Weight loss help

[trigurl]

Since my first post on this thread I have been counting calories
I figured I could eat 2000 and lose some weight, so I have been trying to eat about 600 each meal and divide the rest up on my snacks. My scales haven't moved but I am exactly where I was to begin with, 153, usually I go right back up to 155 whenever I drop below 155. So far I am thinking this is a good thing, maybe by the first of the week I will be down a pound, that will be about 7 days and one pound a week is good. If I don't lose I will drop about 200 calories a day and see if that works. I hate counting calories but.... if it works it will be worth it.

I actually feel like I am eating more food now - I think I wasn't eating enough during the day and at night I was making up for it by eating until I was stuffed.

Thanks everyone for your help, hopefully I am on the right track now.

[jobob]

Nancy Clark has also written a lot of good articles for the Adventure Cyclist, which is the magazine put out by the Adventure Cycling Association.

Many of her articles can be viewed via the library archive on their website:

go to http://www.adventurecycling.org/library/index.cfm
and type ' nancy clark ' into the search box - no need to select a category - and then click on the pointy-finger icon.

- jobob

[trigurl]

Heck!!!! I got a new scale Fri. night Sat morning I weighed 153 on it which is almost the same from my old scale - I'll take it - Sun morning I weighed 151.5 YEAH, it is working, this morning I weighed 154.5 I counted my calories too, I can see why some people can't lose weight, a set back like that gets very frustrating, I know I shouldn't weigh every day but it is an old habit and I have and can't seem to stop

This is my easy week for training so I am cutting my calories a little more so hopefully I will find the right balance soon.

[slinkedog]

Try doing it only once or twice a week. Water retention could be a major factor in the fluctuations you see, and remember to take into account your monthly cycle. I'm always heavier right before and during my period... a good 2 or 3 pounds.

[trigurl]

I know its a bad habit but I am used to the ups and downs now and don't fret much, but that was a whopping jump. I am curious to see what I am at tomorrow!

[trigurl]

Oh yeah, when I didn't weigh regularly I got up to 195lbs. its my reality check I suppose

[slinkedog]

Also, remember that most experts say that a reasonable goal for women is 1 -2 lbs. per week. Don't expect too much too soon and don't fall off the wagon just because of a discouraging weigh-in or a cheating binge here or there. Just forgive yourself or whatever you need to do and get back on the program! You'll get there!

[LBTC]

we're all friends here...so here's my advice on a good relationship with the scale:

weekly. I use saturday. I make sure that I've had a bowel movement before and have had nothing to eat. I weigh myself completely naked. If there is any reason that I cannot achieve all these variables (if I ate too soon, my bowels didn't do their thing...whatever), I do not weigh myself. I hate to second guess what the darned thing says!! You can get over your habit, and you'll be saner for it!!

oh, and I know what you mean about not regularly using a scale. I tell people all the time: never get depressed in a house that has no full length mirror and no scale!! (I'm a teeny little thing...happy to be around 120, though still have some padding I hope to lose once we're seriously riding....without those two items, in the depths of a depression I saw 145 on a scale one day. that was my wakeup call!)

Keep trying! And never, ever beat yourself up over any of it! Have fun, strive to eat healthy food, and keep active!

Namaste,
~T~

[bounceswoosh]

Nancy Clark has also written a lot of good articles for the Adventure Cyclist, which is the magazine put out by the Adventure Cycling Association.

Many of her articles can be viewed via the library archive on their website:

go to http://www.adventurecycling.org/library/index.cfm
and type ' nancy clark ' into the search box - no need to select a category - and then click on the pointy-finger icon.

- jobob

Geez, I almost wish I hadn't looked. Here's a quote from her article "Fighting Fat with Exercise Myths, Truths and Gender Differences":

Men and women differ in their response to exercise.
That is, men who add on exercise are likely to lose more
weight than do women. In one study with previously sedentary,
normal weight men and women who participated in an
18-month marathon training program, the men increased
their intake by about 500 calories per day; the women
increased by only 60 calories –– despite having added on 50
miles per week of running. The men lost about 5 pounds of
fat; the women none (Int'l J Sports Med, Vol 10 (S1),1989).
Similarly, other studies suggest normal weight women fail
to lose fat when they add on exercise.
Lean female athletes, in particular, struggle harder than
do males to lose body fat and maintain an even leaner
physique. In terms of evolution, nature wants women to
have fat and be fertile; men are supposed to be lean hunters.

[trigurl]

I say we write a letter to Mother Nature in protest! this just doesn't seem fair. The other thing is she gives us T.O.M. then takes it away, what's up with that

[alison_in_oh]

Heya. Are you on LJ? Your tribulations sound familiar from someone whose journal I found on the trigeeks group.

For endurance training, Chris Carmichael says you need about 50-60% of calories as carbo, 10-15% as protein, and about 30% as fat. To snack without throwing off a diet, get thee protein, fat, and a little carbo for a boost, staying power, and satiety (nuts, seeds, yogurt, cheese). But otherwise, base your diet on the principles of healthful eating: get lots of veggies of many colors, whole-grain and low-gi carbos, high-quality protein, not too much animal fat and plenty of vegetable fat, don't forget your essential fatty acids, try to avoid hydrogenated fat and high fructose corn syrup at all costs. I love Andrew Weil's no-nonsense explanations of macronutrients, micronutrients, and what your body needs. (drweil.com) Your low-gi carbos (see glycemicindex.com) will provide the muscle glycogen and blood sugar you need for your training so try not to skimp on them.

Unfortunately you kind of have to focus on one goal at a time. Build power -- and eat to fuel your body; OR lose weight -- and ease up on the training. There are some good articles on this site: http://www.roadcycling.com/training/ in particular this one: http://www.roadcycling.com/news/article900.shtml is about that plateau that athletes invariably hit for those last 5 to 10 lbs.!

Finally, remember that as a woman, your body needs fat for a lot of reasons including proper generation of estrogen, and it's going to hang onto that fat if at all possible. Below 20% bodyfat and you're infringing on your reproductive system; below 15% and you run the risk of losing your period and possibly even doing long-term damage. I have to recommend getting comfortable with your body image with some padding, unless your sport is important enough for you to take those risks.

Good luck!

[bounceswoosh]

I say we write a letter to Mother Nature in protest! this just doesn't seem fair. The other thing is she gives us T.O.M. then takes it away, what's up with that

What's T.O.M.?

[LBTC]

Snappypix, your salads sound great!! Summertime we make a huge salad with a bag of coleslaw, the kind of veggies and beans that you mentioned, and more, and season it with spices, not dressing, and it lasts for a couple of days. In winter I can't really get into that, and make more "hearty" foods, freeze them in portions and eat those for lunch. Your salad sounded so great and made my tummy rumble - tonight I just might make the first one of the season - a sure sign of spring!!

MM and SP, I like your philosophies a lot. They both dovetail with and were part of my weight loss strategy (and my DH's) from a few years ago. Sometimes I forget about portion control....oops...but usually I'm pretty good about it.


There's a new book that sounds fun: French Women don't get fat...and the ideas they mentioned when I saw the piece about it on the news were very similar. nothing is forbidden...make any indulgence worth it - you've got to really love it - don't eat too much....enjoy your food.... those kinds of notions. sounds like words we can live by! <smile>

hmmmm...is it lunchtime yet? haha

You can do it! All of you (and me too!) yay us!

Namaste,
~T~

[trigurl]

TOM is time of month. No I am not on another forum only this one.

I do tend to obsess some but not to the point where it becomes dangerous

I hear all of ya! if we stick together we can do it. Maybe we need a new topic on diet/food or something similar.

I made some hummus last night from a vegetarian cookbook, OMG is it good! I used great northern beans and some spices mmm mmm,I had some in 2 pita pockets with l/f cheez and spinach then a l/f pudding, I haven't been hungry since! Usually by now (3:00) I am hungry.

So on to exercise, it is 50 now, snow coming tonight, I have my bike in my van, but alas I only have running shorts I suppose I will go run a bit then hit the gym for my weight workout.

[SnappyPix]

Snappypix, your salads sound great!! Summertime we make a huge salad with a bag of coleslaw, the kind of veggies and beans that you mentioned, and more, and season it with spices, not dressing, and it lasts for a couple of days. In winter I can't really get into that, and make more "hearty" foods, freeze them in portions and eat those for lunch. Your salad sounded so great and made my tummy rumble - tonight I just might make the first one of the season - a sure sign of spring!!

Mmmm - sounds good! I'm a huge salad fan, and love to experiment with different stuff - I get pots of "hot seed mix" from the local health food store - chilli seeds mixed with sunflower, sesame, linseed and pumkin, and sprinkle a little on top - makes me eat my salads slower as I can't gulp those chillis! In winter I try putting in things like pearl barley and different beans, to give it a bit more of a substantial base - and lots of fresh herbs to give flavour (usually cilantro/coriander).
MM - good point about savouring the food you eat - I've made a concerted effort in the last few weeks to chew more, make sure I've emptied one mouthful before I'm stabbing for the next, that kind of thing - it's more effort, but I'm enjoying my food more and going for feeling satiated through taste rather than fullness.
Yay TE girls - we can do it!