Do you think you have to eat more food to lose weight if you

[MJN]

have a slow metabolism or do you eat less? Do you find losing weight to be exasperating as you get older? I've been eating healthy for the past six months, no junk, no white anything, drinking water, eating veggies, fruit, less meat, no bread and I AM GAINING WEIGHT!!!!!!! This is just SO FRUSTRATING! I don't care how much I watch what I eat, exercise just about everyday of the week, I cannot lose weight. Granted, I am hypothyroid, but I try to forget about that part of the equation and do what I've read has worked for others.

Thanks for letting me vent!

[Laura K (NC)]

I had to eat much less. I wasn't able to lose weight until I dropped to 1200 calories a day. I had to cut back on exercising because it was making me hungry. I'm 41 now and it is much, much harder than it used to be. Lean, plain meat, soybeans, and other sources of protein helped me, as well as increasing very lean dairy slightly, veggies with very little fat or dressing, but fewer fruits. My metabolism is low, blood pressure is extremely low, and pulse is usually low, especially for someone as out of shape as I am. My engine runs cold... I'm very efficient, I guess. Dang it. :)

I gained some weight back this winter, so it's time to go back to my plan. I'm easing into it this time, because it's just no fun.

[Lady Katherine]

I have a slow metabolism due to having no thyroid. The ONLY way I ever lose weight is on Atkins. I hate it, but it works. I went on it right after Christmas and have dropped 10 lbs. (40 to go.) The problem is that I can never eat bread and potatoes again if I want to maintain the lower weight. It's maddening.

[Faith]

I'm 40 and I have noticed a significant difficult time losing anymore. I have to eat very, very little to drop anything at all and if I eat anything fattening it goes right back on again. It's so depressing to have to battle it every single day.

[Cindyg]

Eat a small, healthy meal every three hours the whole time you're awake (6 or 7 meals a day), and you'll be amazed what it will do for your metabolism.

This is much more important than the total amount you eat for the day.

Try it for two weeks and see if this isn't true.

[Ellie]

Eat a small, healthy meal every three hours the whole time you're awake (6 or 7 meals a day), and you'll be amazed what it will do for your metabolism.

This is much more important than the total amount you eat for the day.

Try it for two weeks and see if this isn't true.

Oh, man...I hate to think about eating. Really. It would be *painful* to do this...but I'm motivated. Atkins keeps my cholesterol down to a healthy level, and I'm dancing or exercising 5 days a week, and *gaining* weight. ARGH!!

[Unicorn]

Well, everyone is different. I do better on a high protein, low carb "diet" and dh does better w/ high carb, low protein. Keep in mind too, that if you are exercising more, you are building muscle, which weighs more than fat. I also need a lot of dairy, or I gain weight. Cindyg mentioned eating more frequent, smaller meals. That helps keep you feeling full, and it keeps your metabolism at a higher rate, so that it isn't dropping between meals. Also, don't judge by the scales- are your clothes shrinking, or getting baggy? That is a much better indicator of whether a diet is working or not. At least IMHO. ((( ))) Does it help that we are all going through the same thing!

[Ellie]

I go by how my clothes feel.

Does it help that we are all going through the same thing!

It helps some :-)

[Janie]

So describe "small and healthy" to me. Especially the small part.

I've heard this from several people but what I understand as "small and healthy" is not necessarily accurate!

Thanks!

[chickenpatty]

I had to eat much less. I wasn't able to lose weight until I dropped to 1200 calories a day. I had to cut back on exercising because it was making me hungry. I'm 41 now and it is much, much harder than it used to be. Lean, plain meat, soybeans, and other sources of protein helped me, as well as increasing very lean dairy slightly, veggies with very little fat or dressing, but fewer fruits. My metabolism is low, blood pressure is extremely low, and pulse is usually low, especially for someone as out of shape as I am. My engine runs cold... I'm very efficient, I guess. Dang it. :)

I gained some weight back this winter, so it's time to go back to my plan. I'm easing into it this time, because it's just no fun.

I am this way, too, except I'm 32. My thyroid is now under control, but my metabolism is still low. I was gaining weight, even while running 20+ miles a week. A couple of weeks ago, I started counting calories & I have lost about 8 pounds. It was suprising to realize just how many calories I ate - and not junk food, either. I'm now around 1200-1500 calories a day while continuing my running and I'm still losing. It is hard, but nice to finally see some results!

[Tammy in Germany]

Hi Molly

I have some thyroid issues as well. Last year at this time I decided to unload some weight. Here's what I did...I did weight watchers online. I walked 5 miles a day/5 days a week and I had one meal a week that was awesome...be it McDonalds, German food whatever. It was my reward. I also ate every flex point and exercise point that I earned. I was constantly eating and lost 40 pounds in 3 months.

[Diana in OR]

:confused:So describe "small and healthy" to me. Especially the small part.

I've heard this from several people but what I understand as "small and healthy" is not necessarily accurate!

Thanks!

A small meal for me is about 300 calories. 6-7X day would add up to 1800-2100 calories. Definitely too much for weight loss.

I have a slow metabolism. My most successfull attempts at weight loss have been when I kept my calorie intake at 1000-1200 cal/day with no exceptions.

[Cindyg]

Some lean protein about the size of a deck of cards. About 3 ounces. (Egg, meat, fish, chicken, turkey, tuna, jerky, protein shake. Sometimes nuts. Sometimes dairy.)

As much vegetables as you want.

About a cup of unprocessed carbs: baked potato, oatmeal, brown rice, corn, barley, beans; maybe a half a cup (or a piece) if it's a little more processed like whole wheat bread, crackers, pasta, corn bread, white rice, bagel. Some people put yogurt and bananas (and other fruits) in this category.

Sometimes add a small dairy or a fruit, when you want to.

Don't worry about the total amount you eat. Eat when you're hungry. Don't go around hungry.

I'm sorry to say, this is a do-what-I-say-and-not-what-I-do situation. I know very well, from experience, that eating this 5-7 times a day will give you a great body; but I am not doing it myself right now. But that doesn't mean you can't. Try it and report back.

[Annie G]

http://lunchinabox.net/

Dd and I use bento boxes when we're out of the house at mealtime (which is 3 days this week and 7 days next week!) and they have helped us quite a bit. We've eliminated the 'sandwich/chips/fruit' routine in favor of tiny servings of several things in our bento boxes. Since we've started this (several months ago), we have found that this is how we eat breakfast and lunch at home, too. Dh and ds prefer traditional dinners so we have those when we're home.
Lunch today: a bit of roast pork, about the amount to mound in a mini muffin liner, 3 apple slices, cold steamed veggies( broccoli and yellow squash), a bit of cold pasta with sauce on it, 2 cherry tomatoes, and half a piece of string cheese cut into tiny cubes. Eating with chopsticks makes it take even longer to eat!
Our bentos are sized for our nutritional needs and we have noticed NO midafternoon sleepy times after we switched to eating this way. Dd does 4 hour show rehearsals and she has MORE energy eating like this than when she ate typical lunch food.

[kfrench]

I've been using weight watchers and it has worked really well you can eat what ever and you just count your points. you would be amazed at how many points somethings are. Your body is use to eating the same volume of food so you really have to eat good stuff lots of fruits and vegs and low cal snacks and watch all the little things you just eat without thinking it can add up really fast. I have lost 15 so far and kept it off. It is sometimes hard staying on track but they give you 35 bonus points a week so I can go out to eat or bing a little every so often and still loose weight. It's the only think I have used that worked and that I have stuck to. It really is motivating to go to the weekly meeting with people who have lots their weight and kept it off and the ones that are loosing a hundred pounds. Most people are loosing just those extra 30-40 lbs. I was afraid I hadn't gained enough weight to loose it but I ran into half the ladies at my church there. Which really helps too.

[SnowWhite]

Also be aware that if you just started exercising, your muscles will retain water to help them fuel the new activity for 4-6 weeks. Initially that will show a small gain, then it will be maintenance, then finally you will start to lose if you are eating fewer calories than you burn.