Frustrated!!

krista4889

Hello all, hope you are all having a great start to your Wednesday morning! I am very frustrated. This is my 3rd week doing MFP. I lost about 5 lbs in the first 2 weeks but I went on vacation this weekend and I gained 3 lbs back. Well I ate good again yesterday and worked out so hard but it seems like it doesnt want to come back off. I know that it has only been a day but I just want to lose weight now! Im sure everyone does! I am currently 170 and I want to be at 130. It just seems like this is going to be so hard! IS it hard at first? I am still pretty hungry all day! I try to eat some of my exercise cals back everyday but not all of them. I am eating about 1400 cals a day even when I am exercising, so I only go about 200 over with the exercise. It is so hard for me to figure out what I should be eating. Sorry this seems all jumbled, I just wrote what I was feeling!

When it all comes down to it, I just cant wait to lose the weight! I used to be about 120 in highschool and then I went to college and I got up to 180. Over the last year I lost about 10 lbs but I wasnt really following anything. I want to lose 40lbs within the next year and I think I can do it if I stick with it but it just seems so hard! I just need some support!

Thanks!

kapeluza

"i just wanted to post something about what to expect during the phases of weight loss.

Overview (why I'm posting this)
Over the course of about 7 months on here, I have seen many people succeed, I have also seen some drop off the map. I expect this is because some succumb to the demon that is temptation, and some to the devil that is disappointment. I wanted to give a few "heads up"s to both new comers and veterans to the site. Some may know already, some may not. But either way, if this helps anyone to set more realistic goals in their own head, I feel like it has done it's job.

Phase 1. The start of a brand new day! (or week, or month, or year)
Expectations are sky high, usually so is motivation and intentions. This is where most people lose the most weight. At the start it's not uncommon to see 4 to 8 lb losses per week. The reasons for this are mostly (sorry to disappoint) water weight. You drop excess water quickly, and you can have up to 5 lbs of water weight. The next biggest reason is the fat that is right next to the blood vessels, the stuff that you put on in the last month or three, it will melt like butter usually.

Phase 2. Reality setting in.
At about week 3 to a month or so, people suddenly realize that they are no longer dropping 8, 6, or even 4 lbs a week. This is a crutial phase in your journey. Expect this, it is natural. You have shocked your body by changing both eating habits and exercise routine. Now it has had a little while to become used to the new lifestyle, it's going to compensate. Your body still doesn't believe it's permanent yet, so it will still try to store some fat, so now that it knows how to regulate it's new metabolic levels, it tries to store fat in earnest. It's not uncommon for people to hit a wall here, no loss for weeks. Expect this as well.

Phase 3. The routine.
At about 2 months or so, your routine is pretty much set, your body is beginning to believe that you really want to STAY the way you are going now. You will start to see more consistent (but lower, usually 1 to 2 lbs a week) loss, also, you should start seeing some muscle tone (depending on how much you had to lose in the first place). If you stop to think, you should realize that you have improved dramatically in your exercise levels. If you do cardio, you should notice how much longer and harder you can work. This is important to realize as it is just as big of an indicator as weight loss. Also, by now you may notice that your clothes no longer fit right. This is also very important. The weight may not be falling off anymore, but you are becoming a smaller person. Weight is arbitrary, if you are building muscle (which your body is doing at a furious pace by now) you won't notice huge losses, but you will notice wholesale changes in the mirror!

Phase 4. Really digging in.
This is where the second wall can happen. You're probably at between 3 and 4 months by now, and if you have gone this far, you feel like you have already suceeded. This is where many people stumble. they are tired of the routine, tired of eating different things from all their friends, limiting their alcohol intake. Basically the shine has worn off. this is when your really need to plant your feet. Maybe change up your exercise routine, make a concentrated effort to find different, but still nutritional food. Talk to people. And examine how far you have come. At this point, no matter how much external motivation you receive, it's all about believing in yourself!

Phase 5. End game.
5 or 6 months in you are probably working on that "last 10 pounds". This can be discouraging for many as it is a slow burn. Remember, your body probably feels like it is where it needs to be, your brain might think you need to lose 10 more, but your body is quite proud of itself now, it feels like it has "Done enough" and it wants to stay RIGHT HERE. The body LIKES to have a little fat around just in case, especially for the ladies (sorry girls, it's just human physiology). If you feel like you still need to lose it, prepare yourself for some guerrila warfare against your body. Design an exercise regimen that is very dynamic, forget the "same thing every day". Make a plan that challenges you both physically and mentally. Make sure you give yourself a day off here and there to just veg. And by all means, remember, muscle burns fat at rest. So get some weight or resistance training involved.
The last 10 may take 3 to 6 months to lose. I know nobody wants to hear that, but it's true. And forget the idea of increasing your calorie deficit, healthy bodies need good nutrition, your body no longer has the fat reserves to handle the large deficits you could when you were 30 40 or 50 pounds overweight. Better to make it a 3 or 400 calorie deficit (NET, please count your exercise calories too!). It may take a bit longer, but your body will like you for it. Plus it feeds those new muscles and keeps them burning fat, keeps your skin healthy (elasticity is important when you want those places that were stretched out to "snap back") and keeps you from getting head aches and depressed.

Conclusion:

this is what I have learned, not just from my journey, but from others as well on here. It saddens me sometimes to see people hit one of these stages and not recognize it for what it is, a part of the process. If we all can have realistic expectations, then we are more prone to win the fight and stay healthy in the long run. Note that some people will hit these stages harder then others, some may take longer, but for the most part, this is the rule that the exceptions will come from.

Best health to you all!

-Banks "

kysassyblonde1

I get exactly where your coming from, I just want the weight to come off as quickly as possible even though I didnt put it on over night I want to just wake up one morning and it be gone. I have killer times with weekends, i do good all week then the weekends comes and I cant stick to my plan and I put on a pound or 2 and have to take half the week taking it back off. Then that time of the month rolls around and I generally gain 3-5 lbs and have to work like crazy to get that back off. But the main thing I have done this time is keep getting back on the wagon and keep trying to get this weight off and you can do it also..... just stay focused, another thing you can do is make your food diary open and other people who are better at this can help you and maybe give you suggestions on the foods your eating and the foods you need to add, but be preapred some arent so nice about it!!!! Best wishs in your journey!!!!!

jazzy020106

"i just wanted to post something about what to expect during the phases of weight loss.

Overview (why I'm posting this)
Over the course of about 7 months on here, I have seen many people succeed, I have also seen some drop off the map. I expect this is because some succumb to the demon that is temptation, and some to the devil that is disappointment. I wanted to give a few "heads up"s to both new comers and veterans to the site. Some may know already, some may not. But either way, if this helps anyone to set more realistic goals in their own head, I feel like it has done it's job.

Phase 1. The start of a brand new day! (or week, or month, or year)
Expectations are sky high, usually so is motivation and intentions. This is where most people lose the most weight. At the start it's not uncommon to see 4 to 8 lb losses per week. The reasons for this are mostly (sorry to disappoint) water weight. You drop excess water quickly, and you can have up to 5 lbs of water weight. The next biggest reason is the fat that is right next to the blood vessels, the stuff that you put on in the last month or three, it will melt like butter usually.

Phase 2. Reality setting in.
At about week 3 to a month or so, people suddenly realize that they are no longer dropping 8, 6, or even 4 lbs a week. This is a crutial phase in your journey. Expect this, it is natural. You have shocked your body by changing both eating habits and exercise routine. Now it has had a little while to become used to the new lifestyle, it's going to compensate. Your body still doesn't believe it's permanent yet, so it will still try to store some fat, so now that it knows how to regulate it's new metabolic levels, it tries to store fat in earnest. It's not uncommon for people to hit a wall here, no loss for weeks. Expect this as well.

Phase 3. The routine.
At about 2 months or so, your routine is pretty much set, your body is beginning to believe that you really want to STAY the way you are going now. You will start to see more consistent (but lower, usually 1 to 2 lbs a week) loss, also, you should start seeing some muscle tone (depending on how much you had to lose in the first place). If you stop to think, you should realize that you have improved dramatically in your exercise levels. If you do cardio, you should notice how much longer and harder you can work. This is important to realize as it is just as big of an indicator as weight loss. Also, by now you may notice that your clothes no longer fit right. This is also very important. The weight may not be falling off anymore, but you are becoming a smaller person. Weight is arbitrary, if you are building muscle (which your body is doing at a furious pace by now) you won't notice huge losses, but you will notice wholesale changes in the mirror!

Phase 4. Really digging in.
This is where the second wall can happen. You're probably at between 3 and 4 months by now, and if you have gone this far, you feel like you have already suceeded. This is where many people stumble. they are tired of the routine, tired of eating different things from all their friends, limiting their alcohol intake. Basically the shine has worn off. this is when your really need to plant your feet. Maybe change up your exercise routine, make a concentrated effort to find different, but still nutritional food. Talk to people. And examine how far you have come. At this point, no matter how much external motivation you receive, it's all about believing in yourself!

Phase 5. End game.
5 or 6 months in you are probably working on that "last 10 pounds". This can be discouraging for many as it is a slow burn. Remember, your body probably feels like it is where it needs to be, your brain might think you need to lose 10 more, but your body is quite proud of itself now, it feels like it has "Done enough" and it wants to stay RIGHT HERE. The body LIKES to have a little fat around just in case, especially for the ladies (sorry girls, it's just human physiology). If you feel like you still need to lose it, prepare yourself for some guerrila warfare against your body. Design an exercise regimen that is very dynamic, forget the "same thing every day". Make a plan that challenges you both physically and mentally. Make sure you give yourself a day off here and there to just veg. And by all means, remember, muscle burns fat at rest. So get some weight or resistance training involved.
The last 10 may take 3 to 6 months to lose. I know nobody wants to hear that, but it's true. And forget the idea of increasing your calorie deficit, healthy bodies need good nutrition, your body no longer has the fat reserves to handle the large deficits you could when you were 30 40 or 50 pounds overweight. Better to make it a 3 or 400 calorie deficit (NET, please count your exercise calories too!). It may take a bit longer, but your body will like you for it. Plus it feeds those new muscles and keeps them burning fat, keeps your skin healthy (elasticity is important when you want those places that were stretched out to "snap back") and keeps you from getting head aches and depressed.

Conclusion:

this is what I have learned, not just from my journey, but from others as well on here. It saddens me sometimes to see people hit one of these stages and not recognize it for what it is, a part of the process. If we all can have realistic expectations, then we are more prone to win the fight and stay healthy in the long run. Note that some people will hit these stages harder then others, some may take longer, but for the most part, this is the rule that the exceptions will come from.

Best health to you all!

-Banks "

I LOVE THIS!! This is sooo true! I unfortunately fell off last time between phases 4 and 5 I would say.. around 4-5 months in i lost about 35 lbs and idk what happened! well I did go through some things personal and medical.. but thats besides the point! lol

maillemaker

Hi Krista!

The harsh truth is, it's going to take at least 22 weeks to lose 42 pounds at 2 pounds per week. Basically, a year.

It's going to be hard work, and it's going to take dedication. The good news is this web site is a great tool to stay focused on what you are eating and how much.

As Jazzy pointed out, phase 2 is hard. For whatever reason, most people can drop 5 pounds in a week no problem. But after that your body gets wise and starts clamping down on the fat stores. You just have to push on.

This is a lifetime recommittment to how you are going to eat. You can do it!

CaliSweden

What types of food are you eating? What you eat can be a huge factor of why you're hungry. I workout basically everyday, and I don't feel hungry much, but it's because of the foods I eat. I do low GL diet, and I eat carbs in forms of (quinoa, lentils, beans, oats, brown rice etc), lots of veggies and fruits, and even dark chocolate. If I eat low GL foods, I'm not starving throughout the day. Also I eat 3 meals and 2-3 snacks during the day. So no more than 4 hours without eating.

If you're finding it hard to keep on track, you should implement the 80/20 rule like we do in Low GL diet. 80% good foods, and 20% naughty.

Maybe what you're eating could be triggering you to be hungry. A slice of white bread doesn't last in the stomach long, whereas a wholegrain rye/oat bread will last alot longer.

Angelamu77

Just don't stop!

I just got back from a week long trip where I ate great despite all the food (death in the family) around me. Except one day I had a high calorie day. I showed a gain of a little over 2 pounds...do I think that was a 'real' gain. No I think it was my body reacting to the stress, change, ect. I was in. Took me a couple of days to get that off and a bit more water and my body is letting go again.

My point is you can't stress...the scale will catch up to your hard work. Hang in there and maybe don't step on the scale so much; I know it kills me sometimes.

luvs_choc8

"i just wanted to post something about what to expect during the phases of weight loss.

Overview (why I'm posting this)
Over the course of about 7 months on here, I have seen many people succeed, I have also seen some drop off the map. I expect this is because some succumb to the demon that is temptation, and some to the devil that is disappointment. I wanted to give a few "heads up"s to both new comers and veterans to the site. Some may know already, some may not. But either way, if this helps anyone to set more realistic goals in their own head, I feel like it has done it's job.

Phase 1. The start of a brand new day! (or week, or month, or year)
Expectations are sky high, usually so is motivation and intentions. This is where most people lose the most weight. At the start it's not uncommon to see 4 to 8 lb losses per week. The reasons for this are mostly (sorry to disappoint) water weight. You drop excess water quickly, and you can have up to 5 lbs of water weight. The next biggest reason is the fat that is right next to the blood vessels, the stuff that you put on in the last month or three, it will melt like butter usually.

Phase 2. Reality setting in.
At about week 3 to a month or so, people suddenly realize that they are no longer dropping 8, 6, or even 4 lbs a week. This is a crutial phase in your journey. Expect this, it is natural. You have shocked your body by changing both eating habits and exercise routine. Now it has had a little while to become used to the new lifestyle, it's going to compensate. Your body still doesn't believe it's permanent yet, so it will still try to store some fat, so now that it knows how to regulate it's new metabolic levels, it tries to store fat in earnest. It's not uncommon for people to hit a wall here, no loss for weeks. Expect this as well.

Phase 3. The routine.
At about 2 months or so, your routine is pretty much set, your body is beginning to believe that you really want to STAY the way you are going now. You will start to see more consistent (but lower, usually 1 to 2 lbs a week) loss, also, you should start seeing some muscle tone (depending on how much you had to lose in the first place). If you stop to think, you should realize that you have improved dramatically in your exercise levels. If you do cardio, you should notice how much longer and harder you can work. This is important to realize as it is just as big of an indicator as weight loss. Also, by now you may notice that your clothes no longer fit right. This is also very important. The weight may not be falling off anymore, but you are becoming a smaller person. Weight is arbitrary, if you are building muscle (which your body is doing at a furious pace by now) you won't notice huge losses, but you will notice wholesale changes in the mirror!

Phase 4. Really digging in.
This is where the second wall can happen. You're probably at between 3 and 4 months by now, and if you have gone this far, you feel like you have already suceeded. This is where many people stumble. they are tired of the routine, tired of eating different things from all their friends, limiting their alcohol intake. Basically the shine has worn off. this is when your really need to plant your feet. Maybe change up your exercise routine, make a concentrated effort to find different, but still nutritional food. Talk to people. And examine how far you have come. At this point, no matter how much external motivation you receive, it's all about believing in yourself!

Phase 5. End game.
5 or 6 months in you are probably working on that "last 10 pounds". This can be discouraging for many as it is a slow burn. Remember, your body probably feels like it is where it needs to be, your brain might think you need to lose 10 more, but your body is quite proud of itself now, it feels like it has "Done enough" and it wants to stay RIGHT HERE. The body LIKES to have a little fat around just in case, especially for the ladies (sorry girls, it's just human physiology). If you feel like you still need to lose it, prepare yourself for some guerrila warfare against your body. Design an exercise regimen that is very dynamic, forget the "same thing every day". Make a plan that challenges you both physically and mentally. Make sure you give yourself a day off here and there to just veg. And by all means, remember, muscle burns fat at rest. So get some weight or resistance training involved.
The last 10 may take 3 to 6 months to lose. I know nobody wants to hear that, but it's true. And forget the idea of increasing your calorie deficit, healthy bodies need good nutrition, your body no longer has the fat reserves to handle the large deficits you could when you were 30 40 or 50 pounds overweight. Better to make it a 3 or 400 calorie deficit (NET, please count your exercise calories too!). It may take a bit longer, but your body will like you for it. Plus it feeds those new muscles and keeps them burning fat, keeps your skin healthy (elasticity is important when you want those places that were stretched out to "snap back") and keeps you from getting head aches and depressed.

Conclusion:

this is what I have learned, not just from my journey, but from others as well on here. It saddens me sometimes to see people hit one of these stages and not recognize it for what it is, a part of the process. If we all can have realistic expectations, then we are more prone to win the fight and stay healthy in the long run. Note that some people will hit these stages harder then others, some may take longer, but for the most part, this is the rule that the exceptions will come from.

Best health to you all!

-Banks "

Just wanted to say thanks for the description and say it is bang on true. I am in Phase 4 with about 10 more pounds to lose and have been sitting here for awhile. I keep trying to change things regarding my eating and exercise and know it will eventually come off.

To Krista, I just want to say that being frustrated is part of the whole process but you need to find the inner strength and an inspiration that gives you that little push to carry on. For me it was my kids. I want to be here to torment them in my old age, to spoil my grandchildren and most of all to live life to the fullest. I had many days where I just said I can't do this but I looked myself in the mirror and told myself that I was worth it. Now I look in the mirror and love what I see and love how I feel. Use the forums like you did today to help you through your struggles but also let us celebrate your successes with you.

Stay strong and keep smiling

chanstriste13

When it all comes down to it, I just cant wait to lose the weight!

this is a poor attitude. if you can't wait it will never happen. it's a process, it will take time, and you should celebrate every bit you lose - even if it's only a couple of ounces - each week!

I want to lose 40lbs within the next year and I think I can do it if I stick with it but it just seems so hard! I just need some support!

this is a perfectly reasonable, obtainable goal and you can do it, but it will take a bit of patience and a good sense of humor. you were on vacation - give yourself a break!

you'll find all the support you need here, but no one can make it happen over night. stay the course!

UponThisRock

It's mostly water retention, calm down. It will be gone in a week or so.