Losing Hope :(

rskidmore

I joined this site in January as a new years resolution and for the most part I have stuck to my plan. However, in the five months I've been on this site I have lost a measly six pounds and barely half an inch on my waist and thighs. I've switched most of my foods to whole grains and whole wheat (except pasta because I don't like how the whole wheat pasta tastes like there's sand in it. Ew.), I eat lots of veggies, fish, protein. My cravings for sweet and salty has severely diminished, and I've also been measuring everything I can. I've been working out on average 4-5 days a week for about 30-60 minutes each time doing Insanity, 30 Day Shred, and the treadmill sometimes. I have low levels of B12 (I've been trying to increase my levels by eating seafood and meat which are high in the vitamin), I'm lactose intolerant, I have IBS, and I also suffer from exercise induced asthma. I basically feel like I've been doing everything right for the most part (I'll have sweets once in awhile) and I'm getting nowhere!! My goal was to reach 135 by the end of August, but I've been stuck at 189 for five months so that goal has flown out the window. I need motivation to continue because I'm starting to feel like what's the point? and I need any tips people may have. I'm going to open my food diary right now, but I tend to forget to log things some days, so that's why some days are bare. Any advice, any meal plans or exercise plans would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance!

carolina0105

hi. I am pretty new w/ all this myself so I'm not sure if I'm the right person to give advice. My weight keeps going all over the place so I'm not sure if I have it down myself. I just wanted to say don't give up hope. Keep working at it. Maybe there will be others to offer tips.

Good luck & you can do it!!!

00trayn

I think one thing to do would to be more diligent with logging your food. It's harder to get a good picture of what you're eating if you don't log it all, and also you get a much more accurate calorie count for the day. I also noticed you drink your calories at times. Try and cut out soda or other higher calorie drinks and stick to water when possible. Maybe try to get more fruits and veggies and lean meats into your diet as opposed to processed food. That's just my quick observations looking over your food diary. I think if you log everything and work to stay within your calories, and use of hte calories with healthy food, the scale will start to move down again

donsch

I know six pounds is not alot--BUT five months ago you were six pounds heavier. Don't give up. You can do it-just one day at a time and one healthy choice at a time. I know it is hard but just keep plugging along. How are your portions?-that was always my downfall so just a thought.
Surround yourself with inspirational sayings and keep you mind filled with positive thoughts-in five more months you will look back and say "wow, I really have done good"
some people lose weight fast but then it does not stay off. Take it slowly and you will do better.
Hang in there!

nanmosta1

I agree that logging your diary is crucial. You would be amazed at how much you dont realize you are eating. I wasn't logging days when I ws busy with my husband and felt frustrated that I was stuck for months to realize on those days I was eating up to 4000 calories. Log everything, weigh your food, check your portion size and watch the condiments. If it still is and issue it sounds like time for a doctor visit to make sure it's not thyroid or something.

Pariah

when you finish your diary for the day, do you read the fine print under the part that says in five weeks you will weigh ____lbs? if you haven't it basically says that eating less than 1200 is dangerous, and it also slows your metabolism and slows your weightloss.

assumming that you are in fact logging all your foods, it's looks too me like everyday i looked at you were under that. somedays only by about 200 calories, other days by close to a thousand calories. that is why you are not losing weight. your body is starving, and it's holding on to all the fat (energy) you have, by slowing your metabolism. consequently, the day you eat slightly more than you normally would, your body will store all those calories, and you will gain weight.

xxquzme

Whatever you do dont stop what you are doing. I know that it can be frustrating at times. as much as everyone wants to make this about weight loss science it really isnt, unless you make it that way. Its simple math. 3500 calories = 1 pound. There is no denying that. What you need to do is take your weight which is 189 pounds and times that by 10. That tells you how many calories your body will burn just by being awake and breathing. So your magical number is 1890. Now take that number and times it by 70%. that will give you your deficit for the day. Your new magical number is 1323. Thats how many calories you should be consuming daily. That is a deficit of 567 calories per day for a total of 3969 calories per week. Thats more than one pound per week by not even exercising. Throw in your workouts and thats even better. When you workout and gain calories to burn make sure that you eat some of those back. Probably half of them because you are already low on cals per day as it is. remember those magical numbers. They will work for you i promise. Thats what i have been following and i am down 80 pounds in 4 months. All you got to do is recalculate your numbers when you start to lose weight. This will only work of you are honest with yourself and stick to the plan. Losing weight is work but well worth it in the end. I would love to keep track of your progress. I am available as a friend if you need one.

rskidmore

I think one thing to do would to be more diligent with logging your food. It's harder to get a good picture of what you're eating if you don't log it all, and also you get a much more accurate calorie count for the day. I also noticed you drink your calories at times. Try and cut out soda or other higher calorie drinks and stick to water when possible. Maybe try to get more fruits and veggies and lean meats into your diet as opposed to processed food. That's just my quick observations looking over your food diary. I think if you log everything and work to stay within your calories, and use of hte calories with healthy food, the scale will start to move down again

Yes, sometimes I do drink my calories. I have pretty much cut out soda. I've limited it to one at work on my break, but I'm working a little bit more now, so it might have to become every second shift, and then every third...

I was so good at logging all of my calories and exercise minutes for so long but then I got really discouraged because nothing was happening. I will try again with logging everything. Thanks.

smuehlbauer

Why are you here????

Here - this is your motivation! Find it in your self sweetie and USE it!
Why I Want To Get In Shape

- I want to feel comfortable in my own skin
- I want my boyfriend to have a hot girlfriend!
- Getting ready for that future amazing wedding dress!
- I want to be able to wear shorts and tank tops and bathing suits without feeling like a blimp!
- I want to not have to sew the seams of my pants back together because the rubbing of my thighs has caused them to burst.
- I want to be able to sit down without "folding" my fat in.
- I want to feel strong and confident again.
My Inspirations

* Seeing my old clothes in my closet. Jeans size 30 and 32!
* Wanting to look and feel good naked. :P
* Being more active and healthy, living a longer life.
* To be able to buy cute clothes and feel good in them.

You can do this! We are here to help, but you got to be able to find it in yourself too!
Here if you need a kick in the butt!:flowerforyou:

brieann

Oh my god i think we are long lost twins I'm the same way the asthma the struggles of feeling like I'm doing everything right except losing, I was just recently found to have a thyroid problem and am now on meds but still fell like I have to work 100 times harder than other people to get very little results!! I'm so frustrated. I am tired of everyone else losing like 20 pounds just by cutting out soda, or walking a mile, when I walk 5 miles and haven't had a soda in a very long time,,, !!! ahhh we should stick together!!

rskidmore

when you finish your diary for the day, do you read the fine print under the part that says in five weeks you will weigh ____lbs? if you haven't it basically says that eating less than 1200 is dangerous, and it also slows your metabolism and slows your weightloss.

assumming that you are in fact logging all your foods, it's looks too me like everyday i looked at you were under that. somedays only by about 200 calories, other days by close to a thousand calories. that is why you are not losing weight. your body is starving, and it's holding on to all the fat (energy) you have, by slowing your metabolism. consequently, the day you eat slightly more than you normally would, your body will store all those calories, and you will gain weight.

Hmmm...that's a good point. I have been trying to get 1200 calories in because I've read a lot of forums on making sure you AT LEAST get the minimum, so I definetely understand how important it is. Lately though, for about the past two weeks, I haven't had an appetite, so I've really been struggling to eat. Plus our cupboards and fridge are practically empty at the moment, so the food we do have I haven't been wanting to eat because it's not exactly healthy. Lots of pasta in those cupboards.

mimi7grands

I hear your frustration. You may have put your finger on it when you say that some days you forget to log things. Logging has made a big difference for me. Not only do I know when I've eaten more than my calorie target but I also know that eating an occasional treat is not grounds for considering myself a failure! If you can keep a log for a week or so, I'd be glad to take a look to see if I can spot any problem areas. Not that I'm such a big expert but there might be a few areas that pop out.

Stay with it! Even if you haven't lost all the weight you want to, you've done good things for your body by eating healthier foods and exercising more. You'll be glad you did in the long run!

rskidmore

Whatever you do dont stop what you are doing. I know that it can be frustrating at times. as much as everyone wants to make this about weight loss science it really isnt, unless you make it that way. Its simple math. 3500 calories = 1 pound. There is no denying that. What you need to do is take your weight which is 189 pounds and times that by 10. That tells you how many calories your body will burn just by being awake and breathing. So your magical number is 1890. Now take that number and times it by 70%. that will give you your deficit for the day. Your new magical number is 1323. Thats how many calories you should be consuming daily. That is a deficit of 567 calories per day for a total of 3969 calories per week. Thats more than one pound per week by not even exercising. Throw in your workouts and thats even better. When you workout and gain calories to burn make sure that you eat some of those back. Probably half of them because you are already low on cals per day as it is. remember those magical numbers. They will work for you i promise. Thats what i have been following and i am down 80 pounds in 4 months. All you got to do is recalculate your numbers when you start to lose weight. This will only work of you are honest with yourself and stick to the plan. Losing weight is work but well worth it in the end. I would love to keep track of your progress. I am available as a friend if you need one.

Thanks, I really needed to read that. Thanks for mapping out my deficits, I was wondering how to do that.

rskidmore

Why are you here????

Here - this is your motivation! Find it in your self sweetie and USE it!
Why I Want To Get In Shape

- I want to feel comfortable in my own skin
- I want my boyfriend to have a hot girlfriend!
- Getting ready for that future amazing wedding dress!
- I want to be able to wear shorts and tank tops and bathing suits without feeling like a blimp!
- I want to not have to sew the seams of my pants back together because the rubbing of my thighs has caused them to burst.
- I want to be able to sit down without "folding" my fat in.
- I want to feel strong and confident again.
My Inspirations

* Seeing my old clothes in my closet. Jeans size 30 and 32!
* Wanting to look and feel good naked. :P
* Being more active and healthy, living a longer life.
* To be able to buy cute clothes and feel good in them.

You can do this! We are here to help, but you got to be able to find it in yourself too!
Here if you need a kick in the butt!:flowerforyou:

Ugh, I know. Things are so much easier said than done unfortunately. I WANT all of these things but they seem so far away, as if I'm at the end of a long tunnel and can't yet see the light at the other end. Thanks for reminding me though. Maybe I should print them out and place them in a prime spot where I can see them everyday. A little reminder of my goals might help me.

kspeach

Ditto what everyone else says...but how are you FEELING? Are you feeling better physically??

Also, re: B12.
Some people cannot absorb B12 through food. If you have taken blood tests and it's showing as low, ask your doctor about a test called a Schilling test. It's so not cool but it doesn't hurt. You'll find out if you're absorbing B12 through food. You may be one of those people who needs a B12 shot on a regular basis. Mine was SOOOOO low many years ago, I had Alzheimer's like symptoms (@ 31 years old!). It was scary and I was lucky enough to have a PA who researched it and found out what it was. My current doctor also detected low Folic acid and Vitamin D, which can go along with it. I started out with weekly/twice weekly shots to get it to a normal level. I now get them monthly and I can tell a HUGE difference with my memory and everything.

rskidmore

Oh my god i think we are long lost twins I'm the same way the asthma the struggles of feeling like I'm doing everything right except losing, I was just recently found to have a thyroid problem and am now on meds but still fell like I have to work 100 times harder than other people to get very little results!! I'm so frustrated. I am tired of everyone else losing like 20 pounds just by cutting out soda, or walking a mile, when I walk 5 miles and haven't had a soda in a very long time,,, !!! ahhh we should stick together!!

I feel your pain! I'm pretty sure I don't have a thyroid problem because in the past I haven't had this much trouble losing weight, but to be honest, I haven't checked recently, so who knows? I feel like I'm working my *kitten* off and getting nowhere! (I've been slacking off lately because of lack of motivation, but for a long time I was working out like crazy!)

rskidmore

I hear your frustration. You may have put your finger on it when you say that some days you forget to log things. Logging has made a big difference for me. Not only do I know when I've eaten more than my calorie target but I also know that eating an occasional treat is not grounds for considering myself a failure! If you can keep a log for a week or so, I'd be glad to take a look to see if I can spot any problem areas. Not that I'm such a big expert but there might be a few areas that pop out.

Stay with it! Even if you haven't lost all the weight you want to, you've done good things for your body by eating healthier foods and exercising more. You'll be glad you did in the long run!

Your 47 lb weight loss makes you an expert in my books! I'm going to log as best I can for the next week to get back into it. I'm going to be really honest with my food choices and then post again to see what people think could be changed.

LilMissAngi

Whatever you do dont stop what you are doing. I know that it can be frustrating at times. as much as everyone wants to make this about weight loss science it really isnt, unless you make it that way. Its simple math. 3500 calories = 1 pound. There is no denying that. What you need to do is take your weight which is 189 pounds and times that by 10. That tells you how many calories your body will burn just by being awake and breathing. So your magical number is 1890. Now take that number and times it by 70%. that will give you your deficit for the day. Your new magical number is 1323. Thats how many calories you should be consuming daily. That is a deficit of 567 calories per day for a total of 3969 calories per week. Thats more than one pound per week by not even exercising. Throw in your workouts and thats even better. When you workout and gain calories to burn make sure that you eat some of those back. Probably half of them because you are already low on cals per day as it is. remember those magical numbers. They will work for you i promise. Thats what i have been following and i am down 80 pounds in 4 months. All you got to do is recalculate your numbers when you start to lose weight. This will only work of you are honest with yourself and stick to the plan. Losing weight is work but well worth it in the end. I would love to keep track of your progress. I am available as a friend if you need one.

Thanks for the math!

rskidmore

Ditto what everyone else says...but how are you FEELING? Are you feeling better physically??

Also, re: B12.
Some people cannot absorb B12 through food. If you have taken blood tests and it's showing as low, ask your doctor about a test called a Schilling test. It's so not cool but it doesn't hurt. You'll find out if you're absorbing B12 through food. You may be one of those people who needs a B12 shot on a regular basis. Mine was SOOOOO low many years ago, I had Alzheimer's like symptoms (@ 31 years old!). It was scary and I was lucky enough to have a PA who researched it and found out what it was. My current doctor also detected low Folic acid and Vitamin D, which can go along with it. I started out with weekly/twice weekly shots to get it to a normal level. I now get them monthly and I can tell a HUGE difference with my memory and everything.

Honeslty, I'm not feeling better at all. I was recently diagnosed with depression, although I've had it for years (hence the weight gain), so the weight loss not going well is taking a toll. I was told to lose weight by my doctor because she was concerned about my BMI being too high. I was told to go on antidepressants but opted for the more natural approach of exercise. It doesn't seem to be working. Now that I feel like I'm getting no where it's just making the depression worse.

As for the B12, I'm taking two vitamins - a multi-vitamin as well as B12 vitamin. I didn't have this problem before, so I don't know if I just wasn't eating foods that contain B12 enough or whether I'm just not absorbing it. I'm scheduled for a second set of bloodtests to see if it has increased in about two weeks, so we'll know then whether or not I need the monthly shot.

pixiestick

Don't give up! But, you might consider seeing a nutritionist--you may need to restrict some of your carbs or up the protein, but only a specialist will be able to tell you that. At this point, seeking out medical/professional advice might be the thing that could tip you into accelerated weightloss...

Don't give up!

spob

Please do not be dismayed. Change takes time. Sometimes our bodies have been wrecked from our lifestyles and just need to learn to adapt to the new changes. Slow changes last longer and this has been proven time again. Besides that the choices we made to get to this place also took a long time but we just were not paying attention! Now you are watching and waiting and you know what they say about a watched kettle! Lean on your support groups, maybe shake your diet up a little or find new calorie burning fat blasting excercises. But know there are a lot of people that don't want you to give up and the best revenge to counteract this feeling of hopelessness is success. So get back with new strenghth we'll be watching for your posts that have message of success!!!

nyprdiva

And don't forget to watch the types of fats that you are using to cook your food in (say butter, olive oil, corn oil, etc). Those calories add up as well. If you are diligent about portions and logging everything (including the one oreo cookie you allowed yourself to cheat with), you will be surprised how you can better track your intake and make better decisions.

Good luck and don't lose hope. I was there a few days ago myself after the holiday I ended up gaining the weight I lost. But I am back on the wagon and will be successful.

kspeach

Ditto what everyone else says...but how are you FEELING? Are you feeling better physically??

Also, re: B12.
Some people cannot absorb B12 through food. If you have taken blood tests and it's showing as low, ask your doctor about a test called a Schilling test. It's so not cool but it doesn't hurt. You'll find out if you're absorbing B12 through food. You may be one of those people who needs a B12 shot on a regular basis. Mine was SOOOOO low many years ago, I had Alzheimer's like symptoms (@ 31 years old!). It was scary and I was lucky enough to have a PA who researched it and found out what it was. My current doctor also detected low Folic acid and Vitamin D, which can go along with it. I started out with weekly/twice weekly shots to get it to a normal level. I now get them monthly and I can tell a HUGE difference with my memory and everything.

Honeslty, I'm not feeling better at all. I was recently diagnosed with depression, although I've had it for years (hence the weight gain), so the weight loss not going well is taking a toll. I was told to lose weight by my doctor because she was concerned about my BMI being too high. I was told to go on antidepressants but opted for the more natural approach of exercise. It doesn't seem to be working. Now that I feel like I'm getting no where it's just making the depression worse.

As for the B12, I'm taking two vitamins - a multi-vitamin as well as B12 vitamin. I didn't have this problem before, so I don't know if I just wasn't eating foods that contain B12 enough or whether I'm just not absorbing it. I'm scheduled for a second set of bloodtests to see if it has increased in about two weeks, so we'll know then whether or not I need the monthly shot.

If you aren't feeling better, than you do need to see the doctor. I cannot absorb B12 through food. Something in my stomach or intestines prohibits it. Sometimes it can be a combo of problems, not just one (like I found out I have Vitamin D and Folic acid deficiencies also). Also, would you take the 'natural' approach if you had a broken bone, cancer, cavities or other maladies that really call for treatment? If you are clinically depressed, then the meds, once you find the right ones, can help. If you aren't depressed for medical reasons, then it won't help. Just like taking an antibiotic won't help if you aren't sick, or Tylenol won't cure a headache that isn't there.

Honestly, for me, I have had depression basically since I was 20, although I had some spells of it in my teens. I've been off and on medicines for years, and finally found one that works GREAT right now. Honestly, if it wasn't for my medicines, I really don't think I would be able to do this for myself...or if I did, it would be SUPER SUPER hard dealing with my depression AND trying to lose weight. My first 'psychiatrist' (those are the MDs) was honestly stupid. His coworker, my psychologist, had been working with me for a long time before she recommended meds to try them. The idiot shrink instead told me I needed to go to church more, and sleep better, and wrote me a scrip for sleeping pills! HOW STUPID! It was like handing a person who wanted to die a loaded gun. I shredded the scrip, and saw my family doctor the next week, and I was put on antidepressants, and they've changed my life.

I know a lot of people don't agree with meds, and I respect that. But I know it worked FOR ME. They helped save my life. So don't discount them completely. It can be a medical condition, just like a broken bone, cancer, heart attack, etc etc etc. And you'd treat those. Just think about it. I'll be happy to email more with you if you like!

Bless!

msh0530

First, congratulations on taking a pro active approach to changing your lifestyle. You have made a courageous choice, and you should be commended.
That being said, If your food diary for the past 10 days or so is accurate, you should probably consider changing your eating patterns. Try to consistently eat at least 3 meals a day INCLUDING BREAKFAST. They don't have to be large meals, but your body needs constant fuel, not just sporadic feeding. Also try to make sure that you are eating at least 1200 calories a day. Your body may be adjusting to your sporadic eating and lack of fuel, and hoarding fat cells to survive the times when you do not give it what it needs.
Please do not give up, and try to find an eating pattern that works for you. As you can see from the number of responses to your topic, we are all out here pulling for you! Here's to smart choices!

hagolum

You sound like me. I was doing things wrong though. Since I changed I have dropped 10lbs in 5 weeks, although I just joined here 2 days ago. Weight is falling off me now.

I went to the Y and paid 130 for a resting and exercising metabolism test. It gave me a work out plan based on my own heart rate and metabolism. I am doing it faithfully and it works. Before I just random exercised, and now every minute is making a difference. A lot of places offer this.

I also increased water.

I also found out from this test that I was not eating enough. I thought my resting metabolism was slow, but it isnt. Now I get to eat more and pounds fall off literally.

The key is to monitor your heart rate. Keeping it where it burns the most for your body.

studentRN

Ditto what everyone else says...but how are you FEELING? Are you feeling better physically??

Also, re: B12.
Some people cannot absorb B12 through food. If you have taken blood tests and it's showing as low, ask your doctor about a test called a Schilling test. It's so not cool but it doesn't hurt. You'll find out if you're absorbing B12 through food. You may be one of those people who needs a B12 shot on a regular basis. Mine was SOOOOO low many years ago, I had Alzheimer's like symptoms (@ 31 years old!). It was scary and I was lucky enough to have a PA who researched it and found out what it was. My current doctor also detected low Folic acid and Vitamin D, which can go along with it. I started out with weekly/twice weekly shots to get it to a normal level. I now get them monthly and I can tell a HUGE difference with my memory and everything.

I have the same issue... it was discovered the same way... loss of mental faculties, confusion, forgetfullness, short-term memory loss, tingling in feet and hands as well as extreme fatigue and depression. Luckily I have a good doc and she uncovered my B12 deficiency... I've been taking shots ever since. Don't delay treatment for this... it can really have devastating effects on your body if you aren't able to absorb it from your food. I also have low D3 and I take supplements of that as well.

Get back on track by logging your calories and if it helps... 6lbs is equal to losing 24 sticks of butter!!! Check that out for a visual!

Good luck! :flowerforyou:

Iffer75

Are you using the Elite Nutrition Guide??? You need to be. Did you open the guide at all??? You need to. There is a reason there is a Elite Nutrition Guide that goes along with the program. It will help you in every aspect. I know the calorie number may scare you, but don't be afraid to eat. YOU HAVE TO EAT TO LOSE WEIGHT. You also have to fuel your body for the intense workouts you are putting your body through.

Please come back to the Insanity thread and ask more questions. We would all love to help you along in the journey. You can do this, don't give up on yourself. You are so totally worth the sweat. :bigsmile:

aabelein

i'm sure someone has already suggested this but I didnt have time to read everyones answers, but if you arent, make sure you are eating your exercise calories. i feel your pain. i haven't lost since February and Ive even put 6 pounds back on. but hang in there, things will change. maybe you need a different exercise routine. try pilates or maybe try to c25k? but dont give in, dont let it win. youre stronger than that and you CAN do it!

SHBoss1673

rskidmore, can you give us your height and activity level (not including exercise) and any other numbers you may have (Waist to hip ratio, body fat %, VO2 max...etc) anything will help.

It's hard to tell what's wrong or even make a guess without these numbers as a minimum baseline. I do agree with may posters though, you set a goal with MFP, you need to hit that goal, I went back through about 1 month of your diary and found 1 day where you reached or went slightly over your calories, you need to set a goal and reach it every day, or else the plan is invalid. If you follow the plan for say...1 month and it doesn't work, then you think about tweaking, but until you consistently reach your calorie goals (and nutrition goals for that matter) then there's not baseline to judge whether it's working or not.

bloblynda

I think you are eating too few calories; I notice that you also skip meals. It is important to eat regularly because that will stave off the hunger pangs that makes everyone binge on chocolate and fizzy drinks. You will get there, but it does take self discipline. You MUST log your food and exercise and you MUST eat up your calories

rskidmore

rskidmore, can you give us your height and activity level (not including exercise) and any other numbers you may have (Waist to hip ratio, body fat %, VO2 max...etc) anything will help.

It's hard to tell what's wrong or even make a guess without these numbers as a minimum baseline. I do agree with may posters though, you set a goal with MFP, you need to hit that goal, I went back through about 1 month of your diary and found 1 day where you reached or went slightly over your calories, you need to set a goal and reach it every day, or else the plan is invalid. If you follow the plan for say...1 month and it doesn't work, then you think about tweaking, but until you consistently reach your calorie goals (and nutrition goals for that matter) then there's not baseline to judge whether it's working or not.

My height is 5' 5, and I'm not very active without exercise, but I'm not a complete couch potato either. I'll walk to the grocery store instead of riding the bus, and my job (I work at Michaels) keeps me moving part time hours (about 16 hours a week or so). I am finishing up my last semester of school and 99% of my schoolwork is on the computer, so I spend a lot of time sitting doing that. I don't know what my body fat % is, and I have no idea what you mean by VO2 max...