I don't flippin get it!!

13

Replies

  • castlerobber
    castlerobber Posts: 528 Member
    You're eating a bunch of sugar, refined carbohydrates, and fast food, according to your diary. I see 70g or more of sugar many days in the past few weeks. Try cutting out--or at least cutting down on--the bagels, tortilla chips, tacos, fries, sandwich buns, marshmallow fluff, etc. More non-starchy veggies, more meat/fish/poultry that isn't breaded and fried, an egg for breakfast some days instead of a bagel. Less Gatorade, Starbucks, artificially-sweetened stuff, and more plain water.
  • thriftycupl
    thriftycupl Posts: 310 Member
    Try adding a FITBIT device to your life. The technology integrates with MyFitnessPal and it shows your physical activity and then adds back in calories based on your activity. I've found it to be incredibly helpful in terms of have I eaten enough or not? Website is: www.fitbit.com or check Amazon.com as they have some refurbished ones for a little cheaper. It's a good investment in your overall health.

    Just remember this is a change in lifestyle and good things take time -- you didn't get to where you are now overnight, so be patient and enjoy your progress.
  • JanieJack
    JanieJack Posts: 3,831 Member
    Can’t offer much help (beyond cut out anything artificial- that really helps me), but just to encourage you: my weight pegged at 153 for a year (yes, a YEAR) before dropping to 151. That drop happened the week before I found out I was pregnant.

    But even though that weight was staying the same, my body underneath was making some serious changes and I looked *way* better than I do now that I'm getting close to being back at that weight.
  • UsedToBeHusky
    UsedToBeHusky Posts: 15,228 Member
    Try adding a FITBIT device to your life. The technology integrates with MyFitnessPal and it shows your physical activity and then adds back in calories based on your activity. I've found it to be incredibly helpful in terms of have I eaten enough or not? Website is: www.fitbit.com or check Amazon.com as they have some refurbished ones for a little cheaper. It's a good investment in your overall health.

    Just remember this is a change in lifestyle and good things take time -- you didn't get to where you are now overnight, so be patient and enjoy your progress.

    This!!
  • ff1diver
    ff1diver Posts: 30 Member
    Start weight lifting -- heavier the better!!!
  • kyt1206
    kyt1206 Posts: 101
    I took a look at your food diary, as a biomed scientist, here's what I have to say:

    At least half of your food each day should be fresh to get a healthy diet in. Also, it would be preferred if they are green and not from food coloring.

    If it has a bar code on it and didn't come in a farmer's container wrapped in clear plastic or cellophane cover, don't pick it up.

    And for physiology....

    The sodium potassium pump is one of the cellular mechanisms that the cell uses to pass on "nerve information". In other words, if you have too much of one and not enough of the other, it can reduce your workout stamina. Why? Potassium helps balance the cell so that it is ready for another "firing" or contraction if you will, of the muscle fiber. That's why when electricity goes through you, the muscles contract. It's a physics concept but not to bore you, you need a minimum amount of potassium so that your muscles can keep contracting. Especially if you work out, otherwise, it will stay at minimum strength all the time when you're not actively working out which is NOT what you want. Take a multivitamin to balance out your diet if you can't get enough potassium naturally

    Potassium rich fruits include bananas and tomatoes. Either one of these are cheap and accessible. I switch them up to get a different flavor.

    Things that are NOT "vegetation" but are fruits or roots: potatoes, squash, corn, raisins, peanuts, pumpkin, carrots, etc.

    Vegetables: spinach, cabbage (some 40+ varieties), broccoli, cauliflower, radish, daikon, mustard leaf, chives, celery, cilantro, etc.

    Recognize the difference, the reason that fruits and roots may not be great for a diet is because they are the places where the plant stores the sugar and all that is stored you are eating. Leaves and stalks are the parts that transport the sugar so you get more fiber (un-digestible carbs) and less fructose and glucose (easily digested and stored) carbs.
  • marycmeadows
    marycmeadows Posts: 1,691 Member
    i just looked back a few days at your diary -- you're eating A LOT of processed food EVERYDAY. it's not as simple as calories in vs calories out. You have to feed your body properly. Try eating more fresh foods, less packaged/processed/fast foods. Watch your sodium. try to cut out some starchy carbs are replace with veggie/bean carbs. eat back some of your exercise calories. and let's face it. you don't have too much to lose, and it's harder to lose when you have less to lose - especially when you're not feeding your body properly. Good luck!! :)

    **Also, what kind of workouts are you doing? do you strength train?
  • sandrinamsilva
    sandrinamsilva Posts: 651 Member
    Do you have any suggestions on "good protein"?

    Boneless/Skinless Chicken Breasts - load up when on sale (I just bought some for 1.99 a lb.)

    I grill a package a week and have one a day for lunch sometimes dinner too.
  • therealangd
    therealangd Posts: 1,861 Member
    How are you measuring your exercise calories?
    How are you measuring your food calories? scale or measuring cups?
  • thriftycupl
    thriftycupl Posts: 310 Member
    I've just turned to turkey burgers. Jennie-O makes them and you can buy them fresh or in frozen form. They are high in protein, don't taste bad and fill me up.
  • 4flamingoz
    4flamingoz Posts: 214 Member
    bump
  • DeeKay2169
    DeeKay2169 Posts: 72 Member
    Thank you for every ones response! I am surprised at how many responded. I needed to hear ALL of this!! I will be going to the store and stocking up! I am actually excited. I hope I can keep this up!

    Marycmeadows : I take body pump twice a week for strength.

    therealangd : I measure my exercise cals with my HRM. I measure my cals by scanning or research. I don’t actually measure them. I normally log more than what I intake.
  • linpeach
    linpeach Posts: 6 Member
    I have ran into this many times myself. Although I'm new to mfp, I have been there. Bump your food intake and incorporate more strength training. The more muscle you build the more fat you will bun just doing your daily activities. Best of luck. Keep your head up
  • aaddair
    aaddair Posts: 9
    Maybe your body has reached its limit and your at the weight you should be at for your body, and you gained weight because the working out has given you extra muscle. Dont sweat it! I'm sure you look great :)
  • 4flamingoz
    4flamingoz Posts: 214 Member
    swhitney2 : I have done many calculations on how much I should be eating and they ranged from 1500-1800. I tried that for awhile but found it really hard to hit. When I would try I would find unhealthy foods to just try to get up there so I lowered them back down to 1400. I will take your advice on the potassium. Sodium and sugar and hard for me but I try to stay with "healthy sodium and sugar".

    All I can tell you is that I zigzagged, ate up, ate down... I did everything. Then I got my FitBit and discovered that on top of the 200 calories worth of walking for exercising that I was recording, I was missing out on the 800 calories of walking throughout the day that never even got recorded on MFP. My BMR is around 1800, but my TDEE is more like 3000. Sure I'm a pretty tall chick, but no matter how tall you are, MFP is not accurately accounting for TDEE, therefore anyone who follows their guidelines is not eating enough. I was stuck on a plateau for 3 months eating 1800 then 1500, the 2000, then back down to 1400. Guess at what caloric level I started losing again... 2500 calories!!

    How the heck does anyone eat 2500 calories?!!!! I have a problem eating 1400 + my exercise cals.
  • UsedToBeHusky
    UsedToBeHusky Posts: 15,228 Member
    swhitney2 : I have done many calculations on how much I should be eating and they ranged from 1500-1800. I tried that for awhile but found it really hard to hit. When I would try I would find unhealthy foods to just try to get up there so I lowered them back down to 1400. I will take your advice on the potassium. Sodium and sugar and hard for me but I try to stay with "healthy sodium and sugar".

    All I can tell you is that I zigzagged, ate up, ate down... I did everything. Then I got my FitBit and discovered that on top of the 200 calories worth of walking for exercising that I was recording, I was missing out on the 800 calories of walking throughout the day that never even got recorded on MFP. My BMR is around 1800, but my TDEE is more like 3000. Sure I'm a pretty tall chick, but no matter how tall you are, MFP is not accurately accounting for TDEE, therefore anyone who follows their guidelines is not eating enough. I was stuck on a plateau for 3 months eating 1800 then 1500, the 2000, then back down to 1400. Guess at what caloric level I started losing again... 2500 calories!!

    How the heck does anyone eat 2500 calories?!!!! I have a problem eating 1400 + my exercise cals.

    I eat 140 g of protein every day too!
  • crisanderson27
    crisanderson27 Posts: 5,343 Member
    I have upped my cals 1400 on my off days and when I work out I eat at least half my exercise cals back if not all. I do strength at least twice a week. I do cardio at least once a day.. bike ride, rpm, elliptical etc...

    http://members.rachelcosgrove.com/public/The_Final_Nail_in_the_Cardio_Coffin.cfm

    If the link doesn't work...let me know and I'll PM it to you.
    sounds like classic plateau, and also sounds like you've done everything to try and break it.

    If I were in your boat, I would slowly increase my calories to whatever my maintenance level is...and then eat at maintenance for 2 - 3 weeks. I would also ease off the cardio and just concentrate on lifting weights...as heavy as you can manage, check out www.bodybuilding.com.

    This way you are giving your body the break it might think it needs, and you're at maintenance level so wont gain any fat. If you gain pounds it might be from the muscle..but doubt you would build pounds of muscle in that short a time.

    AWESOME advice here! Across the board! Although, I will say if you take this advice and gain pounds...it will be water, and will eventually level off.

    I will also say, you can lose weight and gain muscle on a partially (even mostly) fast food diet...but it involves other methods of eating that if I mention, will completely hijack your thread. That being said, you DO need quality protein (some good sources have been listed), and vegetables along with your fast food. Trust me...I know this first hand...as I'm an ongoing taco bell addict lol.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,319 Member
    154 is a really good weight for a woman 5'7".

    It's possible that this is the weight you need to be.

    Now switch to heavy weights to shape your body.
  • crisanderson27
    crisanderson27 Posts: 5,343 Member
    swhitney2 : I have done many calculations on how much I should be eating and they ranged from 1500-1800. I tried that for awhile but found it really hard to hit. When I would try I would find unhealthy foods to just try to get up there so I lowered them back down to 1400. I will take your advice on the potassium. Sodium and sugar and hard for me but I try to stay with "healthy sodium and sugar".

    All I can tell you is that I zigzagged, ate up, ate down... I did everything. Then I got my FitBit and discovered that on top of the 200 calories worth of walking for exercising that I was recording, I was missing out on the 800 calories of walking throughout the day that never even got recorded on MFP. My BMR is around 1800, but my TDEE is more like 3000. Sure I'm a pretty tall chick, but no matter how tall you are, MFP is not accurately accounting for TDEE, therefore anyone who follows their guidelines is not eating enough. I was stuck on a plateau for 3 months eating 1800 then 1500, the 2000, then back down to 1400. Guess at what caloric level I started losing again... 2500 calories!!

    How the heck does anyone eat 2500 calories?!!!! I have a problem eating 1400 + my exercise cals.

    Avacados, nuts and nut butter, lean meat, eggs, healthy cheeses...all healthy sources of protein, fat, and CALORIES. There's millions...eating vegetables and such is definitely good for you, and necessary...but you've got to stretch your boundaries. I understand I'm a guy, and thus pretty much naturally eat more, but I have issues NOT eating under 3000 calories when I'm eating healthy foods that I like.

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