Desperate times call for desperate measures

kkpps
kkpps Posts: 57 Member
edited November 24 in Health and Weight Loss
I have been on my journey now since January 9th. Sticking rigidly to my 1200 cals per day (plus any others earned through exercise). I don't have a huge amount of weight to lose to compare to others (probably another 21 lbs) but last two weeks with no progress has got me down a little. As I am doing Diet Chef prepared meals there are no real pitfalls as I know without question what is in all of the meals I consume. And I have not deviated with the exception of 16th January which was my 50th birthday and I went out for a meal. Even then I chose carefully. Did really well in the first 3 weeks and have managed to shift 7.8 lbs which is great. Last two weeks have been static despite me not deviating at all from the food plan. The only fly in the ointment I believe MUST be alcohol. Now I know this is a problem as despite the cals being included in my daily count, I understand the body tries to burn off alcohol before any fat. I am not a huge drinker (maybe a small glass or two of red wine or a Gin and Slimline tonic) and as I say, its accounted for in my daily intake. But its pretty much every evening. So - this week I am abstaining from any alcohol at all - looking forward to weigh in next week to see if/how much impact this really has

Replies

  • kkpps
    kkpps Posts: 57 Member
    Poisonedpawn78 wrote: »
    you need to make decisions based on longer periods than a week or two. There are many short term things that can mask weight loss, especially with little to lose.

    Understood but I really want to see if it makes that much difference in reality. I am committed to losing a bit of weight and not indulging in all of my "wants" but it would be remiss of me to claim I intend to be alcohol free for the rest of my days. I enjoy a glass of wine with my evening meal. What other things can mask weigh loss in the short term especially if activity and intake is constant. Thanks

  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    kkpps wrote: »
    Poisonedpawn78 wrote: »
    you need to make decisions based on longer periods than a week or two. There are many short term things that can mask weight loss, especially with little to lose.

    Understood but I really want to see if it makes that much difference in reality. I am committed to losing a bit of weight and not indulging in all of my "wants" but it would be remiss of me to claim I intend to be alcohol free for the rest of my days. I enjoy a glass of wine with my evening meal. What other things can mask weigh loss in the short term especially if activity and intake is constant. Thanks

    water retention from sodium/dehydration/hormones/exercise/travel/sunburn... to name but a few...
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    Silentpadna wrote: »
    2 weeks does not "desperate times" make! Step away from the ledge. Read the forums. Understand that weight loss (or weight gain) is almost never linear. Way to many processes with their own many variables are always occurring in your body.

    You cannot do this in desperation mode and expect to be healthy in the process. Relax and trust the process.

    It works.

    ^ yup!
  • kkpps
    kkpps Posts: 57 Member
    Thanks for the reassurance everyone. :) I will step away from the ledge and try to be more patient. Think I will give the alcohol a miss anyway just to see. Also one good point above that I over looked - sodium ! Whilst the prepared meals are set in nutrients I should probably stop adding extra salt !!!! (more of a habit of a lifetime that one). Thanks again everyone
  • tinkerbellang83
    tinkerbellang83 Posts: 9,142 Member
    kkpps wrote: »
    Thanks for the reassurance everyone. :) I will step away from the ledge and try to be more patient. Think I will give the alcohol a miss anyway just to see. Also one good point above that I over looked - sodium ! Whilst the prepared meals are set in nutrients I should probably stop adding extra salt !!!! (more of a habit of a lifetime that one). Thanks again everyone

    Salt only causes water retention not fat gain so again not something to particularly worry about unless you have a medical reason to avoid salt. You are trying to lose fat not water.
  • kkpps
    kkpps Posts: 57 Member
    wizzybeth wrote: »
    If it is of any help to you... I had wine probably 4 or 5 days this past week and I lost 2.6 lbs. now I have a significant amount of weight to lose... I've still got 80 plus pounds before I get to my goal weight. But the alcohol did not in any way shape or form hinder my weight loss.

    Please do not start cutting out things you enjoy because it will only make you sad and you will give up before you get to goal.

    I think you have had a terrific weight loss so far considering you've only got about 20 pounds to lose. You need to dial back that Weekly goal quite a bit. You should not expect to be losing 1 or 2 lb a week. Set your goal to half a pound a week. And enjoy the process. Have a few more calories a day and enjoy that wine.

    Thank you Wizzybeth. I had 29lbs to lose, but only 20 left. You are so right about getting down heartened (especially if, as it appears, I am setting myself unrealistic goals) as I have quite enjoyed the routine of regular meals, and healthy ones too. The change in eating patterns and what I am consuming has really not been a hardship for me, which is great news. To coin an old phrase its a marathon and not a sprint. Thanks for your input, this community is a great resource to those of us new to this and really does help to refocus your mind.
  • kkpps
    kkpps Posts: 57 Member
    try2again wrote: »
    Are there a lot more of these posts this year or is it just me?

    You've basically lost 8 lbs in 5 weeks- actually very aggressive with only about 30 to lose.

    ommunity.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10084670/it-is-unlikely-that-you-will-lose-weight-consistently-i-e-weight-loss-is-not-linear/p1

    Sorry if I have offended you. I will check out the link. Thanks

  • dsboohead
    dsboohead Posts: 1,899 Member
    I'm 60 and I understand where you are coming from. You can have whatever you wish within your expeditures. I made a decision that I wanted to eat my expeditures not drink them.
    5 oz red wine is 125 cal so made MY decision to cut it out. If I had my way I would drink a half of a bottle a night.
    Once I drink I make stupid decisions so now its only 5oz every other week on saturday night (after weigh in). Feel much better physically and feel good about my decision.
  • Silentpadna
    Silentpadna Posts: 1,306 Member
    tinkerbellang83 wrote: »
    kkpps wrote: »
    Thanks for the reassurance everyone. :) I will step away from the ledge and try to be more patient. Think I will give the alcohol a miss anyway just to see. Also one good point above that I over looked - sodium ! Whilst the prepared meals are set in nutrients I should probably stop adding extra salt !!!! (more of a habit of a lifetime that one). Thanks again everyone

    Salt only causes water retention not fat gain so again not something to particularly worry about unless you have a medical reason to avoid salt. You are trying to lose fat not water.

    This is an often overlooked and excellent point. I do not have a medical reason to worry about sodium. As a result there is no real reason to attach an arbitrary limit to it. That said, I do have it as one of the things I monitor because of its profound effect on water retention when it spikes. It gives me a good reason (one of several) why I might see a 5 pound weight (not fat) gain in a day. I know I haven't eaten any more calories; it's just my body doing what it's programmed to do.

    Sodium, exercise changes, stresses - all these things are variables to which your body responds in differing measure in both degree and speed. All can mask fat loss because fat loss is much slower and smaller in magnitude than your day to day fluctuations.

    Don't worry about extra salt unless you have to.
  • SpanishFusion
    SpanishFusion Posts: 261 Member
    Everyone's body is just a little different and everyone's macros are different. If you feel like you'd like to see what works best for you, give it a try. I was just thinking to myself this morning that I need to do something just a little different this week to shake things up. Let me know how it goes for you!
  • HoneyBadger302
    HoneyBadger302 Posts: 2,085 Member
    Agree with the others that your plan is working, just stick to it.

    That being said, if you're cutting out everything you love, is this sustainable? If not, then when you reach your goal, you're going to end up right back where you started this time next year. Learning how to work with the things you enjoy is what makes weight loss sustainable for life.

    And yes, there are fluctuations. Lots of them. And guidelines are just that - guidelines. Not every body is going to respond exactly the same.
  • Roobyzooby
    Roobyzooby Posts: 189 Member
    Just curious, but do you plan to be catered for by diet chef for the rest of your days? How much alcohol affects your weight loss will be the least of your problems if you have to start all over again managing your own meals, if catered meals ever have to stop for whatever reason.
  • kkpps
    kkpps Posts: 57 Member
    Roobyzooby wrote: »
    Just curious, but do you plan to be catered for by diet chef for the rest of your days? How much alcohol affects your weight loss will be the least of your problems if you have to start all over again managing your own meals, if catered meals ever have to stop for whatever reason.

    No I don't plan on being catered for by Diet Chet forever. Does anyone who uses the service ? How rude ! I used Diet Chef several years ago when I needed to lose some weight and found it very useful in actually understanding what correct portion sizes were more than anything and getting me on the right track to start with. So yes "catered meals" will stop after my 12 week package.
  • try2again
    try2again Posts: 3,562 Member
    edited February 2018
    kkpps wrote: »
    Roobyzooby wrote: »
    Just curious, but do you plan to be catered for by diet chef for the rest of your days? How much alcohol affects your weight loss will be the least of your problems if you have to start all over again managing your own meals, if catered meals ever have to stop for whatever reason.

    No I don't plan on being catered for by Diet Chet forever. Does anyone who uses the service ? How rude ! I used Diet Chef several years ago when I needed to lose some weight and found it very useful in actually understanding what correct portion sizes were more than anything and getting me on the right track to start with. So yes "catered meals" will stop after my 12 week package.

    I don't think the poster was being rude, but was addressing a mindset many have that weight loss is a short-term endeavor and when they're done with it, they'll go back to eating "normally", when actually weight management is a lifelong project that requires learning & practicing new, sustainable habits. You're right- you can learn about portion sizes with a catered plan or something like Nutrisystem. But a person still faces the challenge of learning to choose and prepare foods on his/her own.

    Also, out of curiosity, how does a catered plan work when it comes to calories? Is it a set number for all users, or can a person choose a custom calorie allowance based on his/her personal stats and goals?
  • Roobyzooby
    Roobyzooby Posts: 189 Member
    kkpps wrote: »
    Roobyzooby wrote: »
    Just curious, but do you plan to be catered for by diet chef for the rest of your days? How much alcohol affects your weight loss will be the least of your problems if you have to start all over again managing your own meals, if catered meals ever have to stop for whatever reason.

    No I don't plan on being catered for by Diet Chet forever. Does anyone who uses the service ? How rude ! I used Diet Chef several years ago when I needed to lose some weight and found it very useful in actually understanding what correct portion sizes were more than anything and getting me on the right track to start with. So yes "catered meals" will stop after my 12 week package.

    I was not being rude in anyway shape or form. It was a genuine question. In my view, using diet chef for a period of time is one approach to calorie counting. Stopping that and having to plan and cook your own calorie counted meals is something different which you will take time and effort to get right. Why not do that from the start?
    That said your response of calling me rude did scream small child who can't give an educated answer to my question
  • SusanUW83
    SusanUW83 Posts: 152 Member
    It helps weight loss if you don't eat back all your exercise calories -- it is very hard to estimate them correctly, usually overestimate the burn, even with tracker devices.
  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 14,312 Member
    edited February 2018
    Your weight loss to date is exceedingly and unrealistically fast given the amount of weight you have to lose.

    Your implied desire for speed has the potential to cause un wanted side effects.

    Others have already covered the planning issue. Nothing is stopping you from logging your 12 weeks of meals carefully so that you can recreate them later.

    Yes, I and many others are reacting to your method of picking a restrictive/long term unrealistic method to lose weight fast and then hoping to manage maintenance.

    It probably comes from many of us having failed maintenance in the past and thus focusing on maintenance from the very beginning.
  • kkpps
    kkpps Posts: 57 Member
    SusanUW83 wrote: »
    It helps weight loss if you don't eat back all your exercise calories -- it is very hard to estimate them correctly, usually overestimate the burn, even with tracker devices.

    Thanks Susan. To be fair I wasn't doing so to start with but when I reported getting headaches I was advised (along with some great advise on over hydration and caffeine withdrawal) that I should. I am using a tracker that does make the adjustment automatically to MFP but as you say who knows how accurate they are. To be fair I try my hardest to get near the number but often I am a little short of it. Thanks !
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