New to this forum and frustrated!

[DalesWidda]

Ok, I need some help. Seriously at my wits end. Ok a little backstory first. I've been overweight since puberty. Since high school I've been for the most part between 180 and 200. The exception being that after I had dd1 I lost a ton of weight and was down to 140. Unfortunately this was due to Graves Disease. After I was diagnosed and on medication I ballooned back up.
In spring of 2011 I was 190 pounds. A year later I had gained 25 pounds (after my dh died). After seeing a horrible pic of me last summer I started trying to lose weight. I've really started trying in the last 6 weeks or so. I have lost 13 pounds going from 215 to 203, give or take a few ounces. At the beginningish of January I was 206 pounds. I started seeing a nutritionist because I am trying to avoid back surgery by losing weight and getting stronger. I've only lost 3 pounds in a month. For a week and a half I haven't budged a single pound. I eat fruit for breakfast, sometimes fruit and cereal (rice chex and bananas, strawberries, etc). For lunch a piece of fruit, nuts or hard boiled egg. I eat one plate of dinner (tonight is chicken breast, risotto, green beans). Sometimes I have a small bowl of icecream. No soda, no juice, no nothing except the occasional coffee and crystal light. I have slowly increased my excercise. I used to do the treadmill a couple times a week for fifteen minutes. Now I am excercising a half hour about five times a week, a mix of treadmill, lunges, squats, and resistance bands.

What am I doing wrong? I'm trying so hard and nothing is coming off.

[Nickel+3]

I think adding raw veggies to your diet daily and doing less fruit/cereal for breakfast (it's all sugar) and doing some green smoothies, you'll see a huge different. Get a juicer and add some raw juice to your lunch and you'll be set. I think you aren't eating enough.

[DalesWidda]

Originally Posted by Nickel+3 I think adding raw veggies to your diet daily and doing less fruit/cereal for breakfast (it's all sugar) and doing some green smoothies, you'll see a huge different. Get a juicer and add some raw juice to your lunch and you'll be set. I think you aren't eating enough.

This was suggested to me by a friend as well. I spent a lot of time in the produce area getting stuff to try. Cauliflower instead of mashed potatos, spaghetti squash instead of pasta, peppers, cucumbers, etc etc. I can't afford a juicer. I can hardly afford to grocery shop right now. I'm scared to eat more. If I eat more I gain weight. It's so frustrating.

[corinne76]

I definitely agree that for your weight, you arent eating nearly enough. When your gets used to eating a bunch of calories, suddenly eating that much of a deficit puts it into starvation mode and it holds in to the fat. Eat more lean protein and fruits and veggies. also, drink a ton of water

[Bella Catalina]

Up your protein and good fats--butter, coconut oil, avocado, etc., and watch your carbs/grains. If you can have protein for breakfast, do it. I spent 18 months trying in vain to lose weight the usual way--whole grains and all that. I tried upping my calories, lowering them, running 6 days a week... nada. I lost and regained the same 6 lbs multiple times, and eventually I started to resign myself to never losing weight.

Then I stumbled upon paleo/primal, and as long as I don't replace the grains with paleo-fied grains/flours, the weight comes off pretty easily. The trick is high fat, moderate protein, lower carb--it's worth tracking your macros for a while to see what percentages you're at. I lost 20 lbs in 7 weeks before getting my BFP last March. Never felt hungry or deprived, either. I gained 35 lbs and at 11w postpartum, I have 6 lbs to go (and another 15 beyond that to get to goal, but I know cutting grains and sugar works well for me).

[DalesWidda]

Originally Posted by corinne76 I definitely agree that for your weight, you arent eating nearly enough. When your gets used to eating a bunch of calories, suddenly eating that much of a deficit puts it into starvation mode and it holds in to the fat. Eat more lean protein and fruits and veggies. also, drink a ton of water

ok I will do this. I will just have to force myself to eat something. Part of my problem is that I am on ADHD meds and I'm not very hungry during the day. And I definately need more water.

[corinne76]

Originally Posted by Bella Catalina Up your protein and good fats--butter, coconut oil, avocado, etc., and watch your carbs/grains. If you can have protein for breakfast, do it. I spent 18 months trying in vain to lose weight the usual way--whole grains and all that. I tried upping my calories, lowering them, running 6 days a week... nada. I lost and regained the same 6 lbs multiple times, and eventually I started to resign myself to never losing weight. Then I stumbled upon paleo/primal, and as long as I don't replace the grains with paleo-fied grains/flours, the weight comes off pretty easily. The trick is high fat, moderate protein, lower carb--it's worth tracking your macros for a while to see what percentages you're at. I lost 20 lbs in 7 weeks before getting my BFP last March. Never felt hungry or deprived, either. I gained 35 lbs and at 11w postpartum, I have 6 lbs to go (and another 15 beyond that to get to goal, but I know cutting grains and sugar works well for me).

This is me too. I maintain when i eat whole grains. But if i go no carb/paleo, i actually lose quickly

[MarieSeeking]

I'd try a Whole30 type diet. Whole foods only. Severely limit grains. No sugar. I find that if I'm craving fruit, I'm really just thirsty or I'll reach for veggies instead. It sounds scary but coming from a reformed carb junkie, it's not so bad.

[DalesWidda]

Originally Posted by Bella Catalina Up your protein and good fats--butter, coconut oil, avocado, etc., and watch your carbs/grains. If you can have protein for breakfast, do it. I spent 18 months trying in vain to lose weight the usual way--whole grains and all that. I tried upping my calories, lowering them, running 6 days a week... nada. I lost and regained the same 6 lbs multiple times, and eventually I started to resign myself to never losing weight. Then I stumbled upon paleo/primal, and as long as I don't replace the grains with paleo-fied grains/flours, the weight comes off pretty easily. The trick is high fat, moderate protein, lower carb--it's worth tracking your macros for a while to see what percentages you're at. I lost 20 lbs in 7 weeks before getting my BFP last March. Never felt hungry or deprived, either. I gained 35 lbs and at 11w postpartum, I have 6 lbs to go (and another 15 beyond that to get to goal, but I know cutting grains and sugar works well for me).

what are macros? And I don't do a lot of grains because I'm GF. So the most I get are rice, risotto, some GF pasta, but I try not to do too much. I do use butter on my veggies, rice, etc. I use olive oil, never tried coconut oil and not much of a fan of avocado. Any suggestions for breakfast? I am a sweet vs savory person. But I am willing to try. Thank you!

[MarieSeeking]

A very commons breakfast for me is a hardboiled egg and apple slices with almond butter.