When will the weight come off?!! What's your story?

eeebee

Just joined this site yesterday & think it's great.

My friends are probably seriously bored of me talking about food and exercise all day long but to be quite frank....that is what is mostly on my mind right, especially now that I have decided to take this seriously

SO....I am glad that I can chat away and exchange stories with like minded people like yourselves. Why else would you be here?!

It is taking me MONTHS and months to see a difference, I will not give up this time.....but seriously, I have never done this much exercise and stuck to it for so long along with a healthy eating regime.

Not OTT obsessivley healthy eating, no way, I love food way too much. But boy do I eat tonnes of steamed vegetables and am very conscious of the ratio of meat/fish and veg and carbs. I will never deprive myself of anything, but I am sensible.

I cycle to and from work/gym, I do 3 gym classes a week and one at home (Ladan's Legs Bums and Tums, it's a killer!) and go swimming once or twice a week as well as doing a weekly yoga class and short yoga sessions at home.

I'd have thought that by now, the weight would have fallen off but on the scales, there's no real difference.

My clothes fit pretty much the same way but my shape seems a lot better and my boyfriend has commented several times that I have lost weight. I honestly wanted to have lost 2 stone by now (since beginning of April)...but that just hasn't happened at all.

I'll be 30 in March and thorughout my adult life I have always battled with my weight. Always up and down. Looking back, the only times I have ever been thin (and even then I thought I was too big, what an idiot!) was when I had been heartbroken after a break up, raving and dancing every weekend or when I purged everything I ate, being bulimic for years.

I am looking forward to sharing progress with people with similar issues and lifestyles, hope to hear from you soon

ivansmomma

I am one of those who was overweight by third grade. Throughout my life, I have lost and gained over and over. You are doing what you should be - changing your lifestyle by eating healthy and exercising. I haven't lost much weight, but I have gotten the same comments from my husband and others that I look like I've lost. As long as I'm continuing on my healthy lifestyle, and losing inches, I'm happy. Keep up the good work!

surabhit

Hi eeebee,

I had similar questions early on in my exercising (and I'm not doing half as much as you are!), but I got some great advice from people. I was told to STOP counting kilos/stones. If you FEEL thin, and your boyfriend has said you've lost weight, then DON'T focus on the scale. People lose differently, and their bodies react differently. Well done for having visibly lost weight - that's the hardest part in my opinion!!

Especially given your history with bulimia (sorry about that - my cousin suffered it awhile and I know how horrible it is). If your body's been through that trauma, and has yo-yo'd weight wise, then give yourself some credit. You're clearly toning up, and gaining muscle (which often is heavier). Take it easy. And do it in a way that it's a lasting change. Rather than focusing on the scale victory, focus on making this a permanent body change.

It's about WHAT you eat definitely, but also HOW MUCH. So don't eat more in calories than you burn. Maybe if it helps you to track better, get a heart rate monitor so you know you're eating less than you burn a day.

Sorry that I can't give you a 'scientific' answer but hopefully this'll help. Well done so far!! Keep going!

dawnblu

Hey - sounds like you exercise way more than me. I usually find any excuse possible to not workout - too tired, too much good tv on, too much to do, etc... so you're off to a great start. I have been logging on here since June and really haven't seen any pounds come off. My partner says I feel and look thinner so I guess that's something... but I don't see it on the scale. It is frustrating, but I'm trying to keep at it. I keep saying that I need to take measurements to see if things are shifting and maybe I'll see a difference there... if I ever get off my bum and do it. Keep up the good work and I'm sure you'll see results soon. The important thing is to stay healthy!

eeebee

:flowerforyou: Thanks for your responses and supportive words, girls, I didnt think anybody was going to bother reading such a long post!

It is great to know that it isnt just me that this happens to, and yes it's great to know that muscle weighs more than fat. I never want to look like Arnie or a body builder, just more toned and leaner....like when I run down some stairs, I really dont want my tummy to jiggle around any more!

I have never had kids, it is all weight from me being lazy and probably drinking too much alcohol (vodka chocolate cocktails, cider and red wine - i love these drinks and used to drink a few a day, not to get drunk, just for the relaxing qualities and taste) now i just have one 125ml glass of red wine a day on weeekdays and on weekends I drink more as I do like to socialise and that often involves having a few tipples.

When people say dont eat more calories than you burn, does that mean on a 1400 calorie diet, you ought to burn 1400 calories a day?! Never quite understood that, surely that would induce fainting and weakness not to mention starvation - especially with an apetite like mine (I am an often and little kind of girl - 5 small meals a day instead of 3 big ones).

Some days (manybe 3 times a week) I dont go to gym and I I feel guilty but they do say it is wise to give your body a rest every few days. Or did I just make that up!?

surabhit

Hey Eeebee,

Alcohol is wasted calories in a way. Doesn't fill you, but is heavy on cals. Try vodka, lime juice and chilli... its fantastic and low cal .

And don't eat more calories than you burn means if your body burns 1,600 on an avg day (i.e. if you were doing your normal day's activities of a sedentary job or whatever), then don't eat more than that. Let me try to explain:
I work in an office, spend the day sitting at a desk, with an occasional walk around to my colleagues.
My body burns 1,640 (According to MFP) a day.
To maintain my weight i need to therefore eat 1,640 cals a day (same as what I burn).
To LOSE weight, I need to eat less than that. If I eat 1200, I'll lose more a day than if I eat 1400. So it's good to build up a deficit if you're aiming to lose weight.
If I eat more than 1,640cals, then I will put on weight.

Even if you eat 5 meals a day, make sure overall you build a deficit to what your body burns naturally - then you'll shed kilos.

And it's only wise to rest the body if it's stressing the rest of the time . To kick-start weight loss, go to the gym 4-5times a week (personal opinion) and try to be consistent with it.

Best of luck!

surabhit

PS - if your'e using MFP, always eat your exercise cals back! It already calculate a deficit in the goal cals it gives you, so if you burn more, eat more.

eeebee

Thanks Surabhit, good explanation.

I am the same as you, I work sitting down 8 hours a day, so I need to get exercise as much as I can. Although I find going to the gym takes up so much of my time and then I dont usually get home until 9pm which is so late, cooking takes around an hour and then by the time I eat it's 10pm which I know is late but it is a vicious circle.

So I try to keep the gym to 3 times a week and then the days I am not going, I try to do some form of home work out or yoga which I think is is brilliant for posture, stretching the tense muscles and just to feel generally good. Especially if you do youga that makes you sweat a bit. Only discovered it a couple of months ago, never thought I'd get so much out of it, always thought of it as sort of airy fairy which is not really my style.

I love how MFP really helps you become aware of every little thing you put in your mouth - like a teaspoon of sugar (I used to have 2 in my tea and drink a few cups of tea per day, now I use canderel, even though it doesnt taste half as nice).

I've got a few great tips to share with people about delicious substitutes for indulgent drinks and meals if anyone is interested in sharing.....