How come nothing changes for me?

csacani99
csacani99 Posts: 14 Member
in Getting Started
Hi There,
I have been good with my tracking, exercise, calorie intake. My goal is to lose 10 lbs, I am 5'9 and 160 lbs based on my goal my calorie intake is 1200 per day. I have been doing this for a month and nothing has changed. Any advice?
Thank you,
cs

Replies

  • ThinnerLiz
    ThinnerLiz Posts: 55 Member
    1200 calories is awfully low, unless you're post-menopausal woman, or really sedentary. As in, lying in bed all day.
    If I were you, I'd re-set my goal to lose 0.5 pounds per week, and make up the difference with exercise to give yourself more of a deficit.
    Also, WHAT you eat definitely matters! The body metabolizes different foods differently. If you were to eat 1200 of junk food/sugar/processed foods daily, vs. 1200 calories of protein/veg/good fats, that's going to make a huge different in how your body responds. High carbs= insulin spikes which cause the body to want to store fat instead of burn it.

    So maybe try INCREASING your calories to 1500 minimum, get moving a lot, and keep your total carbohydrate (particularly sugars!) under 100 g per day. Get your protein up to about 90-100 grams per day, and fill out the rest with healthy fats. (Olive oil, real butter, nuts, and the natural fats from meats, some full-fat dairy.)
    Weigh and measure EVERYTHING which goes into your mouth. I mean EVERYTHING. Especially things like nuts/cheeses/oils/butter. And watch those carbs/starches.

    I guarantee that if you do this, you WILL lose weight. Most of the time when people aren't seeing results, it's because they're not really weighing and measuring everything, they're eating the wrong kinds of foods, over-estimating or underestimating the number of calories they need.

    I'm 59, post-menopausal, and lost almost 20 pounds over the last year doing exactly this, when friends my age are struggling. (I'm 5'7" and weight 120 now, so it's not like I had a huge amount to lose.) That may seem like a long time to lose the weight, but it's sustainable and I didn't "suffer" at all. If I can do it, anyone can.

    Big bonus? Eating this way and lifting weights means I've even gained muscle, and my overall body composition is better than it was when i was in my 20s! I'm leaner, less cellulite, and I credit my way of eating with achieving that. Not being hungry between meals is another perk.
    Good luck to you!


  • csacani99
    csacani99 Posts: 14 Member
    Thank you so much. I would like to believe that I eat healthily, I am a pescatarian, but I have to confess, I always struggle with what proteins to eat. I am 45 y/old, pretty active, I walk about 4 miles a day, and some days I run 3 miles a day, by tracking I normally get about 10 to 14 thousand steps a day. Perhaps I must learn what to eat then. Thank you, ThinnerLiz, what you said about paying attention to what I eat, perhaps, that is what is wrong for me and Congratulations on your achievement. You inspired me. :-)
  • Hollis100
    Hollis100 Posts: 1,408 Member
    csacani99 wrote: »
    Thank you so much. I would like to believe that I eat healthily, I am a pescatarian, but I have to confess, I always struggle with what proteins to eat. I am 45 y/old, pretty active, I walk about 4 miles a day, and some days I run 3 miles a day, by tracking I normally get about 10 to 14 thousand steps a day. Perhaps I must learn what to eat then. Thank you, ThinnerLiz, what you said about paying attention to what I eat, perhaps, that is what is wrong for me and Congratulations on your achievement. You inspired me. :-)

    If this exercise is new, you might be temporarily retaining water as your muscles heal. Also, check the sodium in your food, because sodium will retain water, too. We all need sodium, of course, but processed foods (meaning canned food, restaurant food, etc.) usually have higher sodium.
  • conniewilkins56
    conniewilkins56 Posts: 3,391 Member
    Drink lots of plain water and use your food scale....good luck!
  • csacani99
    csacani99 Posts: 14 Member
    I think in the end my logging has been completely off. I will use a food scale, let's see. Thank you all for the support.
    On another note, have you heard about blood type diets?
  • RAinWA
    RAinWA Posts: 1,980 Member
    csacani99 wrote: »
    I think in the end my logging has been completely off. I will use a food scale, let's see. Thank you all for the support.
    On another note, have you heard about blood type diets?

    Hooray for using a food scale. It really is a game-changer.

    As to blood type diets, read this:

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10747012/blood-type-diet-yay-or-nay/p1
  • Silentpadna
    Silentpadna Posts: 1,306 Member
    RAinWA wrote: »
    csacani99 wrote: »
    I think in the end my logging has been completely off. I will use a food scale, let's see. Thank you all for the support.
    On another note, have you heard about blood type diets?

    Hooray for using a food scale. It really is a game-changer.

    As to blood type diets, read this:

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10747012/blood-type-diet-yay-or-nay/p1

    Echo on the food scale. In terms of priority:

    1. Food scale























    100. Bathroom scale
  • LyndaBSS
    LyndaBSS Posts: 6,964 Member
    csacani99 wrote: »
    I think in the end my logging has been completely off. I will use a food scale, let's see. Thank you all for the support.
    On another note, have you heard about blood type diets?

    Blood type diets are a sham. Don't bother with them. All you need is a calorie deficit to lose weight.

    I'm also pescatarian. How can I help with proteins?
  • csacani99
    csacani99 Posts: 14 Member
    edited September 2019
    Thank you. Well... Trader Joe’s has this farmed salmon which is delicious but I have stopped consuming it since learning about how it contains carcinogenic dioxins and the choices of wild are very limited. How do you know what farmed seafood is okay to consume?
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,030 Member
    Keep in mind that as a pescatarian (or any other way of eating for that matter ;) ) you have available all the good plant-based sources of protein, too (even if you don't do dairy).

    There's a great thread that may be helpful to you in identifying protein sources you like, but may not have considered. It links to a spreadsheet that lists many, many foods by protein efficiency (most protein for fewest calories). You'll find many fish/seafood options near the top (ignore the meaty ones you don't eat), and plant sources further down the list.

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10247171/carbs-and-fats-are-cheap-heres-a-guide-to-getting-your-proteins-worth-fiber-also
  • csacani99
    csacani99 Posts: 14 Member
    Thank you. That’s great!
  • katermari
    katermari Posts: 137 Member
    csacani99 wrote: »
    Thank you so much. I would like to believe that I eat healthily, I am a pescatarian, but I have to confess, I always struggle with what proteins to eat. I am 45 y/old, pretty active, I walk about 4 miles a day, and some days I run 3 miles a day, by tracking I normally get about 10 to 14 thousand steps a day. Perhaps I must learn what to eat then. Thank you, ThinnerLiz, what you said about paying attention to what I eat, perhaps, that is what is wrong for me and Congratulations on your achievement. You inspired me. :-)

    i also struggle finding protein to eat.
  • jcampbe7
    jcampbe7 Posts: 3 Member
    To lose 10lbs it’s generally the hardest. It’s either the wrong foods your eating (too much sugar or carbs) even fruit can derail weight loss if you eat too much of it or the wrong kind. Or you need to increase your excercise. You’ve got to create a deficit somewhere in your diet and excersise to burn the last 10lbs. If your not doing anything different - your body has adjusted so you’ll just simply maintain where your at.
  • ThinnerLiz
    ThinnerLiz Posts: 55 Member
    Blood Type diets are not based in anything but "Woo" (pseudo science). While it's true that what works for one person to stay slim and feel great, won't work for another, there is one method that works for everyone:
    Eating less calories and moving more.

    I concur with the others who say use your scale. And not the bathroom one!
    I still weigh and measure everything, and pay close attention to the high-calorie items like condiments, salad dressings, butter/fats, and starchy carbs/sugars. One tablespoon extra can really add up!

    I don't worry as much about the veggies, because it's hard to gain weight eating them unless they're starchy, and the same for lean proteins. I'd also watch it on the fruit, because while it's healthy and tasty, it's packed full of sugar and you don't want that.
    Make sure to count anything you put in your tea/coffee, every single time. I wasn't losing at first, and it was because my coffee had a few tablespoons of half and half in each cup!

    Try to make your meals protein based, then add veggies. Last would be starches/fats. It will really help.

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