Have given up hope.

I have come to the point where I have become very fustrated with myself. I have not lost weight and have lost all will power. I try to eat healthy and work out. And now with summer being here I can be outside which is great! Any tips to help get back on track?

Replies

  • kristydi
    kristydi Posts: 781 Member
    edited May 2015
    Log your food consistently and honestly, as accurately as possible. Knowing what you're eating allows you to adjust your intake as needed.

    Get a kitchen scale and weigh out your portions. Its more accurate and I find it easier using measuring cups and spoons.

    Patience and consistently are key. Everyday does not need to be perfect, you just need more good days than bad ones.
  • JessicaThompson12
    JessicaThompson12 Posts: 82 Member
    Log it all. The good the bad the ugly. I can't tell you how much it helped me when I had a craving, ate the Poptarts and realized they weren't worth the 400 calories so I know better for next time. You'll learn to really make your calories worth it.

    And just keep going, even if you see nothing on the scale, keep going. If you are eating less and moving more, it will eventually pay off.
  • martinel2099
    martinel2099 Posts: 899 Member
    How long have you been at it and what are you doing to track and measure your food?

    Here's some of the reasons that you could be stalling

    Calories in Vs Calories out- If you aren't weighing and measuring your food properly you could very well be consuming more calories than you think you are. Food should be weighed on a food scale (even peanut butter should be weighed) and only liquids should be measured in a measuring cup. Also when you get your first calorie target you should think of it as an estimate or starting point, it will need to be tweaked. Assuming you are doing everything correctly you might need to lower it. With that in mind, never go below 1,200 calories per day and never strive to lose more than 2lb / week. I honestly recommend a .5 lb to 1 lb / week goal.

    Recording Activity- Do you record your activity and eat back the calories? This can be dangerous if you over state the calories burnt while exercising then eat back those calories. Generally speaking, a great way to keep yourself accountable when doing cardio is to use a heart rate monitor to measure intensity. You burn more calories running or power walking at your target heart rate than you do just casually strolling down the street. One suggestion, if you don't put on your gym attire to do it then don't record it.

    If your weekly activity is consistent you could also stop recording your calories from exercise entirely and just work that number into your overall calorie goal then tweak your calorie target as you go.

    One tip, I generally reduce myfitness pal's estimates for calories burnt by 25% to even 75% based on the type of activity. Worst case scenario I under estimate the calories I burnt and just have a bigger deficit.

    Another tip, be human. It took a long period of time to get to the weight you are at now and if you take a long term approach to weight loss it will be easier to achieve and will have longer lasting results. You do not have to eat "Clean" to lose weight, eat what ever you want. Also don't be afraid to go to a Brazilian Steak house (all you can eat steak, nuff said) or attend an office happy hour once in a while. Record everything the best you can and hold yourself accountable and over time you will find yourself losing weight and feeling great.
  • terbusha
    terbusha Posts: 1,483 Member
    I checked your diary, and it seems like you're not accounting for all of what you eat. Log everything you eat and stick to appropriate nutritional goals.

    Also, having an intense exercise regime is super helpful for losing weight.

    As a thought, please watch this video and let me know if this sounds like you: www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHHzie6XRGk

    Allan
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    You aren't consistently logging (one day out of a week stretch, and other days around it only have one meal logged), you have a lot of generic entries, and there's no sign of a food scale being used. Start cleaning up your logging and you'll lose weight. community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1296011/calorie-counting-101#latest
  • Amerielle
    Amerielle Posts: 153 Member
    You aren't logging your food. Do that and be as accurate and honest as possible. Maintain a calorie deficit. Those are my best tips. Good luck!
  • ms_maruska
    ms_maruska Posts: 119 Member
    Try and remember why you started doing all of this and how you felt when you started it. Right now, you can choose to either give up on everything you've accomplished to far and in two months you will have regretted that decision, or you can choose to keep up with the diet and exercise and in two months you will have more energy, you will have lost a few pounds, you will probably sweat less, etc. Noone can lose your weight for you but yourself so you mustn't give up. Otherwise, you will probably just go through all of this again in six months time or a year.. so, you may as well do it right this time :)
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
    Focus on logging everything for three or four days. It is a good habit. And you do not have to think about it except to get the logging right.
    After that, analyze and consider what you want to do to make changes to your life.
  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
    Just logging my food was what it took for me. I started using MFP because I knew I was eating too much and I wanted to know how much. I never did figure that out (probably 3000-3600 calories per day), because when I would see that I had already eaten so much during a day, I would quit eating, just to keep from going over the goal.
  • melimomTARDIS
    melimomTARDIS Posts: 1,941 Member
    Some people have limitless will power. They are focused, driven, and motivated. I am NOT one of those people. I just put in what I am eating, stop when the computer says "no more", and try to move my body a few times a week. Sometimes i fail at even that!

    However, just doing that, I lost all the weight I had to lose. CICO doesnt require skill, will, or motivation.
  • skinnymenow84
    skinnymenow84 Posts: 7 Member
    Thank you all for the help!!! I am going to take all of the comments in and get back on it! Thanks again!!
  • ncscott11
    ncscott11 Posts: 100 Member
    Sometimes when I start lacking the will power or the motivation I bribe myself. Like, if I run 2-3 times a week for a month straight I can buy a new pair of shoes. Helps me keep at it and after a couple times I'm back in the grove. Or buy something that you know you will fit in just a couple pounds lost.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    Willpower is overrated and before you try again, let's get your hope back. What evidence would you need to show that you have a chance at a different sort of life?
  • SergeantSausage
    SergeantSausage Posts: 1,673 Member
    Quit eating so much?

    Seems to be a universal solution to all weight loss, right?

    Motivation / will-power doesn't even enter into the equation. It's just another excuse.

    Don't make excuses and quit eating so much.
  • martinel2099
    martinel2099 Posts: 899 Member
    Thank you all for the help!!! I am going to take all of the comments in and get back on it! Thanks again!!

    That's the spirit++