I'm trying to lose 30 lbs. I'm 38 yrs old & haven't made progress in the last 6 months of trying.

clrss1
clrss1 Posts: 17 Member
edited January 2017 in Success Stories
Looking for support;) I'm getting a bit discouraged. But I am encouraged by the support here and all the success stories!

Replies

  • edixon127
    edixon127 Posts: 103 Member
    Don't be discouraged! If you're struggling with not making any progress, I'd recommend buying a food scale if you don't use one already. Measuring with cups or even worse, eyeballing it, can lead to a lot of unexpected calories.
  • Therealobi1
    Therealobi1 Posts: 3,262 Member
    Hiyah, are you logging as accurately as you can
    Are using a food scale
  • RunningMom1038
    RunningMom1038 Posts: 144 Member
    Good for you for coming here for encouragement instead of quitting! Others have already mentioned a food scale. If you don't have one, obviously, we all highly recommend it. In your post title, are you saying there's been absolutely no weight loss? Or has it just not been as much as you were hoping for?
  • 2essie
    2essie Posts: 2,861 Member
    Sorry to say this, but if you haven't lost any weight it is because you are eating too much, unless there is a medical problem. It is all about calories in and calories out (CICO). If you eat more than you use you will not lose weight. I don't know how many calories you are eating, or how many you should be eating but take another look and cut down if necessary or up your activity. Good look, this system works if you stick with it.
  • Commander_Keen
    Commander_Keen Posts: 1,179 Member
    clrss1 wrote: »
    Looking for support;) I'm getting a bit discouraged. But I am encouraged by the support here and all the success stories!

    so whats great about your story, is what ever is not working, the rest should work. try a different way to lose weight.
    Me personally, I had to start doing cardio for 2hrs before I saw my weight go down
  • cgvet37
    cgvet37 Posts: 1,189 Member
    edited January 2017
    I hit a wall at 200 lbs. I kept pushing and started loosing again. Part of that was slowly adjusting my caloric intake. I also changed my training program.
  • exercisetofitness
    exercisetofitness Posts: 11 Member
    Just keep trying .with the great advice u get here u will do great .
  • str8bowbabe
    str8bowbabe Posts: 712 Member
    Remember its baby steps...one bite, one step at a time. You can do this! I have struggled for about the last 6 months and have gained back quite a bit of the weight I originally lost but now I'm focused and back at it. Down 6 lbs since the week before Christmas. You can do this.
  • mazdauk
    mazdauk Posts: 1,380 Member
    As others have said, the food scale is key. Also logging absolutely everything - even a cup of tea. (6 cups of tea with milk is close on 100 calories, 100 calories over daily requirement per day = 1lb weight gain per month). Also try to do some exercise very day - I start most days with a brief (20min or so) aerobic workout off a DVD so whatever happens I've done something! The only days I don't do this is if I have a bigger exercise session later that day/had a big exercise session (double class) the night before. You can do this!
  • benjaminlight
    benjaminlight Posts: 78 Member
    edited January 2017
    Might I recommend Gary Taubes book, "Why We Get Fat, and What to Do About It", he has another one that is a much more difficult read, "Good Calories, Bad Calories". Additionally - check out the Maffetone Method. What you put into the engine is important, but getting the engine to burn fuel efficiently is essential as well. It's not as simple as CICO, calories from certain foods do different things internally.
  • emoslayer84
    emoslayer84 Posts: 20 Member
    I recommend going to your doctor. Let them know what steps you have taken to lose weight. Get a work up done. Make sure they check everything from sugar levels, cholesterol, thyroid, and anything else the doctor would recommend that would prevent you from losing weight.

    I've always been in the mindset that grocery shopping on the walls of the grocery store is the best practice on the nutrition side of things. The outside perimeter of the grocery store has fresh vegetables, fresh fruits, fresh herbs and spices, lowfat dairy (sparingly, of course), sometimes fresh seafood (fish, shrimp are great), yogurt (Dannon Light & Fit are low in calories and help with the sweet tooth). The middle of the grocery store is filled with frozen meals (some aren't bad, but fresh is always better), processed box foods, sauces and soups loaded with calories and sodium, cereal, candy, crackers, and everything else.

    Also, I know people are very intimidated by exercising and joining a gym. Some are not able to afford a gym membership or one is not readily available. Good news is there are free exercises readily available on YouTube and most cable providers offer free on demand fitness videos. If that is too much too fast, walk, then walk quickly, then job, then start to do the exercising videos. Buying a few weights will definitely help. You don't have to get heavy ones, but get some weights that offer some resistance. They help burn off the calories. Additionally, weights help your body's ability to burn more calories easier.

    I know there is a lot of information here, but I have one more thing. Invest in a heart rate monitor that goes around your chest. This has been my best investment ($50). I wear it during my time at the gym so I can accurately log in my actual calories burned. I have found it much easier and more accurate than using MFP's formula.

    One final thought, don't give up. Consider it a lifestyle change. In 2012-2013 I lost 45 pounds in 5 months. Then stopped. Since then I have gained it all back. I'm back at it again. I do have a workout buddy is is in roughly the same shape that I am in, so having someone help me be accountable and I to him is very valuable.

    Good Luck!
  • Tacklewasher
    Tacklewasher Posts: 7,122 Member
    benjaminlight wrote: »
    Might I recommend Gary Taubes book, "Why We Get Fat, and What to Do About It", he has another one that is a much more difficult read, "Good Calories, Bad Calories". Additionally - check out the Maffetone Method. What you put into the engine is important, but getting the engine to burn fuel efficiently is essential as well. It's not as simple as CICO, calories from certain foods do different things internally.

    I would ignore this advice.

    Tighten up on your food logging, invest in a food scale and be sure the entries you are picking here are accurate ones. Usually the ones labelled USDA are the better choice. But don't make it harder than it has to be.
  • seska422
    seska422 Posts: 3,217 Member
    This flowchart has some good advice:

    k7t4j4iqoaf6.jpg
  • youdoyou2016
    youdoyou2016 Posts: 393 Member
    edited January 2017
    Tacklewasher wrote: »
    benjaminlight wrote: »
    Might I recommend Gary Taubes book, "Why We Get Fat, and What to Do About It", he has another one that is a much more difficult read, "Good Calories, Bad Calories". Additionally - check out the Maffetone Method. What you put into the engine is important, but getting the engine to burn fuel efficiently is essential as well. It's not as simple as CICO, calories from certain foods do different things internally.

    I would ignore this advice.

    Tighten up on your food logging, invest in a food scale and be sure the entries you are picking here are accurate ones. Usually the ones labelled USDA are the better choice. But don't make it harder than it has to be.

    If I may share respectfully my experience: I wouldn't dismiss the Taub's suggestion so quickly. Foods affect people differently. (Everything from allergies to things that "don't agree with us" -- and, obviously, we all seem to be built the same way, right? So, even with the same processes going on with our digestion and use of calories, somehow, for some reason, the impact can be different from person to person.)

    When I eat bread for about a week and continue to track calories so that I am at the same amount as when I am not eating bread, my weight goes up 3-4 lbs, goes all to my belly, and my weight loss stops. We're talking 1 slice of plain toast, 100 calories with me deleting the 100 calories of egg w/ butter. The math doesn't add up, right? I don't know why that happens, but it always does, and I am diligent about weighing and measuring everything -- even a year into this process and losing over 100 lbs. I do not eyeball or guess anything, ever.

    I appreciate that if CICO works for someone, then this process consists of weighing, measuring, doing some arithmetic, and getting used to smaller portions until smaller portions seems normal.

    But for me, I have to be very careful about what I eat, not just the # of calories. When I stop eating the bread, then I start losing again. Again, the math doesn't add up. So, OP in addition to what this person is offering / contributing about logging, getting a food scale, etc (definitely do these things, IMO), I'd say reading the book wouldn't hurt ... And you might benefit from some experimenting. Who knows ... it might give you an idea or two that gets the scale moving in the direction you'd like.
  • mariesofi4108
    mariesofi4108 Posts: 31 Member
    My biggest advice is DON'T GIVE UP!! I used to be 5'6 and 155 and have managed to loose 25 pounds by running cross country. I went from not being able to jog the block to running a half marathon without stopping after only several months of training. I seriously recommended it as the best weight loss exercise :)
  • clrss1
    clrss1 Posts: 17 Member
    edited January 2017
    Thank you everyone!! This is all fantastic positive feedback and insight. I really appreciate it. Starting with a food scale and morning workouts (even if short) and being more thoughtful about the portions.. Must. Keep. Trying. ;)
  • Tacklewasher
    Tacklewasher Posts: 7,122 Member
    youdoyou2016 wrote: »
    Tacklewasher wrote: »
    benjaminlight wrote: »
    Might I recommend Gary Taubes book, "Why We Get Fat, and What to Do About It", he has another one that is a much more difficult read, "Good Calories, Bad Calories". Additionally - check out the Maffetone Method. What you put into the engine is important, but getting the engine to burn fuel efficiently is essential as well. It's not as simple as CICO, calories from certain foods do different things internally.

    I would ignore this advice.

    Tighten up on your food logging, invest in a food scale and be sure the entries you are picking here are accurate ones. Usually the ones labelled USDA are the better choice. But don't make it harder than it has to be.

    If I may share respectfully my experience: I wouldn't dismiss the Taub's suggestion so quickly. Foods affect people differently. (Everything from allergies to things that "don't agree with us" -- and, obviously, we all seem to be built the same way, right? So, even with the same processes going on with our digestion and use of calories, somehow, for some reason, the impact can be different from person to person.)

    Trouble is that Taubes doesn't seem to recognize EXACTLY what you are saying and is so firmly in the evils of sugar to not be worth the effort. Yes, food affects people differently. Taubes ignores that, for the most part.

    In short, I am comfortable dismissing Taubes as a quack on the level of Oprah or Dr. Oz. Maybe there is a nugget in there that is worthwhile, but it is hidden by the garbage he writes.

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