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Old 05-24-2015, 08:01 AM   #16  
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Have you tried adding legumes like lentils and beans into your diet? They are also protein sources but are cheaper than meat. Lentils are also great in salads. I also use baked tofu in salads.

I can tell you that whole foods can only you get you so far. Right now, I don't count calories but I do weigh my food so that I am using portion control.

As far as exercise goes, start slow. Even a 10 minute walk/day is better than nothing. Then start increasing. Start incorporating other things like 10 minutes of strength training/day, as I said previously resistance bands are great for that. Even if you say "I'm going to do 20 wall pushups per day", that again is better than nothing.

And something that might help you that is helping me is I'm reading a book called "lean habits for lifelong weight loss". It is a science based book that presents habits that are common in those that are at a healthy weight. Basically, you get 1 habit and 2 weeks. I don't know all the habits because I just started and I'm not reading ahead but the first habit is to eat every 4-6 hours and then explains why it works (with scientific studies). Then the next habit is to feel hunger before eating (30-60 minutes is ideal but she says you can start slow if that is intimidating). The idea before the first one is that many people snack their way into weight gain/maintenance and the second one is just to help you get in touch with your bodies cues.
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Old 05-24-2015, 08:32 AM   #17  
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Default Maybe thyroid to blame

I have read that the thyroid controls lots of functions in the body. It may be also a contributing factor in your weight. Head over to the WebMD website and look for this article: Weight Gain: Thyroid Gland to Blame? Sorry cant post links yet.

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Old 05-24-2015, 04:13 PM   #18  
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While I agree with you to a point that every body processes nutrients differently, I don't truly agree with the dismissal that calories are unimportant. I read your later post about your food intake and it sounds like you are making good choices. However, if you are sleeping 15 hours a day, your caloric needs are going to be fairly low. So, even if your choices are good, you are still consuming more calories than you need if you can't consistently lose. Exercise can help give you some wiggle room to consume more, and definitely helps with energy and tone, but isn't a necessity for weight loss. If you are working with your physician and they have ruled out medical reasons for lack of weight loss, you must have an efficient metabolism. You might just find that, with your sedentary lifestyle, you need a really low daily intake to have weight loss.



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Originally Posted by tranquilize View Post
I know there's all this "scientific data" that says calories in, calories out, blah blah blah. I don't believe in statistics and I'm not a lab rat, I'm a human being, and science is black and white, real life isn't. Every BODY is different.

Anyway, I've been watching my calories for almost three months now with minimal to no exercise and I have only lost 9 pounds since I last weighed in. It keeps going up and down DRAMATICALLY. Within a week I had gained it all back and then a few days later I was down all of it again? I know water, time of day, whatever else can cause this, but realistically it's very damaging to my confidence and motivation.

Every single weight loss success story I have read consisted of extreme exercise (I'm talking burning 1,400 calories per day through exercise, some said they exercised for 2+ hours every single day, personal trainers, fancy gym memberships, etc). The others that didn't really exercise were on a very strict diet that measured carbs, fat, calories, etc to the t. I'm no math wiz here and I don't want to be. I need something that I can actually do for the rest of my life.

So from your experience or anyone else that you know, is exercise really the key here to consistently losing weight and not gaining any of it back overnight? Even my doctors are telling me that I should have lost 30+ pounds by now. This is so depressing. I guess if exercise really is the key here, I will figure out how to burn the 1,400 calories a day or do the 2+ hours. It's not that I don't have the time for it, I just NEVER have the energy. I don't drink coffee or caffein, but I have caffein tablets, will that help at least in the beginning? I'm desperate here. For the last week I have slept for 15 or so hours a day every single day and still have no energy at all.

Health issues aside, this just isn't helping with my weight loss efforts. I feel like I have to do something drastic.. I don't want to give up yet.. My doctors are only telling me how much weight I "should have lost". They aren't telling me what to do, how to do it, giving me referrals to people who can help, nothing. So here I am hoping you guys can help. Thanks.
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Old 05-24-2015, 09:56 PM   #19  
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How many calories are you eating a day? Sorry if you already answered this question but almost everyone's sweet spot is somewhere from 1,200-1,500 depending on height and weight. If you're eating closer to 2,000 that can slow things way down. For ME exercise is key because I can't stick to my 1,500 cal a day allowance so I compensate by running. A lot. Right now I'm just maintaining but that's about to change. I absolutely have to exercise.

ETA: People tend to over estimate calories burned with exercise which can also screw up weight loss. A 5k run only burns about 300 calories even though it feels like way more. Always underestimate but like others have said, start slow.

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Old 05-25-2015, 07:07 AM   #20  
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My calorie goal is 1,500 a day. Sometimes I'm under, yesterday I was over by 100 or so. Well, my doctors say a lot of things, they like to double talk themselves. They say it'll be hard to lose weight with the hypothyroid and my digestive disease, but then they said I should have lost more with the amount of calories I'm eating. So it's confusing. I'm just going to do my best, that's all I can do.

About the lentils and beans, I do like beans, kidney beans are my favorite when my mom makes them in chili. I literally just pick them out of the chili and eat them, because I don't like the meat she puts in it. But I've tried eating kidney beans plain and the smell alone, they're AWFUL! Are all beans like this? Does anyone have any recipes or beans or just how to prepare them to put them in a salad without them smelling and tasting literally like poo? I'm a complete noob when it comes to cooking right now. I can't be a chef overnight but I'm trying.
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Old 05-25-2015, 07:24 AM   #21  
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I have a slow thyroid, too, and can't exercise due to a bad knee. ( I broke my leg five years ago and after the bones healed two of the ligaments that support the knee just hadn't healed and are gone forever.)

In spite of not being able to exercise, two years ago, I lost sixty pounds and reached my goal weight. I have since gained it back, but I did prove to myself that I can lose even if I can't workout.

I once loved working out to my Richard Simmons (or Leslie Sansone) tapes. I loved to dance so that was like a dance break for me. One year I joined a gym and went twice a week. I couldn't help but notice that after 30 minutes on the recumbent bike I had only burned 80 calories. I'm all for exercise for those who can do it. It doesn't burn as many calories as we might hope but it does give your cardiovascular system a good boost and it used to always help me mentally to have something I could "do," for my weight issue, when all the food restrictions were "don'ts."

Bottom line: You don't have to exercise to lose weight.

You can cut out a hundred foods and still be over-weight if you're eating too much of the foods you do allow yourself.

Try counting calories for a week. Eat 1200 calories a day of whatever you like. I'll bet you'll lose a few pounds.
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Old 05-25-2015, 12:03 PM   #22  
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A Washington Post article on just this topic...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/postev...u-lose-weight/
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Old 05-25-2015, 12:10 PM   #23  
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Very good article Zeitgeist!
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Old 05-25-2015, 02:46 PM   #24  
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My favorite bit of the article:
Quote:
It’s calorie intake that is really fueling the obesity epidemic. But it’s not just the number of calories we’re eating as how we’re getting them. The sugar calories are particularly bad.
That's my weight loss plan in a nutshell: 1200 calories/nothing containing more than 3 grams sugar
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Old 05-25-2015, 02:47 PM   #25  
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Exercise alone won't cause weight loss but it shouldn't be dismissed.
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Old 05-25-2015, 02:52 PM   #26  
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I love kidney beans. I don't think they taste like poo. If you like kidney beans in a chile con carne then there are lots of vegetarian recipes for bean chili. Just google it, there are so many.

I like kidney beans in my salad. I also like to make a corn and bean salad with bell peppers and herbs that's really good.
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Old 05-25-2015, 04:10 PM   #27  
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tranquilize View Post
My calorie goal is 1,500 a day. Sometimes I'm under, yesterday I was over by 100 or so. Well, my doctors say a lot of things, they like to double talk themselves. They say it'll be hard to lose weight with the hypothyroid and my digestive disease, but then they said I should have lost more with the amount of calories I'm eating. So it's confusing. I'm just going to do my best, that's all I can do.
But you are losing, just not at the rate you'd like to...but you'll get there. Make sure to eat at 1,500, or exercise and allow yourself the extra 100. It really comes down to caloric allowance and there's not much wiggle room.
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Old 05-25-2015, 04:26 PM   #28  
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Quote:
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I love kidney beans. I don't think they taste like poo. If you like kidney beans in a chile con carne then there are lots of vegetarian recipes for bean chili. Just google it, there are so many.

I like kidney beans in my salad. I also like to make a corn and bean salad with bell peppers and herbs that's really good.
Really? Oh my god, when I opened the last can of kidney beans I had, I almost barfed, they smelled awful. My mom's the good cook in the house, so I never noticed the rancid smell because the chili was always already cooking or done when I got to them. I'll have to find some recipes and when I get the extra money I'll experiment a little, but right now every last penny is tied up and I can't afford to play around too much with things I could potentially mess up while cooking them. I already did that with my chicken and vegetable stir fry tonight. I hate meat and I keep trying to eat it, but I have to stop because it just tastes awful and then I don't want to eat it at all, even though the vegetables were delicious. Water Chestnuts are AMAZING.

I am losing weight, I guess I just doubt myself when other people keep telling me I should be doing this or that should be happening. Doctor or not, I think I will stop listening to other people who try to tell me where I should be. This is my journey, not theirs and it's my body. I have to live in it. So if A works for me, I'm going to ignore their plan B's. That's what's really messing with my head right now, all the opinions of other people. I just thought I could trust my doctors a little more, but they're not making it any easier either.

Thanks for all the replies, you're all a huge inspiration to me.
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Old 05-25-2015, 06:01 PM   #29  
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tranquilize View Post
Really? Oh my god, when I opened the last can of kidney beans I had, I almost barfed, they smelled awful. My mom's the good cook in the house, so I never noticed the rancid smell because the chili was always already cooking or done when I got to them. I'll have to find some recipes and when I get the extra money I'll experiment a little, but right now every last penny is tied up and I can't afford to play around too much with things I could potentially mess up while cooking them. I already did that with my chicken and vegetable stir fry tonight. I hate meat and I keep trying to eat it, but I have to stop because it just tastes awful and then I don't want to eat it at all, even though the vegetables were delicious. Water Chestnuts are AMAZING.
What kind of beans are you buying? Even the cheap GOYA beans are good but you have to make sure you rinse them first, you don't want to be eating the liquid they are canned with. Also, the spices for chili are not that complicated, you just sautee a little onion and garlic and add a few pepper and diced tomatoes and whatever beans you like. The seasonings are basically salt/pepper/chili powder/cumin and oregano. Let it simmer for 30-45 minutes. It doesn't get any simpler than that.
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Old 05-25-2015, 06:02 PM   #30  
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For any canned bean, you need to rinse them. Chickpeas are my favorite salad beans but I also cook lots of beans from dried.
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