What Am I Doing Wrong?

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  • mavisclump
    mavisclump Posts: 19 Member
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    irxproductions wrote: »
    I say keep up the great work! 13 pounds is huge!

    In addition to your extremely strict diet (1200 calories a day? Yowtch!), you didn't mention your exercise regimen which could also help accelerate your metabolism and lead to additional weight loss.

    My big tip is to make sure you exercise, but make sure what you do today, you can also do tomorrow.

    It's definitely exciting to get started losing weight and make healthy choices, but too many people want to jump into exercising full force.

    I started working out at age 28 and now work out 7 days a week, so when I started my weight loss at age 36, I didn't need to add exercise to my routine. However, if you're just starting an exercise routine, start small. Consider going on a brisk 30-minute walk each day. Once you get used to that, bump it up. Then, add weights.

    Whatever you do to start, make sure you don't over exert by doing a full-blown 2-hour workout right off the bat and end up so sore you don't want to workout for DAYS afterward. Remember, it's a marathon, not a sprint - start small with something you can do everyday and add to it.

    When I started working out, I rode a recumbent bike at very low resistance for 30 minutes a day, 5 times a week. Over time, I increased the resistance. Then, I added more time at 5-minute increments per workout. Now, I workout 7 days a week with the workouts running about 1 hr., 15 minutes each day with scheduled muscle groups and cardio types each day. Also, don't forget to stretch after the workout (reduces soreness in your muscles)!

    I own a Bowflex gym, a treadmill, and an elliptical so I don't have to keep up an expensive gym membership (and also don't have the excuse that I don't feel like driving/walking to the gym).

    Even after 12 years of working out (every single day for the past 8 years), I still don't enjoy it (believe it or not). The trick was to realize I shouldn't look at it as using my free time, it's required maintenance. Don't let yourself skip working out - it's like doing laundry or brushing your teeth - it's a necessity, not an entertainment option.

    I recommend picking up some headphones and finding something you like to listen to or watch while working out (be careful not to get distracted and reduce your exertion). I'm a big fan of the stock market, so I download CNBC's free daily podcasts of their Fast Money and Mad Money shows, and then listen to those while I work out. I get my exercise plus I keep up on the stock market. Podcasts are fantastic, by the way. There's bound to be something out there for everyone.

    Anyway, you're doing great! Keep it up!

    Thank you! I used to love to run, but I injured my foot and had to quit for a long time. I am finally back on my treadmill (yay! My favorite cardio!) and am taking it fairly slow out of fear of re-injury. I have gotten up to 3.5 mph since March and plan to keep increasing slowly. I get on the treadmill every day, not only for the weight loss, but because I really enjoy it. And my music collection is a great friend! I have always hated strength work (boring), but I know that I have to get back to that soon. New running shoes this weekend after lots of reading and research. Anyway, thank you for your input. Much appreciated!
  • Luna3386
    Luna3386 Posts: 888 Member
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    I've lost 6 pounds since March.

    I've lost 8 since January.

    I'm technically the same weight I was in 2015 and 2014.

    Feel better?

    Hopefully not. This is a highly individual process and you need to focus on yourself. You've done a great job. Don't get side tracked about why it works better for others. I did that- for years. And it didn't help me progress.
  • TaraTaraTara76
    TaraTaraTara76 Posts: 89 Member
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    I wish I could lose 13 lbs in 2 months. With eating between 1200 and 1500 calories a day I've only lost 10 lbs in about 7 months. Wish i had your problem. Sounds like you are doing awesome!
  • Silentpadna
    Silentpadna Posts: 1,306 Member
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    mavisclump wrote: »

    I eat no more than 1200 calories a day, even when I cheat.

    You've had a bunch of good responses in this thread. I'm glad you're taking some of them to heart and that you've had an excellent start at this.

    But I have to ask....what in the world does that snippet (taken from your original post) mean?

    I would also mention, unless I missed it, that you haven't given us your basic stats. Age? Ht? Weight?

    Oh, and what @AnnPT77 said. Just about everything I read from her is gold.

  • NancyYale
    NancyYale Posts: 171 Member
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    1 to 1.5 pound lost per week should be your goal. Slow and steady, in a sensible manner that's good for the long term is a much better idea. I lost an AVERAGE of 1.75 per week for the first half of my WL journey. It slowed to 1 pound on average after that. And in a year 100 pounds melted off.

    You are doing great
  • SCoil123
    SCoil123 Posts: 2,108 Member
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    I've lost just over 20lb in a year. It's really quite individual.
  • Rocknut53
    Rocknut53 Posts: 1,794 Member
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    mavisclump wrote: »
    Rocknut53 wrote: »
    13 pounds is awesome! That said, how are you determining your intake? Are you weighing your food with a food scale? Getting your calories dialed in is essential to your continuing success. Everyone will tell you 1200 calories is too low, especially with the exercise you are doing. If you are truly eating that little the weight should be coming off, but you will also at some point start to feel the effects of too much of a deficit. If that isn't happening, you are eating more than you think.

    I measure everything and have been "narrowing down" my diet, i.e. reducing variety in order to not become overwhelmed while I learn to eat differently. I don't allow myself to keep a big deficit, bc I know that going any lower than 1200 will make me sick, and my doctor will kick my a** lol

    I was not referring to measuring because just measuring can result in many inaccuracies. Also, if you are not eating some of your exercise calories back you will have too big a deficit, then your dr can kick your a**. @AnnPT77 always has excellent advice, better stated than I could say it. You are on the right track. What other people do is not your worry or something to be envious of. Slow and steady will be more sustainable in the long term.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,807 Member
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    @Silentpadna and @Rocknut53: (Blush) You two are so sweet! Granny-aged li'l ol' lady that I am, I just like to see our new folks succeed while staying strong and healthy at the same time.

    OP, apologies for the brief thread hijack!
  • Rocknut53
    Rocknut53 Posts: 1,794 Member
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    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    @Silentpadna and @Rocknut53: (Blush) You two are so sweet! Granny-aged li'l ol' lady that I am, I just like to see our new folks succeed while staying strong and healthy at the same time.

    OP, apologies for the brief thread hijack!

    I'm granny-aged as well, wishing I had accomplished this many years ago while my skin would cooperate with my fat loss! Thin and wrinkled is preferable to fat and cottage cheesy though. :D OP, also sorry for the short hijack.
  • SmithsonianEmpress
    SmithsonianEmpress Posts: 1,163 Member
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    Ready2Rock206 wrote: »
    What you're doing wrong is worrying about what others are doing rather than celebrating your own success. Comparison is the thief of joy.

    ^^^THIS!

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