Change of diet to break plateau, need opinions!
ukhennin
Posts: 221 Member
So I've really plateaued around 238-240 for the past month or two. I'll admit it's partially due to not being as committed as I was when I started. However, I think my diet needs to get changed up a bit too. I have an idea of what I'm going to do to change it up but I'd love to get other opinions too. Take a look at my diary and let me know what you think I should do. I've filled out today with what a typical weekday looks like. Don't worry about my history in the diary, I know where I've messed up. I'm more looking for advice on what to do moving forward. Thanks!
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Replies
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Uhh... stop eating food from McDonalds and Starbucks?0
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Uhh... stop eating food from McDonalds and Starbucks?
lol0 -
Why? The McDonalds is a chicken salad with a lot of good stuff in it. The only argument I see there is sodium but that can be handled with water intake. I'm not saying you're wrong and that's probably one of the things I'll change. I'm just curious what your reasoning is.0
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Congrats on losing 43 pounds! That's like losing an entire 6 year old! Awesome!
I'd start tracking sugar and fiber, too. There's a lot of hidden sugar out there and I was really surprised. I had thought that a "real fruit smoothie" from McDonald's was a healthy food choice thinking that it can't be that bad if it's made from real fruit... and then I added added the sugar column to what I was tracking. (sigh) Live and learn.0 -
I'm sure not not an expert, but are you really eating the same thing just about every day? You might want to vary what you eat, but I guess that's just a personal opinion.0
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it may very well be ur sodium i know that can be rough on u0
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NO MORE BAGELS. start off your day with something better, like fruit and granola, or something lighter. instead of that, (and i guess you like coffee shops) head to dunkin donuts and try their egg white flatbread sandwich...lots of protein, a lil carbs to get you going, and you can choose either turkey bacon or veggies in it. PROTEIN + FIBER = BREAKFAST OF CHAMPIONS0
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there are healthier ways to consume 300 calories for breakfast.0
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The other thing about eating so much fast food is that their nutritional information is just a guesstimate. I read an article recently that said restaurants can be 200+ calories off on what they are reporting on their nutritional information. So it's very possible to be eating a lot more calories than you think you are.0
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I'd change up your breakfast. Even though it says there's 10g of protein in that bagel (really????) I think you'd be better off both nutritionally and from a fullness standpoint to switch to some lean protein. I eat a piece of whole grain toast with 1 tablespoon of almond butter, 1/2 cup egg whites and 2 slices of turkey bacon for fewer calories than that bagel and have no need of a morning snack. The takeout options are fine on an occasional basis, but if possible, try to make most of your food choices things you prepare yourself. The sodium is a killer and you can get more bang for your calories if you make it yourself. I think you could also use some more fruits and veggies. And you are right, drink that water!0
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I would drop the bagel. I'm sure you're probably on the go in the morning, but here are some quick breakfast suggestions:
Low Carb egg and cheese wrap
Smoothie - I make mine with 1 cup of Trop 50 OJ, Frozen Strawberries, One scoop of vanilla protein powder and 1/2 cup of plain no fat greek yogurt - It has 39 grams of protein and keeps me full for a long time
Hard Boiled Eggs and a cheese stick
Good luck! Stalls stink - I was on one for three months that just broke.0 -
As a former Starbuck's employee, I will let you in on the fact that each district has a separate bakery that delivers pastries to the store each morning. This means a bagel at one store may be 300 cals, and another may be 450. There's no uniformity. Also, perhaps upping your protein may help, and as tomomatic said, definitely start tracking sugar and fiber! Congrats and best of luck to you!0
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I'm sure not not an expert, but are you really eating the same thing just about every day? You might want to vary what you eat, but I guess that's just a personal opinion.
Yeah, I'm a creature of habit. I find something that works and I stick to it for quite a while.0 -
Lot's of great advice here. Yes I am planning on removing fast food from my diet. I think that will help a lot. Keep the ideas coming though.0
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I might get bashed for this but I would watch your carbs. I would find something for breakfast with lots of protien and less carbs. Not everyone believes in the low carb but I have lost 24 lbs eating this way. I don't eliminate all carbs but most complex carbs and I feel great.0
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check out other people's diaries and get some ideas. my other suggestion is take some time to prepare and eat food at home. At least for a few weeks, see if it helps.I'm sure not not an expert, but are you really eating the same thing just about every day? You might want to vary what you eat, but I guess that's just a personal opinion.
Yeah, I'm a creature of habit. I find something that works and I stick to it for quite a while.0 -
My suggestion would be to lower your carb intake - shoot for below 100 grams per day to start with. Also - increase your protein and fat. It takes fat to burn fat. And for protein, to preserve your muscle, you should shoot for 1 gram of protein per day per pound of lean body mass you expect to have at the end. For example if your goal weight is 185, but you expect to still have 20% body fat at that weight, then your lean body mass would be 148 pounds. At that, you should shoot for 148 grams of protein per day minimum.
Aside from that, your total calories seem kind of low for a guy your size. You may simply be not eating enough calories (judging by today's diary entry). A guy your weight, even if sedentary, should have a maintenance calorie level of about 2500 or more calories per day. If you get any exercise, then it would be even more than that.
Consider finding your own maintenance calorie level using an online tool (like the one below) and then cut about 500 a day from that and shoot for 500 calorie burn of exercise most days and you should drop 2 pounds a week at that.
Not eating enough can definitely kill your weight loss. I've just increased my calories and reduced my carbs and started losing again after months of being stuck at the same weight when I was eating about 500 fewer calories per day.
You can calculate your calorie needs here:
http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm0 -
I try to stay away from McDonalds and Starbucks. For breakfast, I think there are more alternatives that are healthier. I didn't see any fruit? For snacks, I always hear you should match a protein with a carb. Maybe look into that? I cook so most of my meals are from scratch and make big batches of meals so my hubby and I have leftovers for lunches the following days and we lay off the drive thru. The only drive thru I will usually do that is safe for me is Boston Market and I get the regular roaster turkey dinner with 2 sides of the steamed veggies. I like Ezekiel sprouted bread toasted in the a.m. with trader joes almond butter and an apple. That doesn't take too much time if you are somewhat rushed in the a.m.
Do you think you are eating enough? I am 228 lbs. 5'7" and my calories to eat for each day is 1470 without exercise. We are somewhat similar but as a female, I think my requirements are less than a male.
PS - What I hit a plateau I actually ate more and started losing.0 -
Up your protein intake -- a lot of better options for breakfast than a bagel....
The fast food salads are really bad for you.... make your own and you'll probably notice a difference....
try cutting starchy carbs in the evening.... veggies are good - but pasta, potatoes, etc are not.
Seems like you have a pretty high caloric allowance, so it seems like you should have a lot more room to play -- variety is the spice of life, and will probably help jumpstart things again.
also, are you a creature of habit in your workouts? Variety is the spice of life there too!
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I had a look at your diary and was wondering if you could include more fruit or nuts as snacks, rather than the bars. Do you get an energy slump in work during the day?. I would also agree that your breakfast could be changed. Maybe you could have granola/yoghurt or a slice of nutty bread with a poached egg.
I like the sound of the taco pasta for dinner but does it not get boring?. Also, how many vegetables are in the taco pasta?. You may be better off cooking up casseroles & stir-frys..you could add a lot more vegetables/fibre.
And maybe you could drink a bit more water during the day?0 -
Aside from that, your total calories seem kind of low for a guy your size. You may simply be not eating enough calories (judging by today's diary entry). A guy your weight, even if sedentary, should have a maintenance calorie level of about 2500 or more calories per day. If you get any exercise, then it would be even more than that.
I was also thinking this^^^^0 -
If you're gonna eat Fast Foods (and sometimes, there's not a lot of choice) then I'd put a quick hit menu for yourself based on what's around you and make sure you're aware of the right portions.
- Baja Fresh Steak and Shrimp bowl is about twice what I should eat in one sitting. That's lunch AND dinner in a bowl.
- BK has a Grilled Chicken Sandwich on a wheat bun. Skip the mayo and it's pretty healthy. Ask for extra jalepenos.
- KFC 2 Pc Grilled Chicken meal for $5. Ask if you can sub the fries for green beans and toss the biscuit.
- Taco Bell Fresco Menu - kinda bland so I keep a bottle of hot sauce at my desk.
- 6 inch buffalo chicken sub (save the other half for the next day)
- A Kid's happy meal - because sometimes you want a burger but you don't want to go overboard. Plus the little ones appreciate the toy and won't resent you for not bringing them...0 -
If you're gonna eat Fast Foods (and sometimes, there's not a lot of choice) then I'd put a quick hit menu for yourself based on what's around you and make sure you're aware of the right portions.
- Baja Fresh Steak and Shrimp bowl is about twice what I should eat in one sitting. That's lunch AND dinner in a bowl.
- BK has a Grilled Chicken Sandwich on a wheat bun. Skip the mayo and it's pretty healthy. Ask for extra jalepenos.
- KFC 2 Pc Grilled Chicken meal for $5. Ask if you can sub the fries for green beans and toss the biscuit.
- Taco Bell Fresco Menu - kinda bland so I keep a bottle of hot sauce at my desk.
- 6 inch buffalo chicken sub (save the other half for the next day)
- A Kid's happy meal - because sometimes you want a burger but you don't want to go overboard. Plus the little ones appreciate the toy and won't resent you for not bringing them...
Watch out for the KFC grilled chicken - sodium is 700.0 -
My suggestion would be to lower your carb intake - shoot for below 100 grams per day to start with. Also - increase your protein and fat. It takes fat to burn fat. And for protein, to preserve your muscle, you should shoot for 1 gram of protein per day per pound of lean body mass you expect to have at the end. For example if your goal weight is 185, but you expect to still have 20% body fat at that weight, then your lean body mass would be 148 pounds. At that, you should shoot for 148 grams of protein per day minimum.
Aside from that, your total calories seem kind of low for a guy your size. You may simply be not eating enough calories (judging by today's diary entry). A guy your weight, even if sedentary, should have a maintenance calorie level of about 2500 or more calories per day. If you get any exercise, then it would be even more than that.
Consider finding your own maintenance calorie level using an online tool (like the one below) and then cut about 500 a day from that and shoot for 500 calorie burn of exercise most days and you should drop 2 pounds a week at that.
Not eating enough can definitely kill your weight loss. I've just increased my calories and reduced my carbs and started losing again after months of being stuck at the same weight when I was eating about 500 fewer calories per day.
You can calculate your calorie needs here:
http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm
Some great information on the website listed...going to do some hard thinking about my calorie intake.0 -
Tons of great info in here. Yes, I'm thinking maybe I'm not getting enough calories as well. According to that calculator posted I should be having 1,950 for weight loss. So here's sort of what I'm thinking of doing:
Breakfast:
Salad with black beans, broccoli, and a hard boiled egg with some poppy seed dressing (I got this idea from the book Born To Run)
Total: Around 4-500 calories
Morning Snack:
Greek Yogurt
Banana
Total: Around 250 calories
Lunch:
6oz can of tuna mixed with mayo with olive oil
Celery
1 serving of Almonds
Apple
Total: Around 450 calories
Afternoon Snack:
Protein Bar
Orange
Total: Around 300 calories
Dinner:
Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast
Green Veggies of some sort
Total: Around 350 calories
Daily Total: 1750-1850
Opinions on this? 0 -
Better. When I make tuna, I add green onions/scallions and gives it a ton of flavor and pop it into a ww tortilla or pita. Leftover grilled chicken can be used to make a quesadilla with lo fat mozzarella cheese and veggies. When we grill chicken, we grill lots and try to use it during the week
homemade quesadilla, homemade pizza, homemade chicken salad, tossed salad with grilled chicken. Mix it up a little bit. Good luck and let us know what happens when you do this.0
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