Struggling to lose weight

[soccerdad72]

I know it sounds counter-intuitive, but I would suggest eating more. Metabolism will slow down if your body doesn't think it's getting more food.

ETA - oops, looks like someone already suggested that - skimmed the thread

 

[TAX GUY]

My wife and I are both in our late 40's. The summer of 2019, I had enough of how I felt and how I looked. We started on a nutritional cleanse program. We did ZERO exercise and followed itnto the letter for 30 days. We've since just maintained and kept the weight off, again with little to no exercise. No major surgery or starving ourselves. We eat normal food....
I started at 230ish and dropped 20 pounds in the 30 days. I dropped down to 198 just before the holidays. Still sitting at about 204 as of today. The picture was us in Disney last summer, then after our 30 days.
It can happen, you just need to find what works for you, and you have to be 100% committed....and follow through.

 

[wvjules]

Christine, try these Skinnytaste Cranberry Bliss Bars!

I did Keto (well mostly low carb since I ate processed foods and foods with sugar, flour, wheat, etc) and lost about 15 lbs. Then the holidays came and I ate ALL THE THINGS! I have no self control when it comes to the holidays or eating out. When we go out to eat I eat like I will never eat at that restaurant again. I'm trying to limit us to eating out only 1 day a week and I will consider that day a pass.

I find that if I do a weekly meal plan I do really well. When I'm not prepared is when I fall of the rails. I plan lunches and dinners for the week and never eat lunch out now. Saves $$ and calories.

I do not exercise. I am too lazy for that right now. I am not usually done with dinner until 730ish and don't really feel like working out at that point. For now I will concentrate on eating healthier and hopefully will be motivated to add in exercise sometime in the future.

Good luck OP. Weight loss is hard.

 

[Kellydelly]

Christine, try these Skinnytaste Cranberry Bliss Bars!

You've got me adding dried cranberries to my shopping list, these look interesting!

 

[MrsPete]

I’m not overweight, but I’d love to lose 10 pounds. I’m more than I’d like to be, and all of my clothes feel tight and I’m not at my best.
In the past I could lose weight quickly without much effort. But this has been over a month of trying really hard and getting no results. I’m eating very small, healthy meals, no snacking, cut out alcohol completely, and I’m exercising every day. I either go for a 4 mile walk, or do a tough video workout at home. I haven’t lost an ounce! You would think at some point I’d get some results, right? Could it be my age? I turned 45 a few months ago.
It’s becoming very frustrating. Not sure what more I can even do.

Random thoughts:

- Check all the foods you're eating on a regular basis. Is something you're eating perhaps higher in calories than you believe? Maybe condiments or sauces? For example, I was recently shocked to realize that some chicken stock contains sugar. Who'd have expected that?
- What kind of sugar /calories are you taking in through drinks? Drinks can easily throw you off track.
- Are you avoiding processed foods? Granola bars, for example, are touted as being healthy, but they're really full of sugar.
- Are you eating plenty of vegetables? The one thing that helps me most is eating LOADS of vegetables every day. I aim for 50% of my plate to be veg.
- Have you considered going to a nutritionist or personal trainer for a couple sessions? A professional might see something you're overlooking. Your health insurance may pay for the nutritionist.

 

[RamblingMad]

It doesn’t really matter what does or does not cause it. To lose weight you need to take in less than you burn. That’s science. I am 51 going on 52 and if I decide I want to lose a pound a week I need to eat 3500 (give or take) calories less a week no matter how jacked up my hormones are. For some that might be 3700 for others 3400 or whatever. What needs to be figured out is how much you maintain at and then how much you need to subtract from that to lose. Half the things suggested in this thread like cutting carbs, eliminating alcohol, not drinking sugary drinks, WLS etc. all do the same thing- they cut calories from your diet. At the end of the day it’s all just math.

And then you suffer for an unknown number of years as your body acclimates to weighing less. And the science is uncertain how many years this takes, which is why a lot of people rebound. It’s better to not have put on the weight to begin with.

I posted a scishow video earlier that explains this better than I can. But basically the suffering is real and continues for years. Yuck.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

Over the last several months I have managed to lose a little better than 30 lbs. I am now fitting in my old clothes from a few years ago that I had in a tub labeled #goals. My big goal now is to keep it off.

I am not saying it is the best approach, but I got to where I am doing the low carb thing. I am not sure the total number of carbs I will take in on a daily basis, but I know it is going to be under 70... probably under 50 most days. Typically I will have a couple egg whites for breakfast. I often times do let some of the yolk sneak in there for some better flavor. Lunch and dinner would be some of that bagged salad. I will add some shredded cheese, egg, banana peppers, olives, bacon bits, and maybe just a few croutons. I use dressing that has lower carbs. I found some ranch at Aldi that I like really well. Many evenings I will have some chicken with the evening meal. My treat is plain Greek yogurt. When we go out, I opt for a salad. Sometimes I will allow myself low carb tortilla shells and cheese. I have also been adding a slice of low carb "healthy life" bread into my diet with no bad results.

I no longer eat any sweets, I have completely cut out sodas both diet and regular. I have a very minimal amount of alcohol, maybe 3 glasses of wine a week at the most. I will not eat anything breaded, or any potato products. It seems somewhat limiting, but I like the results, and I needed to lose the weight. I may have to keep this routine forever in order to maintain.

 

[leebee]

I've always been overweight. My entire family has always been overweight. I know that we always ate too much of solid, decent food; my parents never kept things like cookies, ice cream, chips, etc. on hand- but man, could we sock away large quantities of chicken, mashed potatoes, corn casserole, gravy, bread, etc. Trust me, NO 10 year old needs a bowl of cereal, 2 eggs, and 2 pieces of toast for breakfast! As an adult, I tried tracking, weight watchers, diet-n-exercise, Atkins, Jenny Craig, Slim Fast.... you name it, I tried it. As long as I stayed on the diet, I was fine. As soon as I fell off the diet, I gained weight. That's the thing about dieting: Once you find a diet that works, you have to stay on it. It brings into question the wisdom of dieting; what you really need to do is change your lifestyle.

When I hit 287 pounds (at 59 years old) and my always-low blood pressure was creeping up and up, I decided to investigate bariatric surgery, and 3 years ago I had gastric sleeve surgery. I participated in a pretty decent program that combined minimal trial weight loss, nutrition education, an exercise commitment, and eating re-education. I also had to commit to a full-liquid diet for the 2 weeks leading up to the surgery. I started the program in Dec 2015 and had my surgery in September 2016. I have been a "success story." I dropped 110 pounds! My back doesn't hurt anymore, my knees don't hurt anymore, my blood pressure is pretty steady at ~ 125/70. The surgery is the best thing I've ever done for myself and also the hardest thing I've ever undertaken.

Re-educating myself as to how to eat wasn't just something to do in the pre- and early post-surgery days. I still have to eat that way, and always will. I can tolerate between 1/2 cup and 3/4 of a cup of food at one sitting, depending on what the food-type is. I ALWAYS have to eat the protein first- Rule 1 is maintain the protein intake. Everything has to be cut up into tiny bites and chewed up like crazy, due to the reduced stomach capacity and reduced digestive enzymes my body produces now. If I haven't finished a meal within 30 minutes of starting, I stop eating. I can't eat anything I want, just in smaller portions, because my body won't tolerate certain foods (rice, bread, pasta, for example). Now when I get full, it's not the uncomfortable "full" feeling we all know after a huge, carb-heavy Thanksgiving meal. Now, it's pain. Just plain pain, and it's not always associated with the quantity consumed; type of food also can cause pain, even eaten in the right amount. I'll never again feel that "awful/amazing" feeling of being satisfied after eating a big meal. While it sounds gross, that's part of becoming, being, and living as an overweight person. Food=satisfaction... except it doesn't anymore. That is the hardest thing to accept; you are prepared for the physical limitations, but nothing can prepare you for the psychological adjustment. That is the hardest part of bariatric weight loss- accepting the psychological changes you MUST make to be successful at this.

I am 3+ years post surgery and still struggle. In addition to my eating challenges, my hair and nails will never be what they were. I still take a specific group of vitamin and mineral supplements, and always will. I sometimes have some pretty severe gastric reflux that is managed by proton pump inhibitors, but those can't be taken long-term, so it's a cyclic balance. I gained 4 pounds over the holidays this year- I was basically on vacation for 6 weeks, and while I still ate small portions, I snacked on all the holiday goodies (1/2 a bliss bar, a sliver of cake, a cookie, dip with my veggies- or chips with my dip- etc) and drank more than I should have. I am horrified/terrified. I didn't let them cut out my stomach to regain the weight!!! I am back to measuring portions, making meal plans (instead of pulling something out of the freezer/fridge), etc. I know the weight will come off, I know how to eat now, but I am STILL learning how to balance the dietary/physical restrictions with my psychological/emotional needs. I am not sure that this part will ever change. I am SO happy that I had the surgery, lost the weight, and am physically and mentally more healthy than ever before in my life, BUT it's not a magic bullet. There is no choosing to "not diet" anymore. It's the hardest thing I've ever done, and it changes your life forever.

Saying "I'll have this tool to help me and I'll have the last laugh" is nothing but a prescription and attitude that will bring about failure over time.

 

[mnrose]

Leebee, I have so much respect for what you've written. Changing your weight ultimately involves changing your mindset....without that, no weight loss "tool" or diet is going to work. You are an inspiration. Good for you!

 

[Ariel484]

I am lucky to have free access to a nutritionist through work, and recently saw one to help me lose the last of the pregnancy weight I had gained (62 pounds...eek, do not recommend). I thought I was eating decently, and was doing a group fitness class 5 times per week (Orangetheory Fitness - which is high-intensity interval training and mixes both cardio and strength training). I just couldn't get the last 5-10 pounds off. Before the nutritionist appointment, I wrote down everything I typically ate in a week and when my workouts were so that she could see everything laid out. She suggested 2 changes - keeping daily sugar consumption to no more than 25 grams (specifically - switching out my usual order of a grande sweet cream cold brew from Starbucks [14 grams of sugar, so over half of the daily target she had given me] for a grande regular coffee with half & half [less than 1 gram of sugar]) and actually decreasing my workouts from 5 times per week to 3 times per week. To my surprise, this actually did work for me and I was able to bust through a plateau I'd been stuck at for a couple of months and lose the rest of the weight.

@emer95 if you have access to a dietitian/nutritionist, it may help you out. I don't know if this is the case for you, but my working out 5 times per week was making me feel incredibly low-energy and exhausted...so now that I work out less, I find that when I do work out, I can "go harder," and I don't get that exhausted feeling the rest of the time anymore. In my case, I needed a professional to tweak some small things in my routine that I couldn't see for myself.



Also, in regards to previous posts...strength training IS good for you. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/strength-training/art-20046670
(Edited because I found a better link)

 

[robinb]

I know it sounds counter-intuitive, but I would suggest eating more. Metabolism will slow down if your body doesn't think it's getting more food.

ETA - oops, looks like someone already suggested that - skimmed the thread

I would also suggest more protein for the OP. It’s hard to do as a vegetarian, but she can add some protein powder or chia to her breakfast and chickpeas or beans to her lunch salad.

 

[piccolopat]

I've always been overweight. My entire family has always been overweight. I know that we always ate too much of solid, decent food; my parents never kept things like cookies, ice cream, chips, etc. on hand- but man, could we sock away large quantities of chicken, mashed potatoes, corn casserole, gravy, bread, etc. Trust me, NO 10 year old needs a bowl of cereal, 2 eggs, and 2 pieces of toast for breakfast! As an adult, I tried tracking, weight watchers, diet-n-exercise, Atkins, Jenny Craig, Slim Fast.... you name it, I tried it. As long as I stayed on the diet, I was fine. As soon as I fell off the diet, I gained weight. That's the thing about dieting: Once you find a diet that works, you have to stay on it. It brings into question the wisdom of dieting; what you really need to do is change your lifestyle.

When I hit 287 pounds (at 59 years old) and my always-low blood pressure was creeping up and up, I decided to investigate bariatric surgery, and 3 years ago I had gastric sleeve surgery. I participated in a pretty decent program that combined minimal trial weight loss, nutrition education, an exercise commitment, and eating re-education. I also had to commit to a full-liquid diet for the 2 weeks leading up to the surgery. I started the program in Dec 2015 and had my surgery in September 2016. I have been a "success story." I dropped 110 pounds! My back doesn't hurt anymore, my knees don't hurt anymore, my blood pressure is pretty steady at ~ 125/70. The surgery is the best thing I've ever done for myself and also the hardest thing I've ever undertaken.

Re-educating myself as to how to eat wasn't just something to do in the pre- and early post-surgery days. I still have to eat that way, and always will. I can tolerate between 1/2 cup and 3/4 of a cup of food at one sitting, depending on what the food-type is. I ALWAYS have to eat the protein first- Rule 1 is maintain the protein intake. Everything has to be cut up into tiny bites and chewed up like crazy, due to the reduced stomach capacity and reduced digestive enzymes my body produces now. If I haven't finished a meal within 30 minutes of starting, I stop eating. I can't eat anything I want, just in smaller portions, because my body won't tolerate certain foods (rice, bread, pasta, for example). Now when I get full, it's not the uncomfortable "full" feeling we all know after a huge, carb-heavy Thanksgiving meal. Now, it's pain. Just plain pain, and it's not always associated with the quantity consumed; type of food also can cause pain, even eaten in the right amount. I'll never again feel that "awful/amazing" feeling of being satisfied after eating a big meal. While it sounds gross, that's part of becoming, being, and living as an overweight person. Food=satisfaction... except it doesn't anymore. That is the hardest thing to accept; you are prepared for the physical limitations, but nothing can prepare you for the psychological adjustment. That is the hardest part of bariatric weight loss- accepting the psychological changes you MUST make to be successful at this.

I am 3+ years post surgery and still struggle. In addition to my eating challenges, my hair and nails will never be what they were. I still take a specific group of vitamin and mineral supplements, and always will. I sometimes have some pretty severe gastric reflux that is managed by proton pump inhibitors, but those can't be taken long-term, so it's a cyclic balance. I gained 4 pounds over the holidays this year- I was basically on vacation for 6 weeks, and while I still ate small portions, I snacked on all the holiday goodies (1/2 a bliss bar, a sliver of cake, a cookie, dip with my veggies- or chips with my dip- etc) and drank more than I should have. I am horrified/terrified. I didn't let them cut out my stomach to regain the weight!!! I am back to measuring portions, making meal plans (instead of pulling something out of the freezer/fridge), etc. I know the weight will come off, I know how to eat now, but I am STILL learning how to balance the dietary/physical restrictions with my psychological/emotional needs. I am not sure that this part will ever change. I am SO happy that I had the surgery, lost the weight, and am physically and mentally more healthy than ever before in my life, BUT it's not a magic bullet. There is no choosing to "not diet" anymore. It's the hardest thing I've ever done, and it changes your life forever.

Saying "I'll have this tool to help me and I'll have the last laugh" is nothing but a prescription and attitude that will bring about failure over time.

I'm sorry you have these difficulties post-surgery. It is exactly why I decided that surgery was not for me. I lost almost 30 pounds over a period of 5 years but that was far from enough. I've now lost an additional 80 pounds over the last 16 months on Weight Watchers. It is an adjustment for sure but I can eat anything I want if I plan for it. Ultimately I found that once my head was fully in the game, the "diet" was much easier. I'm building an eating plan for life and am just now starting to add in exercise. I only have 45 pounds more to go and so happy I chose this way to get healthy. Hope things get easier for you.

 

[Kitty 34]

I've always been overweight. My entire family has always been overweight. I know that we always ate too much of solid, decent food; my parents never kept things like cookies, ice cream, chips, etc. on hand- but man, could we sock away large quantities of chicken, mashed potatoes, corn casserole, gravy, bread, etc. Trust me, NO 10 year old needs a bowl of cereal, 2 eggs, and 2 pieces of toast for breakfast! As an adult, I tried tracking, weight watchers, diet-n-exercise, Atkins, Jenny Craig, Slim Fast.... you name it, I tried it. As long as I stayed on the diet, I was fine. As soon as I fell off the diet, I gained weight. That's the thing about dieting: Once you find a diet that works, you have to stay on it. It brings into question the wisdom of dieting; what you really need to do is change your lifestyle.

When I hit 287 pounds (at 59 years old) and my always-low blood pressure was creeping up and up, I decided to investigate bariatric surgery, and 3 years ago I had gastric sleeve surgery. I participated in a pretty decent program that combined minimal trial weight loss, nutrition education, an exercise commitment, and eating re-education. I also had to commit to a full-liquid diet for the 2 weeks leading up to the surgery. I started the program in Dec 2015 and had my surgery in September 2016. I have been a "success story." I dropped 110 pounds! My back doesn't hurt anymore, my knees don't hurt anymore, my blood pressure is pretty steady at ~ 125/70. The surgery is the best thing I've ever done for myself and also the hardest thing I've ever undertaken.

Re-educating myself as to how to eat wasn't just something to do in the pre- and early post-surgery days. I still have to eat that way, and always will. I can tolerate between 1/2 cup and 3/4 of a cup of food at one sitting, depending on what the food-type is. I ALWAYS have to eat the protein first- Rule 1 is maintain the protein intake. Everything has to be cut up into tiny bites and chewed up like crazy, due to the reduced stomach capacity and reduced digestive enzymes my body produces now. If I haven't finished a meal within 30 minutes of starting, I stop eating. I can't eat anything I want, just in smaller portions, because my body won't tolerate certain foods (rice, bread, pasta, for example). Now when I get full, it's not the uncomfortable "full" feeling we all know after a huge, carb-heavy Thanksgiving meal. Now, it's pain. Just plain pain, and it's not always associated with the quantity consumed; type of food also can cause pain, even eaten in the right amount. I'll never again feel that "awful/amazing" feeling of being satisfied after eating a big meal. While it sounds gross, that's part of becoming, being, and living as an overweight person. Food=satisfaction... except it doesn't anymore. That is the hardest thing to accept; you are prepared for the physical limitations, but nothing can prepare you for the psychological adjustment. That is the hardest part of bariatric weight loss- accepting the psychological changes you MUST make to be successful at this.

I am 3+ years post surgery and still struggle. In addition to my eating challenges, my hair and nails will never be what they were. I still take a specific group of vitamin and mineral supplements, and always will. I sometimes have some pretty severe gastric reflux that is managed by proton pump inhibitors, but those can't be taken long-term, so it's a cyclic balance. I gained 4 pounds over the holidays this year- I was basically on vacation for 6 weeks, and while I still ate small portions, I snacked on all the holiday goodies (1/2 a bliss bar, a sliver of cake, a cookie, dip with my veggies- or chips with my dip- etc) and drank more than I should have. I am horrified/terrified. I didn't let them cut out my stomach to regain the weight!!! I am back to measuring portions, making meal plans (instead of pulling something out of the freezer/fridge), etc. I know the weight will come off, I know how to eat now, but I am STILL learning how to balance the dietary/physical restrictions with my psychological/emotional needs. I am not sure that this part will ever change. I am SO happy that I had the surgery, lost the weight, and am physically and mentally more healthy than ever before in my life, BUT it's not a magic bullet. There is no choosing to "not diet" anymore. It's the hardest thing I've ever done, and it changes your life forever.

Saying "I'll have this tool to help me and I'll have the last laugh" is nothing but a prescription and attitude that will bring about failure over time.

Leebee, your post deserves a big

 

[leebee]

Thanks to everyone who is so supportive of my weight loss journey. I didn't post to be an "oh poor me." I just wanted to give the PP who is taking gastric sleeve surgery lightly some insight as to what it is really like. Because of the support groups run by my program, I know lots of people who have had bariatric surgery. The truth is that you MUST be prepared to change your entire relationship with food, and your outlook about it, or you aren't going to succeed... tool or not. Even with the challenges, even with the things I'm going to miss, I still believe that having sleeve surgery was the best decision I've ever made for myself- but none of it's been easy.

 

[emer95]

Thanks for all of the replies! @robinb i definitely agree that I need more protein. That has always been a struggle for me.
@Ariel484, a nutritionist is a really good idea. I want to be strong and healthy, not just thinner.
I feel like I hit the re-set button and I’m having a great week with food/exercise. My weigh in day is Friday. Hoping there’s at least a nudge in the right direction!

 

[Christine]

Thanks for all of the replies! @robinb i definitely agree that I need more protein. That has always been a struggle for me.
@Ariel484, a nutritionist is a really good idea. I want to be strong and healthy, not just thinner.
I feel like I hit the re-set button and I’m having a great week with food/exercise. My weigh in day is Friday. Hoping there’s at least a nudge in the right direction!

Good luck! Hopefully it will go in the right direction soon. Sometimes it just takes a while. My friend, who a I posted about a few pages back, finally got the scale to move. She was almost at 3 weeks of a calorie deficit (1600 baseline but she had a few days where she was at 1400 just by chance). She works out with a personal trainer once a week, hard exercises on her own for 2 other days, and her overall lifestyle is very active/busy. She's about 40 pounds overweight. Anyway, the scale finally dropped!

 

[FlightlessDuck]

I don't have any secret. I know "burn more calories than you eat" is supposed to work, but I was stuck at a weight for several months over the late fall this past year even though I getting 10k steps every day and doing an hour of weight training 3 times a week.

And then, all of a sudden, I've lost 5lbs over the last two weeks.

Over the holidays I wasn't tracking calories, but then I got serious about it again and, I dunno, but it's working so far right now. We'll see if it continues.

 

[J'aime Paris]

Has anyone heard of or used Pruvit products?
A neighbor is using it with good results....I'm kinda apprehensive of fad type things though...

 

[wvjules]

I don't know what it is but don't use it.

 

[wenrob]

Has anyone heard of or used Pruvit products?
A neighbor is using it with good results....I'm kinda apprehensive of fad type things though...

The only thing it will make lighter is your wallet. You’re doing good! Don’t get wrapped up in hurrying the process. It takes time and you’ll build good habits along the way.