How am I not losing weight? (NutriSystem, Weight Watcher, smoking, daily basis)

[TimAZ]

Originally Posted by MadManofBethesda

Given that broccoli and squash mainly consist of carbohydrates, apparently you need to do so as well.

Gather “1200 calories” of broccoli and squash and steam to eat (you’ll need several sessions to cook the 10 quarts of veggies). It’s a massive amount of food, mostly fiber. Yes fiber technically is a carbohydrate but humans can’t digest it.

Now compare that with 1200 calories of junk food: a Big Mac and a few fries. Most people could eat the junk food meal and look for a dessert. I doubt anyone would feel hungry after eating the 1200 calories of broccoli and squash.

There is a difference in satiety between foods. A normal and very filling serving of broccoli and squash has about six grams of carbohydrates. Paired with a protein it creates a meal that provides satiety while shifting the body to a state of ketosis where weight loss occurs.

[trusso11783]

I am the Op and I give up, I started around March 1. So, after three months, I didn’t lose anything. So to everyone telling me to cut out all processed snacks, white carbs (rice, bread, etc), all I can say is that is false info. Doing all of that kept me at the same weight. So I just ate what I always did, all the white rice and bread and baked lays I want and i will always be 194 ish. So, why deny myself what I like to eat to get no results. All the walking in the world had no effect. So, I have to accept that I simply cannot lose weight. Doing many of the things people suggested had absolutely no effect. This is what my 62 year old body wants and I cannot change its mind. Thanks for the suggestions but unfortunately, they do not work on me or many others. Joining a gym is out of the questions. I have 7 herniated discs from a few car accidents so I am not lifting anything and sit-ups are out of the question.

[Ghaati]

Originally Posted by trusso11783

I am the Op and I give up, I started around March 1. So, after three months, I didn’t lose anything. So to everyone telling me to cut out all processed snacks, white carbs (rice, bread, etc), all I can say is that is false info. Doing all of that kept me at the same weight. So I just ate what I always did, all the white rice and bread and baked lays I want and i will always be 194 ish. So, why deny myself what I like to eat to get no results. All the walking in the world had no effect. So, I have to accept that I simply cannot lose weight. Doing many of the things people suggested had absolutely no effect. This is what my 62 year old body wants and I cannot change its mind. Thanks for the suggestions but unfortunately, they do not work on me or many others. Joining a gym is out of the questions. I have 7 herniated discs from a few car accidents so I am not lifting anything and sit-ups are out of the question.

Yeah you totally should just give up and give in to morbid obesity, heart disease, hypertension, stroke, and death. All your doctors have provided you with everything you need, you've followed their instructions 100%, they all coordinate with each other because you are totally transparent to them about all your eating habits and activities, so they have come up with a plan, that just fails, for absolutely no reason at all.

Good luck eating your way to a slow, painful death.

[trusso11783]

I won't give in to morbid obesity. I will remain at 194. I have for years and years by eating exactly as I have been. Overall I ear pretty healthy so I am not worried about health. My cardiologist says I am in perfect health. I just have to learn to live with the way I look. No health concerns at all. No painful death but thanks anyway.

[djmilf]

Originally Posted by trusso11783

I am the Op and I give up, I started around March 1. So, after three months, I didn’t lose anything. So to everyone telling me to cut out all processed snacks, white carbs (rice, bread, etc), all I can say is that is false info. Doing all of that kept me at the same weight. So I just ate what I always did, all the white rice and bread and baked lays I want and i will always be 194 ish. So, why deny myself what I like to eat to get no results. All the walking in the world had no effect. So, I have to accept that I simply cannot lose weight. Doing many of the things people suggested had absolutely no effect. This is what my 62 year old body wants and I cannot change its mind. Thanks for the suggestions but unfortunately, they do not work on me or many others. Joining a gym is out of the questions. I have 7 herniated discs from a few car accidents so I am not lifting anything and sit-ups are out of the question.

Two parts to weight loss: restricted caloric intake and exercise.

Did you maintain a strict 1200-1300 calorie diet? Kept a food diary so that you recorded your caloric intake? Unlike others, I'll tell you that occasional cheating on your diet is not only allowed, but sometimes necessary. No one's perfect, slippage should be expected. I occasionally will hit a weight loss plateau, go a week or so without any positive results. My hunch is that my body has adjusted to my caloric intake by going into "weight management mode", AKA it's "famine time"...so your body will stop burning calories so easily. For one day, I'll ignore my diet restrictions - a big breakfast, a Rueben sandwich and fries for lunch, a big steak dinner with a baked potato. That seems to fake out my body's metabolism setting and break me out of the weight loss plateau. But the next day, it's right back on the restricted calorie diet.

You need to exercise to elevate your metabolism. Plus, gaining stamina and strength doesn't hurt. You've been walking, but not much else. You need some other exercise besides just that. People talk about how many calories they burn while exercising; what they don't talk about is how increasing your muscle mass raises your metabolism. Muscles still need to "eat", even when they're not doing anything; AFAIK, the fat deposits in the body don't need to eat.

The largest muscles in the human body are the quadriceps and the gluteus maximus (maximuses, maximii?) - your thighs and butt muscles. These are the muscles that you want to grow in order to increase your body's metabolism. Weight lifting will help grow your other muscles, but IMO the best bang for your exercise buck with regards to weight loss are the major leg muscles.

You're walking, and you've probably strengthened these muscles to a degree, but you're probably not growing these muscles while walking on a level surface. Your body has become very efficient at this one particular activity and you won't see further weight loss without adding different exercises. Don't drop the distance walking, but cut back on it and add in another exercise, one that you'll enjoy and that you'll stick with.

I get that your condition with your back precludes you from exercises such as weight lifting, but you can still walk a tread mill that has an incline, or find some place with some hills to walk, or at least climb stairs at a shopping mall or multi-story building.

I'm a big fan of bicycle riding for exercise and weight loss. Bicycling uses the legs muscles in much different ways than walking or even running. Compare the quad muscles of a dedicated distance runner versus a dedicated bicyclist - the biker will have much bigger leg muscles.

If your back prevents you from a traditional bicycle, see if you can get into a recumbent, but I acknowledge that recumbent bikes are expensive. I'd also point out that most inexpensive exercise places usually have stationary bicycles, both upright and recumbent. I myself can't stick with them as they're much more boring than the real thing, but they might work for you.

If you do take up bicycling, you'll need to work at your form - minimize coasting, keep a steady pedal cadence of about 60 per minute, find some inclines to pedal up. If you're not sweating and you're able to easily speak while riding your bike, you need to push harder.

Or...find another form of exercise to add to your walking, swimming or water aerobics, or even the dreaded gym elliptical machines (not personally a fan of those).

[trusso11783]

Thanks for the input. I do ride my bike often and I am sure to pedal constantly and not coast. I usually go for an hour. The path I take has inclines. I usually walk but every few days do the bike. I can’t do both because I don’t have three hours to spare daily. I’ll try keeping a log of what I eat. I’ll post the results, if any, in a couple of weeks.

[Mikala43]

Are you on any meds? Some can make it hard to lose weight (very hard).

For me, unless I get my heart rate up around 155 bpm, I don't count that as cardio, and I find weights necessary to give my body the right "form".

Diet wise, I just eat whole foods for the most part, including whole grains. If you are new to watching your weight, you really should log what you eat (they make apps for that), it can be eye opening.

[trusso11783]

I am on no meds at all so I cannot blame that. My confusion is that if I was doing what I was doing for years and years, then removed all white grains, stopped eating any processed foods like cheese its or baked lays, wadded two hours of walking every day, that I would have to lose weight. I reduced my calorie intake and introduced the exercise, as little as that helps. But it still is less calories in and some exercise. How can that not have any affect?

[Mikala43]

Originally Posted by trusso11783

I am on no meds at all so I cannot blame that. My confusion is that if I was doing what I was doing for years and years, then removed all white grains, stopped eating any processed foods like cheese its or baked lays, wadded two hours of walking every day, that I would have to lose weight. I reduced my calorie intake and introduced the exercise, as little as that helps. But it still is less calories in and some exercise. How can that not have any affect?

You could be eating those calories in other areas. No one knows, and you are not logging your food and portions.

[mojo101]

skip carbohydrates,just meat and veggies,then your body will burn fat to get moving