Need a new plan - time for an experiment

ncsara84 · October 2016

Hi everyone! So I have been attempting to lose about 15 pounds for about a year now with no success. I do well and make some progress for a week or two and then completely fall off the wagon, binge eat, and end up starting all over again.

My boyfriend's sister is a personal trainer who also sells Plexus. She has been after me to try it for months and I kept finding reasons to say no. It's expensive - very expensive - and there are a lot of conflicting articles about it online.

I've tried talk therapy and hydroxycut in the past. The counseling was good but didn't really help my relationship with food, and hydroxycut gave me such terrible mood swings I couldn't do it anymore.

I have finally reached the point where I am desperate enough to try anything again to improve my willpower over food. So last week I ordered a bunch of stuff from Plexus and it should be here this week.

I'm nervous. Has anyone tried Plexus for weight loss and found any success? I am happy to share my experiment results here if anyone else is wondering about it. It's a lot of money to waste if it doesn't actually help.

Has anything else worked for you? I know diet and exercise is the key but with food I just lose my mind.

TavistockToad · October 2016

How long have you used MFP?

T0M_K · October 2016

so you going to use plexus the rest of your life since you lose your mind with food?

This is no solution. there is only one solutions. eat to a calorie deficit until you lose the weight you want then eat the rest of your life at maintenance. you have to figure out how to do that or there is no long term success.

plexus or anything else won't improve your willpower. your willpower is your mental desire to succeed strong enough to change your actions. you have to want it enough. clearly you don't.

you stated you do well and make progress and then you "fall off the wagon" you need a mental shift not a high priced fantasy remedy. don't get on the wagon...inferring you are doing something that one day you potentially fall off of. change your attitude regarding food for life, not till you make gains or reach your goal.

ncsara84 · October 2016

I have been tracking my weight using the app since around 2014.

I appreciate the tough love approach, but how exactly do you do that? If it was as simple as making up my mind, why would I be asking for help?

If you have any constructive tips besides eat less and don't be fat I'm totally open to hearing them.

T0M_K · October 2016

do you log your food? are you weighing what you consume? have you fully set up MFP and have a calorie deficit for weightloss? you have to provide more info. then we can give constructive help. but still ultimately you just have to dig really deep inside and do this thing.

For me, motivation comes AFTER i start. if i wait till i'm motivated i never start. Additionally, i get pretty pissed an annoyed when someone tries to motivate and i'm not feeling it or truly ready. Motivation is such a "internal" type emotion/feeling. its really hard for someone else to muster it up in you in a relevant and lasting way.

Think of a sports team...sure the guys/girls can get each other going in a motivational way, but its temporary.

I just think for your long term success, you've got to try to get the want to change so bad you won't let the influence be it good or bad derail you.

jemhh · October 2016

ncsara84 wrote: »

I have been tracking my weight using the app since around 2014.

I appreciate the tough love approach, but how exactly do you do that? If it was as simple as making up my mind, why would I be asking for help?

If you have any constructive tips besides eat less and don't be fat I'm totally open to hearing them.

What are your height and weight and what kind of calorie level are you trying to eat when you "make some progress for a week or two and then completely fall off the wagon, binge eat, and end up starting all over again"? Also, how active are you on average (# times per week exercise, what kind of exercise, what kind of job/lifestyle, etc.)?

ncsara84 · October 2016

Thanks. I do log my food and I am set up for reducing my calories, drinking lots of water, etc.

When I stick very solidly to the plan, I know that it works. The proof is in the scale. When I think of essentially feeling hungry forever it intimidates me and I eat whatever I want. Even when what I eat is good for me, if I don't check it I know it is way way too much. Eating out with friends or coworkers socially is a trigger moment. I won't eat terribly in public but it makes it harder to resist later.

I am hungry absolutely all of the time, and of course even more when I am stressed out.

I guess maybe I'm just not ready then.

T0M_K · October 2016

how much you have to lose?

kshama2001 · October 2016

ncsara84 wrote: »

Hi everyone! So I have been attempting to lose about 15 pounds for about a year now with no success. I do well and make some progress for a week or two and then completely fall off the wagon, binge eat, and end up starting all over again.

My boyfriend's sister is a personal trainer who also sells Plexus. She has been after me to try it for months and I kept finding reasons to say no. It's expensive - very expensive - and there are a lot of conflicting articles about it online.

I've tried talk therapy and hydroxycut in the past. The counseling was good but didn't really help my relationship with food, and hydroxycut gave me such terrible mood swings I couldn't do it anymore.

I have finally reached the point where I am desperate enough to try anything again to improve my willpower over food. So last week I ordered a bunch of stuff from Plexus and it should be here this week.

I'm nervous. Has anyone tried Plexus for weight loss and found any success? I am happy to share my experiment results here if anyone else is wondering about it. It's a lot of money to waste if it doesn't actually help.

Has anything else worked for you? I know diet and exercise is the key but with food I just lose my mind.

I'm guessing you've been setting an overly aggressive weekly weight loss goal to lose that 15 pounds. Try dropping it to 0.5 pound per week.

You may also need to tweak your macros/foods to increase satiety.

http://www.nutrition.org.uk/healthyliving/fuller/understanding-satiety-feeling-full-after-a-meal.html

Purplebunnysarah · October 2016

ncsara84 wrote: »

Thanks. I do log my food and I am set up for reducing my calories, drinking lots of water, etc.

When I stick very solidly to the plan, I know that it works. The proof is in the scale. When I think of essentially feeling hungry forever it intimidates me and I eat whatever I want. Even when what I eat is good for me, if I don't check it I know it is way way too much. Eating out with friends or coworkers socially is a trigger moment. I won't eat terribly in public but it makes it harder to resist later.

I am hungry absolutely all of the time, and of course even more when I am stressed out.

I guess maybe I'm just not ready then.

Because hunger is what causes adherence problems for you, rather than trying something like Plexus I would suggest you play with various stuff to address satiety.

One thing to look at is macros and fibre. Fibre, protein, and fat are satiating. Some people do well on low carb, high fat. Others do well on high carb, low fat, but find they need to really up their fibre. Others eat higher protein while moderating carbs & fat. You need to find what works for you to help you feel full while still allowing you to cut calories.

Also, examine your calorie cut. A cut that is too aggressive is just asking for failure. If you're set for 2 lbs/week, switch to 1 lb/week or even 0.5 lbs/week.

Good luck!

MommyMeggo · October 2016

If you have to "take" something to help you lose the weight - aka eat less - you are not helping yourself (or your wallet).
There is no miracle, Plexus included. Despite what the people who make money off of your money tell you.

What happens when you dont want to spend $100.00+ each month on the pink drink and "like no other" probiotic?
You'll have to learn, and abruptly so, how to eat less and move more...which you havent been able to learn or at least adhere to thus far.

Id return it before you open it and invest in yourself instead of someone else or a "magic drink".

eta: we ALL have to try and fail and try again. We all have to learn about food, ourselves, nutrition and be accountable. Until you are willing to be honest with yourself and even more so, believe in yourself you wont have much luck. Get a good food scale, get a gym membership instead of Plexus and dont go into this thing looking back at failed attempts unless you are going to use it to propel you forward and in a positive direction.

ncsara84 · October 2016

Thanks for the suggestions on reviewing what makes up my calories for the day, and my overall calorie goals.

I will definitely take another look at that and appreciate the advice.

Cbestinme · October 2016

Maybe you could try an approach where you could have a goal to lose 15 pounds in about a year (you already have a year behind). For the coming year, maybe you could take it easier (eg a pound a month), and use that year to really learn your social (&emotional?) cues that get you to eat more than you wish to.

Maybe also set a different goal (healthy eating or better food management or better BMI etc), while losing weight, so that the pounds are not your sole (only) focus.

I'm not familiar with plexus or hydroxycut, maybe others can advise. In case there are other things you are also dealing with, besides weight loss, maybe you need more than the mfp (professionals) to help jumps tart something more sustainable for you. There's some good advice on the thread fooled by initial weight loss that may be useful for you. Good luck!!!

Cbestinme · October 2016

Also see the self sabotage thread, it seems journalling could be a useful tool...

amusedmonkey · October 2016

Instead of getting suckered into MLM scams, why not try a different approach? Instead of reducing your intake, increase your activity level. You will need to keep logging food, of course, to make sure you are eating at sedentary maintenance. 45-60 minutes of moderate intensity activity a day should be able to create a 250 calorie deficit for you and allow you to lose 0.5 a pound a week. You might find it easier on you mentally since your eating will not be all that different from what you usually eat, so no more freakouts about eating less.

courtneyfabulous · October 2016

I have a feeling that in the past you have done what most women do- try to stick to much too low of a calorie goal, and probably too much exercise as well. I'm willing to guess you weren't getting enough protein either.

This will mean eventual failure every time. You were hungry all the time and bingeing because YOU WEREN'T EATING ENOUGH. Not because you have weak willpower.

Instead of diet pills that wreak havoc on your body, how about a more gentle, sustainable approach to diet and exercise that you can maintain for a lifetime?

A SLIGHT calorie deficit (i.e. NOT 1200 calories, more like 1600- or whatever is right for you, I don't know your stats), weight training for 1 hour no more than 4 days a week (less or none is fine), and hiit cardio for no more than 30 minutes no more than 3 times a week (less or none is fine). Walking is fine. Eat at least 100 grams of protein a day. Eat at maintenance calories for 1 day per week (this would be your TDEE, you can find it online using a TDEE calculator).

Try this for 2 months and see if you have better results and can stick to it, the pills will still be there to try later if this doesn't work. Weight loss won't be as fast but it will be easy to do and you won't be starving.

When you get to the weight you want to stay at slowly reverse diet up to your TDEE/maintenance calories.

kshama2001 · October 2016

sarahthes wrote: »

ncsara84 wrote: »

Thanks. I do log my food and I am set up for reducing my calories, drinking lots of water, etc.

When I stick very solidly to the plan, I know that it works. The proof is in the scale. When I think of essentially feeling hungry forever it intimidates me and I eat whatever I want. Even when what I eat is good for me, if I don't check it I know it is way way too much. Eating out with friends or coworkers socially is a trigger moment. I won't eat terribly in public but it makes it harder to resist later.

I am hungry absolutely all of the time, and of course even more when I am stressed out.

I guess maybe I'm just not ready then.

Because hunger is what causes adherence problems for you, rather than trying something like Plexus I would suggest you play with various stuff to address satiety.

One thing to look at is macros and fibre. Fibre, protein, and fat are satiating. Some people do well on low carb, high fat. Others do well on high carb, low fat, but find they need to really up their fibre. Others eat higher protein while moderating carbs & fat. You need to find what works for you to help you feel full while still allowing you to cut calories.

Also, examine your calorie cut. A cut that is too aggressive is just asking for failure. If you're set for 2 lbs/week, switch to 1 lb/week or even 0.5 lbs/week.

Good luck!

Ya, am only hungry right before meals. I:

1. Focus on foods that fill me up
2. Do not have an aggressive weight loss goal
3. Eat back at least 50% of my exercise calories

danika2point0 · October 2016

You still haven't stated important details like your height, weight, and activity level. If you only have 15 pounds to lose, you may be cutting your calories too aggressively. This would cause you to lose scale weight, but it would also likely lead to bingeing at some time period after (2-3 weeks in your case).

When I first started, I tried 1,200 calories. Of course, I failed. Over and over and over again.

Now, I try something more reasonable 1,650-1,800 depending upon the week. Even now I can feel that cutting calories is getting to be too much for me, so I have upped it to maintenance until I feel ready to cut them again. I am a healthy height and weight so I'd rather do something I can sustain, then not.

It sucks to feel hungry and low energy and if you are eating too few calories for 2-3 weeks at a time, it's no wonder your mind and body rebel!

Good luck. And seriously consider the good advice you are getting here - even if it's not what you want to hear right now.

Need a new plan - time for an experiment

Replies

Categories