Getting discouraged...

DjBliss05

So the number on the scale has been sliding up over the past week and a half.

I decided to take my measurements in order to find some sort of progress to keep me going....

turns out I was almost exactly the same as a year ago.

Only lost 1/2 inch off my waist.

It is getting hard to talk myself out of eatting crappy food (which I have been less successful at this week thanks to stress) and in to going to the gym when I am not getting much of a pay off for it.

I have been really close on my calories over the past month except for a few days here and there. I have also been working out faithfully 3 times a week. Goals are set to 1.5 lbs a week. I don't drink enough water and have too many carbs... but other than that I can't find a reason that I wouldn't be succeeding...

Am I missing something?

DjBliss05

So the number on the scale has been sliding up over the past week and a half.

I decided to take my measurements in order to find some sort of progress to keep me going....

turns out I was almost exactly the same as a year ago.

Only lost 1/2 inch off my waist.

It is getting hard to talk myself out of eatting crappy food (which I have been less successful at this week thanks to stress) and in to going to the gym when I am not getting much of a pay off for it.

I have been really close on my calories over the past month except for a few days here and there. I have also been working out faithfully 3 times a week. Goals are set to 1.5 lbs a week. I don't drink enough water and have too many carbs... but other than that I can't find a reason that I wouldn't be succeeding...

Am I missing something?

Fitness_Chick

So the number on the scale has been sliding up over the past week and a half.

I decided to take my measurements in order to find some sort of progress to keep me going....

turns out I was almost exactly the same as a year ago.

Only lost 1/2 inch off my waist.

It is getting hard to talk myself out of eatting crappy food (which I have been less successful at this week thanks to stress) and in to going to the gym when I am not getting much of a pay off for it.

I have been really close on my calories over the past month except for a few days here and there. I have also been working out faithfully 3 times a week. Goals are set to 1.5 lbs a week. I don't drink enough water and have too many carbs... but other than that I can't find a reason that I wouldn't be succeeding...

Am I missing something?

what type of workouts are you doing? Added strength training in yet? THAT is where I see the most change....strength training....I feel stronger, can work longer, more energy, boosts metabolism, huge energy increase, build my muscles which burn more fat, sculpts instead of just losing lbs.

I want it ALL:drinker: So I'm going for it ALL:huh: :laugh:

Best to you:flowerforyou:

OK....adding something here....just reread your message.... now you go reread it!:huh: Look at it as if someone else on the board shared it.....what do you see?? What changes would you recommend to another member?

Yes, I do think you are missing something! :flowerforyou:

jenifergotti

It sounds like you are doing everything right, so why is your body hanging on to the weight? Are you eating every 4 hours, so your body doesn't go into starvation mode? If not, that will help a lot. I need to vent too, I just had the worst eating day since I started on MFP a month ago. I drank enough eggnog for more than half of my calories. So after that, I just said " screw it" and ate everything in site! Now I feel so crappy. :sad: I didn't even log everything, cause it was way to depressing.
Finally, I dumped the rest of the eggnog down the drain and keep telling myself that tomorrow is a new day. (the self-motivation doesn't seem to be working) Thanks for letting me vent and you can vent to me anytime! No matter what, keep doing what you are doing. Even if the inches aren't going down, remember you are getting healthier. Your heart and body thank you for that!

Drink your water too!!


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Wynnie

A couple of things came to mind when I read your post. I see my scale doing the "up" thing sometimes too, even when I meet calories and exercise goals. So I did a test. Even though my calories were OK, I was overrunning the number for sugar and for carbs pretty often. I found that it really makes a difference when you can keep the proportions in check as well as the overall calorie number. (and I know it's hard... sometime my "sugar quota" is full after breakfast sigh! ... I sure do love that sugary coffee creamer).

My other thought was what fitness-chick said about weights. She's right on (and with 100+ lost, I'm listening... wow!!) But a heads up. When you begin weight training for the first time, your weight can go up a little because muscle weighs more than fat, but you'll feel and look better. When I first started weights with a trainer I gained several pounds but went down a pant size, and it started dropping eventually (the weight not the pants). Just wanted to warn you so you didn't try weights and then chew your arm off in frustration when the weight went up a pound or two.

Hang in there. Good fitness is a change for life, so be patient and keep at it. We all want you to succeed and you can!!!

stylistchik

make sure you're working out hard enough. my mom considers her workout to be walking 10 minutes on the treadmill...and she wonders why the pounds aren't sliding off! raise your heart rate enough for at least 30 minutes or so each workout to make sure you're strengthening your heart and muscles as needed.

amymeenieminymo

So the number on the scale has been sliding up over the past week and a half.

I decided to take my measurements in order to find some sort of progress to keep me going....

turns out I was almost exactly the same as a year ago.

Only lost 1/2 inch off my waist.

It is getting hard to talk myself out of eatting crappy food (which I have been less successful at this week thanks to stress) and in to going to the gym when I am not getting much of a pay off for it.

I have been really close on my calories over the past month except for a few days here and there. I have also been working out faithfully 3 times a week. Goals are set to 1.5 lbs a week. I don't drink enough water and have too many carbs... but other than that I can't find a reason that I wouldn't be succeeding...

Am I missing something?

From your post I am guessing you weigh yourself everyday or close to it? Try switching to just once a week, same day every week, same time of the day preferrably right when you wake up, after you use the bathroom and before you eat anything.

Weight can flucuate through out the day and week depending on how much water you have in you and how much food you've recently ate. I know a lot of women also notice a huge weight flucuation right around their periods. So resist the temptation and just weigh in once a week and you'll get a more accurate reading. Also, home bathroom scales (if that's what your using) tend to be pretty unreliable. I've noticed mine can change depending on the exact spot I have it on the bathroom floor. Even if I haven't moved it, my weight can change by a whole pound just by weighing myself twice within a minute of each other. So either try going by more how you feel or look, or get a new scale or use one at a gym or something.

Secondly, I'm not sure how long you have been at it and how much you have lost, but plateauing is very common and is a huge reason why many people give up and/or gain back everything they have lost. I'm at 23 pounds lost so far but back when I was around the 12 pound mark, I hit a plateau for about 3-4 weeks. It was very frustrating but I just kept at it and eventually I started losing again.

Finally, try mixing things up. Right now I am in a bit of a transition from my summer work out to winter so until my bike trainer gets delivered, I haven't really been working out much and a few days I went way over my calories. Guess what, I lost 2 pounds this week! Sometimes your body, for whatever reason, needs a change from the norm. Try one day of cheating, or not working out, or changing up your exercise from a hardcore aerobic workout to a brisk 30 minute a day walk. You'll work new muscles and areas that haven't been getting worked and it will change up a routine that could become boring. Good luck!

DjBliss05

So the number on the scale has been sliding up over the past week and a half.

I decided to take my measurements in order to find some sort of progress to keep me going....

turns out I was almost exactly the same as a year ago.

Only lost 1/2 inch off my waist.

It is getting hard to talk myself out of eatting crappy food (which I have been less successful at this week thanks to stress) and in to going to the gym when I am not getting much of a pay off for it.

I have been really close on my calories over the past month except for a few days here and there. I have also been working out faithfully 3 times a week. Goals are set to 1.5 lbs a week. I don't drink enough water and have too many carbs... but other than that I can't find a reason that I wouldn't be succeeding...

Am I missing something?

what type of workouts are you doing? Added strength training in yet? THAT is where I see the most change....strength training....I feel stronger, can work longer, more energy, boosts metabolism, huge energy increase, build my muscles which burn more fat, sculpts instead of just losing lbs.

I want it ALL:drinker: So I'm going for it ALL:huh: :laugh:

Best to you:flowerforyou:

OK....adding something here....just reread your message.... now you go reread it!:huh: Look at it as if someone else on the board shared it.....what do you see?? What changes would you recommend to another member?

Yes, I do think you are missing something! :flowerforyou:

Ok, well... on the positive side, I see a 1/2 an inch lost and 12 lbs.

On the negative side, I see not enough water and too many carbs. Just not sure how much of an impact that would have...

And I have been doing both cardio and strength training... I actually prefer the weight training, but I try to do at least a little of each (sometimes more cardio, sometimes more strength training) each time I go to the gym.

So that is what I'm seeing...

arewethereyet

So the number on the scale has been sliding up over the past week and a half.

I decided to take my measurements in order to find some sort of progress to keep me going....

turns out I was almost exactly the same as a year ago.

Only lost 1/2 inch off my waist.

It is getting hard to talk myself out of eatting crappy food (which I have been less successful at this week thanks to stress) and in to going to the gym when I am not getting much of a pay off for it.

I have been really close on my calories over the past month except for a few days here and there. I have also been working out faithfully 3 times a week. Goals are set to 1.5 lbs a week. I don't drink enough water and have too many carbs... but other than that I can't find a reason that I wouldn't be succeeding...

Am I missing something?

what type of workouts are you doing? Added strength training in yet? THAT is where I see the most change....strength training....I feel stronger, can work longer, more energy, boosts metabolism, huge energy increase, build my muscles which burn more fat, sculpts instead of just losing lbs.

I want it ALL:drinker: So I'm going for it ALL:huh: :laugh:

Best to you:flowerforyou:

OK....adding something here....just reread your message.... now you go reread it!:huh: Look at it as if someone else on the board shared it.....what do you see?? What changes would you recommend to another member?

Yes, I do think you are missing something! :flowerforyou:

Ok, well... on the positive side, I see a 1/2 an inch lost and 12 lbs.

On the negative side, I see not enough water and too many carbs. Just not sure how much of an impact that would have...

And I have been doing both cardio and strength training... I actually prefer the weight training, but I try to do at least a little of each (sometimes more cardio, sometimes more strength training) each time I go to the gym.

So that is what I'm seeing...

Hi-gonna jump in here.

I have been at 146 since 10/14. I looked over my diary and saw my water consumption was down. I lowered my iced tea intake, added water all day, for me it is around 80 oz, and I lost a pound this week.
Also, carbs turn to sugar, sugar turns to fat. Simple, and frustrating. If you are eating whole grains then the carbs are complex and good, if you are eating white bread, white rice, boxed mashed taters or worse yet a doughnut, you are getting plain ol sugar. My doc told me a slice of white bread is like eating 2 teaspoons of sugar.

You have to think of yourself as a human machine. It is complex and needs a variety of different things, just like an engine needs oil, gas, lubricants, so does your body. Fats, Carbs, Water all in balance!

I hope some of this made sense and helped a tiny bit. :flowerforyou:

zaza54

Good reminder arewethereyet. Thanks! I tend to just look at calories and ignore the rest (especially since I'm over on sugar at breakfast). Obviously, it's worth more scrutiny.