Having problems losing weight. HELP!

[Wilnet]

I know that there are many factors when it comes to weight loss/gain. Food, Genetics, Age, & Activity. I am just wondering if there is anyone who can help me understand what foods are best for a certain type of metabolism. I have been heavy most of my life. EVERYONE in my immediate family is heavy. I have tried many things to lose weight. Right now I am trying to eat clean. I eat veggies, some fruit, proteins. I make sure to eat complex carbs, and good fats. I make sure I workout regularly usually 3-6 times per week. I don't know if there is something I am missing, is there a certain kind of food I should be eating that I am not (more protein? more carbs? more fat?)but I am getting frustrated. I have lost weight, but throughout the last month I have only lost 2 lbs it's as if my body is getting used to what I eat and is ammuned to losing anymore weight. Is it that my metabolism is messed up from all of the dieting that I did years ago, and know that I am trying to lose weight the right way it's too late? I have no clue what is going on right now, but if anyone has any suggestions I am listening.

[Amanda76]

Post your current, detailed diet including a calorie and macronutrient (protein/carbs/fats) breakdown. If you don't know how to track such things, enter the foods you've been eating into fitday.com for an easy, decent estimate that's free.

If you don't have any information to enter, keeping track will be the first step in figuring out what is going wrong.

...and it's never too late to lose weight the right way.

[Wilnet]

Breakfast
Regular Coffee, 2 cup (8 fl oz)
Quaker Instant Oatmeal, Weight Control, Maple and Brown Sugar, 1 serving
One A Day Weight Smart Multivitamin Vitamin, 1 serving

Lunch
Michelina's Chicken Alfredo Florentine, 1 serving
Turkey Burger, Jennie-O, 4 oz


Dinner
Newman's Own Creamy Caesar Dressing, 4 tbsp
Wonder 100% Whole Wheat bread, 2 slices, 1 serving
McDonald's Caesar Salad with Grilled Chicken, 1 serving

Designer Whey Protein, 24 gram(s)
Designer Whey Protein, 24 gram(s)
Designer Whey Protein, 24 gram(s)

Calories
1,585

Fat
68

Carbs
107

Protein
132

I workout during the afternoon. I have a protein shake on my way home from a work out, and fix lunch as soon as I get home.

Water intake:
On a daily basis I will drink about 100 to 160 oz of water. I make sure to keep track of how many 20 oz of water I drink per day.


Let me know of there is anything that should or shouldn't be eaten. As far as the ceasar dressing for the salad, I usually use italian, but I was craving something different.

[rubes00]

One thing I noticed was that you have no protein source in your first meal... one of the most important. I would cut out the instant oatmeal, IMO its crap. Use real old fashioned oats and have a few eggs here. This will also give you some healthy fats, because I dont see any of those either? If you're not having any luck on this diet I would say that you have too much processed food in there. Make your own turkey burgers, ceasar salad, etc. And maybe try a whole grain bread instead of a whole wheat one (these are just as useless as white breads)!!

[cindys76]

Originally Posted by rubes00

One thing I noticed was that you have no protein source in your first meal... one of the most important. I would cut out the instant oatmeal, IMO its crap. Use real old fashioned oats and have a few eggs here. This will also give you some healthy fats, because I dont see any of those either? If you're not having any luck on this diet I would say that you have too much processed food in there. Make your own turkey burgers, ceasar salad, etc. And maybe try a whole grain bread instead of a whole wheat one (these are just as useless as white breads)!!

I agree with rubes00 - try to eliminate as much of the processed foods as you can. I will gain 2-3 pounds of water weight if I eat too much processed foods. Most processed foods contain tons of salt/sodium. Also, be careful with the wheat breads - most are basically colored white breads and don't contain much in the way of fiber. When I buy bread, I only look at the fiber per serving and the calories. Also, normal oatmeal usually cooks up as quick as the instant kind - only with fewer calories for the same amount.

[Amanda76]

Originally Posted by rubes00

One thing I noticed was that you have no protein source in your first meal... one of the most important. I would cut out the instant oatmeal, IMO its crap. Use real old fashioned oats and have a few eggs here. This will also give you some healthy fats, because I dont see any of those either? If you're not having any luck on this diet I would say that you have too much processed food in there. Make your own turkey burgers, ceasar salad, etc. And maybe try a whole grain bread instead of a whole wheat one (these are just as useless as white breads)!!

x2

You are eating WAY too much processed food (protein powder is a processed food). Taking the above suggestions will help with the issue of tiredness that you stated in your other thread as well.

612 calories are coming from fat (39%)
528 are coming from protein (34%)
428 are coming from carbs (27%)

I'd suggest eating more balanced meals (protein, carbs and fats all represented or at least 3 meals that way with snacks consisting of a protein/carb or protein/fat combo) and try going for 40% protein, 40% carbs and 20% fats for a while. It doesn't have to be exact but it does need to be from cleaner sources than what you have been eating.

Old fashioned oats will give you more sustained energy and don't take any longer to nuke than overly processed, packaged oats. They're also cheaper.

If you cook rice ahead of time, it's as easy to reheat as your Michelina meal and will keep you satisfied longer. Add some veggies to your turkey patty and rice and you have a real meal. Most of your meals should be similar (protein powder is not a complete meal).

Complex carbs should be coming from brown rice (or try red...even kids seem to love that stuff), sweet potatos, oats and things of that nature. Bleached flour is not a good source. Foods that look completely different from how they came out of the ground are typically not a good source. If you must eat bread, look for sprouted grain breads...or at least make sure a stone ground grain is the first ingredient.

McDonald's chicken breast has ingredients other than chicken breast and does not have the texture of chicken breast. Bad sign.

It looks like most of your fat is coming from alfredo sauce and ceasar salad dressing. Find other ways to add flavor to your food. It needs to be coming from sources like fish and nuts.

You need to consume a lot more veggies than you have been.

[c0ldhart]

I found that when I cut out the shakes and added back the same caloric intake in the form of solid food (with lots of meat/eggs, ie protein) I wasn't tired, I wasn't hungry (honestly it took me TWO weeks to get up to 1800 cals, I just couldn't eat it all), and upped my calories to 1800 vs 1550... I started losing weight and feeling BETTER immediately.

You will lose the weight. You are willing to work for it, so it will go. Give yourself some more calories, just make them out of the ground and off the hoof... if you're house has a lot of packaged stuff in it... STOP EATING IT. All of those chemicals really mess with your body and your metabolism...

for veggies... try the new steamer bags... easy to throw in the microwave, maybe that'll will save you some time too...

I hope this helps.

[TurbulentFluid]

Originally Posted by Wilnet

. I have been heavy most of my life. EVERYONE in my immediate family is heavy.

Been there. Now I'm fit and healthy.
The reason why this happens is often because families share same bad feeding habits and lack of exercise, don't blame genetics and lose your spirits!

Laziness is often an inherited behaviour. If you wanna live healthy you better fire up ol' McOven, pull out the ol' McCookBook - the one your Italian of French McGrandma left you, not a brand McNew one - take out the ol' rusty McPans (ok, you can buy new ones too) and make yourself 4-6 daily McMeals! Visit a McRestaurant when you absolutely HAVE to, to maintain your McSocial life, don't eat out as a rule! And when you're GOING to eat out, then eat out like a human being, in a REAL restaurant, not like a dog in a McFastfood place. (Actually dog food has much more nutritious ingredients than a McSalad. If you MUST eat a McBurger, consider eating a healthy can of Whiskas instead, tastes better too... ).

I agree with the posters who said cut out the shakes and stuff. When you go with low cal, low GI foods and exclude all liquid calories (that includes shakes too), you'll end up having problems getting all the calories in in the first place, and you certainly won't go hungry!

[Muppetcaper]

Originally Posted by TurbulentFluid

Been there. Now I'm fit and healthy.
The reason why this happens is often because families share same bad feeding habits and lack of exercise, don't blame genetics and lose your spirits!

Laziness is often an inherited behaviour. If you wanna live healthy you better fire up ol' McOven, pull out the ol' McCookBook - the one your Italian of French McGrandma left you, not a brand McNew one - take out the ol' rusty McPans (ok, you can buy new ones too) and make yourself 4-6 daily McMeals! Visit a McRestaurant when you absolutely HAVE to, to maintain your McSocial life, don't eat out as a rule! And when you're GOING to eat out, then eat out like a human being, in a REAL restaurant, not like a dog in a McFastfood place. (Actually dog food has much more nutritious ingredients than a McSalad. If you MUST eat a McBurger, consider eating a healthy can of Whiskas instead, tastes better too... ).

I agree with the posters who said cut out the shakes and stuff. When you go with low cal, low GI foods and exclude all liquid calories (that includes shakes too), you'll end up having problems getting all the calories in in the first place, and you certainly won't go hungry!

McAWESOME response!!!!

Honey - I don't know much, but I do know this: If it comes out of a window, it's probably not going to be good for you! Eat cheaper by preparing your meals at home and taking them with you. Save your fast food money for a nice dinner out to a steak house (where they have grilled REAL meat, salads and veggies!)

xoxo
Amy