Cereal causing weight plateau/bloating? - 3 Fat Chicks on a Diet Weight Loss Community

tater tash · 02-13-2009, 10:34 AM

I love having cereal in the morning. Its my favourite breakfast because it keeps me full for hours. Every morning for the past couple weeks when I decided that it was time to stop fearing cereal I've been have 1 cup Cherrios and 3/4 cup Fiber 1 Original. I'm at 125 and don't expect to lose anymore weight, but I feel like my workouts haven't been effective in the overall look of my body and I feel like I've been bloated for awhile. My diet is really clean. I avoid sugars and salts and things that I know will likely cause bloating. I don't come close to eating over my calorie limit.. so what gives? should I be cutting back on cereal?

Cherrios 1 cup:
Calories: 110
Fat: 1.5 g
Total Carbs: 22g

Fiber One: 3/4 cup
Calories: 90
Fat: 1.5 g
Total Carbs: 37.5 (21 from fiber)

Grand Total:
Calories= 200
Fat= 3g
Carbs= 59.5!

I never really paid attention to the carbs unless it was sugar or fiber. Should I cut back?? Is it that, that is causing me to feel like I'm not making any progress?

cdawnfine · 02-13-2009, 10:44 AM

Hi,
I am a true believer in the Fiber One, but just so you no a serving size of fiber one is 1/2 cup so by your calculations you are way over eating for your morning. What you might want to try is if your system can handle the fiber system can handle the fiber omit the Cherios up your fiber one to a cup add some fruit. This is my standard breakfast than in the afternoon I have a snack of yogurt with 1/2 cup of fiber one I find this keeps me full pretty much of the day however, not everyone can handle that much fiber.

Fat Chick B Gone · 02-13-2009, 10:50 AM

I'd suggest upping your fiber and water intake to see if that helps.

babes315 · 02-13-2009, 10:54 AM

Eating a healthy breakfast, like cereal, is a great idea, but if you are eating more calories in the morning then you where before, you many need to cut down what you are eating later in the day to keep your calorie level the same for the day as it was before you were eating cereal. On the flip side, you said that you do not even come close to your daily calorie limit, do you think you might be letting yourself go too low? Have you tried "cycling" your calories, i.e. eating 1400 calories one day and 1700 calories another so your body doesn't get used to the same level of calories day after day?

Given what you said though, it looks more like it might just be that you are close to your goal weight and you may not be seeing the changes in your body as quickly as you were seeing them before. If possible, you might what to see a personal trainer. Maybe they can help you change up your exercise routine. If you have been doing the same thing for a while, you body could have "gotten used to" your exercise routine and now it won't respond as quickly as it did in the past. Good luck!

evilwomaniamshe · 02-13-2009, 10:59 AM

Fiber 1 cereal has aspartame or nutra sweet or another artificial sweetener (I forget which one of these is in that cereal since its been a long while since I've eaten it. But Fiber 1 cereal DOES have it!) The artificial cereal is probably causing your bloat is my guess...

For me, by eliminating all types of artificial sweeteners, splenda included, no more bloat and my mysterious stomach pains I endured daily have magically disappeared!

Thighs Be Gone · 02-13-2009, 11:06 AM

tater,I am so sorry but I must say at 125 you have to feel so tremendously awesome about the way you look. Even if you are bloated, I am sure you look beautiful!

I eat Fiber One lots of times in the morning--had it today in fact with fresh strawberries and raw almonds. I also take sweetner in my coffee in the morning. Otherwise, I try not to get too much of it. I have been charting my weight and have found I have weight gain twice monthly...two days before and start of cycle and ovulation day. I never, knew ovulation could cause bloating! Luckily, it only lasts a day. Just an FYI.

tater tash · 02-13-2009, 11:59 AM

Thanks for all the replies!

I didn't think it was a big deal having my cereal bowl=200 calories and for some reason I never thought how much I doubled the serving suggestions, ha. I'm usually good about that stuff.

I think I'm going to lay off cereal for a week or so and stick with eggbeaters, fruit & yogurt, toast, etc. Mix it up a little without any cereal and see if I notice any difference. Then after that I'll rethink my cereal bowl and just stick to the fiber 1 or just not mix so much cereal together.

Thanks again everyone