Please help...HELP!!!!

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nevadjinn
nevadjinn Posts: 75 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I am 5 ft. 4.5 inches. My weight fluctuates between 130 and 129 lbs. My goal is 124 (may lower it once I get there, we'll see). I eat 1200 calories most days but once a week I eat 1200 extra calories and then compensate for that splurge by using all the exercise calories I earn the whole next week to "pay" for it. When I first started MFP, I lost a couple pounds really fast and since then (about 2 months) I've been stuck. I go way over my carb limit most days and don't meet the protein or fat requirements, but I make sure to get 2 teaspoons of a healthy oil and one 1/2 cup serving of something protein-y most days. I eat two large meals most days and that's it. I eat a lot of salt. I work out at the gym for about an hour a day, 5 days a week. I do strength training for half an hour and moderately intense cardio for another half an hour. So, what should I change? P.S. If you leave any room for interpretation in your suggestions, I will interpret to include as many carbs/calories/whatever because I love them. So please leave me no wiggle room. Thanks!

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  • sarah44254
    sarah44254 Posts: 3,078 Member
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    I see that you are in a healthy range for BMI. My best guess for you is not to lose weight, but to change your shape. Ask yourself, why do you want to see the 124 on the scale? Would you prefer a smaller pant/dress size to a smaller scale number? Do you have a pair of jeans you want to wear but they are a little small/uncomfortable?

    I love that you are doing strength training and cardio. Especially love that you are doing strength training.

    My suggestion is to intensify your strength training and eat more calories.

    Can you tell us what your BMR is? If you don't want to share that - my suggestion is to eat your BMR in calories. This is really likely more than 1200. Play with MFP settings and set your weight loss goal per week to 'maintain weight'. How many calories is that? Eat that many, or maybe 200 less.

    My total honest opinion is that you likely want to see a change in body shape instead of a new number on the scale. :) Think about it and tell us your answer! I'm curious.
  • Simomofmich
    Simomofmich Posts: 126 Member
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    I was typing exactly the same thing Sarah was when I left to see if I could see your food dairy. I agree about finding out the correct BMR. What is your body fat? My gut tells me this is the weight you should be at and probably don't need to lose anymore. At a slight disadvantage and blindly I will add make sure you are getting 8-10 glasses of water a day. Have your proteins around 100 or more and your carbs under 100. I eat something every 3 hours or so vs the 2 daily meals. Sarah is right on tho.
  • ZennzayK
    ZennzayK Posts: 15
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    Do you eat whole grains and high quality protein? Those will keep you satisfied longer. Brown rice, oatmeal, beans, do you eat eggs or tofu?


    I would say not to "make up" for any extra calories because that could turn into an ugly binge-purge cycle. Be forgiving.
  • Simomofmich
    Simomofmich Posts: 126 Member
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    Just notice the salt comment. STOP THAT!
  • mangorabbit
    mangorabbit Posts: 219 Member
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    Hi there Sunshine!

    Unfortunately there are few hard and fast rules that work for everyone, the same way, all the time. One such mantra is, of course: 'Eat less, move more.'

    Having pulled out my favorite little blurb, I will endeavor to let it go and move on. Being into the last 10ish pounds is the hard place. This is where our vanity takes us and often our bodies are not terribly interested in following calmly along for the weight loss ride. Often this is where people find they have to change up the routine, find new things, shift eating habits/patterns and generally shake things up to get any more progress.

    What kind of exercising are you doing currently? Are you rotating through muscle groups on various days of your strength training? Are your cardio bouts always the same or do you use various machines and vary the intensity and duration of our workouts? Perhaps it is worth taking one of your days and doing just strength and then doing a longer cardio session another day?

    I found that for me, I had to let go of my love of simple carbohydrates. I like them, and they like me too much to want to leave. (And once I start eating them I'd rather not stop!) Not necessarily a permanent thing, but if you are feeling really stuck and frustrated, try ditching some of those things that like to break down into sugars right away: breads, rice, pastas, potatos...or try the whole grain, brown rice kinds of alternatives at least?

    Sorry if that is not too helpful - I am not an authority on any of this!

    Best of luck.
  • kalexander2005
    kalexander2005 Posts: 223 Member
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    I would recommend that you eat every three hours instead of eating twice or three times a day. It should help you tone up even more and you'll probably feel even better.
  • nevadjinn
    nevadjinn Posts: 75 Member
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    Thanks everyone for the much needed advice. OK I will try to let go of the salt. Does it prevent weight loss or is it just terrible for my health? I'll cut back on the carbs and try to get more protein. Does white rice count as an evil carb? Just asking because my skinny Chinese friends eat it all the time and somehow manage to be about 20 lbs lighter than I am. I avoid tofu because of the phytoestrogens and the negative effect it has on my already lousy thyroid. Normally I alternate between the elliptical, the treadmill, and the stationary bike, but I've resolved to intensify my workouts by making myself run really fast on the tradmill most days. I also walk home from school (about 1/2 an hour brisk walk uphill). My RMR is 1350. Would eating that much help me lose weight faster or just make me more comfortable? I want to be thin. I want my collarbone to be more defined. I want skinny arms. I don't want the gorgeous, thin people I am lucky enough to date to be embarrassed to introduce me to their friends. I don't want people to insinuate that my relationships with women are an attempt to compensate for my marginal overweight-ness by drawing attention to my sexuality. While my current weight is well within the healthy range, I don't think that, even by building muscle, I'll be able to get the freedom from the shame imposed on me by the media and the people it influences until I lose some more weight.
  • Simomofmich
    Simomofmich Posts: 126 Member
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    Part of me is maybe starting to think you are here to make a point vs seeking actual tips and advice. In the end we are what we think we are and what happens to us is what we think will happen to us.

    Salt makes you retain water, because too much salt makes your body hold on to the water to combat the extra sodium.

    My guess is still you are probably at the weight you need to be or at least very close.

    Good luck!
  • sarah44254
    sarah44254 Posts: 3,078 Member
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    This is very important.

    The media, and other people, have no real effect on what happens in YOUR head, in YOUR body, in YOUR life. This takes a long while to learn and accept, but it is pure truth.

    Accept yourself. Know you have imperfections and also know that you have intensely unique qualities that are beautiful and great.

    There is nothing the media or clique of friends can claim to deny you of that.

    “You, yourself, as much as anybody else in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.” ~Buddha <--- one of the greatest truths you will ever learn.
  • nevadjinn
    nevadjinn Posts: 75 Member
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    Wow, Sarah. That is profound. Isn't Buddha awesome? Now to ignore the media and internalize that message...
  • Otrepsi
    Otrepsi Posts: 24 Member
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    I'm curious about the day that you eat 1200 "extra" calories and then pay for it the next week. You said you eat 1200 calories a day, yet you exercise also. Are you eating back those calories that you burn? You need to have a NET or 1200 per day, which is what you eat minus your exercise calories. If you're not netting 1200 a day, your body is going to try to hang on to every bit because you're not eating enough to fuel yourself. Eventually, this can slow down your metabolism, making it even harder to lose.

    I would also start doing some weight-lighting. Toning your muscles will slim your profile and is more attractive than just "skinny". Having muscle also ups your metabolism overall. In conjunction with that is to make sure you eat more protein. It's a little more difficult for vegetarians and vegans to get the protein needed to maintain muscle mass, so one needs to make a little more effort to get it.
  • sarah44254
    sarah44254 Posts: 3,078 Member
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    It is something I really struggle with myself. But each time I read that and tell myself that phrase, I know it is true.

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