project "get in babymakin' shape" = fail

superluper

I had lost 10 lbs and I've now gained two of them back and it doesn't make sense. I've been working out at least 4 days/week, I started a running training program this week and I swear I've been eating reasonably well. 

I know the food part is the most important but it's so dang hard. How will I ever ever lose another like 20 lbs? I keep trying to keep a food journal but I go for like two days before giving up. Any ideas to keep me on track with keeping track?

Seriously, I feel like this is the biggest hurdle to our forever baby. Stupid me and my stupid mouth that keeps eating stupid food.  

lindsay.lou

superluper:

Stupid me and my stupid mouth that keeps eating stupid food.  

ok....that made me laugh. 

Seriously, though. Running is notorious for increasing your appetite. This is fine, because you need the extra calories, as long as your extra calories aren't junk food. 

In my opinion, it takes a long time to see how you're progressing. Who knows if you really gained back two measly pounds or if you just weighed yourself at a different time of day. I say weigh yourself once a week (at most) and pay attention to how you FEEL. Do your clothes feel loose? are your workouts getting easier for you to complete?  These are all signs of improvement.

The Health & Fitness board on the Nest is awesome (the one on here is dead). I post there regularly. 

TravelinMama

Running is GREAT for gaining muscle, so those 2lbs you "gained" back could be muscle that you're actually gaining. Like PP said, go by how you feel, and how your clothes are fitting. And don't be obsessive with the scale, when I was working at a gym, we wouldn't weigh our clients anymore than once every 2 weeks. Keep up the great work. 

ColindaP

luper, I have a 5-lb swing within which I consider myself to still be the same weight. A 2-lb fluctuation is completely normal and nothing to think twice about. Weight loss isn't linear unless you have a LOT of weight to lose, so take this 2 lb "gain" with a grain of salt. You need to watch your general trend over time, and not get so hung up on the little day to day fluctuations.

That said are you measuring/weighing your portions? Are you keeping a food diary? Those are the first two things I'd suggest. What does your diet look like? Are you eating lots of carbs? Lots of processed foods? Stick to fresh, whole foods and cut sugars, grains and starches. What are you doing for exercise besides running? Are you doing any strength training? Strength training is the best way to gain muscle, and the more muscle you have the more fat you burn. Strength training will also help prevent muscle imbalances which lead to injury - if all you are doing is running, you will develop muscle imbalances as the primary muscles used for running will become overdeveloped and the other muscles underdeveloped.

If you're only tracking you food intake for 2 days and then giving up, then track it every other day. But weigh and measure everything you eat *every* day - just journal it every other day. That way you maintain your portion control but aren't having to remember to write it all down, and once you get used to it, you will just know your portion sizes. I could win the Olympics for eyeballing a 4-oz serving of meat  

superluper

Colinda - you're so smart  

I am weight training 2X/week with a friend and it has helped quite a bit (that's been for the past 8 weeks or so). I used to be really good about keeping snacks under conrol but my work/school situation has changed and I'm at home much of the day now which has been really hard for me because it's just so easy to get a snack. I'm not even keeping processed foods in the house but I still manage to over-snack (ie. eat a 8oz. bowl of cottage cheese instead of a 4oz. one or eat 4 kiwis in one sitting etc).

I know the two pounds isn't a huge deal but I'm just feeling frustrated. I had a really hard workout this morning and it got me discouraged for some reason. I know the exercise is so good for me and I'm slowly but surely getting there on the food, I just occasionally slip.

So. Hard. To do.

I also have the unfortunate issue that I'm on two different medications for depression/bipolar that both cause weight gain. BUT the really bad one statistically causes a 10% weight gain in the first three months of taking it and in that time I've LOST weight (albeit a little). So I guess I can still call that a victory!! 

dandyelle

I was going to tell you that Colinda's blog is awesome- it's helped me to make really good choices.

I also want to say congrats- I think trying is half the battle. They tell us in Weight Watchers not to give up if you slip, but to just keep trying and get right back after it ASAP.

I've also heard that there are some SmartPhone/ iPhone apps out there to help keep track of foodand whatnot (if you have one of those phones).

Anyway, GOOD LUCK! Keep us updated.

grr_aargh

1) Can you drink more water?

2) Can you keep a food journal online?  I like seeing what mine did, so I kept one at www.sparkpeople.com or, for TTC-style-training, www.babyfit.com.  I needed to not only keep my calories at the right level, but also get enough protein and fewer carbs and that helped me keep track.

3) Can you cut carbs?  Increase potential veggie munchies (celery, broccoli, carrots) and even some high fiber fruits (berries?  apples?) but really cut back breads and grains. . .

4) This may be a temporary setback too.  This is why I suggested more water.  In addition to trying to be vigilent, give yourself a break too!!!  That said, if you DO need little treats here and there, give them to yourself in small portions.  Me, I'm an M&Ms girl.  30 M&Ms take a long time to eat if you melt them in your mouth one at a time, kwim?  I suck at PORTION control, so this was an important lesson for me to learn. .