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Old 03-31-2010, 07:06 AM   #1  
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Default Nothing is working

Since August I have been working out (kettlebells and yoga) 3-5 times a week and trying to eat right. But, I haven't been able to lose any weight. When I first started exercising I lost ten pounds but since then nothing. I am over 300lbs and stuck.

I have tried calorie counting but the level at which I was suppose to keep my calories (1900 a day) left me starving. Low carb gives me a headache. I have a long history with WW but usually I can only lose 30lbs before I gain it back.

Does anyone have any suggestions? I am lost, frustrated and starting to get desperately depressed over all of this. I am working out so hard with very little effect on my life. I am turning 40 in a month and I thought that I would at least be able to get under 300 by my birthday. But, after working out like crazy for 6 months I have nothing to show for it. Any help or advice you can give me would be greatly appreciated.
thanks!
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Old 03-31-2010, 07:12 AM   #2  
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dollyfin, it's mostly the food. Working out is a good thing, but unless you limit your eating, it will be very hard to lose weight.

Limiting doesn't have to mean eating so little that you are hungry all the time--but it does mean that you have to track how much. There is no other way to tell!

1900 calories for someone around 300 pounds and exercising 3-5 times a week is too low a target. One of the calculators I checked said 2400 calories to lose weight. Of course, these are only estimates, so you have to try a level for awhile and see what happens.

Although yoga is great, you might want to add a treadmill or an exercise cycle now and then, for 20 minutes or so. This may help you.

But, mostly, it's the food.

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Old 03-31-2010, 07:12 AM   #3  
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Try keeping a food diary firstly to see exactly what you are eating. If you are exercising, but not keeping track of your food, it is possible you are eating more to compensate for the lost energy - exercising makes you hungry!!

So you ARE getting the benefit with regard to toning and building your muscles, but not weight-wise, as you're putting those calories back in you that you burned off.

If 1900 is too few, try for a higher number, but one that will still allow you to lose, albeit a little slower than otherwise. And don't allow extra on your exercising days or you won't get the benefit. Also eat more filling low-calorie foods that will make you feel full but not pile on the cals.
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Old 03-31-2010, 07:15 AM   #4  
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jay and robsia, thank you for your advice. Do either of you have a preferred way of tracking calories? Do you use WW or some other program?
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Old 03-31-2010, 07:18 AM   #5  
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I do it myself using www.nutridiary.com but there are other websites out there I know people use.

The secret is to actually do it. If I don't track my calories - I don't lose weight - simples!
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Old 03-31-2010, 07:30 AM   #6  
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You really do need to limit the food.

I started counting calories when I was in the 280s and ate 2000/day and lost successfully and regularly. The only way to know what will work for you is trial and error. Start with 2400 for a few weeks and see how that goes for a while, then as you lose weight, you'll need to drop calories slowly, too.

I also use nutridiary, but wouldn't recommend it to new people, only because you can't sign up for the more flexible option (the site is slowly dying). Try sites like thedailyplate or sparkpeople... I know there are more but can't recall right away.

Good luck!!
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Old 03-31-2010, 07:32 AM   #7  
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Quote:
Since August I have been working out (kettlebells and yoga) 3-5 times a week and trying to eat right.
Well the thing is working out ALONE will NOT be enough to create a calorie deficit. It's the food. It's the food. Yeah - it's the food.

So therefore I will ask you, what does *trying* to eat right mean? Trying to eat right and actually eating right are most definitely two different things.

In order to obtain, steady, consistent long term results, you will have to be steady and consistent with your food INTAKE. Tracking calories and adhering to a calorie budget is most often the best way to do that.

Quote:
I have tried calorie counting but the level at which I was suppose to keep my calories (1900 a day) left me starving
I'm wondering what kind of foods you were eating.... If you choose wisely, 1900 calories is a LOT of food. You can stay quite full and most likely very rarely experience true hunger sticking to that level. BUT, you will have to make them high quality foods. Ones that have LOTS of volume, LOTS of it. Ones that leave you full and satiated. Ones that stave OFF cravings for the *bad* stuff. For me, that means lots and lots and LOTS of veggies, low fat proteins and some fruits.

For me, the most important aspect of all this is to PLAN AHEAD. Failing to plan is planning to fail. It is ESSENTIAL therefore to rid your home of the junk, set up some rules and boundaries for yourself - definite NO's as it shuts the door to eating *trigger* foods. And it is equally important (if not more so) to have the house FULLY stocked (at all times) with healthy, healthy, delicious LOWER calorie foods.

You can't leave your food "to chance". It makes it waaaay to easy to eat off plan foods that way. I plan out my food ahead of time. I know EXACTLY what I'll be eating for breakfast, lunch, dinner and the 3 or 4 (sometimes 5) snacks that I will be eating.

Losing weight and lots of it IS a doable thing for every one and any one. Yourself included! So rest assured you DO have the ability to do this. It IS within your hands. You've got the power. You hold the key. Decide to do this. Commit to doing it and be WILLING to do what's necessary to MAKE it happen. Set yourself up for success. Find/seek out/search for tasty, healthy, lower calorie, voluminous foods to eat. Make that plan. Work passed the initial *discomfort* stage of changing ones habits, tweak the plan as need be, get excited about the changes you are about to make, make this a top priority - and than watch your dreams turn into reality.

ETA: and exercise - start out by walking, walking, walking. And buy an inexpensive resistance band to get you going on muscle building.

Last edited by rockinrobin; 03-31-2010 at 07:34 AM.
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Old 03-31-2010, 07:40 AM   #8  
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Does anyone recommend doing WW? I am used to doing points but if you all thinks sites that provide calorie counting is better I will look into that.
thanks again to everyone for all of the help!!!
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Old 03-31-2010, 07:43 AM   #9  
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Oh, one more quick question...
Has anyone here ever tried Ann Collins? Her program is about counting calories and I wondered if anyone had an opinion on it. thanks!!!!
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Old 03-31-2010, 07:46 AM   #10  
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I personally LOVE calorie counting. For me, it's simpler. Calorie counts are on all packaged goods and it's real easy to look up calorie counts of any food.

I also need brutal honesty. After ducking from reality for decades, I had to delve really deep and be honest with myself. I made LOTS of excuses in the past. And for me, WW isn't *truthful* enough. I don't like the idea of free foods - I can without a doubt overeat healthy foods. I needed to wrap it around my head that EVERYTHING we eat has a *price*. There could be no free foods. I don't like the idea of approximating. Again, for me, it boils down to the brutal honesty thing...

ETA: I just want to mention this was not meant as a attack on WW. I KNOW it works wonders for many, but for me, well like I said, it just couldn't/wouldn't work.

Last edited by rockinrobin; 03-31-2010 at 07:54 AM.
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Old 03-31-2010, 07:49 AM   #11  
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Weight Watchers is great - but it's an individual choice, right? WW worked for me, because it's just another form of tracking your eating. RockinRobin definitely knows what she's talking about. If you don't take care to watch what goes into your body, the weight won't budge. I think you should look into a couple of calorie-tracking programs (like WW) and see what one looks best for YOU. You'll need something that you like, and that you will follow. I think Weight Watchers is good because it requires you to write down everything you're eating (at least, that was part of it when I did the program) and that way if you have an "off" week, you can look back and see what you ate, and where you may have gone off plan. I also liked WW because I found the group setting helpful, and all their online stuff was useful too.

Here's the awesome thing about weight loss - if you figure out what you're supposed to eat, follow a plan, eat less and move more, you'll see results. Here's the terrible thing about weight loss - it can be so freaking hard that it's easy to get discouraged and want to give up. But there are so many people on this site who have had incredible success, so we KNOW that great results are possible.

Hope you find something that works well for you.
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Old 03-31-2010, 07:57 AM   #12  
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Again, thank you all for you help!!
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Old 03-31-2010, 08:37 AM   #13  
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I had a notion as I was reading this thread. Have you read SuperFoods Rx?

The original book has a list of (I think) 12 foods. There are alternatives to each food so it's not really as narrow a list as you'd think. It's a wonderful introduction to whole, natural foods.
With the actual choices of which foods to eat already made for you, it's easier to learn portion control.

The foods can easily be implemented into other plans ... calorie counting, lower carb etc
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Old 03-31-2010, 09:00 AM   #14  
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Like SusanB, I had a book idea as I was reading this thread. The Beck Diet Solution by Judith Beck is not a diet. It's about how to stick to whatever diet you choose. If you like it, be sure to check out the group on this site that is doing it (under Diet Central).

Also, I'll second SusanB's suggestion of SuperFoodsRx -- I found it really helpful to focus on foods that I want to include in my diet.
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Old 03-31-2010, 09:21 AM   #15  
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I had a lot of success (pre-pregnancy, and the "baby" is now four so I guess it's time for me to stop calling this "baby weight" since the "baby" had very little to do with it!) with WW and reading the SuperFoods books. I'm hoping to have that once again (and not thoroughly lose the plot and gain it all back).

WW is great for getting some support, meeting people, getting a little pat on the back when you do well, but knowing someone else is going to see that number once a week, that someone is going to notice if you don't show up - that kept me on track.

After reading SuperFoods I was determined to make my food COUNT. WW can be very junky if you want it to be. You can eat nothing but pop corn, diet soda, and candy all day and still come in under your points. You can waste your points and end up hungry. Or you can choose wisely and not only be full and satisfied but eat real, actual food that does something positive for you.
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