Hi,

Just curious as to what everyone is eating on a daily basis as part of their weightloss routine? I've been eating about 1,500 calories and walking/jogging 2-3 days for 30-40 minutes per week. I haven't seen any weightloss :/ Maybe I'm eating the wrong foods? I don't know. Feeling fustrated that I ate breakfast and binged on brownies and Kit Kats...ugh! I know that doesn't help but, sometimes, I get so upset that I just want to through in the towel!

R

Yeah, that sugary stuff isn't doing you ANY favors. But you know that.

I have really cleaned up my diet over the years, mostly because of food allergies/insensitivities, PCOS and type 2 diabetes. I very rarely eat something that comes in a package with multiple ingredients listed. No sodas or juices. Very little alcohol. No grains or legumes.

What I do eat is about 8 servings of non-starchy vegetables a day, about 4 servings of protein a day (mostly fish and poultry, lamb and beef twice a week, eggs three times a week), and plenty of healthy fats (olive oil, butter from grass-fed cows, cream, avocado). I eat a couple ounces of real cheese daily. I drink mostly water, some plain iced tea and a couple cups of decaf coffee.

I'm tall, 5'10" and I have a lot of weight left to lose. I work at a fitness studio, so I do a Pilates class 5 days a week and weight training 3 days a week. I also do a cardio class 3 days a week. I've put on a good bit of muscle from the Pilates and weights, so while I've had a stall on weight loss on the scale lately, I had a DEXA scan that showed I've added muscle and bone density while losing some fat. I'm sticking to my plan, because eventually, the fat will start melting off because of all the muscle I'm adding.

I checked my BMR using the Katch-McCardle formula, because I know my body-fat %. It's 1912 calories. That's my daily average during the week. The calculator that I used tells me that for my level of exercise, I need 2797 calories to maintain my weight. I subtracted 500 calories from that to get 2297 calories. I eat that much per day on the weekends, if I get hungry.

How are you counting 1500?

I find that once you get closer to a lower weight (and 164 is probably within that range) then you have to be quite precise.

A 300lb person who accidentally eats 2200 calories instead of 1500 will still get a noticeable weight loss. A 165lb person who accidentally eats 2200 calories instead of 1500 might stay in maintenance.

I find when I get down to the 1400-1600 calorie range, I need a digital scale or I'm off and back into maintenance. Every single time. It sucks, but it's reality for some. A little oopsie here and there can ruin the deficit.

geoblewis...I have been doing a few toning exercises after I walk/run so there is a possibility that I'm gaining muscle and losing inches...I guess I should take measurements. I keep telling myself that the weight will eventually come off if I keep sticking with it...sounds like you have a great weightloss routine going on

sacha...I use a calorie counter, myfitnesspal...I agree with the calorie counting, I have to be precise...that is why I'm logging everything. I even logged in the binging things I had this morning. If I don't count my calories then I don't lose any weight.

Can I ask what do you usually have for breakfast?

I am nursing so I eat a lot (around 2500) but 1/3 cup of oats and 3 whole eggs every morning for my first meal (and that's 30 grams weighed of oats).

Measure out 1/3 cup of oats and then throw it on a digital scale, the average person will likely use 40g+ and over time makes a difference. Most people overestimate if not using precise measurements.

That's right, I have to measure and see if I'm eating the right portions. I do have a weightwatchers scale I can use. Do you eat your oatmeal plain?

The toning with weights is such a great choice! You rock! Keep that up, and don't be afraid of increasing your weights. I promise, you will NOT become a muscle-bound hulk. And yes, tape measures are your friend, not the scale, when it comes to weight training. I have been really pushing myself with the weight training over the last four months. I didn't lose an ounce on the scale, but a DEXA scan showed me that I put on 3 lbs. of muscle and 2 lbs. of bone while losing fat. Clothes are all looser, and people were noticing a change in my shape.

With weight training, make sure you're eating at least 60 gm. of protein a day. Eat more healthy fat to help with satiety. Eat lots of non-starchy vegetables to keep up on your micro-nutrients, so your body won't feel nutritionally depleted.

For breakfast, I like a serving of protein with some vegetables. No starches in the morning for me because it just messes with my blood sugar levels (I'm PCOS and type 2 diabetic). So during the summer, I like to shred a zucchini and sauté it in olive oil, then scramble in a whole egg with a couple egg whites. Maybe sprinkle a little parmesan cheese on top. I don't eat eggs every day, so some mornings I'll have a couple grilled boneless, skinless chicken thighs on a bed of sautéed spinach.

But to be honest, despite what "everyone" says about breakfast, I don't always eat it. I try not to eat if I'm not hungry, and I'm not usually hungry in the mornings. I will have a couple cups of black decaf coffee and I'm good till lunch. But that's what works for my body, because I still have quite a lot of fat to offload. If I eat breakfast, it sets me up to overeat throughout the day. So I skip it except for special occasions, like Christmas morning.

No, I use a stevia package in my oats. If you don't like sweetners, you can also use a bit of banana or apple and budget that into the calories. Plain unsweetened fruit puree is enough to make it good. I actually nuke the oats (with the water - 2/3 cup water to 1/3 cup oats) with the eggs stirred together. Sounds gross, I know, but it's actually quite good. The kids keep me busy in the morning and it is fast.

geo...I'm usually not hungry for breakfast too...but feel I have to eat it because I heard and read that it actually helps with weightloss...but like you, I think it doesn't help with my weightloss. I usually get realllly hungry between lunch and dinner so I think I'm going to stick with my coffee for breakfast and save those calories for the "in between meal" before dinner. It's so hard to stay with in a certain amount of calories so I have to workout to make up for it. With the info you gave me I will be sure to add some weights to my regimen and take measurements of my progress.

sacha...I use truvia for sweetener...I don't know about eggs and oatmeal mixed together...hehehe. But if that works for you and you like it that's great! I know oatmeal is a great breakfast food but it can get soooo boring after eating so much of it.

Congratulations on your weightlosses to the both of you! How long did it take to get where you are today? Are you counting calories?

I've been counting for 10 years now. My regains were from pregnancy, other than that, I've stuck to counting for a decade. There really is no alternative for me. I don't need to weigh/measure anymore but I need to be mindful of every meal.

I am wondering how you came up with 1500? Could it be that you need to adjust your cal limit down?

Personally I set the settings on MFP at least one step down from where I gage my activity level to be, just because people tend to overestimate what they are doing and MFPs descriptions are kinda vague. Also are you eating back exercise calories? I tend to not because I don't trust the counts I am given, instead I use it as a buffer for if I go a little over.

In terms of WHAT i eat, I've found I have to go easy on carbs and eat more protein to avoid sugar cravings so I aim for approx 120 carbs 120 protein so I eat alot of egg beaters, chicken, lean ground beef.

For breakfast, when I eat it (i often just stick to coffee too) I will have plain oatmeal and add in a little peanut butter and some brown sugar, some cereal with almond milk, or a protein bar (think thin brand 20g protein 10-11g carbs).

I eat salads, scrambled eggs, or a protein bar for lunch usually, sometimes I will have a lean cuisine or a healthy choice meal.

Dinner, some sort of veggie chicken casserole, hamburger made with 93/7 beef, spaghetti sauce on veggies, chicken tacos, etc.

if I have room for dessert a skinny cow ice cream or a black bean brownie and snacks are either fruit or roasted chickpeas or 100 cal pack of nuts

I eat 1400 cal/day.

2.3 oz. oatmeal with fruit and 1oz walnuts: 450 cal
Greek yogurt: 140cal
1 cup lentils: 220 cal.

Everything else depends on the day, but I never eat dessert-type foods, soda, chips, etc. anything unhealthy like that. I always eat at least 70grams of protein. I weigh everything that can be weighed on a kitchen scale, and measure everything else in a measuring cup.

I exercise every day of the week for 1hr 40mins. I do strength training 40 minutes every other day, and walk on treadmill at 1% incline, 3.2mph for an hour.

Given that you're not very overweight, eating 1500 calories a day and just walking for exercise, might be too little. I suggest you up your training to something a bit more challenging. If you're not fit, you can start with fast walking and then maybe follow some kind of training routine. Also, for the eating part, I suggest following a diet like most people around here - cut down your carbs from grains, sweets, junk food, and eat more vegetables (they contain some carbs as well), and balance that with some protein and healthy fats. A low-ish carb diet might work for you.

But I think that the main thing you should do is exercise a bit more. The thiner/closer to goal you are, the more you have to work to lose weight.

Also, if you focus on healthier foods, you'll notice that you'll get a lot more food in your 1500 calories, than if you were eating a lot of fats/carbs. This way, you'll control your hunger much better.

Personally, I eat proteins: lean meat, eggs, low-ish fat dairy and tofu instead of cheese (tofu works for me cause I like it - but there are other types of real cheese that are not that fat), very few carbs, mainly from oat and other types of bran, and vegetables. If you're comfortable with it, going low carb is pretty effective for many people. Low-carb does not need to be low-fat as well. Healthy fats are good. I'm very comfortable with the diet as is, and in most days I find it that I can't reach my calorie goal - even though I eat enough to not be hungry (but I also went low-fat, again, that's not needed). You can truly feel full on a balanced diet with some limitations.

For exercise, I do Power 90 in the morning. I also skip breakfast, as I like getting my first workout in the morning. Then, in the afternoon, I go to the gym for 1h - 1.5h and do some cardio on the bike/treadmill, and every other day weight training.

I am addicted to soda, so even though I know it's bad, I still drink diet soda. If you can, I suggest you avoid it. Drink a lot of water and green tea instead.

Tweak some stuff around, don't be afraid to experiment. And most importantly, have patience. Your weight loss will come :P

P.S. If you binge or eat something not on plan, don't worry. Just go ahead with the diet. You'll learn to control it in time.

An adult male who regularly weight trains can gain up to five pounds of muscle per year. I don't think you're gaining so much muscle that it's canceling out whatever fat loss you may have.

What it takes for you to lose depends a lot on the individual. I'm seeing slow but steady weight loss finally - maybe 2 lbs. a week - but only after I dropped my calories to 1400 a day. But that's me. Other guys I know can lose on 1800 a day - or more.

Thanks so much for your replies...it has been very helpful and motivating!