giving it a shot but feel out of water
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justsayinisall
Posts: 162 Member
Me: 47yr, 5'9", 197#. I've lost 48 pounds (since I've been keeping track). That 48 pounds has taken me about three years though so I know ALLLLL about slow and steady *sigh*.
Like most of us that end up here, I have had a battle with my weight since I was young. At age 15 I went on a 7 month long starvation diet and lost about 150#. 120#, upped my calories and started eating only one meal a day (usually a baked potato with sour cream). Ate one meal a day for about 12 years. Slowly put on weight (people say it's impossible but I did gain weight eating that way). Ended up around 180# Got married, started a business, most of my meals were eaten via drive through for 8 years....up to about 250#
My change started about 7 years ago, This has truly been a life style change for me. For a two week period, while awaiting a medical test, I thought I might have had liver cancer. Dr. Google suggested that best case scenario I had fatty liver disease. One ultrasound later and: non alcoholic fatty liver disease. Gave up all meat (except fish). I was a pescatarian for about 4 years. When I started that I did initially drop some weight. I dropped about 22# in 6 months. I was a good vegetarian too! I didn't eat doritos or anything like that, though I never weighed or measured my food. I made my own whole wheat bread, grew my own veggies, even made my own yogurt and peanut butter. I just wanted to know what I was eating. Buy organic whenever possible yadda yadda yadda. Slowly the weight started to come back on and I was back around 250'ish. 3 years ago there was another cancer scare, this time ovarian. I was SOOOO craving chicken. I thought what the hell, I'm going to die of cancer, I'm eating chicken! Well no cancer (yeah) and chicken has remained in my diet. Still don't eat red meat or pork. Oh and at same time I started doing some bike riding (5-10 miles 3 days a week), and also daily walking (had a dog).
3 years ago I ended up at MFP. I realized that I need help. I need to write down my calories. I need to measure. I am either in starvation mode or excess mode. I. DO. NOT. KNOW. HOW. TO. EAT! I mean I know what I should eat, and I do. I've been making healthier food choices for the last 7 years but the weight just keeps getting higher and higher. I also joined a gym almost 2 years ago and I weight lift (not free weights, too many back issues) and walk treadmill 3 days a week. On the days I'm not at the gym I am usually doing a bike ride, nothing crazy 5-10 miles. Weekends are pretty active for me. A few times a month the husband and I do a long bike ride, 15-25 miles.
If you've gotten this far, thanks! I appreciate it. I really need help. So 7 months ago I bought the withings scale, pulled out my food scale, and really got serious. I did a little reading here and found scooby and ended up eating TDEE-20%. I only did that though for one month. Then I switched to MFP numbers and started keeping track of my exercise. I ate back half my calories. Lost 20# in 5 months. I've been pretty much stalled since July. I am fluctuating between 197#-199# since then. In frustration I lowered my calories. Eating 1300-1600 per day resulting in nothing. Then I would not track for the weekend (never going crazy eating. just having popcorn at the movies etc). Knowing I was "doing what I normally do". I came back here. I KNOW that eating less is not the answer. I went back to scooby, found my TDEE (2485 is my number), and upped my calories to around 1950 per day. I've did that for 3 days and upped, for the last two days, to a little over 2000.
So that's where I am at. Slowly upping my calories. I know I want to get to my TDEE number and maintain that for a bit....right?? lol Do I need to buy an activity tracker? Ugh. I just don't know what to do from here. I am determined to do this. My approach, for the last 7 years has been to eat healthy and be active. If the weight comes off, great. If not, that's ok. But I am tired of being fat. I've been fat my whole life. I am doing the work. I am at the gym religiously, I am bike riding and walking. I am eating healthy. WHY am I still fat??-Melissa
Like most of us that end up here, I have had a battle with my weight since I was young. At age 15 I went on a 7 month long starvation diet and lost about 150#. 120#, upped my calories and started eating only one meal a day (usually a baked potato with sour cream). Ate one meal a day for about 12 years. Slowly put on weight (people say it's impossible but I did gain weight eating that way). Ended up around 180# Got married, started a business, most of my meals were eaten via drive through for 8 years....up to about 250#
My change started about 7 years ago, This has truly been a life style change for me. For a two week period, while awaiting a medical test, I thought I might have had liver cancer. Dr. Google suggested that best case scenario I had fatty liver disease. One ultrasound later and: non alcoholic fatty liver disease. Gave up all meat (except fish). I was a pescatarian for about 4 years. When I started that I did initially drop some weight. I dropped about 22# in 6 months. I was a good vegetarian too! I didn't eat doritos or anything like that, though I never weighed or measured my food. I made my own whole wheat bread, grew my own veggies, even made my own yogurt and peanut butter. I just wanted to know what I was eating. Buy organic whenever possible yadda yadda yadda. Slowly the weight started to come back on and I was back around 250'ish. 3 years ago there was another cancer scare, this time ovarian. I was SOOOO craving chicken. I thought what the hell, I'm going to die of cancer, I'm eating chicken! Well no cancer (yeah) and chicken has remained in my diet. Still don't eat red meat or pork. Oh and at same time I started doing some bike riding (5-10 miles 3 days a week), and also daily walking (had a dog).
3 years ago I ended up at MFP. I realized that I need help. I need to write down my calories. I need to measure. I am either in starvation mode or excess mode. I. DO. NOT. KNOW. HOW. TO. EAT! I mean I know what I should eat, and I do. I've been making healthier food choices for the last 7 years but the weight just keeps getting higher and higher. I also joined a gym almost 2 years ago and I weight lift (not free weights, too many back issues) and walk treadmill 3 days a week. On the days I'm not at the gym I am usually doing a bike ride, nothing crazy 5-10 miles. Weekends are pretty active for me. A few times a month the husband and I do a long bike ride, 15-25 miles.
If you've gotten this far, thanks! I appreciate it. I really need help. So 7 months ago I bought the withings scale, pulled out my food scale, and really got serious. I did a little reading here and found scooby and ended up eating TDEE-20%. I only did that though for one month. Then I switched to MFP numbers and started keeping track of my exercise. I ate back half my calories. Lost 20# in 5 months. I've been pretty much stalled since July. I am fluctuating between 197#-199# since then. In frustration I lowered my calories. Eating 1300-1600 per day resulting in nothing. Then I would not track for the weekend (never going crazy eating. just having popcorn at the movies etc). Knowing I was "doing what I normally do". I came back here. I KNOW that eating less is not the answer. I went back to scooby, found my TDEE (2485 is my number), and upped my calories to around 1950 per day. I've did that for 3 days and upped, for the last two days, to a little over 2000.
So that's where I am at. Slowly upping my calories. I know I want to get to my TDEE number and maintain that for a bit....right?? lol Do I need to buy an activity tracker? Ugh. I just don't know what to do from here. I am determined to do this. My approach, for the last 7 years has been to eat healthy and be active. If the weight comes off, great. If not, that's ok. But I am tired of being fat. I've been fat my whole life. I am doing the work. I am at the gym religiously, I am bike riding and walking. I am eating healthy. WHY am I still fat??-Melissa
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So while on my walk (3miles) I realized how harsh I sound about myself. I wanted to come back and clarify something. I call myself "fat" because that is the tape that has been with me my entire life. I default to that. I am trying to overcome that. I work every day to not beat up on myself. It, too, is a process. I do carry around more weight than I want. I feel with the amount of work that I do put in, I should be seeing more results. That is why I came to you. My goals are realistic; I'd like to get down to 175#-180# I am looking forward to the time when I can eat at a little excess and build some muscle!0
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That sounds like a low TDEE estimate for your height/weight and being at the gym that regular, and daily life.
Slow and steady is best, unless that's what the body resorts to because the attempt is actually fast and extreme - which sounds like it was for decent amount of time.
In which case slow and steady is more a result of stress on the body - and that eventually turns in to what you have seen - no loss.
Suggest slowing getting on up to TDEE level for awhile and testing it out. See just how far below potential you really are.
Read through many of the threads on here - lots of encouragement and good advice.0 -
Thanks for the response. Ok I'm in for this new adventure. I've tried it the other way so many times, with it never working for long, that I'm ready for this!
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Just going to report in. I loved reading other peoples experiences!
Last week my average calories were around 1789 weight around 198. I wasn't religious about food (weekends I wouldn't track) or weight tracking (I'd see a high number and jump off before it registered lol)
Week 1 average calories 2040 starting weight/finishing weight 197.9 vs 197.1
So 2040=197.9/197.1
Surprised to see it going down. I was expecting to see an increase. Yeah I know that it's all just basically fluids etc but surprised none the less lol.
Activity level was the same as all weeks. I do have a bodymedia fit that I don't use. I really don't like the arm band because it shows in ALL my shirts. Thinking about getting a wrist monitor but not sure it's needed?0 -
Depends if it would increase your motivation to move more.
And if average type daily life - it can have better estimate of TDEE.0 -
week 1
average calories 2040 starting weight/finishing weight 197.9 vs 197.1
2040=197.9/197.1
week 2
average calories 2090 starting weight 197.1 finishing weight 195.7
2090= 197.1/195.7
I was aiming to get higher average calories but I had one day that I only ate 1794 calories. I'm still trying to find my way. I tend to eat lighter for breakfast and lunch, as I prefer a bigger dinner and then a nightly snack of some sort. And breakfast not always first thing on my mind either. I don't want to spend too many calories earlier in the day. Well I never thought I would be to full to eat my after dinner snack lol.
Exercise was actually 1 day less at the gym.
Even though I didn't get my calories as high as I wanted, I'm sitting here shocked that I see a loss. I was eating 1500-1800 calories a day for a LONG time and was seeing no movement.
I feel like I'm on the edge of understanding. I can't believe how badly I've treated my body. In cutting calories and trying to lose weight, I thought I was doing a good thing. Guess not so much.
I read the following on the Eat To Perform and actually cried because it hit the nail on the head and started to shed light on "the struggle":
I’m willing to bet you’re not exactly a sedentary person though – you probably exercise several times a week at a pretty high intensity. You probably eat clean and work diligently to avoid junk food, and you’re probably in better shape than you used to be – your set point is slightly lower than when you were a bump on a log. Why can’t you seem to lose fat then? Unfortunately, the very thing that everyone tells you to do to lean out is inhibiting your progress. “The Wall” is different for you.
Your wall has been erected in response to chronic undereating combined with excessive physical activity. Months or even years of eating too few Calories – whether intentional or not – and pushing harder and harder in the gym have elicited adaptations that will prevent you from losing fat. Your body fat set point is lower than most people, but you’re not like most people – you expect more from yourself and that’s why you’re reading this article.
From there I came back here and read and read. Thank you to everyone that contributes to this small section of MFP. What I don't get is why the heck are there not more people here??!?!?! Aaannnnnddddd why the heck don't doctors know about this stuff??!?!? My doctor gave me the "eat 1200" calories advice *rolling my eyes*0 -
Because your normal Dr only had to take 1 course in nutrition, and even that was likely outdated info.
Combined with they don't think its serious enough focus to recommend you to see a dietician/nutritionist (which ever is schooled in your country, not merely certified). And sadly even there they could have taken courses that were outdated at the time and not kept up with current research.
But like if your family physician kept trying to fix your nagging foot problem that is not clearly diagnosed - would you become suspect as to why they aren't recommending you to a podiatrist?
Or if they thought you had skin cancer and wanted to watch it themselves at your next annual checkup - red flags all around.
Some Dr's out of personal interest or business focus may be specific on weight loss - most aren't.
Good job on unstressing your body - likely lost some stress water weight.
Just to keep perspective though - you do have to cut calories to lose weight, and that weight may be hard on your body, heart, joints, ect.
But the idea is cut from what you burn, not from some arbitrarly value or start at the low end and never make your way up.
1200 is unreasonable for big majority of women.0 -
I can relate...I feel like I am on the edge of understanding too. Like I have been walking on ground that I thought WAS at sea level, only to have come to the edge of a massive cliff and I can see the big picture now. I was never going to make it to the sea travelling along up here - I see that now, and the way down to the sea is so different from what I thought I knew.
The weight loss industry has a lot to answer for. The fact that all of this stuff that we are learning now is largely hidden by the industry should be a massive concern. The fact that it is even an industry is a problem.
Keep going. Keep learning. I'm resetting, playing with calories. I'm going into week 5 having increased my daily calorie intake by over 1000, have put on about 3lbs and my gains have stabilised. I still find it incredible - 6 weeks ago I would have put on 3lbs for having a "cheat day" - which would have been a day with the amount of calories I am now eating EVERY day. Oh, and gains no longer completely freak me out.
The healing is in your mind too. Keep going
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Have you gone through the older posts here? It is a little quite right now, but it does get busy at times. There is also the website with forums.
I started eating more in June, found my TDEE using a Charge HR data. I was so tried of 1200 to 1300 calories and had to do something when I found this group. I now aim for a cut based on each week's TDEE now. While I didn't lose weigh over the summer, I didn't gain much either with the increase, put on 6 lbs. lost half of that so far, started my cut in Sept. I have lost inches around my waist, which is the last place I ever loss from, hips, thighs, etc., I am now between 12s and 10's. 12s too big really but 10s not comfortable enough to go out in yet. I am so very happy with those changes, that the strength gains I made this summer are just a big bonus. I also can approach my food with a much better mindset. I don't depend only on the scale for only feedback now. The tape measure and clothes sizes will let you know if you are really changing your body. I am setting some fitness goals now, not weight loss goals, it is a very freeing feeling.
I do suggest that you get enough protein and fats, eating mostly vegetarian can result in too little protein if you are not careful with that macro. Fat is not the enemy, it helps you burn the stored fat.
Good luck on your Journey.0 -
week 1
average calories 2040 starting weight 197.9 finishing weight 197.1
2040=197.9/197.1
week 2
average calories 2090 starting weight 197.1 finishing weight 195.7
2090= 197.1/195.7
week 3
average calories 2290 starting weight 195.7 finishing weight 197.4
2290= 195.7/197.4
So three solid weeks in and weight 197.9, 197.1, 195.7, 197.4 I've increased my daily calories by about 600-700 per day and the weight is stable.
Activity level is slightly increased this week with 3 days at the gym (weight machines, 30 min treadmill), and 1 20 mile bike ride. Oh and a 2 hour kayaking trip, leisure paddle.
I'm finding that there are days I am hungrier than when I was eating 1500 calories per day.
My plan is to get an average daily calorie of 2400-2500 and see what happens. I know I'm looking for that spot where I start to gain a little weight. I thought that would be this week. I had fried food and a piece of pie for gosh sakes. I let loose a little on the "eating healthy" for convenience (McDonalds fish, Wendy's grilled chicken, Don Pablo's plate of nummyness) as my husband and I are out and about all weekend.
In looking at the diary I do see that I need to start eating more in the mornings and at lunch. Dinners are getting to be too much food where I don't feel like eating my snack, which has increased in calories, and I need the snack to meet the daily calories.
Just to keep perspective though - you do have to cut calories to lose weight, and that weight may be hard on your body, heart, joints, ect.
But the idea is cut from what you burn, not from some arbitrarly value or start at the low end and never make your way up.
1200 is unreasonable for big majority of women.
THIS is what I'm starting to really understand! I think I ended up eating so few calories because when I would eat 2000 one day by eating out or even add a few pieces of bread to my lunch, I would gain 3 pounds overnight. It would take me 4 days to go back down. So I actually thought that I COULDN'T eat like a "normal person" without gaining weight. Then the weight would stall and I'd go lower. Eventually the weight would creep back on eating the lower calories (like Firefly said above). Ugh what a vicious cycle. THAT is what I'm trying to change. I know that I need to cut calories eventually, and that I need to lose some more weight but I'm going to do this the right way for the first time in my life!
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Also keep the math in mind, even in current testing - because fat is not fast - lost or gained.
As you proved to yourself eating 2000 one day. It was the extra sodium that almost likely occurred merely eating more.
If you ate 250 calories daily over true TDEE, it would take 2 weeks to slowly gain 1 lb.
And that's with valid weigh-in's on both ends of those 2 weeks.
So still increasing calories and body is adjusting - you are not near testing phase yet.
Need stable weight for probably a good month as a woman to then test.
Because your BMR literally does change through the month.0 -
Week 4
Average calories 2450 starting weight 197.4 finishing weight 198.9
Not really thinking much about the finishing number. All week it's been moving 196.5 to 198.9. Activity level is meh, just three days at the gym. Busy time at work so we are on mandatory overtime.
I'm still not eating enough during the day, leaving too many calories that need to be consumed in the evening. I end up turning to sugary things to fill the void, like last night I didn't have my usual banana on hand so I reached for chocolate. I know that it's ok to have chocolate and sugar, but for me I end up craving sugar if I eat it too much. Craving leads to binge eating it lol. I don't want to go there! Some days I have to work through my lunch, that's why lunch is not as higher calorie as it should be.
So according to Scooby I am right around my TDEE (2480 with 3-5 hours of moderate exercise). I'm going to up my calories a little 2500-2600.
I see a Fitbit Charge HR in my future. With all the shopping deals coming down the pike maybe I can find a good deal on one. I know my Body Media Fit works great, but I just don't want to wear something on my arm that shows all the time. I think something on the wrist will work better for me.
I really don't notice any of the "good" changes that I hear people mention; I'm not sleeping better and I don't have more energy at the gym. It's ok, I know it's not about that but just putting it out there. I DO notice I'm hungrier more now than I was when I was eating 1500 a day (that started last week). Come to think of it I think my stomach used to never growl when I was eating really low calories. Now? Man it lets me know that I need to eat...and it's loud! lol
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I found the other benefits took about 2 months to notice - you'll have to wait for your hair and nails to grow stronger, for example. For the first few weeks of increasing my calories I felt terrible but it did get better!
Stick with it, it'll be worth it 0 -
Week 5
Average calories 2510 starting weight 198.9 finishing weight 199.7
Recap:
week 1
average calories 2040 starting weight 197.9 finishing weight 197.1
2040=197.9/197.1
week 2
average calories 2090 starting weight 197.1 finishing weight 195.7
2090= 197.1/195.7
week 3
average calories 2290 starting weight 195.7 finishing weight 197.4
2290= 195.7/197.4
Week 4
Average calories 2450 starting weight 197.4 finishing weight 198.9
Week 5
Average calories 2510 starting weight 198.9 finishing weight 199.7
Thursday and Friday calories are estimates on quantity. I did not weigh or measure my food.
I did get a Fitbit Charge HR and have been wearing it.
My plan is to ignore it for awhile. I'm going to keep my calories 2500-2600 for the week, recover from turkey day. Get back to weighing and measuring. Two days off was enough lol. We will see what happens.
I'm enjoying the "extra" food. I'm surprised that the scale has not moved more, in the upward direction!0 -
The Charge HR will get more accurate for aerobic exercise burn estimates after a normal week or two of workouts.
For daily life and step-based calorie burn - just recommend if you can test walking a known distance and confirm Fitbit thought you did that same distance.0 -
I plan to do that my next walk (the non treadmill kind). I know that it's giving me too many steps already. I notice that it's giving me steps during the night. Now I know I'm a really restless sleeper, and I AM up to the bathroom, but I'm pretty sure the 10 steps to the bathroom does not equal 100 steps on Fitbit lol.
I'll mosey on over to the Fitbit group and check it out.
Remember how I said I wasn't feeling any different? I think I'm going to take that back. I just have a feeling of "all is ok with the world". I'm almost calmer if that makes sense. I feel stronger, even though I've only increased my weights by a 5-10 pounds (curling 85#'s, go me!)
Whatever is happening, I'm liking.0 -
Week 6
Average calories 2442 starting weight 199.7 finishing weight 199.7
I've seen over 200 on the scale this week. It's on, it's off.
Wasn't able to get my calories where I wanted. Plus yesterday eating out. Eating out is hard to get the calories right. I try to over estimate. Less active this week because of all the overtime.
I still need to work at increasing my calories with "good" calories...yes, I'm looking at you nommy chocolate cake. Eating on the healthier side for so many years I'm just not sure how to go about that without eating cake and chocolate lol.
Family visiting next week so I see even more calories and less gyming. We shall see what happens. Not worried. I am getting into this non diet. I started this having two modes for food; eating in a deficit or tossing it all to the wind and eating almost binge like.
I think, for the first time in my life, I am starting to understand; "every thing in moderation". I'd hear some skinny person say that and I would roll my eyes. They didn't understand! They wouldn't gain 4 pounds overnight by going out to eating and having normal meal.
So the plan is just to try to get my calories to 2600 or so. Overtime is ending mid week. Vacation is starting. We shall see what happens. Eventually I'll go to diet mode again, get these last 20 or so pounds off. At this rate, that's probably going to be a few months yet.
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Don't feel pressured or stressed trying to get calories higher on weeks you know are less active.
Big life lesson - learning eat appropriately for level of activity.
Great work so far.
For ideas on adding more calories in case not done yet - have you replaced non or low fat items with full fat versions?
Enjoy veggies raw - enjoy more with some ranch dip perhaps? Or apples with caramel dip, or bananas with peanut butter?0 -
You are getting the mental game down pat. Good for you.
Chocolate cake may not be the answer. But a piece or two of dark chocolate (72%+) savored probably would be worth trying. Try some dried fruits and nuts in your salads as well.
You're doing well, keep it up.0 -
Hey there and welcome! I have played with this lifestyle myself for about a year and a half and I did the exact same thing you did...got serious then got un-serious, used it as an excuse to eat every thing in sight! I didn't up my calories slowly (because I didn't read carefully through all of the stickies and jumped right into it) and I gained back the 20 lbs that it took me 2 years to lose eating/netting 1000 or less/day. I said all that to let you know you are NOT the only one to struggle with this at first. And I'll be honest, I have re-read the Starter Kit several times as just a refresher and sometimes for clarification that I'm doing the right thing. I ruined my metabolism so severely, that I've been at this seriously since January and my body is JUST NOW responding the way it should. So there really is not time limit anyone can put on how long a reset takes.
If you haven't yet, go to their website and read the forums there, it's also very helpful.
Also, the hungry feeling you were/are having is normal and expected...at least I experienced that as did most people who posted on here as well. I use peanut butter to help me reach my calorie goals. Like, I will literally get a spoon and just eat a couple or how many it takes to get me there. Also, greek yogurt is another good one.
Hope this helps! Good luck and stay the course! It's SO worth it!!!0
