Open Diary...what am I doing wrong?
Replies
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Putting on some muscle mass might really help. You only just began the weight training this past week. You need a minimum of 6 weeks to see any results from it, really I would give it 3 or 4 months of consistent weight training. Track your % bodyfat and muscle/lean body mass on a good scale that measures these. If you've never weight trained before, you may have lost muscle mass along with the fat, plus as we age we naturally lose muscle mass if we are not counteracting this tendency with strength training (around 8% per 10 years after age 40).0
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Yep I went back to June on your Diary and it looks like you don't log consistantly, you can't keep control of what goes in your mouth every day. switch out the candy (should be an occasional treat) and bring a boiled egg or if you like crab for instance they have crab sticks which are great high protein low cals ( dip in your own mix of cocktail sauce) log that too. I saw lots of processed snacks and foods.I read they have high fructose sugar ,msg and sodium that makes you hungrier. I look at the lables now on everything canned or processed if High frutose sugar is the top ingredient, I don't buy it. Fresh is the way to go. I just discovered the miracle noodle and use it once in awhile in a stir fry. the noodles have zero everything fills you up and adhere to the flavors you put in the stir fry. You get lots of veggies and the flavor is great. Basic food.. Meat,veggies and fruit. Good luck!
I LOVE crab sticks, but they are a VERY processed food, full of wheat starch, sugar and so on. Something like prawns or crayfish are more expensive, but a more natural product if you want fish.
Natural almond butter is great as a snack, maybe spread on apple chunks
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My advice: make a concerted effort to increase the amount of fiber in your diet through vegetables, legumes, whole grains, etc. You'll be less hungry and can eat more volume for fewer calories.
And actually look at the nutritional info for fiber. Pay NO attention to labels, brand names, etc. "Fiber" marketing is extremely deceptive. For example, you will notice if you look closely that a popular brand of crackers is not "Whole Grain" - it says "with whole grain", which is meaningless, a legal lie. Look at the nutritional info and it has 0% RDA for fiber. They just put a few little brown flecks on top of the crackers to trick you. Still nothing but processed flour.
Try to buy any cereal or bread products based on fiber. Get higher than 10% RDA if you can. And also be aware that they sometimes will really give you fiber - but make up for it by increasing sugar.
I get most of my fiber from things like beans, peas and lentils.0 -
I read over the past week from your diary and would say you aren't eating enough LEAN protein, too much fat, and too few calories. You eat way too much processed junk. If you are doing as much cardio as you are saying, you aren't eating enough to support that. Your body will not want to release any fat, for fear of starving to death. You are losing WEIGHT..not fat. Weight is muscle, which is the furnace for burning the fat. I would recommend eating more whole foods, lean protein, less processed fats (cheese, candy for example), more veggies, and increasing CLEAN calories by a few hundred. Get your carbs from veggies, your fats from nuts and oils, and your protein from lean sources like egg whites, chicken, turkey, etc. Also, get rid of the sauces and extras....BBQ sauce for example offers no nutrition, but 50 plus empty, useless, sugar filled calories. Just a start...hope it helps. Keep at it. One day at a time!!
this.
90% of what you eat comes out of a packet or wrapper........this isn't a good thing.
Back to basics, fresh veg, fruit, chicken, turnkey, fish, steak etc.0 -
Different things work for different people. I tried diet after diet and always end up losing 10lbs, then gaining it back. Last year, I found a diet called Ideal Protein. It taught me to look at food different. I lost 60lbs and then kept it off for almost 6 months. Recently, I started getting sloppy again with my eating. I'm up about 12lbs from my lowest weight now, and I'm starting to refocus. This time, though, I need to lose 12lbs instead of 60.
Here is my advice. Get rid of the bread, pasta, potatoes, and the sugar. Completely. I'm serious. You get all the carbs your body needs from eating vegetables. Eat lots of GREEN vegetables. Don't be scared about eating fat (good fats).
And... don't confuse DIET with EXERCISE. Use diet for weight loss, exercise for fitness. Never confuse the two. I see lots of people that they can have a cookie, extra helping of potato salad (whatever!) because they worked out. That's the fastest way to fail.0 -
I haven't bought the crab sticks in awhile, I think it depends the brand there are only I thnk it was 30 cals in each stick and the texture is wonderful.. some are better than others. Yes Prawns (Our shrimp) are great snacks too. good thinking!Yep I went back to June on your Diary and it looks like you don't log consistantly, you can't keep control of what goes in your mouth every day. switch out the candy (should be an occasional treat) and bring a boiled egg or if you like crab for instance they have crab sticks which are great high protein low cals ( dip in your own mix of cocktail sauce) log that too. I saw lots of processed snacks and foods.I read they have high fructose sugar ,msg and sodium that makes you hungrier. I look at the lables now on everything canned or processed if High frutose sugar is the top ingredient, I don't buy it. Fresh is the way to go. I just discovered the miracle noodle and use it once in awhile in a stir fry. the noodles have zero everything fills you up and adhere to the flavors you put in the stir fry. You get lots of veggies and the flavor is great. Basic food.. Meat,veggies and fruit. Good luck!
I LOVE crab sticks, but they are a VERY processed food, full of wheat starch, sugar and so on. Something like prawns or crayfish are more expensive, but a more natural product if you want fish.
Natural almond butter is great as a snack, maybe spread on apple chunks0 -
Yeah Ive stopped buying them too. It makes me a little sad, but Id rather not eat the crap in thm 0
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less cheese, less salt, logging every day and logging accurately.0
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Yes! Prawns (our shrimp) are Great! I haven't bought the crab sticks in awhile, they have only 30 cals but I never paid attention before whats in them. I will say tho they are better than candy I will have to recheck the crab out again on its ingredients. good idea!0
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Hi, I have been down your path but with more weight to lose. I agree too much sugar products in your diet. The body is a funny thing and sometimes it becomes super sensitive. I eat meals made by weight watchers, Smart Ones, at lunch time. I work FT also and have grandchildren. I lead a very busy stressful life. I work in the medical field and love taking care of others, but haven't done such a great job of taking care of myself. Try eating more whole foods if it's in your budget. I do this when I can. It's difficult due to cost, but it does help. I also own a BodyBug, which helps to keep track of my calories burned. I love this product, it motivates me and keeps my ratio to calories eaten, to calories burned. I wasn't losing much until I turned the thing back on. Changing your routine up can help. You might be at a set point, be patient. The less you have to lose, the more patient you need to be. I'ts frustrating, but your worth it! It's a journey, and a lifestyle change not a diet!0
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Given the amount of exercise you're doing, I think you may be eating too few calories. The processed foods aren't doing you any favors, either.
Perhaps a small increase in calories (1,450 vs. 1,350-ish) and some more whole/fresh foods? Make the transition to higher calories gradual (add a little bit over the course of a week), and do the same with the fresh foods. Don't want to shock your digestive system into retaliating!
Good luck, and congratulations on sticking with this for so long. That shows great determination on your part. You'll get there!!!
Edited to add: I forgot to mention that logging everything you eat is as important as what you put in your mouth. It's hard for me to gauge how many calories/macros I'm eating on a daily basis unless I'm logging it. Try logging (faithfully) daily for a week before making any other changes, and see what happens!0 -
I read over the past week from your diary and would say you aren't eating enough LEAN protein, too much fat, and too few calories. You eat way too much processed junk. If you are doing as much cardio as you are saying, you aren't eating enough to support that. Your body will not want to release any fat, for fear of starving to death. You are losing WEIGHT..not fat. Weight is muscle, which is the furnace for burning the fat. I would recommend eating more whole foods, lean protein, less processed fats (cheese, candy for example), more veggies, and increasing CLEAN calories by a few hundred. Get your carbs from veggies, your fats from nuts and oils, and your protein from lean sources like egg whites, chicken, turkey, etc. Also, get rid of the sauces and extras....BBQ sauce for example offers no nutrition, but 50 plus empty, useless, sugar filled calories. Just a start...hope it helps. Keep at it. One day at a time!!
this....
i saw a lot of processed foods, high in sodium. I would recommend you reduce that and eat more lean meats, veg/fruit.
good kuck!0 -
I literally have to plan my meals the night before. I have an active 6 year old and a hubby to feed and if I don't plan ahead I go off snacking or eating boxed processed stuff and I don't lose weight. 2 weeks I didn't lose anything, so the next two weeks I cooked, An Example is I cooked up a package of chicken and beef for shish kabobs and mixed in with fresh veges - we ate that for 3 days - one meal each day.
You have to plan ahead when your life is so busy.0 -
I looked over your diary for a long period of time and there are significant breaks in logging. Also check your entries - there were brownies that were not recording the sugars. You are over in sugars pretty consistently and pretty high sodium levels. There is weight gain right there.
Keep logging every day and check your macros daily as well.
Good luck to you!
Laurie0 -
Try to incorporate more whole foods into your diet - fresh fruit and veg, wholegrains (quinoa and brown rice are great), beans and legumes. I definitely noticed that when I made the change from eating whatever I wanted as long as it was within my calorie limit to eating foods that are actually good for me, I started losing more weight and feeling amazing. I'm not perfect, I still have some processed foods and treats (like a cupcake today...) but I really try to think of what I eat and what will be good for me.
A million times THIS!!! It took me 11 months to lose 38 pounds and in the last month I've lost an additional 6 pounds and achieved my goal weight. And the difference? Although my diet had included a reasonable number of fruits and veggies before, in the last month I've infused my diet with fruits and veggies (especially leafy green veggies...spinach salad every day) and regularly get 10+ a days.
Fruits and veggies are packed with nutrients. If you aren't getting enough nutritious food, your body won't be performing optimally and weight loss can stall. My food diary is open if you want to take a look.0 -
Based on what I can see in your diary, it's WHAT you're eating, not how much you're eating. I think your carbs (of which sugar is a part) are too high - you should aim for under 100g net carbs per day (total carbs minus total fiber - you can switch from tracking sugar to fiber instead). If it works for you, you can safely drop your daily carbs down to under 40. I do low carb and it does seem to be highly effective for women in particular.
Also, up your protein....MFP's settings for protein are too low, try to get at least 75-100g protein per day. It will also keep you feeling full longer than carbs will (as will healthy fats...so don't be afraid of those).0 -
Based on what I can see in your diary, it's WHAT you're eating, not how much you're eating. I think your carbs (of which sugar is a part) are too high - you should aim for under 100g net carbs per day (total carbs minus total fiber - you can switch from tracking sugar to fiber instead). If it works for you, you can safely drop your daily carbs down to under 40. I do low carb and it does seem to be highly effective for women in particular.
Also, up your protein....MFP's settings for protein are too low, try to get at least 75-100g protein per day. It will also keep you feeling full longer than carbs will (as will healthy fats...so don't be afraid of those).
Yes, I completely agree with this. You need to customize settings... Go to "my home", "goals", and then edit. I had to change mine to ~75 grams carbs per day... The protein and fat adjusted accordingly (I aim for 1300 calories each day).0 -
You might try a low-carb approach (around 50 gm/day); keep sugar very low (<10 or 15 gm/day), as well as cutting out all grain, bread products, chips, stuff like that, for just a few weeks or so to see what happens.0
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high carbs and low nutrient food? Try to increase your lean protein intake and drop the processed foods0
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Based on what I can see in your diary, it's WHAT you're eating, not how much you're eating. I think your carbs (of which sugar is a part) are too high - you should aim for under 100g net carbs per day (total carbs minus total fiber - you can switch from tracking sugar to fiber instead). If it works for you, you can safely drop your daily carbs down to under 40. I do low carb and it does seem to be highly effective for women in particular.
Also, up your protein....MFP's settings for protein are too low, try to get at least 75-100g protein per day. It will also keep you feeling full longer than carbs will (as will healthy fats...so don't be afraid of those).
totally agree0 -
Try the 5:30 rule a weight loss pro posted here before .. . . five fruits and vegetables minimum . . . . . You are pretty short, so I think your calories are about right, just don't get it lower than 1200. You could try 1200 for a week or so. . . . although that's not a whole lot, believe it or not, that's how much people get on Nutrisystem if I remember correctly. Also, at least five days a week you should do about 30 minutes of easy exercise like walking. I don't think your frequency of exercise was enough. You don't need to exercise as long as an hour. The weight training is a very good idea. It will make a difference.
Fruits and vegetables often take fewer calories to digest than they contain. On some days I saw three fruits. Try making that just two fruits and the rest veggies.
As someone mentioned before, calories are more important to weight loss than exercise. I once lost 40 pounds without any exercise. Now at 52, it definitely takes exercise too. Exercise is very helpful to fighting off major diseases including diabetes. It's a good thing you are exercising.
Thanks for opening your diary and we hope the advice is helpful.
Ruth0 -
sodium. period. you are eating a lot of packaged stuff vs. fresh stuff. packaged meat, chips, bread, etc. ridiculous amounts of packaged stuff. you aren't logging every day either..... but when you do I think just about every single thing you're eating is a packaged food. very little veggies. no fresh cooked meat. why is that? I think you've fallen into the 'low calorie must mean it's healthy' trap, which isn't the case. it looks as if (from your diary) you should be undernourished.
Also, did you take into consideration that you're not losing because you're not feeding your body enough food - or the right type of fuel??0 -
When I looked, I saw a lot of days with no logging. What did you eat on those days? That may have hurt. Also, on the days you did log, you go over on sodium often (not always very much). Maybe you are retaining water? And it seems like you go over on sugar a lot too. Maybe cut down on that as well. Good luck to you! :flowerforyou:0
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I am also on the home stretch & after reading what a lot of members have suggested I think I'm going to follow it. I am starting to think the the processed foods are not good and I know it's hard with a family & full time job. I would know how you feel cause I too am in the same boat. It looks we'll have to rearrange some things and experiment to see if this will work.0
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2 things sugar & sodium.
If you don`t burn the sugar it will store as fat.
Too much sodium will retain water
cut them both back and you will be fine ;-)0 -
Eat more. Move more.
I went back two weeks on your diary and half of your days are not even logged. Aside from that, the only thing I noticed was, on the days you logged, your sodium was occasionally high.
Eat more. Move more.
Keep the momentum.
Exactly my thought...sodium is way high. Too much bread. Try to add fruits and veggies. if you have to eat processed meats, try to find lower sodium. If you are working out alot, then increase your food a bit, but keep it good, healthy foods.0 -
My 'good weeks' are when I eat at my BMR and don't eat back all my calories. Just keep it up. You will see results before you know it!0
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Cut out the majority (or all) of the processed foods, lower your sodium and move more. It's all about trial and error and finding what works for you but make sure that all of your food decisons are healthy ones. Lifting weights is a great fat blaster, incorporate it into your routine. Good luck!0
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You are eating almost all processed food, not lean meats and fruits and veggies. And eating one banana a day isn't enough! You are also not logging consistenly, and who knows, the days you don't log could be what is keeping you from losing the weight. If you REALLY want to do this, you have to be dedicated, you have to be consistent and you have to make a lifestyle change..... you can't say "what am I doing wrong - why I am not losing weight" when you haven't given it 100% effort. Good luck to you!0
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I looked at your diary and I see a lot of carbs. I would try and do more low carb and you'll prob. start to see the weight come off!0
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