Can someone help me out?

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I don't know if I am expecting too much too soon! I started my exercise and weight loss in earnest 15 days ago. I am doing 30 Day Shred every day (haven't cheated at all!) and am also doing C25k. I am going to add in another of JMs DVDs soon as well.

I am using MFP to chart my food and exercise, sometimes I am over, sometimes under the calorie goal. In the first week, I lost 5lbs which I had gained over the Xmas period. Since then, all I am doing is losing and gaining the same pound.

It is demoralising. I think also, I don't really know if I doing the eating bit right. I am adding in breastfeeding as I am exclusively breastfeeding an infant but in the back of my mind I feel like I might be overestimating how many calories I am using through this.

Also, am I supposed to be over or under the calorie goal? The last thing I want to do is go into starvation mode! I am trying to only eat good stuff but do have chocolate and pop sometimes. Will this have a hugely negative impact?

Can anyone have a look at my food diaries and advise? Or even just tell me their experiences? I have always been the type of person that diets, loses a stone then stalls and gains it all back plus some more. I don't really want to consciously follow a diet as such.

Thanks in advance.
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Replies

  • paj315
    paj315 Posts: 335 Member
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    I don't know anything about breastfeeding, I just wanted to say that up front!!

    But looking at your food diary your diet could use some work. Your protein is consistently low and your sugar are WAY high.

    Focus on eating more whole, unprocessed foods. Not so much candy and processed stuff. If you need the sweet eat fruit.

    Hope that helps!
  • momof3and3
    momof3and3 Posts: 656 Member
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    I am not an expert, but looking quickly at your diary, in my opinion, it is your sugar and carbs. You drink soda almost daily and eat chocolate, cake and bread...

    Try and stop the soda and drink water or flavored seltzer if you need something with taste....add in more lean proteins and try and cut back on the cake, chocolate, etc....Staying within your calorie goal is where you want to be....try and come as close to the number as possible. and yes, you can eat chocolate, soda, cake, etc and loose weight as long as you stay within your calorie guidlines, but it isn't healthy to do that and obviously it isn't working for you.

    Having a newborn is hard to plan out meals...it isn't ideal but bring in some prepared foods to make your food choices easier...protein shakes, I like the atkins, pre-cut fruits and veggies, individual serving sizes of tuna, lean cusines, etc...

    Congrats on the baby!
  • Sabineslims
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    Looking at your diary, to be honest, I think you are eating too less and your choices could be better.
    I am seeing a lot of sweets, cokes, and unbalanced meals.
    One day for lunch, for example, you have recorded a slice of butter. Nothing else.
    What works for me is to eat a balanced small meal, every 2-3 hours. I chose nutrient dense foods that are satisfying.
    It is very important to eat the right foods. Processed foods and ones that are high in sugar are not doing anything for you. A day here and there is not the end of the world, but it should not be 'typical'. Cutting coke would be HUGE for you. You are drinking empty calories and it's basically just a sugar syrup.
    Eating all of your calories is very important as well. It keeps your metabolism & body running. Otherwise, your body believes it is starving, and holds on to everything.
    I would start small. Perhaps try cutting out soda and replace with water & lemon or a sparkling water if you like the 'fizz'. Try to chose filling foods for your meals in acceptable portions. For example, lunch could be 3 oz of baked chicken breast, a cup of broccoli tossed in some olive oil, and a cup or 1/2 cup brown rice or quinoa? Take the time to fuel your body.
  • aimesuk
    aimesuk Posts: 51 Member
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    Thank you!

    I knew in my heart of hearts you would say that :( Oh well, sacrifices have to be made I guess lol! It's funny though, I have never had a sweet tooth and if anything, have always snacked on crisps rather than biscuits. Since this baby was born, all my body seems to want is SUGAR SUGAR SUGAR!

    I'm going to cut it all back. We're on an economy drive since I am only on maternity pay now, so unfortunately as much as I would love to cut back on the carbs I don't really see how I can do it cheaply.
  • aimesuk
    aimesuk Posts: 51 Member
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    Oops - I think the slice of butter for lunch was a mistake - I promise I don't eat butter by itself! Often I don't put in lunch as I'm up late with the baby, so sleep in late, have a late breakfast then no lunch and dinner.

    Going to go and raid the cupboards and make something healthy for dinner - especially as my partner practically forced me to have a take away last night. :P
  • jlivella
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    Remember that processed white sugar and white flour are addicting. Since your body isn't getting the nutrients that it needs, it feels hungry and your brain thinks, "Quick, food! Processed carbs will do the trick!" It's just a vicious cycle. Retrain your thinking by having healthy, nutrient-rich, whole food on hand. This doesn't have to be expensive either. Processed foods are the most expensive sometimes. Just switching to water instead of soda will save you a dollar a day. That is $30 added to your monthly grocery budget!

    Keep up the great work. Your baby will benefit greatly from your good food choices!
  • jlivella
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    Take the time to eat/plan an healthy lunch and dinner. Your body is trying to supply good nutrients to you and your baby!
  • drivermarshy
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    i can understand ur have little spare time to prepare meals but maybe try n cook in bulk when u do get a spare hour. plenty of chicken, salmon n veg. dont stop the carbs but try to choose better ones like wholemeal bread, rice etc... also the fizzy pop causes water retention and once uve kicked the habbit u can expect to lose a good 4-5 pounds like that. im a former 2lt bottle a day pepsi max girl ;)
  • havingitall
    havingitall Posts: 3,728 Member
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    The others have already said it...to many carbs and too much sugar.

    Try to have protein in the morning. I know with a baby time is limited. Eggs are quick and easy to prepare but if baby is too fussy even for that, have a whey protein drink. The protein will stay with you a lot longer than cereal.

    Coke should not be a part of anybody's diet. The carbonation leaches the calcium from your bones and can cause problems later in life.

    Chocolate is fine IN MODERATION. A square of dark chocolate can be very satisfying if you let it melt on your tongue.

    Don't deduct the calories for breastfeeding. That gives you a false picture of your intake.

    Now... let's think about your baby. Since you are breastfeeding, the nutrients you put in your body are going to baby. You should be focusing on very healthy eating. Lean meats, fruits, veggies and whole grains are the way to go. Have protein with each meal. A small handful of almonds as a snack is much better for you and stays with you longer than a KitKat bar.

    Instead of going whole hog on changes immediately...make them as small changes. I find this to be a much more successful way of changing habits. Pick one this week. ....say cutting out the coke. Next week.... cut way back on chocolate.... introduce more veggies to your diet ..... slowly make the changes and it will not feel like you are depriving yourself. This will be better for both you and baby.

    Good luck!
  • Lose_It_Leo
    Lose_It_Leo Posts: 91 Member
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    I do not think you are eating enough. I would try to eat as close to your calorie count as you can. I find it helps to have a snack between every meal: I find a nice percentage distribution helps - 20, 10, 30, 10, 30

    If you need to keep meals cheap but healthy I suggest you replace the follwing foods with alternatives:

    - White carbs (rice, pasta, cous cous) to wholewheat varieties
    - Switch white potatoes to sweet potatoes (not every time, but it make a healthier alternative)
    - Frozen vegetables, although do not have as many nutrients, are still quite healthy if you steam them
    - Visit the local markets for fresh fruit and vegetables - they are loads cheaper than supermarkets (and you'd be supporting the locals!)
  • his_kid1
    his_kid1 Posts: 177 Member
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    You really do not seem like you are getting enough calories for such intense exercise, let alone breastfeeding. Your baby really needs the nutrients you eat in order to grow, so maybe that can be a helping motivator to get more great stuff inside you, too. :)

    Aside from how many calories, I would really work on what kind. You seem to be drinking a lot of them, which gives you nothing useful. Try adding whole grains and more fruits and veggies. If you take a bit of time to make a veggie soup, for instance, adding brown rice and some kind of beans, it will be filling, as well as EASY to pop in the microwave whenever you need it. I know you said that money is an issue, so it's not like you are going to throw out all of the food in the house that isn't 100% perfect. That said, however, really try to replace what you are buying with things that are going to add to your health (and your family's).

    Even carving out 10 min a few times a day for meal prep will help a LOT, with 3 small children. You need to make the investment in planning/prep though. It will pay off! GL!
  • Jo2926
    Jo2926 Posts: 489 Member
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    Hi

    You have had some good advice here about making good food choices, and you might want to try some of these if they sound like something you can make work in your life at the moment.

    BUT, I just wanted to say don;t get disheartened. You have lost 5 lbs - and you have only been doing this 15 days (2 weeks). Quite often when I have a good weight loss one week its not so good the next. You are making positive changes to your life already just by being here and making a start - and it will pay off!

    Jodye
  • Florawanda
    Florawanda Posts: 283 Member
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    Wow, you have your hands full, with the twins and your baby. Good for you for breast-feeding, too - your tiny one will get a great start, as well as it being a cheap option. I know with this feeding, you have to drink a lot, but also you have to make sure what you are eating also has the right balance of foods! I know my babies reacted badly the day after I had eaten curry!! Maybe your body is craving sugar because your milk is not right for them... so you need to give it some natural sugar in fruits (though that is expensive).

    I agree with the comments on your food diary already made...but you could also try switching to skimmed milk and cutting out butter. I switched to skimmed milk 34 years ago, and eventually got used to the taste! I never have butter, only low-fat spread, and that only on half-a-slice a day - rest of the time I have whatever is on the bread without any butter or spread. And I always have wholemeal bread. Take a look at your food diary, and see where the high calories are coming, and compare with the diaries of other MFPers who have their diaries open. Veggies are great, and I realise many of my MFP friends eat far more veggies than I do. Eggs and cheese, yes, but within moderation, as they have cholesterol implications.

    And I know it is time-consuming, but if you don't know the calories for a home-cooked recipe, you may have to create it from scratch on the My Recipes tab - once you've done it, it is there for good, and for the benefit of other MFPers, too, if you want to share it - and you get an accurate measure!

    Keep at it, and those pounds will come off for good! And you'll be able to run after the boys easily!
  • ramseyrose
    ramseyrose Posts: 421 Member
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    Check out this calculator to see if you are eating enough/too much

    http://www.freedieting.com/tools/breastfeeding_calorie_calculator.htm
  • eatlift
    eatlift Posts: 113
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    It'll all take a while to figure out. You only started 15 days ago. Dont believe all those magazines that say, "Two weeks to a new you!" And "Your dream body in 6 weeks!" Dont look at it as working out for 90 days and then stopping. What will happen after 90 days?..........You need to make working out something that you regularly do, like, something that you'll still be doing a year for now. So, try not to get impatient. And yes, you CAN workout for a year. :)
  • caramkoala
    caramkoala Posts: 303 Member
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    Boil a dozen eggs. Quick to grab and eat and satisfying :)
  • ajbeans
    ajbeans Posts: 2,857 Member
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    Take the time to eat/plan an healthy lunch and dinner. Your body is trying to supply good nutrients to you and your baby!

    Yes, this. Remember, your body's number one priority right now is the baby, so any nutrients you take in will go to your milk first, and you'll get what's left over. Take a few minutes each day to plan your meals and snacks for the next day. It doesn't take long, and you'll be able to play with what you're eating to get the right numbers you need.
  • ajbeans
    ajbeans Posts: 2,857 Member
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    I looked back through your diary and I see that you're adding in that you're breastfeeding and exercising, but you're not consuming those extra calories allotted for those activities. That's the point of logging those things, so you can see how much more you need to eat. On your home page, your NET number should be as close as possible to your GOAL number. Eat the calories it says you have remaining. You have to fuel the fire, and in your case, you really need to fuel your body. You're working extremely hard with your exercise, and you're also working hard making milk for the baby. Eat. Your body will thank you.
  • MaximalLife
    MaximalLife Posts: 2,447 Member
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    I don't know if I am expecting too much too soon! I started my exercise and weight loss in earnest 15 days ago. I am doing 30 Day Shred every day (haven't cheated at all!) and am also doing C25k. I am going to add in another of JMs DVDs soon as well.

    I am using MFP to chart my food and exercise, sometimes I am over, sometimes under the calorie goal. In the first week, I lost 5lbs which I had gained over the Xmas period. Since then, all I am doing is losing and gaining the same pound.

    It is demoralising. I think also, I don't really know if I doing the eating bit right. I am adding in breastfeeding as I am exclusively breastfeeding an infant but in the back of my mind I feel like I might be overestimating how many calories I am using through this.

    Also, am I supposed to be over or under the calorie goal? The last thing I want to do is go into starvation mode! I am trying to only eat good stuff but do have chocolate and pop sometimes. Will this have a hugely negative impact?

    Can anyone have a look at my food diaries and advise? Or even just tell me their experiences? I have always been the type of person that diets, loses a stone then stalls and gains it all back plus some more. I don't really want to consciously follow a diet as such.

    Thanks in advance.
    You are under eating which is just as bad as overeating.
    Eat more.
    Eat to goal.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
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    If you've only been doing this for 15 days, you should have only weighed yourself three times - your initial WI and then on day 7 and day 14. ONCE A WEEK (or less) or you'll drive yourself crazy.