Author Topic: Losing Weight in 2016  (Read 459565 times)

elaine amj

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Re: Losing Weight in 2016
« Reply #1800 on: October 06, 2017, 03:00:51 PM »
@StarBright Yay for some movement - especially of the downward variety.

@wintertell It's not easy losing weight during work travel so kudos to you.

As for me, I'm somewhat on the bandwagon and been doing OK for the last couple of weeks. Last weekend I ate a bit more expecting to do a bunch of exercise...but ended up sleeping and laying around all weekend. So the weight didn't budge like it was supposed to.

I'm back to more movement this week, making a concerted effort to bike commute (even though it was raining this morning!) and forcing myself to fit in my lunch workout. A couple of days ago it started drizzling when I went out for my lunch walk. I turned and went to my garage and proceeded to stairclimb the 10 flights for about 15-20 solid minutes until I had to get back for a meeting. It was TOUGH - and used muscles I didn't know existed and I have been in pain since lol. The next day, I did a 30 min slow run during lunch. Today, I forced my aching body out for a walk. It felt good to push myself into regular activities.

Tonight, I'm going out for a beer festival with friends and really hoping I can manage not to overeat much. At this point, I am not expecting to drink so that will help (I'm a social drinker and not keen on paying for drinks). Mostly going out to have some fun - they'll have a DJ playing 80s/90s throwback music so hoping to dance all those calories away!

Ascotillion

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Re: Losing Weight in 2016
« Reply #1801 on: October 08, 2017, 04:39:45 PM »
I've had a few occasions that required a suit and tie in the last few weeks, and I only own one suit (purchased ten years ago at age 19). When I put it on a few weeks ago, I honestly thought it would split and had to watch how I moved for the whole day...

I definitely need to shed a few kilos! I've got a good exercise routine planned at the gym near my house, and my food habits are going to get a little better too. I'll post some more stats and stuff when I get back home.

Total Loss: 56.2 lbs
Total Percent: 21.2%
That's amazing! Well done!

elaine amj

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Re: Losing Weight in 2016
« Reply #1802 on: October 08, 2017, 09:26:35 PM »
@ascotillion Welcome!!  It's good that u are catching yourself before u get too far!

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Harper

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Re: Losing Weight in 2016
« Reply #1803 on: October 09, 2017, 03:29:27 AM »
Hi all!

Sorry to barge in here but wondering if you guys could give me some ideas on the ways you are losing weight.  I feel like I've tried everything and the scale is not budging.  I've been exercising consistently 3-5 times a week since May and have been watching what I eat but nothing.  I'm pretty overweight but falling down a spiral of despair (why should I wake up so early in am to not gain any traction?). 

Are you guys just calorie counting?   low carb?  what?

Appreciate any help and apologize for interupting the thread.

H

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Re: Losing Weight in 2016
« Reply #1804 on: October 09, 2017, 06:49:49 AM »
Harper - the best thing about this thread is that you jump in whenever and wherever you are.  Welcome.

First off -I may not best coach for strategies to lose weight as I haven't really lost much weight.  But I did stop putting it on.
I had a creeping weight gain.  A couple of pounds a year for a few years and then a big eight pound gain over 14 months before I found this thread.  It was kind of like the lifestyle creep that I had going on.  So with the help of these great folks I really focused on weight loss for a few months.  Then I bit the bullet and started working on financial health and some of the emotional things that were going on.  With the shift in focus, and colder temperatures, many of the lost pounds came back.  So this year I am working on a very slow but consistent holding steady more than weight loss approach. Others on this thread have been much more successful than I.

I lost 14 pounds at about a pound a week. Added ten back over the fall and winter 16-17 at about a pound every two months.  And have lost three again but - very importantly have kept them off so far - at about half a pound per month.  Total lost is only seven pounds and I think I am only going to try for three to five more pounds and then I am at a great weight for the rest of my life.

here is what I did at the beginning and much of it I continue to do:

-read Thin by Design.  I implemented a number of changes to my kitchen, dining room and shopping cart.  Habits are hard to develop. Willpower 100% of the time in unrealistic.
-kept a food journal.  I wrote down everything I put in my mouth. Sometimes it is too embarrassing to write it down so I chose not to eat it.
-(nearly) eliminated coke. I got a soda stream and now just drink bubbled water from the tap.  That meets the 'special drink' need most of the time.  Perrier was silly expensive.
-try to eat some protein at every meal.
-try to eat something raw at least two meals a day
-10 servings of fruits and veg - I am not worried about the carbs in bananas etc.
-get on the scale every morning (same time of day before I shower)
-get outside for a walk or activity (gardening, snow shovelling)
-no eating while doing another activity such as watching tv, reading or working on computer
-eat off a plate or bowl all the time (controlling portion size and measuring the serving)
-no eating in the kitchen
-no standing up while eating
-eat really tasty food

I got a number of books out of the library, some recommended on this thread.  (Foodist I think was the title of one of the titles that really spoke to me about how I wanted to eat) I am trying to make a healthstyle change.  I should note that I am celiac so I can't eat most processed foods and so I could (and was) filling up on expensive cardboard gluten free crap before MMM. The mustachian shift to spending less on junk I don't need has helped with my diet as well.  Now I have to be vigilant so that I don't prepare for winter hibernation with a couple of pounds of padding this year - but I am being extra vigilant.

I would suggest starting with the journal.  The first week I didn't diet - I just recorded.  I had no idea I was snacking that much and so much after dinner.  Getting on top of the unconscious eating was huge for me.

Best wishes for your success.


Runrooster

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Re: Losing Weight in 2016
« Reply #1805 on: October 09, 2017, 03:26:02 PM »
Harper, I think you probably know what to do- exercise more and eat better.  It's just a question of how much you can do.  It took me awhile to work up to 8 miles walking every day ( taking a day light about once a week), and even longer to clean up my diet.  So for me that meant no more white carbs - bread, rice, sugar, alcohol- but not necessarily low carb.  Cutting out the midnight snack was maybe the hardest.  Maybe start with a food diary to get a sense of how often the junk food creeps in, and then cut down based on that?

Allie

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Re: Losing Weight in 2016
« Reply #1806 on: October 10, 2017, 11:40:21 AM »
Harper, I started to see the scale move when I made the conscious effort to track what I was eating and exercise more.  For two weeks, I used Myfitnesspal and religiously entered every single thing I ate and all my exercise.  I preplanned my eating for the day in advance, weighed my food, and made sure that what I was putting in my body was healthy, simple, and in line with my predetermined goals.  After 2 weeks, I still used mfp, but not as militantly.  It was really surprising to see how much I was snacking, how much I was eating (even though I thought I was doing a great job being healthy), and how quickly my body adapted to not craving all of the little treats here and there.  I was hungry for the first few days, and it sucked, but by the end of the 2 weeks I felt much and now I feel a ton better than when I started.

So, maybe dedicate a short period of time to being really conscious of everything you are doing.  I liked having the app and those little graphs, but maybe you don't need that.  There were a bunch of times I would be about to put something in my mouth and I'd have to stop myself and realize I hadn't even been thinking about what I was doing.  It wasn't about being restrictive so much as becoming more mindful and aware.

Tris Prior

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Re: Losing Weight in 2016
« Reply #1807 on: October 10, 2017, 12:21:48 PM »
I'm joining this thread because recently I discovered I cannot get into most of my jeans. :( I have no idea what I weigh; I do not own a scale. But my hips and stomach are definitely bigger than they were.

I have no idea how to lose weight in a healthy way - so I imagine reading through this thread would be a good place to start.

I was an overweight kid and teen; lost a bunch of weight in high school, mainly through, I'm sorry to say, just plain not eating. Struggled with my weight through college and my 20s - again, when I lost weight, did it through just plain not eating, and also avoiding fats in any form when I did eat. Around age 30 I suddenly grew a metabolism and could pretty much eat whatever I wanted. I was actually pretty underweight for a few years there, though I was eating whatever sounded good and not restricting my food at all. Now I'm in my mid-40s and, well, looks like that's coming to an end - although I feel like I've been eating fairly healthy - vegetarian for around 25 years, eat lots of fruit and veg and try to minimize crap.

So, the last time I was actively trying to lose weight was back in the day where fat was bad. Now apparently fat is good? This seems so counterintuitive and confusing to me.

For the past few weeks I've been trying to cut flour and sugar, as that seems to be the conventional wisdom of what to do now. (Also because Boyfriend is obese and wants to lose weight, and he cannot control himself around white carbs so he's asked me to keep them out of the house.) And I am hungry - no, HANGRY - all. the. time. It's incredibly frustrating. As I said above, I don't own a scale so I've no idea if my efforts are even helping. I sort of don't want to buy a scale, though, because in the past I'd obsess about the number and if I gained a pound I would just not eat for a couple days until it went back down. I really don't want to go back to that.

I'm generally active outside of work - we don't own a car so we get a lot of exercise naturally just getting ourselves from point A to point B. But I don't actually work out. I LOATHE gyms, running, weights thanks to some very punitive gym teachers in high school. I used to take dance classes, which I really enjoyed, but quit to save money. Until recently, we had lunchtime yoga at work, which I LOVED - but it got cut for budget reasons. I'm the sort of person who needs someone standing over me telling me what to do, in order to actually get off the couch and move.

I struggle mightily with meal planning even when not trying to lose weight so I worry that any regimen where I have to carefully measure my food is going to immediately go out the window due to lack of time and mental energy.

So, um, hi? I'm off to read through this thread and see what I can learn.

Frugal Lizard

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Re: Losing Weight in 2016
« Reply #1808 on: October 10, 2017, 12:32:41 PM »
Welcome Tris Prior
The first thing is to understand what and how much you are eating.  Find a way that works with your life to gather that data - some app or my method - notebook and pen beside the fridge.

rpr

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Re: Losing Weight in 2016
« Reply #1809 on: October 10, 2017, 12:40:23 PM »
Tris Prior, Welcome to this thread!

Different methods work for different people. If beginning, just track what you eat on your regular basis.  One suggestion is to slowly add healthier foods such as lots of fruits and veggies first before trying to subtract. Eat till you are full. This will prevent the HANGRY! As you get rid of processed foods, again replace them with healthier foods. 

Tris Prior

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Re: Losing Weight in 2016
« Reply #1810 on: October 10, 2017, 01:39:08 PM »
I remembered that I had an old My Fitness Pal account that I never did anything with. Just entered my breakfast, lunch, and snacks. I'm already 72 calories over my limit for the day. So, I guess, no dinner then? :(

I haven't even eaten anything bad for me! No flour, little sugar (I put a spoonful of homemade jam in my oatmeal). I guess it was the nuts I snacked on, that killed me. I thought we were supposed to be eating healthy fats now? Argh. This is very frustrating.

rpr

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Re: Losing Weight in 2016
« Reply #1811 on: October 10, 2017, 02:02:44 PM »
I remembered that I had an old My Fitness Pal account that I never did anything with. Just entered my breakfast, lunch, and snacks. I'm already 72 calories over my limit for the day. So, I guess, no dinner then? :(

I haven't even eaten anything bad for me! No flour, little sugar (I put a spoonful of homemade jam in my oatmeal). I guess it was the nuts I snacked on, that killed me. I thought we were supposed to be eating healthy fats now? Argh. This is very frustrating.
IMO, the calories counting is not very precise. There may be individual variations of 20% or even more in each item. In addition there are differences in metabolism as you know.  While I would not trust the absolute numbers, what matters is just keeping a journal of what you are eating. Just this alone will increase your awareness of food. Make slow and sustainable changes.

Allie

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Re: Losing Weight in 2016
« Reply #1812 on: October 10, 2017, 03:09:52 PM »
No, eat a super healthy dinner!  Then, tomorrow, you can choose other foods that may be more nutrient dense or add in more veggies or whatever. 

I switched from a big bowl of yogurt to a big bowl of yogurt and fruit mixed together...from pasta with my dinners to a really delicious homemade soup that had pasta in it.  That sort of stuff.  It turns out that most of the foods that are better choices for reducing calories also taste amazing.

It's just a guide.  For me, just having to enter it in the little app was really eye opening how often I wasn't making healthy choices, especially when there was a healthy choice right there. 

Harper

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Re: Losing Weight in 2016
« Reply #1813 on: October 11, 2017, 04:52:31 AM »
Thank you for the thoughts and replies.  Yes, I really need to start with journaling and see what I'm eating.  I'm off work without the family next week so maybe it's a good time to really hunker down and start.

@TrisPrior - let me know if you want to be weight loss buddies since we are both starting out.  :)

rockstache

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Re: Losing Weight in 2016
« Reply #1814 on: October 11, 2017, 07:12:32 AM »

 I guess it was the nuts I snacked on, that killed me. I thought we were supposed to be eating healthy fats now? Argh. This is very frustrating.

Healthy fats are good, but you do have to watch the calories on them. A very small handful of almonds is 100 calories, but they are a good snack if you keep to a prearranged amount. Where I got in trouble was having a whole bag open and eating until I was full. I found that if I separated the amount that I wanted to eat ahead of time, it wouldn't necessarily fill me in the moment, but the full feeling would come a little after eating, and last until my next snack or meal.

Tris Prior

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Re: Losing Weight in 2016
« Reply #1815 on: October 11, 2017, 08:11:10 AM »
So disheartening and frustrating. Just to see how it came out, I entered in, as best I could from memory, what I ate Monday - a day that I felt like I was eating next to nothing and was hangry to the point of being shaky and dizzy and Boyfriend telling me "you have to eat more, you are going to fall over!". STILL over my calorie limit! By like 900 calories??

rockstache, I think you are right. I have been adding nuts lately because I was thinking of doing Whole 30 (decided against it because I am vegetarian and the ban on legumes made it feel not-doable for me) and they are all about eating high-fat snacks to stay full and have energy. I cannot possibly stop at just a few nuts when I am starving. Best just to kill them entirely, I guess. Time to look for a new snack that I can keep in my desk at work that does not require refrigeration and that doesn't have any flour or sugar in it.

Am I the only one for whom fruits and veg just do not fill me up? I like eating them but I'm always still starving afterward. Except apples. Maybe I should eat more apples. Is there something wrong with those too?!


wintertell

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Re: Losing Weight in 2016
« Reply #1816 on: October 11, 2017, 08:55:43 AM »
rockstache, I think you are right. I have been adding nuts lately because I was thinking of doing Whole 30 (decided against it because I am vegetarian and the ban on legumes made it feel not-doable for me) and they are all about eating high-fat snacks to stay full and have energy. I cannot possibly stop at just a few nuts when I am starving. Best just to kill them entirely, I guess. Time to look for a new snack that I can keep in my desk at work that does not require refrigeration and that doesn't have any flour or sugar in it.

Am I the only one for whom fruits and veg just do not fill me up? I like eating them but I'm always still starving afterward. Except apples. Maybe I should eat more apples. Is there something wrong with those too?!

I have to have snacks with protein, fats and carbs - balanced by having all three food groups - or I am starving. Fruits & veg don't do it for me because they are all carbs and soon lead to low blood sugar, which means I am snacking within an hour or two.

I do jerky or pepperoni or deli turkey, sometimes adding a bit of hummus or guac + grape tomatoes, cucumbers, snaps peas, carrots etc for snacks on the go. I keep RxBars for emergency snacks - They have egg whites and nuts in them and are good in a pinch when you are in a meeting or travelling and can't pull out veggies for a snack.

I recommend using the calculator on Eat More 2 Weigh Less to figure out the right deficit - MyFitnessPal sets it too low and then sets you up for failure. Link here: http://eatmore2weighless.com/weight-loss-calculator/

Also, it took me a full 2 weeks to figure out how to eat within my calorie range of 1900. The first thing I did to break the cycle of overeating was to meal plan lower calorie meals that were versions of my normal favorite foods. So I used Applegate chicken tenders + salad + low calorie Ranch as my work lunches rather than a fried chicken salad. I used the 260 calorie Jimmy Dean egg sandwiches rather than getting breakfast out at Dunkin Donuts, etc. Over time I switched to eggs & veggies for breakfast because they are more filling than breakfast sandwiches.

After the meal plan I went shopping for the week to get the new food to go with my meal plan. Then and only then was I able to start sticking within my calories.
« Last Edit: October 11, 2017, 09:12:44 AM by wintertell »

rockstache

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Re: Losing Weight in 2016
« Reply #1817 on: October 11, 2017, 09:09:22 AM »
MFP sometimes gives a very low number. I had to manually adjust mine up to a more reasonable amount. There are calculators online that seem to do a better job of helping you find a reasonable number to shoot for. I can track down some links if you're interested.


Oh +1 to this for me too. They wanted me to eat 1200 calories per day (which is as low as MFP goes), and that was too low for my body. On my best days I could only get to 1300 unless I was fasting, but I didn't let it bother me much and mostly used it as a tracker once I knew what my goal was. I still lost weight pretty quickly just by being conscious. Also be careful not to make up for what you eat by exercising. If you do high intensity exercise of course you will eat more on those days, but MFP will erase the calories, therefore giving you more to eat and I found that to be a little too free for me and ended up eating more. It was better when I planned what I would eat before exercising and just added that to my daily total instead of a certain calorie amount. YMMV

wintertell

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Re: Losing Weight in 2016
« Reply #1818 on: October 11, 2017, 09:15:13 AM »
MFP sometimes gives a very low number. I had to manually adjust mine up to a more reasonable amount. There are calculators online that seem to do a better job of helping you find a reasonable number to shoot for. I can track down some links if you're interested.


Oh +1 to this for me too. They wanted me to eat 1200 calories per day (which is as low as MFP goes), and that was too low for my body. On my best days I could only get to 1300 unless I was fasting, but I didn't let it bother me much and mostly used it as a tracker once I knew what my goal was. I still lost weight pretty quickly just by being conscious. Also be careful not to make up for what you eat by exercising. If you do high intensity exercise of course you will eat more on those days, but MFP will erase the calories, therefore giving you more to eat and I found that to be a little too free for me and ended up eating more. It was better when I planned what I would eat before exercising and just added that to my daily total instead of a certain calorie amount. YMMV

+ 1 as well.  I set my calorie target from this site and recalculate it for every 5-10 lbs lost - http://eatmore2weighless.com/weight-loss-calculator/

I wear a Fitbit but don't eat any of my exercise calories on a routine basis. If I'm super hungry I may eat some of the exercise calories because I need it, but in general I just consider the activity a bonus. However I'm just doing walks and light exercise, nothing that makes me starving.
« Last Edit: October 11, 2017, 09:22:17 AM by wintertell »

Tris Prior

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Re: Losing Weight in 2016
« Reply #1819 on: October 11, 2017, 09:21:01 AM »
MFP asked me what I weighed (I guessed as I don't own a scale) and what I wanted to weigh - and then told me my limit was 1,200 calories. Maybe that is too low for me? How would I know? I remember from counting calories when I was younger, following a 1200-calorie limit so I didn't question it. Back then I was able to skip meals and still function, though; 20 years later I really cannot any more.

I tried out that weight loss calculator link and it gave me 1,375. Maybe that would be more do-able (though so far in the few days I've been tracking I've been around 2,000 and Still. Freaking. Hungry. :( )

Tris Prior

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Re: Losing Weight in 2016
« Reply #1820 on: October 11, 2017, 09:36:26 AM »
I don't know how tall you are but 1200 is probably very low. Google TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) calculators. This will take your weight (estimated is fine), height and activity level into account and calculate an estimate of how many calories you burn in a typical day. Many of them also have an extra part for how much you should eat if you want to lose. I've done a lot of these and they've all been pretty consistent. It gives me 1800cals/day for weight loss at 5'9" and a sedentary office job.

Seriously? I'm 5'10". And I put in "sedentary" for activity level because I don't formally work out, though I am generally active outside of work, walk a lot, garden, etc. And it gave me 1,200.

Huh. OK, I'll google some of those.

wintertell

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Re: Losing Weight in 2016
« Reply #1821 on: October 11, 2017, 09:44:17 AM »
I don't know how tall you are but 1200 is probably very low. Google TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) calculators. This will take your weight (estimated is fine), height and activity level into account and calculate an estimate of how many calories you burn in a typical day. Many of them also have an extra part for how much you should eat if you want to lose. I've done a lot of these and they've all been pretty consistent. It gives me 1800cals/day for weight loss at 5'9" and a sedentary office job.

Seriously? I'm 5'10". And I put in "sedentary" for activity level because I don't formally work out, though I am generally active outside of work, walk a lot, garden, etc. And it gave me 1,200.

Huh. OK, I'll google some of those.

How big of a deficit are you taking? That seems way low to me, especially for 5'10". I'd recommend no more than a 10% deficit.

As you get lower in weight, folks tend to not be able to take as big of a deficit. Folks in my online support group who are less than 180 tend to take a daily deficit of 250-300 calories. The only person I knew who was taking a deficit down to 1300 was 130 lbs.

My daily deficit is 500 calories, or 1 lb/week but I'm at 209 right now. I aim for between 1800-1850 a day.

To be able to eat that and not get hungry though, I had to change the composition of my food - more fibrous veggies to make my stomach fill full and to slow my digestion down so I feel fuller for longer.
« Last Edit: October 11, 2017, 09:49:16 AM by wintertell »

Tris Prior

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Re: Losing Weight in 2016
« Reply #1822 on: October 11, 2017, 10:18:18 AM »
I don't know how tall you are but 1200 is probably very low. Google TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) calculators. This will take your weight (estimated is fine), height and activity level into account and calculate an estimate of how many calories you burn in a typical day. Many of them also have an extra part for how much you should eat if you want to lose. I've done a lot of these and they've all been pretty consistent. It gives me 1800cals/day for weight loss at 5'9" and a sedentary office job.

Seriously? I'm 5'10". And I put in "sedentary" for activity level because I don't formally work out, though I am generally active outside of work, walk a lot, garden, etc. And it gave me 1,200.

Huh. OK, I'll google some of those.

How big of a deficit are you taking? That seems way low to me, especially for 5'10". I'd recommend no more than a 10% deficit.

As you get lower in weight, folks tend to not be able to take as big of a deficit. Folks in my online support group who are less than 180 tend to take a daily deficit of 250-300 calories. The only person I knew who was taking a deficit down to 1300 was 130 lbs.

I have no idea; I put in my weight (estimate) and a goal weight and that's the number MFP spat out. I weigh around 135-140. I think, so maybe that is why they gave me such a low number?

At any rate, I'm starting to think that MFP might be good for tracking what I eat, but maybe not so good for determining my calorie limit?

wintertell

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Re: Losing Weight in 2016
« Reply #1823 on: October 11, 2017, 10:32:41 AM »
MyFitnessPal automatically makes your deficit larger, I think.

I just guessed your info but I got 1375 bmr, 1500 at a 10% deficit and no activity, and 1670 maintenance or TDEE. I put 135, 70 in and age 35 as a guess. 

BMR = Basal metabolic rate, or the amount of calories your body needs just to run if you were literally in a coma doing no activity. Basically, you should eat at least 1375, preferably more, to keep your body from thinking you are starving according to this calculator.

However as folks age their metabolism slows down and so these  numbers might lower at higher ages.

If you get a Fitbit that can give you a better understanding of your TDEE/maintenance but until then this calculator is a good guess.

The TLDR is that I would aim for 1500 calories to start with.
« Last Edit: October 11, 2017, 10:52:25 AM by wintertell »

Frugal Lizard

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Re: Losing Weight in 2016
« Reply #1824 on: October 11, 2017, 10:54:40 AM »
I would suggest figuring out how many calories you are actually eating on average over the course of two weeks. Then start to cut it back a little at a time over each week.  You don't want to go into a starvation mode and then have your body become over efficient.  I figured I put on the weight by eating an extra 2-300 calories a day over five years.  My new approach is to take it off over the same length of time so I don't feel like I am dieting. 
I do better on snacking for the entire day if I have a really good breakfast.  Yesterday I made six large scrambled eggs shared between four people. With two breakfast sausages sliced really thin. I had half a gluten free bagel with mine. And some cantaloupe.  I was really hungry for lunch at 12:30 but hadn't needed to snack.


wintertell

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Re: Losing Weight in 2016
« Reply #1825 on: October 11, 2017, 10:58:25 AM »
I would suggest figuring out how many calories you are actually eating on average over the course of two weeks. Then start to cut it back a little at a time over each week.  You don't want to go into a starvation mode and then have your body become over efficient.  I figured I put on the weight by eating an extra 2-300 calories a day over five years.  My new approach is to take it off over the same length of time so I don't feel like I am dieting. 

This also a great approach as well! I'm a numbers gal so I just like to know the numbers, but I definitely didn't jump low right away.

Allie

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Re: Losing Weight in 2016
« Reply #1826 on: October 11, 2017, 11:43:29 AM »
Hold on.  I just kinda skipped forward...so maybe someone already said something...

5'10" and 135-140 is a totally healthy weight at the low range of normal.  Under 130 is under weight off your height. 

I get wanting to have comfy pants, but just consider that if you lose more than a couple pounds you are drifting into unhealthy territory. 

Also, take the time to figure out what works with your plan and adjust your eating based on that.  I like foods that have a little bit of carb, fat, and protein and then are stuffed with veggies.  So, a bean/shrimp/fish soft taco with the meat, cheese, and tortilla in moderation stuffed with salsa, onion, lettuce, tomato, etc.  Or a yogurt parfait with a moderate amount of sweet vanilla yogurt and sprinkle of granola but a million berries.  Or a stir fry with the oil, sauce, noodles, and shrimp in moderation and a ton of peppers, onions, snow peas and baby corn.  But, everyone is different, you just need to adjust based on what works for you. 

I went super restrictive for a couple weeks and was hungry and angry and a grump and then adjusted up because I don't ease into things well. 

StarBright

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Re: Losing Weight in 2016
« Reply #1827 on: October 11, 2017, 12:27:31 PM »
Hold on.  I just kinda skipped forward...so maybe someone already said something...

5'10" and 135-140 is a totally healthy weight at the low range of normal.  Under 130 is under weight off your height. 

I get wanting to have comfy pants, but just consider that if you lose more than a couple pounds you are drifting into unhealthy territory. 


+1 - I was trying to gently and positively word a response and was  happy to see your post pop op.

Also - @Tris - I don't know how quickly you said you wanted to lose weight in MFP - but if you said two pounds a week it will automatically give you 1200 at your current weight. Because you are already at a healthy BMI weight and have very little to lose and if your current concern is mostly clothes fit, I recommend you read the mfp community forums regarding body recomp.
« Last Edit: October 11, 2017, 12:29:49 PM by StarBright »

Tris Prior

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Re: Losing Weight in 2016
« Reply #1828 on: October 11, 2017, 03:34:18 PM »
Thanks for the feedback. As I said upthread, I'm the first to admit that I have no idea what I'm doing here. :)

For many years I easily maintained a weight of 125 lbs regardless of what and how much I ate (plenty of carbs, sugar, crap) and whether or not I exercised, and I felt good at that weight.  (Did dip below that a few times, mainly because stress kills my appetite and I was in a really awful job/family situation, and I did look underweight and unhealthy at that time. ) So I guess I figured that was what my body wanted to weigh. I am tall but small-boned, and very pear-shaped.

Then I didn't weigh myself at all for a long time; figured that as long as my clothes fit the same, I was good. It was definitely an oh-shit moment a few weeks ago when the temps dropped, I put on a pair of jeans.... and discovered that I now can't get into any of them. :(

I'm in my mid-40s and probably starting some perimenopause symptoms, and I want to avoid that packing-on-belly-weight thing that happens to all the women in my family when we get older. I have no idea what I weigh; I have a doctor's appointment next week for my annual exam and I suppose I will find out then. But I have definitely gained fat in my stomach  since spring, when I last put on pants. (Haha, that sounds funny - I'm mostly a skirt person unless it's cold out.)

If I should be focusing on body recomposition instead (I assume this is losing fat and gaining muscle?) I can get behind that. I honestly don't care about a number on the scale; but I don't want to have to buy a whole new wardrobe for my bottom half because I can't fit into what I've got. Though, eating properly has got to figure in there somehow too, right? I just haven't figured out exactly what that means for me, now that I clearly cannot eat anything I want with wild abandon as I've done for a good chunk of my adult life.

StarBright

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Re: Losing Weight in 2016
« Reply #1829 on: October 13, 2017, 07:21:45 AM »
Weekly-ish Weigh-In:

Start weight: 155.4     Last week's weight: 143.8      Current weight: 143.4/142.8

Ending weights for each month:
Feb: 155.4 lbs   
March :150.2
April: 147.2
May: 144
June: 144.6
July: 146
August: 145
September: 144

My scale wouldn't stop on a number this morning but kept flipping back and forth between 143.4/142.8. I'd obviously prefer the 142.8 but since both are lower than last week - I'll take em!

My eating was pristine this week with only one beer and otherwise only water, unsweetened herbal tea, and coffee. I cleaned out the last of my garden so most meals consisted of lots of green beans, tomatoes and peppers with some protein thrown in.


@Tris - regarding "healthy eating" since you last dieted. Low fat is definitely out. A study came out about a decade ago that concluded a low fat diet offers no benefits regarding heart disease or cancer (and many people gain weight on them). But as for high fat vs. high protein vs. high carb - you should experiment and see what works for your body.

Carbs make me ravenous. If I eat an apple I will actually be more hungry 30 minutes later than I was before I ate my apple. My husband eats apples and popcorn all day long and it fills him up completely. Protein and fat both work better for me, with protein keeping me full the longest. I don't shy away from fats at all (other than trans-fats) but try to focus on proteins.

Do you eat dairy? If so, someone on this thread once recommended the Icelandic style skyr/yogurt. It is super high protein and keeps me full for hours. It is a perfect afternoon snack.

Welcome AerynLee and other new people to the thread!!
 

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Re: Losing Weight in 2016
« Reply #1830 on: October 13, 2017, 08:07:29 AM »
Weight Log
* My monthly fitness anniversary is around the 6th of every month.
12/6/16  ~265
1/7/17      256.4   
2/3/17      251.6
3/10/17    242.2
4/7/17      235.8
5/4/17      230.0 (-5.8)
6/12/17    227.2 (-2.8)
7/8/17      219.6 (-7.6)
8/7/17      215.2 (-4.4)
10/6/17    208.8 (-6.4)
10/13/17 207.2 (-1.2)

Total Loss: 57.8 lbs
Total Percent: 21.8%

Another solid week! I am finally back in the groove! I had several walks, ate well, and drank a ton of water this week. Now, the next challenge is to navigate the weekend. I will meal plan and grocery shop today. Then I will use Sat/Sun to get some of the week's food prep done so that I set up for next week. I also want to really relax on Saturday and then use Sunday to catch up on personal tasks.

elaine amj

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Re: Losing Weight in 2016
« Reply #1831 on: October 13, 2017, 08:55:15 AM »
So awesome to have new folks on the thread!

@Tris Prior I think you're missing the exercise component in MFP. If you go for a 30 min walk, you NEED TO EAT THOSE CALORIES BACK. That's how MFP works. Other calorie counting systems include activity calories into the calorie count you are allowed. MFP expects you to eat your exercise calories. So you need to log any exercise and it will up your available calories for the day.

Also, I suggest you change MFP to just 1 lb a week. 1200 cals/day is tough! (I know - I'm only 5ft tall so that's all I can eat if I want to actually lose weight).

I do find for me, I have to change the types of foods. When I'm actively losing weight, I'm very careful with things like nuts and peanut butter, etc. And also careful with fruits. MFP doesn't give you free fruits so you need to limit fruit intake as well. To feel full on less calories, I typically eat meals high in vegetable content (I love a zoodles lo mein recipe I have). Salads are a high calorie meal for me (because I like to add avocado, eggs, and use a poppy seed dressing) and I have to be careful when I eat a salad. It needs to be accompanied by a low cal meal for dinner. If I'm hungry and have few calories left, I make a simple egg drop soup or drink another cup of herbal tea. Water intake is also important. A lot of times, I think I'm hungry when I'm actually thirsty.

I'm back on the bandwagon again this week. Struggled a lot the past couple of weeks. My problem was that I had upped the level of my physical activity (sometimes biking 2 hours a day). This always ends up leading me to binge on more snacks "since I have the extra calories from the extra exercise". So, while my general meals are low cal and healthy, I kept reaching for snacks like fruit, veggie chips, etc etc. One snack a day is no problem. I was reaching for snacks 3-4 times a day. Ack! OK OK..and to be brutally honest, some of those snacks were kettle popcorn, fruit in syrup, chocolate covered almonds - no wonder I couldn't lose weight!

I've lost a teeny bit from a month ago and am hoping to stick with the downward trend!

Frugal Lizard

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Re: Losing Weight in 2016
« Reply #1832 on: October 15, 2017, 06:56:48 PM »
Ok it is happening again - the weather is getting cooler and the days shorter and I am gaining weight again.
This past week my morning weigh-in has consistently been 133.
No damn good.  All summer a slow trend down and then one week and it is a jump up - I was occasionally hitting 130.5

I am going away this week to a conference with university friends so dieting is going to be next to impossible.  But the journal is coming back out and I am joining the fruit and veg gauntlet as well. 

brooklynmoney

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Re: Losing Weight in 2016
« Reply #1833 on: October 15, 2017, 08:25:07 PM »
I loosely follow the Tone it Up nutrition plan. There are some really good recipes in it. If anyone is interested ping me and I’ll hook you up.

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Re: Losing Weight in 2016
« Reply #1834 on: October 16, 2017, 07:34:54 AM »
Ugh Frugal Lizard, I'm with you. But CMC is this weekend and I refuse to care until I get back. After that though, I have to get back into it.

elaine amj

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Re: Losing Weight in 2016
« Reply #1835 on: October 16, 2017, 08:44:59 AM »
Me three. Ate too many snacks over the weekend. I have to get a handle on this endless snacking!

Frugal Lizard

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Re: Losing Weight in 2016
« Reply #1836 on: October 19, 2017, 06:14:11 AM »
Doing OK I think.  The cinference has no gluten-free options.  So lunch is under my control.  The breakfast at the hotel is 14.95 so I am eating food I bought at the grocery store.   Dinner is the only downfall option and I have done my best.   Add in some evening exploring.   Thinking I is all good.

elaine amj

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Re: Losing Weight in 2016
« Reply #1837 on: October 19, 2017, 08:14:12 AM »
@Frugal Lizard That's great!

I've been much better the last few days. Been busy so less time for snacking. On the flip side, have done no additional exercise over my 50 min round trip bike commute for almost a whole week now. Ack. At least I dropped a pound or so. Unfortunately, not the 5 lbs I had hoped to drop by now.

CMC this weekend. No restraints planned.

StarBright

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Re: Losing Weight in 2016
« Reply #1838 on: October 20, 2017, 07:13:26 AM »
Weekly-ish Weigh-In:

Start weight: 155.4     Last week's weight: 143.4/142.8      Current weight: 142.6

Ending weights for each month:
Feb: 155.4 lbs   
March :150.2
April: 147.2
May: 144
June: 144.6
July: 146
August: 145
September: 144

Am definitely nudging down weight wise but add me to cold-weather club. The temp drops below 60 and all I want to do is eat oily, emolient-y (is that a word?) foods. I am clearly very in touch with my paleolithic ancestors who feasted before winter :) It is taking up a lot of will power to hold food cravings in check.

Interestingly, my house is much messier than usual. Suspect that all my "can do" spirit is focused on keeping food in check and the rest of it is going to h*ll. Ahh well!

Hope those of you going to CMC this weekend have lots of fun!

Frugal Lizard

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Re: Losing Weight in 2016
« Reply #1839 on: October 23, 2017, 08:14:54 AM »
Uugggh
Scale on Sunday morning tipped over 135 my big bold line in the sand.
Why is this so frigging hard?

drilling down to basics again.  Food journal take four.

elaine amj

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Re: Losing Weight in 2016
« Reply #1840 on: October 23, 2017, 09:47:25 AM »
I am rather horrified at what the scale said this morning. Even after canoeing for 3 hours yesterday at Camp. I can easily easily out-eat any physical activity I do.

I know some of it is the excess sodium from eating out for 3 days but it is past time to change my eating habits and learn the word ENOUGH.

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rockstache

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Re: Losing Weight in 2016
« Reply #1841 on: October 23, 2017, 06:33:23 PM »
I haven't stepped on the scale yet, but I know what it's going to tell me. Im here with you guys. I vote we start a losing weight in 2018 thread in January. Until then, we get serious!

Frugal Lizard

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Re: Losing Weight in 2016
« Reply #1842 on: October 24, 2017, 08:16:59 AM »
I like the plan Rockstache.

This morning I got up and jumped on the scales as part of the program restart and it read 132.5.  This is not permission to snack all day.  But it does make me feel so much happier.

Tris Prior

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Re: Losing Weight in 2016
« Reply #1843 on: October 24, 2017, 08:26:47 AM »
I could use some suggestions for portable breakfast options that I can take to work that will actually keep me full. I've been doing overnight oats with about a tablespoon of homemade jam (I do home canning) and unsweetened almond milk. Since I've started tracking my food intake I now know that this has a TON of calories that I didn't realize. Also: always still hungry afterward.

I don't eat meat. I do eat eggs, though I really don't like them hard boiled. I may need to learn to start choking them down though, if that's my only option.

I thought of greek yogurt with fruit, but it's so cold in my office all the time that I try to eat hot things whenever possible.

Frugal Lizard

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Re: Losing Weight in 2016
« Reply #1844 on: October 24, 2017, 08:49:25 AM »
Tris Prior - could you wean yourself off the jam?  I can do oats with chopped apple and a teaspoon of maple syrup.  Are your oats whole rolled oats? The less processed they are, the more processing your tum has to do... I used to be able to eat seven grain cereal and that would also keep me fuller but now as a celiac I can't eat that. 
What about a squash soup or a frittatta made in muffin tins for portability in a good thermos?  does that sound appealing?

Tris Prior

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Re: Losing Weight in 2016
« Reply #1845 on: October 24, 2017, 09:03:45 AM »
I could, but dammit, I spent the entire summer canning jam and I have TONS of it. (Seriously, like, more than 50 jars.) Boyfriend will not eat it. Sigh. All that work and time and effort for nothing. :(

Yes, they are whole rolled oats, unprocessed. Honestly, that is what shocked me - not the jam calories, but that a cup of rolled oats is 300 calories?!

I would probably eat the frittata. Not a fan of soup for breakfast. I made pumpkin soup recently and it had Unpleasant Consequences so I feel like I'm off squash for the time being. Ugh.

wintertell

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Re: Losing Weight in 2016
« Reply #1846 on: October 24, 2017, 09:09:36 AM »
My main go-to breakfasts:
- Sauteed coleslaw (cabbage + carrots), green onions, ground turkey + 2 over easy eggs. Cook in bulk on the weekend and portion out.
- Roasted sweet potatoes, kale, sausage + scrambled egg/egg whites

In terms of rolled oats, I have heard that folks reduce the amount of oats / carbs and add in egg whites for extra protein - increased protein helps with satiety. Also could add in protein powder (perhaps eggs white protein powder or vegan pea protein powder)

Example recipe (Haven't tried it but it is a sample one to show the type of things you can do): https://food52.com/recipes/31142-egg-white-oatmeal

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Re: Losing Weight in 2016
« Reply #1847 on: October 24, 2017, 09:15:46 AM »
I could use some suggestions for portable breakfast options that I can take to work that will actually keep me full. I've been doing overnight oats with about a tablespoon of homemade jam (I do home canning) and unsweetened almond milk. Since I've started tracking my food intake I now know that this has a TON of calories that I didn't realize. Also: always still hungry afterward.

I don't eat meat. I do eat eggs, though I really don't like them hard boiled. I may need to learn to start choking them down though, if that's my only option.

I thought of greek yogurt with fruit, but it's so cold in my office all the time that I try to eat hot things whenever possible.

You are hungry because there is little protein or fat in that breakfast.

I don't know how practical this is to bring to the office but I used to like eating steel cut oats (cook them overnight in a pyrex dish in a crock pot full of water - double boiler style) with two poached eggs on top. I used silicone egg poaching cups. I found it too hard to adequately sweeten steel cut oats without adding a ton of sugar and found that embracing the savory side was really yummy. 1/4" cup of steel cut oats yields 1 cup cooked. You can prepare 1 cup steel cut oats at the beginning of the week and nuke leftovers as needed. So, scoop some warmed oatmeal into a bowl, plop in two poached eggs, season with salt and pepper and you're done.

Frugal Lizard

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Re: Losing Weight in 2016
« Reply #1848 on: October 24, 2017, 09:19:27 AM »
@Tris Prior -that is surprising.  Measured when cooked or before? 
Jam as Christmas presents and hostess gifts?  I use jam but not a whole tablespoon - in plain yogurt and with peanut butter.  I am all for not quitting cold turkey - just reducing but then I haven't actually lost a lot of weight so take my advice with a (tiny) grain of salt.

My Asian friend makes congee for breakfast - but I don't know exactly what it is - it looks soupy to me and I can't eat it because she doesn't use gluten free ingredients but she swears by it as a breakfast food.

I am starving at the moment and set a poor example because my breakfast in addition to several cups of tea was a handful of peanuts and a spoonful of turkey chili that didn't fit in the DD's thermos this morning.  Breaking a number of my own diet rules (snacking, eating standing up, eating in the kitchen, not eating off a plate) so I should perhaps just stop here....All this thinking about food has me pining for lunch.   

NeonPegasus

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Re: Losing Weight in 2016
« Reply #1849 on: October 24, 2017, 09:39:14 AM »
I don't know how tall you are but 1200 is probably very low. Google TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) calculators. This will take your weight (estimated is fine), height and activity level into account and calculate an estimate of how many calories you burn in a typical day. Many of them also have an extra part for how much you should eat if you want to lose. I've done a lot of these and they've all been pretty consistent. It gives me 1800cals/day for weight loss at 5'9" and a sedentary office job.

Seriously? I'm 5'10". And I put in "sedentary" for activity level because I don't formally work out, though I am generally active outside of work, walk a lot, garden, etc. And it gave me 1,200.

Huh. OK, I'll google some of those.

How big of a deficit are you taking? That seems way low to me, especially for 5'10". I'd recommend no more than a 10% deficit.

As you get lower in weight, folks tend to not be able to take as big of a deficit. Folks in my online support group who are less than 180 tend to take a daily deficit of 250-300 calories. The only person I knew who was taking a deficit down to 1300 was 130 lbs.

I have no idea; I put in my weight (estimate) and a goal weight and that's the number MFP spat out. I weigh around 135-140. I think, so maybe that is why they gave me such a low number?

At any rate, I'm starting to think that MFP might be good for tracking what I eat, but maybe not so good for determining my calorie limit?

Try this calorie calculator - https://www.muscleforlife.com/tdee-calculator/

It puts my TDEE at 1850-1900 calories depending on whether I'm 135 or 140. I am 5'7" and around 22%-24% body fat. I lift weights 4 days a week for over an hour and do at least 3 30 min HIIT workouts a week. So, I exercise 5-6 hours/week. I have found the calculations to be fairly correct. To lose weight, I am running a 500 calorie/day deficit and shooting for 1 lb a week.

So, if you are 140 lbs, do less than 1 hr of exercise a week and are 28% body fat, your TDEE would be 1500 calories/day. Dropping to 1200 calories/day would have you on track to lose about 1 lb every 2 weeks. If you log your calories religiously for the next couple of weeks, you'll get an idea of whether that is accurate or not based on your weight loss. In fact, you can try eating at your suggested maintenance level for a week or two and see what happens. If you lose weight, then your TDEE is actually higher.

When you log your calories on MFP, what are your macros looking like? I suspect you are hangry due to having too many carbs and too little protein and fat. Work on decreasing your carbs to 40-50% of your daily caloric intake and see if you feel better. Go slowly because suddenly dropping your carbs can leave you feeling really weird.

Because I am trying to lose some body fat, while maintaining muscle, I'm eating 40% protein, 20% fat and 40% carbs. No matter what, I try to eat as many grams of protein as I weigh. As my calories go up, my protein stays the same and I make up the difference with more fat and carbs. I am dieting for two weeks and eating at maintenance for two weeks based on the results of the MATADOR study - https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/319474.php. Hopefully I can kick off some extra fat so I can wear something besides yoga pants.

 

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