# Desperate for help (but can't do paleo)



## L&CFarms

I'm desperate to lose weight I'm a 5'3" 20 year old female who is 180lbs and no matter what I do I can't lose weight! I'm working at a YMCA kids camp where I'm constantly active last week I went from 181-177 an now I'm back up to 180! My bmi and any body fat percentage calculator says I'm obese! I've tried eating right but I just moved out on my own and I can't afford a ton of organic and super healthy stuff because it doesn't keep long! I keep trying but I can't lose weight! HELP!


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## Terri

My advice? Since you are so active, eat more protein and fewer carbs. Active people WANT! carbs of every kind because they give quick energy, BUT! The quick energy does not last and then you have nothing left for fuel. So you are extremely hungry at your next meal and you eat too much.

I am also 5 '2", and I find an egg in the morning sets me up for a pretty good day. Do I eat toast with it? Yes, I do. The thing is, when the breakfast carbs have been burned, the egg still provides me with fuel so I am less hungry at the next meal.

I also want a few crackers- and JUST a few, I usually eat 5- as a between meal snack.

Since chasing kids can be more strenuous than what I do you might want to eat 2 eggs in the morning instead of one, but do not eat many carbs in the morning. Carbs feel good when you eat them but they tend to make you extra hungry when they burn off. At least it does for me, and I have heard other people say the same thing. So I usually just eat one piece of toast with my egg or eggs.


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## countryfied2011

L&CFarms said:


> I'm desperate to lose weight I'm a 5'3" 20 year old female who is 180lbs and no matter what I do I can't lose weight! I'm working at a YMCA kids camp where I'm constantly active last week I went from 181-177 an now I'm back up to 180! My bmi and any body fat percentage calculator says I'm obese! I've tried eating right but I just moved out on my own and I can't afford a ton of organic and super healthy stuff because it doesn't keep long! I keep trying but I can't lose weight! HELP!



Although Organic is nice you dont have to have organic fruits and veggies to loose weight and if you cant afford fresh... eat frozen or canned its better than eating cookies or fast food. Planning your meals is the biggest thing...and it is not hard to make a big pot of something divide into single portions and freeze.

There are tons of sites on the internet that give ideas on how to loose weight on a budget. You just have to really want to do it. 

http://www.eatingwell.com/diet_health/weight_loss_diet_plans/how_to_lose_weight_on_a_budget

http://www.livestrong.com/article/81382-lose-weight-tight-budget/


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## Laura Zone 5

Eliminate all artificial sweeteners.
Eliminate all soda, diet especially.
Eliminate all 'fast-carry out-dine in' food. 

Turn into 'that crazy lady' in the grocery isle that reads EVERY LABEL.
If you cannot pronounce an ingredient....don't buy it.

Look into a 'healthy' and 'natural' cleanse, to 'clean out your pipes'.
You would be amazed at how much 'waste' your 'pipes' can carry....

I cannot stress to you enough, about eliminating the top 3 things listed above.
You have to de-tox your body.

Have your doc check your thyroid levels...


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## CuriousWanderer

Definitely see a doctor. My younger sister was eating right and working out and struggled to lose ten pounds and keep it off for even a few months. Turns out she had a problem with her hormone levels, which also caused ovarian cysts, and that was making her unable to lose weight. Once the hormones were under control she has started shedding the pounds. 
Another couple things to take into consideration to help you be healthier overall:
1. 73% of people are chronically dehydrated, meaning they are not consuming enough WATER. Other liquids are nice but water is needed to keep your body clean and functioning.
2. 37% of all people confuse thirst with hunger pains. As long as you are consuming the proper amount of water each day you will notice you will only eat as much as your body requires.
3. Rice and beans are pretty cheap! Not the boxed instant kinds though. They are healthy and fill you up. Add chicken. And invest in herbs and spices, adding those to even the most bland meals can make them taste great.
4. If the area you live in is safe, go on a walk every day. I usually go on a walk after I finish dinner and clean the kitchen. I live in Arizona so the summers are miserable which is why I walk in the evening or in the mornings I will walk to the gym with my toddler. When I was working I used to take a walk during my lunch and breaks. See where you can fit a walk in.
5. Don't stress about the scale. After i was working out regularly I actually weighed more than I thought I should, however, I had shrunk in inches all on my thighs, bust, waist, arms, etc. My motivation was inches, not weight.
6. Figure out if you are more concerned about the numbers on the scale, the inches around, or your general fitness level. I know a girl 30 lbs heavier than me who is pear shaped and wears a size 8/10 but she can out run me on the track, out lift me in the gym, and honestly, is in a lot better shape than I am. To be at her fitness level is my new goal.
Good luck!


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## cricket49

What worked for me is logging.

I started logging on Lose It a few years ago. You can use in on a computer or smart phone. When I joined it was free but now I think it's 39.00/year. 

You record all your daily food intake and then record your exercise activities. You measure or weigh your food to make sure all the food is logged correctly. The Lose It app will calculate the calories per item, daily etc. It also deducts the calories you burn thru exercise so you get a clear picture daily, weekly and monthly of how you are doing. 

What I found out by doing this: 

1. You eat more than you think (size wise)
2. You eat more calories than you think
3. You don't burn as many calories as you think

After doing this for a year, you become knowable of what foods to eat and how much to exercise to keep your weight down. It is a great website to educate yourself.


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## TnAndy

Eat anything you want, just shut it off at 1400-1500 calories ( you have to count every one you eat ), and you will lose weight. Try it for 3 months ( remember, write down EVERY calorie ) and you'll be down 15lbs, guarantee ya.


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## mzgarden

My 2 cents: Doctor visit for a physical first. Thyroid and hormone imbalances can sabotage your best efforts. Then, quick, inexpensive, filling and easy = raw. Grab a hand full of full sized carrots, a zucchini or two, or a bell pepper and eat those like fresh fruit. Lots and lots of raw veggies and fruits - they are quick, easy, nutrition dense and filling. They don't have to be expensive. Lemon juice in water - and lots of water. Cook in bulk. Grill chicken/burgers/pork chops all at one time, eat grilled chicken all week. Save money by not eating bread, crackers, tortillas, cereals, salad dressings, anything prepared for you (even frozen diet meals) No sugar. No soda pop.

for me, I have to 'trade' things -- if I decide not to eat something - I have to have a replacement - or I feel deprived. I trade lettuce leaves for bread, zucchini slices with a little salt are my trade for crackers, etc.


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## TerriLynn

You've already gotten lots of great advice, but I would like to mention something that I struggle with and that is called Candida which is a systemic yeast infection. Basically its a yeast overgrowth in your body and can do all kinds of harmful things to your system, and making it hard to lose weight is one of them.

For me I am able to manage it with probiotics, I also try to severely restrict the amount of sugar and white flour I eat too. Whole wheat is ok, but artificial sweeteners are NOT!

The symptoms manifest differently in each person, but it may be worth your time to do a little research on it.


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## L&CFarms

After reading some of your responses I remembered when I first changed drs she suggested tht I may have hypoglycemia. ( my older sister does and I pass out and get dizzy easily) and so I've decided to try eating by that. I'm supposed to have high protein and low carbs and eat 4-6 times a day. Which is really hard for me! But I'm working on it!


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## plowjockey

Whether natural or processed, a calorie is a calorie, which will be stored as fat, if not burned.

"eating right" means nothing, if one is not aware of how many total calories one is consuming per day. 
.
It doesn't have to be exact, but if one tallies up about how many total calories, they often find out they are consuming a lot more calories than they thought.

A small snickers bar, is about 300 calories, which takes the average person about 3 miles to walk off. if one eats one and does not walk 3 extra miles (or equivalent activity) that snickers bar will be stored as fat.


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## reneedarley

If not working hard I have to watch my weight. I find a carrot-eaten slowly about half an hour before a meal, successfully curbs my appetite. And of course, healthy , sensible, meals to follow. 
Fruit is , for me, a thing that puts on weight


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## mnn2501

More protein- fewer carbs, it how I've lost 77 lbs (so far)
Also gave up soda and almost all bread.


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## MoonRiver

Are you taking any medications? If so, check to see if any have weight gain as a side effect.

Lots of good fats. If it doesn't taste good with olive oil on it, you probably don't want to eat it.


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## Tyler520

I agree with the "more protein/fewer carbs" sentiments...but also watch fat intake. protein and carbs both have 4 calories per gram - fat has 9 calories per gram.

Also, I second measuring/logging your intake -I suggest a site such as FitDay.

The very act of simply changing your diet will result in respectable weight loss, alone.

However the most important thing to remember is that you must make a lifestyle change - there are thousands of gimmick diets out there that will result in temporary fat loss, but most are not healthy and/or sustainable.

But what is lacking from this thread are details:

first thing is to learn what your basal metabolic rate (BMR) is (AKA, the minimum number of calories your body requires just to operate in a sedentary state: breathing, blinking, etc.)

try using this link to calculate your BMR:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/tools/bmr-calculator

It is not as accurate for those who are considered obese - I suggest deducting about 50-100 calories from what it tells you.

Second, you need to calculate your activity level. Given your description of your daily activity (running around with kids all day), I would recommend multiplying your BMR by 1.2. This is an approximate estimate of the number of calories you burn in a day for ALL activities - I will refer to this as your total energy expenditure (TEE).

In order to fine-tune it, you need to monitor your weight on a regular basis (every morning at the same time for consistency and accuracy) for a couple weeks: if you are still gaining weight, you've over-estimated your caloric intake, if you're not gaining or losing, you're caloric intake calculations were accurate.

In order to lose weight, you need to create a caloric deficit: healthy weight loss is 1-2 pounds per week. As a rule of thumb, I suggest deducting 20% from your TEE, then monitoring your weight for a couple weeks to see how things are going, and adjust your caloric intake by small increments of about 50 calories at a time.

as for diet: I recommend about a gram of protein per pound body weight per day at 4 calories per gram, and 0.4 grams of fat per pound body weight per day at 9 calories per gram. Subtract these from your TEE above; the remaining calories can be a combination of proteins fats and carbs - but I would suggest keeping away from simple carbs and fats: instead, think fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds, etc., and not consuming simple carbs in the evening.

Also, give yourself a cheat day once a week, where you don't pay attention to calories or activity.


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## Terri

For what it is worth: the site lists my BMR as 1162 calories (I am short), and I know from the school of hard knocks that, with my activity level, my weight will stay the same at around 1400 calories. I have a gut feeling that this is fairly accurate. 

The thing about carbs is that they stimulate my appetite and make me hungry: I eat a few but not too many! So, when I ate my hamburger patties on friday night I did not worry about the carbs in the pickles or the katsup, and I ate my salad with Italian dressing and I never read the salad dressing ingredients so I do not know if there were carbs in it or not.

I do eat grain products at some meals because some grains make me less hungry, but too many grains make me MORE hungry, if that makes sense!


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## Tabitha

I have to lose weight, too. 
I gain weight because of shame, it is a shame to throw this out, and a shame to throw that out and I wind up eating it so it does not go to waste. 
I am going to quit this. 
also, my aunt had a method, two actually.

eoh, which means, eat only half. and more drastic
ofie, which means, one fourth is enough. 

I started on the first version. One egg instead of two. No matter how many eggs we get every day.


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## Terri

My Mother was a depression child and it was hard for me to learn to throw things out!

As for eggs, I scramble up the extras, shells and all, and feed them back to the chickens! (It took me a year to figure that out. I felt embarrassed it took me so long!)


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## MoonRiver

Calories in, Calories out is hooey.

An analogy is 2 cars. Exact same model, engine, etc., bought 8 years ago.

On one the oil, transmission fluid, air filter, fuel filter, antifreeze, etc were changed per manufacturer's recommendation. Front end is in alignment and tires have proper air pressure.

The other car has not had any maintenance done since it was bought. Front end is out of alignment and tires are low.

Put 1 gallon of gas in each one and which one will travel farther?

People are the same way. If your organs and hormones aren't working efficiently, you won't burn calories efficiently.

And I don't think there is a reputable study showing that people lose weight by exercising. What they show is that the extra calories burned through exercise are usually negated by eating more.


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## Tyler520

Rich,

these are approximations based on averages - once you start factoring in extremes (obese and anorexic alike), obviously. the models do not work. 

Being that people aren't cars, your metaphor isn't worth considering, and is actually quite absurd.

And it is quite well documented that calories in/out (and specifically, where that calorie came from) dictate your body composition. As I clearly stated, there is a balance that must be achieved. Any "study" showing that a person "negates" losses by eating more are from tabloids focusing on 'average joes,' and are most definitely not peer-reviewed scholarly journals.


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## Ardie/WI

Get your thyroid level checked!


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## copperhead46

I only lose weight when I cut the carbs and add the protein. I don't do any good counting calories, only carbs. For starters, stop bread and sugar, that's hard for a few days. Once you get past those cravings, you can cut carb high vegetables, and fruits. Atkins style is the only thing that drops the lbs for me.


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## L&CFarms

I've been on low carb high protein for about two weeks. And I've lost 2.5 lbs


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## carolb5

Low carb, moderate protein and fat. Fat will keep you feeling full and happy. Plus some fats just taste good.


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## Buffy in Dallas

Try a Ketogenic diet! Thats what I did. Now the pounds are falling off and I'm full all the time! :bouncy:

My diet is 80% FAT, 15% protein and 5% carbs.:banana:

Bacon, sausage, eggs, chicken, and CHOCOLATE FAT BALLS!!!!:teehee:

http://nobunplease.com/14-fabulous-fat-bomb-recipes/

I'm the happiest dieter in the world!!!!:bouncy::rotfl:

Oh, and I've lost 35 pounds so far with NO exercise!


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## hawgsquatch

Weight watchers worked for me. 80 lbs worth. You are young. If you get on a program where you log your intake and simply eat fewer calories than you burn you will be fine. Good luck and good job dealing with it early.


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## dolmen

Buffy in Dallas said:


> Try a Ketogenic diet! Thats what I did. Now the pounds are falling off and I'm full all the time! :bouncy:
> 
> My diet is 80% FAT, 15% protein and 5% carbs.:banana:
> 
> Bacon, sausage, eggs, chicken, and CHOCOLATE FAT BALLS!!!!:teehee:
> 
> http://nobunplease.com/14-fabulous-fat-bomb-recipes/
> 
> I'm the happiest dieter in the world!!!!:bouncy::rotfl:
> 
> Oh, and I've lost 35 pounds so far with NO exercise!


there has been much advice given, but I have to say that this is the answer to many folks weight problems. 
I've struggled with excess weight all my life and in two weeks of doing this I knew I'd found the answer. 
If not sure what you are doing, eat Less carbs and eat _More_ fat.
Good Luck


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## mnn2501

More protein, less carbs, I gave up soda (I used to drink diet sodas, -- very bad for you, it makes you crave sweets) and almost all bread (I'll have 1/2 of an english muffin at breakfast and if we go out for burgers (seldom)I will eat the bun)and lost 77# in 18 months.

BTW its NOT a diet, its a lifestyle change. 
I dieted my way to over 400# now I've changed my lifestyle and am not worried about gaining and am constantly losing


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## Maura

I did not read all the posts. My DD ran six miles a day, ate healthy, and so on. She was always over weight. Found out she had cysts on her ovaries. This messes up your hormonal balance. Go to a GYN. They can find out quickly if this is your problem.


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## MOSSYNUT

I haven't seen it asked so why can't you do Paleo? I guess everything else has already been said less carbs more fats and cut out the sugary drinks. The worst for me is getting away from bread especially Cuban bread giving up sweat tea was easier. Good luck.


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## L&CFarms

The reason I can't do paleo is bc I can't do without dairy. I love my milk and cheese


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## Buffy in Dallas

L&CFarms said:


> The reason I can't do paleo is bc I can't do without dairy. I love my milk and cheese


Half of my diet is milk and cheese. You can do low carb., just not what I call "Fundamentalist Paleo". I have coffee flavored cream in the morning, sour cream on just about everything, High fat cottage cheese, and my favorite, eggs fried in bacon grease with salsa and cheese all over it!

I just got my bloodwork back from the dr. My cholesterol numbers were good. (total, LDL, HDL) After he told me, I told him about my diet. He was quite surprised that my numbers were so good, and quite happy about my weight loss.

Seriously, google Ketogenic diet.


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## Goats Galore

Remember that muscle weighs more than fat. As you added muscle mass with all the "chasing kids" exercise, your weight bounced back up. That was a good thing because muscle is metabolically active and burns those future calories, actually making it easier to lose pounds. 1200 to 1400 daily calories is a good goal, but focus on veggies and lean meat/dairy is a great strategy. Persistence and determination will pay off. Good luck!


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## carolb5

I also eat LOTS of dairy!!! Just drop the grains, sugars and processed foods. Try it for a month or two. It will help with weight loss and I got an energy boost from not being in a carb coma after meals.

Carol


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## Whisperwindkat

I agree you can do primal and keep the dairy. We use loads of dairy products around here. I lost weight (inches), my husband lost the belly he was getting, my daughter's asthma is practically gone, and our other daughter has really calmed down (hyper). We dropped the grains, sugar and absolutely no processed foods. Seems hard at first, but once you get used to it then it really isn't. Even though my thyroid is a mess right now and I should be comatose and I am still somewhat functional and I truly believe it is the way we eat now. Blessings, Kat


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## Evons hubby

L&CFarms said:


> I'm desperate to lose weight I'm a 5'3" 20 year old female who is 180lbs and no matter what I do I can't lose weight! I'm working at a YMCA kids camp where I'm constantly active last week I went from 181-177 an now I'm back up to 180! My bmi and any body fat percentage calculator says I'm obese! I've tried eating right but I just moved out on my own and I can't afford a ton of organic and super healthy stuff because it doesn't keep long! I keep trying but I can't lose weight! HELP!


I lost a lot of weight when I cut most of the fats and carbs out of my diet. Dropped from 315 down to 250 in just a few months. I ate a lot of high protein foods with very low fat content. Dieting is best done while grocery shopping. Turkey, fish and chicken became a mainstay, along with a few veggies and eggs. Greens are pretty good, but stay away from things like peas, taters and corn.... those are all high in carbs, that will turn into fat looking for a place to live.... most likely on your tummy, thighs and backside. Check the labels!!! make sure you are not consuming fats or carbs, then once you have figured out WHAT to eat, work on serving sizes... a couple eggs, (boiled or poached, not fried), 3 or 4 ounces of lean meat... turkey chicken or fish, a lite salad minus the mayo or other heavy dressing... should be plenty to keep you going thru a day. Keep your nutrition levels up, carbs and fats down, get plenty of exercise and the weight should go down. If you intend to keep the weight off, your eating habits have to become a way of life. Remember YOU are the one in control of how much and what you put in your body, so YOU have to take charge and make it happen. We can offer you advice and encouragement, but you are the only one who can take charge.


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## Bellyman

I'll be the contrarian this time.

Maybe you need MORE carbs??!! (or the right kinds of carbs)

https://www.drmcdougall.com/health/...o-distractions-from-real-world-food-problems/

I don't agree with 100% of what this guy says but I do believe he may be worth having a listen to if you have the time.

Good luck!


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## sbonner

(I haven't read through all the posts, so someone may have already suggested this.)

If you are just now getting active, after having started your weight loss, you may actually be gaining -muscle weight-. Muscle weighs a lot more than fat does. In fact, whenever I start exercising and eating right, I will easily gain 15 or so pounds before I ever start actually losing again. 

As a rule of thumb, ask yourself how you FEEL. Don't look in a mirror, don't look at a scale, and ask yourself -- are you fatigued all the time, or do you *feel* healthy? Could you run up a set of stairs? Do you have good mobility and flexibility, or do you frequently get hurt, pull muscles, or run out of gas while working at the YMCA?

*Throw the BMI number out the window.* It is not an accurate representation of what is and isn't healthy once you get out of the 'extremes' because it doesn't take into consideration things like your natural frame, bone density, fat ratio, and other factors that might contribute to your weight.


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