Help me I am getting discouraged!!

mnichols007

So I lost 6 pounds my first week on the MFP with out exercising, and then again I lost 3 pounds the next wk with out exercising. Then I started walking the third wk.. started out at a mile then 1.5, 2, 2.5, and now I am stuck on 3 miles 3.1 miles walking an hour a day. When I went to weigh in I only lost 2 pounds, but 2 pounds lost is not 2 pounds gained so I still had hope. Well when I went to weigh myself on Tuesday I was up 4 pounds and so I weighed again on Wed and I was back down 2 pounds.. but still up 2 pounds from my last official weigh in. I have been obsessed with the scale since then, It is now Friday and its still on 246 which is what I was at on the 2 wk log in. I feel like I am doing this for nothing and I am wanting to quit. This always happens to me, I stop losing weight and I go back to my reg route and gain so much more back. Should I not be walking? Walking? Seems I lost more weight with the no walking. I need help!!

vonnywaft

Everyone's weight loss slows down after the initial rush. It is disappointing that we can't sustain the early success, but perseverence is the key. It may be that you've gained muscle since starting all that walking and that can add a bit in the short term, but longer term the extra muscle will help shift the fat. You need to give the plan months not weeks to see real results so hang in there. Real weight loss needs a lifestyle change not a quick fix diet. The walking is good, keep it up.

kindra3434

Listen, DO NOT quit, nobody has ever said that this is easy.....focus on changing your health and the weight will fall off. Don't focus on the scale. Weigh once a week if it freaks you out. If your weight isnt coming off as fast as you want it to than just tell yourself "im making myself healthy and that's important." The weight loss will follow suit.

sunnie326

I would say that you are probably building muscle. Try measuring yourself and keeping track of inches for a better measurement. Also, drink LOTS of water. Seems the general consensus is that weighing every day is not a true meaure of your weight loss or gain as your weight can fluctuate due to water. Maybe weigh in once a week on the same day at the same time. I wish you luck. Don't give up on yourself. YOU CAN DO THIS!!!!

Lyra89

Stick with it! Its entirely normal to see big losses in week one/week two as it is primarily your body flushing itself of excess sodium from the bad diet (aka water weight)

It is only possible for the body to lose two pounds of actual FAT per week without delving into health problems xxx Be encouraged! Chip away at it/take baby steps...that is what I did and you WILL make it x

Lobster1987

I think you need to limit your scale time to once per week or once every other week.

TourThePast

You lost more weight with the "no walking" because it was your first week, most of that first weight you lost was water.

What you're losing now is fat, and losing two pounds a week, or even one pound a week is great. Plus you'll get a LOT more benefit from walking than just some numbers on the scale.

And honestly? You need a reality check. If anything's going to change, and obviously you want it to, you're going to be needing to eat a LOT less than you have been for the rest of your life. Not just for a few weeks or a few months. For years. If you're not ready to face that, you may as well just give up now.

But why give up? You've made a great start. It's not as if you have to starve yourself to lose weight, at your size you can eat loads and still lose weight. Me, I have to eat 1450 to just stay the same weight, for the rest of my life. If you're finding it hard to stick to a healthier diet, why not change your goal to losing 1lb a week? What's the rush? Better to do it slowly and keep at it than lose a load quickly then put it straight back on again.

dgillary

. Quit looking for results and understand its a life style change..... they will come. You will not see it, its like watching your hair grow. Just remember there are not fat people in the world that exercise and eat right..... do not delude yourself into thinking otherwise.

aniwani

That's water weight hun dont stress just keep at it ... 2 pounds here or there is not what you should worry about take a rolling average of your weight !!!

seraphinaglitter

Hi mnichols,

Keep persevering! You're doing fabulously! Weight loss does slow down after the initial weeks, but don't forget muscle tone either. Muscle mass going up can cause what looks like weight-gain. Do you do measurements as well? This might help you. If you're body's toning up, the scale might be decieving but the tape-measure can re-inspire you!

I would suggest increasing your exercise for optimum results. Something which raises your heartbeat more will help. It sounds silly, but skipping (jump-rope) burns calories quickly and even 15 minutes of skipping 5 times a week added on to the walking will really help, you'd be burning around 270 calories a time. Swimming's also great exercise, or doing an aerobics DVD (there's some great routines to follow on youtube!). Even just dancing round the house (really going for it) to your favourite tunes helps (around 126 cals per 15 minutes)!

Keep us updated! You're doing really well!

TourThePast

I would say that you are probably building muscle.

No chance, not if she's eating at a calorie deficit. If only building muscle was that easy!
It's possible that if she's working muscles hard, they may be temporarily retaining fluid.

it is primarily your body flushing itself of excess sodium from the bad diet (aka water weight)

Nothing to do with sodium.

It is only possible for the body to lose two pounds of actual FAT per week without delving into health problems

Incorrect. Someone who is clinically obese can healthily lose far more than 2lb a week, without losing muscle or suffering ill effects. Once you get to being merely overweight, then no it's not possible to lose that much healthily.

I strongly suggest you use this board to provide support and encouragement, but take any diet advice with a pinch of (low sodium!) salt! :bigsmile:

kindra3434

If you don't start now and be patient you will be kicking yourself in the butt 1 or 2 years from now going " DAMN, if I would have stuck to changing my lifestyle, I would be there right now, happy and healthy" don't make yourself have regrets, just do it!

psiren28

Yeah keep up the walking, your weight fluctuation could be for any number of reasons: TOM, if you've had a lot of salt in your diet etc.

My weight fluctuates on a daily basis e.g. I gained a lb the other day for no apparent reason (had a good few days, no over-eating, not TOM) but overall exercise will help you to lose weight and be more toned so you should keep it up.

I do find that times when I don't exercise at all my weight loss is more consistent, but exercising is essential to your overall health and looking and feeling better. In the long run regular exercise and diet is better than diet alone, even if it seems to mess with the scales a bit. I have no idea why I lose more weight without exercise, there's probably a scientific explanation out there. But whatever the scale says, I know my legs look better when I walk regularly and do squats than if I sit on my *kitten* and lose a bit more weight through diet alone.

Don't give up and well done on your 11lbs so far x

engineman312

so you lost nine pounds in four weeks?? AWESOME!!! keep up the good work!!

kcoftx

Everyone's weight loss slows down after the initial rush.

^This

And you may even find some weeks without a loss but losing inches. That's normal too. I doubt there is a muscle gain this early but you can have some fluid retention in the muscles temporarily. The more likely cause, however, is due to that little quoted thing above. Perfectly normal. A loss is a loss and should be fully celebrated. You are on track.

CookieCrumble

You lost more weight with the "no walking" because it was your first week, most of that first weight you lost was water.

What you're losing now is fat, and losing two pounds a week, or even one pound a week is great. Plus you'll get a LOT more benefit from walking than just some numbers on the scale.

And honestly? You need a reality check. If anything's going to change, and obviously you want it to, you're going to be needing to eat a LOT less than you have been for the rest of your life. Not just for a few weeks or a few months. For years. If you're not ready to face that, you may as well just give up now.

But why give up? You've made a great start. It's not as if you have to starve yourself to lose weight, at your size you can eat loads and still lose weight. Me, I have to eat 1450 to just stay the same weight, for the rest of my life. If you're finding it hard to stick to a healthier diet, why not change your goal to losing 1lb a week? What's the rush? Better to do it slowly and keep at it than lose a load quickly then put it straight back on again.

This is a really great post. Do not give yourself permission to quit - you haven't given this new lifestyle eating a chance yet. I know it's difficult, I have a lot to lose too, and I've been logging everyday since January this year. You can do this but it's going to take effort, hard work - and you can't do what you've been doing to get yourself into the state you are. Once you get your head into that mindset, you'll be ready to work and not putting such expectations on a body that you've mistreated for so long. There are many of us who either are - or were - in exactly the same position as you.

It takes time. It isn't going to be easy but it is going to be worth it. Are you in? :flowerforyou:

mrsanderson2be

You cant always trust scales all sorts can affect them even what kind of floor there on and whether the floor is level, your best bet is to carry on without weighing yourself so much and just watch the change in your health and body, inch loss is generally more visible and easy to get spot on readings :happy:

rjo921

Please do NOT give up. You are on the right path to becoming healthy and fit. Trust me...I know how you are feeling. With all of the exercising and watching what I eat since January I feel that I should have lost a lot more weight than what I currently weigh. But I know I am doing the right thing for my body. You made the step to join this site and to get better....stick with it. It will pay off in the end...:flowerforyou:

chazbo35

Remember its not a sprint here. Your changing A lifestyle. Do yourself a favor and put the scale away and only pull it out once a week. Weighing daily will get you down, as its doing right now. And yes, keep walking!! Keep moving! Get that heart rate up! Challenge yourself to do more, both in diet and in exercise. Get to know more about your body. Learn more about what your eating AND drinking. Learn more about nutrition and how it impacts you and your family. Trust it, it works!

seraphinaglitter

I would say that you are probably building muscle.

No chance, not if she's eating at a calorie deficit. If only building muscle was that easy!
It's possible that if she's working muscles hard, they may be temporarily retaining fluid.

It could be fluid retention, but I've always been taught it is possible to build muscle at a deficit. Hence someone who suffers eating problems such as Anorexia Nervosa can build muscle. It isn't always the case, of course, and is much more likely if you are exercising at a higher cardio rate. Either way, though, it doesn't matter too much and it should still help to start keeping measurements, increase exercise and limit scale time.

Forgot to add in my last post that swimming is of course a great exercise if you don't want to put stress on joints.

whatnoduff

I don't know very much about sodium, muscle weight or water retention, but I have been a yo yo dieter all my life. I only joined MFP a week ago but know in my mind that this is the one that will give me the focus I need. You have to think long term, get a photo of yourself when you looked healthier (or a celebrity you think looks healthy) and stick it on the fridge.

Buy a dress 2 sizes too small and hang it on your bedroom wall (as a piece of art if you like) and aim to get in that dress by Christmas.

Whenever I lost a few stone (and often kept it off for 2 years) when I put the weight back on I went to a stone heavier. From 9 I went to 7 then up to 10, From 10 I went to 8 then back to 11 until eventually I hit 16 stone. I lost 3 stone 6 years ago and have kept it off UNTIL it crept back on and I am now 14.

Be realistic, if you have to lose 6 stone, don't think about the total, set yourself small targets, maybe link these with holidays, celebrations or occasions like a birthday,

My boyfriend is a triathlete and encourages me with the adage ' less in and more out' so keep up the walking.

And remember: How do you eat an elephant?
In bite size chunks!