Slow and steady wins the race, right??

cmfruin2012

I need to vent. I have been at this about 7 1/2 months and have lost almost 50 pounds (have 200+ to lose total, however....) I honestly feel that I have been making all the right choices. I am using MFP the way it was designed -- let it set my calorie goals for a 2 pound a week loss (and my age, weight and height -- this is 2220 calories a day). And I only slightly adjusted my macro goals. I have logged faithfully now for 225 days in a row. With the exception of a couple vacations and a few work trips (where it was harder...and less fun...to be in real control over what I ate) I have stuck to these goals. And even during those vacations and work trips -- I logged every bite faithfully. And I've exercised. Started out swimming 3-4 times a week. And now swim 3 times a week for about 45 minutes and do cardio/strength training in the gym 3 times a week (usually 40 minutes on the bike and 30 minutes of free weights or weight machines). Before it got hot and muggy I was taking a mile-long walk during the day as a break from the office.

I feel very good about the choices I'm making -- yet I feel like the progress doesn't match the effort. I have lost inches -- and lost pounds. But feel that I should be FURTHER along than I am after 7 1/2 months. It certainly hasn't been the 2 pounds a week that my calorie goals say it should be. My body is definitely changing - I am finally starting to see some change. And I know I am probably replacing fat with muscle. AND I know that at 41 years of age -- my metabolism isn't what it used to be. Yet -- although I KNOW all these things...can rationalize it...I still feel frustrated and defeated. And the end goal still seems sooooooo far away.....

I am sure others have struggled with this sort of frustration. How did you work through it? Any words of support, advice, empathy and the like would be much appreciated. And new friends who are similarly dedicated would also be appreciated. Seems like the friends who I thought were in this with me for the long haul have sort of dropped off...guess frustration got to the best of them - but I am determined to not let it get the best of me. But I could sure use some shoring up of defenses!

emjean76

Losing 50 lbs in 7.5 months is a phenomenal accomplishment! That's a perfect amount of weight to lose each month to maintain it long term. I haven't actually discovered this for myself....YET, but reading stories like yours encourages me to keep going.

Did you take any "before" pictures? As you know it's not just about losing pounds, it's about how much you are shrinking and pictures truly can be worth a 1,000 words. I took before pics and I'm going to take new pics each month. It's hard for us to see changes in ourselves when we look in a mirror every day. But to look at pic from a month, or two, or more ago would be very motivational. Keep up the good work!

blc1971

First of all, congratulations on your success so far! You're doing great! I have lost 40 lbs so far and have been on MFP for nearly a year now. 40 lbs in 50 weeks doesn't seem like a lot; however, I keep reminding myself that I didn't GAIN 40 lbs in the last year, so I'm definitely better off than I would have been had I chosen to keep going the way I was and not made changes. When I start feeling frustrated I remind myself how great I feel now and how the changes I've made are sustainable for the rest of my life. So even if I never lose another lb (I want to lose another 20-25) I am in better health, stronger, and have tons more energy. Just stay strong and keep to your course. You will get to where you want to be if you are persistent. Feel free to add me! :flowerforyou:

cmfruin2012

That is my one regret in this process. I have not taken any pictures. I wish I had. I keep telling myself that once I fit 50 pounds exactly I will take some full body pictures -- and use those to compare after the next 10...20....50 pounds. The first 50...well....will just have to "imagine" how that looks. I do think that I'd feel better about it if I had that visual representation of what this first 48.2 pounds lost looked like. I can only go by other clues -- the seatbelt in the car, the way pants fit...and best of all, how I FEEL.

cmfruin2012

You also make a wonderful point -- that I do need to remind myself. It took me 20+ years to get to 447 pounds....it isn't going to magically disappear in a matter of months. I have this goal in mind of losing 100 pounds by my birthday in February...and it just feels like February is creeping closer and the scale isn't moving at the same pace. And I told myself I would never be a victim of scale anxiety. And listen to me! Sigh...

itsscottwilder

There are lots of things to consider. Here's where my thought process would begin.

is 2200 calories now too aggressive or not aggressive enough?

1. I'm sure you know about starvation mode. Is your body simply done giving up the calories until you give it more to work with?

2. Is your body just getting more efficient?You're eating better. You're working out. Your body is saying that it can maintain at 2200 calories.

I personally think that MFP is horrible at giving calorie advice. I think the TDEE - 25% method is a better way to go.

cmfruin2012

No offense to the many here who subscribe to the whole TDEE/In Place of a Roadmap theory -- I've read through the stuff...and honestly, I think it is just another weight loss plan/gimmick. There seem to be just as many people it works for as who it doesn't work for. And the ones it works for seem to be folks who don't have nearly the amount of weight to lose that I have.

However, I do agree with your statement about efficiency -- and it is something I've thought about. Does a body "adapt?" I rarely eat back the exercise calories earned -- because I don't trust the calculation that is generated. I worry that it gives me too many. I'll eat back about half -- but what happens then is I end up eating less than the 2220 -- well, is it too many less?? I just don't know and there seems to be a whole lot of conjecture, misinformation, rumor, and bad science floating around on here about how few calories are too few and when starvation mode really kicks in. I definitely don't think I'm starving.

Koldnomore

It's a really hard reality to see that even with a lot of weight to lose you do not lose it 'fast' by any stretch of the imagination. The first few months are always the best but invariably it slows down. Sometimes I envy my larger friends their big losses, especially when I struggle to get even .5lb/week (this with at least 30 more lbs to lose from original around 90-100) .

The thing about having lots to lose is that you can afford to eat lower than 'recommended' for the first little while, but invariably it will happen where you will start seeing the slow downs. Sometimes it's faster, sometimes you can manage for a long time. If you average out your numbers you are still getting about 1.5lbs/ week which is close to what you should be seeing - of course I 'should' be getting 1lb/week according to MFP but I am lucky if I get 1lb / month so realistically, for me, MFP is WAY WAY wrong. What I would say is that if you are not happy with what you are getting you can try to play with the numbers a little bit on your own (this is what many people end up doing)

Most people here would agree that you should ensure that you are at LEAST eating your BMR (this is the minimum number of calories that a person of your age,height,weight needs just to lay in bed all day and do nothing) given the stats that you have shared this number is far more than 2200 (especially if you are not eating back all your calories) If you do not eat enough for your body's basic functions then things begin to suffer. Some people experience extreme hunger, tiredness, soreness and just a general run down feeling. Your body tries as much as it can to start conserving its stores of energy (in this case fat/muscle) in preparation for the 'lean times'. In terms of evolution this would have been the body's way to survive through a long winter where food was much less plentiful. You still lose weight - but it becomes harder and less of it as opposed to times when your body does not feel the stress of there not being enough to eat.

Regardless of your opinion with respect to TDEE, 'bad science' or anything else the path is always up to you. All I will say is that the path is NOT a short one. For me, It took 20 YEARS to gain my weight. If it takes me 2 years to get it off that is fine for me. Of course everyone wants it gone fast, but it has been proven time and again that the fast you lose it, the greater the odds of it coming back. What you choose to do about it is up to you. You can continue down the road you are on and accept the losses you are seeing happily or you can allow the numbers to rule you, get upset & frustrated that you are not going as quickly as you like / expect - this road will invariably lead to giving up.

In the end, you are 50 lbs lighter now than you were at this time last year and that is an AMAZING thing! Don't sell your accomplishment short. Find a path that works for you and just keep it in perspective. You will get there!

hudson5473

Hang in there, you are doing fine. I too have had it where your body just wants to "stay" where its at, Ive been going through it the last month and a half. The scale is an evil tool, I went and had my bodyfat checked and will compare in a few months. Only problem is that is something thats not tracked as often. Pictures will help for sure and measuring inches was great for me too.

escloflowneCHANGED

No offense to the many here who subscribe to the whole TDEE/In Place of a Roadmap theory -- I've read through the stuff...and honestly, I think it is just another weight loss plan/gimmick. There seem to be just as many people it works for as who it doesn't work for. And the ones it works for seem to be folks who don't have nearly the amount of weight to lose that I have.

The fact you said the bold part tells me you haven't done enough research since MFP uses the same calculations...It just takes your TDEE and adds a deficit for you.

All I will say is, have you had MFP adjust your calorie goal since losing the 50lbs? Are your settings set for your weight right now or 50 lbs ago!?

ames105

I think you are doing great. I did the math and you are averaging about a pound and a half a week. That is great success. Slow and steady does win the race, you are right and you are doing it.

Keep up the great work!!

thistimewillbedifferent

I am right where you are! I started seven and a half months ago (beginning of 2013) and have lost exactly 50 lbs since then, but still have quite a ways to go. I, too, am a female in my 40s (45, to be exact). The weight loss has DEFINITELY slowed down, but, as my beloved nutritionist likes to remind me, every week that I do not lose weight, I can still say that "I maintained a 50-lb loss for another week!" Framed like that, I feel MUCH better about what I've already accomplished and much less concerned about where I still need to go. I, too, have become much more "efficient" as I have gotten more and more used to exercising, and I can see that I'll have to work harder now to get the same results. It can be frustrating, so once in a while at the gym I pick up something weighing 50 lbs and make myself carry it around for awhile. GREAT reminder of how much better off I am right now as compared to 2012. Feel free to add me if you want!

imhungry2012

It took me 8 months to lose 20lbs. I feel ya. MFP is a tool but it is by no means exact as to the amount of weight you will lose weekly, monthy, "what you will weigh in 5 weeks if every day were like today" but simply an estimate. I think it's works great for tracking and getting a better understading of what you are putting into your body and how it affects your body/weight.

50lbs in 7 1/2 months is awesome. Keep it up, take progress pics (mid as well start now, dont wait for the next 2lbs) and continue to make better choices and move more!

As you already recognized, it took you more than 7 1/2 months to put on the extra lbs but you are well on your way to taking them off! A quarter of the way there!!

pnece

You've made great progress -- and you need to tell yourself that everyday! I've experienced the same frustration, especially since my body seems to let go of weight in spurts rather than at a nice steady pace. It helps me to focus on how much better I feel, and how I've developed new healthy habits that I can sustain in the long term. That's incredibly important for those of us who have large amounts to lose. And you've certainly made many healthy changes already. I've also tried to refocus my short-term goals away from the scale. For a long time, my goal was to be down 75 lbs by a family wedding in September. Well that's not going to happen -- and I was disappointed and down on myself when I realized it. That's just not constructive. So now I set non-scale-victory goals, like wearing that pair of nice dress pants I've had sitting at the back of my closet or being able to stand for a 1/2 hour straight without my back, knees and feet hurting. And remember, even if you're not seeing the scale go down, you're maintaining your weight loss!!!! Another huge accomplishment!!!

One other suggestion for releasing frustrations (and one I used after I had a nasty encounter with the scale): search YouTube for clips of folks destroying their bathroom scales. They're hysterical! The darn things are nearly indestructable!!

cmfruin2012

Amazing people here -- thank you for the very wise words and encouragement. It is exactly what I needed. You have helped me put things back into perspective -- that kick in the pants we all need every once in a while.