What am I doing wrong?

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Hey all! I'm relatively new to MFP -- been here for a little over 3 weeks. I've lost 7 lbs and I know that's great but I'm kind of discouraged this week. I've changed my eating habits but I'm just kind of stuck these past two weeks. I don't eat-back my exercise calories when it is food prep or cleaning. I did eat-back part of my calories when I did a 5k over the weekend.

What am I doing wrong?! I have re-gained to where I was 2 weeks ago. It is not that TOM. I do need to work on my water intake. Please feel free to look at my diary.

I'd love to hear your suggestions -- thanks in advance!

Replies

  • Fairysoul
    Fairysoul Posts: 1,361 Member
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    I am really no expert, but a variety of different fruits and veggies is good for you..
  • TMcBooty
    TMcBooty Posts: 780 Member
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    From what I see your dinner and breakfast calories are reversed. Your breakfast should be the biggest meal of the day. Oatmeal and egg whites are a good option. IMO. Breakfast is the most important meal.

    Increase your water intake.
  • Fairysoul
    Fairysoul Posts: 1,361 Member
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    Oh and you should eat your exercise calories back!
  • Purvey
    Purvey Posts: 13 Member
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    Looking at your food diary it seems you need to get more protein into your breakfast. You need at least 1200 calories each day. In the beginning I was slacking very much on protein and have upped that.
  • TMcBooty
    TMcBooty Posts: 780 Member
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    I personally don't go by the amount of protein or fiber they alot me here on MFP. I try to keep my fiber at least meeting their amount (but I almost always go higher) and my protein is usually double what my fat intake is.
  • kdseibel
    kdseibel Posts: 4 Member
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    I would absolutely suggest that you up your protein. Protein at breakfast and maybe some low cal/high protein (like fish) and veggies at dinner instead of just a baked potato.

    You're doing great, keep it up!
  • mermx
    mermx Posts: 976
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    Yep, I would try to limit your carbs and add more protein. I try to keep each meal around the same amount of cals
  • ehensarling17
    ehensarling17 Posts: 95 Member
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    From what I see your dinner and breakfast calories are reversed. Your breakfast should be the biggest meal of the day. Oatmeal and egg whites are a good option. IMO. Breakfast is the most important meal.

    Increase your water intake.

    Thanks for the suggestions everyone!

    Breakfast is a challenge for me and I'm continually working at it -- I used to not even eat breakfast at all. Bad, I know.
  • nlfrancis
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    You need to eat more during breakfast first off. People who eat breakfast have been shown to eat fewer calories throughout the day and lose weight. You want to make sure you are getting protein and carbs - scrambled egg whites and oatmeal is good, bagel thin with peanut butter, or do an egg white sandwich on an english muffin.

    There are tons of people who will tell you NOT to eat your exercise calories back, I don't believe that. Carbs and protein are your bodys fuel to move and function through your day. If you body doesn't get enough calories to function it will hold onto those fat and calories you are using to turn into fuel throughout the day. You will also find that you aren't able to workout as much as you would like or as hard as you would like because your muscles are holding onto it's glycogen to get you through the day.

    I have had to adjust my calories here on MFP because I wasn't getting enough calories at 1200 plus eating my calories back. You may need to look at the amount of calories you are burning during exercise (get a heart rate monitor for accuracy) and find some online calculators and see if the amount of calories you are burning and eating a day are right for you. To lose weight you have to have a deficit - which MFP gives you - but it's a canned formula that doesn't work for everyone.
  • nlfrancis
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    You need to eat more during breakfast first off. People who eat breakfast have been shown to eat fewer calories throughout the day and lose weight. You want to make sure you are getting protein and carbs - scrambled egg whites and oatmeal is good, bagel thin with peanut butter, or do an egg white sandwich on an english muffin.

    There are tons of people who will tell you NOT to eat your exercise calories back, I don't believe that. Carbs and protein are your bodys fuel to move and function through your day. If you body doesn't get enough calories to function it will hold onto those fat and calories you are using to turn into fuel throughout the day. You will also find that you aren't able to workout as much as you would like or as hard as you would like because your muscles are holding onto it's glycogen to get you through the day.

    I have had to adjust my calories here on MFP because I wasn't getting enough calories at 1200 plus eating my calories back. You may need to look at the amount of calories you are burning during exercise (get a heart rate monitor for accuracy) and find some online calculators and see if the amount of calories you are burning and eating a day are right for you. To lose weight you have to have a deficit - which MFP gives you - but it's a canned formula that doesn't work for everyone.
  • xraylady33
    xraylady33 Posts: 222 Member
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    WHen you are working out you need to get at least 100 grams of protien! I am not interested in what the variance is on the sight! Trust me on this! BEEN THERE DONE IT....protien will jumpstart you again. I am not going to get all nerdy on you, and act like a know at all...bahaha, but seriously consider adding lean protien, or shakes to your daily intake.

    Try, just try, adding some WHOLE foods to your diet. NOTHING white for a week. Not whole wheat bread! 100% whole wheat, natural peanut butter, NO SUGAR ADDED. If you aim for the ingredients to be minimal, and readable you will succeed. Ingredients with high fructose corn syrup will hurt you as well.

    Little tweaks, will help! I guarantee it!
  • ehensarling17
    ehensarling17 Posts: 95 Member
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    WHen you are working out you need to get at least 100 grams of protien! I am not interested in what the variance is on the sight! Trust me on this! BEEN THERE DONE IT....protien will jumpstart you again. I am not going to get all nerdy on you, and act like a know at all...bahaha, but seriously consider adding lean protien, or shakes to your daily intake.

    Try, just try, adding some WHOLE foods to your diet. NOTHING white for a week. Not whole wheat bread! 100% whole wheat, natural peanut butter, NO SUGAR ADDED. If you aim for the ingredients to be minimal, and readable you will succeed. Ingredients with high fructose corn syrup will hurt you as well.

    Little tweaks, will help! I guarantee it!

    Okay. More protein it is! I've really tried to focus on eliminating as much of the processed food as possible and added sugar. I know the yogurt is a no-no in that regard. I would venture to say that most of my diet now IS whole foods -- veggies, fresh fruit, meat and fish . . .
  • h0taru
    h0taru Posts: 43
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    What is your BMR?

    Your goal of 1200 cal per day is too low.

    You need to respect your BMR need or your body will slow down and so your calories consumption.

    The only solution for respecting myfitnesspal "net" calories is to do sport. If you cannot do some, never expect to loose a lot.

    Look at my diary: Most of the time I respect my body's need; sometimes eating much more than 2000 cal, and even craps like ice-cream. I'm still loosing weight, because my net is always around 1500.
  • ehensarling17
    ehensarling17 Posts: 95 Member
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    According to MFP, my BMR is 1,492 calories/day.
  • h0taru
    h0taru Posts: 43
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    So you need to eat at least 1500 calories per day, or your body is slowing down :)

    300 calories per day to expense is not so difficult:

    - using stairs instead of elevators.
    - doing more house cleaning
    - walking instead of using your car....

    Don't worry, you will restart your weigth loose by moving and eating just a little more ;)
  • km_jenn
    km_jenn Posts: 107
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    It looks like you are definitely on the right track, but here are a few things that stuck out to me... your protein intake is relatively low, especially since you are so active. I personally aim for my body weight in protein, and I stay full, and have lots of lean muscle and energy for my active schedule. Protein is the building block for lean muscle, lean muscle burns fat. Your veggie/fruit intake could be tweaked. Your sugar intake is quite high. Even though it is mostly from fruit, it could be hindering your efforts. I would suggest you cut your fruit intake in half, and double or triple your veggie intake. Lastly would be that it seems like you are a snack person... lol. That can be a good thing, if done right! But you want to make sure you are getting a balanced diet. I don't know what time you are eating what, but I agree with others on the breakfast thing. You definitely want a more substantial breakfast. I know this can be tough sometimes. I work out Mon-Fri mornings, and depending on what time, I often can't really eat, so to make sure I'm getting proper fuel and calories. My 2 go to choices are either a protein shake with unsweetened almond milk, flax seed and bee pollen, or a smoothie with fruit, yogurt, flax and bee pollen, and protein. Try to aim for including veggies, protein and a complex carb with every meal. If you want to skip the carb at dinner, or have a half portion, even better. I was stuck at the same weight for quite awhile, and I really focused on my nutrition, as I knew my workouts were very substantial. Since doing that, my body finally changed. I actually don't worry too much about the scale at this point, just how my clothes fit, and making sure I am getting all my nutrients. My scale stopped changing, but I was losing inches... We are surrounded by the notation all calories are created equal, calories in, calories out, perfect science right? Not so much. Balance is crucial. I like to think of everything I know I need to put in my body each day, and divided it up into small meals focusing around veggies and protein, with a little complex carbs. You have a great start, just modify things a bit by increasing your protein, lowering your sugar, and focusing on balance, and I think you will see some great results!
  • h0taru
    h0taru Posts: 43
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    According to her diary, she is eating too much proteins and not enough carbs...

    If you eat too much proteins, you don't build your muscles, you just eliminate them by urine.

    Diet with high proteins is not scientifically proved. It can be usefull for people who do not count their calories because it restrains appetite.
  • Lelafin
    Lelafin Posts: 29 Member
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    I have read (and have seen that it helps me too) that you should have a goal to try to eat 30 grams of protein within 1 hour of waking, and eating it within 30 minutes of waking is even better. Supposedly it really revs up your metabolism. I've kind of tweaked this idea if I'm going to work out - I'll just have something smaller like an apple and a few nuts - right before going to work out, and then have the larger, protein packed breakfast afterward. I find that it helps IMMENSELY the rest of the day! Also, drinking ice water constantly, at least 3L and more if you are working out a lot.

    I just posted a post like this a few days ago because I was feeling frustrated with the scale and having similar issues with weight not moving even though I was doing everything right, and I got a lot of encouragement from everyone here. I'm feeling a whole lot better now, and making these little tweaks is really helping a LOT. I'm definitely losing inches even though it's only been 1.5 weeks for me.
  • Angelamu77
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    If you struggle with eating breakfast so early eat somethng and maybe a larger snack/lunch. water will help as well. That is what my doc told me.
  • ehensarling17
    ehensarling17 Posts: 95 Member
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    You guys are great! Thanks for the continued suggestions. It's a little overwhelming and I think I'm hitting a wall where I miss my old foods but know that I don't want to return to them. Seeing the scale move is motivating but it's obviously not happening right now -- at least not in the right direction.

    I'll definitely try to cut back on the sugars from fruit -- just gotta finish up these peaches before they go bad. :)