I honestly think you are making a lot of excuses about why you CAN'T instead of working on how you CAN.
A food scale from Walmart is less than $20. A measuring jug is a few dollars same with a set of measuring spoons.
What food are you eating that you don't have to measure?
This.
Granted, you have said you don't eat Taco Bell but once a month but the money spent on processed and highly salted food could go a long way towards vegetables and whole foods. I'm sure that many people will give me a lot of flack for being unsupportive by saying this but it seems like you are one of the biggest obstacles in your current approach at the moment. There are a lot of changes and a fair amount of sacrifices that you need to wrap your mind around if you wish to succeed with the expectations you have (i.e. Faster weight loss).
That being said, there is a lot of great advice in this thread and you should take it to heart
Last edited by HealthyTree; 06-05-2012 at 10:52 AM.
Reason: Smart phone failure
This.
Granted, you have said you don't eat Taco Bell but once a month but the money spent on processed and highly salted food could go a long way towards vegetables and whole foods. I'm sure that many people will give me a lot of flack for being unsupportive by saying this but it seems like you are one of the biggest obstacles in your during approach at the moment. There are a lot of changes and a fair amount of sacrifices that you need to wrap your mind around if you wish to succeed with the expectations you have (i.e. Faster weight loss).
That being said, there is a lot of great advice in this thread and you should take it to heart
This is actually very true. The biggest obstacle in our way on this journey is ourselves. We have to be willing to change and stop making excuses and just DO IT!
All the advice, tips etc in the world won't help if you aren't willing to budge.
^ This tough love is all correct. It was only when I addressed what was going on (or going wrong) in my own head that I lost weight. After that, it was simple - I calorie count, I exercise, I lose weight - but I couldn't have done this effectively before sorting out my issues with food. This forum is a great place to start - it's what really got me sorted.
Last edited by Northernrose; 06-05-2012 at 11:35 AM.
This.
Granted, you have said you don't eat Taco Bell but once a month but the money spent on processed and highly salted food could go a long way towards vegetables and whole foods. I'm sure that many people will give me a lot of flack for being unsupportive by saying this but it seems like you are one of the biggest obstacles in your current approach at the moment. There are a lot of changes and a fair amount of sacrifices that you need to wrap your mind around if you wish to succeed with the expectations you have (i.e. Faster weight loss).
That being said, there is a lot of great advice in this thread and you should take it to heart
I agree with the above. The hardest part is to get into our heads that ANY taco bell, Pizzas, frozen (high fat and salt) meals should be avoided when dieting - they are simply not good for us and trigger cravings which can lead to binging. We have to embrace a NEW norm of smaller portions and better choices ie fresh salads, lean proteins, and avoiding white carbs and sugar to be successful.
Cheat days? You're only cheating yourself - just increase calories a bit for Fridays.
The hardest part is to get into our heads that ANY taco bell, Pizzas, frozen (high fat and salt) meals should be avoided when dieting - they are simply not good for us and trigger cravings which can lead to binging.
I think the validity of this advice depends on the individual. I didn't avoid any specific foods while losing weight, including high fat/salt foods. The important thing, in my experience, is to be HONEST with ourselves. Are we really eating as few calories we claim to be eating? Are our indulgences as minor as we make them out to be? Are we compensating for these indulgences by eating lighter on other days? Once we come clean with ourselves, weight loss seems to follow.
I think the validity of this advice depends on the individual. I didn't avoid any specific foods while losing weight, including high fat/salt foods. The important thing, in my experience, is to be HONEST with ourselves. Are we really eating as few calories we claim to be eating? Are our indulgences as minor as we make them out to be? Are we compensating for these indulgences by eating lighter on other days? Once we come clean with ourselves, weight loss seems to follow.
F.
I agree. I ate out frequently on my journey. And it didn't affect my weight loss.
Some people have more self control than others though.
I can't weigh my foods either. My situation doesn't allow it, but there are some work arounds until you can measure. Look online for things like, what does one ounce of chicken look like etc. I'm also a visual person, and numbers confuse me, so it worked out for the better for me anyhow.
Everybody's going to tell you how they lose weight. Which, is helpful in some ways, and quite rightly, the only thing they can tell you, but you need to figure out how you lose weight, and this is going to take some trial and error. You need to sift through the barrage of information, tweak what you can, change what you have to and make a plan for you. When you find that plan, stick to it.You wouldn't be here if you weren't trying, and that's the first step. So many people can't even do what you're trying to do, so you're moving in the right direction. And at first, it can seem overwhelming, but keep pushing through! You'll find your groove.
Read these comments, try them out, see what works for you. If you keep trying, really trying every single day, it'll happen for you. In the mean time, keep coming back here for support, to vent etc. cause all of that is completely okay.
You sound like me when I started a few weeks ago. I had to have a day where I binged and I was angry at the fact that I couldn't eat what I wanted to. I lost 3lbs in the first week (and I've kept it off), but I seemed to have stopped losing weight after the first week. I was so frustrated. But now that I've learned to say "screw the scale" and focus on healthy habits instead, it's becoming easier. Here's some tips:
1) Don't weigh yourself as much as you do. You'll be sorely disappointed. I've fluctuated anywhere from 2-5 pounds in a day. It's either water weight or you've had too much sodium. I suggest weighing yourself once every two weeks and using how many inches you've lost as motivation. Buy a cheap measuring tape and measure your body (or have a friend do it for you). Write these numbers down and then measure your body again in a week or so. You may be losing inches, but not pounds.
2) You're not eating enough. I know this sounds crazy, but 1500 for your weight starting out is a bit far-fetched. Find out how many calories you need in a day to survive based on your height/weight/age and subtract 1000 from that number. That is a good starting point. I had my calorie intake lowered to 1500 for the first two weeks and I was putting my body into starvation mode. I upped my calories to 1700 and I've actually lost more weight. It sounds crazy, but starting out that drastically can really harm you.
3) Diet and exercise is important, but diet is the most important. I once did a strict diet a few years back where I lost 40 pounds in two months with no exercise (I don't recommend it.) However, you need to exercise to build muscle, which in turn helps to raise your metabolism. Here's another tip about exercise: don't believe the amount of calories the machine says you've burned. Treadmills, ellipticals, and bikes exaggerate how many calories you're burning. Also, don't eat those calories you have burned after you work out. Aka, don't subtract how many calories you've burned from how many you've eaten for the day. Also, please try some strength training. Start doing squats with dumbbells in each hand. You'll look ridiculous, but it's one of the best exercises you can do.
4) Lastly, you need to change your attitude. You seem angry that skinny people have it easy and don't have to work. That's not true. Many of my skinny friends eat healthy and exercise, or eat very little. Yes, they can eat one piece of pizza, but that's usually all that they eat for that meal. Have you talked to your parents about your weight loss goal? I'm sure they'd be more than willing to help you and maybe buy you a scale to weigh food/buy healthy food/etc.
I would say your diet is carb and fat heavy, and not enough protein.
Dieting is not easy - it's frustrating and at times overwhelming - and we can all have a litany of excuses - but ultimately you are the only one that can control what you are putting into your body - and until you take responsibility for your choices then it's probably not going to work.
I had my calorie intake lowered to 1500 for the first two weeks and I was putting my body into starvation mode.
However, you need to exercise to build muscle, which in turn helps to raise your metabolism.
I agree with everything you have said except these two things.
1) There is no starvation mode. In your case it sounds like some basic recomp was happening.
2) Adding a lb of muscle increases one's metablism by about 6 calories every 24 hours. A woman is unlikely to add more than 4-5 lbs of muscle if she is dieting. Weight lifting does help to retain muscles you would otherwise lose while dieting. A huge benefit to be sure but not much of a metabolic one.
I agree with everything you have said except these two things.
1) There is no starvation mode. In your case it sounds like some basic recomp was happening.
2) Adding a lb of muscle increases one's metablism by about 6 calories every 24 hours. A woman is unlikely to add more than 4-5 lbs of muscle if she is dieting. Weight lifting does help to retain muscles you would otherwise lose while dieting. A huge benefit to be sure but not much of a metabolic one.
I might add that it takes a long time to put on a significant amount of muscle. Even hardcore bodybuilders like Lou Ferrigno said that in a year's time he could only put on about five pounds worth. However, even a pound of pure muscle makes a significant change in one's appearance, especially if one is losing fat at the same time.
I might add that it takes a long time to put on a significant amount of muscle. Even hardcore bodybuilders like Lou Ferrigno said that in a year's time he could only put on about five pounds worth. However, even a pound of pure muscle makes a significant change in one's appearance, especially if one is losing fat at the same time.
This is absolutely true, particularly with women. In the research I've done, a woman who is not eating at a calorie deficit and is not taking steroids is fortunate to be able to put on 1-2 lbs of muscle a month.
How is that fair.. I'm pretty sure other people (who don't struggle with weight) is able to go out and eat a freaking piece of pizza when they want.
I'm not saying you should cut everything out, but I wanted to point out that it was a very similar attitude that prevented me from being successful with weight loss in the past.
Only you can figure out what's best for you, of course. That takes trial & error, patience, and a lot of self-acceptance. The less you worry about what other people can "get away with" or what is "fair," the better off you'll be.
Personally? I'm not losing as fast as I'd like, and it's really annoying to watch my husband literally eat 3-4 times as much as me and still be a smaller size. But I had to learn that my body operates differently than his (and anyone else's for that matter) and to embrace any new positive habits I'm still learning to form, both physically and mentally. For example, I had to completely avoid my trigger foods until I'd established healthier habits and could trust myself around them. I also had to learn what works best for me, and I had to learn to not be bitter about it. Carrying a chip on one's shoulder is a heavier burden than most realize, and will likely bring on failure.
It's different process for everyone, so there's no use complaining about how unfair it is that you can't eat whatever you want like "other people," that you're not meeting the supposed ideal of a 2 pound loss per week or greater, or even that you don't have access to measuring cups/spoons that you could easily pick up at any dollar store (a scale may be more expensive than those, but you can pick up a decent digital scale for $9 or a mechanical one for $5). You just have to figure out the proper tools and what works best for you, no one else.
Complaining about unfairness will not help you reach your goal in any way; you need to be active and involved with making your own decisions for a healthier you. Just something to think about.
Last edited by Elladorine; 06-06-2012 at 05:35 PM.
So your not following any particular diet plan? Or if so what one?
If your trying to do it on your own without a plan, you need to educate yourself about what different kinds of foods do.
I think your eating too many carbs and not enough protein and cheese on every second thing isn't good.
Look at the packaging of what your eating and see how many carbohydrates there are compared to how much protein there is... If the protein is higher than carbs it's a good thing. Having nice lean meats like chicken, turkey, pork, beef, fish, lamb....etc would be good to have instead of some of those high carb meals your having. You like Broccoli which is good, maybe add Brussels Sprouts, Cauliflower, Cabbage...etc to your meals and have as much of those good vegetables as you want. Stay away from the starchy things like potatoes and yams. Breakfast is important and you skipping it doesn't help, you might be starving your body by not eating anything. Just something as simple as a poached egg on toast or without would be a good start and it's light too and help kick start your metabolism.
Weighing yourself every day is pointless as it can change several times a day. If you want to weigh yourself, do it once a week or better once every 2 weeks.
