FRUSTRATED.......HLEP!!!!!
empowered2bfit
Posts: 20 Member
I started the whole diet and exercise thing about 2 1/2 weeks ago. The first 5 days I lost 3 lbs but I guess since I am working out 5 days a week I am starting to gain muscle and I havent lost any after the 3lbs. Now I am bloated because of all the fruit and veggies that I have been eating that it looks as though I have gained inches which surely cant be true. I also stopped smoking about a month ago and it seems like my stomach keeps getting bigger and bigger. Could this be because of me stopping smoking? I have not been completely strict with my diet but I have cut down an lot and I have been burning at least 300 calories a day with exercise. Getting discouraged, but I am very determined to lose weight and get fit. ADVICE PLEASE 
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Replies
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you sure havent gained muscle as you say. i bet your body is just holding on to some additional water. just keep at it.0
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They say it takes 4 weeks for you to see a change.
There are so many standards set because of quick loss but you have to remember..
Many people who lose 10 lbs a week had A LOT more to start with and led an extremely sedentary lifestyle.
Please don't give up, give it til Feb 1st, remeasure yourself (or if you haven't yet, measure now and remeasure later!)
Also, NSVs (non-scale victories) are very important and shouldn't be discredited!!
Do you ever write down how you are feeling at the end of the day? You might be noticing you feel better, have more energy, don't stop halfway up a flight of stairs, don't have as many junk food cravings as before. These are all steps to improving your life.
Quitting smoking is going to throw your entire body off course for a little bit, but it'll all even out and soon you'll see rewarding changes to your awesome new lifestyle!!
Keep it up! :happy:0 -
First of all, congrats on quitting smoking, that is quite an accomplishment. Contrary to popular belief, stopping smoking will not make you gain weight. The reason most people do is to have something in their mouth (smoking causes an oral fixation.) Try munching on carrots whenever you're hungry in between meals. It's what I do...because I don't like them, and honestly fi I ate the whole bag it'd be like...150 calories. Also logging is the most important part of the process to me, I've been shakey with it, but my goal is to get back into it like I used to. It made all the difference in the world. 0
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Yep, you haven't gained muscle (outside MAYBE some noob gains, but I don't know what your exercise is). If you just started an exercise regimen your body will retain water for muscle repair until it adjusts and the water flushes.
I would recommend opening your diary for others to see how your tracking is, as I think this may likely be a fairly large part of the issue. I understand it to mean that you haven't been logging strictly...but can't tell with your diary closed.I have not been completely strict with my diet but0 -
You need to get strict with your diet. Adding exercise is amazing, but it won't do jack* if you aren't in a calorie deficit.
*for weight loss.0 -
First of all, congrats on quitting smoking, that is quite an accomplishment. Contrary to popular belief, stopping smoking will not make you gain weight. The reason most people do is to have something in their mouth (smoking causes an oral fixation.) Try munching on carrots whenever you're hungry in between meals. It's what I do...because I don't like them, and honestly fi I ate the whole bag it'd be like...150 calories. Also logging is the most important part of the process to me, I've been shakey with it, but my goal is to get back into it like I used to. It made all the difference in the world.
U GOT THIS GIRL!!!!0 -
I started the whole diet and exercise thing about 2 1/2 weeks ago. The first 5 days I lost 3 lbs but I guess since I am working out 5 days a week I am starting to gain muscle and I havent lost any after the 3lbs. Now I am bloated because of all the fruit and veggies that I have been eating that it looks as though I have gained inches which surely cant be true. I also stopped smoking about a month ago and it seems like my stomach keeps getting bigger and bigger. Could this be because of me stopping smoking? I have not been completely strict with my diet but I have cut down an lot and I have been burning at least 300 calories a day with exercise. Getting discouraged, but I am very determined to lose weight and get fit. ADVICE PLEASE
Weight loss happens in the kitchen. Log everything and be stricter about your diet. Exercise is good but a bad diet can cancel out any exercise. You did not gain muscle in 2 weeks, sorry. You are most likely eating too much0 -
Congrats on being SMOKE FREE!!!!! That in itself is the biggest hurdle you will ever climb!!! I, myself, recently quit too. It has been only 84 days so far. When you quit, you metabolism slows down......way down in my opinion (experts say 15% for 90 days)! I started walking on the treadmill when i first woke up. I monitored everything I ate. No snacking in between meals. I did not replace smoking with gum, candy mints or food of any kind. I did this every day for a month and only gained weight! Friends said it was muscle I was gaining.....not true! If that was true that I was replacing fat with muscle then some part of my clothing should have been getting looser while the scale continued to climb! So.....I completely understand being frustrated! My suggestion, and this one new non-smoker to another non-smoker and by no means a health guru, is to hang in there and keep doing what you are doing. I think that if you do not continue to combat the weight gian with exercise, you will be far more frustrated than you are now. It will get better. You will see results. You will be healthier. You will be happier. Just give it a couple months. 0
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Patience my dear:) Weight loss is not linear so you will see fluctuations. One week you may lose 3 pounds and the next week you may not lose any but then the following week you may lose a couple more pounds as long as the trend over time is decreasing you are doing it right. Being strict with your logging is a must as well. If you're not logging all that you are eating then you won't have true picture of how much you are actually eating and if you are indeed under or at your calorie amount for the day. Also, measuring portions is very important! What we think is a cup of milk or tablespoon of peanut butter is and what it actually is are generally two very different amounts and will throw off your calorie count.0
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Agree with everyone above who said that you need to be sure you are not eating more than you think you are. It's SO easy to lose track of calories and eat back everything you burned at the gym, especially since the extra activity is likely making you hungrier than you were before. I also recommend opening your diary up for others to see, it helps keep you honest if nothing else.
That being said, your weight is going to fluctuate a fair amount in the first few months of any change in diet/exercise and it will probably be even more dramatic for you since you have also quit smoking. Don't get discouraged too much by small fluctuations and try to keep consistent with logging your food and getting exercise in. Also, try to be diligent about being consistently hydrated. This can level out those "water weight" fluctuations and has loads of other health benefits besides.0 -
I was also doing cardio, using a Fitbit to get more steps in everyday, and counting calories using myfitnesspal app, My weight wasn't really changing. Then one day I cut way back on carbs. 50-100 g. per day and viola... weightloss! Now I know eating high protein, low carb is what is working for me. Try that plus start drinking more water.0
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How's your water intake?0
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2 1/2 weeks is a very small amount of time to get yourself worked up about the scale. Give your body time to adjust. It could be a multitude of things: sodium intake, water retention, PMS, gas....Now if you worked out for a month and saw no movement then you should be a little concerned and possibly re-evaluate your diet or be honest about how well you are exercising. Whatever you do, just don't give up!
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If you think you're bloated, you might need to give your body some time to adjust to eating more fruits and veggies, especially if you're not used to it. The bloating should go away if you keep drinking water and you aren't drowning your veggies in salt or something.0
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Weight fluctuation is normal. Just keep at it. Hell, I stepped on the scale this morning 4 pounds heavier than yesterday and had a huge WTF moment.0
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I started the whole diet and exercise thing about 2 1/2 weeks ago. The first 5 days I lost 3 lbs but I guess since I am working out 5 days a week I am starting to gain muscle and I havent lost any after the 3lbs. Now I am bloated because of all the fruit and veggies that I have been eating that it looks as though I have gained inches which surely cant be true. I also stopped smoking about a month ago and it seems like my stomach keeps getting bigger and bigger. Could this be because of me stopping smoking? I have not been completely strict with my diet but I have cut down an lot and I have been burning at least 300 calories a day with exercise. Getting discouraged, but I am very determined to lose weight and get fit. ADVICE PLEASE
Congrats on your choice to make a life style change! Please stop, take a deep breath and realize it is a life style and will not happen over night. As you learn how to eat and exercise you will modify your calorie intake. If you have not done so you need to google TDEE(Total Daily Energy Expenditure) and BMR(Basic Metabolic Rate). Then figure what your TDEE and BMR are, and go from there.Take your TDEE minus 10-20% based on how much you want to lose. This is the amount of calories you should be netting every day, give or take, no ones perfect. You are not suppose to eat below your BMR. Do this and log and weigh your foods, keep up with the exercise, along with making healthier choices and you will lose weight. It is also important to pay attention to your macronutrients. You may want to educate yourself on macronutrients (Carbs, Fats and Protein). Good Luck!0 -
Are you following a plan? Do you have guidelines? Congrats on the stopping smoking, that's a big deal.0
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I started the whole diet and exercise thing about 2 1/2 weeks ago. The first 5 days I lost 3 lbs but I guess since I am working out 5 days a week I am starting to gain muscle and I havent lost any after the 3lbs. Now I am bloated because of all the fruit and veggies that I have been eating that it looks as though I have gained inches which surely cant be true. I also stopped smoking about a month ago and it seems like my stomach keeps getting bigger and bigger. Could this be because of me stopping smoking? I have not been completely strict with my diet but I have cut down an lot and I have been burning at least 300 calories a day with exercise. Getting discouraged, but I am very determined to lose weight and get fit. ADVICE PLEASE
Congrats on your choice to make a life style change! Please stop, take a deep breath and realize it is a life style and will not happen over night. As you learn how to eat and exercise you will modify your calorie intake. If you have not done so you need to google TDEE(Total Daily Energy Expenditure) and BMR(Basic Metabolic Rate). Then figure what your TDEE and BMR are, and go from there.Take your TDEE minus 10-20% based on how much you want to lose. This is the amount of calories you should be netting every day, give or take, no ones perfect. You are not suppose to eat below your BMR. Do this and log and weigh your foods, keep up with the exercise, along with making healthier choices and you will lose weight. It is also important to pay attention to your macronutrients. You may want to educate yourself on macronutrients (Carbs, Fats and Protein). Good Luck!
http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/
AND READ THIS
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants0 -
Actually you are right. I do feel so much better at the end of the day. I usually workout as soon as I get off work and then head home. Usually I fix something quick for dinner and then I watch TV, but this past week or so I have been cleaning and cooking healthy meals and actually have a hard time getting to sleep because I have so much energy.
Thanks for reminding me and I'm not going to give up. I bought the gym membership for a year and I'm ready to DO THIS!!!0 -
I have done several low carb diets and the Dukan Diet is my favorite, but with me working out like I am, then my body has to have carbs. Believe me, I learned the hard way and almost fainted in HIIT class. I may try and do no carbs on the days that Im not working out and then count calories and eat good for you carbs on the days that I do workout. Thanks0
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I put this together a while back. It seems to have helped some folks. It worked for me and tons of others.
1. don't trust the initial setup that MFP provides. If you put in the wrong/inaccurate information, it'll tell you to eat an amount that may not be applicable.
2. Make sure you eat enough.
3. Figure out what works for you and is sustainable/healthy/long term.
4. avoid fads. don't buy in to any "Hey, try the twinkie and vodka diet"
5. Don't cut out anything now that you don't plan on literally giving up forever.
6. GET A FOOD SCALE. Weigh everything. No, seriously.
7. Get an HRM with a chest strap. You'll at least have a better idea of what you're burning. It'll be more accurate than the generic info in the exercise database.. and even more than the cardio machines. This is great for steady state cardio (run/walk/etc)
8. Don't go balls out. You'll burn out. I see 300 lb people show up here, instantly start working out and cutting their intake SEVERELY... trying to cut out all of their carbs at once.. whatever. Take it slow. Figure out how much you need to eat FIRST in order to lose.. then incorporate exercise.
9. Don't cardio yourself to death.
10. Take the information on the forums with a grain of salt. A lot of people that have been here for a while.. and have been successful, may seem jaded. They give out GREAT advice day after day, only to be met with people that refuse to listen.
11. Eat real food. Not diet food. Not "low fat, sugar free, now without X." It's easier to get/find/count.
12. don't set time restrictions.
13. measure yourself weekly. Don't just weigh. Measure and take pictures.
14 BE PATIENT.
15. Avoid forum topics that have "1200" in the title. It's just full of butthurt. Lots of it.
16. This isn't a game, it's about changing your lifestyle. Do that.
pretty much that.
...and don't fall into the "1200 calorie" vertigo of suck because of:
the typical MFP users does this:
1. I wanna lose weight, let's try MFP.
2. OH! Wow, it tells me I can lose 2 lbs a WEEK? AWESOME!
3. I just sit at a desk when I'm not working out, I guess I'm sedentary.
4. MFP tells them 1200 calories, and they don't even eat that.. then they work out on top of it.. creating an even bigger deficit.
5. Lose a lot, fast, brag about 1200 calorie success.
6. Come back in a few months trying to figure out why they're dizzy, tired, not losing weight.
7. Get on the forums, ask why they aren't losing.
8. Get two responses (I eat 1200 and lose) (I eat 2200 and lose)
9. Argument ensues about who is right.
Now. That being said. These threads happen hundreds of times per day. Most times, and I mean really.. seriously.. 95% of the time.. people get the 1200 number because they don't put the right information in when they set up the account. There are a great number of people that are trying to help. I'm one of 'em.
I'm a hardcore advocate of actually finding out what works for the individual.. by means of other calculators, averages, time, practice, and patience.
Blanket prescriptions of 1200 calories "because it worked for me" is more harmful to the generic new user than the "figure out what you need to eat." Unfortunately, one is a LOT easier to type.
Find out what you need: http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/0 -
4. avoid fads. don't buy in to any "Hey, try the twinkie and vodka diet"
That would be a fantastic diet!!!0 -
just keep at it, it will come off0
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Give it some time. Your body is adjusting to a bunch of changes. You are changing so much: diet, exercise and smoking! Be proud of yourself and pat yourself on the back. Most of all, be patient and keep on track!
If you are losing weight with your husband , you will find that he will lose weight much faster. This is very annoying and frustrating!! For every pound I lose, my husband loses 3-4 lbs.0 -
All what Trogalicious said. This is the truth. Start off slowly, be consistent, and develop patience. Lots and lots of patience. At times you will feel like you're standing still but you're not. If you're consistent you will lose. You will. It takes time. Take pictures and measurements and pay little attention to what the scale says. The scale really should only be used a to determine upward or downward trends. My weight can fluctuate 2-5 lbs DAILY. Sometimes that much within the same day. It's all from food I've eaten, food I haven't gotten rid of yet
, and water from exercise to repair muscles. Don't let the number on the scale get to you. It took me a long time to get that through my head. A LONG time. Don't let that be you! Stick with it. Even when you don't want to. It's worth it. Truly. Good luck!!! 0 -
Quitting smoking is VERY important and most people gain weight. For many it is a significant amount. So for the next couple of weeks if you don't lose as fast as you'd hoped, but you don't smoke or gain weight, you have every right to pat yourself on the back and say "job well done." The weigh loss will kick in as you keep eating right and working out and smoking will gradually become a thing of the past. It's all good and if you can accomplish both in the long run.... BE PROUD OF YOURSELF!!0
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I started the whole diet and exercise thing about 2 1/2 weeks ago. The first 5 days I lost 3 lbs but I guess since I am working out 5 days a week I am starting to gain muscle and I havent lost any after the 3lbs. Now I am bloated because of all the fruit and veggies that I have been eating that it looks as though I have gained inches which surely cant be true. I also stopped smoking about a month ago and it seems like my stomach keeps getting bigger and bigger. Could this be because of me stopping smoking? I have not been completely strict with my diet but I have cut down an lot and I have been burning at least 300 calories a day with exercise. Getting discouraged, but I am very determined to lose weight and get fit. ADVICE PLEASE
You're not going to see any changes in only 2 1/2 weeks. It takes TIME and PATIENCE. Keep up the work! The pounds and inches will slowly start to fall off. Give it about 1-2 months of doing what you're doing. If at that point, you still don't see ANY results (not even 1 lb down and absolutely NO inches lost ANYWHERE), then it's time to reevaluate what you're doing: make sure you're counting and measuring your food correctly and make sure you're logging realistic burns based on how hard you're working out (or you could get a device to help you out with that, like a calorie counting activity tracker such as the Fitbit or a heartrate monitor). But you really need to give it about 1-2 months of work before you can determine if what you're is actually working.
Don't give up! The only way to fail at losing weight is to give up! If you keep trying and never give up, eventually you'll figure out what works for you and your body will shed those pounds! :flowerforyou:0 -
WAIT A MINUTE! There is a twinkie and vodka diet? Can I have the link to that? :drinker:
Seriously though great advice Trogalicious (I tried to do the quote thing but failed) I will have to revisit this post frequently for a reminder.
I think it takes time to not only see a change but for your mind to actually register it (does that sound stupid?). I know I have lost weight because my clothes are too big, but sometimes when I look in the mirror I don't notice a difference. Hang in there! You'll notice a difference soon!0 -
I learned in a nutrition class that our body will fight us to stay the same weight because it wants to maintain homeostasis so it makes losing weight a challenge...and once we have lose the weight it takes a full year before our bodies reach the new homeostasis. It's hard, it won't be fast...but you can and will do it!0
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We all get frustrated, you are not alone!
You mentioned that you are exercising 5 days a week. I have found that the type of exercise makes all the difference. What type are you doing?
Also, it is not always the calories but where you are getting your calories too. If you are eating a lot of prepackaged, processed foods it can make a huge difference. Empty calories or no calories can lead to weight gain even if you are within your limits. If you want to speak further about this you can private message me and I can call you later.0
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