1 week into MFP...some encouragement please!

cakeycake87

Hi everyone, I'm new to this but am finding the app on my phone really helpful. I got it so I could lose a few lbs. I love food and always eat too much...too much of the wrong thing too. I'm currently at 132lbs and want to get down to 120lbs and I'm 5"1. I'm aiming to eat around 1200 calories a day but I don't do much exercise. The only exercise I get is at work (a primary school.) I'm always too tired to exercise after work...isn't that always the case? I'm managing to keep under my allowance most days. I weighed myself yesterday and I had lost 1lb. I weighed myself this morning...the 1lb had reappeared! Argh...I realise I'm only 1 week into it but I feel like I need some encouragement! I've been looking at some of the success stories which are really inspirational but most of them have been working at it for weeks and months! I'm sat here really wanting to open the biscuit tin...
Thanks for listening to my moan!!!
K

janeite1990

I feel your pain about being tired, but you'll have to exercise for this to work. Some people on here seem to have limitless time for exercise. Most don't I work 45 hours and have 3 kids (6 and under), and my husband works 70 hours a week, so he isn't there much to help. You will need to find a way to squeeze in at least 30 minutes a day. If you are a morning person, do it before work. If you are a night person, do it when you get home. You'll feel less tired after you do it. You don't have to join a gym. Go for a quick run or do DVDs at home.

Don't give up. Get more committed. You can do it! Read through the success story threads for inspiration!

Eryndil

Don't be discouraged! The first week I started MFP I gained 2lbs and I was super miffed.

Weight-loss takes time. Also, results are not typically noticed till about 2-4 weeks after beginning a weight-loss regime.

I love eating too, but honestly I was surprised to see how many calories were in what I ate. Log everything, even if you go over, and if you're still hungry but have been eating a lot, try drinking water. Your body cannot tell the difference between being hungry and being thirsty after a certain point, and so this is often the reason for over eating.

As for your exercise, perhaps trying walking to work, or doing something before you go to work so when you're done your day you can just come home and relax. I have just started Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred DVDs which is a 20min daily work out that's supposed to change you in just 30 days. It's only 20 mins, and it's a fantastic work out, so perhaps give that a go.

Feel free to add me if you would like, having friends on here really does help!

Angiehankins77

I added exercise 1 month into my dieting, just so it wasn't overwhelming because I do that and quit. I started doing Leslie Sansone walk at home and it helps so much, 3 kids do it with me and love it (12,3,6). We do it in the evenings 30 min and wears them out! 10 bucks at Walmart! You can do it!

micwik

I started MFP about a month or so ago. I tracked my food but not every day. I am doing so much better but sometimes forget to track on the weekends.

I have a goal of losing about 15-20lbs and also need encouragement to keep me motivated. I am trying to hit the gym at least three times a week now and always love how I feel after a good workout. My husband and I are also going to a yoga class once a week now.

It seemed like the weight just crept up on me. I used to be super tiny in my teens and twenties. Somewhere in my 30s the weight started adding up. I work full time, and have two daughters (9 and 12) and two dogs so my life is pretty busy. I also try to make getting together with friends a priority as I believe we should surround ourselves with people who make us happy.

Well that's my story. I am off to the gym in about a half an hour and am planning to jump on the scale on Thursday (I was down two pounds last week).

quietHiker

I have a goal of about 10 lbs. , close to yours and I understand your frustration. A week into using MFP I tred the whole scale thing and I just wasn't happy with it...so I probably only weigh myself once every could of weeks. I've been using MFP for a little over a month and have lost 3 llbs so far...it will take time, but you will see progress if you stick with it If ever you're feeling down or like you need motivation, just post something on MFP or on your profile and I'm sure your friends will help you out you can add me if you like and I know I will

mcelledge

I find it hardest to lose just a little weight. I encourage exercise - movement- . It is very hard to only eat 1200 calories a day. That is my goal as well so i know. I find that i really do much better when i exercise. i like going to curves and when i can 't i do a walk at home video/dvd. Leslie Sansone has wonderful ones. and you can find youtube sessions as well. I hate strenuous workouts so these are a good fit for me. Concentrate on healthy foods to get your 1200 you can eat more that way. I've lost 25 lbs before using mfp. I'm planning on doing that again. I want to weigh around 120 too so we can do this together.. Keep in touch.

angella_zumba

You are lucky that you only have to loose such a small amount of weight!! BUT you do have to exercise! You have to make it work with your schedule and once you start and get into a routine it will become habit and then you will love it and you will do it!

Good luck!

mcelledge

Oh one other thing i weigh myselft every day because with so little weight to lose it is hard to measure weighing only weekly. I dont get discouraged if i flucuate 1/4 lb up or down but if i've gone up 3/4 t 1 lb from one day to the next i relfect on what i did or didnt do the day before and adjust . step up exericse or eat less or both and then level out. it is a game really. always changing strategies.

thatdude3

Just give it a little time. You can do it! The key is to track everything you put in your mouth. You dont have to exercise as long as your intake is less than what you burn.

y353

People here say to forget the scale and get to measures (neck, hips and waist). I started measure myself last week and will be measuring myself weekly.

I cant' stop weighting myself everyday as it's so much fun sometimes, but the beggining of the alimentar restriction its hard. Let be real, we do not diet, just focus in what to eat here.

So, eat something low on calories to feel full and choose wisely something you really want as a reward. I still can eat those stackers at BK, but I will not eat too much all day...

Try apples or something like that to take the hungry away

arobinson2390

I started MFP about a month ago, and I don't workout... YET.. but as long as you track EVERYTHING you eat, and stay within your limits the weight will come off, slowly but surely. I've already lost 9 pounds since i started. I plan to start working out and measuring myself. I heard that some weeks you'll lose inches but the scale won't move. and remember to take it one day at a time, and i don't weigh myself weekly, i only weigh myself every two weeks, because weight fluctuates so if i "gain" back a pound i lost i don't want to get discouraged, so maybe you shouldn't weight yourself so frequently.

vabchloser

I just wanted to say, I gave my scale to a friend. I know I'm doing the right thing every day and I'm not gaining. He's had the scale about 11 days....I'll got visit in a couple weeks and see how I did.

Those pounds that disappear and come back drive me INSANE, hence the ditch of the scale

lem0715

I know it is hard but try not to weigh everyday. It get's addicting when you first start. You just want to weigh and find that those 5lbs misterically disapeared. I weigh every monday morning before work. This helps me to see my results better and also gives me more motivation.

Package02

Don't get discouraged. Your weight changes so much day to day that I wouldn't put much credence into what the scale is saying. Honestly, I personally only weigh myself once a week and that might be something you want to consider. Since your goal is so much smaller than mine you may even want to wait longer than a week, such as once every two weeks. That way you'll see the results much better. As long as you're making your calorie goal you should see changes soon enough. Just keep in mind that the scale isn't the only determining factor of whether or not you're making progress. Good luck on your journey

vocampos

I guess the first two or three weeks are the hardest. I started this on my last vacation. My sister and brother-in-law use MFP for a long time and I thought I could use it to check my diet. Now I'm totally addicted! I check the nutrients table of the food I'm buying and even choose those according to my diet.
I didn't exercise for the first two months and I lost 6lbs. I simply logged all my meals and kept on the calorie goal. After a while, you know what you can eat and what you shouldn't to keep going.
I know it's hard to find time to work out. I'm a morning person, so I go to the gym early in the morning. When I can't do that, I work out at home (I have wii fit plus).
I weight everyday and sometimes it is discouraging. One thing that helps me is to read the progress of my MFP friends, specially the work outs. It really helps!

Keep going! And count on your MFP friends to help you

silvafan

Hang in there, it's a process. Once you start you will begin to figure out what works for YOU! We are all different. I for one weigh myself every morning it helps me to think twice about what I consume each day and how much of it. But that works for me. Also, you really should try to exercise. You need to make time for it! The awesome part about making time for exercise is....... You will actually gain energy from it among other things. Even if you have to get up 30 minutes early in the morning, you can do it. You have to burn those calories and jump start that metabolism.

When I first started MFP I gained weight but it was muscle. Don't let the numbers on the scale dictate anything. Weighing and measuring are a good idea because you will see a difference either in inches or in lbs. Good luck and my best advice to you is stick with it. The first few weeks may be difficult but there are no short cuts, its all about a life style change.... but baby step it....

5kidsforme

Oh one other thing i weigh myselft every day because with so little weight to lose it is hard to measure weighing only weekly. I dont get discouraged if i flucuate 1/4 lb up or down but if i've gone up 3/4 t 1 lb from one day to the next i relfect on what i did or didnt do the day before and adjust . step up exericse or eat less or both and then level out. it is a game really. always changing strategies.

I agree with the above statement. I only have 11.8 lbs to lose and I'm almost there. I have always thought I should only weigh myself once a week but NOT anymore. Now I was myself 3 times a week. This has helped out so much!!

DanielleRN8

Try doing the 30 Day Shred. It's only 25 minutes a day and the results are phenomenal! You can do it, it just takes time. Good luck!

DanielleRN8

Oh one other thing i weigh myselft every day because with so little weight to lose it is hard to measure weighing only weekly. I dont get discouraged if i flucuate 1/4 lb up or down but if i've gone up 3/4 t 1 lb from one day to the next i relfect on what i did or didnt do the day before and adjust . step up exericse or eat less or both and then level out. it is a game really. always changing strategies.

I agree with the above statement. I only have 11.8 lbs to lose and I'm almost there. I have always thought I should only weigh myself once a week but NOT anymore. Now I was myself 3 times a week. This has helped out so much!!

Your weight fluctuates by 1-2 pounds daily depending on sodium intake and water loss/retention. That's why you shouldn't weigh daily. The best thing to do is take your measurements. That's where the truth of weight loss lies...

cupcake28

Keep at it.... it really does work! I know its hard but do not weigh more than once a week, as your body will natural go up and down in a day.

I weigh on a wednesday...... however I do jump on the scales at work when the other office ladies do but take no notice of what it says as they are not calabrated to the scales I use at home....... however it does give me an indication if I am on track or not. (but I do not log this weight)

A classic example according to work scales from friday to monday I had gained 2lb by Monday morning, however I ignored it jumped on them today (wed) and its gone again! wierd eh!

Stick with it, it really does work

ladybrittain

Hi, I just had to chime in on this because I feel your pain. However, you have to move. I was in the same predicament but I had to ask myself, how bad do you want this. I'm 51 years old and it is hell trying to get this weight off after you enter menopause. I have been stalking MFP since I started this journey and all of these stories have inspired me to keep going. I hate exercising but I know that if I want to loose this fat I have to keep moving. I suggest you start out with small goals. That is what I did. I started getting to work a half hour early and started walking the parking lot before everyone gets there. I put that Ipod on and I walk to the music. Once I started that I was walking on my break and lunch break too. The pounds started melting away. I put every item I put in my mouth into my food diary. I was utterly shocked at how many calories where in three small slices of frozen pizza, so that won't be on my list anymore, at least until I reach my goal. Also, watch your sodium levels. I had lost 15 pounds then gained back 3 and just couldn't figure out why that happened. After I went over my food diary I saw how much sodium was in that pizza. Once I changed a few food items, I lost them back. Now I have other co-workers walking with me early in the morning. You can do this. This journey is not easy. It is not about how high the mountain is but how you get to the top. Take it one day at a time before you know it you will be into a month. You can do this!! Don't give up and stop beating yourself up, you deserve success.

rba0422

I just wanted to add that perhaps those folks having a hard time who are exercising and eating without a weight loss should consider having blood work. My recent labs showed some adjustments were essential so I'm on a couple new vitamins and under an ultimatum by my dr. I'm afraid to jinx myself by telling you but after only one week on MFP I lost 11 lbs....unbelievable to this 57 y/o grandmother who has years of no luck dieting!! My dr. (a MFP fan who sent me here) is going to be shocked!

AtoZNJ

I could use some encouragement as well! I am 1 week in and just weighed myself and it is exactly the same - ARGH! I am 5'3" and 125lbs, eat a healthy diet, work out regularly and just I want to lose 5 to 8lbs to get back into my 'comfort zone'. I do find it helpful to track all my calories and have identified some surprises and areas of improvement - right now I am at a net of 1200 calories or a tad bit less, depending on how much I exercise. Stick with it a while longer - I am going to keep giving it a go!

abibrand

It takes time. It's not just about losing weight, it's about feeling healthier. You're going to do great.

Tvandevoir27

Hi there! I just completed my first week as well. Looks like we have some of the same goals (to lose 21 lbs and I also take in around 1200 calories a day) I know it is hard and you're tired, but once you start working out, you will become addicted to it. The feeling I get after a workout is so great and I feel healthier and closer to my goal with every work out. Even if it's just a 30 minute walk. Hang in there, it takes time.