Nearly Vegan, New to MFP, Need Help...

Mom23AMD
Mom23AMD Posts: 2
edited November 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
I put this original post in Food/Nutrition...perhaps this is a better spot...

I've been nearly vegan since November 2011. By nearly vegan, I just mean that I haven't given up fish. I love sushi too much to give that up. But I have given up dairy, eggs, chicken, red meat, pork, etc.
My diet consists mostly of vegetables, fruits (I love my fruit), tofu products, and whole grains (quinoa, brown rice, homemade whole wheat bread).
Since November I haven't lost one sticking pound. SO frustrating!
So about a month ago, I started going to the gym. I go at least 4-5 times a week in the morning.
I alternate strength training and cardio. And believe me...I bust my @$$.
On cardio days I do either the elliptical or treadmill for 20 minutes. Then for the other 25 minutes, I alternate between jumping rope (super fast) and running around the track 2-3 times. I also stretch and do crunches.
On weight days, I warm up for 10 minutes either on the treadmill or the elliptical. I do all the weights and in between the different machines I do 3 sets of 30 crunches. By the end of my strength training I have done 270 crunches.
In the four weeks I've been going, I've noticed great muscle definition and my legs, butt, and arms are much more toned.
But today I got on the scale for the first time since starting the gym and was totally deflated...I actually went up 3 pounds.
So now I'm at 147, happy with how my body is starting to look, unhappy with the stupid tummy fat that won't budge (my pants are still snug around my waist, but loose around my thighs and butt), and wondering how the heck I can adjust what I'm eating so I can drop this stupid weight.

Enter My Fitness Pal... I've signed up. Entered my information. Downloaded the app onto my phone. Started tracking what I'm eating. Maybe that will enlighten me somehow.

Any other vegans experiencing the same thing? Any one have any advice?

Replies

  • privatetime
    privatetime Posts: 118
    Yes and no.

    I'm vegan and lost 20lbs or so, before starting MFP. I continued losing weight at my normal rate for my 1st week on MFP, then it all came to a halt.

    It's my fault. I noticed that, because I was focusing on MFP guidelines, I began eating rather oddly. I would actively avoid perfectly healthy foods, because I'd learned they would put me "over" in some MFP category, or mess with the fat/carb/protein ratio I was aiming for. This is probably my last day using MFP, because of that. I was doing perfectly fine before. This app. was recommended to me, and I thought it would help. But I don't think it's an accident that my progress halted since I started trying to adjust my diet to fit MFP's guidelines.

    Lots of people have had success with MFP, though. Whatever works for you...

    But I am with you on the belly fat thing. Despite my weight loss, my clothes aren't looser. I still have a few pounds to go, to get back to my pre-weight-gain weight, and am wondering what will change, if anything, to rid me of this new-to-me belly fat? I gained weight because I became insulin resistant. I'd always been quite thin (97lbs) all my adult life, until the IR kicked in a few years ago.

    I do about an hour to 90 minutes of cardio (incl. HIIT) every day, with strenth training every 2nd day. Prior to MFP, and for the 1st week using MFP, I lost about 2-2.5lbs/week, on average. In the 2 weeks since then, continuing to alter my diet based on MFP macros/micros and message board "advice", I've lost 1 pound. ...In 2 weeks! For months prior to MFP , that would've been a guaranteed 4lbs down, or more! But nope...1 lb.

    I can't continue like this.

    So, I'm going back to my old ways...and that was just eating a healthy, complete vegan diet when I felt hungry, and not eating if I didn't feel hungry. Simple, but it worked for me. I did (and continue to do) a great deal of research to ensure all my nutritional needs are met and, throughout my weight loss, never really cared about ratios, calories, etc. Total calories have to be kept below BMR/TDEE, in order to lose weight. But I would eat something that has a nutritional benefit, even if it will put me over on carb's or whatever. When I started monkeying with my diet, my weight loss pretty much halted.

    Given my MFP failure, I'm the exact wrong vegan to advise you how to be successful with this program...as a vegan. (...where all our proteins are also carb's, etc.)

    Best of luck to you! :-)
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