Ack, not losing weight and my diet is impossible!

[AdamJM]

Ok heres the problem, I started cutting a little over 2 weeks ago and I dropped 6 lbs in the first week (198 down to 192). Now after another week I'm back up to 194, my goal is to be between 175-180 (then see how I look and decide from there). I figure it was my weight just stabilizing but still I'm a very impatient person so I was hoping I could lose 2 lbs a week consistantly.

What really is worrying me is that I might be having problems b/c of my diet. I know I'm eating more fat and more carbs than I should on a daily basis (I should have about 150 g of carbs and 45 g of fat) and maybe not getting enough protein. Its so difficult, its not from a lack of effort, I mean at this point I'm resigned to not really enjoying eating but still, there is so much fat and carbs in just stupid things. Right now I'm probably eating 3 cans of tuna a day and 4 servings of whey plus whatever meat we have for dinner (as far as main sources of protein go). Like I don't ever really cheat unless forced but still I know I go over almost every day. The real problem is finding sources of protein that don't contain much fat and carbs and also are pretty cheap. My mom is getting pissed at me cause she'll buy 12 cans of tuna and less than a week later its gone.

I figured I'd lose weight just b/c of the reduction of volume of food I'm taking in. Also although I'll cheat sometimes (usually b/c forced) like in carbs say with bread or sumthing its still clean food. When I was bulking I'd eat an occasional hamburger and not think much of it, now, since I've been cutting, I've had only one meal that I really consider a total cheat (I was at an overnight with a youth group a belong to and we only had to total **** to eat so I endulged and did the whole pizza, cookies, brownies thing, but still I could have eaten 2 or 3 times as much as I did easy). Other then that I can count on two fingers how much sweets I've had (both forced on me by my girlfriend). Just I feel like this need to move faster, I'm trying as hard I can to eat the right things, I'm doing good solid cardio, and I've broke the bank on protein supps. Anyone got any advice for me? :confused:

[Trias]

Ok well a few things leap of the page at me here. Fell free to ignore, I'm nowhere near as built as you. Sorry if it sounds a little simian.

First you say 'forced'. Nope that's a load of crap and you know it. No one is forcing you. You are giving in. Why?

The cheating is an obvious source of the problem but it seems to me not the main. It's also hard to tell really how much you are cheating.

You know you're eating more carbs and fat than you should. The obvious thing is if you know that then why are you doing it. I suspect you are hungry. Perhaps you need to counter that. Water and fibre helps. Perhaps the previous bulking made you used to larger volumes.

You talk about being resigned. i think perhaps the lack of fun is part of the issue. Variety, complexity, impulsiveness is gone. You perhaps are taking your fun from the cheating. Yes you mention the burger you miss them. You know you can make a clean burger, if you like.

There is plenty of advice on this forum on clean protein and some would be low cost. It appears money is an issue. This is much harder to solve.

[AdamJM]

Lol, no I really do mean forced. I'm 17 years old so my mom is like this is what ur eating for dinner and if you don't like it thats too damn bad. Now, I could say, "well ok I just won't eat" and then make my own dinner later, but the problem is, this would start a sort of war with her. She's becoming more and more sympathetic to what I'm trying to do but she knows I can't just make my own thing (I have younger bros to set the example for). I could but pretty soon I have a feeling I'd be buying my own tuna and I'm already strapped just on protein supps. With my girlfriend, ur right, I can't really tell her no to anything (no will power when she stares into my eyes). Really I don't want to cheat, I'm a diciplined person, its just that it kinda happens. Food that is just protein is not always readily available for me so I have to make due with some other foods that have protein but are also high in carbs or fat. Yes I am hungry, but hell eating is just eating for me at this point. Hunger doesn't bother me, I was one of these eat one meal a day, type of guys before I got into all this.

[CJNY]

Adam,

You're stressing too much over this. Take a step back and look at the basics. You need less calories to lose weight. Sure, all that protein/fat/carbo complexity can help, but you need less calories than you are getting. Period.

Your mother makes your meals. Fine. But is she telling you how much to eat? If hunger really isn't a problem then you need to seriously - and I mean seriously (like "go away someplace for a few hours and think about this and nothing else" kind of serious) - ask yourself why you let other people determine how much you put in your mouth.

Sorry if this sounds harsh. Please believe that I have only good intentions for you. You can do this. Two lbs per week is not unreasonable. Keep lifting iron and cut back on curling that fork.

Carl

[AdamJM]

lol,you all think I'm some kinda fat push over kid, its not like I even eat that much. The point is that I'm on a 2000 calorie a day diet, seriously on the very worst day I got maybe 2500 calories. We aren't talking about massive over eating here, just I thought that coming down from a 4000 calorie diet, I would see more change.

[ebon00]

You're crazy, that's the problem. You've dropped your calories way too fast and your body is panicking!! Imagine you were making $ 1,000 a week and spending it because you knew you'd make as much next week. But next week rolls around and suddenly you only get $500. You'd freak and that's what your body is doing right now. You need to reduce your calories a little more cautiously when starting a diet.

Other things to consider. Fat/carb combinations are the worst. Stay clear of those as much as possible. And if possible get little to no carbs after 6 PM. That means the bread has to go.

If you have to eat what your Mom makes for dinner (we've all been there) make the proportions suit your needs better. Don't stock up on high-GI carbs just because they happen to be there.

Willpower is the key. I don't care how hungry you get. You don't give in. If you do you are a push-over kid. It's that simple. Most of dieting is about beating yourself. It's your brain that is causing most of these problems. Accept that, don't try to blame it on external causes or circumstance. That's the only way to get truly disciplined.

Now get to work.

[AdamJM]

Ebon, so if I dropped my cals to quick, should I go back up, or jsut take it as a lesson for the future?