Feeling discouraged

TarriMcD

I have been on a "healthy eating" plan for over 1 week. I know these things take time. I'm just feeling so discouraged. I have been eating clean 100% of the time. I've not drank any juice or pop. I feel like its never going to happen. I'm starting to think things in my head like you have been overweight for too long, and your over 30 now what can you expect.. I'm 31 and have been overweight for about 8 years. I'm looking to loose about 50 lbs I'm currently 205 lbs and would like to be around 150 lbs at 5'8. I guess I just need encouragement. UGH

cosmo_momo

You may be eating clean, but are you weighing your foods and logging accurately? You could still be eating too many calories.

littled1986

I can relate to how you feel. It's hard to change your habits and your mindset. Especially after living a certain way for so long. If you're anything like me this isn't your first time trying to lose weight and you think about how it didn't work before so why should it be any different this time? But this time is different! Don't get discouraged. Focus on your goals and don't let them out of your mind. Each time you make the right choice it's a victory (no matter how small) and you are getting closer to your goal. The way you talk to yourself in your own mind will make a HUGE difference. You are worth it! You can do it!

Christine_72

You can eat as "clean" as you like. But if you're eating your maintenance calories or more, you will still gain or stay at the same weight.
As cosmo said if you're no good at eyeballing portion sizes ( I'm hopeless at it ), get yourself a scale and religiously weigh, measure and log your food.

OrchidAhra

Don't get down! We are all different, let me tell you. I take forever to lose. A lot of the other girls are -3 or -5 pounds from the same start as me and I took over 2 weeks of clean eating and exercise to see any difference in the scale, and I definitely measure my food. How do you feel? Even though I didn't lose pounds for the first couple weeks I noticed a change in my mood and how my body looked (less bloaty etc). In any case don't give up. Look at it this way, it takes a long time to inch up those pounds and it may take a while to inch down. Just keep at it and you WILL get there. Lots of love.

juggernaut1974

christinev297 wrote: »

You can eat as "clean" as you like. But if your eating your maintenance calories or more, you will still gain or stay at the same weight.
As cosmo said if your no good at eyeballing portion sizes ( I'm hopeless at it ), get yourself a scale and religiously weigh, measure and log your food.

This + it's only been one week

Patience, grasshopper

dinosaurparty

Eating 'clean' doesn't necessarily mean you're going to loose weight. Like, it might help if your current weight has been caused by drinking calories or just eating junk without thinking, and you cut out these things. But if you have a habit of simply overeating, you could chow down on veggies and cottage cheese all day and still gain weight. Just like how you could eat 1400 calories worth of Big Mac and nothing else, and loose.

Track your calories. Be honest and use a kitchen scale. Don't stop eating clean if you're enjoying it, but pay attention to how much you're eating.

booksandchocolate12

As others have said, be patient.

Also, the "over 30" thing is a cop out. I know people who have lost a significant amount of weight in their 60s and beyond.

If you put in the work, it'll happen.

TarriMcD

Thank everyone for your encouragement ! I know I need to be patient but I've been very strict with everything I put in my mouth. I do see a bit of a change and feel a bit better. All the prepping in a lot of work but I can do it!

marenba21

I have been on MFP for 66 days, lost 18 pounds so far and God knows how hard were the first and second weeks, keep going! We didn't become overweight overnight, patience and a scale make wonders!

paddleboardmama

I just completed HCG x 3weeks and 500 cal and weighing foods and the food choices were clean but not potato or carrots no peas.ect.It was very hard but it broke the cravings..I only lost about 5# but I needed the kick start.How about maybe a registered diet person or a specific plan for clean eating...all foods even clean are not the same..glycemic index.I am not where I want to be but the yoyo dieting is over...less craving more filling.I needed a lifestyle change of food not another diet.Hang in there..its very slow for me at 57.I am very motivated by a bad knee and I am very active outdoors..I want to live a long healthy life.

RunningOnWontons

I'm not sure I buy into the whole "eating clean" thing, because life for me would not be worth living without wine and chocolate. And the occasional bag of cheese waffles. I am focused on watching my overall eating habits and in continuing to exercise consistently so that I can keep eating and drinking what I want, even as I lose weight. Preparing food ahead of time is an issue for me at the moment, but this is one change I am trying to make in order to ensure my overall diet is more nutritious (I hesitate to use the word "clean").

Anyway, I have no interest in giving up my favorite foods, some of which would probably not be considered "clean," because 1) it would be freakin' miserable and I like being happy and 2) I would burn out, binge-eat, and wake up days later from a chocolate-induced coma. That's just me, though.

And PS, the heaviest weight I have ever been occurred when I was a strict vegetarian. I was eating very "clean," but far, far too much.

jgnatca

Extra strict does not equate to extra fast. Make sure the changes you are making are sustainable. My change is over 50 so it is never too late.

booksandchocolate12

Cheese waffles??? What is this witchcraft of which you speak??? Please elaborate...

onyxgirl17

When I first started losing weight, it didn't really show until the third week that I'd lost much of anything. Actually in the second week my weight went up! (Water retention) I was discouraged as well but continued to trust the method (thermodynamics, CICO baby!).

I took lots of pictures (1 a week) as well because I lost weight kind of slowly (1 pound or less a week). 1 pound doesn't seem like a big difference but after 30-40 weeks you sure could tell. I began to tell I lost weight at week 10 in the mirror, and people started commenting after about 15 pounds lost I think.

Basically, it takes a lot of patience. (and I'm kinda speaking to myself right now as well since I haven't seen weight shift in 3 weeks but right now the weight loss plan is to lose .5 pounds a week so that can get masked very easily by water weight).

RunningOnWontons

Here you go. AKA "Cheese Waffies." They're somewhat hard to find, so I grab a bag whenever I see them.

psych101

Its only been a week.

Just hang on in there - make sure you're logging your food and shaking your booty and you'll be fine

Liftng4Lis

Eating clean is irrelevant, as caloric deficit as what is needed for weight loss. You need to remember, it didn't take you a week to get here, it's not going to take a week to undo.

debubbie

I am 36 years old and started with 132 pounds to lose, and I have lost 56 of those over the past 14 months. I suffer from fibromyalgia and the pain can be severe at times along with numbness in my arms and hands, but I still try to eat less fast food and exercise several times a week. I decided to quit trying to lose two pounds a week and focus one pound a week so I could eat a little more (about 1800 calories) and eat some goodies like chocolate when I wanted. Over time, I started focusing on other factors besides the scale to judge weight loss because the scale is of the devil! I measure inches lost, the way my clothes fit, improved fitness, and lowered body fat.

If you would like you can add me as a friend.

Liftng4Lis

debubbie wrote: »

I am 36 years old and started with 132 pounds to lose, and I have lost 56 of those over the past 14 months. I suffer from fibromyalgia and the pain can be severe at times along with numbness in my arms and hands, but I still try to eat less fast food and exercise several times a week. I decided to quit trying to lose two pounds a week and focus one pound a week so I could eat a little more (about 1800 calories) and eat some goodies like chocolate when I wanted. Over time, I started focusing on other factors besides the scale to judge weight loss because the scale is of the devil! I measure inches lost, the way my clothes fit, improved fitness, and lowered body fat.

If you would like you can add me as a friend.

Awesome work!

debubbie

Liftng4Lis wrote: »

debubbie wrote: »

I am 36 years old and started with 132 pounds to lose, and I have lost 56 of those over the past 14 months. I suffer from fibromyalgia and the pain can be severe at times along with numbness in my arms and hands, but I still try to eat less fast food and exercise several times a week. I decided to quit trying to lose two pounds a week and focus one pound a week so I could eat a little more (about 1800 calories) and eat some goodies like chocolate when I wanted. Over time, I started focusing on other factors besides the scale to judge weight loss because the scale is of the devil! I measure inches lost, the way my clothes fit, improved fitness, and lowered body fat.

If you would like you can add me as a friend.

Awesome work!

Thank you!

mclauchlin406

I'm right there with you. I lost about 25 pounds a year and a half ago then fell off the wagon. Monday I decided.. Today is the day to get in control of my health.. Again. I'm only on day 4 and I find myself thinking the same things but I keep remembering back to when I lost that 25 pounds. It's so easy to feel discouraged and tired but when you look in the mirror and see less bumps it becomes kind of like an addiction. The next day you'll look in the mirror and look for the next accomplishment. Keep up the hard work. You're not alone.

Christine_72

Patience is definitely a biggie. It took me 4mths to lose 24lbs and it's going to take me a further 4mths to lose the remaining 8lbs. I just have to grit my teeth and know I'm in this for the long haul. In the end our patience will be rewarded xx

SergeantSausage

Eating "clean" means nothing in terms of your weight loss.

Nothing.

Eating at a Caloric Deficit means everything.

Everything.

DaniCanadian

Three words, weigh your food. Boom, done :-)

bainsworth1a

put everything you eat in your food diary to the best of your ability. you may be eating clean but still over your calorie goal.

Good luck

TarriMcD

Just wanted to report I have lost 5 lbs since I started this journey! Thanks for all the encouragement

Christine_72

Awesomness!! You go girl :drinker: :bigsmile:

kcd1961

Well done on the success so far! I'm 75% of the way to my goal and doing better than ever. Yet I still get those thoughts, despite doing well -They are just thoughts. They are not reality no matter how real they feel. The mind game is a big part of making success sustainable. So, somewhere along your journey it may be helpful to try some CBT, ACT or DBT skills. A therapist or coach may help, but self-help goes a long way too.

kindrabbit

psych101 wrote: »

Its only been a week.

Just hang on in there - make sure you're logging your food and shaking your booty and you'll be fine

This∆. Also, i started at 40. Its never too late. Hang in there baby!