discouraged and depressed

Kelly_Wilson1990

The scale is not the tool to see if you are losing weight. Have you been checking your measurements. I bet you are losing inches. Do not go just by the scale. How are you clothes fitting. Don't get discouraged!!! Just keep at it.

Aviendha_RJ

Ok. I have a collection of answers for you: And it's RADICAL!

1) RELAX - stress causes weight gain
2) AVOID - Diet soda/pop. It creates an acidic PH in your body that keeps you from burning any fat.
3) DRINK - Water. Tons of it!
4) INCREASE - your sleep - believe it or not, this has HUGE impact on your weight loss.
5) CONSUME - varried amounts of calories every day. Stagger it - 1800, 1200, 1600, 1300, 1700, etc. etc.
6) AVOID - alcohol completely.
7) LOSE - the scale! it's not helping you!

Hope this works!

Mar1posa

Don't be discouraged. You are doing great. I didn't see your age but I have learned that has we age it becomes more difficult to lose, especially to us women with our great hormone imbalance after age 45. I am proof. I have been working out 6 days a week and watching my calories. It started in January 2011 with working out 3-4 days but nothing was happening, so I kicked it up. I lost 7 pounds in a month. Went back to 4 days workout and went stagnent again. So I went back to 6 days and here is where I will stay.
I sqeeze in all types of exercise so I don't get bored. I do step, zumba, weights and go for long walks with my husband. Every little bit helps. Your body could have gotten used to the incline, break up the routine, challenge your body something different. But most important don't give up. I almost did, glad I didn't. Remember as long as your not gaining your on the right track.

Ge0rgiana

The one thing you can damn sure guarantee is failure. - Me

Quick observation: You look like a very small woman! We lose it slow. It sucks.

And a bit of advice... Don't focus on the number on the scales. Go send them to live with someone else... Your relative, your best friend, somebody. Stay off of them. Instead, focus on conditioning yourself and getting in the best shape possible. Eat the healthiest food possible. I don't care what people say. It's NOT just about calories in vs. calories out. The quality of your calories makes a difference. Focus on your nutrition as well as your calorie count.

Oh, and Phase 1 / Phase 2 South Beach, each for 2 weeks, while knocking out a month of the 30 Day Shred will force anyone's body to change. Just sayin'... :happy:

Dinob661

Well....for me I don't eat my exercise calories back. I have still hit plateau's but I have managed to break through them. It just takes patience, you can do it!

Another thing as others have said....you have probably gained muscle or you could even be weighing yourself at bad times. Make sure to weigh yourself early before you begin to put food and liquid into your system!

Weight loss is a hard thing to do...but you can never lose if you keep trying....the only way to lose is to give up... We have all been where you are and the fact that you are still going is a sign of your strength.

Mix up your exercises so that your body doesn't get used to the same routine. And try something different like maybe eating back half your workout calories.

fiberartist219

How are you feeling? Sometimes feeling stronger will be motivation enough to keep going.

However, I've been there before, where I tried to eat right and I worked out for months, and nothing happened. It turned out that I had some hormone problems. My advice to you, is that if you're not feeling better, and you're still not losing weight in another month, you might want to see about some blood tests to make sure there isn't an underlying issue.

rowbseat13

Here's the question -- Despite the fact that you're depressed over the number you're seeing on the scale, do you PHYSICALLY feel better? Sometimes it's not all about what you can measure or see. I eat healthy and work out to feel better... Looking better is an added bonus that usually comes a lot further into the future.

Don't get discouraged! Keep it up and add some variation. Someone else has already mentioned trying Couch to 5K... I did it and am hooked on running now. You might try it and see if it doesn't give your body the kick start you need to start losing.

lkenn67

I agree that focusing on the non-number goals can be a big help. You don't always have control over the scale. But you do have control over trying something new in terms of exercise or increasing your water. Also look at the bigger picture of getting healthier. Everything you are doing is helping you be a stronger healthier person.

For the next month- read through all the suggestions given here and pick one thing to focus on. Add weights, eliminate processed foods, or diet pop and work on that. Also remember your ultimate goal is to be an active healthy person. Don't let the scale determine your success.

ambermichon

hm...the only things i can think of is that you either are not eating enough or you need to change your exercise rountine. are u also weight training? or make it 6 days a week of exercise instead of 6. thats what i did and it worked for me. hope this serves u well.
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I agree! Changing up exercise works and 6 days a week with one day of rest. I was at a plateau for a long time and started really pushing myself on my cardio and really making sure I didnt cheat on the weekends and all of a sudden the weight started going down. Dont give up!

TinaDay1114

How much of your exercise calories do you eat back or do you eat none back? Could that be the problem? If I eat my exercise calories back than perhaps I am just maintaining. Could that be it?

From your photo, you already look fairly fit and compact -- you don't have a lot to lose, so YES, eat back every single exercise calorie. You're probably not getting a lot of calories per day here if you only want to lose 10-20 lbs. You need to keep fueled to do the 5 days a week workout that you're doing, especially if you weren't working out before. I think you need to give it time. And give yourself a break -- you just started a month ago! I plateaued for 6 weeks, and only recently lost 1 more lb. I wanted to cry too!! It's SLOW, but that's how it goes. And remember -- the slower it goes, the longer it'll stay off.

And as a lot of folks have already said -- DON'T GIVE UP. It's expecially hard to lose weight when you only have a few pounds to lose. It's also a lot harder after 35.

HANG IN THERE. And feel free to add me if you need some support.:flowerforyou:

TinaDay1114

Also remember your ultimate goal is to be an active healthy person. Don't let the scale determine your success.

VERY VERY TRUE. When I was at my plateau, I had to remember "Yes, my clothes are still loose; Yes, I'm still wearing things I haven't had on for 8 years; and Yes, my husband says he can see a difference. And YES, I did just run 6 miles for the first time in my WHOLE LIFE." The scale is not the finish line.

fallenangelloves

You need to eat those calories back... The MFP program figures you with -500 calories a day so you can lose 1 pound a week (assuming thatbis what you are doing) if you go too low your body goes into starvation mode. Make sure you are taking your measurements. Take your blood pressure and have your doctor rum a blood panel on you. This is not about getting skinny but healthy. Trust me it will catch up if you really are doing what you say you are doing!

Qarol

I hate plateaus. I was recently on one for about 6 weeks. Talk about your motivation-sucker! It was really hard to stick to it. Just be sure you're getting plenty of water (I'm talking way more than 8 glasses a day) and make sure you're eating enough calories. Trying to create to huge a calorie deficit may actually sabotage your efforts. And don't forget to take your measurements. Sometimes the scale doesn't budge, but your body changes shape.

Leisa42

I have not lost an ounce since june 29, I have decided to give up a couple of times, but got back on. Still waiting for that scale to move, your not alone , it will, just stick with it!

hroderick

open your food diary.

use a food scale

add 20% to label calories on any restaurant or frozen meals

use exercise calories from a heart rate monitor

don't eat back exercise calories

simple math -- measure in and burn as accurately as possible and expect 1 lb loss from every 3500 calorie deficit. I'm willing to bet your measurements are off