Ohhhh, NOW i get it...

[The_Petal]

Earlier today I was reading through some weight loss diaries on here, and the lovely Hellie had talked about an i-phone app - myfitnesspal, and there is a website of the same name (myfitnesspal.com) which works out the calories in the foods that you've eaten, and how many calories that you should eat and amount of exercise that you should do to lose weight, etc.


Now, I've been doing SW for yonks and have found it harder and harder to lose weight as I've neared my target. I (like lots of us) have had plenty of weeks where i've had an absolutely 100% week and then been bemused as to why I've STS or even gained weight.

To be honest in the past it has really got me down and frustrated me too, especially when my consultant has basically insinuated that i've not followed the plan properly otherwise i would have succeeded. She has said this to me in front of everyone during image therapy. Not so motivating. :cry:

Aaaanyway, having just entered my last 4 days' food diary entries into this website (and having done a profile explaining my exercise habits - or lack of!, and current/target weight too) it is becoming very clear why i'm not losing weight very quickly.:hmm:

My fat intake every day is way below the recommended amount - this is no suprise, we know that SW is a very low fat way of eating. arty0049:

But, i'm consuming more calories every single day than i need to be in order to lose my desired 1.5 lbs per week. It says I will still lose weight, but it projects that in 5 weeks i'll lose about 2 lbs. Not so good!:sign0007:

Now, i know that SW works, and i'm not planning on calorie counting for long. I understand that the beauty of SW is that you don't have to do that, and can lose weight and live a healthy happy life forever, without obsessing over calories. But for people such as me, struggling to lose that last stone or less to get to target, this is SUCH an eye opener.

I don't always ONLY eat when I'm hungry. Even when i'm low on my syns, i'm probably still eating too much at meal times and DEFINITELY not doing as much exercise as I should.

I don't want to confuse any newbies, if you are new to this eating plan please keep to the rules and trust the plan. It does work! I've lost 3.5 stone!

All i guess i'm saying is, that this website is great for helping people like me - i've been doing the plan for more than 2 1/2 years (!) and veeeery slowly losing the last stubborn pounds.

Food for thought, that's all.

Hope this is helpful for some of you who are feeling down at the moment, and who maybe don't understand why the losses are so slow.

Also thanks so much to Hellie who recommended this website/app on her diary pages. I feel like a new petal! xxx

 

[Taz]

I used myfitnesspal when I was taking a break and although it's useful I soon got bored of all the calorie counting

 

[The_Petal]

yeah, long term its not going to be something that i will have the time or patience to do. but fingers crossed its going to get me focused this week!

 

[Taz]

I do quite a bit of activity and I was shocked at how much more it would 'allow' me to eat

 

[The_Petal]

Good on you! I'm so lazy. Exercise is definitely part of the answer to shifting the last few lbs.

xxx

 

[Morgawr]

Just been entering some of my food diaries on it and it would seem that I have only been eating between 1200 and 1600 calories!

 

[mumtheshopper]

I run alot, I find it makes no difference to weight loss at all. It makes me feel better. It makes feel healthier, and helps keep me sane. If I am feeling doen or depressed it is the best cure in the world. It does nothing for helping me lose weight at all. When I am struggling, the best thing I can do is cut down, or out, starch. I knew this, but am just starting to relearn it after thinking SW would be the whole answer.

Lydna

 

[HellieCopter]

Hey Petal

I am glad you've found a new motivation and focus...but still in the boundaries of SW!

I do think the myfitnesspal.com website is a useful tool, and an eye-opener too. I used it initally as an experiment for my iPhone and keeping a food diary that way, but also found it interesting to see how many calories I was having...as well as the balance of carbs, protein and fat. I don't plan on slavishly filling it in - I like my paper diary as well as my minimins food journal, but I think a fortnight of keeping a count of the calories as well as sticking with Extra Easy might give me that push to get to goal.

SW is totally the way for me, but I think it's always good to have new angles of motivation from time to time.

Really pleased you're focused and on track

 

[The_Petal]

Thanks so much Hellie! Yep, totally focused. Interestingly, it's encouraging me to get more exercise too. I did an hours walking today and it told me i'd "earned" another 200 cals or something. Now, i'm not planning on going and using those 200 cals, in fact i've just had a muller light which is wild and crazy i know! But i perhaps wouldn't have had it if i hadn't exercised, but i DEFINITELY would have had it last week before i was thinking about my calorie intake. And little bits like that all day add up to possibly whats been slowing down my weight loss.

So, it's really helping me and yes, i'm dead focused, more so than I can really remember! Thanks again for introducing me to it, and good luck with your fortnight keeping an eye on the cals. You're so close to target now, i'm sure you'll be there in no time at all! xxx

 

[*EB*]

did someone say iPhone and app.....ooooh!?

x

 

[HellieCopter]

yes! It's a free app called myfitnesspal and I use it as a food diary on my phone. It tracks cals and exercise too, and allows you to set goals. I love it!

 

[Taz]

I just used the full site on the computer

 

[My Skinny Jeans Challenge]

Can you use that app on a ipod touch

 

[Chelsea]

just downloaded it onto my iphone - how exciting.. can't wait to use it