Two weeks In and I'm having an issue?

[mrl8810]

First of all I'm new to this website..I do apologize if I've posted this in the wrong area.

A few years ago I decided to lose weight and I actually lost about thirty pounds(It did take months to do this)...so i decided to stop counting my calories and I slipped back into my old eating habits(eating a large pizza in a day etc)..it was really bad. I really didn't notice that I had put all of the weight back on because I don't weigh very often when I'm not dieting. Anyways on 12/31/17 I weighed and I weighed 251.4 lbs. So I started using the "Lose it" app which i used last time to help count calories(last time it helped a lot)...it gives me a specific number of calories that I need to eat a day to lose 2 lbs a week. The first week alone i lost down to 243.6..which i was obviously very excited about. Anyways this week..I've only lost about 4 ounces. I'm not sure what's going on because I do eat basically the same things that I did last time..except this time maybe healthier dinners.

I'm 6 foot

28 year old male

I exercise on a stationary bike each day for about 1 hour and 10 minutes..and the calorie burner on the bike says that i lose 1000 calories..

I usually don't eat breakfast because of my work schedule I'm not up for breakfast..I usually wake up around 11 am..after getting up I'll eat 2-3 chicken legs per day(either boiled or baked with very little salt or pepper when baked) for lunch/dinner with buffalo sauce to dip them in(the sauce is 70 calories)....I'll drink a glass calorie free soda(Usually sprite zero)...and then I'll find snacks(pickles, sausage etc I do count each calorie and enter it) until around 8 I'll eat two ham or turkey sandwiches(the bread says 130 calories per two slices and the turkey and ham says 30-50 calories per piece) and a tablespoon of mayo for each sandwich. I'll usually eat one serving of Chips with the sandwich. I do drink water(usually between 40 and 60 ounces of water per day)...The lose it app gives me about 2000 calories per day...and when i exercise it gives me the 1000 calories back(It adds it to the calories that i can eat)..however I don't eat those 1000 calories..after the 2000 calories I don't eat anymore that day. Sometimes i don't even eat the entire 2,000 calories per day(I'll have 2-4 hundred calories left over).

Does anyone have any suggestions? Thanks. Once again I'm kind of a newbie.

 

[allcdnboy1]

Counting calories, either with the app or what the bike tells you, are only really rough numbers. You may actually be only burning 500 calories and eating 2500 calories. Everyone's metabolism is different.

Here are some things to consider:
- only weigh yourself first thing in the morning after going to the bathroom. It's the most accurate picture of your weight
- water weight can affect the scale on a daily basis, for someone your height and weight, about 3-4 lbs / day
- 2 weeks is nothing in the big picture. Because your weight can fluctuate so much from day-to-day, you need to think much longer term. Like month-to-month
- when training on the bike, trying doing HIIT (http://www.active.com/cycling/articles/high-intensity-interval-training-for-beginners) instead of straight cycling. Burns more calories in a shorter time and burns more fat instead of muscle
- do some weight training: muscle is what does all the calorie burning, whether while you are training or watching TV. The more muscle you have, the more calories you will burn. As an added bonus, you will like yourself much better in the mirror with some muscle defnition

 

[Bdavis19]

I have been becoming very interested in the quality of my food. Sometimes foods can be considered healthy foods but are not prepared with the best ingredients. Try reading labels as often as possible. Avoid any foods that contain ingredients you cant pronounce. When dining out, go to places you know have quality ingredients. I often go to Subway. I am sure you will have a location near you!

 

[YearOfGettingHealthy]

I can appreciate your frustration, my story is quite similar.

I also, until recently, always skipped breakfast and had what I think is normal sized portions for lunch and supper.

I know people who eat a heck of a lot more and worse than I do and don't even appear out of shape, it's frustrating.

Recently however I've decided to not fixate so much on the number the scale says or even what I look like- my goal is to live a longer and healthier life, and with the changes I am working on implementing I am positive I will outlive some people I know who appear healthier than I am, but inside they are significantly less healthy.

 

[Bdavis19]

I have been becoming very interested in the quality of my food. Sometimes foods can be considered healthy foods but are not prepared with the best ingredients. Try reading labels as often as possible. Avoid any foods that contain ingredients you cant pronounce. When dining out, go to places you know have quality ingredients. I often go to Subway near me [Link Removed] . I am sure you will have a location near you!

I forgot to add that you must look for added sugars! They are the worst!

 

[@BMOgirmann]

I have two suggestions. I would encourage focusing on increasing vegetable intake in the tune of one serving in each of your meals, including snacks! Fruit and vegetables have very different impacts to your body's metabolism in the form of how they impact your insulin.


Secondly, I would recommend getting protein in each of your meals as well, this too includes snacks. Protein is very satiating meaning you are less likely to over eat and you feel full after eating it. For breakfast, lunch, and dinner I would suggest 20-25 grams. For snacks at least 10-15 grams.

If you focus on these positive behaviors while eliminating added sugar as Bdavis19 mentioned you will see your number move beautifully. Carbohydrates: Cakes, cookies, candy, pastries, cereal, bread, pastas, soda, beer etc... spike your insulin. When this happens you will kick your self out of fat loss and turn on fat storage! Insulin causes bellies to grow, sugar and carbs cause insulin to spike. Protein, healthy fats and vegetables are the three foods that help turn on fat loss.

Hope this helps!

-BMO