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Old 11-30-2010, 10:48 AM   #1  
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Unhappy Beyond frustrated - in need of kind words and guidance

Starting weight: 319 lbs
Age: 32
Height: 5' 8"

For the past two and a half months, my friend and I have been trying our hardest to lose weight. We've changed our eating habits (no fast food, slurpees, soda pop, etc) and have added healthy alternatives such as oily fish (salmon, sardines), avocados, Quinoa, nuts, veggies, fruit, whole grains, and even green tea We have cut down on our carb intake as well.
And of course we have been exercising, as we have a three month long bootcamp challenge at work.
Once a week we work with a fitness trainer, where we do a "circuit". The other days of the week, we walk on the treadmill or do the elliptical trainer and/or lift weights.
I understand that lifting weights gives you muscle, which means gaining weight but I should be at least losing something more than 5 pounds within a 2 and a half month time period by changing my lifestyle. Something is not right.
I get enough sleep. I eat enough but not too much (around 2800 cals per day). I exercise. I get enough sleep on a regular basis. I don't have a thyroid problem. I drink 8 cups of water per day. I'm obese and I haven't lost any weight in a month. I've flat-lined. I need help. Please!

Thanks,
Kristy

Last edited by Softykins; 11-30-2010 at 11:00 AM. Reason: added info...
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Old 11-30-2010, 10:57 AM   #2  
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I'd cut the calories down to 2000 per day and I would give it acouple weeks
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Old 11-30-2010, 10:57 AM   #3  
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Were you losing faster at the start on 2800 calories a day? Maybe that's close to the calories you need to maintain your current weight. I think you should try decreasing your calories, perhaps to 2500 calories? I'm just randomly picking a number here based on your original number. That's IF you want to lose faster than you are. Otherwise a loss is a loss is a loss.

Also, you mentioned switching over to whole foods, which is awesome! BUT whole foods can be really caloric too, especially the oily fish, nuts and avocados you mentioned. Sadly even the Quinoa has a lot of calories...shame really. I love the stuff. I believe all these are great in moderation but a steady diet of them is too caloric for me.

I think your plan sounds absolutely awesome! It sounds sustainable and I don't think you'll get bored. I just think perhaps the calories are too high.
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Old 11-30-2010, 11:00 AM   #4  
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Maybe try cutting 100 or so calories from your daily intake? Your workout may also need an overhaul. Sometimes we get into a rut (weight-loss wise) if the workout stays the same for a period of time. You are doing good things for your body and mind by eating well and exercising regularly, so keep up the good work! It's amazing what a little "tweak" in the routine can do! Good luck!
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Old 11-30-2010, 11:00 AM   #5  
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Well, if you arent losing weight, then you are not in a caloric deficit, PERIOD.

How are you tracking your food? Are you weighing it with a digital scale? Are you eyeballing portions? how do you KNOW you are eating 2800 cals a day? Do you say "that looks like a bout 4 ozs of chicken-- 120 cals? Thats just a big salad, i dont have to count the calories from vegetables?
ESPECIALLY with all the "good " fat you are eating (and it looks like a lot) you need to be DILLIGENT and precise and accurate when measuring it out! If you use olive oil, or peanut butter, then WEIGH it, dont use a tablespoon-- the differentce in cals between what yoou can pack into a tablespoon, and 15 grams ( a serving)can be over a hundred cals!
salmon is pretty calorically dense... avacados are the same deal....weigh it!

Anyway, my point is you are eating more than you are burning, if you arent losing fat. Despite what we think we are OWED, food wise.... you have to eat less!m I bet if you took a day to precisely weigh everything you are eating, it would be an eye-opener! You are either consuming way more than 2800 a day, OR your body only needs 2800 a day to maintain (unlikely, given your weight)
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Old 11-30-2010, 11:02 AM   #6  
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I think 2800 calories a day is a lot, if I were you I would go for about 1900 maybe 2000.
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Old 11-30-2010, 11:19 AM   #7  
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Thanks for the replies, ladies!!

I thought I was eating too many calories as well but then I was told by the
fitness trainer that I wasn't eating enough and it takes fat to lose fat.
It was explained like this:

you take your current weight and times that by 11. The number you get means that you eat that amount in calories per day to maintain your current weight. Now if you take your goal weight and times that by 11, that will give you the amount you should be eating to reach that goal. My first goal is 280, so: 280 x 11 = 2800 calories per day.
To answer mkroyer's question, I have been tracking my calories via a weight loss app on my itouch and I mark down everything.

I'm kinda scared to eat too little of calories... my body will go into starvation mode and it won't lose then either....
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Old 11-30-2010, 11:20 AM   #8  
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I would say definitely cutting more calories like the ladies above suggested..Maybe cut down 200 or 300 for a week and see how that goes, then maybe another 200 or so...there are calculators out there that can determine that a little better..
http://caloriecount.about.com/cc/calories-goal.php
Just keep your head up, you're doing amazing things to your body, even if the weight isn't coming off as fast as you'd like!
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Old 11-30-2010, 11:22 AM   #9  
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Our trainers mean well, but sometimes they're just not right. Those of us who have been morbidly obese have bodies that work just a bit differently.

You are definitely not in danger of eating to few calories even if you bump down to 2000. You DO want to be careful not lose too much muscle mass, but if you are strength training you've got that covered. You're fine. I'm not a big believer in starvation mode anyway, but even if we said it does exist for the sake of argument, it isn't going to happen at 2000 calories.

Last edited by Eliana; 11-30-2010 at 11:22 AM.
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Old 11-30-2010, 11:22 AM   #10  
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Ok, you TRACK it on a weightloss app, but how do you WEIGH your food? do you eyeball? Guesstimate? use measuring cups? Digital scales?

and fat is definitely good! The only caution is to make sure you are precise about how you measure it, because its so calorically dense
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Old 11-30-2010, 12:01 PM   #11  
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And don't worry about gaining muscle - it takes a LOT of working out to add muscle that shows up on the scale. Sounds like you have a good plan and just need to track your intake solidly and perhaps reduce the calories until you're working at a deficit. Drop down a bit and try that for a few weeks - don't give up after a few days of no loss. I know that I cannot lose weight at the weight x 11 formula that's out there, so don't be discouraged. Just work at it each meal, each day and don't worry about starvation mode - you have to drop down a LOT for that.
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Old 11-30-2010, 12:29 PM   #12  
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Alright, I will reduce my calories. But is there anything else you guys can recommend, which worked for you?
mkroyer, I'm not a food tracking fanatic, no. But I can work on that too. lol

Last edited by Softykins; 11-30-2010 at 12:30 PM.
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Old 11-30-2010, 01:04 PM   #13  
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Hi Kristy,

When I first started counting calories, I secretly thought all the ladies here with their food scales were crazy. Then I broke down and got one and it is great. It is actually way easier than measuring with cups and spoons, and I realized I was doing a very poor job of estimating and eyeballing things. You can get them quite inexpensively. I second what MK said -- especially with such calorie-dense food, being off by a little (in volume) can mean being off by a lot (in calories).

Sounds like you have a good plan in place! I'm sure the results will follow.
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Old 11-30-2010, 01:06 PM   #14  
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You don't need to be a food tracking fanatic for your lifetime, but I think it would be valuable to be a food tracking fanatic for 2 weeks. Just so you can REALLY see what you are eating and REALLY see what a portion size is supposed to look like. I remember the first time I weighed out 2 oz of dry pasta and I was like "holy **** - THAT'S a serving of pasta? It's so wee!"
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Old 11-30-2010, 01:13 PM   #15  
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Softykins View Post
Alright, I will reduce my calories. But is there anything else you guys can recommend, which worked for you?
mkroyer, I'm not a food tracking fanatic, no. But I can work on that too. lol
Just doing those 2 things should be all it takes.
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