Getting a bit fed up
Replies
-
do most people scan the food in if possible than check the calories on the packet too? When i have brought ready meals this is what i have done. And with cerals etc then weigh the amount.
2 -
-
KellyKorner0402 wrote: »do most people scan the food in if possible than check the calories on the packet too? When i have brought ready meals this is what i have done. And with cerals etc then weigh the amount.
yes i scan then and confirm it's accurate. then weigh the food and ensure things all match up. some products i found better to just type in.5 -
I didn’t say it was necessary, I said it’s what helped me.... and it has helped a LOT of people I know, because your body DOES get used to routine, just like how your hormones can become out of whack if you eat too few calories...... yes a deficit is what you need, but for people who are like me and struggle even when in a deficit, zig zagging can be a possibility to try out.... just like exercise, if it becomes too routine, your muscles get used to it and don’t grow like they did at first, things slow down, things are not AS effective, so it’s good to change things up.....rarecandy89 wrote: »What helps for me usually is having a cheat day, my cheat day usually is about 300-500 calories higher than my regular days, I like to zig zag diet, because your body gets used to a routine, and it helps to keep it guessing.. Example: eat 1200 one day, 1300 the next, 1100 the next day, and zig zag it until your cheat day, then you can log everything on your cheat day just to keep the app steady, but don’t worry about the caloric number on that day, obviously don’t go TOO crazy and eat 10,000 calories, lol, but eating pizza for dinner and eating a slice of cake afterwards shouldn’t worry you on that day..... then the next day you might see a pound up, but drink a bunch of water and it goes back down by like the end of the day, I find that helps me lose more weight.....
You don’t have to keep your body “guessing” to lose weight. Zig zagging is not necessary, just a calorie deficit.
4 -
Thank you for the comments. I realize it is not a race but a life change. I will start walking and see if that helps. I also read it is helpful to drink water totaling half your body weight.0
-
rbruisedbear wrote: »Thank you for the comments. I realize it is not a race but a life change. I will start walking and see if that helps. I also read it is helpful to drink water totaling half your body weight.
Whoa. I think I'd struggle to drink 75 lbs of water. Do you mean in ounces? Like, divide your weight in half and drink that number of ounces of water per day?1 -
Remember that your body is taking a LONG-TERM AVERAGE of your caloric intake and exercise levels to determine whether to lose fat or not. It's normal to stall out while your body "waits" to see what you're going to do. Stick with it, do not give up, and do not beat yourself up over "cheat" days as long as your weekly average is on target.1
-
There is a very fine line between eating enough calories and eating too many. If you don't fuel your body, it will go into starvation mode and fight to keep everything you feed it. You won't see weight loss when that happens. If it is possible for you, I would ask your doctor to recommend a registered dietician. Amazingly, my dietician put me on a 1600 calorie meal plan with restricted starchy carbs (low bread, rice and pasta). I thought that was way too high, but following the meal plan and exercising at least 30 minutes a day, I have lost 51 pounds. I usually consume between 1500 and 1600 calories, exercise then consumes about 250-300 giving me a net around 1300.
Connie in KY6 -
There is a very fine line between eating enough calories and eating too many. If you don't fuel your body, it will go into starvation mode and fight to keep everything you feed it. You won't see weight loss when that happens. If it is possible for you, I would ask your doctor to recommend a registered dietician. Amazingly, my dietician put me on a 1600 calorie meal plan with restricted starchy carbs (low bread, rice and pasta). I thought that was way too high, but following the meal plan and exercising at least 30 minutes a day, I have lost 51 pounds. I usually consume between 1500 and 1600 calories, exercise then consumes about 250-300 giving me a net around 1300.
Connie in KY
Starvation mode like that isn't really a thing. If you dramatically under eat for a long time (months/years) your metabolism may slow down to conserve calories, and your weight loss will slow. But eating a couple hundred calories too little for 4 weeks isn't going to stop weight loss.
Luckily, OP had some logging issues pointed out that she can correct, which will probably do the trick. When people come here because they are hitting their goal and not losing any weight, I'd say 95% oft he time it's either a logging issue or lack of patience.
Congrats on that awesome weight loss BTW :drinker:5 -
KellyKorner0402 wrote: »do most people scan the food in if possible than check the calories on the packet too? When i have brought ready meals this is what i have done. And with cerals etc then weigh the amount.
I scan, but I also measure/weigh to make sure I am using the correct portion size. If the portion size is 1 slice of bread, but I eat two I have to remember to double the portion.
Connie in KY0 -
rarecandy89 wrote: »
I didn’t say it was necessary, I said it’s what helped me.... and it has helped a LOT of people I know, because your body DOES get used to routine, just like how your hormones can become out of whack if you eat too few calories...... yes a deficit is what you need, but for people who are like me and struggle even when in a deficit, zig zagging can be a possibility to try out.... just like exercise, if it becomes too routine, your muscles get used to it and don’t grow like they did at first, things slow down, things are not AS effective, so it’s good to change things up.....rarecandy89 wrote: »What helps for me usually is having a cheat day, my cheat day usually is about 300-500 calories higher than my regular days, I like to zig zag diet, because your body gets used to a routine, and it helps to keep it guessing.. Example: eat 1200 one day, 1300 the next, 1100 the next day, and zig zag it until your cheat day, then you can log everything on your cheat day just to keep the app steady, but don’t worry about the caloric number on that day, obviously don’t go TOO crazy and eat 10,000 calories, lol, but eating pizza for dinner and eating a slice of cake afterwards shouldn’t worry you on that day..... then the next day you might see a pound up, but drink a bunch of water and it goes back down by like the end of the day, I find that helps me lose more weight.....
You don’t have to keep your body “guessing” to lose weight. Zig zagging is not necessary, just a calorie deficit.
There is evidence to support that increasing calories occasionally can be helpful in losing weight: https://www.strongerbyscience.com/metabolic-adaptation/.2 -
rarecandy89 wrote: »
I didn’t say it was necessary, I said it’s what helped me.... and it has helped a LOT of people I know, because your body DOES get used to routine, just like how your hormones can become out of whack if you eat too few calories...... yes a deficit is what you need, but for people who are like me and struggle even when in a deficit, zig zagging can be a possibility to try out.... just like exercise, if it becomes too routine, your muscles get used to it and don’t grow like they did at first, things slow down, things are not AS effective, so it’s good to change things up.....rarecandy89 wrote: »What helps for me usually is having a cheat day, my cheat day usually is about 300-500 calories higher than my regular days, I like to zig zag diet, because your body gets used to a routine, and it helps to keep it guessing.. Example: eat 1200 one day, 1300 the next, 1100 the next day, and zig zag it until your cheat day, then you can log everything on your cheat day just to keep the app steady, but don’t worry about the caloric number on that day, obviously don’t go TOO crazy and eat 10,000 calories, lol, but eating pizza for dinner and eating a slice of cake afterwards shouldn’t worry you on that day..... then the next day you might see a pound up, but drink a bunch of water and it goes back down by like the end of the day, I find that helps me lose more weight.....
You don’t have to keep your body “guessing” to lose weight. Zig zagging is not necessary, just a calorie deficit.
There is evidence to support that increasing calories occasionally can be helpful in losing weight: https://www.strongerbyscience.com/metabolic-adaptation/.
Exactly, by increasing calories, even if it’s just some of the days if not every day, (zig zagging) it can be very beneficial, the calorie example that I originally gave was just that, an example of numbers, every persons calorie requirements will be different of course, but if some days you eat about 300 calories more than your restricted days, that increase can spark your body into a weight loss mode, especially if there has been a plateau...
I’ve been at a plateau the last couple weeks, and today it finally gave in and I’m down 2 pounds, so hopefully now it’s kicked back into gear!
3 -
rarecandy89 wrote: »rarecandy89 wrote: »
I didn’t say it was necessary, I said it’s what helped me.... and it has helped a LOT of people I know, because your body DOES get used to routine, just like how your hormones can become out of whack if you eat too few calories...... yes a deficit is what you need, but for people who are like me and struggle even when in a deficit, zig zagging can be a possibility to try out.... just like exercise, if it becomes too routine, your muscles get used to it and don’t grow like they did at first, things slow down, things are not AS effective, so it’s good to change things up.....rarecandy89 wrote: »What helps for me usually is having a cheat day, my cheat day usually is about 300-500 calories higher than my regular days, I like to zig zag diet, because your body gets used to a routine, and it helps to keep it guessing.. Example: eat 1200 one day, 1300 the next, 1100 the next day, and zig zag it until your cheat day, then you can log everything on your cheat day just to keep the app steady, but don’t worry about the caloric number on that day, obviously don’t go TOO crazy and eat 10,000 calories, lol, but eating pizza for dinner and eating a slice of cake afterwards shouldn’t worry you on that day..... then the next day you might see a pound up, but drink a bunch of water and it goes back down by like the end of the day, I find that helps me lose more weight.....
You don’t have to keep your body “guessing” to lose weight. Zig zagging is not necessary, just a calorie deficit.
There is evidence to support that increasing calories occasionally can be helpful in losing weight: https://www.strongerbyscience.com/metabolic-adaptation/.
Exactly, by increasing calories, even if it’s just some of the days if not every day, (zig zagging) it can be very beneficial, the calorie example that I originally gave was just that, an example of numbers, every persons calorie requirements will be different of course, but if some days you eat about 300 calories more than your restricted days, that increase can spark your body into a weight loss mode, especially if there has been a plateau... I’ve been at a plateau the last couple weeks, and today it finally gave in and I’m down 2 pounds, so hopefully now it’s kicked back into gear!
Your body doesn't have "weight loss mode".
The thing is, the weight you lose today isn't a direct and immediate reflection of what you did yesterday. It is the cumulative effect of everything you did the last several weeks, plus other stuff you have no control over.
Natural weight fluctuations of several pounds, usually caused by water weight or digestive contents, can mask weight loss for a couple of weeks easily. So you were going to lose that 2lbs regardless (probably due to a water weight drop) but you are attributing it to a random high calorie day.
Most "plateau busting" tips look like they work because most people try them within this 1-3 week period where water weight is showing up on the scale, and the drop gets credited to the magic rather than to normal scale fluctuations.
The body is incredibly adaptable, but it also isn't so capricious that it immediately changes how it works every time you do something temporarily different. You can't "confuse" your body, it's not thinking about what to do, it just does what it's genetically programmed to.
Having said that, some people do lose weight better when they are consistently eating more. Eating too little causes fatigue, which causes your activity level to bottom out, and can also mess with your hormones and appetite. You sit more, fidget less, and are slightly hungrier without even realizing it. This is why we try so hard to convince women not to insist on eating 1200 calories. Eating 200 calories more may very well lead to burning 250 calories more just by keeping you energetic all day. But this is do to consistent behavior over weeks and months. There really isn't much you can do in one day or even one week to change the way your body works.9 -
rarecandy89 wrote: »rarecandy89 wrote: »
I didn’t say it was necessary, I said it’s what helped me.... and it has helped a LOT of people I know, because your body DOES get used to routine, just like how your hormones can become out of whack if you eat too few calories...... yes a deficit is what you need, but for people who are like me and struggle even when in a deficit, zig zagging can be a possibility to try out.... just like exercise, if it becomes too routine, your muscles get used to it and don’t grow like they did at first, things slow down, things are not AS effective, so it’s good to change things up.....rarecandy89 wrote: »What helps for me usually is having a cheat day, my cheat day usually is about 300-500 calories higher than my regular days, I like to zig zag diet, because your body gets used to a routine, and it helps to keep it guessing.. Example: eat 1200 one day, 1300 the next, 1100 the next day, and zig zag it until your cheat day, then you can log everything on your cheat day just to keep the app steady, but don’t worry about the caloric number on that day, obviously don’t go TOO crazy and eat 10,000 calories, lol, but eating pizza for dinner and eating a slice of cake afterwards shouldn’t worry you on that day..... then the next day you might see a pound up, but drink a bunch of water and it goes back down by like the end of the day, I find that helps me lose more weight.....
You don’t have to keep your body “guessing” to lose weight. Zig zagging is not necessary, just a calorie deficit.
There is evidence to support that increasing calories occasionally can be helpful in losing weight: https://www.strongerbyscience.com/metabolic-adaptation/.
Exactly, by increasing calories, even if it’s just some of the days if not every day, (zig zagging) it can be very beneficial, the calorie example that I originally gave was just that, an example of numbers, every persons calorie requirements will be different of course, but if some days you eat about 300 calories more than your restricted days, that increase can spark your body into a weight loss mode, especially if there has been a plateau... I’ve been at a plateau the last couple weeks, and today it finally gave in and I’m down 2 pounds, so hopefully now it’s kicked back into gear!
If you're in a deficit you're always in weight loss mode. 2 weeks is not a plateau, you would have dropped those 2lbs without the "zig-zagging". I've had 3 weeks of no weight loss before it suddenly drops and balances itself out, it's just the process. Sometimes though eating into your daily deficit a little more may help overall adherence, maybe that day you have particular cravings or you worked a little harder on other days and that day you're refueling a bit. That's why some people look at their weekly calories instead of daily, because their daily calories can vary like that.6 -
You guys are very literal, I know I was going to lose that 2 pounds, and I didn’t attribute to just one high day, I attribute it to ALL my efforts that I’ve put into doing it all, and a plateau can last “several days to several weeks.” Zig zagging is not JUST zig zagging under your BMI, zig zagging can be one day under, one day at and one day above..... but whatever, you guys don’t have to do it, who cares, it works for me, it’s not like I plan it out, but I stay between my set calories, like I don’t JUST stick to a steady “1200” a day, I eat and some days I’m under and some days I’m over.... it’s not like I’m sitting over here “I need to plan out this zig zag.” I just used that as an example..... *face palms at all you* OG poster said she was fed up, said she didn’t know why she wasn’t losing weight, I just gave a suggestion, I lost 50 pounds after my first son doing what I do, and I’m already down 16 pounds again after my second son doing it again, but whatever, I could care less that you guys have your panties in a twist over me suggesting to not be super strict to a certain number of calories, but to focus in the general area.... Lol and yes, your body DOES fall into routine, so changing things up can be good for weight loss or building muscle..... eating too few calories does cause your metabolism to slow down, and can cause more plateaus, homone imbalances, so yes, there is what is known as “starvation mode” and there IS a weight loss mode, just like there is a maintenance mode and a weight gain mode.... but again, whatever, you do you, if it works, woo hoo for you! I’ll still cheer you on.... I grew up in a personal trainer house, my mom was a personal trainer, dietician and the whole nine yards..... I didn’t go after that job myself, but I learned everything..... the point of it all is EVERY BODY IS DIFFERENT, you need to find what works for you and your personal body, I gave a suggestion, one of many suggestions out there that I saw hadn’t been mentioned yet to try, and it’s what I have personally done because it’s been the only thing that’s worked for me.3
-
Make sure to drink a lot of water! I can see a huge difference in weight loss if I chug water, especially if I cut out all other drinks as well. I make sure to drink at least 100 oz each day. Only extra drink is my 1 cup of coffee in the AM. Good luck on your journey, you’ll get there!!3
-
thank you all. Steady weight loss but now up to 10 pounds loss.8
-
kellyswimmer wrote: »thank you all. Steady weight loss but now up to 10 pounds loss.
Woo hoo!! Good job!! I’m at 18 pounds down so far now! It always eventually comes off, the only for sure key to losing weight of consistency and moderation! Good job for sticking through it!2
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 393.4K Introduce Yourself
- 43.8K Getting Started
- 260.2K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.9K Food and Nutrition
- 47.4K Recipes
- 232.5K Fitness and Exercise
- 426 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.5K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.5K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 153K Motivation and Support
- 8K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.3K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.7K MyFitnessPal Information
- 24 News and Announcements
- 1.1K Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.6K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions