Take a look at my diary............Please tell me what exact

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  • meerkat70
    meerkat70 Posts: 4,605 Member
    deleted.
  • AllergicToExercise
    AllergicToExercise Posts: 436 Member
    If your boddybugg is telling you that your daily calorie requirements are 2000+, your MFP calorie goal of 1290 seems way too low,

    A healthy loss is achieved by subtracting 15-20% from your TDEE.

    I agree with this. I have seen a lot of info on these boards about TDEE and BMR and one opinion is that you can net below your BMR but only if you are eating to BMR level and above begin with and the deficit is through exercise. Perhaps you could search for these topics on the boards to get more info? It's certainly another angle to look at.

    Good luck, I know how frustrating it is when the scales are stuck!
  • hanna6774
    hanna6774 Posts: 225
    Just wanted to clarify - one pound of fat = one pound of muscle. Muscle is more defined, leaner, so it looks smaller. That's why its a good idea to do your measurements.
  • Thank you all for the suggestions and ideas. I will add in more fruit and veggies. I wil be looking at some other people's diaries (thank you to those who were nice enough to send me friend requests and offer their diaries for viewing). I know my diary this week looked bad and I agree it was.........I dont eat like that all the time (except for the protein bars and protein powder). I am going to the grocery store and will be making a list of snack ideas before I go. I got in a habit of eating the protein bars when I went to LA weight loss a couple of years back....and I kept that habit up! I will also be upping my calories and trying that out. Most of my carbs come from whole grain products and veggies (I know it wasn't like that this past week, but most of the time it is, and most of the time my fiber intake is higher). I am going to work hard to get back on track and lose the last 10-15 pounds!!!
  • kdiamond
    kdiamond Posts: 3,329 Member
    If your Bodybugg is telling you that you burn 2000-2400 calories, you need to eat "close to" that many. Your deficit is too high...1000 calories on days. You're only setting yourself up for failure. You need to set it to a 15-20% deficit tops, because you are very active. I would eat at least 1750-1800 calories per day to start, give it a few weeks, and see how you're doing.

    Edited: as far as "clean eating" is concerned, yes overall it is better for you to eat more whole foods, but it isn't going to hinder weight loss...calories in vs calories out.
  • kitkat4141
    kitkat4141 Posts: 379 Member
    I only went back a few days and what struck me was the lack of 'real' food. Yes, you are eating some veggies, blueberries, etc., but in very small amounts (or at least as a very small percentage of your total calories). The other thing was a trend of "replacement" foods. I don't suggest you never eat them, but they should be only for 'emergency use'. I believe you are better off getting protein from lean meats and fish.

    Try substantially upping the amount of raw veggies you eat. When I was really pushing to drop weight, I was eating 300 calories or more each day of fresh, raw veggies. A typical day (I was doing 1200/day NET) was:

    Greek Yogurt for breakfast with a PINT (not a spoonful) of berries- 250 cal
    Grilled Chicken on a Salad, chicken breast on a whole grain bun and fresh fruit, or similar meal around 500 cal for lunch
    Grilled Vegetables and Grilled Fish, Chicken or Pork for dinner at around 600 cal
    Between snacks at work and bedtime snack, I was eating enough celery, mushrooms, snap peas, cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, radishes and carrots to fill a medium mixing bowl.
    With an average of 45-60 minutes of cardio each day, I had enough calories left over for about 200 calories of roasted peanuts to round out my fat intake.

    Reading up on the philosophies of Michael Pollen got me thinking about it and kept me focused.

    A little taste....

    Because most of what we’re consuming today is not food, and how we’re consuming it — in the car, in front of the TV, and increasingly alone — is not really eating. Instead of food, we’re consuming “edible foodlike substances” — no longer the products of nature but of food science. Many of them come packaged with health claims that should be our first clue they are anything but healthy. In the so-called Western diet, food has been replaced by nutrients, and common sense by confusion. The result is what Michael Pollan calls the American paradox: The more we worry about nutrition, the less healthy we seem to become.

    But if real food — the sort of food our great grandmothers would recognize as food — stands in need of defense, from whom does it need defending? From the food industry on one side and nutritional science on the other. Both stand to gain much from widespread confusion about what to eat, a question that for most of human history people have been able to answer without expert help. Yet the professionalization of eating has failed to make Americans healthier. Thirty years of official nutritional advice has only made us sicker and fatter while ruining countless numbers of meals.

    Pollan proposes a new (and very old) answer to the question of what we should eat that comes down to seven simple but liberating words:

    (... and here's the important bit...)

    Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.



    Everyone should read Michael Pollan's book "In Defense of Food". Very thought provoking although I must say it conflicts with my current diet which is higher in protein. But I liked it just the same.
  • heidiwebs
    heidiwebs Posts: 80 Member
    I'd add more dairy such as low or non-fat yogurts and I agree with the people saying eat more cleanly. Replace those protein bars with an apple and natural pb or carrots and hummus.
  • tasha72
    tasha72 Posts: 5 Member
    I agree with everyone that suggests the processed food is a problem. I find if I have power bars or protein powder I can't drop any weight, even when I am well within my daily caloric intake. Veggies with hummus or peanut butter is a great snack. I understand the plateau too and it can be so frustrating when people tell you to eat more because you are not eating enough - it seems so counter intuitive when you want to lose weight but it is true.
  • jamie1888
    jamie1888 Posts: 1,704 Member
    If your Bodybugg is telling you that you burn 2000-2400 calories, you need to eat "close to" that many. Your deficit is too high...1000 calories on days. You're only setting yourself up for failure. You need to set it to a 15-20% deficit tops, because you are very active. I would eat at least 1750-1800 calories per day to start, give it a few weeks, and see how you're doing.

    Edited: as far as "clean eating" is concerned, yes overall it is better for you to eat more whole foods, but it isn't going to hinder weight loss...calories in vs calories out.

    ^ THIS!
  • jamie1888
    jamie1888 Posts: 1,704 Member
    I agree with everyone that suggests the processed food is a problem. I find if I have power bars or protein powder I can't drop any weight, even when I am well within my daily caloric intake. Veggies with hummus or peanut butter is a great snack. I understand the plateau too and it can be so frustrating when people tell you to eat more because you are not eating enough - it seems so counter intuitive when you want to lose weight but it is true.

    ^ protein powder & bars do not hinder weight loss.. This is silly.

    Edit to add: you don't have to replace protein bars in your diet. But, you can always find better bars that aren't filled with junk & sugar.
  • jamie1888
    I completely agree that if I am going to eat protein bars/powders that they shoudln't be full of junk and sugar. The bars I eat only have 2 grams of sugar. I always look at the ingredient list and the nutrition label. The powder that I use only has 1 gram of sugar and has Vitamin B12, B6 and loads of other vitamins. I know it isn't real food and I know I should replace it. I am however going to make the decision to at least stick with the morning protein shake because otherwise I would not eat breakfast at all. I am allergic to egss and I do not like other breakfast foods...........I can stomach oatmeal, but I have texture issues so I don't really like to eat it very often. Can you suggest other protein bars that have clean ingredients or low sugar etc.

    Thank You!!
  • and I need to add that I am allergic to apples, watermelon, and kiwi so some of my food intake is limited because of allergies. I also have some other allergies as well, but these are most prevalent.
  • jody664
    jody664 Posts: 397 Member
    You are welcome to look at my diary. I agree with others about eating more "real" food. I snack quite a bit throughout the day, and hopefully you can get some good ideas for quick 5-minute snacks throughout my diary.

    I do use protein powders and bars occasionally. I just try to save them for a pre- or post workout snack instead of replacing a meal. For protien powder I use Dymatize because it doesn't require a lot of preparation. It's only 114 calories and 20 grams of protein. I add 1 scoop to plain water, shake or stir, drink. I'm usually FAMISHED when I get home from a workout, usually at 8 or 9pm. (I don't think the protein bars I've been eating are that low in sugar, so I'm eager to see if others have a suggestion for you.)

    As for oatmeal, I've finally learned to like it, but I stopped buying those premade packets. Too gummy. I make my own with quick oats. I find I like the texture much better. Another option is baked oatmeal, which to me has more of a cake texture. Google "baked oatmeal recipe" and you should be able to find some that you like.

    Hope this helps!
  • susannamarie
    susannamarie Posts: 2,148 Member
    You don't have to eat breakfast food for breakfast.
  • biddy249
    biddy249 Posts: 76 Member
    Cut down on all the processed food and snacks....More "natural" fruits and veggies and lean protien. Cook at home and stay away from eating out for a month or so and see how it goes. Good luck.
  • jbella99
    jbella99 Posts: 596 Member
    I was the same way for 2 years going up and down 2 pounds for 2 years. It wasn't til I started eating clean that weight has started coming off, Check oout Tosca Reno Clean Eating,
  • pucenavel
    pucenavel Posts: 972 Member
    You don't have to eat breakfast food for breakfast.

    ^^ this

    The other day I had a small boneless pork chop and some sauteed mushrooms for breakfast. Delicious.

    I've also been known to eat fresh veggies for breakfast, but my favorite is a whole pint of berries.
  • realme56
    realme56 Posts: 1,093 Member
    I agree, too much processed foods and actually too much protein. You also have high sodium foods (part of the processed stuff. If you are burning 2000-2400 then you should lose with 1800 +/- but you are often under that and not going anywhere.

    Eat lots of natural foods! Natural sugars are good!
  • cawleen
    cawleen Posts: 23 Member
    I'm a huge fan of this. I mix it with Almond Breeze Milk. It's only 40 Calories per 8 oz servings
    The Body By Vi protein shake (which is what I usually use) only has 90 calories and 1 gram of sugar and has lots of vitamins and minerals that I prob wouldn't get elsewhere
  • cawleen
    cawleen Posts: 23 Member
    I love Harley Pasternack 5 factor bars and crips. I use them to take the edge of of sweet and salty cravings. They are high in protein and high in fiber
    I agree with everyone that suggests the processed food is a problem. I find if I have power bars or protein powder I can't drop any weight, even when I am well within my daily caloric intake. Veggies with hummus or peanut butter is a great snack. I understand the plateau too and it can be so frustrating when people tell you to eat more because you are not eating enough - it seems so counter intuitive when you want to lose weight but it is true.

    ^ protein powder & bars do not hinder weight loss.. This is silly.

    Edit to add: you don't have to replace protein bars in your diet. But, you can always find better bars that aren't filled with junk & sugar.
  • themedalist
    themedalist Posts: 3,218 Member
    Other posters have covered the obvious issues. I would recommend that you stop tracking your sugar intake as you are already looking at carbs and see how much sodium you are getting with the foods you are eating. Too much sodium can cause fluid retention among other issues and that may be contributing to your lack of loss.

    THIS! Although I've lost over 30 pounds since last summer, I'm finding it very difficult to shed the last 10-15 pounds. I now understand that I'm very sensitive to sodium. One or two high sodium (2500 to 3000mg) days per week is enough to trigger several pounds of water retention, which masks my weight loss progress. I've started a month long challenge to myself to keep my daily sodium intake below 2000 mg/day (My March All Over Sodium challenge). So far, I've lost 2.2 pounds in the last 3 days, after stalling for the last 3 weeks.

    This may not be your issue, but along with the other posters recommendations to eat more fruits, veggies, and protein, sodium may be something to consider.
  • you need more greens. lots of greens! I sometimes don't think people realize what clean eating really is. please, please, please, stay away from the meal replacements and protein powders unless they are raw protein powders. you can get plenty of protein from greens. don't worry about the sugars if they are natural and unless you are a diabetic it shouldn't worry you so much. if you add more fresh fruit and veg to your diet you will start dropping weight. you also need to make sure you are eating enough calories to compensate all the calories burned.
  • cawleen
    cawleen Posts: 23 Member
    Plain 0% fat greek yoghurt is awesome. Use 3/4 cup, add 1 cup of any frozen mixed fruit in the blender, and it is either a fruit smoothie if you smootie it alot, or a little less time blending ti becomes icecream. I need a spoon full of splenda in for sweetness.
    18 g of protein in the yoghurt alone!! So good!
    I feel like my biggest problem is snacks. Can someone suggest something besides cheese and nuts? I get really bored with this. I can't heat anything up and don't have a lot of time to eat it because I work with kids all day and have maybe five minutes to eat my snacks.
  • wistom
    wistom Posts: 5
    Check out gbpersonaltraining.com . Get on his mailing list. I got the EVO diet that he uses for his clients for free. I find this site to be very helpful.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,027 Member
    Perhaps you are burning fat off with all your workouts and deficits, but you're also gaining muscle when you train and teach zumba.
    Muscle is generally heavier than fat.
    You don't gain muscle on calorie deficit. It's practically impossible. And since Zumba is a cardio based exericse, it's very unlikely that any muscle is overloaded at all.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

  • You have lots of processed calories, the health food kind. Meal replacement bars and scoops of stuff

    I noticed this too...both the bars and scoops had high cals and high sugar
    I use whey protein powder...but it only has 110 cals per scoop and no sugar
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,027 Member
    My suggestion. Eat about 1800 calories a day. Then bust your *kitten* lifting some heavy weights BEFORE any cardio. Most here are addressing food, I'll address the exercise. Change your intensity and make your workouts HARDER. Again lift some serious heavy weights for yourself ( 8 reps max and with weight that challenges you on this on any exercise) and do it at least 3 times a week.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • aquasw16
    aquasw16 Posts: 342 Member
    I would say you should look at HOW much you you are eating. Maybe you think its a 1/2 a cup of rice but it is closer to a cup? Little things like that add up. Also, have you taken body measurements? Like a few others have said, you could be shedding fat and replacing it with muscle, hence why you arent seeing the scale move.
  • I would say you are eating a lot of packaged and processed foods, and very little veges and fruit. Get back to basics - eat your fruit and veges as the biggest portion of your daily intake, then add protein in the way of meat, fish, eggs, etc, and milk/ yoghurt etc. I found that eating grains and grain products (cereal, bread etc) was holding me back, now I don't eat any of these products. I am finally into the normal BMI range after losing 50kg. I hit a plateau for a year, and in fact put on 7kg, then with the help of my fitness pal and dropping the grain products I have lost 12kg in the last 16 weeks. I don't eat back my exercise calories, which are around 350 cals x 5 days. I then have a spike day on a Saturday where I still try to eat natural food but add higher calorie foods including cheese, dark chocolate, potatoes, rice and alcohol. On my spike day I don't even count my calories. When I have I find that I can't even eat enough to eat all my exercise calories.... Give it a go.
  • aquasw16
    aquasw16 Posts: 342 Member
    Also, where is your water? Do you really not drink water or do you just not log it? In case your sodium is high (and really you should regardless) start chugging that water! It will help!
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