265 pounds losing hope

chriswee2012
chriswee2012 Posts: 140
edited November 11 in Motivation and Support
Hi, at my place here which is MALAYSIA,its like essential daily foods actually for fried mee and rice,these foods will be everywhere in my country For your information,My mom always cook white rice,and my dad hate brown rice,soo the white rice wont change to brown rice just for me since im the ONLY one want to eat brown rice for my diet, at is noodles fattening ?? i dont even know what to consume now ? what to eat ,im confused actually, my mom will serve rice 2 times which is for LUNCH and dinner at 8 pm , i will eat less rice for dinner actually and replace it with meals like chickens and fish, I usually eat fruits before any meal like apples ,pear or oranges but i dont eat vegetables,since small i dont eat vegetables and even i force myself several times ,for sure i will vormit ,I Do drink a lot of water,i just skip one day of exercise which is today and i go on weighing scale just now and what shocked me was i gain 1 pounds in one week,im very sad and depressed now,i go jog every morning and evening , i do push up,sit up,skipping rope ,jumping jacks and even follow the jillian michaels videos,im losing hope now =(

Replies

  • LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo
    LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo Posts: 3,634 Member
    Being here in Philippines, I completely understand where you're coming from especially that white rice is the staple food for Asian diet. Worse for my part is that I'm type 2 diabetic so refined carbs is supposed to be a no-no for me. What I do is that I buy my own stuff to eat but thing is whether its brown or white rice, its still a simple carbs which should be eaten in correct portions.

    Also have you tried measuring yourself? What about all the other health benefits that you've been getting with exercise? See you may not see the scale moving downwards but you're getting stronger, you're losing inches & most of all your health is improving. Don't lose hope, just continue what you doing & soon you will reach your goals. Just believe in yourself. Losing weight is just one pleasant side effect but it should just come as a bonus.
  • vondabridges
    vondabridges Posts: 7
    keep it up change some things around eat dinner for breakfast have more calories earlier before 6pm then have water it works. change your workout your body may be use to the workout you can do it. I be leave in you now be leave in your self!!!!
  • joyous504
    joyous504 Posts: 72
    With all the exercise you are doing, it sounds to me you are gaining muscle. Remember muscle weighs more than fat.
  • maryjay51
    maryjay51 Posts: 742
    just measure the rice ..one cup is a serving so just have one cup..eat vegetables and fruit and above all try to get your protein in.
  • chriswee2012
    chriswee2012 Posts: 140
    What do u mean by muscle weighs more then fats ?
  • crimznrose
    crimznrose Posts: 282 Member
    Do not try to change too much too fast or it will be easy to fail in your diet. Dieting should be a completely lifestyle change instead of a drastic deprivation of the foods you normally eat. I would definitely cut out anything breaded and fried and see if your mom would bake, roast, grill, or poach your meat instead of frying it. White rice is not horrible for you when used in moderation. Instead of eating large amounts of rice, try only eating a small amount and using fruit and vegetables as the main portion of your meals.

    My family does not like a lot of the health food I need to eat, so I try to compromise with them. When I prepare a meal that is not as healthy, I simply eat less of it or I substitute some healthier ingredients (such as low fat margarine instead of butter, fat-free milk, or lean meat instead of meat with lots of fat). I also do not drink any sweet drinks. I drink only coffee, low fat milk, tea, or water. I started monitoring what I ate in November and have lost over 20 pounds since then. You can do it but it is a slow journey.
  • ryansong1972
    ryansong1972 Posts: 1
    Muscle does weigh more than fat...5 lbs of muscle is about 1/2 the size of 5 lbs of fat. The best thing to do is not look at what the scale says but what your measurements are.
  • Shannota
    Shannota Posts: 308 Member
    Muscle is far more dense than fat. As such, if you are adding muscle to your body, you are likely to gain a bit of weight. I used to be in terrific shape...before I got pregnant with my child (he is almost 5 years old now, but the extra weight stayed), but my weight never got to where I was "supposed" to be because I had a LOT of muscle for a girl. Recently, I have begun to exercise again and it appears that I am gaining muscle again. In a week of working out nearly everyday and eating much more healthfully than I had been before, I have gone up and down about a pound per day.

    Another thought...maybe you could use a scale that measures body fat. That way, you can tell if you are gaining muscle or not. And it is a much better guage of health than simply measuring your weight. Hope some of that may have helped. Focus more on how you feel. I am feeling MUCH better than I did even a week ago! Good luck!
  • artbaby1
    artbaby1 Posts: 12 Member
    you should read the book "eat to live" sounds like you really need to add more vegetables and fruits and less starches.
  • Sydney0710
    Sydney0710 Posts: 61 Member
    Brown rice is healthier, but the good news is that based on calories alone,there isn't a big difference between white and brown rice.

    My husband is from Puerto Rico and also grew-up on LOTS of white rice. It took me years to switch him to brown, and even now, he doesn't love it, but he tolerates it for his health. I have to season it differently and he'll eat it that way.

    Can you cook your own rice? What about measuring out the amount of rice that fits your needs and not eating anymore than that amount?

    Something I do is to grind up cauliflower in a food processor, so it's kind of like a "mock" rice, or "fake" rice. I don't love rice so this works for me when we have a stew or something that typically goes with rice, which is often.
  • charneus
    charneus Posts: 66
    Never lose hope. Like the others said, go by measurements. While losing weight can show progress, your biggest progress is going to be the inches you lose.

    I'm concerned about your statement 'for sure I will vomit'. Are you forcing yourself to vomit? That's a big no-no in the process of losing weight, and often leads to binge eating, which unravels all you've done anyway.

    You can actually be 300 lbs and in great physical shape. Muscle does weigh more than fat, and that's not a bad thing. You could be dieting, doing everything right, and still gain weight only because of the muscle.

    You have support here, so keep up the good work!
  • bellevie23
    bellevie23 Posts: 208 Member
    You could always try and get your vegetables in by blending them into a shake with your fruits so the fruits hide the taste of the vegetables, pick bland vegetables, that way you get your veggies in as well each day.
  • TeraP
    TeraP Posts: 4 Member
    Hi there, I started out at 258lbs so not too far from your weight!! Today I weighed in at 231 and its been less than 2 months :) I did this by eliminating dairy and white flour/sugars.

    My kids won't eat brown rice, so I cook them regular rice. But I don't eat it myself.....what works for me, is to make a big pot of brown rice (I do mine in the microwave) and then pop the whole pot/container into the refrigerator. Then over the next few days, I take 1 Cup of rice with my supper as I need it......it lasts about 4-5 days this way as long as it is covered well.

    I find that having foods like this prepared in advance (I do the same with steel-cut oats/oatmeal) ensures that I'll eat it since they aren't 'quick, last minute' foods. Its worth it to do up a big batch 1-2x a week.

    Good luck and just know you're worth it. I found that by eliminating the white flours/sugars and dairy, my cravings have completely gone away and so did my hunger. I eat 3 healthy meals a day + 2 snacks and tons of water (probably 4L).

    Keep at it!!
  • srp2011
    srp2011 Posts: 1,829 Member
    With all the exercise you are doing, it sounds to me you are gaining muscle. Remember muscle weighs more than fat.

    Unfortunately, you are not going to be gaining enough muscle to show up on the scale in that period of time - this is one of the biggest 'myths' that gets perpetuated on these forums. Gaining muscle is a very tough process that requires serious strength training and time. What is likely happening is that as you use those muscles that haven't been used in awhile, they get damaged and so they hold onto water as part of the healing process - that water weight is what is showing on the scale (assuming you are in a calorie deficit). This is still a good thing - and if that is what is going on, you should be losing inches, so take measurements.

    Like the others said too - if you don't have control over the kinds of food you eat, then carefully measure portion sizes and use the MFP database to determine how many calories are in whatever it is you are eating, and then calibrate so you eat the target amount.
  • nawazarrio
    nawazarrio Posts: 64 Member
    Uh... muscle does not weigh more than fat. A pound is a pound is a pound. BUT muscle is more dense than fat, meaning that even if you weigh the same amount your body may be shrinking. You should take your measurements once a month or so. If you are gaining muscle your measurements should shrink slowly. Your body will be getting tighter and smaller, more fit looking. This very well could be happening if you are exercising a lot. Try not to get discouraged my friend. You can reach your goal. It will be hard but it will be SO worth it. :D
  • chriswee2012
    chriswee2012 Posts: 140
    Hi friends,thanks for the responds and good comments, just wondering ,i always build up muscle by going gym,because i heard that by doing so,i willl burn fats more faster ,now ,im scared that my muscles will be big and not balance with my body,soo my body will be BIG ,i dont want to be like body builder,i want to SHRINK and thin
  • mad4beinhere
    mad4beinhere Posts: 63 Member
    But you still need good muscle tone.
  • fiat
    fiat Posts: 17
    hi chriswee,
    how are you preparing the chicken and fish? are there oils or fats? that adds alot of calories and could be the problem.
    and yes, noodles are alot of calories, kind of the same as the rice, be careful to measure the food you eat, and don't use oils or butter for cooking, this could be the problem.
    don't give up!
    marie
  • chriswee2012
    chriswee2012 Posts: 140
    YES, usually it will be fried fish or fried chicken , thanks marie,and to compare noodles and rice,which have higher calories ?
  • Grlnxtdr0721
    Grlnxtdr0721 Posts: 597 Member
    What do u mean by muscle weighs more then fats ?

    When you are working out as much as you are, or in general, your body is building up muscle mass and losing fat and inches. Just because you are seeing little to no movement on the scale doesn't mean that your body isn't changing. Muscle mass weighs more than fat. Your body is getting stronger and building the muscles that you are working when you do your exercise. Don't get discouraged...My guess is you will see a downward movement on the scale soon.
  • tjmbellsouth
    tjmbellsouth Posts: 7
    I have lost 265+ pounds. It has taken years. Now I am trying to loose 25 more and get to my goal, 195. I'm from the US, working in Italy. I know it is brutal to get away from the staple foods of the reigon you live. My advice is: be true to yourself, weigh(on a scale, measure exactly, dont try and guess) and log everything that goes into your mouth. It's simple arithmatic, you have to eat less than your body needs to survive, but not too much. Your body goes into a defensive starvation mode, then when you do eat your body tries to store fat for another famine. You can eat too little protien and loose lean muscle mass, I know I did, it was unhealthy, I was only having 700-900 Cal/day. and doing lots of cardio, month after month. I lost all kinds of weight but allot of it was holding my frame together, and don't forget your heart, it's a muscle.
    Keep at it, you did not gain it over night, you do not want to loose more than a pound a week, some weeks half or quarter of a pound. But persevere, you have got to wan't it! Keep the scale going in the minus-direction!
    Jogging is tough on your body. Fast walking is better for you in the long haul, make it enjoyable, not a job. You have to change your life-syle for good if you want it to be permanent. Unfortunately, for some of us its' a way of life. It's easier to be lazy.
  • fiat
    fiat Posts: 17
    oh my goodness this is certainly the problem! fried food is very high calorie! the oil that is added to fry it has approx 120 per tablespoon, and thats alot of calories added... if you think about how much oil is added to the chicken or fish you can see that alot of extra calories are being added to your day.

    if you eat the chicken or fish baked, broiled or steamed, or anyother way that doesn't add that oil you will probably solve the problem.
    for interest, white rice is 242 a cup, brown is 218 a cuo, and pasta is 221 a cup.
  • chriswee2012
    chriswee2012 Posts: 140
    Thanks friends,the different is 26 calories for brown rice and white rice,i will avoid oily foods now !
  • srp2011
    srp2011 Posts: 1,829 Member
    Hi friends,thanks for the responds and good comments, just wondering ,i always build up muscle by going gym,because i heard that by doing so,i willl burn fats more faster ,now ,im scared that my muscles will be big and not balance with my body,soo my body will be BIG ,i dont want to be like body builder,i want to SHRINK and thin

    Again, to build the kind of muscles that body builders have takes a LOT of serious training and effort with weights, and a LONG time. You are not in any danger of this with the routine you described. Even a regular, moderate weight lifting routine is not going to give you that kind of body. The next time you see a body-builder, ask them about how they got that way... you don't get that way without it being a specific goal you work (hard) towards.
This discussion has been closed.

Categories