Finally lost that first pound

HexyleneGlycol

I started my weight loss journey about 2 weeks ago. Ive been doing turbo jam workouts daily plus walking as much as I can. I also try to stay within the 1200 calorie range but its extremely difficult. The first week I worked my butt off and did not lose one pound! I even gained a few ounces, it was devastating. I was expecting to lose at least 1 pound a week to start, but now I see my dreams are not even that attainable.The food journal always says that if you dont eat 1200 calories you put your body into "starvation" mode and you will gain weight,( I dont think thats 100% true) but then it goes on to tell you if you continue that way you will be X amount of pounds in 5 weeks. Anyways. I find that if I cheat EVEN A LITTLE (ie, goldfish crackers, whip cream, muffins) I do not lose any weight. I dont know why but I have to work super hard every day and not eat any sugar or extra sodium or else I will not see any difference! I also found that STRENGTH TRAINING is the ultimate key for me. It helps me look fitter and it also helps me complete my work out. I found even the 20 min turbo jam workout exhausting, until I did the turbo sculpt (strength training) and then I was amazingly able to complete the whole work out (kicks and all, which I could not do before) with ease. I also found the free youtube workouts on nowloss.com give me a good workout. I do not really jog or do any activities outside my home if I dont have to...I dont know if that may be contributing to my slow weight loss.

I know its only 1 pound, just thought Id share what I think Ive learned with you. Im not going to give up!

SLLRunner

Congratulations on your one pound! :bigsmile:

Tight on, don't believe that silliness about starvation mode making you gain weight. In fact, do a search here and you will find some conversations on that myth.

If you are working out, you need to eat some of those exercise calories back. When you set your account to lose xx amount per week, the calorie deficit is already built in. If you calorie allowance is 1,200, you need to NET as close to that amount as you can. Tis definitely means to eat some of those exercise calories back.

One pound in two weeks is really excellent since you look like you don't have much weight to lose (if that's you in your profile picture). Keep up the good work!

Vorenus85

There's a few good bits in what you said but I feel like you are misinformed about mostly everything else. Calories in vs Calories out, that's all there is to it. You can have your goldfish, crackers, whip cream, and muffins, just make sure to weigh and log everything. Sugar and sodium are not an enemy to weight loss either (for most people). And as usual 1200 calories is too low for almost anybody. I think you probably should look through the forums some more and find threads about BMR, TDEE and activity levels to see how much you should really be eating.

HexyleneGlycol

Thanks! Yep its me...I just know how to angle my body and suck in to make myself look smaller! lol. Im actually extremely heavy and out of shape...My abs are just the fittest part of my body so I show them off...If you could see my arms and legs...youd understand what Im talking about!!! (cellulite on both)

janatarnhem

Well done on losing that 1st 1lb! Hope you lose some more soon!

HexyleneGlycol

Some days I find I struggle just to reach the 1200 calorie mark and sometimes I am over. I have no idea how much calories Im burning doing the workouts that I do (just an estimate) but I do find that staying under the 1200 calorie range helps to lose weight faster. Who knows...another 2 weeks or a month then maybe Ill have a better idea...Im sure I will be tempted to cheat some more, so we'll see how it works out...I was just under the impression that most people LOSE MORE weight at first and then slow down after...but I have started off slow..so I dont know what else to think.

squishybarb

Hey! Congratulations! One pound is fantastic!

My battle is always at night. If I eat what I should during the day and stop before 7 PM - and no snacking - bam! Weight loss!

Every time I step foot in a gym, I gain weight. I know it's just muscle gain, or my body retaining water to heal my muscles.. but it still irks me. And my HS disease usually flares up when I go to the gym so I have a hard time sticking to it. Either way, I can still stay active and burn extra calories by being outside and doing smaller activities. Not everyone's a gym junkie, and it is possible to be healthy and at a good weight without going to the gym all of the time. I do it when I can.

Sometimes it takes forever for your body to say, heeeyy let's lose some weight! Sometimes that happens with me. Takes months to finally start dropping, but once I do, the ball's rollin!



One pound of fat is more than you think! :bigsmile: :flowerforyou: DONT STOP!

TavistockToad

You need to eat back your exercise cals if you're following MFP

HexyleneGlycol

OH yea!! Thats what I forgot to add!...I have to STOP eating completely after 8pm...(I say 8pm cuz I usually dont have time to eat dinner before that). I always have a bowl of cereal or oatmeal before bed and it makes me not lose weight. So Ive exchanged my bowl of cereal for a hot cup of milk with truvia (or 2 cups)...that has HELPED..

Also, I forgot to add that I NEED my coffee everyday!! I use to have double double but now I cut down to 1 cream 2 sugars, so that cuts half the calories...I also drink my own homemade coffee with truvia and whitener...the coffee and truvia is calorie free and the whitener is only 15 calories per tablespoon. I dont know if this coffee addiction has helped me or hurt me but only time will tell!!

janiehester

Congradulations....I just started MFP around 2 weeks ago, I too eat 1200 per day and I work out at the gym 5 days a week doing all kinds of things. I usally do 20 miunte on the tread mill and then 15 to 20 minute with weights, after that its machines. I too do not know how many calorie it takes off I just follow what MFP tells me. I have not weighed myself yet Im waiting for at least 14 days before doing so. I hope to weigh at least 2 pound less but with all that I see on this site I may not. At any rate Im going to keep doing what Im doing and I have the faith it will come off, Just not as fast as Id like it to. Keep up the good work, you will get there.

SLLRunner

It doesn't matter what you eat, how late or early you eat, to lose weight. All that is required is eating at a calorie deficit.

You really need to eat some of those exercise calories back. 1,200 is way too low.