Helppppppppp?!
cuhristalrena
Posts: 12 Member
So I have been on a two shake, one meal a day diet for almost three weeks now. I don't seem to be losing any weight, & I don't know if I'm even dieting right. As a personal preference, I've cut out eating meat & fish during the week, so for the most part I'm just eating veggies, salads, fruits, whole wheat bread steamable meals that are quick and simple to make. I stick to eating meat on the weekends. I have a protein shake for breakfast, a slim fast shake fot lunch & a healthy dinner or if I'm working late at work I will have a healthy lunch and a shake for dinner. Within the past week I started incorporating snacks (string cheese, nuts, fruits, applesauce) to hold me over til my next meal. I get very discouraged easily & I'm at a point in my diet where I don't know what to do & what to & what not to eat. Do I continue to stick with what I'm doing for a little longer ? Do I change my diet a bit ? Suggestions please & thank you ! XO
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Replies
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Many people get bloated with those shakes, which would mask weight loss. Moreover, the shakes are a gimmick. Put your stats in MFP, and eat food. You should be getting a considerable amount of protein everyday, so adding cheese and nuts is a good direction.0
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Have you been logging your calories and maintaining a deficit? You don't need to do a two shake, X amount of meals "diet" to lose weight. You need to consume less calories than you burn. Snacks like string cheese, nuts, and fruit really add up if they are not portioned properly (ideally weighed on a food scale) to fit your calorie goal to lose weight. You can also undo whatever deficit you have created during the weekend by over eating on the weekend.0
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arditarose wrote: »Have you been logging your calories and maintaining a deficit? You don't need to do a two shake, X amount of meals "diet" to lose weight. You need to consume less calories than you burn. Snacks like string cheese, nuts, and fruit really add up if they are not portioned properly (ideally weighed on a food scale) to fit your calorie goal to lose weight. You can also undo whatever deficit you have created during the weekend by over eating on the weekend.
I have been logging my calories & food intake. Some days I'm right where I need to be in calories, some days it says i'm eating too less.0 -
Give it more time, and if you have any doubt about your logging-tighten it up by using a food scale and checking to make sure you are logging all cooking oil, condiments, semi-solids, drinks, etc.0
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arditarose wrote: »Have you been logging your calories and maintaining a deficit? You don't need to do a two shake, X amount of meals "diet" to lose weight. You need to consume less calories than you burn. Snacks like string cheese, nuts, and fruit really add up if they are not portioned properly (ideally weighed on a food scale) to fit your calorie goal to lose weight. You can also undo whatever deficit you have created during the weekend by over eating on the weekend.
What would you suggest I do about breakfast ? Should I change from drinking protein shakes & fruit smoothies to having maybe oatmeal or yogurt? If I give up up the slimfast shakes, what would you say would be best for me to do the days I don't get off til 9 P.M? Eat a regular meal? I always get scared to eat since they say you shouldn't eat past 8.0 -
How are you calculating your calories? Are you weighing all of your food with a food scale?0
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cuhristalrena wrote: »arditarose wrote: »Have you been logging your calories and maintaining a deficit? You don't need to do a two shake, X amount of meals "diet" to lose weight. You need to consume less calories than you burn. Snacks like string cheese, nuts, and fruit really add up if they are not portioned properly (ideally weighed on a food scale) to fit your calorie goal to lose weight. You can also undo whatever deficit you have created during the weekend by over eating on the weekend.
What would you suggest I do about breakfast ? Should I change from drinking protein shakes & fruit smoothies to having maybe oatmeal or yogurt? If I give up up the slimfast shakes, what would you say would be best for me to do the days I don't get off til 9 P.M? Eat a regular meal? I always get scared to eat since they say you shouldn't eat past 8.
Not eating after a certain hour is nonsense.0 -
cuhristalrena wrote: »arditarose wrote: »Have you been logging your calories and maintaining a deficit? You don't need to do a two shake, X amount of meals "diet" to lose weight. You need to consume less calories than you burn. Snacks like string cheese, nuts, and fruit really add up if they are not portioned properly (ideally weighed on a food scale) to fit your calorie goal to lose weight. You can also undo whatever deficit you have created during the weekend by over eating on the weekend.
What would you suggest I do about breakfast ? Should I change from drinking protein shakes & fruit smoothies to having maybe oatmeal or yogurt? If I give up up the slimfast shakes, what would you say would be best for me to do the days I don't get off til 9 P.M? Eat a regular meal? I always get scared to eat since they say you shouldn't eat past 8.
If you are really asking me what's best...I believe a normal diet consisting of foods you enjoy, 80% whole nutrient dense foods, with room to moderate your favorite treats with remaining discretionary calories is best.
So to answer your question, I'd say eat what you like when you want. Just be sure of your portions. You may find you would like to moderate your diet as you go along. I would not eat oatmeal for breakfast, many people do though. It does not keep me full. You should find out what works best for you.0 -
cuhristalrena wrote: »arditarose wrote: »Have you been logging your calories and maintaining a deficit? You don't need to do a two shake, X amount of meals "diet" to lose weight. You need to consume less calories than you burn. Snacks like string cheese, nuts, and fruit really add up if they are not portioned properly (ideally weighed on a food scale) to fit your calorie goal to lose weight. You can also undo whatever deficit you have created during the weekend by over eating on the weekend.
What would you suggest I do about breakfast ? Should I change from drinking protein shakes & fruit smoothies to having maybe oatmeal or yogurt? If I give up up the slimfast shakes, what would you say would be best for me to do the days I don't get off til 9 P.M? Eat a regular meal? I always get scared to eat since they say you shouldn't eat past 8.
Not eating after a certain hour is nonsense.
Also this. Meal timing does not matter. If you are generally in a deficit, why would it matter when you eat?
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arditarose wrote: »cuhristalrena wrote: »arditarose wrote: »Have you been logging your calories and maintaining a deficit? You don't need to do a two shake, X amount of meals "diet" to lose weight. You need to consume less calories than you burn. Snacks like string cheese, nuts, and fruit really add up if they are not portioned properly (ideally weighed on a food scale) to fit your calorie goal to lose weight. You can also undo whatever deficit you have created during the weekend by over eating on the weekend.
What would you suggest I do about breakfast ? Should I change from drinking protein shakes & fruit smoothies to having maybe oatmeal or yogurt? If I give up up the slimfast shakes, what would you say would be best for me to do the days I don't get off til 9 P.M? Eat a regular meal? I always get scared to eat since they say you shouldn't eat past 8.
If you are really asking me what's best...I believe a normal diet consisting of foods you enjoy, 80% whole nutrient dense foods, with room to moderate your favorite treats with remaining discretionary calories is best.
So to answer your question, I'd say eat what you like when you want. Just be sure of your portions. You may find you would like to moderate your diet as you go along. I would not eat oatmeal for breakfast, many people do though. It does not keep me full. You should find out what works best for you.
Thank you0 -
I eat a fried egg on whole wheat toast with a thin slice of cheese every day. It keeps me full for 2-3 hours. I have five small meals a day. Try that approach maybe.0
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Personally I think slim fast shakes are not the way to go, unless you really enjoy them.
Can you have a boiled egg or two for breakfast and a piece of toast?
Or oatmeal?
Or have fat free Greek yogurt with a bananna and honey?
Are you eating too much sodium which makes you retain a lot of water?
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NaturalNancy wrote: »Personally I think slim fast shakes are not the way to go, unless you really enjoy them.
Can you have a boiled egg or two for breakfast and a piece of toast?
Or oatmeal?
Or have fat free Greek yogurt with a bananna and honey?
Are you eating too much sodium which makes you retain a lot of water?
That is something I could definitely try. Minus the banana, I'm allergic lol. Since my sodium goal is to stay under 2,300 a day, I usually stick to under that amount.0 -
spcmartinm wrote: »I eat a fried egg on whole wheat toast with a thin slice of cheese every day. It keeps me full for 2-3 hours. I have five small meals a day. Try that approach maybe.
Thank you0 -
Try different foods, log them and see what you like best and what keeps you satisfied the longest!
It may take a few times trying what works best for you, but you will figure it out!
:-)0 -
Eat more greens, protein and some healthy fat. So, for breakfast, you could eat 2 soft boiled eggs on a bed of steamed greens (think things like kale, broccoli, asparagus, spinach) and a small slice of avocado. Skip the whole wheat bread and I tend to agree that the shakes don't promote weight loss. More real whole foods is the way to go. Best of luck to you!0
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NaturalNancy wrote: »Try different foods, log them and see what you like best and what keeps you satisfied the longest!
It may take a few times trying what works best for you, but you will figure it out!
:-)
Thank you so much! (:
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marissavicario wrote: »Eat more greens, protein and some healthy fat. So, for breakfast, you could eat 2 soft boiled eggs on a bed of steamed greens (think things like kale, broccoli, asparagus, spinach) and a small slice of avocado. Skip the whole wheat bread and I tend to agree that the shakes don't promote weight loss. More real whole foods is the way to go. Best of luck to you!
Thanks so much for the advice!0 -
Do away with having shakes in the first place. Unless you're using shakes to help intake lean protein, you should just do calories in vs calories out and weigh and track everything. Shakes do nothing in teaching you about nutrition or eating in the real world - and by that, once you come off it. Just yourself a favour and get off those and do CICO.0
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I guess the reason why this is puzzling is that if you are eating at a deficit you should be losing weight. period. I agree with the above poster and think that you need to find something that is sustainable for the rest of your life. If shakes are sustainable 2x a day, then by all means...go for it.
Are you sure you are logging the total amount of calories in each shake? Keeping in mind the # of servings per container (which I think would be 1 serving). Maybe you should open your page and diary so we can take a look. Don't get discouraged. It takes time and patience.0 -
cuhristalrena wrote: »arditarose wrote: »Have you been logging your calories and maintaining a deficit? You don't need to do a two shake, X amount of meals "diet" to lose weight. You need to consume less calories than you burn. Snacks like string cheese, nuts, and fruit really add up if they are not portioned properly (ideally weighed on a food scale) to fit your calorie goal to lose weight. You can also undo whatever deficit you have created during the weekend by over eating on the weekend.
What would you suggest I do about breakfast ? Should I change from drinking protein shakes & fruit smoothies to having maybe oatmeal or yogurt? If I give up up the slimfast shakes, what would you say would be best for me to do the days I don't get off til 9 P.M? Eat a regular meal? I always get scared to eat since they say you shouldn't eat past 8.
Not eating after a certain hour is nonsense.
This!
As long as you are eating in a deficit you will lose weight. It's important to be eating enough of the right balance of foods. I have been incorporating 2 protein shakes/day into my meal plan for just over a week and have had great results. They are not replacing my meals but rather supplementing them. I am also eating other foods. My diary is open, feel free to take a look.
I would also suggest you take a moment to really think about your long term goals. I like to remind myself that I am not on a 'diet' but that I have made a lifestyle change that I need to be able to sustain.0 -
You've had some good suggestions. I would also say to get a food scale & weigh out your portions. Those nuts are high calorie & really add up fast.0
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Food... real, whole, nutrient dense food weighed and calculated. I, too, went down that Slim Fast road (among every other gimmick diet in the world) Discouraging to say the least! Eat foods that will fill you up within your calorie deficit and move, move, and move more! I have lost and gained back probably 10 people in my lifetime (58) and each time gained back a good amount more than I had lost.... I was so dumb! Now 3+ years in to this lifestyle of moving more, eating foods I love in the correct portions, logging correctly TaDa!! Do I get discouraged - Yep! Then I climb back on that bus and get going.....0
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There is a lot of great advice above. Let go of preconceived notions of losing weight, like that you are on a diet or that you can/can't eat certain foods, or that you must eat "healthy" - whatever that even means. Eat the foods you enjoy in reasonable portions by weighing on a food scale, stay within your calorie goals, and you will lose weight. Doing this will also likely be more sustainable for the long term than meal replacement shakes, which teach you nothing about portion control once you stop drinking them. That being said, if you like the shakes, there's nothing wrong with them either. Just be cognizant of your long terms goals and teaching yourself healthy, sustainable habits for that time when you have reached your weight loss goal and go into maintenance.0
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I just want to reiterate the comments of the posters above who remind you (and everyone else) that nuts and seeds are very calorie dense. Recently my colleague was eating delicious pumpkin seeds (I think) by the tablespoonful, and kept offering me some which I consistently declined. She asked why, and I told her to read the nutritional info - she discovered that according to the packaging, 1/3 of a cup of whatever it was she was eating had over 300 calories! She was blown away. A small portion (I think its 12) of almonds is generally over 100 calories, so if you are eating those foods in excess of those amounts, you may be eliminating whatever deficit you initially created.0
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I agree with those who say to eat what you like and fit it into your calorie goal. 2 shakes a day might be sustainable for you but that would be a sad way to live for me. My sister has a protien shake for breakfst and I think that sounds terrible, but she has a long commute to work so that works for her. So if you like the shakes then there is nothing wrong with having them, but if you are only drinking them because you think you need to then I wouldn't bother with them. I usually have a couple of boiled eggs and fruit or oatmeal for breakfast And of course coffee. Don't worry about the meal timing. Just look for foods that make you fill satisfied and fit in your goals. I mostly concentrate on protien, but different people have different foods they find the most filling. If you are not weighting and measuring everything then you really should. That is the best way to make sure that you are actually eating the number of calories you think you are. Hang in there. You can do this.0
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Just to add, you can boil eggs ahead of time and keep them in the fridge for about a week. I do that to save time in the morning. I haven't tried the overnight oats, but I know a lot of people do that too so I'm sure there are recipes or instructions in the forums about that. I'm all for making mornings as simple as possible.0
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