Frustrated!!!

centaurfarms
centaurfarms Posts: 11 Member
edited November 7 in Health and Weight Loss
I have been following MFP to the tee... and just not losing. I am really trying to eat healthy. I dont know what I am doing wrong.

Replies

  • maddymama
    maddymama Posts: 1,183 Member
    Can't give advice other than be patient, especially since your diary isn't open for us to peek at and see what you are eating and doing for exercise.
  • centaurfarms
    centaurfarms Posts: 11 Member
    How do I open my diary?
  • centaurfarms
    centaurfarms Posts: 11 Member
    I think I got the diary public now. Any suggestions please
  • Teresa527
    Teresa527 Posts: 62 Member
    How long have you been at it? What are your stats aka height/weight?

    Just at a glance it appears that you are not eating enough. I didn't peek at your exercise diary, what exercises are you doing?
  • maddymama
    maddymama Posts: 1,183 Member
    After a quick glance at your diary.... please eat less processed foods. And less artificial sweeteners. Artifical sweeteners have been linked to weight gain, causing people to crave sugar and eat more than they would have with plain sugar.

    Try to eat more fresh veggies and fruits, and whole grains.
  • centaurfarms
    centaurfarms Posts: 11 Member
    I use two packs of sweetners a day. I don,t crave sugar from it. I am 5'8 and 50 yr old female. I am a horse trainer so when the weather is good I do ride and burn 500-800 calories on those days. This time of year it is normally 3-4 times a week.

    I have been on it over a month
  • centaurfarms
    centaurfarms Posts: 11 Member
    I am wondering if I am eating enough or not enough.
  • AnninStPaul
    AnninStPaul Posts: 1,372 Member
    After a quick glance at your diary.... please eat less processed foods. And less artificial sweeteners. Artifical sweeteners have been linked to weight gain, causing people to crave sugar and eat more than they would have with plain sugar.

    Try to eat more fresh veggies and fruits, and whole grains.

    I'd suggest more protein more regularly, in addition to reducing the processed foods.
  • tiedye
    tiedye Posts: 331 Member
    It looks like you aren't drinking any water, so be sure you're drinking plenty of water. It's important to log water too to make sure that you're adequately hydrated.

    You should also monitor your sodium content. I see that you aren't monitoring this in your diary, and you're eating foods that are somewhat processed and have a high sodium content.

    Have you added any exercise into your health plan? Even getting out for a short walk is a start.

    Also, take measurements so even if the scale doesn't move you may see progress in your measurements!
  • Are you weighing and measuring your food accurately?
  • Lolamako
    Lolamako Posts: 89 Member
    Buy, they are not expensive AT ALL, a good digital scale, measure your food. Eat less processed food, you'll get to eat more, have an apple and some peanut butter, some good toast with avocado...A smoothie. Maybe try eating your exercise calories, or at least half of them. Drink a TON of water. Eat healthy fats. Maybe buy a heart rate monitor and see just how many calories you are burning. Ditch the scale for a bit and measure yourself every week instead.
  • dfborders
    dfborders Posts: 474 Member
    Not sure - but I saw a post earlier that for some people 1200 calories isn't enough. Maybe try to up your calorie intake for a week and see what happens. I would up the intake with fruits and veggies. Good Luck!!
  • centaurfarms
    centaurfarms Posts: 11 Member
    Yes I measure my foods.

    What processed foods are you all referring to except for the one microwave meal (lean cuisine ect) I have at lunch I am not sure what else is processed.
  • Rayman79
    Rayman79 Posts: 2,009 Member
    I know it seems that if you are under your calorie allowance you will lose weight, but what you eat also plays a part. From a quick look at your diary, your macronutrients are pretty skewed, you have a very carb heavy diet, and dont get a lot of protein or GOOD fats.

    As a starting poing, try to make at least one of your meals a serve of protein (ie lean meat/fish etc) and salad or vegetables. This will help even out your diet, and eliminate some of the processed foods.

    Dont be afraid to add some fat to this too, so put some oliveoil based dressing on your salads or add a bit of avocado. Try also having some nuts as a snack instead of popcorn or other processed foods. If you really need quick fix snacks/meal replacements, consider adding a protein or meal replacement shake to your diet - though this should not be considered a viable alternative to eating real foods!

    Try this for a few days, and see if it helps. Also, watch your water intake to make sure you are getting enough. Let us know how you go! :flowerforyou:
  • MummyOfSeven
    MummyOfSeven Posts: 314 Member
    You say you're a horse trainer? That's a fairly active lifestyle.
    I hope you don't mind, but I took a peek at your diary and saw that your daily calorie goal is only 1,200.
    I'm no expert, but that's rather low. 1,200 is the bare minimum that you ought to be consuming.
    I have a sedentary lifestyle and mine is 1,400/day.
  • centaurfarms
    centaurfarms Posts: 11 Member
    Im a horse trainer. I get exercise but in winter it is only 3-4 days a week at 4-800 calories each day
  • Rayman79
    Rayman79 Posts: 2,009 Member
    Yes I measure my foods.

    What processed foods are you all referring to except for the one microwave meal (lean cuisine ect) I have at lunch I am not sure what else is processed.

    Well if I look at your diary for the last two days, really the only UNprocessed foods are the yoghurt and sweet potato. I'm not going to get on the 'only eat clean' bandwagon here, don't care for that much... but I think a balance is important and that if you have a good portion of your diet made up of meats, fruit & veg, nuts, dairy etc it is better than getting most of your calories from processed stuff like snack bars, microwave meals, pre-prepared soups etc. It will also significantly lower your sodium intake.
  • Lolamako
    Lolamako Posts: 89 Member
    Having looked at about a weeks worth of meals, I would say you are not getting a lot of "bang for your buck" in that you have VERY few foods listed yet are meeting your 1200 calorie goal. I don't think you are eating enough calories for your lifestyle, but even IF you were of small enough stature that you would only eat 1200 calories, your still not getting enough variety.
  • centaurfarms
    centaurfarms Posts: 11 Member
    I will try to add more meat and veggies/fruit ect. The last couple of days I have been on the go. I will try to make a lot of fresh veggies and fruits up at one time and eat on the go. That is what I did with my grits for a couple of mornings. I will try to reduce the lean cuisines and healthy choice soups for a while.

    I also wonder about the calorie intake. Not sure if it is enough.
  • Downs123
    Downs123 Posts: 3 Member
    I am frustrated too! I am looking at 1200 calories to reach my goal. I can't really understand how I can eat more calories and lose weight?
  • Rayman79
    Rayman79 Posts: 2,009 Member
    Check your settings and make sure you are not set to sedentary, you should probably be set to lightly active with the calories you have said you burn through the day. How much weight you aim to lose each wee will depend on your current weight / bf%, but 1 to 1 1/2% should be fine if you have more than 20lbs left to lose.
  • Rayman79
    Rayman79 Posts: 2,009 Member
    I am frustrated too! I am looking at 1200 calories to reach my goal. I can't really understand how I can eat more calories and lose weight?

    It's just part of the old mindset of having to 'diet' which is effectively depriving yourself in order to lose weight. We now know this to be categorically false, but it still seems to have been purveyed so strongly and for so long, that it is difficult to readjust our thinking! Trust the anounts the site gives you and stick to a diet made up of (mostly) nutritions foods, and you will lose weight. Exercise goes a long way too, but make sure you re-fuel if you are exercising. Have some faith and give it some time... you will see results!
  • theoriginaljayne
    theoriginaljayne Posts: 559 Member
    These are just a few suggestions. Some may work for you, some may not.

    Firstly, I agree with what previous posters have said – try to eat a little "cleaner." It's always a good idea to include a little more raw fruits and vegetables. Apples, bananas, oranges, grapefruit, pear, frozen berries, carrots, celery, lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, yams, onions, peas, peppers, asparagus, broccoli... The list goes on.

    A few other foods you might consider including, in place of some of your current meals: oats, brown rice, Greek yogurt, fish (I'm a salmon lover, but I've heard tilapia is good), chicken, raw nuts (almonds, walnuts), seeds, edamame (soybeans), and seaweed (it's an acquired taste, but it's actually quite good for you).

    You eat boxed dinners frequently. If you have the space and time to cook, then by all means, learn how! You can look up healthy recipes online, most ingredients aren't hard to find, and I think you'll find cooking surprisingly easy and enjoyable. A home-cooked meal will certainly be better for you than a packaged one. It will also make you more mindful of what you're eating.

    Another thing... I would start tracking your sodium. MFP's estimate is ridiculously high. You should consume no more than 2,300 mg of sodium per day, and research has actually shown that 1,500 mg per day is a healthier amount.
    (For reference: http://www.cdc.gov/features/sodium/)

    Also, your carbs seem awfully high. I don't like "low-carb" diets (I'm more of an everything-in-moderation kind of girl), but you're regularly getting over 200 grams per day, which seems a bit much for a 1200-1500 calorie diet. You can adjust your macro goals under "settings." Personally, I prefer to stay in between 100 and 200 grams per day, but play around a bit and find an amount that works for you.

    Don't forget to drink plenty of water! Don't force yourself to drink if you honestly aren't thirsty, but make sure to include a full glass of water with each meal, and at least a couple more throughout the day.

    If you're just starting to exercise more, you may retain water for a few days (or even weeks) while your body adjusts. This is normal.

    Finally, you could just try waiting. Sometimes, it takes a long time to see "progress." Measure inches and body fat, not pounds, and focus on how you feel rather than what the scale says. If you feel energetic and healthy, and if your stamina is increasing while your body fat is decreasing... then clearly, you're doing something right!
  • keeponkickin
    keeponkickin Posts: 1,520 Member
    Hi. I just looked at your entries for today. Not enough food. If all your days are this low calorie then that isn't good. You need more protein and more fresh fruits and vegetables. You're welcome to private message me with any advice. I know things tend to get lost on the boards.
  • centaurfarms
    centaurfarms Posts: 11 Member
    Your both right if I knock out the processed foods the sodium will go down. I did not think of that. I will check my settings also as you suggested.

    Also I did not realize how high my carbs where and how low the protein was. I will try to change that and see what happens. Also changing to sedetery lifestyle uped my calories to 1300's. That might also help.

    Thank you everyone. This has really helped me to see where I am at in eating. I really thought I was doing well by staying in my calories but not the right choices for sure.

    Thank you again.
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