Help! I am gaining, what am I doing wrong?

I've tried things like Slim "Slow" we called it in the past. I really is not a great way to get off the weight because you learn so little about how to really eat in the "real" world. Slim Fast shake here and there as a meal replacement might be okay say if you are traveling and can't get to a real meal, but trust me - someone who has spent a lot of time test driving these things - they aren't good long-term solutions.

I've found success in eating 5 balanced meals a day. It takes planning - but it is not impossible. I travel Monday through Friday and have no access to a kitchen - yet I eat "real" food without issue. And it is yummy.

5 balanced meals are in my world inclusive of protien, slow carb and fast carb - at each meal. Snacks too. Special K Protien bars are a good snack with a piece of small fruit for me. I'm large so you have to scale. I avoid peanuts due to calories and fat, but some other nuts work as snacks.

I sat down with a pen and paper and looked at each meal and what seemed to be feasible in my schedule, budget, taste, and calorie/balance. Then I pack my entire day in one insulated bag and bring it to work - I include dinner because sometimes I work late.

I don't know if this is helpful but by keeping my blood sugar steady all day - I hardly have to work out and the weight is pouring off. I feel like I am eating all the time and I"m never hungry.

Plateaus happen - push through and keep up the hydration. Water, eating, working out and attitude are tough to keep up all at the same time but I think just switching away from a diet of Slim Fast might give you the boost you need to get more weight off.

Hope this helps...

If your BMR is just shy of 1500 you should NOT be eating only 1200

Thanks for opening your diary. It seems you are definitely interested in learning how to be healthier, which is great. You definitely need to get off the slim fast and start putting whole, healthy, wonderfully delicious foods in your body for fuel to burn! Find yourself soon good friends on here to help you along, give you tips, encouragement and not afraid of calling you out when your calories are too low and help you celebrate when you see things start moving along with the changes you make! You'll be pleasantly surprised at how easy it can be!

Your BMR is how much your body needs to carry out all it's basic functions if you were doing nothing at all. Like in a coma.

You need to work out how much you need to maintain your weight, and eat somewhere in the middle of that and your BMR. 1200 may work for some people but not everyone, and when you eat too little your body can start holding onto weight.

I'd also advise not to carry on the slim fast, it's not real food and you'd be better off eating proper satisfying meals. Slim fast doesn't teach you about what to eat, how big portions should be etc so when you come off it (which you will at some point) most people still don't know how to eat properly and gain all the weight back.

What you recently said about 5 small balanced meals a day sounds great. Good luck!

I know part of my problem is the types of food I am Eatting. My plan is to find the right number of calories and then start changing the types of things I eat. If I switch too fast I know I won't stick to it. How do I figure out how many calories I need to eat? I know Slim Fast can work for me, I used it a few years ago and lost over 40 pounds.

Slim Fast didn't work for you if you need to lose it again. the good thing about MFP is you learn how to eat to make it a life long plan for yourself.

Hi,

I don't claim to be an expert however I know that protein intake may have an affect. Protein builds muscle mass when working out. I would suggest looking up the minimal daily consumption of protein. Hope this helps. Don't get discouraged, your doing great!

Joe

This is incorrect. You cannot build muscle mass on a calorie deficit, regardless of how much protein you eat. Eating less protein will lead to muscle loss, which will cause you to look less toned as you reach your goal weight.

I wouldn't recommend less protein, in part because it can cause muscle loss, and in part because it helps you feel full for longer. That said, the previous poster is incorrect, you can gain muscle on a caloric deficit, both the weight loss and muscle gain processes will be slowed, but it can be done. Please see: http://www.livestrong.com/article/362906-can-you-build-muscle-on-a-calorie-deficit/ At the bottom of the page there are references to articles in peer-reviewed academic/clinical journals.

Clean up your diet. Slim fast has too much sugar and makes you more hungry. Also your food intake includes a lot of process and sugary products.

Here is a good article to transition to clean eating. Stay within your calorie goal set and exercise. You will see results.

The more natural you eat, the healthier your cody will be and the stronger it becomes. Make smoothies at home by blending ice and your favorite fruits like strawberries and bananas. If you HAVE to have more sweetness then add some Stevia but try not to. Maybe add some protein powder too. Get off the Slim Fast. Did mfp tell you to try to burn only 200 calories? The more you burn, the more you can eat and you are building endurance and muscle to help burn more fat quicker. What exercsise do you do? You should always do a minimum of 30 min of just cardio and keep your heart rate up! You can walk on an incline or take on the stair master, just keep it up for 30 min nonstop. I burn 11 plus calories a minute when my heart rate is above 140 so I know I will get a 300 plus calorie burn in 30 minutes on machines that push me harder. The exercise bike doesn't do the same thing for me and I only burn 200 for the same time. Try different machines and observe what machines make your heart rate go up high enough for the 30 min where you can handle it and not want to quit. As you adjust to it, change the settings and resistance to trick your body. Also, doing some core exercies are great like crunches, yoga, etc...and can keep your heart rate up and improve your balance and strength. If its not your diet, then it could be your exercise routine. Your bmr is lower then mine so you will have to burn more calories in a workout then me to be in the same deficeit. My bmr is 1600 so I have a 400 cal loss a day and you are at 200. The weight will come off eventually but it will be slower for you. If you want to lose it quicker, you need to exercise more with 30 min of cardio minimum 3 plus days a week. Try dropping the slim fast, and replacing it with some real fruit, and increase your calorie burn. If you do this already, im sorry to assume you don't. Please try to stop the slim fast, and up the cardio