Pushing through the frustration
SisterSueGetsFit
Posts: 1,211 Member
It's hard. It's really hard pushing through the frustrating times. The scale showed me up 6 pounds from 3 weeks ago this morning. Logically I know this is just a "bad" number and I haven't gained 6 pounds in less than 3 weeks. I haven't consumed 1,100 calories over maintenance EVERY DAY for 3 weeks. I have gone over maintenance a few times with some big celebrations, but not by much. A few thousand calories in total maybe. Even if I wiped out EVERY deficit, I shouldn't have gained weight. (For the record, I do weigh/measure my food)
I also have a few factors which may have contributed in the last week, including pretty much going off plan Friday, Saturday and Sunday, being on my period and quitting smoking (one month ago).
I've been at this weight loss game for a while. I know how it works. I've lost 50 pounds. Why am I having so much trouble losing the last 20? I'm shooting for a pound a week, so I don't think I'm over doing it. Even with the circumstances listed above I know I didn't gain 6 pounds. I know this isn't a linear process, but to see my weight almost back to where it was two and a half months ago is completely defeating and demoralizing.
With all that being said, I come back to my first sentence. It's really hard pushing through. I feel like it's all for naught some days; days like this. But I will stick to my plan and I will push through. Any tips for how you handle this would be appreciated.
I also have a few factors which may have contributed in the last week, including pretty much going off plan Friday, Saturday and Sunday, being on my period and quitting smoking (one month ago).
I've been at this weight loss game for a while. I know how it works. I've lost 50 pounds. Why am I having so much trouble losing the last 20? I'm shooting for a pound a week, so I don't think I'm over doing it. Even with the circumstances listed above I know I didn't gain 6 pounds. I know this isn't a linear process, but to see my weight almost back to where it was two and a half months ago is completely defeating and demoralizing.
With all that being said, I come back to my first sentence. It's really hard pushing through. I feel like it's all for naught some days; days like this. But I will stick to my plan and I will push through. Any tips for how you handle this would be appreciated.
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Replies
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I lost 60+ pounds. I was just inside my healthy BMI weight (back and forth between 155-162, 5'8") for a few years when I decided to lose the last 15-20. HA!!! It took me nine months...at a 250 calorie daily deficit ("Lose 1/2 pound per week.")
It's slow going because hungry.
It was difficult staying on task at the end because I knew better than to restrict too much, as that leads to a 4000 calorie day fairly predictably.
I just kept plugging along. Like you I knew what to do. But hungry. Legit. It's harder when your body fights like that to keep a few "safety" pounds of fat.
Keep going.
It's slow.
Have I mentioned hungry?3 -
cmriverside wrote: »I lost 60+ pounds. I was just inside my healthy BMI weight (back and forth between 155-162 5'8") for a few years when I decided to lose the last 20. HA!!! It took me nine months...at a 250 calorie daily deficit.
It's slow going because hungry.
It was difficult staying on task at the end because I knew better than to restrict too much, as that leads to a 4000 calorie day fairly predictably.
I just kept plugging along. Like you I knew what to do. But hungry. Legit. It's harder when your body fights like that to keep a few "safety" pounds of fat.
Keep going.
It's slow.
Have I mentioned hungry?
Good for you for not quitting! I am very lucky in the way that I can usually stave off hunger pretty well. My problem is I really enjoy food and booze. I can do SO good all week, and then I can undo my progress during the weekend. I've done pretty good lately but clearly I need to do better. For now, at least for the next week (until the 4th of July) I will cut out booze and see if that helps. I'll enjoy the 4th and then get back on plan. I may have to back down to half a pound a week... It's all bout figuring out what works for us individually.0 -
Maybe it's time for a diet break. Have you taken one yet?1
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SisterSueGetsFit wrote: »cmriverside wrote: »I lost 60+ pounds. I was just inside my healthy BMI weight (back and forth between 155-162 5'8") for a few years when I decided to lose the last 20. HA!!! It took me nine months...at a 250 calorie daily deficit.
It's slow going because hungry.
It was difficult staying on task at the end because I knew better than to restrict too much, as that leads to a 4000 calorie day fairly predictably.
I just kept plugging along. Like you I knew what to do. But hungry. Legit. It's harder when your body fights like that to keep a few "safety" pounds of fat.
Keep going.
It's slow.
Have I mentioned hungry?
Good for you for not quitting! I am very lucky in the way that I can usually stave off hunger pretty well. My problem is I really enjoy food and booze. I can do SO good all week, and then I can undo my progress during the weekend. I've done pretty good lately but clearly I need to do better. For now, at least for the next week (until the 4th of July) I will cut out booze and see if that helps. I'll enjoy the 4th and then get back on plan. I may have to back down to half a pound a week... It's all bout figuring out what works for us individually.
Oh, yeah. I quit drinking completely - I couldn't have worked it any other way. I too loved the weekend drink/eat fests. Well, let's be honest, I like the every day cocktail hour, too. That had to go.
I'm a much happier and WAY healthier person for having given up the drink.0 -
quiksylver296 wrote: »Maybe it's time for a diet break. Have you taken one yet?
I have. Long story short, I started this journey in January, 2016. I lost 55 pounds in about a year. After that I maintained at about 150-155 for 8 months or so. I slowly let 10 pounds creep on and have maintained that since last summer. On April 15th, I started again around 165. June 8th I was down to 157, and this morning I'm back up to 164.
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SisterSueGetsFit wrote: »quiksylver296 wrote: »Maybe it's time for a diet break. Have you taken one yet?
I have. Long story short, I started this journey in January, 2016. I lost 55 pounds in about a year. After that I maintained at about 150-155 for 8 months or so. I slowly let 10 pounds creep on and have maintained that since last summer. On April 15th, I started again around 165. June 8th I was down to 157, and this morning I'm back up to 164.
I feel ya. I've been fighting the last ten for what feels like forever.1 -
I am sure you know this, but definitely watch your sodium intake and increase your potassium. You may also want to invest in a scale that measures body fat and water. It may help you know when it is actual weight gain vs. water.
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KristiMillner08 wrote: »I am sure you know this, but definitely watch your sodium intake and increase your potassium. You may also want to invest in a scale that measures body fat and water. It may help you know when it is actual weight gain vs. water.
But... I like salt.
No, I know you are right, and I'm trying to do better with that. I haven't heard wonderful things about those types of scales (not being accurate and whatnot) but I will check out Amazon and read some more reviews. Thanks!
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SisterSueGetsFit wrote: »KristiMillner08 wrote: »I am sure you know this, but definitely watch your sodium intake and increase your potassium. You may also want to invest in a scale that measures body fat and water. It may help you know when it is actual weight gain vs. water.
But... I like salt. No, I know you are right, and I'm trying to do better with that. I haven't heard wonderful things about those types of scales (not being accurate and whatnot) but I will check out Amazon and read some more reviews. Thanks!
They are definitely not accurate. At best, you may be able to watch the downward trend. I have one and I pay no attention to anything but the body weight number.1 -
What really helps me is pre-planning my meals & I eat pretty much the same meals for Breakfast snacks & lunch. Dinners were my weakness but I learned portion control. I drink wine at dinner daily & work it in to my calories. The foods I completely avoid are simple carbs. If I eat simple carbs I will gain so I refuse to eat them.
I have the opposite problems on weekends. I am so dam busy with yard-work & stuff that I forget to eat...lol
I agree that slow & steady sticking to the plan is the only way. I'm 5'7" and maintaining between 145 to 150lbs & feel like a million bucks.
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cmriverside wrote: »SisterSueGetsFit wrote: »cmriverside wrote: »I lost 60+ pounds. I was just inside my healthy BMI weight (back and forth between 155-162 5'8") for a few years when I decided to lose the last 20. HA!!! It took me nine months...at a 250 calorie daily deficit.
It's slow going because hungry.
It was difficult staying on task at the end because I knew better than to restrict too much, as that leads to a 4000 calorie day fairly predictably.
I just kept plugging along. Like you I knew what to do. But hungry. Legit. It's harder when your body fights like that to keep a few "safety" pounds of fat.
Keep going.
It's slow.
Have I mentioned hungry?
Good for you for not quitting! I am very lucky in the way that I can usually stave off hunger pretty well. My problem is I really enjoy food and booze. I can do SO good all week, and then I can undo my progress during the weekend. I've done pretty good lately but clearly I need to do better. For now, at least for the next week (until the 4th of July) I will cut out booze and see if that helps. I'll enjoy the 4th and then get back on plan. I may have to back down to half a pound a week... It's all bout figuring out what works for us individually.
Oh, yeah. I quit drinking completely - I couldn't have worked it any other way. I too loved the weekend drink/eat fests. Well, let's be honest, I like the every day cocktail hour, too. That had to go.
I'm a much happier and WAY healthier person for having given up the drink.
I thought I'd responded to this already... I'm sure my response will be less more eloquent now. When I lost a good chunk of my weight (40 pounds) I wasn't drinking. I also know I have probably a bit of a dependency with alcohol. I CAN not drink, I just like it. I don't feel like it's something I can/want to quit forever and I know I can quit when I want/need to. I'm strongly considering stopping again until I hit my goal weight but then I rationalize that I need to incorporate it moderately. I do well until the weekends (one or two drinks once or twice during the week) and then go completely off the rails on the weekend. It doesn't help my boyfriend is a drinker, but that is another conversation in and of itself.
I take it you've quit forever?
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I had to cut alcohol, too. Drunk munchies tanked any progress.
I also hold onto a LOT of water weight, around 5 pounds, after having alcohol and it sticks around for 4-5 days.2 -
quiksylver296 wrote: »I had to cut alcohol, too. Drunk munchies tanked any progress.
I also hold onto a LOT of water weight, around 5 pounds, after having alcohol and it sticks around for 4-5 days.
Yea, I KNOW what I need to do, I just don't like doing it. I'm going to give some of these pounds a few days to drop off before I really freak out. I'm also planning on giving the booze a break until the 4th of July. I'd like to enjoy a few cocktails at the lake and then I'll take a break again.0 -
xbowhunter wrote: »What really helps me is pre-planning my meals & I eat pretty much the same meals for Breakfast snacks & lunch. Dinners were my weakness but I learned portion control. I drink wine at dinner daily & work it in to my calories. The foods I completely avoid are simple carbs. If I eat simple carbs I will gain so I refuse to eat them.
I have the opposite problems on weekends. I am so dam busy with yard-work & stuff that I forget to eat...lol
I agree that slow & steady sticking to the plan is the only way. I'm 5'7" and maintaining between 145 to 150lbs & feel like a million bucks.
Apparently I need a yard. 0 -
Mornin',
I need some motivation here, and mostly in search of a good workout program. I tend to click on youtube on tv and do random HIIT, dumb bell workouts. I eat low carb, high protein, half body weight in water (most days, it's HARD to do). I eat a Keto diet. I also stay on the Trim Healthy Mama WOE, surely you've heard of it!! I generally eat the same foods, which I should change up from time to time. Forgot to mention: I get so tired of prepping food and just would rather drink a protein shake but don't know which one would benefit me. I realize they are not the best way to go (too many inflammatories/artificial foods). I can't budge these last 15 pounds. I think stress and being 52-that hormonal stage-is effecting my losses. I have an endo appt on July 9th. Have hashimoto's as well-still figuring out what that means exactly with regard to how I need to workout and eat. I stay away from the white foods, don't drink alcohol because it causes weight gain. I have lost 37 pounds since 2015 but have maintained 177 for the last year. Want to lose 15 more and can't seem to get a good plan. I'm going to walk 3 miles this morning and eat my usual. I don't usually count calories. I stay away from them!! I'm afraid to gain muscle when I haven't gotten to my goal weight. On the flip side, I thought muscle would help the fat go faster? Advice on this would be awesome. Would love to get a personal trainer, but don't want to 'fork' over the dough for that right at the moment!!! I look forward to this group and advice/experiences!! Have a blessed day everyone!0 -
Mornin',
I need some motivation here, and mostly in search of a good workout program. I tend to click on youtube on tv and do random HIIT, dumb bell workouts. I eat low carb, high protein, half body weight in water (most days, it's HARD to do). I eat a Keto diet. I also stay on the Trim Healthy Mama WOE, surely you've heard of it!! I generally eat the same foods, which I should change up from time to time. Forgot to mention: I get so tired of prepping food and just would rather drink a protein shake but don't know which one would benefit me. I realize they are not the best way to go (too many inflammatories/artificial foods). I can't budge these last 15 pounds. I think stress and being 52-that hormonal stage-is effecting my losses. I have an endo appt on July 9th. Have hashimoto's as well-still figuring out what that means exactly with regard to how I need to workout and eat. I stay away from the white foods, don't drink alcohol because it causes weight gain. I have lost 37 pounds since 2015 but have maintained 177 for the last year. Want to lose 15 more and can't seem to get a good plan. I'm going to walk 3 miles this morning and eat my usual. I don't usually count calories. I stay away from them!! I'm afraid to gain muscle when I haven't gotten to my goal weight. On the flip side, I thought muscle would help the fat go faster? Advice on this would be awesome. Would love to get a personal trainer, but don't want to 'fork' over the dough for that right at the moment!!! I look forward to this group and advice/experiences!! Have a blessed day everyone!
While I have no issue with you posting in this thread, you may get better advice should you start your own! Just a thought.0 -
Oh, OK....I'm new to mfp and will look into that process1
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Oh, OK....I'm new to mfp and will look into that process
Welcome! I hope you will like this site. It's changed my life for sure. Don't worry about not knowing what you're doing right away. If you want to create your own post, go to the community board, click on the topic you want to discuss (in this case it sounds like Motivation/Support) or you could choose general questions near the top. Once there, click the green "create" button and you can go from there. Just copy and paste what you wrote here to save yourself time.
I also suggest reading all the "stickered" posts at the top of each group. They will be invaluable throughout your journey. Best of luck @atkhorses !
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SisterSueGetsFit wrote: »cmriverside wrote: »SisterSueGetsFit wrote: »cmriverside wrote: »I lost 60+ pounds. I was just inside my healthy BMI weight (back and forth between 155-162 5'8") for a few years when I decided to lose the last 20. HA!!! It took me nine months...at a 250 calorie daily deficit.
It's slow going because hungry.
It was difficult staying on task at the end because I knew better than to restrict too much, as that leads to a 4000 calorie day fairly predictably.
I just kept plugging along. Like you I knew what to do. But hungry. Legit. It's harder when your body fights like that to keep a few "safety" pounds of fat.
Keep going.
It's slow.
Have I mentioned hungry?
Good for you for not quitting! I am very lucky in the way that I can usually stave off hunger pretty well. My problem is I really enjoy food and booze. I can do SO good all week, and then I can undo my progress during the weekend. I've done pretty good lately but clearly I need to do better. For now, at least for the next week (until the 4th of July) I will cut out booze and see if that helps. I'll enjoy the 4th and then get back on plan. I may have to back down to half a pound a week... It's all bout figuring out what works for us individually.
Oh, yeah. I quit drinking completely - I couldn't have worked it any other way. I too loved the weekend drink/eat fests. Well, let's be honest, I like the every day cocktail hour, too. That had to go.
I'm a much happier and WAY healthier person for having given up the drink.
I thought I'd responded to this already... I'm sure my response will be less more eloquent now. When I lost a good chunk of my weight (40 pounds) I wasn't drinking. I also know I have probably a bit of a dependency with alcohol. I CAN not drink, I just like it. I don't feel like it's something I can/want to quit forever and I know I can quit when I want/need to. I'm strongly considering stopping again until I hit my goal weight but then I rationalize that I need to incorporate it moderately. I do well until the weekends (one or two drinks once or twice during the week) and then go completely off the rails on the weekend. It doesn't help my boyfriend is a drinker, but that is another conversation in and of itself.
I take it you've quit forever?
I am hoping it's forever. So far it's been several years since I drank. It was going down a not-so-glamorous path. I don't miss it AT ALL. The first year is definitely a challenge in a lot of ways, but I hope to never have another drink.
It doesn't serve me any more. In my twenties, sure. I quit in my early thirties for a whole bunch of years, then life smacked me around quite a bit and I ended up with a drink in my hand again. A few years after that day I decided I was (again) tired of the next-day feeling, tired of chasing an hour or two of happy drinking then the after-effects, and looking forward all day to a drink. It just serves no purpose any more. Drinking moderately worked until it really didn't any more. I could have one, most of the time. I would rather have all the drinks. So there's that.
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Mornin',
I need some motivation here, and mostly in search of a good workout program. I tend to click on youtube on tv and do random HIIT, dumb bell workouts. I eat low carb, high protein, half body weight in water (most days, it's HARD to do). I eat a Keto diet. I also stay on the Trim Healthy Mama WOE, surely you've heard of it!! I generally eat the same foods, which I should change up from time to time. Forgot to mention: I get so tired of prepping food and just would rather drink a protein shake but don't know which one would benefit me. I realize they are not the best way to go (too many inflammatories/artificial foods). I can't budge these last 15 pounds. I think stress and being 52-that hormonal stage-is effecting my losses. I have an endo appt on July 9th. Have hashimoto's as well-still figuring out what that means exactly with regard to how I need to workout and eat. I stay away from the white foods, don't drink alcohol because it causes weight gain. I have lost 37 pounds since 2015 but have maintained 177 for the last year. Want to lose 15 more and can't seem to get a good plan. I'm going to walk 3 miles this morning and eat my usual. I don't usually count calories. I stay away from them!! I'm afraid to gain muscle when I haven't gotten to my goal weight. On the flip side, I thought muscle would help the fat go faster? Advice on this would be awesome. Would love to get a personal trainer, but don't want to 'fork' over the dough for that right at the moment!!! I look forward to this group and advice/experiences!! Have a blessed day everyone!
Stronglifts 5X5 is a great beginner program. You can watch Youtube videos on how to perform the exercises. And you can download the Stronglifts app for free to follow while you are at the gym.0 -
Have you ever considered an accountability partner? They can be amazing if you get the right one.1
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Have you ever considered an accountability partner? They can be amazing if you get the right one.
While I'm not super opposed to that, I strongly feel the only person really accountable is me. I know for some people it really works (groups and whatnot) but at least for me, I need to hold myself accountable. I hope that makes sense.
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Yes. I had an accountability partner, never met, different gender, honest and supportive. We both made great progress. Sometimes you need a distant 3rd party to support, commiserate, challenge and even be critical. They end up being really unique and special friends.1
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I am not focused on the number of pounds I have to lose. I am focused on staying on plan today. Sometimes I am only focused on staying on plan for this meal... the scale number will happen eventually. I am only focused on what is in my control.1
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I’m on the last little bit too and just take it 1 day at a time.1
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emmamcgarity wrote: »I am not focused on the number of pounds I have to lose. I am focused on staying on plan today. Sometimes I am only focused on staying on plan for this meal... the scale number will happen eventually. I am only focused on what is in my control.
I really like this. I used to say one bite at a time, one day at a time, one pound at a time. Same line of thinking. Thank you!
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