Weight Loss Support Group!

[tribeca]

good luck Rich

editor girl thanks for the link to fitnesspal .  Join it and will start logging tomorrow.

[Shannon L.]

Good luck, Rick!  Let us know how it goes.

 

ETA:  I just thought of what it was that motivated me to keep going in the beginning and not give up:  I'd challenged my brother to a bet.  $20 to the person who took off the most weight in 3 months.  After that, we went for another 3.  So, I guess if you can find a way to make it fun--betting a friend or family member, exercising with someone, taking classes at a gym (I like them for moral support and because they make me work--left to my own devices on the machines, I'd cheat myself), etc.....whatever would work for you.

Edited October 6, 2014 by Shannon L.

[sunshinelover]

I am so glad I took everyone's advice and finally followed through on keeping an accurate count of my calorie intake!  I've been consistent for I think 4 days now and it is a tremendous help.  It really opened my eyes to what I'm eating.  Most days I've been able to meet my goal and it's extremely helpful to think do I really want this [food or drink item] when it's going to expend X number of calories from my remaining total.  

[ALenore]

Most days I've been able to meet my goal and it's extremely helpful to think do I really want this [food or drink item] when it's going to expend X number of calories from my remaining total.

 

I find this helps too.  Also, I have a fitness tracker (Up band) which keeps track of how many steps I've taken.   If I exercise more,I can eat more calories.  It's kind of cool to see your remaining calories for the day go up as you walk more.   This is why I try to enter my foods throughout the day, so I can see what my "balance" is. 

[KnoxForPres]

Friday is my weigh day. This week and last week loss was to the tenth one pound. #fuckshit

2 poinds loss and big changes. Gimme 6 poiunds you evil guys!

How can I eat like nachos supreme with a few meximelts and maintain. Then I switch it all up and a sad, gloomy, look you in the face like you suck, lose one f Ing pound?

Edited October 11, 2014 by KnoxForPres

[editorgrrl]

Friday is my weigh day. This week and last week loss was to the tenth one pound. #fuckshit

2 poinds loss and big changes. Gimme 6 poiunds you evil guys!

How can I eat like nachos supreme with a few meximelts and maintain. Then I switch it all up and a sad, gloomy, look you in the face like you suck, lose one f Ing pound?

A healthy, sustainable loss is .5–2 lbs. per week. Real life is not like "the Biggest Loser."

You can eat anything in moderation and still lose weight—if you eat fewer calories than you burn. Eat "good" 80% of the time, and fit yummy, portion-controlled treats into your calorie goal. Deprivation can lead to bingeing.

Edited October 11, 2014 by editorgrrl

[kj4ever]

So I got a FitBit and joined myfitnesspal.com I think you can add friends on there, so I am kellycalton1 if any of you want to to add me!  I was lucky because after some research I found out my work would pay for the FitBit!  Score!

[editorgrrl]

So I got a FitBit and joined myfitnesspal.com I think you can add friends on there, so I am kellycalton1 if any of you want to to add me! I was lucky because after some research I found out my work would pay for the FitBit! Score!

I sent you an MFP invitation. I'm editorgrrl both places, and everyone should feel free to add me. I've been logging for 681 days. Logging works.

To add a Fitbit friend, you need a link to their profile. Mine is https://www.fitbit.com/user/278TJW (Again, anyone can add me.)

[kj4ever]

So if you log food at MFP you don't do it at FitBit?

[kj4ever]

Hmmm I'm going to have to read up on the FitBit...I did my mile hike I do with my dog every day (hills, uneven terrain, measured out to a mile) and my fitbit said I did .5 miles and was "very active" for 3 minutes.  This is a tough course that has both of us pretty tired.  I must be doing something wrong!

[editorgrrl]

So if you log food at MFP you don't do it at FitBit?

Connect your accounts: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/apps/show/30

Log all food & drink in MFP. Log all exercise in Fitbit. Enable negative calorie adjustments: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/diary_settings & follow your MFP calorie goal, eating back your Fitbit adjustments.

Your Fitbit burn is your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure), so if you eat at a reasonable from that, you will lose weight.

[DeLurker]

Not looking to lose weight per se, just to maintain where I am at as the metabolism slows and to improve my eating habits in general.  For me that means more vegetables.  Please be assured that your weight loss stories, even if you are not at your goal weight yet, are impressive and encouraging. 

 

My brother went on a juice diet a few years ago and lost an impressive amount of weight (something like 60 lbs).  He made his own juice so he knew exactly what went in it - carrots, celery, cucumbers, tomatoes, spinach, kale, citrus fruit, strawberries, etc...plus ginger and it is the only thing he had all day.  In addition to the weight loss, his cholesterol levels went down as well as his blood pressure.  On the weekends, he did a mix of juicing and regular eating but found his stomach had shrunk and he craved more fresh fruit and vegetables.  He still does it about 4 days a week as a maintenace technique for his weight and cholesterol & bp and says his energy level drops a lot when he doesn't.

 

His weight loss came pretty fast (maybe over 4 - 5 months), but his wife was doing it too for a while.  She dropped a good 40 lbs, but it took longer and she stopped once she reached her goal weight.  When she returned to her regular eating habits, all the weight returned fairly quickly so probably not a healthy approach overall for her.

 

I use a Nutribullet to do my own version, but I only do it a couple of times a week and for 1 meal (usually breakfast).  I usually throw in a mix of kale/chard/spinach with a bit of fresh ginger and 2 oranges.  The drink turns out green so it a bit unpleasant to look at, but it tastes pretty good to me.  On those days, I try to eat vegetarian all day.

 

The other thing I found is a recipe for Benihana's Ginger Salad Dressing.  It is easy to make, nothing overly concerning in it and I am compelled to eat so much more salad because I love this dressing.  I just throw everything into the Nutribullet.

 

I've been experimenting with buying anti-biotic & hormone free meat, organic, grassfed, etc...I am not a strict about it but have found that my family, including a 20 yo son and a 13 yo daughter in the middle of growth spurts, feel fuller on a smaller portion of meat.  For example, if we were to have steak, probably a 3 - 4 oz portion would be fine for them and for pork, the same.  I find myself satisfied with a 2 - 3 oz portion and the taste is more satisfying too.  I can't always justify the price, so I am not 100% everything free meat, but a lot of the products are starting to level off but it varies from store to store.  I can buy an anti-biotic/hormone free whole chicken at one of my local stores for about $0.35 more per lb than regular chicken, but that anti-biotic/hormone free chicken would be at least 2x as much at all the other stores in my area.

 

I thought that feeling more satisfied on smaller portions of protein might be beneficial to y'all and was wondering if any of you had similar results as I have had with it.

Edited October 12, 2014 by DeLurker

[ALenore]

Hmmm I'm going to have to read up on the FitBit...I did my mile hike I do with my dog every day (hills, uneven terrain, measured out to a mile) and my fitbit said I did .5 miles and was "very active" for 3 minutes.  This is a tough course that has both of us pretty tired.  I must be doing something wrong!

 

I don't have a FitBit, I have an Up, but I know that sometimes bands can give a wrong reading because of the type of movement you're doing.  Maybe the band was on the wrist holding the dog's leash, and it wasn't moving naturally enough?  I know that I just got back from food shopping, and the pedometer in my pocket said I did 3000 steps, but my Up band said I only did 2000. I think this was because my hands were holding the shopping cart the whole time.   

[Qoass]

Officially lost the five pounds I wanted.  Thanks to you all for the input-- MyFitnessPal is a great tool if only because sometimes it's such a pain in the ass to record foods that it's easier just to not eat!  I'm back at my fighting weight but will try to lose about five more to account for the inevitable bounce-back I'll experience after my annual checkup at the end of the month.

[harrie]

Qoass, congratulations on meeting your goal.  

 

And you bring up the issue I've had with food journaling, whether app-based or pencil and paper.    I usually bring my lunch to work, and say it's a turkey sandwich; I've got to log the bread, the turkey, the mayo (sorry, I love my 1T of calorie- and fat-laden mayo), a slice of tomato, sometimes a slice of cheese or some avocado, the lettuce is a freebie -- and at the same time I'm feeding the cat, getting the dog set up for the day.  (Sidebar, I don't know how mothers do the morning thing; you have my undying admiration.)  So yeah, sometimes it' just easier to bag the whole idea of eating. 

 

Just a note, I had the good fortune to meet with a nutritionist who ended up being more like a psychiatrist; I walked out feeling very optimistic about eating sensibly and enjoying it, but also feeling more forgiving of myself when I fail, break down or whatever and moving on to the next meal or day.  If anyone's medical plan allows nutritional counseling at a reasonable rate, I highly recommend taking advantage of it. Even if you're doing everything right - which she said I pretty much was except in the area of portion control (which I kind of knew) -- it's a good refresher, reinforcement, or whatever you want to make of it.  In any case, I found it very helpful. 

[Rick Kitchen]

After one week on NutriSystem, I've lost 4.4 pounds, so, yay me.  :)

 

I do have to say that some of the food is pretty bad, but some of it, especially the dinner I had last night, is really good.

[ali59]

What a great thread!  I'm really glad to be here.  I've been morbidly obese for my entire adult life.  About 13 years ago I hit my highest weight about 370 and decided to change things.  I lost about 60 pounds but for some reason that I can't even express, I stopped.  I regained some of it but thankfully never went all the way back up.  This past February I had a really awful vertigo attack and went to the emergency room.  They took my readings and asked me if I was aware that I had high blood pressure and diabetes.  I had to answer no because I had not be getting regular medical care.  That was my turning point.  I'm 55 years old and don't want to die young.  I started using Sparkpeople for tracking and inspiration and started to walk.  I've lost about 75 pounds so far and have about 100 more to go.  Portion control and tracking/logging are they keys I think to successful weight loss and maintenance.

 

I'm 45 now, and when I was almost at the 70lb mark, my therapist insisted that I get a complete blood work up because she said it's nearly impossible for women over 40 to lose that kind of weight.  My tests came back perfect.

 

 

I have to disagree completely with your therapist.  Like I said, I'm 55 and losing at a nice steady rate.  My doctor is very happy not only with how I'm losing but with my labs as well.  The site I use for logging and info has tons of older people who are losing weight, many of them as much or more than I have.  We are never too old to improve our health!

[KnoxForPres]

Wow ali59. Way to go. What an inspiration and I'm so proud of you. You're an encouragement. And isn't that how it's? For reasons unknown sometimes we just stop.

I'm still tracking the food and doing exercise. I feel better so that helps though I still lament one pound weeks.

To the poster with the turkey sandwich. You can make it one of "my foods" on my fitness pal. Then when you eat your tirkey sand, you just click it and the itemization has been done by you already. I do that for regular, multi ingredient things I eat.

My friend started Nutri System 2 weeks ago and she's down 8 pounds!

Keep up the good work! It's good for me to read success as well as setbacks. This is a journey, indeed

[Qoass]

A funny portion control story:

 

I was at the market yesterday and they had some muffins I like on sale.  Keeping my resolution in mind, I flipped the box and was cheered to find out they're only 190 calories.  You know the punchline, right?  When I got them home, I looked closer and found that it's 190 calories for ONE THIRD of a muffin!  I get splitting a snack but who the heck splits a muffin three ways?!?!?  Reminds me of the packaged cookie I had once that said it was four servings.  It was about the size of my palm...

 

I'm not having a fun week so I am eating the muffins.  They just count as breakfast plus dessert for both lunch and dinner.

[editorgrrl]

Yes, I know that punchline well!

 

You could individually wrap some of the muffins in foil, then freeze them. When I cook big meals (especially Crock-Pot), I freeze leftovers in single-serving plastic containers for quick, healthy frozen dinners.

[kj4ever]

I have a small crock pot at work and I make my own freezer meals.  I don't cook them first, just put the ingredients in and freeze.  I take one out the night before work, and when I get to work I throw it in my small crock to cook until lunch time.  I make them so that they cover two lunches.  I try and save one for the next day, but more than likely people smell it and beg for my leftovers...lol

[KnoxForPres]

You're lucky. Our maintenance guy at a (large, corporate office) obsesses about anything that plugs in. His name is Bill and he talks about working out and eating egg whites. Kind of an odd man.

So what if it's not conducive to crock pot? Say, chicken pot pie. Do you just rest it in the heating element or are they always pourable for lack of a better word.

[editorgrrl]

So what if it's not conducive to crock pot? Say, chicken pot pie. Do you just rest it in the heating element or are they always pourable for lack of a better word.

Slow cookers (including Crock-Pot brand) are a moist environment. Stovetop soup & stew recipes can be adapted by reducing the amount of liquid—since there is little evaporation.

You could make chicken stew in a Crock-Pot, but not potpie. (Perhaps serve it over/with baked biscuits?)

[kj4ever]

You're lucky. Our maintenance guy at a (large, corporate office) obsesses about anything that plugs in. His name is Bill and he talks about working out and eating egg whites. Kind of an odd man.

So what if it's not conducive to crock pot? Say, chicken pot pie. Do you just rest it in the heating element or are they always pourable for lack of a better word.

I have a good recipe for a chicken pot pie for the slow cooker.  I'll look it up when I get home and post it.  I'm convinced you can make anything in a slow cooker.  My Mom was the crock pot queen because she had a real demanding career and three kids.  I bet our dinner came from the slow cooker at least 3 times a week.  Both my parents did not like eating out and fast food was considered poison.  It's no wonder my ass didn't start expanding at an alarming rate until I could drive myself through a drive thru.

Edited October 15, 2014 by kj4ever

[KnoxForPres]

I have a good recipe for a chicken pot pie for the slow cooker. I'll look it up when I get home and post it. I'm convinced you can make anything in a slow cooker. My Mom was the crock pot queen because she had a real demanding career and three kids. I bet our dinner came from the slow cooker at least 3 times a week. Both my parents did not like eating out and fast food was considered poison. It's no wonder my ass didn't start expanding at an alarming rate until I could drive myself through a drive thru.

Awesome about the recipe! Will definitely try it.

Not sure why but I envisioned little homemade lean cuisines you took from your freezer to rest in the crock, lol. I understand now.

[sunshinelover]

Two weeks in and I've lost 4 pounds!  I've been really good about tracking everything I take in everyday, and I've exercised vigorously 3 days a week, plus been active on the other  days too.  Best of all is I haven't had to deprive myself...just make healthier choices.  I'm okay with my weight loss being slow, so long as as it's sustainable.  

[kj4ever]

Crock Pot Chicken Pot Pie:

4-5  chicken breasts
1 large can (family size) condensed cream of chicken soup
4-5 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
2 cups frozen vegetables (Peas and carrots)

1 tsp celery salt

1 tsp fresh ground pepper
Salt to taste
1-2 cups shredded cheese

 

option 1 - large pie
pie crusts

1 egg white

 

option 2 - Serve over biscuits
biscuits

 

In Crock Pot, combine chicken breasts, potatoes, frozen vegetables, cream of chicken soup and mix well. Add additional salt and pepper if desired.

Cook on low for 6-8 hours until chicken is fully cooked. Use a sturdy spoon to break up the chicken after cooking.

 

Option 2 - Make the biscuits according to the directions. 2 minutes before they're done, top with shredded cheese to melt. Serve the Chicken Mix on top.
 

Not the most calorie friendly recipe for sure, but sometimes you just got to have certain comfort food!  A lot of time I don't do either option for the "crust", the filling is satisfying in itself.  When I'm feeling really motivated I make my own base instead of using the can of soup.  I hate pre-packaged food, but sometimes it's hard not to use it!

[editorgrrl]

There are plenty of chicken Crock-Pot recipes that are actually weight-loss friendly: http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2005/12/chicken.html

I freeze leftovers in single-serve containers for healthy frozen meals.

[Qoass]

 

http://crockpot365.b..

I heartily endorse this website whether you're on a diet or not.  

[ethalfrida]

Here's wishing you luck, Rick!

 

One of the things that helped me in logging calories and staying on course is a lot of my fave places offer calorie sheets for their food. El Pollo Loco has a double chicken salad for under 500 calories. If you do not get their salad dressing the calorie total is 380. A drumstick is 80 calories. But one avocado burrito is nearly a day's total in calories so I don't get those.

 

I love the opening post. What a fantastic story that is also very motivating. 

 

And the advice to read labels is a major support tool. One of the things most consumers do not realize is a lot of the chemicals and "ingredients" are a significant cause of weight gain. Corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, high sugar contents and unhealthy oils are just some of the culprits. 

 

I also stopped drinking sodas years ago. Then I discovered Kombucha and it tastes just like any other soda. Surprisingly after it has brewed there only a trace of sugar. At first I bought a great commercial brand but soon discovered kombuchakamp.com and learned to make my own. Yummy cream soda, strawberry, plain for that 7UP flavor...

 

Upping metabolism if you do not have medical concerns may be as simple as weightlifting. Building muscle ups the ability to burn.

[kj4ever]

2 week weight in since starting with FitBit and My Fitness Pal = 7 pounds gone!  Who'da thunk it?  Not bad for an old lady!

[emma675]

I've now lost 27 pounds since starting my lifestyle changes in July, so I'm pretty happy about that. I'm trying not to pay attention to the number of pounds I've lost, but I had a doctor's appointment yesterday and the nurse read my weight out loud (even though I told her I didn't want to know!). I also just ordered a kitchen scale to start weighing things and be more accurate with my calorie intake on certain foods. Now, if I can just get my adrenal issues fixed, I'll be almost 100% normal again!

[KnoxForPres]

I'm down 15. I'm getting close to my fighting weight. I've been tracking calories and exercising.

I looked and I started in early Sept being really serous. I've got motivation bc I have an ex back in play, who knew. Four years later and he's back. That's personal but does help the motivation. So if any single ladies or guys are on the thread I'd say I spent quite a while feeling sorry for myself and having a who cares attitude. It's so much better to feel better about yourself! With the ex or any other hottie who comes across my path. It's nice to be back in the game.

Edited October 26, 2014 by KnoxForPres

[Qoass]

Wow, so many success stories-- congratulations to you all!

 

Wish I could say the same.  I dropped seven pounds just like that but since then, not only have I not lost an ounce but my body seems to want to gain back a pound or two.  I swear, I'm sticking with the plan at My Fitness Pal.  No cheating, no slacking.  I know it happens but I'm really bummed and I want pizza.

[editorgrrl]

Wow, so many success stories-- congratulations to you all!

 

Wish I could say the same.  I dropped seven pounds just like that but since then, not only have I not lost an ounce but my body seems to want to gain back a pound or two.  I swear, I'm sticking with the plan at My Fitness Pal.  No cheating, no slacking.  I know it happens but I'm really bummed and I want pizza.

 

Your initial loss was mostly water & glycogen. After that, a healthy loss is .5–2 lbs. per week—and the less you have to lose, the more slowly it comes off. That's just the way the human body works. (A rough guide is .5 lbs. per week for each 25 lbs. you need to lose.) Also, weight loss is not linear. Some weeks you might do everything right and maintain—or even gain. Others, you might lose a whole lot in a "whoosh." So please be patient.

 

I wasn't losing until I learned to log everything I eat & drink accurately & honestly. It's human nature to underestimate your food & overestimate your exertion level. Get a kitchen scale and weigh everything you eat—even packaged foods. Learn to identify reliable database entries. (Anyone can add food to MyFitnessPal, so there's a lot of junk data in there.) MFP's burns are only estimates, so many people reduce the margin of error by eating back 50–75% of their exercise calories.

 

Weight loss takes a whole lot of trial & error to find what works for you. Do not give up! (And if you—or anyone else—needs a MFP friend, my username's the same over there.)

 

PS. You can eat anything in moderation and lose weight—including pizza. I eat "good" 80% of the time, and fit yummy, portion controlled treats into my calorie goal. Deprivation can lead to bingeing.

[Shannon L.]

 

PS. You can eat anything in moderation and lose weight—including pizza. I eat "good" 80% of the time, and fit yummy, portion controlled treats into my calorie goal. Deprivation can lead to bingeing.

Exactly.  I eat pizza pretty regularly, but I stick to two slices with either plain cheese, or veggie-only toppings, and I blot the grease off with a paper towel. 

 

Hang in there, Qoass!  We all know how difficult the plateaus can be. 

[Qoass]

Thanks.  I swear I have been weighing and logging everything and when in doubt, I round down.  If I have two bites of pizza, it will make me crave it more so I'm better off without.  If only whining burned calories...

[ALenore]

You can eat anything in moderation and lose weight—including pizza. I eat "good" 80% of the time, and fit yummy, portion controlled treats into my calorie goal. Deprivation can lead to bingeing.

 

This is the way I eat.   I allow myself a small sweet treat in the evening, usually a couple of merengues (50 calories) or toasted marshmallows.   On Fridays, I have wine, cheese, bread, fruit and chocolate.  I figure there are only so may calories I can eat in one evening, it won't make me gain a pound. (I don't overdo it though, just a couple glasses of wine and a small piece of chocolate)   The rest of the time I log everything I eat and use the scale to make sure I'm entering it correctly.   

[kj4ever]

Your initial loss was mostly water & glycogen. After that, a healthy loss is .5–2 lbs. per week—and the less you have to lose, the more slowly it comes off. That's just the way the human body works. (A rough guide is .5 lbs. per week for each 25 lbs. you need to lose.) Also, weight loss is not linear. Some weeks you might do everything right and maintain—or even gain. Others, you might lose a whole lot in a "whoosh." So please be patient.

 

I wasn't losing until I learned to log everything I eat & drink accurately & honestly. It's human nature to underestimate your food & overestimate your exertion level. Get a kitchen scale and weigh everything you eat—even packaged foods. Learn to identify reliable database entries. (Anyone can add food to MyFitnessPal, so there's a lot of junk data in there.) MFP's burns are only estimates, so many people reduce the margin of error by eating back 50–75% of their exercise calories.

 

Weight loss takes a whole lot of trial & error to find what works for you. Do not give up! (And if you—or anyone else—needs a MFP friend, my username's the same over there.)

 

PS. You can eat anything in moderation and lose weight—including pizza. I eat "good" 80% of the time, and fit yummy, portion controlled treats into my calorie goal. Deprivation can lead to bingeing.

You will start noticing patterns too if you keep at it long enough.  I know my body well enough now to know that my fat cells like to hold on until the very last second and then BAM I drop big time.  I can be completely perfect and not lose an ounce, but if I keep at it that second week I'll drop 5 pounds.  It is really all math, but it's common core math and none of it makes sense :)  It is easier to take those 0 weeks when you know a good one will come the next week, and it can be very frustrating for people that don't realize that that is how their body works.

[emma675]

 

I know my body well enough now to know that my fat cells like to hold on until the very last second and then BAM I drop big time.  I can be completely perfect and not lose an ounce, but if I keep at it that second week I'll drop 5 pounds.

I'm the same way! Last week I was frustrated because I had been really good and I didn't lose a pound. We're barely into the new week and my pants that fit just fine last week are pinned together today to stay up (luckily I keep safety pins in my desk drawer or I'd be walking around holding my pants up with my hand).

[Shannon L.]

I probably already complained (ok, whined is probably more like it :) about this, but I wish I could know how many calories I'm burning when I'm doing something that's not walking, running or biking.  There are calculators that can give me an estimate for Zumba, which is something that I do twice a week, but I also do the Body Pump class at 24 Hour Fitness once a week and haven't got a clue as to what I burn.  I'm sure I'm calculating on the low side at 200 calories--it has to be a lot more than that, but I'd rather guess way too low than too high.  Anyway, you work every muscle group:  shoulders, biceps, triceps, back, chest, stomach and legs (both lunges and squats at separate times). Each one is done to a 3 or 3 1/2 minute song over the course of an hour.  Because each muscle group takes a different amount of weight (from 35lbs on my squats to nothing for my lunges-bad knees-and, of course, stomach), I can't even generalize with a calculator that makes you simply put in your workout time and body weight. 

 

I don't necessarily expect someone to have an answer, I'm just letting my frustrations out  :)

Edited October 30, 2014 by Shannon L.

[KnoxForPres]

You could itemize it out on myfitnesspal but it would be a PITA. You'd just choose strength and it asks all the good stuff.

I tend to side with pre technology on things you mentioned and think "oh yeah baby, I just did that" and let my clothes and self confidence lead the way. Recommend

[ali59]

We're barely into the new week and my pants that fit just fine last week are pinned together today to stay up (luckily I keep safety pins in my desk drawer or I'd be walking around holding my pants up with my hand).

 

Having lost 81 pounds since February, most of my pants, skirts and slip have safety pins holding them smaller!

[sunshinelover]

You will start noticing patterns too if you keep at it long enough.  I know my body well enough now to know that my fat cells like to hold on until the very last second and then BAM I drop big time.  I can be completely perfect and not lose an ounce, but if I keep at it that second week I'll drop 5 pounds.  It is really all math, but it's common core math and none of it makes sense :)  It is easier to take those 0 weeks when you know a good one will come the next week, and it can be very frustrating for people that don't realize that that is how their body works.

I have to keep thinking back to these words of wisdom and hoping this (or something like it) is true for me.  After a good start I haven't really made progress in about 2 weeks.  I've been doing the same thing as before, and it doesn't really make sense for me to hit a plateau because I still have a lot to lose.  It's extremely frustrating..but I know something has to be around the corner.  I hope.

[KnoxForPres]

Sunshineliver I wrote out long 2 posts feeling your pain and twice my iPhone f Ed me. So you're getting readers digest version bc I'm over trying

Stick to your calorie goal. Don't eat exercise calories

Don't let a diet consume you. I've been on some where I swear all I did was think, contemplate, wonder etc about what I would have next and the cals allowed. I fail everytime. I have to get out of myself where eating/diet is a passing thought. Watch movies, hang out with friends, think about what you want for your future anything but "I have 500 calories left. What can I get at Taco Bell". It breeds madness resulting in failure for me. I must think and do other things.

Work out like mad in cardio. No matter your health level work harder than you thought you would. If you said 30 3 times a week, change it to 55 4 times a week. I have no idea your goals but when I kick some major ass I feel good....and lose.

I work in insurance and have for 14 years so anything said here is friendly advice and not medical. I wish you the best.

[Fabricationary]

I've been using MyFitnessPal for about 6 months with the aim of losing 1 pound per week.  Frustratingly, I lost about 3 pounds, and then slowly gained them back.  I've been trying to take a gradual, sane, long-term-manageable-lifestyle approach to losing weight - still eating what I normally eat (vegetarian, no fast food, very rarely eating out, but still leaving room for indulgences like ice cream), but reducing my portions and eating ~200-300 calories less per day than what I used to eat.   Over the summer when I had more time, I was working out vigorously 1.5-2 hours/day, 7 days/week (and then eating most of my exercise calories back - maybe that was an issue).  Now I'm lucky to get in 1 hr/day, 6 days/week.  My gym also got rid of my favorite elliptical (Precor AMT), so for the last 2 months I've been using ARC trainers, which feel more vigorous and tire me out more quickly, but supposedly burn fewer calories than the same amount of time on the Precor AMTs (leading me to think the Precor calorie estimates were too high), so I've been trying to cut calories from my diet to compensate for the "reduced" exercise calories (when in fact I was probably eating too many based on the Precor calculations over the summer).  

 

It really frustrates me when I am putting in all this effort and seeing the scale not budge.  I've very type A, and I expect to succeed in things I try hard in.  Nothing makes me angrier than wholeheartedly and earnestly putting in hard work toward a goal and not being able to achieve it (in all areas of my life).  The only times I've successfully lost weight in the past have been through more drastic calorie restriction diets that are not sustainable long-term.  When I was in middle school I crash-dieted a few times - dropped 10-20 pounds, then gained them back gradually.  When I was in college I lost about 50 pounds on Weight Watchers by stringently adhering to the minimum number of points in my daily range (~1200 calories/day).  It was a pretty miserable existence (always feeling hungry; being cranky because I was hungry; always obsessing about food).  This lifestyle wasn't viable long-term, and so over the next ~6 years, I gradually gained back all the weight I lost (but thankfully no more than that, since I've been keeping up my daily workouts for over 7 years now).  

 

I know the way to go for sustainable weight loss is the gradual method (i.e. lifestyle changes, not crash dieting, not binging/purging, not "snake oil" weight loss supplements/juices/cleanses, etc.); I'm just really aggravated.  

 

 

 

 

[editorgrrl]

Stick to your calorie goal. Don't eat exercise calories.

I work in insurance and have for 14 years so anything said here is friendly advice and not medical.

MyFitnessPal is structured in such a way that you must eat back at least a portion of your exercise calories. Your default MFP calorie goal is your activity level minus your deficit.

[KnoxForPres]

I always just look at my food column. So when it says 1200,'I'm done. I might have 450 remaining from exercise, but when I complete my day as long as I've logged 1200 in food MFP is happy. I never eat exercise calories and have success so you can do it either way.

Eta; and that's what helps me lose. When I have eaten those calories from exercise in the net column, it stifles my weight loss. Thought it might help a person at a plateau

Edited October 31, 2014 by KnoxForPres

[stillshimpy]

Hi guys, all this stuff fascinates me, particularly when it comes to exercise.  However, I've never really had much of a struggle with my weight except for gaining fifteen pounds at one point that I thought I'd be stuck with forever and it was only when I just decided "Eh, so now I'm bigger.  I'm also older and thems the breaks" and carried on, simply because I wasn't facing any kind of health issue, just a vanity one.  Then the weight just suddenly dropped off a few years ago and hasn't returned.  

 

However, when I tried to lose it, when I was doing things like working out 2+ hours a day and really risking hurting myself,  love nor money would not have persuaded my body to lose a single ounce.  That's why I just had to come to the "fine, bigger now" decision.  

 

But I'm not just chiming in here to talk about stuff that is solely down to my genetic makeup and please forgive me for barging in: 

 

 

 

Now I'm lucky to get in 1 hr/day, 6 days/week.  My gym also got rid of my favorite elliptical (Precor AMT), so for the last 2 months I've been using ARC trainers, which feel more vigorous and tire me out more quickly, but supposedly burn fewer calories than the same amount of time on the Precor AMTs (leading me to think the Precor calorie estimates were too high), so I've been trying to cut calories from my diet to compensate for the "reduced" exercise calories (when in fact I was probably eating too many based on the Precor calculations over the summer).

 

Now, I'm no doctor or expert, but I think I understand what your problem may be, particularly the "I was working out 2+ hours a day" thing.   You need to make sure you are doing weight training, not just cardio and not wee little weights either, muscle building weights where it actually becomes a bit difficult to lift for the last two reps of any set (and that can still be light, it's just that 3 pound weights likely won't cause the microscopic tears that actually allow muscle to build) .  If you try a five to ten minute warmup, then lift, then do some cardio you may see results.  It's only recently that trainers have started recommending weight training prior to cardio. 

Also, as with any of this, I may be wrong, but if you aren't losing weight from what you are describing, you may wish to change what you are doing, because it's not suited to your particular makeup and I'm not really telling you that, I think  your body is   So maybe consider some weight training and scale back on your working out to 3-4 times a week. Try just walking for 20 - 30 minutes on the days you aren't working out, if sitting still is going to drive you nuts, but don't break a sweat.  Whereas a lot of articles try to say that weight loss and fitness are simple formulas about calories in and calories out, it's just usually not that simple, in my experience and from what I've read from other folks.  

Your body may be conserving fat stores because it has registered "Wow, okay, lots of exertion here.  Going to need those fat stores to make it through."  we are pretty complex systems when you get right down to it and bodies can do some funky-dunky things.  To lose more the answer isn't always EXERCISE, it is sometimes "do something differently"  ....cardio helps people burn fat while in motion, but what allows you to burn more calories when you are not in motion is muscle mass, so building muscle is as important to weight loss -- for most people, again, this is all generalized and it's not like I have degrees in this stuff -- as anything else.  

But maybe try that.  Workout 3-4 times a week for a couple of weeks.  Make sure you are getting plenty of protein (and I also don't eat meat other than fish, so make an effort to seek out protein because protein is what feeds muscle growth...tofu, black beans and corn also build a complete protein, quinoa is a protein rich grain) .  Try making one of those workouts solely weight training, because I think -- and again, I'm just guess here -- that it's all that cardio that is actually causing the problem rather than solving it.   Your body is on "We need this mass to survive, look how much we're doing, gang!  Fat cells, how you holding up?  Good.  Keep at it.  God knows what we'll be expected to do next! We are at Defcon 2 folks!"  alert and you need to figure out how to take it to Defcon 5 so that you aren't storing for the winter that your body is anticipating, essentially.  

 

Again, sorry to barge in and I'll show myself out again :-)  But it's so hard for people when they are doing every recommended thing and not getting the result they want, so I thought I'd chime in.  When you aren't the answer isn't "More and more extreme!" it's sometimes "aha, okay, so then what do I need to do differently because if this isn't working, there's a highly personalized reason"....and you kind of have to solve the mystery that is you.  

 

And I promise, that's all from me in here :-)  Good luck everyone! 

Edited October 31, 2014 by stillshimpy

[Qoass]

Well, after a quick start then a couple of weeks of no progress, I have finally dropped an additional pound.  So no holding up my pants with string but at least I'm back in the right direction.  You all are totally right about not eating your exercise calories but it's Halloween and I'm going dancing and having cookies.  That's my (trick or) treat.