Frustrated

Brandee728

I'm pretty new to this whole diet thing but desperately need to lose 30 pounds. I have cut my calories back to 1200 per day, try to walk at least a half hour a few times per week. I'm eating mostly fruits, vegies, chicken, fish, eggs...
I drink a minimum of 60 ounces of water a day....I drink nothing but water. I've been doing this for 2 1/2 weeks now and only see a loss of about 2 pounds...maybe 3. I currently weigh 172 pounds and my goal is between 140-145. I feel at the rate I'm going, it will take me FOREVER (if even then) to get to my desired weight. Any supportive suggestions????

Unbreakable360

...patience...trully living a health lifestyle is not a sprint...it's a life long journey...don't be so consumed with results...just keep at it...and before you know it you will be at your goal...

amcgowan10

A pound a week is the healthy way to go! It sounds like you are doing everything right but may want to increase your cardio and add some weight training.

rainbowbuggy

Are you eating enough? You said you walk...do you eat your exercise calories back? Do you do strength training?

Teemo

I'm pretty new to this whole diet thing but desperately need to lose 30 pounds. I have cut my calories back to 1200 per day, try to walk at least a half hour a few times per week. I'm eating mostly fruits, vegies, chicken, fish, eggs...
I drink a minimum of 60 ounces of water a day....I drink nothing but water. I've been doing this for 2 1/2 weeks now and only see a loss of about 2 pounds...maybe 3. I currently weigh 172 pounds and my goal is between 140-145. I feel at the rate I'm going, it will take me FOREVER (if even then) to get to my desired weight. Any supportive suggestions????

Fat loss of approximately 1-2 lbs a week is the recommended healthy loss.

Assuming 1 lb loss a week, 30 lbs is only 30 weeks. That might SOUND like a longtime but just think about how fast time actually flies. Remember Thanksgiving 2010? Christmas 2010? That wasn't that long ago. Even if it takes a year -- if you stay consistent, the time will be gone and you'll have reached your goal before you know it.

sirion2

I'm sorry, just remember it took you a long time to get to 172 and it will take you a long time to get it off. My advice is to put away the scale for now and just focus on the eating and exercise habits. Once you get those in a good place, then you can start to track the weight loss.

MB_Positif

I would suggest changing up your exercise routine. Are you actually getting a net of 1200 calories per day by eating back your exercise calories? You may not be eating enough which would stifle your loss.

j_eckenrode

I understand your frustration, believe me. I would suggest upping your cardio. Try to get your heart rate up, and push yourself. Maybe try, jogging for 30 seconds, then walking for a min. Do this for 20 min. Some other form of cardio would be good also so you dont' plateau.

PlanetVelma

It's not a diet...it's a lifestyle change.

Lotus9

You can do it! I weighed 185 and I now weigh 140-143. It took maybe less than a year do to me cheating now and then. Increase your exercise, try doing a class at the gym. 30 minutes of walking does not burn that much calories, but if that's all you can do for now then do it at least 5 times a week and maybe try going to areas with hills. 1200 calories you will drop weight, it may not be like those tv shows, but they workout for hours on them and that why they drop weight fast. Make sure to get at least 8 hours of sleep and don't stress! I hope this helped

Zen_Master_B

When you go from a certain amount of calories to 1200 it can be a big adjustment, sometimes the body can go into starvation mode if you slash too many calories without working up to it. My other suggestion would be to try doing some strength training a couple times a week, it will raise you're resting metabolic rate. Most of all don't quit, you're clearly on the right track. So good luck on that!

ruststar

You're three pounds lighter than when you started - congrats! Look at three pounds of butter if you want a little visual motivation. You could increase exercise, particulary any kind that has a strength element that will help you burn more calories throughout the day, but otherwise keep on going. What's going to happen if you give up? Those three pounds will come back and over time they'll invite company to move in.

leuzzira

The rate of weight loss you are currently at is a healthy rate. It is the best way to lose it and keep it off. You may want to consider calculating your BMR and making sure that 1200 calories isn't too little for you. Just a thought!

Kittyfeliz

That's good!! You're right on track. Keep up what you're doing, anymore than 1 - 2 lbs a week is unhealthy and most likely muscle you would be losing. Don't get discouraged so early in the game, you're doing great!

HeidiLynnKarr

Try to eliminate "white" foods from your diet. Instead of white bread, try wheat or rye. Instead of potatoes, eat sweet potatoes! I learned a lot of my diet principles through Extreme Fat Smash book. It's an accelerated weight loss book, BUT, it can be difficult to stick with the rest of your life, which is why only losing 1-2 pounds a week is the healthiest way to go!

Stick with this..I bet you hop on the scale next week and you're down more than that 2 pounds Weight has a funny way of holding on, then jumping off!

HeatherrSue

I started taking Cayenne pills for metabolism, magnesium for nerve and muscle function, super B complex, Ginseng for energy, fish oil mix, and L Carnatine that helps convert fat into energy. I also drink atleast 80 ounces of water per day, 3 glasses of Lipton brewed green tea, really try not to go over the suggested sugar and I walk 60 minutes in the morning and 20 minutes after dinner...I'm having my best month ever. Also, try eating your carbs for breakfast and lunch and avoid them at dinner unless its carbs from a salad or veggies but avoid bread and stuff in the evening. I started this month at 151.8 and currently 143.6. I've never had a month as good as this one and that's everything I did differently. Good luck to you!

Karri59

I hear your pain, I have only lost 5 pounds in 3 weeks. wanting to loose the same as you.
Have you r ever tried Quinoa ?? high in portein cooks like rice you can add so much into it.
Also put a little portein on a spinich salad.

marie_2454

Patience. It took me a while to learn this, but it really helps to slow down. I changed my weight loss goal to 1 pound a week and eat around 1,440 plus about half of my exercise calories. I haven't been doing this for a week yet, so I don't know how much weight I'll lose, but it's way easier to stick to 1,440 calories and not feel deprived. Also, I know that when I lose weight slowly that most, if not all, of what I'm losing will be fat, not just water weight or even worse muscle. When you lose weight too fast there's always a chance that you're losing muscle along with the fat. Just take a deep breath, slow down, and find ways to enjoy the process. Good luck! I'm sure you'll suceed :flowerforyou:

TTHdred

Sounds like you are doing the right things and losing at an acceptable pace. Congrats on staying committed.

Two things I would recommend: It sounds like you may need motivation to keep going more than suggestions :bigsmile: Try setting other goals, e.g. inches lost in various places, daily carb/protien intake, running, jogging paces. Celebrating a win in some of these extra things may help keep the focus off the scale. To me it's like watching the clock in a doctors office :laugh:

Second, I may recommend (based solely on what you wrote) is probably increased exercise. Higher impact cardio and added strength training. But patience does come first!

good luck and keep up your good work!

erickirb

I hear your pain, I have only lost 5 pounds in 3 weeks. wanting to loose the same as you.
Have you r ever tried Quinoa ?? high in portein cooks like rice you can add so much into it.
Also put a little portein on a spinich salad.

with only 20lbs to go your goal should not be to lose more than 1lb/week, and once you get to your last 10-15lbs that goal should change to 0.5lbs/week. This helps ensure that you are losing mostly fat, instead of burning muscle as fuel.

ladybarometer

took me 6 months to lose 30 pds. Pre-fitness pal, I was losing much faster, but I was also exercising every day, and consuming 1200 or less calories a day. I lost 20 pds in about 3 months that way, but knew I couldn't live like that. I like the slower, healthier pace better, I know I can maintain it, and I feel less obsessed. Its not always about the scale, it's about how you feel, and if you can make an entire lifestyle change, and avoid the term diet.

TheKitsune6

It seems like the changes you are making are more casual, so it's not surprising that your results will be "casual" as well. You can't make a few minor changes and expect results overnight.

That being said - the changes you have made are AWESOME and the results you're getting are GREAT! Don't let slow loss discourage you, just check the grand scheme of things. 1lb a week is healthy for someone that has as little to lose as you do.

mikeyrp

It takes time but it works - I actually gained in my first week (probably just weighing myself at a different time of day,

Stick with it - You're doing great! (This worked out at 1lb every 5.5 days)

helloclaire

I also feel as if I hit a plateau.. I was losing a lot the first week and after that it's been slow. But it's a slow process and I am trying to accept that.

sbperry72

My two cents is to be positive and supportive of yourself and set small, realistic goals. Be confident that you are doing something good for yourself and your health every day that you stick to your calories and get in some exercise.

Losing 2 pounds in 2 1/2 weeks is already a great accomplishment and a good start. In my experience and humble opinion, it takes a while for the calories you burn and don't eat one day to show up in a lower scale readout. Plus everybody's body is different and weight will not always come off evenly. You just have to stick to it and don't get thrown off track even if your weight stays the same or goes up a little bit one week to the next.

In my case, it took 8 weeks to show a two pound weight loss and then suddenly I showed a 4 pound weight loss over a single week. Note that I have also been eating 1200 net and working out EVERY day for at least 30 minutes and that I did not change anything from the time I was showing a 1/4 pound loss per week to the week when I showed a 4 pound loss. My body obviously just took a while to get the message that this was for real.

I had a similar experience 6 years ago (when I lost 60 pounds). It took just over one year and the weight loss was not even from week to week.

Since that 60 pound loss I've gained back 15, but since it has been 15 pounds over 6 years, I don't expect to be able to drop those 15 pounds immediately and I also look at the bright side that I'm back on track to get back to my goal weight. What is important is the trend down, not how long it takes you to get there.

There is a place you can enter waist measurements, etc. on MFP and you could also consider weighing yourself less often to see if that helps. But the bottom line is just to take comfort that what may seem like small steps forward will add up in the end.

lanie25

Two pounds in two weeks is a start! This will be a long, hard journey! It is up to you to make it fun and worthwhile.
You'll need to walk more than 30 minutes every day to promote weight loss. Try an exercise video every day, walk more (try going up and down hills or steps!), join a gym, use strength bands, do exercises while watching tv (avoid snacking), walk 30 minutes TWICE a day.The weight should come off quicker for you then.
It did for me.

Brandee728

WOW! Thanks everyone! It sounds like everyone feels that I'm doing things "right" and I guess that's what I wanted to know. I've been questioning myself. I'm trying to add some additional walking to my routine but at this point, I'm working 10 to 12 hour days and have young children. My walks arent really intense...walking with kids and a dog, but it's way more then I was doing before. The 1200 calories is a HUGE change. I was drinking pop, lemonade, eating sweets, pastas, bread...you name it. I feel like I'm getting enough to eat but I don't always reach my 1200 calories and I don't usually eat my exercise calories. I'm typically over 1000 calories in a day for sure but not always 1200. How about some ideas for snacks throughout the day to add a few more calories??? Today, at work, I'm going to go cut up a cucumber, which is next to nothing. These are the types of snacks I tend to have.

mikeyrp

I like fruit factory Raisins (with apple, apricot or sultana) in those little 14g boxes - about 45 calories each and they do give you a little energy lift.

Brownski860

I like to keep my snacks under 150 calories. an apple is 80 or greek yogurt is 140. those are good!

Brandee728

:laugh: I agree....apples or yogurt are both great snacks. I like the yoplait Whipped yogurt. I have one of those every day. :laugh:

COLORMELEAN

Boy have I been there! We have similar goals, I'm at 175 trying for 140. I have to double whammy my approach using both this fitness pal website posting my foods in the diary, and I'm using Medifast 5-1 plan, 5 Medifast meals and 1 lean/green meal. First week I lost 3 lbs. AND I had mimosas, a cupcake, and a SLIVER of Sara Lee French whipped cheesecake on the weekend, well it was a mini-cupcake using a fork to eat it (slowing down the process). I'm ecstatic with 3 lbs and expect to keep it up. I ALSO write down the time my meals are consumed, just to make certain I'm eating 2-3 hours apart, when possible. That's important.