about ready to give up

shapefitter

Do you have access to pool. Swimming or even walking in pool is great exercise and easy on back or joint issues. Don't give up, it sounds like you are on the right track to lose weight. Weight fluctuates all the time depending on salt intake, exercise or just because it wants to drive you crazy when you are looking for a decent loss after weeks of hard work. Keep trying and it will get better!!!

I'm looking for MFP friends who go swimming, or are thinking about taking up swimming. I need some motivation, about taking the first steps etc. Also, how to track kcal burned, changes in diet etc. Thanks

shapefitter

I am about ready to give up AGAIN on trying to lose weight. I've been trying my best (although family says I'm not trying good enough) to stay on 1200 calories per day. At first I was a few calories under and now I'm going too far over. Watching calories is hard. To date have lost 6 pounds over last month (about). But 3 of those pounds I keep gaining back, then lose, then gain, then lose. Frustrating. I know that I need to exxercise but find it very hard to start since I cannot keep it up for more than a couple of minutes or more before lower back pain starts. Maybe I'm just better off feeling like the Good Year Blimp". :sad: :indifferent:

www.fitnessfrog.com has easy tools to work out your TDEE etc.

biddy249

Quit making excuses and get moving, start walking. You either want a healthy lifestyle or you don't. A healthy lifestyle will lead to weight loss. It's up to you and nobody else.

knra_grl

I looked back on your diary - In March your goal was 1200 cals? That is way too low if you have 113 lbs to lose your calorie goal should be higher.

You aren't logging everyday, you have to accurately weigh, measure and log your foods and be honest in your diary. Otherwise you will never learn what your food "culprits" are - This doesn't mean you have to stop eating foods you like, you just have to be reasonable with your portions so they fit into your goal.

As for exercise, walking is a good start - if you can only walk for 10 mins - do that and increase it gradually - your body will respond positively to the exercise - it's easy to say you can't do it - but you really CAN! Swimming is also great and not hard on the body, see if there are any aqua fit classes in your area. A lot of people like Leslie Sansone videos and you can find those for free on YouTube.

Good luck OP :flowerforyou:

knra_grl

I'm searching for a really good kitchen scale, digital kind, so I can more accurately measure my food.

Just buy a scale that weighs in grams and ounces - a digital one - you only need to spend about $10 - I bought mine at Canadian Tire for $12

Whimsywins

get a watch/pacer. I felt like I was really sedentary and never had time for excercise. Now every time I look at my watch I also look at how many steps I have taken and projected calories lost. It gives me a real happy boost, and I have found that I find more and more excuses to walk/run and try to beat last weeks top score.

bhdon

I think some of the programs on TV have set the bar for unrealistic expectations.. When people on TV lose 5 or 6 pounds in one week, we feel defeated when we lose 5 or 6 pounds ( or less) in one month. It doesn't have to come off fast. In fact it's better for us in the long run if it doesn't. Please don't give up.

I, too, have serious issues with my back - pain is a day to day thing. Still - I stretch, swim, walk, use the eliptical, rowing machine and stationary bike. Some days are harder then others - just do what you can and try to avoid high impact things that aggravate and jar your back. Some forms of yoga are also great for back pain. Find what you can do. Think of your body as the vehicle that drives you around on the planet - all you gotta do is give it good fuel & good practice so it has a good shot at getting you where you need to go.

christinebryant80

Dont give up yet, you can do this. I as well started 3 weeks ago and have lost 5 pounds. I luv Zumba, its more like dancing then exercise. At first I could only do 2-3 mins of it and felt like giving up but each day I would go on Youtube and find 1 song at a time to do. Buy my secound week I could do 2 songs. This week Im finding I can do 3-4. My goal is to add a song a week. Good luck, you can do this!

agann0n

Time and time again I've tried to eat 1200 calories... At the end of the day, 1200 is really just a punishment I gave myself for not doing well enough. 1500 is much more reasonable for me, and you could probably eat up to 1800 and still lose.


Stop punishing yourself, we are all in this together

RomulanWarbird

Along with the sexy pants link

read this one...

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1235566-so-you-re-new-here?hl=so+you're+new+here

This one is really good. 1200 calories is a punishment, I agree. It's so much better just to eat 1500 or 1600 and do some light/moderate exercise every day to get started. Pressuring yourself to lose 2 lbs a week is what makes you want to quit.

It's hard sometimes, but the best thing to do is not focus on losing pounds (scales/weight fluctuate) and focus on being healthy. Being healthy is WAY more important than trying to be skinny.

meritage4

You can do this-from one Canadian to another
My advice-Keep walking those dogs. A short walk is better than none.

Consider chair exercises-google them or get a dvd of fitness for seniors-there are lots of different exercises you can do sitting down.

Can you get to a gym with a recumbent bike? On these bikes you sit in a chair with a back-and you don't climb up to get on either. Should be ok for your back.
Be accurate with your calorie tracking- I'm 187 and on 1500 and same height If I'm perfectly accurate I lose

and be gentle with yourself. You really want this and can do it and every day is a new day!

paulandrachelk

I am71 and have low back issues also. Lost 13 lbs but took me 4-5 months. Am maintaining now. Exercise is still a problem but have used yoga and walking. Started with 5-10 minutes and worked up. Now I can do a 45 minute yoga and walk a mile and am starting strength training. So--be persistant, you will get there.

plateaued

Ok here is an idea ... stay on 1500-1600 calories per day and walk "every day " for at least an hour ... you WILL loose weight ... once you are comfortable you can add little by little some workouts routine ... there is no need to give up

I agree. You can't lose weight on 1200 cal/day. Your body shuts down to compensate for the inadequate nutrition.

hkristine1

My height is 5 foot 5 inches
My current weight is 244 pounds
My goal weight is 130 but would like to be 120/125
My activity level is nil beyond light housework.
My exercise is nothing more than a very short walk dogs.

Exercise a big problem. Motivating myself or finding easy exercises to start out. I figure if I start with an exercise that is not going to cause more back pain than I already have I can gradually work up the muscle strength I need for other exercises. Right now just vacuuming or sweeping one floor will cause pain enough to make me stop and rest.

I'm searching for a really good kitchen scale, digital kind, so I can more accurately measure my food.

I just ran a quick calculation on this website: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/calrmr.htm That website calculates that at your height/weight, etc. (I plugged in that you are 50 yrs old because I didn't know your age), it takes 1935 calories for your body to function... that is the amount of calories you would burn if you were in a coma. So, by eating 1200 calories, you are WAY under your RMR ("resting metabolic rate"). This does not lead to good things.

I agree with folks on here that increasing your caloric intake to 1500-1600 is a GREAT idea. And then, do what you can to be motivated to exercise - just little bits at a time. I am part of a challenge group wherein the people in the group set their own personal goal for minutes exercising per week. So, one person might say they want to work out for 80 minutes per week; another person says 400 minutes. Then, every day, we post what we did that day, indicate how many minutes we have left for the week, etc. Things like that keep ME motivated.

For instance, last night, I posted that I had done a 60 minute spin class AND 10 minutes worth of squats. Well, I hadn't actually done the squats yet, but I was going to do them right after I posted so I figured I was "safe." Well, something came up and I wasn't able to get them done right then. I went to bed and was lying there and I remembered I hadn't done my squats... but I was soooooo tired... BUT, I had posted that I had done them. So, out of bed I got and I did them... then I went to bed, feeling like I had done everything I needed to do. Had I not posted that to the challenge group, I would have gone to bed without getting my squats in. It is motivating for me.

I think it could be motivating to you to join a group like that because even if it's just an extra 2 minutes or 3 minutes - getting to post about it, getting to recognize it, getting to count it toward some kind of goal - may be enough motivation to push through and do that extra block of walking the dog - or the motivation you need to walk around the grocery store instead of using a motorized scooter (I don't know if you do this, but I certainly know folks who do). Little by little, you will notice your stamina increasing - you will feel a sense of "reward" when you hit your weekly goals - you'll want to increase your goal the next week by 5 minutes and you'll be EXCITED at the challenge... well, if you're anything like me anyway

If you are interested in the challenge group, send me a friend request and I'll send you a link to the message board.