Not seeing results.. advice?

Bluebell55

I am trying to lose ~2 stone (and more) to get back to my pre-college physique, except for some reason I am not seeing any results, the opposite is happening. Here is my daily meal plan:

Breakfast: Glass Orange Juice, Granola Bar or 2 Rice cakes
Lunch: Wholemeal Pasta, Tomato and Chilli Sauce with Chopped Chorizo
Afternoon: 2 Rice cakes (once a week I might have a bar of dairy milk)
Dinner: Every evening I have a stirfry, either chicken breast or beef, a full pepper, and either sweet and sour sauce/kung po sauce, Homemade sauce and a nest of noodles.

With regard to fluids, I try to drink 2-3 litres of water a day, and I allow myself 5 cans of Coke Zero a week.

I have been doing this for about 6 weeks, but my clothes have got even tighter!! Previously, I would have had a take-away a fortnight (if not more), and at least a can of normal coke a day, with ice-creams/crisps, etc.

Exercise wise, I am usually up and about all day, walking around, but if I am not, I go to the gym 3 times a week, cycle 20km a go, plus some walking/jogging on the treadmill, followed by about 20 minutes of weights.

In the last 10 days, I have felt a bit dejected, so have been a bit naughty, and have not going to the gym But this week, I have stocked my fridge with fruit and veg (for lunch and to snack on), and going to cut out pasta/noodles.

Would appreciate any words of advice/wisdom from anybody!

Roger Marbles

Cut out the refined carbs/grains. Eat more meat and veg.

EileenG

I agree, far too much sugary and refined carbs.

Juice, granola bar and rice cakes have to be one of the worst breakfasts if you are trying to lose weight. It's all carbs and sugar and virtually no protein or healthy fats. And a lot more calories than you'd imagine from the amount of food you eat.

Try a mushroom omlette instead, and lash in any leftover veg from the previous night.

Lunch has lots of carbs, and I'm guessing you are not weighing your pasta, just making what looks like a nice amount. Try weighing, and you'll probably be shocked at how much you are eating compared to what is considered a single portion size. Tomato and chili sauce is usually full of sugar and additives, and chorizo, while tasty, doesn't provide anything like enough protein.

Try a big green salad, with cold meat or chicken or a tin of fish, and some olive oil and vinegar dressing.

Stirfry is good, the meat/chicken and veg is good, but Sweet and Sour or Kung Po sauces are both concentrated sugar, and you've got another portion of pasta. Do you see a trend here?

Keep the meat and chicken, throw on loads more veg, eat something like a couple of boiled potatoes for your carbs (if you really need them) and lay off the noodles and sauces. Tabasco is great for adding a kick to food without calories or sugar.

A handful of raw nuts or a tub of cottage cheese make good snacks during the day or when you get hungry.

Bluebell55

EileenG wrote: »

I agree, far too much sugary and refined carbs.

Juice, granola bar and rice cakes have to be one of the worst breakfasts if you are trying to lose weight. It's all carbs and sugar and virtually no protein or healthy fats. And a lot more calories than you'd imagine from the amount of food you eat.

Try a mushroom omlette instead, and lash in any leftover veg from the previous night.

Lunch has lots of carbs, and I'm guessing you are not weighing your pasta, just making what looks like a nice amount. Try weighing, and you'll probably be shocked at how much you are eating compared to what is considered a single portion size. Tomato and chili sauce is usually full of sugar and additives, and chorizo, while tasty, doesn't provide anything like enough protein.

Try a big green salad, with cold meat or chicken or a tin of fish, and some olive oil and vinegar dressing.

Stirfry is good, the meat/chicken and veg is good, but Sweet and Sour or Kung Po sauces are both concentrated sugar, and you've got another portion of pasta. Do you see a trend here?

Keep the meat and chicken, throw on loads more veg, eat something like a couple of boiled potatoes for your carbs (if you really need them) and lay off the noodles and sauces. Tabasco is great for adding a kick to food without calories or sugar.

A handful of raw nuts or a tub of cottage cheese make good snacks during the day or when you get hungry.

Thanks!!! I do see the pattern, but its just so hard to get out of the habit, but as I'm out in the big bad world,its time for a change! So if I started the day off with an omelette/boiled egg, had a salad for lunch and basically cut out the processed sauces/sugars/pasta, I should start to see a result!? And i need to invest in a food scales!

Well the carb problem has been addressed so I wont comment on it. I would suggest that maybe rather than getting bigger like you said you are, it's that you're getting bloated? Wholemeal and carbs like granola, if you don't normaly eat them, could be taking a bit more effort for your stomach to digest, causing bloatedness while your body adjusts.

It took me quite a while when I started to care about what I was eating, to make a stirfry that wasn't greasy. Always make sure you have your pan really hot, and use as little oil as possible. I used to use sauces, but I found over time that a glug of light soy sauce in the pan when the veg goes in, and then another when the noodles go in for a toss around, is quite nice and I don't feel the need for sauce anymore. It's a bit high in salt though, but I don't have too much salt in my diet anyway.

Is your meal plan just a sample plan or is your everyday plan? If it's every day, you might want to include some variety. Especially fruit and veg wise, try and include as many different colours as possible. I know it sounds a bit silly, but the colour of the veg is often an indication of it's content.

Also, when you get your scales maybe get a plastic cup or measuring cups also. It's a hassle to weigh every time, so weigh it once and then put it into a plastic cup. Then scrape a notch on the cup at the right height, and you can just measure it from the cup each time.

Bluebell55

It could be a massive case of bloating, but I normally get bloated, even after a bottle of water/salad, my stomach balloons out It feels like it is more weight being piled on over the last week, but hopefully by curbing what I am eating now will fix that in a week or so.

I do like quite spicy food, and will avoid bland food at all cost. I think its in my mind that by using the sauces I am ensuring food isn't bland, however a bit of soy/tobasco and getting myself out of the habit should help.

That would be my general meal plan, some days I might skip breakfast, I might rarely have muesli. Lunch-wise, if I am out and about, I will have a salad/something that seems remotely healthy. Dinner is a stir-fry most evenings. Once a week I will have spaghetti with my own bolognese sauce, with chicken, or a beef burger.

I have a major aversion to some vegetables, like potatoes, cauliflower, cabbage, but I do eat pepper, lettuce, mangetout, onions, and similar stuff.

Sounds great, one thing though, IMO skipping breakfast is a big no-no.

Try throwing in some beansprouts to your stirfry. They look a bit weird but they add a lovely extra texture, and they don't have much taste. Maybe some thinly chopped carrot too...

xgtdec

Just on your gym routine, have you any idea of heartrates while your doing this...you may not be burning as much as you think if your judging how hard your working based on sweat!!, have you though about gymwork pre breakfast...an excellant burn tactic if your looking to shed pounds...just a thought while your sorting your diet!

Bluebell55

ooh beansprouts, never thought of them- thanks!

With regard to my gym routine, my heart rate is usually 160-170, try to do about 110 rpm on the stationery bikes. I injured my ankle about 8-9 months ago, so my gym exercise has been curtailed (physio says Im only allowed bike, no rowing/cross-training/running), but while it was getting better, I was still constantly on my feet during the day, thanks to my job.

Frogdog

More fresh foods, particularly meat, fish and veg. Limit anything you drink to water/some milk. Lift heavy weights. As heavy as you can manage.

SteelyDanJalapeno

Most points have been addressed by now and you should have the ammunition needed to to lose that weight, just to reitirate some of the points :

cut out most of those refined sugary carbs, they are no good for you. Replace with more meat or veg if needs be. but you'll find that a little bit more meat will more than fill you up and you'll soon get out of the habit of needing that side of pasta rice or spuds. They're just a pallet for the taste of the other foods on your plate, would you eat pasta rice spuds or bread on they're own? with no butter salt or sauce to accompany them? i wouldnt because they dont really taste of anything, they're a waste of time and calories! anyway rant over!

Re ; breakfast, Eggs eggs eggs! in any form they're an amazing food! 3 eggs in the morning will more than fill me up till lunch time, at about 100 calories a pop thats good value! Vary them up obviously in case your bored of them, scrambled eggs with some pepper and butter yum! boiled eggs chopped with some salt and butter yum! scrambled with streaky bacon, poached eggs, ommellette! loads of combinations out there, but the main thing is they're highly satiating leaving fuller for longer.

Stir frys are good, I make my own curries and bolognese these will usually last 2 - 3 dinners, which is great if you dont really like spending 45 mins cooking after work everyday, Fajitas are great and quick, replace the wrap with large lettuce leaves!

On the gym, lift heavy, but dont injure yourself! find a weight that you can comfortably do 6 - 8 reps firstly, and do a few sets, just keep goin till you know you cant do any more, i'd hit the cardio then,

, Good luck OP.

Bluebell55

Thanks everyone for all your helpful advice, hopefully will start to reap the rewards soon! Looking forward to the challenge!!