Extremely disappointed in myself

reidsurrett

Well, I moved back home in May so I could lose weight.

I started off kinda on a slow start with my diet and exercise routine, but I didn't know nearly as much as I do now. I weighed myself at a local gym and I was 387. That was in July.

Since then I have kicked up my exercise routine a big notch, started eating healthier, and getting regular sleep.

I weighed myself yesterday.

I weighed 390 according to the scale.

I was furious, and I don't get it. I have went from a 4x shirt to a 3x. 50 size pants to 46. I'm on the 3rd week of couch to 5k and can endure it easily.

I will admit, i would cheat every other day. Nothing extreme, but something that wasn't in my diet and it usually didn't go over my calorie goal. I realized one night I was eating like 500 extra calories and didn't even realize it.

Would this really cripple my weight loss like that? Just 500 calories extra at night?

I don't know what I need help with, but I just really needed to tell someone, or something, because it's pissing me off more and more. Any suggestions and help is extremely welcome.

crzyone

Scales are not our friends!!! I feel pretty much the same way as you do. I've been working so hard...yeah, I cheat, but not that much...and the scales have not moved in over five weeks...but I have lost inches.

So, I think you should just go by how the clothes are feeling and keep on working and trying to do even better. Surely the pounds have GOT to start coming off for us sometime!!!

We can't let those numbers get us down!! (Boy, do I need to hear that!)

Keep at it and don't give up and forget the scales!!!

mrmanmeat

Well, I moved back home in May so I could lose weight.

I started off kinda on a slow start with my diet and exercise routine, but I didn't know nearly as much as I do now. I weighed myself at a local gym and I was 387. That was in July.

Since then I have kicked up my exercise routine a big notch, started eating healthier, and getting regular sleep.

I weighed myself yesterday.

I weighed 390 according to the scale.

I was furious, and I don't get it. I have went from a 4x shirt to a 3x. 50 size pants to 46. I'm on the 3rd week of couch to 5k and can endure it easily.

I will admit, i would cheat every other day. Nothing extreme, but something that wasn't in my diet and it usually didn't go over my calorie goal. I realized one night I was eating like 500 extra calories and didn't even realize it.

Would this really cripple my weight loss like that? Just 500 calories extra at night?

I don't know what I need help with, but I just really needed to tell someone, or something, because it's pissing me off more and more. Any suggestions and help is extremely welcome.

Why would you cheat? It's pointless & doesn't help your goal.

500 calories a night, over a week, is a pound in a week. Every other night figure 2 weeks for a pound.

geekymom57

If you didn't use the same scale, you won't know if you gained/lost or if the scales were calibrated differently.

It's very very easy to eat more than one realizes. Are you weighing your food (e.g., chicken), measuring (e.g., rice, juice, milk), and counting EVERYTHING you eat or drink? It's incredibly easy to mindlessly snack one's way to several hundred calories--a mini-candy bar, an extra pour of juice, a handful of nuts, etc. Grazing is very dangerous!

If you are losing sizes in clothes, then something positive is happening, so stick with it. Consider seeing a physician to be tested for other medical conditions, e.g., underactive thyroid, that could be contributing.

reidsurrett

I realize that, but I give myself too much credit for burning 1000 calories that day.

I've been fat my whole life, and it's not something you just learn overnnight.

I know it's a total, I just didn't realize it was that effective.

cruise13

You are also adding muscles with your work outs. Muscles weighs more then fat, so that may be why the weigh change. If you are feeling better and you clothes are loser you are definitely on the right track.

musicguy321

You may also be gaining muscle. Muscle weighs way more than fat, so if you're shrinking, but the number on the scale isn't, that could be a factor.
The 500 calories that you don't particularly need isn't helping you either. Instead of say, chips, have celery. Or instead of ice cream, have an apple. It's little things that make the difference, and FAT content is more influential than CALORIC content.

reidsurrett

If you didn't use the same scale, you won't know if you gained/lost or if the scales were calibrated differently.

It's very very easy to eat more than one realizes. Are you weighing your food (e.g., chicken), measuring (e.g., rice, juice, milk), and counting EVERYTHING you eat or drink? It's incredibly easy to mindlessly snack one's way to several hundred calories--a mini-candy bar, an extra pour of juice, a handful of nuts, etc. Grazing is very dangerous!

If you are losing sizes in clothes, then something positive is happening, so stick with it. Consider seeing a physician to be tested for other medical conditions, e.g., underactive thyroid, that could be contributing.

I've been unemployed for almost 2 years now, and my parents don't seem interested in weighing and measuring. They will buy me the foods I need, but they still buy their own snacks and dinners and they offer it to me constantly. I know it's my choice to say no, but it's to some time.

tofindmyselfprettyagain

If you're loosing sizes something good is happening. But, it also be a difference in scales, or depending on what exercises you're doing an increase in muscle. Keep doing what you're doing, but be careful with the cheating! If you are losing in sizes eventually the weight will come too.

DesertSunsetRain

"Cheating" on your diet doesn't really make any difference if you are staying within your calorie goal. If you eat a piece of chocolate or ice cream or something and you are still meeting your goal/under your goal it's really no big deal.

500 calories over, 100 calories over adds up quickly. Everything over makes a difference in the long run.

But if you are losing inches, I wouldn't be worried with what the scale says. Scales lie and there are lots of different factors that can make the number on the scale be higher. You've lost inches, that's GREAT and that is progress. Focus on that. You're doing great.

Btw, muscle doesn't weigh more than fat. 1 pound = 1 pound.

miss_p90x

Its the muscle weight, you can tell from your pants and shirt sizes going down that you are losing inches. Muscle takes less space but weighs more or the same as fat. Just keep up the work, and pay attention to the nutrition combined with cardio you will get to your goals.

bootstrap7

If you're exercising, eating healthier, and your clothing sizes are going down, then you're doing something right. Keep up the good work, and don't stress too much about the scale. It WILL move eventually.

hatravers

your doing really well keep at it

geekymom57

I've been unemployed for almost 2 years now, and my parents don't seem interested in weighing and measuring. They will buy me the foods I need, but they still buy their own snacks and dinners and they offer it to me constantly. I know it's my choice to say no, but it's to some time.

You ned to weight, measure, etc., yourself--they won't portion it out for you. And even if they did, it wouldn't be the same learning experience for you, because this needs to become a life long change.

My husband is used to me taking the food scale to the dinner table, using a half-cup measure as the serving spoon/ladle, and logging my food immediately after I eat. It is the only way I keep myself accountable. I have a set of measuring cups at work, so if I take a serving of trail mix I know how much it is. It's a bit of a joke with one co-worker (she calls me the "Portion Queen") but it's what I need to do.

If you are really serious about this and learning the skills you need to resist the temptations that others put in front of you, , perhaps there is a support group such as Overeaters Anonymous in your area, or one that's available on-line. I have been overweight most of life, starting esp. around age 12, and it is very hard to unlearn decades of bad habits. But I know that this is all my decision and I am the only one who can control what I put in my mouth. It's not easy, and it's boring and frustrating, and tedious, but it's still my choice to stick with it or not.

fvincentelli

Life is not perfect, and one imperfect day should not make you give up. If you find yourself eating more one day, then enjoy it and work out a bit harder the next day. One thing I do a lot now, before I eat anything, is wonder how long it will take me to work it off on a treadmill or elliptical... A bagel with cream cheese looks a lot less appetizing when you realize it'll take you 40 minutes to burn it off...

At the end of the day, it's about calories, so make sure you are honest with yourself and track _everything_ you consume. Taking responsibility for your calorie intake is the first step on your way to losing weight.

arotella

Don't focus on the scale. SO many things can effect the scale. The way your clothes fit is much more important. I'd much rather be a smaller pant size than a smaller # on the scale!

reidsurrett

Life is not perfect, and one imperfect day should not make you give up. If you find yourself eating more one day, then enjoy it and work out a bit harder the next day.

Trust me, it's gonna take a lot more than that for me to give up.

geekymom57

One thing I do a lot now, before I eat anything, is wonder how long it will take me to work it off on a treadmill or elliptical... A bagel with cream cheese looks a lot less appetizing when you realize it'll take you 40 minutes to burn it off...

Absolutely! This can be a very effective tool. It's like thinking of your daily calorie goal as a debit card and everything you eat comes off it. YOu can exercise to put some back on it, but need to be honest about how much you are really putting back on so you don't over-draw your account.

I can't tell you how many times I"ve reached for something--sometimes even started to put it in my mouth--and then thought "Do I really want to spend a half hour on the elliptical to earn this cookie?" Or if I eat this, I can't eat that--which do I want more?

Finding what motivates you is a very personal thing, and some day the right motivator might just jump right out at you.

reidsurrett

I want to say thanks to everyone who posted on this. I will keep everything in mind as I'm going through my day. Add me as a friend if you feel like it. I only have 1 on here. So yea, thanks again. More comments and suggestions are welcome too.

geekymom57

To the OP--been wondering how the past few days have been and if you've tried any of suggestions people threw your way or if you're finding something else what's helping feel more hopeful about the benefits of sticking with it for the long haul.

letobot

Stop lying to him...muscle does NOT weigh more than fat, a pound is a pound. And don't beat yourself up, if you are losing inches then somethings working!

jenniferREB

Sorry to be so blunt..but these are the cold hard facts. I would suggest to get off the sugar. It is not our friend. Stop eating rice, potatoes, pastas and breads, and stay out of the middle isles of the grocery stores, the food there is loaded with sugar and processed foods are also NOT our friend. You will see, the pounds will come off. Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day. No snacking at night. This is where you gain weight and why you're not losing. Exercise to a video, walk every where. This is the best I can tell you. I tell you this cause I care! I did this and went from 180lbs to 160lbs. You too can do it if you put your mind to it. How badly do you want to lose weight? STOP cheating..it gets you know where.

Megan2Project

Stop lying to him...muscle does NOT weigh more than fat, a pound is a pound. And don't beat yourself up, if you are losing inches then somethings working!

I litre of fat weighs less than one litre of muscle.... FACT So if he put on 15lbs of muscle and lost 12lbs of fat, he would in fact be smaller than before but weigh more...

tigersword

Sorry to be so blunt..but these are the cold hard facts. I would suggest to get off the sugar. It is not our friend. Stop eating rice, potatoes, pastas and breads, and stay out of the middle isles of the grocery stores, the food there is loaded with sugar and processed foods are also NOT our friend. You will see, the pounds will come off. Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day. No snacking at night. This is where you gain weight and why you're not losing. Exercise to a video, walk every where. This is the best I can tell you. I tell you this cause I care! I did this and went from 180lbs to 160lbs. You too can do it if you put your mind to it. How badly do you want to lose weight? STOP cheating..it gets you know where.

I'll be blunt , too. I've lost 50 pounds doing everything you say not to do, so you may need to check your "cold, hard facts."

Kylea51

If your clothes fit better, lay off the scale for a while and see what happens. Keep doing what your doing and you will be very surprised with the results, and very pleased the next time you do the scale. I had to do that for a while, Just relied on my clothes fitting better, next time I stepped on the scale at the Dr.'s office, 15 lbs were gone!! (too bad breaking my knee put them right back on) but im starting over, tomorrow is a new day. My advice~~

stevwil41

Sorry to be so blunt..but these are the cold hard facts. I would suggest to get off the sugar. It is not our friend. Stop eating rice, potatoes, pastas and breads, and stay out of the middle isles of the grocery stores, the food there is loaded with sugar and processed foods are also NOT our friend. You will see, the pounds will come off. Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day. No snacking at night. This is where you gain weight and why you're not losing. Exercise to a video, walk every where. This is the best I can tell you. I tell you this cause I care! I did this and went from 180lbs to 160lbs. You too can do it if you put your mind to it. How badly do you want to lose weight? STOP cheating..it gets you know where.

To the original poster, if you honestly think you can give up rice, potatoes, pastas, breads, etc forever and be done with it then by all means go for it. I couldn't, can't and won't. At my highest I weighed 289 lbs. I got a job where I was on my feet a lot and lost 19 lbs through just being more active. I've lost 60 lbs since I started counting calories and actively exercising. I've learned to eat way better than I used to without depriving myself of foods that I've always loved. Any time I've every tried a drastic diet it's lasted short term and then when I had enough my old habits returned twice as bad.

You need to make sustainable changes to your diet. Yes, you need to eat healthier, that's a given. However, you're not going drop over from eating a Lean Cuisine pizza (or some other processed food) every once in a while. Also, if there's something in particular you like then have it *in moderation*. Better to have a small slice of cheesecake once every week or two than to set down after a couple of months of depriving yourself and eating the whole thing in one setting.

Look for a balance that works for you. What worked for me is realizing that I can still have the foods I love, I just can't have them all at once all the time. Good luck in your journey. I look forward to reading about your success.

Steve

stevwil41

Stop lying to him...muscle does NOT weigh more than fat, a pound is a pound. And don't beat yourself up, if you are losing inches then somethings working!

I litre of fat weighs less than one litre of muscle.... FACT So if he put on 15lbs of muscle and lost 12lbs of fat, he would in fact be smaller than before but weigh more...

Not to be too trollish but I really don't understand your logic. It doesn't really matter whether you're talking about fat, muscle, granite or steel, 15 lbs is always going to weigh more than 12 lbs.

Suziq2you

Sorry to be so blunt..but these are the cold hard facts. I would suggest to get off the sugar. It is not our friend. Stop eating rice, potatoes, pastas and breads, and stay out of the middle isles of the grocery stores, the food there is loaded with sugar and processed foods are also NOT our friend. You will see, the pounds will come off. Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day. No snacking at night. This is where you gain weight and why you're not losing. Exercise to a video, walk every where. This is the best I can tell you. I tell you this cause I care! I did this and went from 180lbs to 160lbs. You too can do it if you put your mind to it. How badly do you want to lose weight? STOP cheating..it gets you know where.

I'll be blunt , too. I've lost 50 pounds doing everything you say not to do, so you may need to check your "cold, hard facts."

Same here. And there is no evidence eating at night keeps people from losing weight. Heck, sometimes I snack as I am going to bed,

auntie_missy

your doing really well keep at it

There's support, and then there is meaningless praise. This falls into the second category. If the OP started in May and has, over six months, gained three pounds, that isn't really well and he should not keep doing things the same.

OP: You may be sick of peoples advice, and that's okay, but I still want to try. It's great that you are making an effort to lose weight and start living a healthier lifestyle, and believe me, I and most of the people using MFP know how hard it can be. I know you can do it. The best advice I ever saw, about weight loss or most of life's problems, is that when things aren't working you need to stop, take a deep breath, and reevaluate. I looked back through your food diary for the past few weeks and what I see is that you aren't very consistent about logging. I would start there - get in the habit of logging every bite that goes in your mouth consistently. Don't worry the food being perfect. A lot of people will tell you that your protein has to be a certain level, or that you need to limit your carbs and sugar to succeed, and sure, eventually, that's true. But right now, and for at least the next 100 pounds, you just need to stay at/under your calorie goal. As for that, rerun your MFP goal. Is 1500 what the site gave you? It seems pretty low. Rerun it and be honest about your activity level (you live with your parents and aren't working, so I'm guessing that not counting workouts, you are sedentary or lightly active). If you are eating enough calories a day, you don't need to cheat, right? I also would not eat back exercise calories, again for at least 100 pounds or so. Just concentrate on that one easy to remember number, and as you start to succeed, you can work on finding the protein/fat/carb balance that works for you and look at your sodium, fiber and sugar levels to make sure they are within the ranges recommended for health. You're exercising already, so that's great. Keep it up!
I'm a big advocate of drinking water. If feel like it's helped me a lot. You'll see varying opinions, so take that for what it's worth. You need to get a scale at home. I know it's hard, because you need one with extra capacity, but it's important to weigh yourself weekly. There is no way you can figure out what's not working when you only have one July weight and one November weight to go on. Ditto on a food scale. It's important to be accurate, because your mind will play tricks on you and we, as humans but especially as fat humans, are notoriously poor judges of serving sizes. Walmart has a 440 capacity scale for $29 on their website and they also offer a variety of food scales under $20. These are small investments that will pay off in the long run.
Last, you have to look at the things that are standing in your way and make changes. It sounds like you need to find a job, any job, to get moving so you have something to do each day besides eat, meet people, and give yourself some freedom to make choices about your food. Until you can find a job, consider volunteering.

Good luck!

foremant86

Don't get down on yourself and don't listen to the people who tell you not to eat this, this and this.


The scale lies and should not be the end all be all of weight loss

You're clothes are smaller(by quite a bit) and that is what matters most. =D

Keep it up!

foremant86

your doing really well keep at it

There's support, and then there is meaningless praise. This falls into the second category. If the OP started in May and has, over six months, gained three pounds, that isn't really well and he should not keep doing things the same.

Wrong. The scale is not the end all be all of weight loss.

You apparently missed the part where the OP said he went down a shirt size and from a size 50 pants to a 46...that's a pretty big improvement!