Kind of feel like crying

HQuinn96

I am trying so hard to lose weight. Everyday all day I feel like I am making good decisions and trying to be better and then you look at the scale and it just doesn't seem to say what you think that it should. Need some motivation especially right now!

cantobean

Trust that you are making real, important changes in your body. Every good choice you make has an impact on your health. Unfortunately, the scale doesn't always reflect those changes right away. I am struggling with the same thing. I have to remind myself that it took more than a few days to put that weight on, so it will take time to take it off. This is my third time on MFP. The first time I lost 40 pounds, but I put about 20 back on, and I am very slowly working them off. It is a long and hard process but we can do it!

4leighbee

I'm sorry you're having a hard time right now. I know that every time I re-start my training and being careful eating, I have to purposefully *ignore* the scale. When I start exercising and drinking lots of water, I always GAIN weight - and it's a couple weeks before I start to see/feel results. So - I have to be patient when I start. Don't know if that helps - also, that darn scale is the last thing you want to focus on! Slow weight loss will last. You are beautiful - and your smile is so happy - just keep at it and forget that scale. Pull out the tape measure if you need to have numbers. And drink another glass of water. xo

HQuinn96

Thank you it really helps to know that I am not the only one who is feeling this way!!

debubbie

I only weigh once a month because I was frustrated with feeling like I was working hard and staying under my calorie goal for the scale to say nothing positive was happening. It has made losing weight a lot less stressful. Especially since I have started to focus on other factors: how my clothes fit, inches lost, and fitness goals (walking less and running more while doing a mile). If I stay under goal and exercise to reach my fitness goals, the weight will eventually come off, right?

4leighbee

no way! I actually said "eff you!" to the scale out loud one day at the gym, lol! I looked around to make sure no one heard me.

Virkati

The scale is nothing but a number. That's all it is. It's JUST a number. It is NOT a definition of who you are as a person. It is NOT an accurate portrayal of how hard you're working to make the right decisions. It does NOT define you. It does NOT have any more power than YOU give to it. It upsets you because that's one of the ways that people are judged by others. But the reality is that the kind of person you are is SO much more important than a number on a scale. It's nothing more than a measurement. Don't allow it to be more than it is. And remember, there are going to be days that you'll want to dance naked on the rooftop because the number is better than you hoped for, and there will be days you wonder why you're trying SO darn HARD because that stupid thing doesn't show you what you want to see. Keep at it. One decision at a time, one meal at a time, one day at a time. They will all add up to MAJOR losses. It's JUST a number. It's NOT who you are.

HQuinn96

Lol that makes me feel a ton better!!! I just really want to keep going!!

Kendall2006

Don't be sad. Each of our bodies are different. As long as you are eating enough calories and burning calories, then you should be able to lose some weight. But if you are eating less than necessary, you may be starving your body. Therefore your body is storing the nutrients that you are not feeding it. That is why the scale may tell you something you don't want to look at. I workout 6 days a week and am on a Budget diet. I log everything I place in my mouth. No matter what. This way I know when I have my sweet cravings and what I should replace with. As lugtches mentioned, Slow progress will last. In my eyes, I knew it was easy to put on. But it takes time to take off. Just make sure you are logging correctly and taking in the right calories.

HQuinn96

debubbie wrote: »

I only weigh once a month because I was frustrated with feeling like I was working hard and staying under my calorie goal for the scale to say nothing positive was happening. It has made losing weight a lot less stressful. Especially since I have started to focus on other factors: how my clothes fit, inches lost, and fitness goals (walking less and running more while doing a mile). If I stay under goal and exercise to reach my fitness goals, the weight will eventually come off, right?

I can only hope so!!

LAMCDylan

Don't check the scale often. Check like once every 1-2 weeks to just see if the pounds are going down. This is important so you can make adjustments if you don't see it. Measurements are a better indicator of weight loss. How you look and feel is a better than a damn number on a scale. Scales are not perfect and often your weight can fluctuate +- 5 lbs daily. The point is, don't get so fixated/obsessed with the scale. Once you know your plan is making you lose weight only check the scale like monthly.

Ninkyou

Instead of looking at how far you have to go, look at how far you've come.

It might also help to lower your expectations.

HQuinn96

LAMCDylan wrote: »

Don't check the scale often. Check like once every 1-2 weeks to just see if the pounds are going down. This is important so you can make adjustments if you don't see it. Measurements are a better indicator of weight loss. How you look and feel is a better than a damn number on a scale. Scales are not perfect and often your weight can fluctuate +- 5 lbs daily. The point is, don't get so fixated/obsessed with the scale. Once you know your plan is making you lose weight only check the scale like monthly.

Thank you.. I think I will start just doing measurements for a while and worry about the scale later!

4leighbee

also - remember that the time of the month that we (women) are the most irrational and insecure about our body image corresponds with the time we want to eat every salty, sweet thing in sight and also the time when our body is retaining water. Be careful that you aren't allowing one week of the month to sabotage your motivation overall. Generalizing here - no offense intended.

LAMCDylan

PS: if you gain muscle weight will fluctuate upward. So you can drop like 7 lbs of fat and then go back up 5 simply because you burned fat but also put on some muscle. That is another thing to consider. That is why people should not get so obsessed with scales. Again, how you look and feel plus measurements are a better way to indicate weight loss and fitness.

HQuinn96

Virkati wrote: »

The scale is nothing but a number. That's all it is. It's JUST a number. It is NOT a definition of who you are as a person. It is NOT an accurate portrayal of how hard you're working to make the right decisions. It does NOT define you. It does NOT have any more power than YOU give to it. It upsets you because that's one of the ways that people are judged by others. But the reality is that the kind of person you are is SO much more important than a number on a scale. It's nothing more than a measurement. Don't allow it to be more than it is. And remember, there are going to be days that you'll want to dance naked on the rooftop because the number is better than you hoped for, and there will be days you wonder why you're trying SO darn HARD because that stupid thing doesn't show you what you want to see. Keep at it. One decision at a time, one meal at a time, one day at a time. They will all add up to MAJOR losses. It's JUST a number. It's NOT who you are.

Thank you so much!!! That's one of the best things I have heard in a long while!!

elephant2mouse

I think we all have these days!! Especially with the holidays just passing, I'm just trying to get into the swing of things again. Just keep your head up, no matter how small, every healthy choice is a step in the right direction

HQuinn96

Kendall2006 wrote: »

Don't be sad. Each of our bodies are different. As long as you are eating enough calories and burning calories, then you should be able to lose some weight. But if you are eating less than necessary, you may be starving your body. Therefore your body is storing the nutrients that you are not feeding it. That is why the scale may tell you something you don't want to look at. I workout 6 days a week and am on a Budget diet. I log everything I place in my mouth. No matter what. This way I know when I have my sweet cravings and what I should replace with. As lugtches mentioned, Slow progress will last. In my eyes, I knew it was easy to put on. But it takes time to take off. Just make sure you are logging correctly and taking in the right calories.

Yes that is what is frustrating to me is so easy it is to put on and so darn hard it is to get off!!

HQuinn96

lgutches wrote: »

also - remember that the time of the month that we (women) are the most irrational and insecure about our body image corresponds with the time we want to eat every salty, sweet thing in sight and also the time when our body is retaining water. Be careful that you aren't allowing one week of the month to sabotage your motivation overall. Generalizing here - no offense intended.

No you are probably right... I might be a bit too emotional right now and that is certainly not helping the situation.

siobunnie25

I always lose a good number the first week, because of decreasing the bloat. Now that I'm in week 2, I know that it will be slower. I ALWAYS give up during weeks 2-3 because I'm not seeing the numbers I want. I've lost 40 lbs in the past (gained back 20) and I still have that weight tracker so I can remind myself that even if I went up one week, as long as I am sticking with my plan, it will go back down! Take measurements and check them monthly - you will see the changes there! I have another trick - I have a piece of clothing that doesn't fit, and I try it on every week. You will notice you're getting closer every week - even if the scale looks like you aren't! You didn't gain it in a week, and it won't come off in a week! Take it slow, and it will last! Good luck!

a_candler

Take measurements, often if scales not moving we can still see a diff in measuring.

HQuinn96

siobunnie25 wrote: »

I always lose a good number the first week, because of decreasing the bloat. Now that I'm in week 2, I know that it will be slower. I ALWAYS give up during weeks 2-3 because I'm not seeing the numbers I want. I've lost 40 lbs in the past (gained back 20) and I still have that weight tracker so I can remind myself that even if I went up one week, as long as I am sticking with my plan, it will go back down! Take measurements and check them monthly - you will see the changes there! I have another trick - I have a piece of clothing that doesn't fit, and I try it on every week. You will notice you're getting closer every week - even if the scale looks like you aren't! You didn't gain it in a week, and it won't come off in a week! Take it slow, and it will last! Good luck!

Thank you!! That makes it seem like it will get easier

GeorgieKay2013

My Advice is get a personal trainer who can develop you a food plan and exercise plan in conjunction. You will have to pay for that but look at it as an investment in your self. If you really want to loose weight you should be ready to try anything.

Just trying to make good decisions based on your common sense is not a good idea . You need a complete package tailored to you with someone with knowledge on the subject. You don't have that knowledge so you have to pay for it. Or you can just start buying books and start education yourself and dig deep.

But you need to have the food and the exercise right then you will start seeing result.

Now with this being said the time frame to improve your weight and health --you should aim for is at least a year and a half. Don't look at short term results.

Create new habits make it a lifestyle. Beeing fit and looking great is not just one single shot for your Facebook profile and a night out on Friday where you were just about to fit your dress. It is a way of life.

jenanon1

I know it's a cliche, but it took a long time for the weight go on, so it will take a long time for the weight to come off. But it will come off, just not all at once. IMHO either weigh every day (so you can see how your weight fluctuates from one day to the next, because of salt, sugar, TOM, waste etc), or weigh once a month or less, so you see numbers going down.

I weigh every day and see a difference of up to 5 lbs a day, but I know eventually that lowest number will go even lower, it's just a matter of waiting. Sometimes it takes days, sometimes it takes weeks, but if you are being honest with yourself and logging accurately, then you will lose.

Don't forget, with fluctuations even if you are set to lose 2lbs a week, the other variables could mask that loss for 3 weeks, or even more.

You'll get there, just keep going, before you know it you will be a year down and will have lost loads

yoovie

darlin don't cry! It might be as simple as having your own little jiminy cricket!!


If you don't have a background in health and fitness and you go in trying to do this all on your own with limited knowledge, it could feel like you're just running back and forth on the field and never scoring.

But if you adopt a program (adopt it. own it, love it, brag about it, decorate your walls with it) then you'll find that it will naturally lead your forward!

trust me! we all need a little help in the beginning and no one expects you to understand how to move yourself forward from the very beginning.

we all learn by reading and using trial and error.

Go forth and conquer :flowerforyou:

HQuinn96

jenanon1 wrote: »

I know it's a cliche, but it took a long time for the weight go on, so it will take a long time for the weight to come off. But it will come off, just not all at once. IMHO either weigh every day (so you can see how your weight fluctuates from one day to the next, because of salt, sugar, TOM, waste etc), or weigh once a month or less, so you see numbers going down.

I weigh every day and see a difference of up to 5 lbs a day, but I know eventually that lowest number will go even lower, it's just a matter of waiting. Sometimes it takes days, sometimes it takes weeks, but if you are being honest with yourself and logging accurately, then you will lose.

Don't forget, with fluctuations even if you are set to lose 2lbs a week, the other variables could mask that loss for 3 weeks, or even more.

You'll get there, just keep going, before you know it you will be a year down and will have lost loads

Thank you it just gets hard sometimes!!

doomspark

The scale is evil. After a few times of having my self-esteem for the day shattered, I decided that I was only going to step on it once a week at most. It's MUCH less depressing, and gives a better over-all picture of my weight trend.

HQuinn96

yoovie wrote: »

darlin don't cry! It might be as simple as having your own little jiminy cricket!!


If you don't have a background in health and fitness and you go in trying to do this all on your own with limited knowledge, it could feel like you're just running back and forth on the field and never scoring.

But if you adopt a program (adopt it. own it, love it, brag about it, decorate your walls with it) then you'll find that it will naturally lead your forward!

trust me! we all need a little help in the beginning and no one expects you to understand how to move yourself forward from the very beginning.

we all learn by reading and using trial and error.

Go forth and conquer :flowerforyou:

Thank you definitely needed that push!!!