I GIVE UP!

tabi26

Ok, so clearly I lack the self control it takes to do this properly. I'll have one good day followed by one really bad day and the pattern continues. I've lost no weight, in fact I've gained nearly 2 pounds in the last month. I also started what I could only call the most intense workout I've ever done in my life and I've been mostly consitent with it. It's been 3 weeks on it and the first week I lost 2 and a half inches. Well gues what......since then I've gained those inches back and some weight. So not only does it SEEM like a giant waste of time, it IS a giant waste of time. I can't control my eating, so at this point is there any reason to keep on exercising? It learly is doing absolutley NOTHING for me. So anyway I guess what I'm asking is would you keep putting yourself through the guilt if it's not helping?

shelly650

Can I ask....do you plan in advance your foods for the day or do you eat the foods and at the end of the day lod all you have eaten onto MFP???

Kat120285

Exercise isn't just for losing weight so yes I would keep doing it.

abbigail_r

You can do it. Just stop telling yourself you cant and start slowly!! One thing at a time. Maybe start by cutting out your eating past a certain time at night then when youre good at that move to the next task and so on. Dont give up!!!

FlyEaglesGuy

Do not give up, Look in the mirror and realize you are HUMAN !!! Nobody said it's going to be easy.

The good thing is, everyday is an attempt to start over. Yesterday never matters Today !!!

MB_Positif

Don't give up! You can get on track! Every person is different. I find it easier to eat better and track my food than to exercise regularly. Keep up the good work with the exercise and the eating part will fall into place over time. One thing at a time, one day at a time! Add me as a friend if you'd like!

Aprilbug

Wish I had time to write more and will later... just don't give up!! Stop being so hard on yourself we all have off days and weeks that we put our bodies though hell and see nothing on the scale and it sucks!! Don't give up on youself! With every exercise, everytime you stop and think about what goes into your body you are adding years to your life. Whatever you do don't give up. keep moving!

randi50

Don't give up!! This is all in your head and you are in control! DO NOT let food control you!! Plan you food out in advance! DO NOT eat anything else. You have to want it to succeed! Figure out some good snacks to grab if you are "hungry", drink a lot of water!!! I mean A LOT! You can do this, don't give up! And definitely do not quit exercising. It is good for your health!

AggieCass09

maybe this plan isn't what works for you. Find some other form of exercise that you LOVE and try that; it'll be easier to stick to. As for food, don't try to change everything over night...small changes lead to lasting results. Maybe start with logging your food BEFORE you eat it (that way you can change portion/choice accordingly to stay with your calorie goal) Hang in there and don't be discouraged (i posted my 1 year progress pics if you need a pick me up...on my blog today)

Good luck!

tabi26

I don't plan in advance, but I do eat mostly the same things. it will be if I'm around ANY kind of other food I just eat it. That's it. I just can't help it. I just eat whatevers around. Yesrday I had steak, 2 servings of froot loops, 2 granola bars, 1 and a hlaf cups of milk, and a chocolate pudding for lunch. The day before I had 4 flippin donuts after supper! I can't stop once I start.

saldridge

Your weight is normal (or in a normal BMI range), maybe you don't have to lose weight and your body is telling you that? Not everyone has the body composition to be a supermodel and a super skinny gal.
Why don't you just throw the scale away, exercise to get fit and health and be happy with that?

Or do you have a reason why you must lose those pounds?

hikingmonk

Understand your frustration completely. Here are a couple of books to consider reading that focus on overeating (my main problem also). Keep at it, keep learning, you'll get there.

Savor: Mindful Eating, Mindful Life
http://www.amazon.com/Savor-Mindful-Eating-Life/dp/0061697699

The Life you Want
http://www.amazon.com/Life-You-Want-Motivated-Weight/dp/1416588361/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1301685912&sr=1-1

The End of Overeating
http://www.amazon.com/End-Overeating-Insatiable-American-Appetite/dp/B004NSVE32/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1301685877&sr=1-1

Remember: "You can't out exercise a bad diet".

ashleighk2010

My short answer is yes. I told this to my mom the other day (she feels the same way you do). Would you rather eat like crazy and not burn any of it off (most likely gain weight) or eat like crazy and at least burn some of it off (maybe lose a little, maybe maintain, or at least slow down weight gain.)

Good luck. This is really tough. I didn't think I'd ever be able to stick with any weight loss program, but it has gotten so much easier lately that I'm glad I've made it out the other side, even if I still have a long way to go.

sunshine79

DON'T give up. You and I are in exactly the same boat. We have almost the same amount to lose and I have been stuck at a 5lb los for 2MONTHS!!!!!!!!

However, I took a long hard look at what I was eating. After losing all my weight last year and then putting it back on (due to a medical condition I was frustrated when I decided to give it another shot but I did.

I can soooooooo help you with this as I've managed to crack this. Please add me as a friend if you'd like and I'll share all the things I did as it's too much to share here

please don't give up

nadia2484

You have to keep getting back on the Horse! I yo yo'd like that and it took me break down in tears to decide that I just don't want to look like this anymore. I have lost 15 pounds so far and feel really good about myself. If I feel I want a treat I have a smart ones dessert. I am not letting food control me anymore. It sucks to say no but I have to do it for me. so get back on track! Lots of Luck.

new_me_9_67

Don't give up yet. it's hard at first but if you plan out your meals either the night before or even that morning you will have more success.
One way I've found that works good for me is to set a schedule for my meals that way I am never hungry. you can set a timer on your phone to go off every 2 hours or even set up email reminders if you work at a desk.

Feel free to add me if you would like. I am no expert at this but my wife and I have found a few things that work for us and will be happy to share more with you or just provide encouragement.

Also keep reading the posts they are a great source of inspiration.

Best of luck to you and hope you stick with this. Take care

aneumany

if i were working our consistantly for 3 weeks and seeing results, then no matter what it took i would make sure to keep up with it because in just 3 short weeks, look what uve been able to accomplish, and sometimes, people really lack integrity with themselves.. when u promise yourself something, its not about honoring that promise, its about honoring your WORD, its about the fact that u gave ur word to doing something, its not a moral thing its about having integrity in that aspect of ur life, so if u want to do something, give your word, and then just honor it.

and like other people have said, we all KNOW the right foods to eat, knowing doesnt make it happen, recruit support, get a workout buddy, plan ur meals ahead of time, and keep the junk out of the house! not to mention there are SO many things you can snack on if u feel hungry or just need a crunch or a sweet. Your on here for a reason, you clearly want to accomplish something, u can do it, ask for suggestions, as for help, we're all here to help each other and to support each other!

i hope his helps a little bit! Keep up with it! dont give up! u can have anything u set ur mind to! tell urself u can do it, because u can!

lovebizaar

I have the EXACT same problem! I do good one day the next I do terrible and I lose no weight! But you know what everyday is a new day and you have to keep trying! If you stop complety you may have weeks of bad days and gain like 10 pounds. I say don't give up. I feel your pain though eating a low amount of calories is so hard! I wake up in the middle of the night starving and my boyfreind wants to eat pizza everynight and that's hard to resist. But I keep trying, it's alife long battle.

slimkitty

This is not an all or nothing situation. Take it one day at a time, one habit at a time. You don't have to do it all at once and do it perfectly.
Start by eating a good healthy breakfast every day. Once that becomes a habit start drinking 8 cups of water every day. Once that becomes a habit, start counting calories. Once that is habit start paying attention to where those calories are coming from, etc...

You also don't need to do a super intense workout. Start by walking and jumping rome for 30sec. Once that is easy, start power walking and jumping rope for one minute, then add some push ups and squats.

There's no magic to losing weight. Build healthy habits a little at a time, the extra weight wil come off and you will improve your health and fitness.

MeliciousMelis

It's hard to feel like the effort you are making with workouts isn't making a difference. And it's hard to feel like you don't have any control over your eating.

I have to ask you though- why are you expecting instant results and instant perfection? The changes you seek aren't going to happen overnight.....I know it's easier to do when you see results, of course it is. Stay with it. Keep trying. This is a human experience...you're going to have days that suck, and you're going to have days that are awesome. The crucial point here is that you keep trying. Every day is a new one....

Questions....
Are you logging everything you eat?
Are you eating enough?
Are you logging your exercise and eating the calories expended back (this is important).
Are you tracking your sodium- too much can show up on the scale.

Food for thought: Don't use the scale as your only guage for success. How do you FEEL? How are your clothes fitting? If your exercising a lot, what's your endurance like? Is it better? Are you stronger?

Giving power to a number alone, is very unfair to yourself. Be human. Keep trying. It's gonna be ok. Don't give up.

CarlydogsMom

A few years ago, I started a "new year's resolution" to lose weight. I mostly went the exercise route, ramping up especially on a stationary bicycle. I was doing an hour a day, burning calories, and NOTHING moved on the scale. I gave up. A few years later and probably 20 more pounds heavier, I started My Fitness Pal and lowering my calorie intake, basically getting rid of the food I knew wasn't good for me and established an eating plan. With the calorie intake much less, and with only WALKING (briskly) for exercise, in 4 months I lost 40 lbs, and now am down about 45.

It's the food intake, really, that does it. I've read and heard in various places that 80 (or 90)% of all weight loss is reducing, frankly, how much you eat, and basically eating healthy.

Don't kill yourself with exercise if you're not going to commit to reducing your calorie intake. Make a plan for yourself, find something that worked. For me, it involved some major changes, but it was pretty easy because I had some good inspirations--a horrible picture of me that showed how huge I had gotten was one of them. Another friend told me, when I was lamenting about how big I had gotten and how HARD it was to even THINK about losing weight, I work full-time, blah blah blah...and he said "well, it's obviously not a priority for you at this point. If it was, you'd lose weight." That really stuck with me.

If you're still letting food get the best of you, perhaps you haven't made the commitment yet. I found that once I made the commitment, made a plan, tracked my calories, etc., the weight came off.

Brooklyn5966

I was the same exact way for literally years. I would say, oh...today im ganna start my diet. I would do good for two days and then go completely the other direction. I knew when I said I was ganna diet I wasn't serious and for the most part wasn't ready. I knew I had to be ready and thats the day i joined MFP. You have to make up your mind and stick with it. If you're not ready, then you're not ready. It's not just about losing weight, its a complete lifestyle change as well and it's take some strong people to change everything they knew and loved about food. I wish you the best of luck and hope you stick with it and if you don't, take a break. Gather all your thoughts and ideas about dieting and start again. You'll get there!

ScarletFyre

Do not give up, Look in the mirror and realize you are HUMAN !!! Nobody said it's going to be easy.

The good thing is, everyday is an attempt to start over. Yesterday never matters Today !!!

I agree - and have to listen to that advice myself...instead of being hard on yourself, listen to the advice above (what i quoted plus everyone else's) and just use it as learning...if you dont have the self control eating wise that you want, try to see why: is it because you dont have much time and grab what you can, when you can? Is it stress related? I personally have a problem stress wise...my job is EXTREMELY stressfull and draining and i find myself eating emotionally...i am trying to find something else to use as stress relief, and telling myself that if i allow myself to eat really unhealthy just because my boss stressed me out, then she wins! ha ha! if it's a time and food availibility thing, then pack the night before if you can...and i found that logging it before i decide to get/eat it helps a lot too!!

i hope some of us were able to help you!

Another thing - could it be muscle? if you are working out a lot, you will build muscle before you lose fat...but then the muscle helps burn the fat - that is the understanding i have anyway...please someone tell me if i am wrong.

Suzi

diviana

To be blunt:

1) Exercising is not the problem. the problem is your lack of self-control. You can exercise all you want to, but you are the one negating the benefits of doing so by not following your diet. The first step to moving forward is holding yourself accountable for what you put into your mouth.

2) If you are looking for instant gratification, you are setting yourself up for disappointment. Whether you need to lose 10 lbs or 100, this involves a lifestyle change. Simply put: if you don't change your lifestyle, you won't see change anywhere else.

3) Although common sense dictates that food in moderation is the key, the same holds true for exercise. You need to find the balance and maintain some consistency. Your body needs routine. Change the routine up once in a while to avoid plateaus, but if you're starting out, try to follow some sort of regimen. If you're going to go all crazy with eating and intense workouts from one extreme to the next, your metabolism can get out of whack.

4) I wish you the best. I, and countless others here, know exactly how you feel. You're human, and it will take some time to find what works for you. Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater just yet :-)

shreddingit

wow ur really gonna have health issues in the future!....

mandijo

Well first of all, let's back up a little bit. Think about this for just a minute. You've had a bad day, month, months etc. But what you're saying to yourself is that you aren't worth getting back on track for your health. You'd be willing to throw it all away because you gained a measly 2 pounds a few inches back. Girl! You are worth being healthy and feeling good about yourself!!! So what if you've had a hard couple of months! Motivation and self-control come from within and by no means come easily. You have to work at them. You will slip up, and you will fail once in awhile. THAT'S LIFE! Quitting won't do you any good. You'll come back on here in 100 pounds and say, "How the heck did I let it get this bad". Look at yourself in the mirror and tell yourself you are worth it. Unfortunately, unless you want it bad enough, no one else can help you! We can encourage you, but you have to stop talking and just do it!!! Good luck to you. I hope you see you're worth it.

rljohnson11

I agree with earlier posts, DON'T GIVE UP!
I started out just like you did a little over a year ago. Couldn't control my eating, hated to exercise, feeling guilty, etc. And I made one small change at time. For example, instead of a loaded baked potato with my dinner, I ordered steamed vegetables. And then I started just doing 5 laps around the track at my local YMCA (which is about 1/4 of a mile). And pretty soon it was easier to make some more drastic changes (like joining MFP and seriously tracking my calories).
Just remember, you didn't put this weight on overnight, and it won't come off overnight...
You can do it. If you want, you can add me as a friend and I'll help support and motivate you.

vanfox23

Ok I have been going through this just like you. I've been doing p90x since Jan 31, with MINIMAL results. I'd lose a few pounds but they just come back. Seems they show up just in time that I can't log a loss at the scale. I've been so close to quitting it's not funny. But I keep on going because I know that it is doing my body good. Doesn't matter what the scale says. I still get discouraged when it doesn't say what I want it to, and I whine and complain and feel like giving up. But think about the good that exercise does....it will lower your resting heart rate, it releases feel good endorphines, your stamina will increase, and so on. Also, if you are indulging and not so good with your food right now, but you keep up the exercise, you won't gain as much as you would if you are just laying around doing nothing. Just keep exercising and your food will follow suit. DO NOT QUIT. If I'm gonna keep on doin this, then so are you! I'm right there with you. But let's do this together, I'm adding you as a friend. We can do this!!!! Don't ever give up on yourself!! You are worth too much!!!

Mads1997

What is chucking in the towel going to achieve? Let this be the one time you don't quit and go back to your old ways. Exercising is for fitness and felling healthy of course it's worth doing it. I found it very hard at first but the thing that did help me was taking time to plan my meals and stick to them. Please don't give up.

mamafoofer

1) exercise isn't about just losing weight or inches, it is something our bodies need to function properly and for our overall health... so try to look at it as something goo d you do fo ryour health rather than just to lose weight.

2) I know exactly how you feel...anyone who tries to lose weight goes through this at one time or another and it is sooo frustrating! Losing weight isn't an exact science, and what works for one person won't work for someone else. It takes a little while to figure out what works best for you, you have to keep trying, keep experimenting (eating more smaller meals, more cardio, more strength training...eating back exercise calories or maybe not...) It all varies. Stick with it, just keep playing around until you see what works.

3) This shouldn't be something you do begrudgingly or look at with any sense of guilt...we ALL have good days and bad days, somedays we eat everything perfectly, other days we scarf down 5 donuts without thinking twice...it takes time to really make changes and stick with them. Don't be so hard on yourself! Praise the days when you rae able to keep control, and try to learn from the days you don't (what were the triggers, was it stress, emotion, smell...didyou let yoursle fget too hungry?)-this way you can start to make better choices.

Also, about 9 months ago my friend went through the same thing, exercising like crazy, following WW to the point and just kept gaining weight...she jusy had a baby boy....any chance that migh tbe the case here?

Don't give up becasue if getting healthy is something you really want, then giving up on this is the same as giving up on yourself...don't do it!!! Just like like is a series of good and bad days, so is dieting....good luck with everything, have faith in yourself!!!:flowerforyou:

MarkNH

Don't Give Up !!!!

I tell people all the time - "It took me almost 40 years to put this weight on, so it's going to take some time to take it off".

Don't get fooled by the "quick" weight loss traps & schemes. Successful weight loss is only done through a lifestyle change and mofications to everything in your life. Exercise is only part of the solution.

Set your goals to be small at 1st (1 pound a week) and then as you see the positive results, you can increase your goals.

We ALL hit these demotivational bumps along the road to weight loss, so just keep striving towards your goals !!!!