Super discouraged

mandikaye

Hey y'all.

I've been working so hard on changing my diet and working out 3x a week. I'm consistently burning 450+ calories each time I go to Curves (it was 516 yesterday!), and my scale had said I'd lost 6 pounds. But over the past two days, it seems I've gained 2.5 pounds back.

It makes me feel like it's not worth it - that no matter what I do or how hard I try, my weight isn't going to go down.

What can I do to get out of this slump?

FemininGuns

When I see what you're seeing at the moment - it usually is related to a couple of things: 1) salt - retaining water, 2) period's coming up!

Sometimes when we do weight training our numbers don't change but our inches do!!! Have you measured yourself? Something you might want to try... Remember it's not a war on weight, it's a war on FAT!!!

If you keep working at it, I am sure that you'll see next week the numbers will most likely keep going down... Maybe weighing yourself every 2 weeks would be more encouraging

mandikaye

You're right. I lost 10 inches total in June (from bust, waist, abdomen, hips, and thighs), but my weight didn't go down.

And it's one of those things where I *know* it's a good thing...but I don't see it OR feel it yet.

beutiful5678

Also, if weighing yourself everyday is going to affect your motivation then don't do it! Weight fluctuations are normal. Try weighing yourself once a week.

FemininGuns

You have to be patient with yourself too!

If this is a way of life, and not just a weight loss goal, you should be enjoying your journey!!! 10 inches is super duper awesome!!! Focus on the positive

Tip: Love yourself xo

coderchris

It might be water weight just keep working out and drink more water. Great job on the loss of lbs and inches. Keep it up girl.

Herewego

Hey Mandi
If your scale said you had lost 6lbs then you had lost 6lbs. Have you eaten 8750 calorie over your maintenance in the past 2 days??? (that would be over 6000 calories in one day!)
Well I don't think you did so NO you hav not put on 2.5lbs.
Bodys have a mind of their own and sometimes even without having gone over your allowance it will decide that it is heavier than it was last week.
I would not worry about it (I know easier said than done), continue to eat properly and to exercice. Leave the scale alone for a week and you should have a big smile on your face next week whn you weight yourself.

HWG :happy:

Sharont213

I know how you feel. It has been 6 weeks since I have been logging daily (8 weeks since I have been watching portions) - I usually get in 5 days of exercise, burning between 250 - 600 calories.. I keep my net calories at about 1200 - 1400 - with the exception of about 5 days in total over the entire 2 months. And so far, I have actually gained weight. I haven't lost a thing. I am being brutally honest in logging everything -right down to 6 jelly beans I treated myself to one day - and I wear a HRM to accurately measure how many calories I burn so I don't estimtate and add too many calories back into my day. Everyday when I complete my entries and the site says "you will weigh xxx lbs in 5 weeks if you eat like this everyday", I want to cry. I did measure at one point too but haven't remeasured because I can tell there is no change. I won't stop because I know that exercise is good for me but I really have to fight the depression of not being able to lose even a half pound.

mandikaye

Thanks guys I just needed to hear that it's not the end of the world and all that stuff.

DanOhh

I don't recommend weighing yourself everyday or after a workout. First your body can flux in weight 2-3lbs. daily. Second if you weigh yourself after a workout, sure, you're going to be lighter but it's a false positive because a lot of that lost weight is water weight, which comes back as soon as you drink a glass of water. I suggest that you pick one morning a week to weigh yourself. Good luck!!

NewImprovedCnbethea1

I certainly understand your frustration but I think you should pick a day to weigh each week and stick with it because your weight fluctuates from day to day. If you want to weigh everyday just know that the scale may say different each time because the change in meals, water intake, and daily activity.

Don't just rely on the scale either you should also measure the way you feel, the amount of energy and how your clothes feel. These are other indicators that your on the right track.

susanleasings

Step away from the scale please.........step away rom the scale!

Kath712

Step away from the scale please.........step away rom the scale!

This!! I know it's so tempting to weigh yourself, but try not to do it so often. I'm happy to be part of a challenge where we weigh in once a week. It helps me to resist temptation throughout the week and wait until Friday morning.

LotusF1ower

Hey y'all.

I've been working so hard on changing my diet and working out 3x a week. I'm consistently burning 450+ calories each time I go to Curves (it was 516 yesterday!), and my scale had said I'd lost 6 pounds. But over the past two days, it seems I've gained 2.5 pounds back.

It makes me feel like it's not worth it - that no matter what I do or how hard I try, my weight isn't going to go down.

What can I do to get out of this slump?

Of course it is worth it, it is worth every minute you are making that effort!

How do you know in the last two days you have gained 2.5lbs back? Did you jump on the scales two days after weighing yourself? If you did, that is one of the main reasons to have a designated weights and measures day - once a week or once every two weeks, some people (brave people) go for once per month!

If you continually jump on those scales you will notice every single little alteration. If the scales go down, "goodie" you think all gleefully, but if those scales dare go UP, that is it, catastrophe and getting disheartened. Depression and despondency follow.

It is just not worth it.

Set aside one day per week for your weigh-in and measuring. Forget those damned scales inbetween, if you have one day that you are retaining water (and God knows we all have that!) you are likely to catch that point and get fed up.

If you can jump on the scales daily and not mind the fluctuations - which are 100% natural - then carry on, but if you hate seeing the damned fluctuations, leave the weighing until your weigh-in day and do not step on them. xxx

Sharont213

I do only weigh myself once a week.. and yet, a gain.. no loss (with execption of 1 week that came right back).

hedkie

i don't understand why people say that because weight fluctuates you should only weigh yourself once a week. it's a logical fallacy: if we've all just agreed that our weight might go up and down, say, 5 pounds over the course of the week, then there is absolutely nothing about weighing yourself once a week that will guarantee that that one day will always be at a consistent point in these natural weight fluctuations and in relation to an overall weight-loss trajectory. it's pretty obvious that whether you weigh yourself once a month or five times a day you just can't know for sure how exactly it relates to other weigh-ins. personally i find that weighing myself a lot helps me get over the crazy. i can't imagine how upset i would be if i weighed myself at a low point one week, then at a high point the next, and thought i had really actually gained weight. instead, when i weigh myself a lot, i can see what is going on with my water retention, etc., and so i don't get any rude shocks or misleading triumphs. i think for some of us frequent weigh-ins are the solution, not the problem.

tammyhoff2004

It is very discouraging when you see a gain like that....don't let it get you down. Keep it up. I would workout at least every other day if I were you. It gives you better structure. For myself, I'm trying to make it a habit to do it daily because then it becomes your way of life. Don't stop trying! You can do this!! Get past your hump!! Good luck to you on your weight loss journey! Remember, it's your new way of life!

DanOhh

i don't understand why people say that because weight fluctuates you should only weigh yourself once a week. it's a logical fallacy: if we've all just agreed that our weight might go up and down, say, 5 pounds over the course of the week, then there is absolutely nothing about weighing yourself once a week that will guarantee that that one day will always be at a consistent point in these natural weight fluctuations and in relation to an overall weight-loss trajectory. it's pretty obvious that whether you weigh yourself once a month or five times a day you just can't know for sure how exactly it relates to other weigh-ins. personally i find that weighing myself a lot helps me get over the crazy. i can't imagine how upset i would be if i weighed myself at a low point one week, then at a high point the next, and thought i had really actually gained weight. instead, when i weigh myself a lot, i can see what is going on with my water retention, etc., and so i don't get any rude shocks or misleading triumphs. i think for some of us frequent weigh-ins are the solution, not the problem.

dionysian_kat, if that works for you, that's great. But, part of weighing yourself weekly is to weight yourself at the same time of day every weigh-in. First thing in the morning works out best since you haven't ate or drank anything for hours. Good luck to everybody!

mandikaye

I do weigh myself every morning (before I eat, after I use the toilet). Ordinarily, it's a good thing. The last couple of days were a downer though.

I read an article the other day that asserts that, for some people at least, weighing every day helps you lose more weight. http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=55489

"But a group of doctors who studied obese and overweight adults who were trying to lose weight as well as overweight adults who were trying to prevent weight gain found that those who weighed themselves more often lost more weight and prevented more weight gain over two years than those who weighed themselves less frequently. Contrary to the advice given in many popular weight loss regimens, this study suggests that at least some people can benefit from the accountability brought on by daily weigh-ins. Potential advantages of daily weighing include recognition of slow patterns of weight gain that may not be immediately apparent and the chance to modify lifestyle habits before the total weight gain becomes extreme and difficult to control."