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TheRedQueen1981

Hi all. I joined MFP just over a week ago and have been working very hard. I had been weighed at my doctor surgery and was utterly disgusted with myself so immediately joined up and for the past week and a bit, I have been doing very well. I’ve been watching what I eat and doing lots of exercise.

I decided to purchase my own scale so that I could weigh myself weekly — I don’t want to have to go to the doctor every time I need weighed. Anyway, I was very upset as, assuming my scale is the same as the surgery, I only lost 2lbs. Now, I know — 2lbs is a healthy loss but I’m very large (too shy to give actual weight but I have over 100lbs to lose) and I should be losing more than 2lbs in a week, especially considering just how hard I’ve worked and the fact that it’s the first week.

I’m definitely not going to give up but I wanted a wee thread here where I could hold myself accountable and maybe get some helpful comments from the great MFP community. I need the support and would love for this to be a place for having fun, too. Please feel free to add me as a friend.

DaintyWhisper

It's your first week! You're still getting used to everything. It will be trial and error as you figure out what works for you. Right now, you're taking steps in the right direction towards your goals. You lost your first couple of pounds, too! I don't think you have to be so hard on yourself! Here's a couple of things that helped me along the way.. If you don't have one already, I would strongly encourage you to purchase a food scale and weigh out your food. It might seem like extra work to weigh everything, but it's a lot more accurate for tracking calories and will definitely help you realize proper portion sizes. Another thing that helped me was in addition to weighing yourself, keep track of your measurements. Sometimes the scale may not move, but you'll find a decrease in your measurements. It can help remind you that there's more to your health than the number you see on the scale. Don't give up because you don't see results as fast as you wanted. With hard work, you can achieve your goals. : ) Anyway, I wish you the best of luck!

mkculs

It's great you are taking control of your health. Good for you!

Your scale and the doc's probably won't give the same number; just watch the trend on one scale and you'll be good. Have you bought a food scale? That is the best way to know what you are actually eating--measuring can be very inaccurate.

Have fun and keep us posted on your progress.

TavistockToad

All scales are different so your starting weight on your scales wasn't the same as the starting weight on your doctors scales

TheRedQueen1981

Thank you all. I’m intrigued by the idea of a food scale. How exactly does that work? You weigh your food and it estimates how many calories?

tinkerbellang83

lcy_stewart wrote: »

Thank you all. I’m intrigued by the idea of a food scale. How exactly does that work? You weigh your food and it estimates how many calories?

You log your food in grams/oz rather than guessing the portion size, it give you a more accurate calorie count. A good example:

DaintyWhisper

lcy_stewart wrote: »

Thank you all. I’m intrigued by the idea of a food scale. How exactly does that work? You weigh your food and it estimates how many calories?

You use the scale to weigh the food that you eat. Once you weigh it and eat it, you will search the MFP food database for the food that you ate and put the amount you ate in your food diary. It let's you keep track of your calories so you don't go over. Following the calories MFP gives you for weight loss should help you lose weight.

Let's say you want to eat some Cheeto's! You look on the back of the package and it says 1 serving is 28g or 1 oz. You see that each serving has 160 calories. You put a bowl on your scale and weigh out 28g/1 oz of Cheeto's and enjoy them. You will search MFP for Cheeto's that have the same calories as you see on your bag and enter it into your diary. It's helpful to do this for most of the foods that you eat to closely keep track of your calories, which I think helps result in weight loss because you're being more mindful. I could mindlessly eat a half a bag of chips or cookies without realizing. So, portioning out foods helps limit that from happening. For foods without a label, such as apples or raw chicken breast, you can search "USDA apple" or "USDA raw chicken breast" and enter the weight of what you ate that way. USDA is like a generic label for foods without labels and it's pretty accurate. It may seem confusing or hard, but it really isn't! Once you give yourself a couple of days to figure it out, it just becomes habit. I recommend at least giving it a try to see if you think it would be a good tool to incorporate into your weight loss!

TavistockToad

lcy_stewart wrote: »

Thank you all. I’m intrigued by the idea of a food scale. How exactly does that work? You weigh your food and it estimates how many calories?

How have you been logging your food so far if you don't weigh anything?

TheRedQueen1981

I look at the information on food packaging,

dejavuohlala

Please don't be disappointed with a 2 lb loss trust me that's good, you don't want to lose too quickly it's not good for you and more importantly it's not sustainable, good luck you can do this

tulips_and_tea

lcy_stewart wrote: »

Hi all. I joined MFP just over a week ago and have been working very hard. I had been weighed at my doctor surgery and was utterly disgusted with myself so immediately joined up and for the past week and a bit, I have been doing very well. I’ve been watching what I eat and doing lots of exercise.

I decided to purchase my own scale so that I could weigh myself weekly — I don’t want to have to go to the doctor every time I need weighed. Anyway, I was very upset as, assuming my scale is the same as the surgery, I only lost 2lbs. Now, I know — 2lbs is a healthy loss but I’m very large (too shy to give actual weight but I have over 100lbs to lose) and I should be losing more than 2lbs in a week, especially considering just how hard I’ve worked and the fact that it’s the first week.

I’m definitely not going to give up but I wanted a wee thread here where I could hold myself accountable and maybe get some helpful comments from the great MFP community. I need the support and would love for this to be a place for having fun, too. Please feel free to add me as a friend.

No, you shouldn't. That's not healthy. You're doing great so far, but read the threads on HOW to accurately use a food scale. It will help tremendously and you'll learn portion sizes.

neugebauer52

Well done, you are on the way. The first few days are always more difficult - getting used to a new meal plan, exercise etc. In no time you will have done a month - just stick to it and record all food and drinks in MFP. There is plenty of help with MFP, just make use of it. I have been told that weight loss is not "linear" many, many times so I prefer not to step onto the scales on a daily basis. I only use the gym scales and I visit the gym once a week or so. For the rest of the week I go for walks - still very, very slow but hopefully my speed will improve. Need to lose at least 70 kg, 160 pounds.

Reversaldude

Hi Icy, great name! I have found that scales do vary quite a lot, the thing is to not get too hung up over a kilo here or there, but to consistently weigh yourself at the same time each week. Say after doing your morning business on the exact same day each week and if your scale doesn't sync with your App or webpage, then enter it manually. Its important to use the same scale each time, and don't be upset when your health professional tells you that you weigh something different , there will be a variation.
Now can you help me, I'm new to this social side of MFP, How did you post in this group without hitting the Quote button on an entry, maybe you could record your screen actions so i can see. I jyust can't see a logical way to post on here! It says please join in, if I only knew how?

lcy_stewart wrote: »

Hi all. I joined MFP just over a week ago and have been working very hard. I had been weighed at my doctor surgery and was utterly disgusted with myself so immediately joined up and for the past week and a bit, I have been doing very well. I’ve been watching what I eat and doing lots of exercise.

I decided to purchase my own scale so that I could weigh myself weekly — I don’t want to have to go to the doctor every time I need weighed. Anyway, I was very upset as, assuming my scale is the same as the surgery, I only lost 2lbs. Now, I know — 2lbs is a healthy loss but I’m very large (too shy to give actual weight but I have over 100lbs to lose) and I should be losing more than 2lbs in a week, especially considering just how hard I’ve worked and the fact that it’s the first week.

I’m definitely not going to give up but I wanted a wee thread here where I could hold myself accountable and maybe get some helpful comments from the great MFP community. I need the support and would love for this to be a place for having fun, too. Please feel free to add me as a friend.

lcy_stewart wrote: »

Hi all. I joined MFP just over a week ago and have been working very hard. I had been weighed at my doctor surgery and was utterly disgusted with myself so immediately joined up and for the past week and a bit, I have been doing very well. I’ve been watching what I eat and doing lots of exercise.

I decided to purchase my own scale so that I could weigh myself weekly — I don’t want to have to go to the doctor every time I need weighed. Anyway, I was very upset as, assuming my scale is the same as the surgery, I only lost 2lbs. Now, I know — 2lbs is a healthy loss but I’m very large (too shy to give actual weight but I have over 100lbs to lose) and I should be losing more than 2lbs in a week, especially considering just how hard I’ve worked and the fact that it’s the first week.

I’m definitely not going to give up but I wanted a wee thread here where I could hold myself accountable and maybe get some helpful comments from the great MFP community. I need the support and would love for this to be a place for having fun, too. Please feel free to add me as a friend.

Reversaldude

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TheRedQueen1981

You did it! Haha. Thank you for the advice. I’m waiting to weigh myself again next week and see what the difference is. I just cannot accept a loss of 2lbs after all the work I’m doing so I’ll see if it’s a better result this time — I’m hoping it’s just the different scales.

I’m using the iOS app and if I scroll to the very bottom of the page and just write in the comment box, it doesn’t quote. There’s an option for ‘quote’ within each person’s comments but I don’t click on that, I just scroll down to the comment box.

Reversaldude

Very chuffed today, got back in the gym , lots of resistance training followed by 18 mins interval running. Bloody hard but I’m buzzing like a flipping Bee, no problem fasting until 1pm and loving the protein focus.

ZephieC

You also mentioned that you have started exercising. New exercise routines can initially cause water retention as your muscles are working in a new way. Definitely take measurements, portion your food correctly and keep doing what you are doing. You will find things start to stabilize. And remember, a slow and steady loss is never a bad thing:)

TheRedQueen1981

Yes that’s true. I’ll just have to be patient. I have noticed that I’m never thirsty — could that be water retention?

bikecheryl

lcy_stewart wrote: »

Yes that’s true. I’ll just have to be patient. I have noticed that I’m never thirsty — could that be water retention?

If you wait till your thirsty to drink it's too late. A lot of times people mistake thirst for hunger.

Your going to have days that feel like weeks and weeks that feel like years!!

Your doing wonderfully and I know how it feels to work so hard and not see the progress you think you should but please, please, please..... be patient, be honest and as accurate as you can logging and TRUST the process.

I've lost 111 lbs in 15 months...... that's less than 2 lbs per week.

TheRedQueen1981

It's a couple of months in now and I've lost a total of 22lbs. I'm happy with that, even if I do still think it's going much to slowly at times...haha. But, I'm more determined than ever so that's the most important thing.

lianechamilton

Wow that’s fabulous! Keep up the hard work!

TheRedQueen1981

Thank you so much!