Disappointed and ready to give up :(

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  • Marillian
    Marillian Posts: 3,892 Member
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    I feel your disappointment. Happens to me all the time. Ditto on the great advice already given. Body weight can fluctuate 5 pounds in either direction on any given day.

    And, muscle does NOT weigh more than fat. A pound is a pound, no matter what the form. However, muscle is more dense, wherein fat is more porous.

    There is a lot of of support here at MFP. Use it. Don't give up. Do you really want to be a quitter (and not in the good sense)? I think not, otherwise, you would not have posted.

    You can do this!
  • Eats_With_A_Fist_Returns
    Eats_With_A_Fist_Returns Posts: 77
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    Do not quit! It took more than three days to get where you are, and unfortunately it's going to take significantly more than that to get where you want to be. You have to be determined. If you want it badly enough, you absolutely can have it, but you have to fight for it. You took the first step towards it by joining MFP...take another, and another, and don't stop. You can do this!
  • sarahc001
    sarahc001 Posts: 477 Member
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    I would wait two weeks before expecting to see any results on the scale. There are so many reasons why you could be retaining water over the first three days....given that a pound is 3500 calories, the only way you could have REALLY gained 2 pounds is if you consumed 7000 calories in excess of what you burned over the last three days. HIGHLY unlikely, don't you think?
  • rochedavis
    rochedavis Posts: 6 Member
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    Please don't give up.It can be very disappointing jumping on the scale every other day. You are setting yourself up for major disappointment. I did the exact same thing but I came to the conclusion I wasn't going to give up and I removed my scale out of the bathroom and continue to exercise and watch what I ate. Soon I noticed the inches coming off quicker than the lbs decreasing.You will get there just don't give up!
  • lollypopado
    lollypopado Posts: 1
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    I think we all have moments when we want to chuck it all in, especially when we think we should have lost more than we have. keep your chin up and keep up with your food diary and chuck the scales in a cupboard. As people have already said as your muscle mass grows you may find your weight goes up for a while but it does burn far more calories. Find a pair of jeans that are a bit tight and try them on every week I'm sure you'll notice the difference even if the scales don't show it!!
  • amoslionhorse
    amoslionhorse Posts: 49
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    oh darling.. please don't give up.. i gave up before... and every time i give up, i end up gaining another 50 lbs.. and now here i sit with 220 lbs to lose. please do.not.give.up. please.
  • SaraTN
    SaraTN Posts: 536 Member
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    As the queen of instant gratification, I just have to post/reply. Keep in mind this is a journey, it is a process there are no "quick fixes" that are sustainable. Every body is different -- what works for me may not work for you. There will be weeks when you lose a few pounds and feel like you "got it" and there will be weeks when the scale doesn't budge or worse it goes up and you want to quit. Ask yourself, what will quitting accomplish? Will your heart be stronger? Will it result in you being a healthier more fit version of you?

    My weight can fluctuate a couple pounds from one day to the next so what I do is I weigh myself daily and then take the average of that weight on my actual weigh in day and that is what I report. I also take my measurements every 2 or 3 weeks -- generally speaking, I am losing more inches than pounds on the scale -- which is a good thing.

    I might also recommend you set a goal for yourself. I noticed you are walking. Why not find an event - a 5k to walk or run and follow something like the Couch to 5K program. That way you can focus on your accomplishments of running longer, further, etc. and not focus on the scale so much.

    Best of luck to you. I do hope you stick with it.
  • sarge634
    sarge634 Posts: 42
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    Oh you cant give up,this happened to me as well,i had gained 1lb in a week but the next week when i weighed in i had lost 4lbs.Don't throw in the towel yet give it some time you can do it!
  • PunkRockDad
    PunkRockDad Posts: 76
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    Take this from my own experience. You need take the scale and lock it away. You are letting 3 digits control your life. Those 3 digits mean NOTHING. Inches and how you feel about yourself are what matter. Take measurements of your waist, hips, chest and go by that for progress and weigh yourself once a week, if needed, but I recommend every two weeks to a month. Those 3 digits have a way to control us emotionally. To give up hope. To go back to our old habits. Tell the scale to take a hike and change your mindset of what living healthy really is. It's not about 3 digits. It's about an overall outlook on life. A happier life, a more active life, a stronger both emotionally and physically you.

    If you follow the guidelines instructed on MFP, you will lose inches. The 3 digits will follow. I promise you. I, myself am proof. Do not give up, you can do this!
  • sarge634
    sarge634 Posts: 42
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    Also you should weigh in once a week as your weight fluctuates day to day
  • sacha1977
    sacha1977 Posts: 26
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    make sure you weight yourself at the same time each time you weight yourself, ie in the morning. Try and wear the same clothes each time you weigh yourself, if not go naked.
    Only weigh yourself once a week!!! This is very important!!!! My weight day is a Sunday but very often cheat and weigh myself on a Fri, get depressed as I haven't lost any but by Sunday I've usually had a good loss. It's as if my body is purposely holding on to it until the Sunday and punishing me for cheating.
    Bear in mind I think 1ltr of water = 1lb so if you've just downed a bottle of water before you weigh yourself then this also won't help.
    Stick with it. None of us on here have lost years of abuse in just one week xx
  • TheBakerGirl
    TheBakerGirl Posts: 151
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    Don't give up hope! I didn't lose a single bit for three weeks. I think it actually took a week for me to show the gain from everything I had consumed during the weeks leading up to my fresh start. I think it's pretty normal for the number to go up slightly before it goes down. Don't even pull the scale out for at least one week of eating healthy and working out. Then start with that number! :flowerforyou:
  • _HeathBar_
    _HeathBar_ Posts: 902 Member
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    You are only on day 3!!!!!! These things take time. Real life =/= Biggest Loser.
  • Faintgreeneyes
    Faintgreeneyes Posts: 730 Member
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    Here is the thing. After three days, you probably won't see a difference. I know I am the same way, where I want instant gratification. I wanted to see the numbers drop after exercising for a couple days and eating healthy. The point is, they wont. Losing weight is hard work, and as much as we wish there was a quick fix, there is not.

    I know its very discouraging and makes you feel like "whats the point" the point is that these past 3 days for you, you have been healthier and more active then you were the previous 3 days before that- now that is an accomplishment. If you stopped now, where would you be? not 3 days closer to your goal, but 3 days farther from reaching your goals you have set.

    Just know that this weight loss journey will take time, and patience. Even if the numbers on the scale don't move, you are still doing good things for your body, your heart, your health- you will start to see results, it will just take TIME.

    So focus on the fact that you have made a positive life change, and that everyday is bringing you closer to a lifetime of health and happiness!

    Good luck to you!
  • j_emerson
    j_emerson Posts: 48
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    PS: I just checked out your food diary, and you may have a lot of sodium coming in. That could account for any water retention. Dry drinking water with lemon and consider tracking your sodium. :)


    Sodium is a killer when it comes to weight loss, at least for me, and unless you can home cook all of your meals...it's almost impossible to keep it under control.
  • LoraF83
    LoraF83 Posts: 15,694 Member
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    you said it was your 3rd DAY! Please try to see the big picture. You can't look for instant gratification if you're ever going to lose the weight and keep it off. I know it's frustrating but maybe you should just NOT weigh yourself for several weeks and keep doing what you KNOW is right. This way you'll have made some progress and when you see that on the scale several weeks down the line you'll have some momentum.

    Exactly! You can't quit after 3 days.....that's crazy! You want to lose weight and keep it off for the rest of your life? Then start looking at this as a marathon, not a sprint.
    And, I took a look at your diary. Start incorporating some fresh produce (fruits and veggies) into your diet. Drink lots of water. Keep moving - you WILL see results!! Give it time!
  • Miss_dannii
    Miss_dannii Posts: 1,351 Member
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    Just remember this; if you give up now, you'll still have to deal with yourself again in the future. If you're not happy with how you look now, how about in a few weeks, months years time? Now is the time to make changes, you're only letting yourself down if you quit

    Don't weigh yourself again until about 2 weeks from now. Remember that you are only 3 days doing this, your body is probably still dealing with calories you ate a week ago, so please don't mind your scales

    Keep this up - I am you in 12 weeks, I'm the future you :) I was ready to give up a few days in too, and now I have lost 26 pounds of the 70 I need to lose, and I feel very proud of myself because I am not an acheiver usually

    Just have faith in yourself. x
  • AmethystSif
    AmethystSif Posts: 5
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    Don't give up! Weight loss takes time, 3 days is not long enough to throw in the towel. We are all here to support you -- you can do this!
  • RumOne
    RumOne Posts: 266 Member
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    PS: I just checked out your food diary, and you may have a lot of sodium coming in. That could account for any water retention. Dry drinking water with lemon and consider tracking your sodium. :)

    ^^^^THIS! packaged items are filled with sodium. Add extra water.
  • thechubner
    thechubner Posts: 94 Member
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    Yeah don't give up. 1-2 lbs can be fluid retention or waste waiting to exit. Drink plenty of water and eat an activia. Don't dispair. Give it a week. I bet you'll be surprised how the two pounds plus one to two more will be gone. Just stick with it a little while. Set small goals and try to focus on how you feel. You can do it :)

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