How to get over disappointment when scale does not move?

cruisintolose

When you work hard and think you are doing what you should be doing or that what has worked in the past. How do you get over your disappointment and move on. How long before the scale stays the same do you change what you do?

debconfer

Think about how much better you feel and look, don't worry about what the scale says. Maybe you are gaining muscle. If your clothes fit better then you are making progress.

Goofy076

I used to freak out but I hit so many plateaus on my journey i just up my protein and my work outs intensity and it breaks the plateaus ..just keep working out and logging and your plateau will break, its perfectly normal for your body to hit the wall from time to time

hellraisedfire

when you're going through hell, KEEP GOING! also, keep in mind that if you are a gym monkey and are putting on muscle and losing fat, your weight might stay the same! muscle weighs more than fat. personally, I try to go by my looks and how I feel rather than my weight. if you're getting thinner/have more energy/feel better, then I think you're doing things right regardless of the scale change

sweetnlow30

I am in the same boat I haven't seen any loss for four weeks aside from the initial water weight loss the first week. I lost 100 pounds before so I know what it takes. My body is being exceptionally stubborn this time around. I even had a binge last week because I was upset and now I am very frustrated but I am not giving up. We need to stay on plan, log all of our foods and maybe change things up a little. I keep telling myself that it is not a race and eventually my body will cooperate and start losing. We can do this!

Hellbent_Heidi

When you work hard and think you are doing what you should be doing or that what has worked in the past. How do you get over your disappointment and move on. How long before the scale stays the same do you change what you do?

ummm..you just joined this month and have lost 4 lbs already? That's GOOD...don't stress out. It takes your body a while to adjust to new habits, so its WAY early for you to get frustrated yet.

Double check all of your diary settings to make sure you're not going over on sodium (which can be a killer).

Remember...this is a marathon, not a sprint, and the results WILL keep coming if you're doing it right.

cruisintolose

I was already counting calories and such before I joined and lost some weight. I love this site thought and am so glad I found it. Thanks for your help and I agree it takes time but it seems losing weight is such a phycological thing. Half the battle is in your mind and not what you are actually doing. It is for me at least. By the way I absolutely love your avatar> I need to remind myself I am not a dog>

carlageek

It's very difficult and requires you to find great reserves of patience or discipline, but I would wait to see at least 3-4 weeks of on-plan behavior with no loss on the scale, before making changes to your plan.

For most of my process, I have at an average rate of about a pound a week. But that was an average, and I experienced regular weight fluctuations of 2-4 pounds - fluid retention (due to exercise, weather, hormones, hydration, any number of causes in and out of my control), the bulk of food in my system as it is being digested, all the many factors that change my total weight, can cause my weight to change in one day by 2-4 pounds.

That means that almost a month's worth of actual fat loss can be obscured by an ordinary, out-of-my control fluctuation in total body weight on any given day.

The only way to deal with this was to train myself to take a very long term view. To force myself to remember that what counts is not whether I weigh less today than I did a week ago, but whether I weigh less today than I did a month ago.

Now, close to goal, I am losing more slowly and this patience becomes even more important. I do get whiny, when I do all this hard work and am rewarded by no change in my weight (or worse, an apparent gain) over 2 or 3 weeks. But I know that if I just stick to my plan, the weight will come off in time. Stick to your plan, and give it time.

LuckyLeprechaun

I cry. :sad:

Pocket_Pixi

I kick the scale and walk away... and leave my contempt in the bathroom.

Seriously, take your measurments are you lifting more/running or walking longer/getting faster? Etc?? if you are than you are making improvements and that is what you should be worried about. The scale is really just a number.

LorinaLynn

Take photos! Or go shopping, even if it's in the back of your own closet.

The scale will go up and down. If your anything like me, you'll have a hard time seeing changes in the mirror, and changes by measurements can be so slight that it's really hard to celebrate an eight of an inch difference... I usually end up doubting if I even measured in the same place or pulled the tape tighter or something.

But when I compare photos side by side, I can be more objective. And when I try on clothes that didn't fit, but do now, there's absolutely no way to deny that I've gotten smaller.

Heck, my weight on the scale has gone UP, but since I'm wearing smaller clothes, that's not something I give a damn about!

timadotcom

Take photos! Or go shopping, even if it's in the back of your own closet.

The scale will go up and down. If your anything like me, you'll have a hard time seeing changes in the mirror, and changes by measurements can be so slight that it's really hard to celebrate an eight of an inch difference... I usually end up doubting if I even measured in the same place or pulled the tape tighter or something.

But when I compare photos side by side, I can be more objective. And when I try on clothes that didn't fit, but do now, there's absolutely no way to deny that I've gotten smaller.

Heck, my weight on the scale has gone UP, but since I'm wearing smaller clothes, that's not something I give a damn about!

^^ This!! Love it, and you are so right on!

Butterfly3730

I've learned to rely less on the scale and more on how I feel physically and mentally and how my clothes fit.

LisaRN9

I think a lot of women have been in your shoes! I know I certainly have in the past. I deal with my disappointment by trying to focus on my overall success and by how my clothes are fitting. I also figure out where I am in my cycle. If it is within ten days of my period, I can retain a lot of water. Then after I see a rapid drop in weight. Hang in there!!!

psuLemon

I evaluate whether or not I am eating enough. Most of the time, I figure out I need to eat more. Last time I lost weight, I had a "bad" day where I ate 3400 calories, next day I lost weight (first time in 4 weeks). So now i average 3000+ calories in a day so I keep losing weight. And since I did that, I lost another pound.

Noof91

i take my free day and start to eat what ever i want n have fun n forget all about this diet thing ( for one day only )
by the next week the scales usually moves down n makes me happy

so dont worry just enjoy your time

hungryPHATbunny

Read this just at the right time...my scale isn't movi! But you are all right! I feel better, feel I'm doing the right things and looking long-term so working through it...even if it takes long, who cares...it's for life so stay focused and carry on all

jacksonpt

I've learned to rely less on the scale and more on how I feel physically and mentally and how my clothes fit.

DING DING DING DING DING DING DING

We have a winner. The scale is a terrible way to measure progress.

zaaden

Use your clothes as an indicator as much as the scales. If you are exercising and gaining muscle then the scale will not tell the whole story as you will also be getting more toned (sometimes hard to see at first) and the clothes will often start telling the story before the scales really show as you get fluctuations in the scale reading because of other factors. Keep going and train yourself to eat your new diet rather than focussing on the diet itself. It is the start of a new way of life

EmCarroll1990

Keep working on it. That scale WILL move whether it wants to or not.

bookyeti

I've learned to rely less on the scale and more on how I feel physically and mentally and how my clothes fit.

DING DING DING DING DING DING DING

We have a winner. The scale is a terrible way to measure progress.

Amen!

futiledevices

I try to stop weighing myself and remember that my clothes are getting looser. I'm not always good at that, though. Sometimes, I feel like ****. But it'll pass.

emmaruns

OK, people have said "don't weigh yourself so much" and "focus less on the scale" but if you're like me that's somewhat impossible. So my answer is. You get to have a 30 second pity party then you get to make a choice. Keep trying or give up. I've had ups and downs that I did NOT deserve for my effort, but after my little pity party, I realized I actually LIKE eating well and exercising even if my body is stubborn.

And every time you choose to keep trying, you win.

Carolyn_79

I've only been at this a month and didn't lose any weight this week. I was frustrated but then I put on a shirt for work today that was previously tight in the bust area and it fit perfectly so I'm trying to focus on the positive and not dwell on the fact that the number didn't change this week. I know I did everything right so it is what it is.

Sublog

When you work hard and think you are doing what you should be doing or that what has worked in the past. How do you get over your disappointment and move on. How long before the scale stays the same do you change what you do?

I always let my logic apply.

Understand that scale weight is a combination of many things and when you KNOW you have eaten at a deficit, you have lost fat, regardless of whether or not the scale reflects it.

stormieweather

For myself, experience has taught me that patience is key. If I keep at it, the scale will go down. I graph my intake, weight, and average loss per week/month.So I know for a fact that I lose when eating at a deficit, but dang...sometimes, it feels as though nothing is happening and that I haven't lost anything in FOREVER. The reality is, it's only been a week or two. I just have to step back and look at the big picture. I'm eating well and exercising and losing weight. Yes I am. :bigsmile:

kapeluza

"Overview (why I'm posting this)
Over the course of about 7 months on here, I have seen many people suceed, 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 dissapointment. I wanted to give a few "heads up"s to both new commers and vetrans 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 permenant yet, so it will still try to store some fat, so now that it knows how to regulate it's new metabolic levels, it tryies 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 consistant (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 becomming 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 deficite, healthy bodies need good nutrition, your body no longer has the fat reserves to handle the large deficites you could when you were 30 40 or 50 pounds overweight. Better to make it a 3 or 400 calorie deficite (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. "

BrendaLee

The thing is, if you're eating better and exercising more...you're doing amazing things for your body and your health. There are going to be weeks that you don't lose weight. It happens to everyone, and it's going to happen to you...and me. I'd say, if you don't lose anything for a month, it may be time to take inventory and make small changes -- but that doesn't always mean eating fewer calories.

Your mentality about this whole thing will determine whether you succeed or quit. Why would you stop taking care of your body just because the scale doesn't move, right?

perrybucsdad

I found that bringing a 44 magnum into the bathroom helps convince the scale to make sure it reports back the correct weight.