Diet Community

Hi theeQueen
Maybe you are eating more than your body needs to remove weight a smaller body uses less calories ..
normally when you plateau it meens you have had success..
so maybe what is needed is tweaking of your plan change up the exercise maybe weigh and measure all the foods to get a better calorie count ...
I use fitday.com for the logging of foods and exercise
it sure helps a lot although it is best to use the sedentary setting while removeing weight ,,and enter the exercise as you do it .. Fitday is a little too generous with calories ..
fitday can also be used to monitor nutrition and other things and it is free..
Hugs Judy:)

Judy has given you very good advice.

I agree - if you're not losing weight, it is a sign that you are eating enough calories to maintain your weight. The only way out is to reduce your calorie intake.

Hi and thanks so much for your posting. Hey, don't be discouraged. Just about everyone in this community is in a serious state of "been there done that" and will be offering you tips and tools to help guide you from their own personal experience. Here's what I'd like you to do. When I wrote Body for Life for Women, I divided the process of transformation into three elements--- MIND MOUTH MUSCLE. Mentally, you've had your challenges, especially with depression. No doubt there was stress overeating going on. Kudos to you fot regrouping and deciding to turn the tide from defeat to hope and promise. Mentally, you want to be focused and organized and really clear on why you're on this journey. Look at my blog on Mental Fat-Physical Fat on Everyday Fitness with Dr. Pam Peeke. There's an exercise there you need to do to really understand that many behaviors have to change to realize your dream. Read the blog. It will help you immensely.

Next up, you really need to keep a log of precisely what you eat, when you eat it and your mood at the time. Everything needs to go on paper. In my book, I make it clear that you can eat really well and feel satisfied but you need to be aware of what, how much and how often you eat. This is absolutely a requirement. People most often underestimate how much they eat, even if it's healthy food.

Finally, I am really proud of your efforts to get up and move more. Aim to get up and stay as active as you can throughout the day, not just during times when you've designated 15 mins here or there. The heavier you are, the more cals you're burning when you walk so it's a great win win when you keep vertical and moving whenever you can.

Hey, make sure you're getting the psychological support (therapy if you need it) so that you don't end up resorting to compulsive stress overeating again. We're here to help you out, but sometimes it's so important to have professional help when you have a history of significant depression.

Let us know how you're doing,

Dr. Peeke

Two things come to mind. One is that you are building muscle which weighs more than fat, and so get off the scale. The scale is weightloss's worst enemy. Go with your girth changes, and congrats! That's terrific. The second thing is to be sure your meals are small, portion controlled, and consistent. By consistent, I mean every three and no longer than four hours. Although the caramels probably can be added back in later right now they are sugan sabotage. I know, cause I sabotage with chocolate. So go cold turkey is my advice and suck on Werther's sugar free butterscotch for the taste and mouth comfort. Good luck and please wish me good luck too. Betsy

Hi Judy: I loved your reemarks on plateaus, and thank you for the referral to fitday for tracking. So many of the online tracking programs are complex messes. Betsy

this may sound crazy, but i have lost (and maintained) 98 pounds. i restricted my calories and i exercised. when i platuea, i platuea HARD. three months at a time. it sucks.
my first suggestion is this...measure yourself! sometimes, you are simply losing fat and gaining muscle in equal proportions, but your waist, etc is going down, its nice to see this and monthly measurements can help.
second, i went to a nutritionist becuase i started an intense workout and i was curious to see what i was doing wrong. i have been this weight since november and really wanna lose about 10 more pounds. she INCREASED my calories.
guess what?! i am losing. for me, its little but a half pound in a week is progress!
she said because i kept increasing my workouts that my body was actually worried about the "lack" of food and hanging onto everything. mind you, i was eating 1200, a very reasonable amount, but i now eat 1500 a day.
for every person a platuea can be for a different reason and i just wanted to share my experience with you.
my biggest suggestion is to talk to a nutrionist as i am not one. like i said, this is just what happened to me.
and don't forget, meat portions should be the size of a deck of cards, which is a lot smaller than some think, but when eaten slowly and with some veggies, can be quite filling! keep eating those veggies!
don't let it get you down!! you are doing a good job! just look at your measurements!! weight, its just a number. it is the hardest thing in the world, to not see yourself as that number, and i still struggle with it myself.
im rambling and disorganized, but one other thing that helped me was pictures i took of myself in shorts and a sports bra. i can really see the difference in my journey through that, but not so much when i look in the mirror. changing your mindset can be much harder than changing the "number" on the scale.
good luck! i know you can do it!

I have been there. I tried an old method I used a 100 pounds ago.
First are you consuming enough protein? Protein shakes are a good way if your not getting enough protein from your foods. Try Protein shakes one upon arising, one late morning and one before bedtime.
Second try eating 5 any kind of apples during the course of the day and then 8 ounces of steak for dinner,
Three have you tried colon cleanse I find when I am constipated I tend not to lose sometimes even gain a pound.
I have been where you are do not give up.
Please do not give into junk food, soda or any other form of sugary foods. Be aware of your intake when it comes to bread (white flour) sugar, candy, rice, potatoes, ice cream, etc.
Stay strong in mind and the body will cooperate.
I have been there and beat the plateu syndrome.

Nutritionist is a catch-all phrase. It could mean a diet quack to a Registered Dietitian. The proper person to talk to is a Registered Dietitian. They know more than doctors do about the body and nutrition, weight loss and disease processes that respond well to specific diet plans.

I STARTED OUT AT 284.5 ON 1-11-11.I now weigh 260lbs.2-19-11.No secret about this loss.I had type 2 diabetes.I am off all my medicine.I went to a MD. That specializes in weight loss.They reviewed all my med's,past medical condition's and then the doctor said he has helped men and women with diabetes weighing 500 lbs. so I was not going to be a problem! I said ok let's do it now.I was given a binder that contains in large letters food break downs and associated cal. of these items.This material gives you a no nonsence way to
count calories..(that i thought i could never do) I was then given 30 phentermine,this takes away your desire/need to eat.
1/2 pill in am b4 breakfast and the other 1/2 b4 lunch.(about 30 min prior)THE OVERALL KEY IS EATING FOODS LOW IN CALORIES THAT ALLOW YOU TO EAT MORE FOOD VOLUME WISE.
You mentioned oatmeal,how many calories?I eat 2 packets of great value (from Walmat) maple and brown sugar at 100 cal per packet.I sometimes eat a banana 80 cal.Then I take 100% whey protein made by EAS.(one scoop 120 cal.)...that equals 400 calories.
Then I workout with weights then I hit the eliptical machine alternating between 50 min. and 65 min per daily workout.(I burn between 653 and 875 calories per session.

For lunch I can eat 500 cal. worth of any foods I want.
I usually have 2 cans of Select Harvest Italian
veg. soup(100 cal. per can)Then I very my diet by eating Cedealane eggplant parmissan 160 cal.and a chicken thigh w/hout skin 110 cal. that equals 470 calories,so I will add 2 wheat saltine crackers at 13 cal per to my soup.That's just an example.You can eat Leane Cuisine meals just watch the calories. I am allowed 600 cal.Your meat generally speaking has 245 cal per 4oz serving.Try grilling chicken breasts or baking(do not eat the skin)190 cal per 4oz.med. baked potato 110 cal and light sour cream 2 tbps 40 cal aprox(I use my fork to scoop out the sour cream.Two scoops on the fork and thats it.)Get calorie free spray butter by Parkay.Eat steamed and raw veg. at dinner.You can eat alot of this food,thus filling you up and meeting the concept of more food with less calories consumed.Sometimes I eat 2 chicken breasts 380 calories,2 small. baked potatoes(cooked in the microwave)150 total calories.(med. potato has 110 cal)That's 530 cal you the add the vegtables 45 cal and the sour cream 40 and you have 615 cal and thats ok if you go over sometimes.
I also get any 125 calorie snacks between breakfast and lunch and another one after lunch and another after dinner.
My doctor listened to what my present activity level was and determined that my total calorie intake should be 1875 calories.The key to weight loss is getting active so you can burn calories up each day.People always say" eat less than you take in".No kidding...but get real! If you can identify those foods low in calories but high in nutrients I am sure you know what I mean.My doctor's name is Lynn based in Rincon Georgia 31326,check out his site to see he is no scamer.

I told you all this because I was trapped in my body basicaly dying a little bit every day due to diabeties and it's complications.My wife went on this plan before me and lost 63 lbs.I did not want to count calories or be restricted from eating the foods I craved and I needed to chase my blood sugar up and then back down every single day.I SIMPLY GOT FED UP WITH BEING ON HIGH PRESSURE MEDS 3 DIABETIES MED'S AND THE WEIGHT I WAS CARRYING AROUND.
The first thing you must do is write down everything you normally eat daily.Then tell your close friends husband etc.Confess it and then mentally be done with the past.
I had to tell a guy I workout with that I used to eat a leftover full plate of spagetti and meatballs for breakfast then two chicken thighs,then head to Burger King and order 2 sausage egg and cheese crosiants. I went to the gym to workout.I WAS KIDDING MYSELF AND I NEVER FELT GOOD WHILE WORKING OUT OR AFTER!
After working out I would order 2 hole philly cheese subs about 2400 cal.YCDI!

MARK,

GOOD JOB!!

Thanks for sharing how you did/are doing it.

You got a plan and are working that plan. You got around to taking your life serious.

That is the key...all we have is one life and it is our choice how we live it.

You made the choice to live it healthy. This takes planning and work.

It took me awhile to figure out that the day-to-day work adds up. Just like the day-to-day mindless eating and planned "over the top" meals and snacks add up too.

We are worth the effort to work at staying healthy!

ok, pardon my need to type quickly. i went to an actual registered dietitian that my pcp recommended and that i submitted to my insurance.

Thank you for taking the time to respond to my post.I was also hoping THEE QUEEN would respond to the post.
You have it "nailed",understanding we are worth it is the key.

Mark

MARK,

You are welcome.

I learn by reading all the posts and expert blogs.

Living this healthy lifestyle is a "job" that takes planning food and exercise...and tweaking the plan when we don't get the intended results.

Also, getting back on track ASAP when a slip happens, instead of going back to same 'ole same 'ole that will have us re-pounding before we know it.

Wish you much success.

Tell us how it's going.

Barb

Excellant post..very informative and right on...