A Little disappointed-What could I do better?

Dean: a week's weight loss is not worth injuring your foot enough to impair months of progress. It really, really, really isn't. I have a bad tennis elbow injury that has been bothering me for almost 8 months now. I REALLY want to start playing badminton 2x a week. I love it, PLUS it is an amazing cardio workout. But it leaves me in pain for 2 days and if I play, I know I will be delaying my recovery for months. So I stay far away (and watch my DH and son go off to play every week ).

I'd also like to add the strength training everyone here raves about. But even using 1lb dumbbells for 5 mins will wreck my elbow for 1-2 days. So I've put those aside as well. It's not a frightfully painful injury - but I know if I don't start taking care of it, it is going to affect so many of the things I want to do.

Don't mess up your feet - go see your doctor/therapist and follow instructions. You can lose weight with just a calorie deficit alone, and given your current injury, it will likely be healthier (even if it is a bit slower) in the long run. Patience is the name of the game here.

And the 4.5 lbs wasn't "real" weight - it was all the extra sodium causing you to retain more water. You'd likely have seen the loss even without the extra workouts.

As for the huge meal, I get it - I really do. I struggle when i eat a big meal at a restaurant because my mind starts seeing the big red numbers on MFP. That said, if this is my life for the rest of my life (and not just a crash diet), I must have a way to deal with these types of social situations.

I do what other MFP'ers have recommended - count my weekly net calories. So my daily numbers are not my focus. I typically have a social meal 1-2 times a week where I will eat about double the calories I normally do (and no scale, no nutrition info - just guesstimating). So I bank calories for a day or two beforehand, eat very lightly during the day(stuff I find filling like plain chickpeas or plain hard boiled eggs are my faves). I also make sure I get my workouts in, maybe even an extra workout or two. 9 times out of 10, I can fit everything into my weekly net calories.

I also pay more attention to my trending average weight than my day to day fluctuations. I tend to yo-yo around the same numbers for about a week and then drop 1 lb or so suddenly in a day. I adjust my plans every 2-3 weeks based on what my weight graphs tell me. I've noticed it takes about a 1-2 weeks for any diet changes to affect my average weight (although I've only been at this for 7 weeks so still early days for me to tell yet).

chief3202 wrote: »

Hello everyone!

Today's weigh in showed that I gained a pound and I can explain why.

My wife wanted to have a romantic valentines day and we made reservations at McCormick and Schmick's. I was not allowed to take my scale with me (lol), and no accurate nutrition information was posted online. The waitress was dumbfounded. Not one employee could provide me with nutrition information about the food, except that "there is a lot of calories" in everything we serve.

My wife is very skinny and tall with a beautiful physique. She supports my diet project, but she is is like the devil making me take the apple. (lol) I ordered tilapia fish and lobster bisque soup. I took the first bite, and I could taste the grease. I knew in my mind that the calories were coming back and I felt uncomfortable. Of course I ate the entire meal, but who wouldn't for just spending $125 on a meal. We enjoyed ourselves and I stuck to drinking water instead of alcohol.

The following Monday, I weighed myself and found that I had gained 4.5 pounds. I was completely shocked and disappointed in myself for gaining that much weight within 2 days. I made a commitment and focused on going to the gym everyday this week and increased my workouts. It was very difficult for me with an injured foot, but I stuck to it bringing my weight back to 267.7. I am satisfied with today's weigh in, but it cost me a doctor's visit because my foot severely flared up to the point where I can hardly walk.

Have a great day everyone!
Dean

Chances are, that weight gain is water weight, not fat. You changed your eating habits for one evening, and probably ended up with a lot more sodium than you normally get, so your body was retaining water. Next time it happens, simply go back to your normal routine instead of adding a bunch of extra exercise. It'll even out and you hopefully won't have a flareup. ^_^

Hi everyone. I've been reading the posts here and also share the same frustration. I have had a roller coaster kind of experience with my fitness goals and results.

Even to the point of even wanting to give up sometimes. I am self-taught (weight lifting, nutrition, etc) and I can't afford to shell out a ton of money on a personal trainer. I have made some strength gains but I am still not where I want to be physically.

I decided to start my own youtube channel in order to really hold myself accountable. The biggest issue has always been the nutrition. If you guys would like to support or even give some feedback or ideas I would really appreciate it. Even though I have been "working out" since about 2012 I feel like I am starting from square one.

www.youtube.com/attribution_link?a=-jhehwwkly8

Hi Dean, remember weight loss really begins in the kitchen, please don't injure yourself further in a desperate attempt to damage control, it isn't worth it and it's what you eat that mainly causes weight loss in a calorie deficit. As long as you have a deficit, you will lose and right now, you need to concentrate on resting your foot. Put that meal behind you, it's what we do consistently that makes the difference, not the odd calorie splurge. It's early in your journey, go with the calories MFP calculates, rest your foot and heal and stick with it. As long as you have your calorie deficit, the weight will and IS coming off, be patient! Best of luck!

chief3202 wrote: »

I went to the Doctors today and she told me to lighten up on the cardio workouts, stay off my foot for a week and prescribed an anti- inflammatory.

Can anyone recommend exercises that I can do that does not require too much weight on my foot? Is there a website that can show me the proper exercise techniques? Could I decrease my calorie intake from 1500 to 1200 to help with weight loss to substitute for the workout burn calories?

Within 8 weeks, my weight went from 291 to 267 and the 1500 calorie intake seemed to work for me, along with burning on an average of 500 calories per cardio workout.

I think I am doing fairly well and I do not want to gain weight back from being inactive because of my foot.

Any input is appreciated..
Thanks, Dean

You won't gain weight on your calories. You just might not lose as much for one week. But can you get to a pool? That would be fun while your foot heals.

You could also try some floor work online, like Pilates or even a ballet thing called 'floor barre'. It's all tough enough and darned fun (I think), and I use it when my bad toes act up. There are also some yoga moves, but most practices won't be divided up into floor vs standing. Some might, so Google

Congratulations! Great job.

chief3202 wrote: »

I am looking for opinions regarding me adjusting my calorie intake? Should I go back to 1500 or continue with 1200 since I cannot perform my routine exercising? I wear down when I am 20 minutes into the workouts, but other then that, I feel fine during the day.

When you plugged all your stats in to MFP when you joined, did you select your activity level as 'sedentary'? if so, the 1500 you were given has already taken in to account your lack of exercise, you don't need to lower it any further.

Have you signed up for your gallbladder surgery yet?

You are obviously losing weight by exercising to injury and (in your words as a recall) by choosing ways of eating you don't think are long term sustainable.

In the summer when you are 220lb and you go on your vacation/marriage/re-union/BIG EVENT that precipitated this weight loss... what are you planning to do about your eating and exercise?

When your lack of practice at your new way of eating results in a weight increase you don't expect... what skills have you learned that are going to stop you from giving up because things are not working, life sucks, and the big event is long gone?

You current approach reminds me of all the people who do quick diets to get quick results.

Stick with 1500.

Do you have access to a gym? (I haven't read every post thoroughly). I'm thinking a rowing machine would be great cardio without so much pressure on the feet. You do push with your legs, so I'm not sure whether it would bother your feet. If I were in your shoes, I would give it a shot.