Really Discouraged Newby
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claricef8705
Posts: 7 Member
Hi Everyone,
I'm new to this healthy eating thing. I have gained 40lbs since January and no amount of working out seems to be helping. I'm hoping to find some encouraging friends that have found success. Please feel free to add me.
I'm new to this healthy eating thing. I have gained 40lbs since January and no amount of working out seems to be helping. I'm hoping to find some encouraging friends that have found success. Please feel free to add me.
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Replies
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I'm guessing you are trying to lose weight? You can exercise all you like, but if you aren't controlling your food intake, and putting yourself in a calorie deficit, you won't lose - you are in the right place!
Perhaps take some time to log your "normal" intake without focusing on the calorie goal. Tweak portion sizes and foods on each you've got the hang of it. I would really recommend getting a food scale and using it for all solids. Measure liquids, and spend time finding accurate database entries by double/triple checking the nutrition information (I find this easier on a desktop, not the app)25 -
Thank you so much! I will give that a shot and see where the problems are. I've also been told by my doctor that my hormones are causing me to gain more quickly than I'm used to. Soo discouraged. I appreciate any and all suggestions!1
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WHAT you eat is more important that HOW MUCH you eat. Your diet should consist of a majority of vegetables. I mean real vegetables that you buy in the produce section or frozen. The only ingredient on the bag should be the vegetable. Broccoli, lettuce, spinach, asparagus, Brussel sprouts, zucchini, cauliflower, mushrooms, onions. Eat them raw, eat them cooked -- Just eat a lot of them -- they fill you up and make you healthy. Limit rice, pasty, etc. If you aren't a vegetarian, eat lean chicken, turkey, fish. Anything that comes in a box already made is BAD. They remove the fiber and process it with sugar and salt. Our grocery stores are full of "healthy" labeled food that is poison and will make you sick - Healthy Choice is a prime example of highly processed garbage with a marketing gimmick. YOU CAN DO IT! Don't give up! Real veggies are your friend!50
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WHAT you eat is more important that HOW MUCH you eat. Your diet should consist of a majority of vegetables. I mean real vegetables that you buy in the produce section or frozen. The only ingredient on the bag should be the vegetable. Broccoli, lettuce, spinach, asparagus, Brussel sprouts, zucchini, cauliflower, mushrooms, onions. Eat them raw, eat them cooked -- Just eat a lot of them -- they fill you up and make you healthy. Limit rice, pasty, etc. If you aren't a vegetarian, eat lean chicken, turkey, fish. Anything that comes in a box already made is BAD. They remove the fiber and process it with sugar and salt. Our grocery stores are full of "healthy" labeled food that is poison and will make you sick - Healthy Choice is a prime example of highly processed garbage with a marketing gimmick. YOU CAN DO IT! Don't give up! Real veggies are your friend!
Wrong. If you're trying to lose weight, eating too many calories of your so-called "healthy" foods is going to lead to lack of success. Everyone should eat a nutrient dense diet most of the time, but deeming foods good/bad and being unnecessarily restrictive is not required.21 -
livingleanlivingclean wrote: »I'm guessing you are trying to lose weight? You can exercise all you like, but if you aren't controlling your food intake, and putting yourself in a calorie deficit, you won't lose - you are in the right place!
Perhaps take some time to log your "normal" intake without focusing on the calorie goal. Tweak portion sizes and foods on each you've got the hang of it. I would really recommend getting a food scale and using it for all solids. Measure liquids, and spend time finding accurate database entries by double/triple checking the nutrition information (I find this easier on a desktop, not the app)
This is exactly right. If you follow this advice and be consistent you'll be able to achieve your goals. It's all about that calorie deficit in the end! Good luck and don't be shy asking the community here for advice, there are plenty of supportive people here who've changed there lives for the better.8 -
WHAT you eat is more important that HOW MUCH you eat. Your diet should consist of a majority of vegetables. I mean real vegetables that you buy in the produce section or frozen. The only ingredient on the bag should be the vegetable. Broccoli, lettuce, spinach, asparagus, Brussel sprouts, zucchini, cauliflower, mushrooms, onions. Eat them raw, eat them cooked -- Just eat a lot of them -- they fill you up and make you healthy. Limit rice, pasty, etc. If you aren't a vegetarian, eat lean chicken, turkey, fish. Anything that comes in a box already made is BAD. They remove the fiber and process it with sugar and salt. Our grocery stores are full of "healthy" labeled food that is poison and will make you sick - Healthy Choice is a prime example of highly processed garbage with a marketing gimmick. YOU CAN DO IT! Don't give up! Real veggies are your friend!
This is all completely unnecessary. Yes, veggies are your friend. There is nothing wrong with "anything in a box", that's just silly. Calories are key for weight loss/gain.
OP, if I'm understanding correctly that you have 40 or so lbs to lose, set your goal to lose 1 lb per week. Just start logging your food and doing your best to hit your calorie goal. Start to notice the patterns - what do you eat on days you hit your goal easily? What do you eat on days you struggle or blow right by your goal? Tweak from there.
In general, getting enough protein, fat, and fiber will help you feel full. For sure load up on veggies, lean protein, and healthy fats is a good idea but make sure to fit in some treat foods too. Log your exercise and eat back at least some of those calories to keep your body fueled. Be patient, and don't get too down after a bad day, everyone has them. Just log it, learn from it, and do better tomorrow. Good luck!11 -
Thank you, everyone! I appreciate your time and input0
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Looking for support here is a great step. Most of us know what to do. It's the doing it that remains the problem. I'm starting again today and this time I'm going to not go it alone but find support.
From past efforts, I know that if I actively engage in doing something that motivates my efforts (example: coming online and reading other people's posts) every day, I tend to stay focused on my efforts. Just trying to eat better or exercise is not enough...at least for me. I can do that route, but it always leads to compromise. And as soon as I start compromising with myself, I'm sunk.
Keep coming here Clarice. And feel free to add me as a friend.4 -
I found success when I started being truthful with my diet. I bought a food scale, started to weigh everything I consume and log everything with correct entries (no homemade or generic). I started to move more. Gradually the weight came off and I've been successful since. When I start to gain I know it's because I am not doing one of the above. Feel free to add for support!3
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WHAT you eat is more important that HOW MUCH you eat. Your diet should consist of a majority of vegetables. I mean real vegetables that you buy in the produce section or frozen. The only ingredient on the bag should be the vegetable. Broccoli, lettuce, spinach, asparagus, Brussel sprouts, zucchini, cauliflower, mushrooms, onions. Eat them raw, eat them cooked -- Just eat a lot of them -- they fill you up and make you healthy. Limit rice, pasty, etc. If you aren't a vegetarian, eat lean chicken, turkey, fish. Anything that comes in a box already made is BAD. They remove the fiber and process it with sugar and salt. Our grocery stores are full of "healthy" labeled food that is poison and will make you sick - Healthy Choice is a prime example of highly processed garbage with a marketing gimmick. YOU CAN DO IT! Don't give up! Real veggies are your friend!
WRONG. This person (who is brand new to MFP and has not entered any info in their profile, or shared any info about their background) is not giving you good advice.
Losing weight is all about calories in vs. calories out (CICO). If you properly weigh, measure and log what you eat, and you have a deficit, you will lose weight. It can be overwhelming at first. And you have to be honest with the system, if you eat it, it has to be logged for this to work. You will learn which foods make you feel more full, and you will learn to drink more water. But it's important to not label foods as good vs. bad, or cut out certain food groups entirely. You can eat the foods you like in moderation, and you can have the occasional treat.
Good luck, I hope that MFP can help you find support and inspiration! Make sure you follow your doctor's instructions as well.9 -
you can add me. I am on MFP every day
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Using the MFP food diary, weighing with a food scale, and tracking every day is key. It's a great idea to log what you're eating as accurately as possible for a week and see exactly what you're consuming on a daily basis. Then you can make adjustments.
I read a post here on MFP awhile back that was something like "you can't exercise away a bad diet". Not sure if that was exactly right but I found a lot of truth there. I took that to mean no amount of exercise can compensate for eating more calories than your body needs for maintenance.
Lots of people do lose weight eating whatever they want in moderation. However, a lot of my favorite foods are highly caloric and don't fill me up. I try to fill my daily diet with a lot of nutrient dense foods (fruits, veggies, lean proteins, grains) and limit the favorites to small snacks or occasional indulgences. All things in moderation as long as you're consistently in a deficit and you will see weight loss.
Stick with it and you'll find success!5 -
WHAT you eat is more important that HOW MUCH you eat. Your diet should consist of a majority of vegetables. I mean real vegetables that you buy in the produce section or frozen. The only ingredient on the bag should be the vegetable. Broccoli, lettuce, spinach, asparagus, Brussel sprouts, zucchini, cauliflower, mushrooms, onions. Eat them raw, eat them cooked -- Just eat a lot of them -- they fill you up and make you healthy. Limit rice, pasty, etc. If you aren't a vegetarian, eat lean chicken, turkey, fish. Anything that comes in a box already made is BAD. They remove the fiber and process it with sugar and salt. Our grocery stores are full of "healthy" labeled food that is poison and will make you sick - Healthy Choice is a prime example of highly processed garbage with a marketing gimmick. YOU CAN DO IT! Don't give up! Real veggies are your friend!
We are confusing the eat healthy with weight loss here. I do eat clean. No processed foods. But did that alone make me skinny? No. Do I believe I am healthier for it sure. And I hate when people make fats evil....no food is evil. Variety if your friend. Cutting fat from food make it taste like crap and it won't make you skinny. Not eating processed food doesn't make you skinny. Cutting cals does. I personally do not eat processed foods but I do it to improve my health not my weight. I am allergic to a lot of crap that's in processed foods.I also because of my allergies don't eat many veggies ( which I would never say are unhealthy).....the high fat diet hasn't made me fatter. POINT IS..whether you eat carbs or fat..eat what you like...w/e you like... just stay at a calorie deficit. And for the love of food...don't cut out a food because someone told you that's what made you fat....we are omnivores and if you want eat bread do it...eat fat do it..eat an apple do it.....eat the steak do it...just watch your cals for the day
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My recommendation? Start logging your intake. Log everything, every day, for at least a week, including at least one weekend. If you have a kitchen scale, use it, if not use measuring cups and spoons. Don't worry about losing weight for this week, you want a realistic idea of what you are actually eating and drinking. If you eat out alot, most chains will have nutritional info on line, family owned restaurants, you'll likely have to guess. Once you have that info, look at what you actually eat. For example, if you asked me before I did this, I would have told you I ate lots of fruit and veg. I bought lots of fruit and veg. I served lots of fruit and veg. Eating it? Not so much. I set my calories at a deficit of 1 lb a week (I weighed 254 when I started, if you only have 40 to lose, 1/2 lb a week might be better for you) and resolved to add 1-2 servings of fruit/veg to every meal. Berries with my cereal, sliced tomatoes with my sandwich, non lettuce salad with my dinner. (I like lettuce, lettuce does not like me, so this took a little experimentation.) I'm not much of a meat eater, so was kinda low on protein, and I was low on Omega 3 and 6 fats. I started eating more nuts, more salmon, and eggs, yogurt and cottage cheese. I do count calories, but don't obsess about it. If I want ice cream, I have ice cream. If I want beer, I have beer. If I want to go out to dinner, I go out to dinner. I've lost 25 lbs since March and I'm confident I'll continue to lose, while enjoying my life and my food.1
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Questions:
(1) What does "healthy eating" entail to you? (This may seem obvious, but in my experience, there are as many definitions as there are people.)
(2) What's changed since January? Your hormones? Stress level? Did you change jobs, move or lose someone or something close to you? Are you sleeping okay? (All these things affect weight loss/gain.)
(3) What does "working out" entail for you? Walking? Running? Weightlifting? Swimming? As others have said, exercise can help you get into a caloric deficit for weight loss, but there's no way to outrun a bad diet.
I'm down 42 lbs and counting, and I've been maintaining the first 40 lb loss for 3 years.
As far as your plan goes, others have provided solid advice. Weigh all solids and liquids on a food scale and log your intake accurately. That is the only way weight loss really works. Good luck.4 -
Hi,
I'm following this thread with interest! Lots of good (although conflicting) advice! I'm also starting today...I have done various diets, most recently The Body Coach 90 day plan however, nothing feels sustainable. I'm hoping that MFP will help me to understand what I do and don't need but allow me to live my life. I exercise quite regularly and am beginning to enjoy it so I want to encourage myself to do more using this app and my Fitbit.
Good luck! I'm looking for buddies to give me a kick up the backside so feel free to add me x2 -
Hey! I’d be glad to support YOU reading this!
Also for added motivation, [edited by mods] You ARE UNSTOPPABLE!1 -
Two words; Ketogenic Diet. I have had issues with weight my whole life. I have tried a lot of different things, including low-fat and low-cal. Eating that way, I could put away 2500 calories in a day, and I wouldn't be able to stop thinking about food. Eventually, willpower runs out and then you are up a creek. My current "diet" has my macros as follows... 70% fat, 25% protein, and 5% carbohydrates. Today I've eaten just under 1600 calories, and I simply don't want any more than that. It's not like before when I was sitting there doing everything I could to keep myself from eating. I set my caloric intake at 1900 after testing it out for a while and seeing what I would eat on an average day, but I typically don't exceed 1700ish. I think my keto coffee has a lot to do with my not being hungry. I mix a teaspoon of Folgers instant coffee, with a teaspoon of organic coconut oil, a teaspoon of Kerigold unsalted butter, and 2 packets of zero calorie sweetener in 20 oz of hot water. I nurse three of those throughout the day and now overeating or having to try to hold myself back from eating has become a thing of the past. I only wish I had discovered this 20 years ago. Best of luck!6
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Two words; Ketogenic Diet. I have had issues with weight my whole life. I have tried a lot of different things, including low-fat and low-cal. Eating that way, I could put away 2500 calories in a day, and I wouldn't be able to stop thinking about food. Eventually, willpower runs out and then you are up a creek. My current "diet" has my macros as follows... 70% fat, 25% protein, and 5% carbohydrates. Today I've eaten just under 1600 calories, and I simply don't want any more than that. It's not like before when I was sitting there doing everything I could to keep myself from eating. I set my caloric intake at 1900 after testing it out for a while and seeing what I would eat on an average day, but I typically don't exceed 1700ish. I think my keto coffee has a lot to do with my not being hungry. I mix a teaspoon of Folgers instant coffee, with a teaspoon of organic coconut oil, a teaspoon of Kerigold unsalted butter, and 2 packets of zero calorie sweetener in 20 oz of hot water. I nurse three of those throughout the day and now overeating or having to try to hold myself back from eating has become a thing of the past. I only wish I had discovered this 20 years ago. Best of luck!
Keto is not magic, and doesn't work for everyone -- and I speak as a (relatively) low carber. If you feel the need to try it, go ahead, but as with every other way of eating, be prepared to tweak to suit you personally.6 -
As you can see everyone is going to tell you that THEIR way of losing weight is the ONLY way to lose weight. Keto, veggies, low carb, every single one of those eating plans has one thing in common--eating less calories. And we all know eating less calories makes you lose weight.
If exercise puts you in enough of a caloric deficit you will lose weight that way too. However, mainly weight loss happens in the kitchen. I would suggest setting your MFP goals to lose 1 pound a week (maybe even .5 pound), weighing your food and logging your food and then STICKING WITH IT! Consistency and persistence is key.
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