Hard work not paying off

2

Replies

  • wizzybeth
    wizzybeth Posts: 3,578 Member
    @jlkcmk if you are craving pizza, try these. :) No real substitute for pizza, but sometimes when I want pizza or pasta, it's really the cheese and tomato I'm craving more than the crust or the spaghetti.

    http://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/recipes/a43638/mini-zucchini-pizzas-recipe/

    You will have to watch how much cheese you put on as that can pack on the calories pretty quickly. I sadly don't have nutrition info figured out for them. :/
  • Psychgrrl
    Psychgrrl Posts: 3,177 Member
    Try more lean protein and healthy fats and fiber to fill you up. For a treat I like a serving of red raspberries (140g) and some Oikos Greek Yogurt in Banana Cream! Yum-my!!! I also take my Quest salted caramel protein powder and make it with ice and unsweetened soy milk and no water and it's like ice cream--I need to eat it with a spoon. Coco Polo and Lily's have chocolate sweetened with stevia so it has all the chocolate with fewer calories.

    It's only been a week. Give yourself a chance to experiment and find what works for you. Don't cut out foods you live and don't eat food that doesn't appeal. It might lead to a binge.

    It takes time, but it's worth it because then you have life solutions. Be proud of yourself for committing and getting started and now seeking help to improve! We've all been there--that's why we're here for each other! It's a marathon, not a sprint. You can do this--REALLY! :smiley:
  • DeficitDuchess
    DeficitDuchess Posts: 3,099 Member
    edited May 2016
    You have to have a minimum of 1,200 calories & your husband a minimum of 1,500 calories (before exercise, for the both of you), otherwise your bodies'll cannibalize muscle including your hearts; which'll result in heart failure & either a need for transplants or death.
  • 105248
    105248 Posts: 4 Member
    YOU CAN BE HEALTHY BY EATING HEALTHY, IT IS A LIFESTYLE YOU CAN PASS TO YOUR CHILDREN.
  • jlkcmk
    jlkcmk Posts: 14 Member
    I just realized what your problem is and you're really hurting yourself bad and so is your husband. 1000 calories a day is unrealistic. You're starving yourself. What you are you're on a diet you're looking for instant gratification. It probably took you years to put on all that weight and now you're looking for some magic pill to lose it as fast as you can. With that mentality you're going to fail.

    My advice to you is plug in all your information into the mfp database to determine how many calories you need to eat. In the past five months I've dropped close to 60 pounds and I've eaten Pizza,beer and deep fried barbecued spare ribs. It's a simple matter of calories in calories out.

    When I read some of these posts and I heard your husband say pizza is a cheat it pisses me off. There's no such thing as a cheat food pizza is good. I love my pizza with sausage and pepperoni.

    Please don't look at this as a diet. You're on a diet right now at a thousand calories. You're torturing yourself you're making yourself miserable and you're eventually going to fail and so is your husband. You have to look at this as a lifestyle change educate yourself and use this app as an educational tool. I've enjoyed the past 5 months I can't say I've been miserable at all. I wish you much success

    1,000 cal/day may be too low but I'm certainty not looking for some magic pill to take the weight off. I have realistic goals and expectations and was just expressing the difficulty I was experiencing adjusting to the change that's all. I've lost 3lbs since last Sunday and I'm content with that. I am excited to get to my end result however there's no denying that :)
  • pdxwine
    pdxwine Posts: 389 Member
    I sure agree with the advice others are giving you.

    Your calorie intake is too low. You are setting yourself up for failure and for health issues.

    As for pizza - I now make my own. I use lavash (a flatbread) as the crust. Then top it with a little tomato paste, herbs, vegetable and whatever meat I have on hand. Then lightly sprinkle with Parmesan and bake at 425 for 7 minutes. Crispy flatbread pizza for less than 300 calories.

    Do not torure yourself. Do not decide some foods are good (the ones you don't really want) and others are bad (the foods you love and crave). You need to learn to incorporate things you love into your plan. I love good chocolate. I allow myself a small amount with my lunch and my dinner. It fits in to my daily calorie goal without sacrificing anything else.
  • Jen2133
    Jen2133 Posts: 95 Member
    It took me a whole year to lose 25lbs, and then I lost another 5lbs for a Figure competition. I'm 49 years old and only 5'3". I started at 143lbs, so I wasn't wildly overweight to begin with. My average daily calories are around 1400, with about 35-40% protein and have rarely felt hungry. I switched from doing only extended cardio to weight lifting and a few short sessions of cardio. The photo in my profile is from May 7th of this year!

    My plan may not be for everyone – you have to find what works for you. I agree with most of the advice folks are giving you in that you can lose weight as long as you follow the CICO protocol. However, you will feel better if those calories-in are from quality sources!

    Be patient and committed for the long-term and it will happen!
  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,179 Member
    jlkcmk wrote: »
    Well my husband considers it a cheat food lol we're both on a 1000 calorie/day plan. I was at my goal until I had the pizza which is mainly carbs and we're really trying to stay away from them. When I logged it into myfitnesspal it was over 1300 calories. :( definitely a big cheat lol

    1000 calories is too low for both of you. The point of changing your eating patterns with myfitnesspal is to develop habits which allow you to maintain after you reach your goal. Consuming 1000 calories a day is not a normal healthy habit for anyone. You can lose weight fast doing that, but it's the way of the yo-yo.
  • alylynn10
    alylynn10 Posts: 44 Member
    It's only been 3 weeks...losing weight and getting into a habit takes a bit. It's all a journey. Bump up your calorie intake though, 1,000 is too little. My best friend is the food scale, you can get a good one for cheap - check around.

    Also, like everyone else is saying, eat what you want, just measure and log it. Pay attention to serving sizes. Don't think of it as a diet, think of this as a healthier lifestyle.

    I eat what I want, I'm mindful, I measure, I log, I prepare a day in advance a majority of the time. Good luck, don't give up.
  • 12Sarah2015
    12Sarah2015 Posts: 1,117 Member
    Don't forget to have dairy and carbohydrates too. Oatmeal and milk fills me up
  • jlkcmk
    jlkcmk Posts: 14 Member
    I think everyone has their own opinion of what is good and bad when it comes to dieting. I personally think a slice of pepperoni pizza or a burger from McDonald's is bad. I'm not looking at just calories, I'm concerned with sodium, sugars, and carbs. Pizza may work for one person but for me personally, I'm choosing to cut it out as its what caused my weight gain. I'm 32 years old and started at 179lbs. I'm down to 169 by just cutting out sugars and complex carbs and it works for me. It may not work for someone else but that doesn't mean I'm wrong or looking for miracle pills as stated by another poster. :)
  • wizzybeth
    wizzybeth Posts: 3,578 Member
    If you love your diet then you wouldn't be calling it torturous. But whatevs. You know best. Cheers!
  • mickeygirliegirl
    mickeygirliegirl Posts: 302 Member
    I lost weight eating pizza and burgers,its overeating which caused your weight gain. thats what made me fat(overeating),. under eating is not healthy either,why go from one extreme to another? Im losing weight on 1700+ calories.I also eat sugar and carbs and whatever else. and I have been able to get off meds due to losing weight.what caused your loss was not what you cut out its a deficit and a too large of a one at that.But if you want to go down the path of destruction then thats your choice. once you start having no energy,hair loss,and other health issues you may change your tune.

    This right here!!!

    I am losing weight by controlling PORTION size and counting calories. Not by completely eliminating anything. I've lost 10.7 lbs in the past 25 days by counting calories. And you know what I have had during these 25 days? McDonald's. Pizza. Yes, I've had them both. But instead of having a large fry, I had a small. Instead of a double cheeseburger or Big Mac, I had a chicken sandwich. Instead of having 5-6 slices of pizza, I had 2.

    You are setting yourself up for failure by being so restrictive. Trust. Me. I've done the restrictive, only eating salad and fish and nothing else thing. Guess what happened? I gained all of my weight back because I didn't know a thing about portion control eating anything else, so when I went back to eating my favorites, I overate.
  • pdxwine
    pdxwine Posts: 389 Member
    Color me confused. First you said that you were upset that you have only lost 2 pounds. Then you stated that you lost 3 pounds. Now, in the post, below, you state 10 pounds. Which is it?

    jlkcmk wrote: »
    I think everyone has their own opinion of what is good and bad when it comes to dieting. I personally think a slice of pepperoni pizza or a burger from McDonald's is bad. I'm not looking at just calories, I'm concerned with sodium, sugars, and carbs. Pizza may work for one person but for me personally, I'm choosing to cut it out as its what caused my weight gain. I'm 32 years old and started at 179lbs. I'm down to 169 by just cutting out sugars and complex carbs and it works for me. It may not work for someone else but that doesn't mean I'm wrong or looking for miracle pills as stated by another poster. :)
  • jlkcmk
    jlkcmk Posts: 14 Member
    pdxwine wrote: »
    Color me confused. First you said that you were upset that you have only lost 2 pounds. Then you stated that you lost 3 pounds. Now, in the post, below, you state 10 pounds. Which is it?

    jlkcmk wrote: »
    I think everyone has their own opinion of what is good and bad when it comes to dieting. I personally think a slice of pepperoni pizza or a burger from McDonald's is bad. I'm not looking at just calories, I'm concerned with sodium, sugars, and carbs. Pizza may work for one person but for me personally, I'm choosing to cut it out as its what caused my weight gain. I'm 32 years old and started at 179lbs. I'm down to 169 by just cutting out sugars and complex carbs and it works for me. It may not work for someone else but that doesn't mean I'm wrong or looking for miracle pills as stated by another poster. :)

    Honestly yea, I am a little irritated by some of the responses I've gotten. The forum is called 'Motivation and Support' and so far I've been told I'm either 'looking for a miracle pill' or reasons why what I'm doing is wrong.
    To address the weight issue - I've lost 3lbs in a week, and 10lbs total since my annual physical with my doctor. I initially stated a 2lb loss because as of Thursday when I made the post I only lost 2lbs but from Sunday - Sunday I lost 3.
    I appreciate everyone's advice hence why I came on here but some of the comments do come off as rude. :(
  • jlkcmk
    jlkcmk Posts: 14 Member
    jlkcmk wrote: »
    pdxwine wrote: »
    Color me confused. First you said that you were upset that you have only lost 2 pounds. Then you stated that you lost 3 pounds. Now, in the post, below, you state 10 pounds. Which is it?

    jlkcmk wrote: »
    I think everyone has their own opinion of what is good and bad when it comes to dieting. I personally think a slice of pepperoni pizza or a burger from McDonald's is bad. I'm not looking at just calories, I'm concerned with sodium, sugars, and carbs. Pizza may work for one person but for me personally, I'm choosing to cut it out as its what caused my weight gain. I'm 32 years old and started at 179lbs. I'm down to 169 by just cutting out sugars and complex carbs and it works for me. It may not work for someone else but that doesn't mean I'm wrong or looking for miracle pills as stated by another poster. :)

    Honestly yea, I am a little irritated by some of the responses I've gotten. The forum is called 'Motivation and Support' and so far I've been told I'm either 'looking for a miracle pill' or reasons why what I'm doing is wrong.
    To address the weight issue - I've lost 3lbs in a week, and 10lbs total since my annual physical with my doctor. I initially stated a 2lb loss because as of Thursday when I made the post I only lost 2lbs but from Sunday - Sunday I lost 3.
    I appreciate everyone's advice hence why I came on here but some of the comments do come off as rude. :(

    Usually people get "rude" or "mean" when someone clings to an unhealthy idea and ignores the first few rounds of politely offered advice, or when they are asking about an idea so unbelievably dumb that the idea (not the person) deserves every bit of ridicule, scorn and derision that the entire internet can heap upon it (example: detoxes--those, those are inherently dumb).

    Don't confuse the progression of "you're eating too little" to "1000 calories is an actively harmful diet" to "wow, you really do want a quick fix" with personal attacks. Because if all you want is to get your results as quickly as possible, and damn the damage to your body, then yes: you value a quick fix over health.

    This isn't a personal attack, it's where you are based on what you've said. No one knows you enough to be personal, so don't take it personally. If you view any version of that as an attack, it's on you, not me.

    I did not take that as an attack at all. :) you were able to get your point across without being insulting. I very much appreciate constructive criticism, that's why I'm here but there were certain comments about "changing my tune" that were a little unexpected . I am new to this and do expect to make mistakes in the beginning lol
  • gmallan
    gmallan Posts: 2,099 Member
    jlkcmk wrote: »
    jlkcmk wrote: »
    pdxwine wrote: »
    Color me confused. First you said that you were upset that you have only lost 2 pounds. Then you stated that you lost 3 pounds. Now, in the post, below, you state 10 pounds. Which is it?

    jlkcmk wrote: »
    I think everyone has their own opinion of what is good and bad when it comes to dieting. I personally think a slice of pepperoni pizza or a burger from McDonald's is bad. I'm not looking at just calories, I'm concerned with sodium, sugars, and carbs. Pizza may work for one person but for me personally, I'm choosing to cut it out as its what caused my weight gain. I'm 32 years old and started at 179lbs. I'm down to 169 by just cutting out sugars and complex carbs and it works for me. It may not work for someone else but that doesn't mean I'm wrong or looking for miracle pills as stated by another poster. :)

    Honestly yea, I am a little irritated by some of the responses I've gotten. The forum is called 'Motivation and Support' and so far I've been told I'm either 'looking for a miracle pill' or reasons why what I'm doing is wrong.
    To address the weight issue - I've lost 3lbs in a week, and 10lbs total since my annual physical with my doctor. I initially stated a 2lb loss because as of Thursday when I made the post I only lost 2lbs but from Sunday - Sunday I lost 3.
    I appreciate everyone's advice hence why I came on here but some of the comments do come off as rude. :(

    Usually people get "rude" or "mean" when someone clings to an unhealthy idea and ignores the first few rounds of politely offered advice, or when they are asking about an idea so unbelievably dumb that the idea (not the person) deserves every bit of ridicule, scorn and derision that the entire internet can heap upon it (example: detoxes--those, those are inherently dumb).

    Don't confuse the progression of "you're eating too little" to "1000 calories is an actively harmful diet" to "wow, you really do want a quick fix" with personal attacks. Because if all you want is to get your results as quickly as possible, and damn the damage to your body, then yes: you value a quick fix over health.

    This isn't a personal attack, it's where you are based on what you've said. No one knows you enough to be personal, so don't take it personally. If you view any version of that as an attack, it's on you, not me.

    I did not take that as an attack at all. :) you were able to get your point across without being insulting. I very much appreciate constructive criticism, that's why I'm here but there were certain comments about "changing my tune" that were a little unexpected . I am new to this and do expect to make mistakes in the beginning lol

    Have you accepted that 1000 cals and only eating veggies and protein while simultaneously flogging yourself at the gym is a mistake?

    On the 1000 cal thing - this is too low for pretty much anyone other than the smallest most sedentary female. I also assume you're not eating back the calories you burn from exercise so that means that your net calories for the day are well below 1000. Your BMR (basal metabolic rate) is probably at least 1400-1600 (maybe more) - this is the amount of calories you'd burn in a day if you did absolutely nothing - so just what you need to keep your heart beating and breathing and essential bodily functions.

    Under eating in the long run is generally unsustainable as it can lead to binging or malnutrition. It's not good for your mental health. It can also lead to loss of lean body mass (muscle etc.) which is something you want to try hard to preserve while losing fat as you will look and feel much better if you do.

    All the people here want you to be successful and many started on a similar path to you before figuring out a more sustainable and enjoyable way to lose weight. The trick to long-term weight loss and maintenance of a healthy body weight is to find a way of eating that is enjoyable, sustainable and doesn't leave you starving all the time or induce cravings. You also need to figure out how to fit all types of food into your diet so that when you faced with a birthday dinner, work morning tea, party, Christmas, special event, desire to eat chocolate etc. it doesn't send you completely off the rails. Eating lots veggies and protein is great and a one of the main keys to my success but eating only veggies and protein isn't necessarily healthy either - you need fats in your diet, plus that would drive me mental. Build all your main meals around veggies and protein, some healthy fats and a small portion of starchy carbs (if you want) add in some treats and foods you enjoy from time to time to fill the gaps.

    Also 2lbs in a week for a female is fantastic and at the higher end of what you should aim for. You're probably retaining some water from the dramatic change in exercise program so this could be masking a greater loss. This will even out as you stick with the program and your body adjusts.
  • luluinca
    luluinca Posts: 2,899 Member
    Here are a couple of other reasons why 1000 calories is really not sustainable or particularly healthy.

    For one, you may lose 20 lbs or so and then reach a plateau, we all seem to at some point. We've lost weight and our bodies require even fewer calories now in order to lose. What will you do then, eat 800 calories per day? Would that scare you a little in regards to your general health as it's very dangerous for someone as tall as you and even someone considerably smaller? Or would you try to exercise more to get your body losing again? Do you think you'd have the energy to exercise more with that few calories?

    Here's another reason, and I see it all the time on my newsfeed, especially from women eating 1200 calories or less. It leads to binge eating. And then all your restrictions and adherence go out the window and you actually gain some of the weight back. It becomes a vicious cycle. I don't recommend it.

    It's much more sensible to eat enough to fuel your workouts so you can get stronger at the same time you're losing weight slowly. It's a way that seems to last for many of us who are on maintenance now.

    I actually was able to eat more as I lost weight because I fueled my exercise and was able to burn more and more calories as I got stronger. Just an idea!

    Good luck on your journey, whatever you decide.....and please stay healthy, that's the most important thing.