me, would look for a doctor who could recommend lifestyle changes that would replace the pharmaceuticals. This doctor could be hard to find, as there is far more incentive to prescribe that to be knowledgeable about and recommend lifestyle changes.
Also, doctors know that patients are far more likely to be compliant with taking a pill than lifestyle changes, so sometimes don't bother making these recommendations. I was delighted when I went to a doctor for pain meds for my back and she told me to do yoga. Even though I didn't get the quick fix I was seeking, I got a sustainable solution.
That said, my brother is mentally ill and his medication needs to be tweaked a lot. He finally found something that works for him and is doing so much better now. So you could work with your current doctor to find a combination with less side effects.
Have you tried melatonin for sleep? Works great for me, and no side effects. I actually haven't needed it lately. I've amped up the exercise and am falling asleep more easily.
I understand the exercise and fibro concerns. Have you tried yoga?0
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