Why is it all so overwhelming!?

jonandmindyhanson1

Hey all. I have been attempting to lose weight for couple months now(I know not a long time). I have seen very little results and I am getting frustrated! I am down 12 lbs, the first 10 were in the first 3 weeks. I have completely overhauled my life style (reduced calories, tracking what I eat, walking 3-4 times a week, increase water, cut out pop, etc). I'm not sure what else I can do. Granted, I do have a couple health issues that make it hard to lose weight, but I am overwhelmed with the whole process! The last time I tried to lose weight I got so discouraged and just stopped trying and I don't want to go down that path again!

cmriverside

12 pounds in two months is a lot! Those first few pounds are usually mostly water weight from cutting back on carbs.

Your tag says 50+ pounds to lose, so you can expect to safely lose between one and two pounds per week. That's the healthy weight loss approach. As you approach a healthy weight, that will slow down even more.

It is a slow process. You didn't gain all the weight over night. It comes off the same way.

neanderthin

Eating is the solution to chronic hunger and that's what most people end up doing when in a deficit for longer periods of time and some almost immediately. Satiation is key imo but generally that requires a complete overhaul of many of their food choices which most are not willing to do and rely strictly on a deficit, it's a catch 22 for the vast majority of people. Good luck. Cheers

cwolfman13

Losing weight is a slow process. Also, walking is great exercise and great for your overall health and well-being, both physically and mentally, but it is a very efficient movement for which we've evolved to be very adept at and doesn't burn a ton of calories.

I walk everyday primarily to reach a baseline of general activity for my physical health, but also for better mental clarity. I wish I could find the chart, but essentially it's something like 0-5K steps is sedentary (with 5K being at the high end of that activity level), 5K-10K steps is lightly active (10K being the high end of that activity level), 10K-15K steps is moderately active, and 15K-20K+ is active. These would be steps or equivalent activity.

This comes from a wellness guy that was being interviewed on a podcast I sometimes listen to. Basically (and I agree) that somewhere between 6-10K steps (or equivalent light activity) is a baseline for where we should be just generally...kind of like having 8 cups of water per day as a baseline for general hydration. This makes total sense to me when we look at things in a more historical context of human activity prior to sitting at desks all day and automation. Unfortunately, it also means that just to get to a minimum baseline of activity, desk jockeys like myself have to engage in deliberate activity. Improvements to overall fitness will require more depending on one's goals.

Your rate of loss over 2 months is well within expectations of healthy weight loss...it's a very slow process. You don't want to have too large of a deficit as that can also have negative health ramifications, but if you want to increase your rate of loss a bit, you need to either move more or eat a little less or some combination of both. I lost somewhere between 30-40 Lbs and that took me the better part of 9 months...it's a slow process and difficult because it requires consistency and discipline over a long period of time which is why I always made various health and fitness markers my primary goals, not the number on the scale.

firework18

Congrats on losing so much weight in the first three weeks! It sounds like you’re in a plateau. Maybe changing up your workout would help, like adding some strength training (but try not to eat more!) to avoid losing muscle and slowing your metabolism down as you diet. That worked for me in the past.

pridesabtch

You are doing well, eat within your calorie goal. Make sure you are being honest with yourself when you log your food. Walking is great, but doesn't burn a ton of extra calories. Stay the course, you'll get there!

jonandmindyhanson1

Thanks everyone for the positive comments! It definitely helps to have people give advise on what works for them!

ClearNotCloudyMind

Hi. If you can, try to focus on what you are doing rather than the results. Every time you choose something healthy over the worse alternative then your body is that little bit closer to your goals. Celebrate it as a win when you finish a day where you got closer (and not further) due to the choices you made.

Like everyone else here, I have to say it’s going to take time. Maybe take a few measurements? I find that when my weight loss stalls my waist often tightens up.

Best of luck!

nossmf

Weight is only ONE possible measure of becoming healthier. As @ClearNotCloudyMind mentioned, you should make a conscious effort to be aware of some of the other aspects:

Body measurements (waist, thigh, buttocks, wherever you personally keep your weight)
Quality of sleep
Ease moving around (stairs, standing from sitting/lying, etc.)
Capacity to exercise (energy level, endurance, ease of breathing)

There are other markers, but I found these to be the easiest for me to notice improvements as I moved towards a healthier lifestyle. Note I didn't just say "losing weight" but healthier LIFE-style. You've made several changes already which have likely already improved your life, whether you've taken the time to notice the changes or not.

jonandmindyhanson1

@nossmf thats a very good thought. I have definitely noticed not being out of breath as much and being able to walk a little faster and further. Its hard to not get obsessed with those dang numbers on the scale!

springlering62

Check out the NSV thread over on the Success Stories board.

I have read every single one of them. I used to hoard them for times I felt I couldn’t continue. They literally pulled me through, and still do.

NSV means Non Scale Victory. Not all victories are glowing between your feet.