Warning - this is a long post with a lot of details.
Good morning, my blogger peeps...
So I weighed in officially this morning, fully expecting to see the same number as YESTERDAY.
But I didn't. I did not see 204.4
I saw 205.4
Are you F'ing kidding me?
Now look, I know for a fact that I didn't gain a real pound of fat overnight. However, I have no explanation for this at all. I mean, I seriously have been COMPLETLY dilligent about weighing, measuring, logging. My calories have been awesome.
I have no logical explanation.
I have no real words, honestly.
So, I need to obviously make more changes.
This is my meal plan for today. I will note then changes that I think may need to be made...
Click (espresso protein powder - 2 scoops, 1 serving) and 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk, water, ice. ** (160 cals total)
B: Morningstar Vegetarian sausage** (160 cal) , 1 oz (2 tbs) natural peanut butter (peanuts and salt, only)(200 cal)
L: 1 romaine heart, (16 cal) .5 red bell pepper (15 cals), .5 serving (about 7) baby carrots (17.5 cals), 2 tbs less-oil home made salad dressing (Good Seasons) (70 cals), 1/2 cup garbanzo beans (110 cals).
S: 1 peach (179 grams) (66 cals)
D: I'm actually not sure yet. I have logged all of the above, and it gives me a whopping 269 calories left for dinner. Looks like another salad would be in the works.
** So, these are the things I think I need to change. The Click is great. It's got protein, is very low in sugar, and I treat it as my coffee in the morning. However, I think the time has come to get rid of it. That is 160 calories better used elsewhere. It's not a whole food.
**The Morningstar Farms veggie sausage is soy based. It has become a staple for me. However, I think perhaps, because it is more processed, that it should go as well.
So, this is a fairly typical day for me. I like to eat a lot of the same foods over and over. Lunch may be this salad, or it may be 1 cup of vegetarian chili, or ground chicken breast or turkey breast made into chili or spiced Mexican style. I also do mini meatballs made of the above, with homemade tomato sauce (NO jar sauce for this girl! YUCK)
One thing noticeably absent today that is normal is cheese. I DO eat cheese. I eat Cabot 75% less fat cheddar (60 cals per 1 oz) almost exclusively. And because I was moving away from meat, I was using it more for protein. At max, I was eating 4 oz a day (at various times), or as little as 2 oz. I will likely have 2 oz tonight with my dinner, depending on what I have.
A few more bad habits I need to break. I love Diet Dr. Pepper. way. too. much. This, I know, must go. Nutritionally devoid crap. I currently drink about 16 oz a day. Also, just recently, (and MUCH easier to part with) is using a little Crystal Light in my water. No need. It's already gone. I drink about 70 oz of water a day.
One last thing to add is I exercise in some form at least 5 days per week. 3 of those days are HIIT workouts, tabata and circuit style workouts. The others are cardio (running, cardio kickboxing). I am lifting weights around 2x per week.
I am laying it out there, totally honestly. Because I REALLY want to know what the hell I am doing wrong.
So, what do I need from YOU - my blogger peeps?? I need the following, if you would be so kind:
-Honest appraisal of a day-in-my-food, as above. Do you think the switches I am thinking of would work?
-Ideas for breakfast - I like oatmeal, but I am hungry like, an hour later, even with adding some PB and fruit. I do NOT like eggs, usually, so a basic scrambled or hard boiled egg is not going to do it. They make me gag. It also needs to be something I can have at work.
Of course, any other thoughts are appreciated. Even if it's just to say to keep going the way I am going. Maybe it just needs more time? Why won't my body respond to this, dammit?? I want this SO BAD.
Thanks guys!
ETA: Some other foods I eat that I didn't think of earlier - sometimes I will have 1/2 sweet potato, or corn. On occasion I will eat quinoa. These are all portioned and weighed and of course logged. These are really the only starches I eat right now. I also use 1-2 servings (5-10) green olives on my salad. Which leads me to my next addition:
SALT - duh?? Why was I not thinking of this? MUST. WORK. ON. DECREASING. SALT.
Hi! Here's my thoughts:
ReplyDeleteCheck the sodium level on those MorningStar products. I bet there is a ton of salt in it and that could be the cause of your temporary gain. And yes, I agree - you would be better off to limit these processed 'healthy' foods.
Also consider limiting peanut butter while you are trying to drop weight. It's really hard to at that in it's proper amount. Try and get healthy fats from other sources (coconut oil, avocado etc).
Getting rid of the soda is a must, but you know that!!
I see how breakfast could be a challenge for you since you don't like eggs. So I would consider thinking outside the box for breakfast and eat grilled chicken, broccoli, steak etc. Or you can do a greek yogurt/almond milk smoothie with fruits.
You are awesome & your hard work will pay off!
You know, as soon as you said it, I went back to my Livestrong page, where I log all my food, and took a hard look at my sodium over all - it's WAY TOO HIGH. That has never seemed to effect me before, but my body is different now. I am going to put that on the *change list* STAT. THANKS SO MUCH!
DeleteThe PB I try to keep at just 2 tbs per day. I also love almonds, but try to do one or the other on any given day. Otherwise, they would drive my calories out of control.
I have never tried coconut oil. How is it?
Thanks again for the suggestions!
It's funny how when you get to a certain stage of your weight loss, things that never affected you before start to make a big difference!!
DeleteI really can't have nut butters of any kind because I inhale them so fast. Sometimes I just get the hiccups. Sometimes, I almost choke. lol
Coconut oil is good!! Expensive but will last ya a while!
Awh, my heart is breaking for you, because I know just how you feel.
ReplyDeleteWeight is crazy. I can only imagine when I go up on the scale its my hormones, or I ate too much salt, or god knows what other reason.
I find, surprisingly, when I work out really hard, I actually gain the next day. I still haven't figured that one out.
I did find, when I stalled, that reducing my carbs helped. But you eat hardly any, lol. So I have no idea. Everyone's diet is different, to me yours looks great. I tend to stick with:
B: 200 calories
S: 100 calories
L: 300 calories
S: 100 calories
D: 400 calories
S: 100 calories
I tend to feel more satisfied if I tend to eat more per day (I'm a binger by heart.)
I know it's frustrating, and I hope you know I am totally sympathetic. <3
I like the way you have your calories spaced out... leaving you a bit more in the evening. I think I may move in that direction. Getting rid of the protein shake in the AM will help that a lot too.
DeleteI do, on occasion, have 1/2 sweet potato. I also eat starchy veggies sometimes, like corn. All always portioned. But I tend toward lower carbs and higher fat...
Salt - ACK! See above post on that!
Thanks SO much for your input!!
I will be honest with you. I think you are struggling because you aren't eating enough. It sounds like your body is in starvation mode. I could be wrong, but in my experience 1200cals is too low for most people. I suggest increasing to 1400cals and seeing what happens. I doubt you will gain weight on 1400cals if those 1400cal are good healthy foods. I am consuming around 1600cals a day because I work out quite a bit and I am still losing. If I drop below 1400cals a day with my activity level I plateau or gain very easy. Just some food for thought.
ReplyDelete