Frusturated beyond belief
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Can you please open your diary?
Agreed. Please open your diary.
Regarding Smith machines, they force one into unnatural movements and can cause problems. You're not using stabilising muscles. Is there another gym with barbells and a power rack that you can join?
I work out alone, but have safeties to catch my barbell just in case.1 -
coolcoci_115 wrote: »RudeboyCantFail wrote: »Might I suggest you take a step back and look at the positive: You've lost about 1/2 pound per week over the last year and a half - that's awesome! 30+ pounds!! And it's despite the fact you've done "the weight loss thing on an off." Maybe it's not as fast as you are expecting/desiring, but that's great success...so keep going!
While I am very proud of how far I've come I think the frustration comes from the fact that with all the changes I've done, and for the age I am at, my weight loss rate should be substantially higher. 33 pounds over 78 weeks (1.5 years) is a rate of 0.423 lbs/week despite making lifestyle changes to hit a goal of 1.5 to 2 pounds loss / week. I can tell you my blood boils when my size 2 friends complain about how fat they've gotten and as soon as they start cutting out the junk and the alcohol and go to the gym once they say they are starting to see a difference. As compared to me researching, calculating and prepping every morsel that goes into my mouth. And probably with better endurance and strength than them as well. Okay I'm done ranting....
You're not alone... It took me the exact amount of time as you to lose 30lbs. However i had a few months here and there eating maintenance, plus the 5ish lb gain over winter.
I wasn't very overweight to begin with, so i wasn't as dedicated as i could have been, plus the first 3-4mths i wasn't using a food scale for every single thing, so was eating a lot more than i thought.1 -
I'm resurrecting this post after I have done more research into weight loss plateaus. The majority of posts I've found refer to one of two things:
1) Ensuring accurate measurement of food
2) Patience and allowing time for body to change
After posting a week ago and today was meal prep day I took a really hard look at exactly what I was eating. I realized I was underestimating approximately 135 calories per day or 945 calories per week. This amounts to 0.27 pounds per week. I've now realized it's important to weigh all food raw, and then weigh when it's cooked as there is a drastic difference in the water content when cooked. I was logging 100 grams of sweet potato after I baked in the oven, but really raw 100 grams of raw sweet potato is equivalent to around 60-65 grams baked. The same thing with with all the meat, especially the steak which is more calorie dense then the leaner proteins in my diet (chicken, tilapia, and somewhat salmon).
But more importantly I've come to the realization that I was probably only very slightly below maintenance (1797 kcal) for the entire month of January as I was nearly immobile for the majority of the day. Eating at 1550 kcal / day would only put me at a 250 cal deficit per day or 0.5 lb/ week and if I had a cheat meal at some point during that time I would have wiped out the majority of any deficit.
I've also only just recently increased dramatically the amount of exercise I do from 0 times a week to 3 times a week to 6 times a week of cardio and strength training. This dramatic change may be causing water retention and I have not given enough time to see changes.
So for all that have been asking, I've made my diary public now. The last few days are the most accurate, but I've realized that I just need to stay consistent and honest. I have all the pieces in the right places now and just have to trust in the physics.23 -
coolcoci_115 wrote: »I'm resurrecting this post after I have done more research into weight loss plateaus. The majority of posts I've found refer to one of two things:
1) Ensuring accurate measurement of food
2) Patience and allowing time for body to change
After posting a week ago and today was meal prep day I took a really hard look at exactly what I was eating. I realized I was underestimating approximately 135 calories per day or 945 calories per week. This amounts to 0.27 pounds per week. I've now realized it's important to weigh all food raw, and then weigh when it's cooked as there is a drastic difference in the water content when cooked. I was logging 100 grams of sweet potato after I baked in the oven, but really raw 100 grams of raw sweet potato is equivalent to around 60-65 grams baked. The same thing with with all the meat, especially the steak which is more calorie dense then the leaner proteins in my diet (chicken, tilapia, and somewhat salmon).
But more importantly I've come to the realization that I was probably only very slightly below maintenance (1797 kcal) for the entire month of January as I was nearly immobile for the majority of the day. Eating at 1550 kcal / day would only put me at a 250 cal deficit per day or 0.5 lb/ week and if I had a cheat meal at some point during that time I would have wiped out the majority of any deficit.
I've also only just recently increased dramatically the amount of exercise I do from 0 times a week to 3 times a week to 6 times a week of cardio and strength training. This dramatic change may be causing water retention and I have not given enough time to see changes.
So for all that have been asking, I've made my diary public now. The last few days are the most accurate, but I've realized that I just need to stay consistent and honest. I have all the pieces in the right places now and just have to trust in the physics.
Great insights!
I really admire the way you read up. considered that reading seriously, and then took a hard & dispassionate look at what you were doing and what you could adjust. Many of us simply cling to denial, or write results off to "fate".
If more people followed your example, even more people would be successful.
Good show!
(P.S., not to be a downer, but the online calorie-estimation calculators may vary fairly far in either direction for any given n=1, though they are quite accurate for the overwhelming number of people. It's very likely that it's close to correct for you. Still, our own results, once very careful logging is in place, are the best guide. My calorie level for any given rate of loss varies from calculators' results by several hundred calories, to my surprise, which is perhaps a 1 person in 20 result, and I've known others who vary in the opposite direction. https://examine.com/nutrition/does-metabolism-vary-between-two-people/ )3 -
There is no such thing as to what at person's height and frame will dictate weight. Everyone is built different and has different metabolism's.0
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Cut way back on carbs and add more good fats. Good fats actually help you burn calories. Also, because I like the flow chart someone provided, I just found a link about hypothyroidism and some thoughts to ponder. I haven't really reviewed it all and I am not advocating it, I am just providing for interest only. https://www.restartmed.com/hashimotos-diet/
No. Just ... no. Food cannot "heal" an autoimmune disease. There is no medical evidence that paleo, gluten-free or any other diet impacts thyroid function. Medical treatment does .5 -
coolcoci_115 wrote: »After posting a week ago and today was meal prep day I took a really hard look at exactly what I was eating. I realized I was underestimating approximately 135 calories per day or 945 calories per week. This amounts to 0.27 pounds per week.
But more importantly I've come to the realization that I was probably only very slightly below maintenance (1797 kcal) for the entire month of January as I was nearly immobile for the majority of the day. Eating at 1550 kcal / day would only put me at a 250 cal deficit per day or 0.5 lb/ week and if I had a cheat meal at some point during that time I would have wiped out the majority of any deficit.
That right there is probably applies to 95% of folks that wonder why they can't lose weight. Congrats on figuring it out.
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sunparakeet wrote: »If you weigh food raw there is no need to weigh it again cooked. If 100 grams of raw sweet potato is 86 calories, it's still going to be 86 calories after cooking even if it weighs less due to water loss. Same is true of all foods. 45 grams of dry rice is 160 calories. Cook that rice and it will weigh over 100 grams due to water absorption but it's still 160 calories.
Yeah I didn't comment on that part - not sure what she is thinking there.0 -
Awesome to hear you found a possible solution. I'm curious to hear your results. Please keep us updated!
I do have additional thoughts:
You may have reached a point of maximum return with your high protein percentage. Your body may have started converting the excess to glucose. Have you tried increasing fat and reducing protein? If not, I would consider it.
How do you feel everyday? Do you feel pretty good overall, or do you feel stressed and anxious? If the latter, you may want to look into your cortisol levels. If your cortisol is too high, you probably won't lose the weight no matter how few calories you eat.
Good luck!
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coolcoci_115 wrote: »I'm resurrecting this post after I have done more research into weight loss plateaus. The majority of posts I've found refer to one of two things:
1) Ensuring accurate measurement of food
2) Patience and allowing time for body to change
After posting a week ago and today was meal prep day I took a really hard look at exactly what I was eating. I realized I was underestimating approximately 135 calories per day or 945 calories per week. This amounts to 0.27 pounds per week. I've now realized it's important to weigh all food raw, and then weigh when it's cooked as there is a drastic difference in the water content when cooked. I was logging 100 grams of sweet potato after I baked in the oven, but really raw 100 grams of raw sweet potato is equivalent to around 60-65 grams baked. The same thing with with all the meat, especially the steak which is more calorie dense then the leaner proteins in my diet (chicken, tilapia, and somewhat salmon).
But more importantly I've come to the realization that I was probably only very slightly below maintenance (1797 kcal) for the entire month of January as I was nearly immobile for the majority of the day. Eating at 1550 kcal / day would only put me at a 250 cal deficit per day or 0.5 lb/ week and if I had a cheat meal at some point during that time I would have wiped out the majority of any deficit.
I've also only just recently increased dramatically the amount of exercise I do from 0 times a week to 3 times a week to 6 times a week of cardio and strength training. This dramatic change may be causing water retention and I have not given enough time to see changes.
So for all that have been asking, I've made my diary public now. The last few days are the most accurate, but I've realized that I just need to stay consistent and honest. I have all the pieces in the right places now and just have to trust in the physics.
OP - I have been following this thread and feel for you. You said you are in the medical field so I'm just going to throw this out there FYI and not to start a controversy..... But....The whole notion that weight loss is purely CICO is controversial. Do your own research - there's a lot of evidence that CICO is outdated and simplistic. I can give you an anecdotal example of this. Five years ago my DH was diagnosed with young onset Parkinson's disease - he was 48. Within 6 weeks of starting Sinemet, which is dopamine replacement, he mysteriously lost 30 lbs. I assure you he has a healthy appetite and was not eating less. His doctors (Neurologists) are all clueless. They insisted he must be moving more, since Sinemet worked so well with him. I assure you he may have started moving a little more, but he was still basically sedentary. In any event, to lose 30 lbs in 6 weeks just via movement, if that's even possible, it would take intensive exercise 5 or 6 hours a day - I assure you that was not happening.
So the point is, no one can explain the weight loss, which shows that it's way more complicated than CICO. In my Dhs case, the only thing that changed was tuning up his levels of the neurotransmitter Dopamine. Go figure.
If I were in your shoes, with all your awesome Data, I would try to track down some kind of braniac nutrition/metabolism/fitness expert, someone who is familiar with the latest research and can think outside the box. I have no idea what's going on with you, but I have never seen such an intense effort yield no results. Maybe your diet needs to be tweaked in some way (carbs, whatever...) I am not remotely any kind of expert - I've just witnessed that CICO is not the whole story.
Best wishes.1 -
The USDA Nutritional Database offers nutrition info for cooked food too1
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sunparakeet wrote: »coolcoci_115 wrote: »I've now realized it's important to weigh all food raw, and then weigh when it's cooked as there is a drastic difference in the water content when cooked. I was logging 100 grams of sweet potato after I baked in the oven, but really raw 100 grams of raw sweet potato is equivalent to around 60-65 grams baked.
If you weigh food raw there is no need to weigh it again cooked. If 100 grams of raw sweet potato is 86 calories, it's still going to be 86 calories after cooking even if it weighs less due to water loss. Same is true of all foods. 45 grams of dry rice is 160 calories. Cook that rice and it will weigh over 100 grams due to water absorption but it's still 160 calories.
Look for USDA entries for raw foods in the database, for thinks like produce and meat. I always use raw weight whenever possible.
I weigh afterwards because I'm cooking in large batches rather than individual portions and will store the remainder in the fridge otherwise would just stick to raw weight.
As an update I messed up yesterday
I didn't go to the gym and ended up eating out and having tiaramisu for dinner (it was delicious). Weight went up this morning by 1.6 pounds overnight. Yes this is definitely not accurate, and has to do with water retention and all the salted peanuts I had before bed while watching the Oscars. But from experience I know this will take forever to go back down. Also my goal was to hit the gym 6 times in the last week and only went 5.shoofly435 wrote: »coolcoci_115 wrote: »I'm resurrecting this post after I have done more research into weight loss plateaus. The majority of posts I've found refer to one of two things:
1) Ensuring accurate measurement of food
2) Patience and allowing time for body to change
After posting a week ago and today was meal prep day I took a really hard look at exactly what I was eating. I realized I was underestimating approximately 135 calories per day or 945 calories per week. This amounts to 0.27 pounds per week. I've now realized it's important to weigh all food raw, and then weigh when it's cooked as there is a drastic difference in the water content when cooked. I was logging 100 grams of sweet potato after I baked in the oven, but really raw 100 grams of raw sweet potato is equivalent to around 60-65 grams baked. The same thing with with all the meat, especially the steak which is more calorie dense then the leaner proteins in my diet (chicken, tilapia, and somewhat salmon).
But more importantly I've come to the realization that I was probably only very slightly below maintenance (1797 kcal) for the entire month of January as I was nearly immobile for the majority of the day. Eating at 1550 kcal / day would only put me at a 250 cal deficit per day or 0.5 lb/ week and if I had a cheat meal at some point during that time I would have wiped out the majority of any deficit.
I've also only just recently increased dramatically the amount of exercise I do from 0 times a week to 3 times a week to 6 times a week of cardio and strength training. This dramatic change may be causing water retention and I have not given enough time to see changes.
So for all that have been asking, I've made my diary public now. The last few days are the most accurate, but I've realized that I just need to stay consistent and honest. I have all the pieces in the right places now and just have to trust in the physics.
OP - I have been following this thread and feel for you. You said you are in the medical field so I'm just going to throw this out there FYI and not to start a controversy..... But....The whole notion that weight loss is purely CICO is controversial. Do your own research - there's a lot of evidence that CICO is outdated and simplistic. I can give you an anecdotal example of this. Five years ago my DH was diagnosed with young onset Parkinson's disease - he was 48. Within 6 weeks of starting Sinemet, which is dopamine replacement, he mysteriously lost 30 lbs. I assure you he has a healthy appetite and was not eating less. His doctors (Neurologists) are all clueless. They insisted he must be moving more, since Sinemet worked so well with him. I assure you he may have started moving a little more, but he was still basically sedentary. In any event, to lose 30 lbs in 6 weeks just via movement, if that's even possible, it would take intensive exercise 5 or 6 hours a day - I assure you that was not happening.
So the point is, no one can explain the weight loss, which shows that it's way more complicated than CICO. In my Dhs case, the only thing that changed was tuning up his levels of the neurotransmitter Dopamine. Go figure.
If I were in your shoes, with all your awesome Data, I would try to track down some kind of braniac nutrition/metabolism/fitness expert, someone who is familiar with the latest research and can think outside the box. I have no idea what's going on with you, but I have never seen such an intense effort yield no results. Maybe your diet needs to be tweaked in some way (carbs, whatever...) I am not remotely any kind of expert - I've just witnessed that CICO is not the whole story.
Best wishes.
I really appreciate that you see how difficult this has been for me. I understand that weight loss requires hard work but the amount of effort and time I spend on trying to optimize the results... well the title of this post speaks for itself. I wish I had the time to go looking for an expert who can give me insight, but right now I'm stuck doing my own research whenever I have free time.
It also is difficult to sit across from your friend (who is a size 2) at dinner and hear an off hand comment like "oh I guess I'm losing weight I can feel the ring on my finger is getting looser" and she has been to be gym what 3 times last week and stopped drinking so much. While you have been sweating Day in and day out and can lift much heavier weights ....0 -
coolcoci_115 wrote: »StaciMarie1974 wrote: »One other thought - for your food logging, are you careful to log entries that match your weighing? Such as if raw weight of the steak is 100g, logging 100g raw steak. Or if 100g sweet potato is the cooked weight, logging 100g cooked sweet potato.
Very good point. I log calories based on the cooked weight of food and will log the appropriate entries as such.
I don't know if I've misunderstood this, but does that mean you're logging 100g of RAW chicken and then eating 100g COOKED chicken, for example? This could be a very significant different. 100g of raw chicken thigh, skinless and boneless, is 130-135 calories. 100g of cooked chicken thigh is around 200, if memory serves. If this is the case you might have just found a lot of extra unaccounted for calories.
EDIT: I see your update, good on you for catching that! I hope you find success.0 -
Looking at your diary you've missed out quite a few weekend days and not logged a Sunday in a month. Do you think you may be accidentally eating your deficit back on these days? Maybe tighten up your logging on a weekend even if you go over so you can rule it out. 0
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How's your sleep? And how are your general stress levels. Cortisol is a weight loss killer. Lack of proper sleep and too much stress will cause this hormone to negate a lot of your weight loss efforts. I hit a lot of plateaus (even in a deficit) and sleep was a major contributor. I changed my sleep patterns (along with my workout time) and it made a significant difference and put me back on track. Just a thought. May not be the answer, but throwing it out there.0
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So you went to the gym 5x last week and have continued to remain aware in your diet and logging. We should all love to mess up like that!
Your size 2 friend - I used to think about that sort of thing here and there. Then I realized, they've spent a lifetime building the habits that have them at their current size, and I'm basically here playing catch up. Maybe they've worked very hard too, and it's simply been done and maintained over a much longer period.4 -
coolcoci_115 wrote: »
It also is difficult to sit across from your friend (who is a size 2) at dinner and hear an off hand comment like "oh I guess I'm losing weight I can feel the ring on my finger is getting looser" and she has been to be gym what 3 times last week and stopped drinking so much. While you have been sweating Day in and day out and can lift much heavier weights ....
Stop comparing yourself. It doesn't help. She probably has other issues that are hard for her, but easy for you. It all balances out in the end.0 -
coolcoci_115 wrote: »coolcoci_115 wrote: »quiksylver296 wrote: »I read through the whole thing and maybe I missed it? Are you eating back exercise calories?
Nope sorry I forgot to add this. I do NOT eat back exercise calories.
If everything stated is true, and you are accurately weighing and logging everything, it may be time to see a doctor. Maybe get your thyroid function checked.
Please read the whole post, I am in the medical field. I do not have signs, symptoms or lab work that is consistent with hypothyroidism, PCOS, Cushing's disease, etc.
Also this is the third time I have posted to this forum in the last 2 years. I have seen this algorithim multiple times.
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I see this algorithim multiple times as well. The answer to everything I guess.0 -
My stats are almost identical to yours (height, weight, loss, BMR, TBDD). I eat 1,800 a day to lose 1 # a week (i burn about 500/day). My goal is to lose 15 more pounds by the end of the year (yes, 9 months from now). If I stray even the tiniest bit it sets me back or I end up exactly the same for the week/month. Personally, I think you need to up your calories a little -- like adding half an Ezekiel English muffin with almond butter or other whole grains, oatmeal whatever. A few other suggested swaps on the food side: black rice rather than white rice, and up your fat with avocados or some olive oil (or add coconut oil powder to your protein shakes). You might also want to mix up your food a little more (3 options breakfast, lunch + dinner) for more variety and a wider range of nutrients. Feel free to add me.0
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