Stalled after just 2 weeks. HELP

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Replies

  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    PamWOhio wrote: »
    I guess since I lost 10lbs in the first 2 weeks it was weird to totally stall for Sun thru Wednesday. I am new to all of this so learning as much as I can. kshama, I started this right at my TOM 2 and a half weeks ago and I am at ovulation time in the past couple days.

    I realize I sound pretty damn stupid to a lot of you and I am sorry for that but I really am trying to learn so I can avoid any huge mistakes that will cause more harm than good. I have been completely sedentary for 6 years so at first I had a hard time even walking fast for 5 minutes. I have been able to double that and triple it a few times a week which, for me, is good. I know my food choices still have a long way to go.

    Well, now you know fluctuations are normal and constipation and menstrual cycles can contribute to them :)

    Great job with the walking! Do listen to your body and don't push too hard - you'll get there.
  • I_Will_End_You
    I_Will_End_You Posts: 4,397 Member
    PamWOhio wrote: »
    I guess since I lost 10lbs in the first 2 weeks it was weird to totally stall for Sun thru Wednesday. I am new to all of this so learning as much as I can. kshama, I started this right at my TOM 2 and a half weeks ago and I am at ovulation time in the past couple days.

    I realize I sound pretty damn stupid to a lot of you and I am sorry for that but I really am trying to learn so I can avoid any huge mistakes that will cause more harm than good. I have been completely sedentary for 6 years so at first I had a hard time even walking fast for 5 minutes. I have been able to double that and triple it a few times a week which, for me, is good. I know my food choices still have a long way to go.


    Most of that 10lbs was likely water weight due to changing up your diet and eating in a deficit. Don't expect that to continue.

  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
    As for fat in the diet, it is an important nutritional factor, not just for constipation but also for nutrient absorption such as Vit A, D, E, and K. Another factor with constipation is that if you are taking in less, there will be less waste.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    RoxieDawn wrote: »
    You are eating too little. Eating too little puts a good amount of stress on the body. Do not let the title below let you think that it is what it is in the title. This explains what happens when a person does eat too little when trying to loose weight. And although your situtation is only two weeks, I hope you do not continue eating like this for another two weeks or month, etc.

    edited to add: and your situation is not "starvation".

    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/another-look-at-metabolic-damage.html/

    Good "Metabolic Damage" article.

    Highlights:

    We know that cortisol causes water retention
    1. Now, dieting raises cortisol.
    2. Cardio raises cortisol.
    3. Mental stress raises cortisol.

    ...for the most part I think that’s a lot of what’s going on the fat loss is just being masked by severe water retention. I say this simply because getting folks to rest a couple of days, raise calories (especially from carbs, the increase in insulin lowers cortisol levels) and “refeed” invariably causes that big weight drop/whoosh effect. It has to be water.
  • PamWOhio
    PamWOhio Posts: 120 Member
    You all have been great. I just feel like crap because there is so much information and I have read through many many discussion threads on MFP and just when I think I have a handle on stuff, I find conflicting info and both sides always sound so sure of themselves. I never used to drink plain water...I used my soda stream and made the cola and pretty much lived on that. Since I started, I only allow myself a fraction of the cola and have been drinking a lot (for me) more plain water or I fizz it and add some MIO. I always feel extremely bloated by mid day. Also, I have only taken 1 day off from my walking. Although I was only doing 1 mile and a half or 2 miles a day, it sure seems like a lot to me and my calves pretty much have been sore the whole time. I dealt with shin splints the first week but those have since stopped.

    Anyway, I really do appreciate all the advice and help. This is just the beginning of my journey so I think I am just going to stay off the scale and do my best and keep trying to make improvements. I NEVER in a million years would have thought someone would tell me I wasn't eating enough......lol
  • jkal1979
    jkal1979 Posts: 1,896 Member
    PamWOhio wrote: »
    You all have been great. I just feel like crap because there is so much information and I have read through many many discussion threads on MFP and just when I think I have a handle on stuff, I find conflicting info and both sides always sound so sure of themselves. I never used to drink plain water...I used my soda stream and made the cola and pretty much lived on that. Since I started, I only allow myself a fraction of the cola and have been drinking a lot (for me) more plain water or I fizz it and add some MIO. I always feel extremely bloated by mid day. Also, I have only taken 1 day off from my walking. Although I was only doing 1 mile and a half or 2 miles a day, it sure seems like a lot to me and my calves pretty much have been sore the whole time. I dealt with shin splints the first week but those have since stopped.

    Anyway, I really do appreciate all the advice and help. This is just the beginning of my journey so I think I am just going to stay off the scale and do my best and keep trying to make improvements. I NEVER in a million years would have thought someone would tell me I wasn't eating enough......lol

    I did a lot of lurking when I first joined and while there was an overload of information and conflicting advice, I kept reading and paid attention to who has been around for awhile and gives sensible advice. It helped cut through a lot of the bad info that I have seen come and go. Reading the posts in the 'Most Helpful' announcements on here and the Getting Started forum helped as well.

    Don't feel stupid for asking questions. A lot of us had to unlearn bad info and learn new things when we first started.
  • pdm3547
    pdm3547 Posts: 1,057 Member
    ^^^ THIS!

    Take baby steps. Calories in less than calories out. Simple as that. Eat less, move more. It's easy

    Then you can find what works for you in terms of eating, macros, lifting, cardio.... it goes on and on and on.

    But take one step at a time. CICO first.
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    The best thread on this whole forum that you could possibly read: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants/p1
  • ouryve
    ouryve Posts: 572 Member
    If you're beginning to walk, that's great and will help a little with the constipation. Diet wise, you need to consume a lot more fibre - don't chuck the tiny bit of lettuce out of your burger, for example and switch to brown baps. Eat jacket potatoes or baby new potatoes boiled or roasted with their skin still on. If peas are the only veg you like, have them more often. My husband likes to snack on peas fresh from their pods!

    And water/clear drinks - drink a lot of them.
  • Aaron_K123
    Aaron_K123 Posts: 7,122 Member
    What you are describing, being under 1000 calories a day...your food choices resulting in having to take anti-constipation medicine....that isn't healthy. I shouldn't have to tell you that, it should be really obvious.

    Please stop doing that to yourself. Eat more food, eat a broader range of food and include some fiber in your diet and some carbs don't just try to subside on sub-1000 calorie lean protein that is not at all healthy or sustainable.
  • Aaron_K123
    Aaron_K123 Posts: 7,122 Member
    Also the 10 pounds in 2 week loss was almost certainly mostly water given you probably cut out almost all sodium from your diet thus drastically reducing the amount of water your body was naturally storing to equalize the ions from the sodium.

    Your diet is drastic, unnecessary and unsustainable. Instead just eat normally but count your calories and establish a small deficit and then do that until you reach your goal over time. Don't become impatient and try to rush it, it won't work.
  • cerise_noir
    cerise_noir Posts: 5,468 Member
    If you aren't already, use a digital food scale and weigh and log all the foods you eat in grams (minus liquids). No more cups/spoons for solid food.
  • Aaron_K123
    Aaron_K123 Posts: 7,122 Member
    Lets put this another way.

    Your body will attempt to maintain its weight. I don't know your specs but lets say you maintain at 3000 calories a day but you eat 800 calories a day. That means your body will make that 2200 calories up by burning both your muscle and your fat. But thats good right? Well, not really. For one gaining muscle is very difficult and muscle is going to be what increases your BMR and makes it easier for you to keep at a healthy weight, the more you lose the more difficult that will be so you really don't want to eat so little that you lose muscle, you just want to lose fat.

    For another lets pretend that that 2200 deficit is made up just by burning fat. Lets also say that 15% of your calories in that 800 calories is from fat (because its almost impossible to avoid fat entirely). That means that 2350 out of your 3000 calories is from fat. That means a whoping 78% of your calories are derived from fat. That is an insanely high fat diet, what do you think that is going to do to your digestive health and blood flow if you keep that up?

    Chill out, eat at a modest deficit...if you maintain at 3000 calories then eat 2250 a day, that would still be a very respectable 1.5 pound loss per week.

    Eating 800 calories a day is insane...I'm not trying to offend you but I'm trying to get your attention at least in the hopes you quit doing that to yourself.
  • NVBibby
    NVBibby Posts: 14 Member
    Please please please start eating more!!! You will screw up your metabolism by under eating:(
  • PamWOhio
    PamWOhio Posts: 120 Member
    edited August 2016
    Here are my stats. I am 47 year old woman. 5'3" and currently 194lbs. Depending on which of the 3 you look at (they were all fairly close), my BMR ranged from 1489-1577 depending on which of the 3 sites you go by. My TDEE which I guess is the number I need to stay focused on with calorie intake ranges from 1727-1830. If I understand this correctly, I need to take in 500 calories less than my TDEE for a 1lb loss a week. So taking in just over 1200. (This is assuming that I only do the very light activity I listed). I had crap for lunch because I was annoyed so I ate the Mcdonalds double cheeseburger in the fridge and it was damn good...lol. For dinner I had 3.67 ounces of boneless pork loin and a good helping of mashed potatoes. I had to force myself to finish it. I haven't been eating breakfast so I will try tomorrow to eat shortly after getting up with hubby at 6 a.m. When I was eating breakfast I was doing 2 eggs, a piece or 2 of turkey bacon, cheese on my eggs and a piece of wheat toast. If I can start doing that gain and eating lunch and dinner, I should be right where I need to be.
  • PamWOhio
    PamWOhio Posts: 120 Member
    For the TDEE, I put in that I was mostly sedentary....in the house sitting or laying down most of the time with some walking. I have been going outside a few times a day doing 10 minute walks at 3.5mph. not much but something.
  • PamWOhio
    PamWOhio Posts: 120 Member
    Oh...and for the record, I felt like complete CRAP after eating that burger. I felt tired and lethargic...I made myself go out and walk right after and when I sat down and tried standing back up I was dizzy and felt icky for a couple of hours. I won't be doing that again.
  • minime0424
    minime0424 Posts: 101 Member
    There is nothing wrong with seeking advice!! Don't let anyone bring you down or make you feel that way (some people's knowledge and advice can come off with attitude but just ignore it) the great thing about MFP is that you can look at goals and your nutrition breakdown and try different things to find what works for you!! Good luck! Don't give up!! We ourselves are our toughest critics and can be our own worst enemies!! Just stick to it <3
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    callsitlikeiseeit wrote: »
    SLLRunner wrote: »
    callsitlikeiseeit wrote: »
    well, youre constipated cause your diet sucks. #sorrynotsorry

    theres no fresh fruit or veg, a whole lotta processed crap, and inaccurate weights and logging.

    forget where the freezer aisle is, go to the fresh meat, deli and produce sections, and buy real food.

    Because of the inaccurate weights, I would also wager you are eating more than you think you are. Add that in with the literal s.hit stuck inside you, there's your weight.

    I agree with all this except for the bold parts. Food type has nothing to with weight loss.

    no, but it does have to do with overall nutrition, and is quite likely contributing to the constipation
    SophieSmall95 wrote: »
    SLLRunner wrote: »
    callsitlikeiseeit wrote: »
    well, youre constipated cause your diet sucks. #sorrynotsorry

    theres no fresh fruit or veg, a whole lotta processed crap, and inaccurate weights and logging.

    forget where the freezer aisle is, go to the fresh meat, deli and produce sections, and buy real food.

    Because of the inaccurate weights, I would also wager you are eating more than you think you are. Add that in with the literal s.hit stuck inside you, there's your weight.

    I agree with all this except for the bold parts. Food type has nothing to with weight loss.

    I don't think they were saying her crap diet is preventing fat loss. But that her crap diet is causing her constipation and she should sort that out.

    Sheesh, I'm so stuck on this weight loss thing! :D Seriously, guys, thanks for the clarification, and I think you're right.
  • rankinsect
    rankinsect Posts: 2,238 Member
    edited August 2016
    PamWOhio wrote: »
    Oh...and for the record, I felt like complete CRAP after eating that burger. I felt tired and lethargic...I made myself go out and walk right after and when I sat down and tried standing back up I was dizzy and felt icky for a couple of hours. I won't be doing that again.

    It's completely normal to feel tired after eating. When your body is digesting food, it directs blood and oxygen towards the gut, and there are neurotransmitters released that give you the feeling of tiredness/lethargy. From an evolutionary point of view, your body thinks you've just killed and eaten something, and now it wants you to conserve energy and digest the meal you already have, versus pushing you to hunt for your next meal. You can see this in animals, too - there's a hunt/kill/eat/sleep pattern in predators like cats. At least up to a point, hunger increases alertness and fullness increases fatigue.

    I wouldn't push yourself to go out and walk right after a meal, for the reason your body is spending its effort on digestion. I feel like garbage, too, if I seriously exert myself on a full stomach. I always wait a while after a big meal to do any significant exercise.

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