Any Slow Losers out there....I need some motivation

zsaoosh

What is PCOS?

kinghavok

measure your success!!. I was staying around the .5 range I was getting frustrated ready to give up when I noticed my belt was all the way at the end I had lost like 4 inches around the waist. Keep plugging away, this is a marathon not a sprint slow and steady win the race!

shel1103

I'm right there with you... I've lost 6 pounds and I've been at this over 2 months. It's soooo frustrating, but I stick with it because the alternative is obviously worse. : ( Just take it one day at a time and create some mini goals for yourself so you have something to strive toward that's achievable.

smantha32

I tend to stay exactly the same several weeks in a row, then drop a couple. It's killing me. lol

LaurenC619

I've always been told 1 lb./week is a good, healthy amount. Slow weight loss stays off because you're not depriving yourself and you're already living a lifestyle that you will be able to maintain once you reach your goal weight. Also, the closer to your healthy weight you are, often the slower the weight loss. I know it can get irritating at times because it seems like the pounds are coming off so slowly (I, too, am a slow loser), but just keep going! You'll get there.

hbrittingham

I have 12 lbs to go to hit my ultimate goal. I have been losing about .25 per month or so since January. I'm not terribly worried since I have been doing this for about a year and a half and am down 39 lbs so far. I have learned a whole new way of looking at food and exercise and never feel deprived when it comes to food. Slow and steady wins the race. That's what I keep telling myself!

mznisaelaine

I decided to just take it slow and allow myself to lose about .5 to 1 lb a week. Hopefully by doing this, I will reach my goal by December. I figure just relaxing and taking things slow will help me to not stress out by trying to reach a goal that is not achievable by a certain amount of time. Every time I get worked up and try to shoot for 2 lbs a week, I end up failing lol...So so far so good, I think this might just get me where I need to be and I like to look at it as transforming my body by taking my time so it can be perfect!

Christi6604

It's take me 2 yrs and 3 mos. to lose 65 pounds. I was stuck for six months until recently, so .5 a week is great. Any progress is progress! The only way you won't get where you want to be is if you quit entirely. Keep it up! Progress is progress.

Also, don't forget - you also are not gaining like you might/would if you weren't watching your diet and exercise. So you're still ahead of the game. :-)

ProudMomToTwo

I am a slow loser also.
I started out losing quickly and then gained some back at the holidays while my mom was here and I couldn't work out.
I have been slowly taking it back off since.
Won't be doing THAT again !
I had a two month plateau that really sucked but thankfully some MFPers helped me adjust some settings ( high protein, low carb, no white sugar or white flour ( or white anything really ) and up-ed my water again too ).
The scale is moving again and I am losing inches.

Add me if you like

~Louisa

tryinghard71

If someone already mentioned this I apologize. I would suggest staying away from the scale and only weighing once a month maybe. I too am a slow loser. I started measuring myself weekly and logging. Even though the scale was not moving I was losing 1/2 inch to an inch a week. Measure waist, thighs, hips, etc... You will be happy how motivating your measurements are over what the scale says.

AntShanny

I got serious on February 1st and as of Friday am down 13.2lbs...pretty slow compared to a lot of people on here, but I'm okay with that. I maybe want to lose 20 more pounds, don't really have an ultimate goal in mind.
I still eat a lot of the same stuff I always have, jsut less of it. I'm in it for the long haul and really don't want to give up anything! You only live once and I want to enjoy it...thinnner and healthy of course, but I want to still eat cupcakes and ice cream and M&M's. I'm not one of those who is strict with eating "clean"...there's a lot of good dirty stuff to eat out there!

anku08

AAh I am slowest of all i guess :happy:
I have been trying to lose weight for like last 2 months... and hardly lost 3 lbs...
But i just keep doing it as i saw my body change..
not much of it though.. hardly lost 1 inch off from waist... but lost my double chin successfully.. i sweat like just out of shower and work hard.. but still every body has its own speed.. so what if I am slow loser.. people around me are weak even if they are healthy.. I can run if I want to.. I can carry some heavy weight...
just keep saying to your self

i AM STRONGER BECAUSE FIGHTING WITH YOU OWN BODY FOR ITS GOOD IS NO EASY TASK.. BUT YOU CAN DO IT... :drinker:

ktrotter80

I feel your frustration! I have never worked so hard at it with such small results. I blame my problem on being of menopause age. I have tried replacing one meal a day with a Body by Vi shake and I've been going to Kosama for the last 51/2 weeks. It is the hardest exercise I've ever committed to. I lost 5 lbs in 3 the first 3 weeks with the combination of the shakes/exercise. I'm still cutting way back and eating much smaller portions and healthier choices but can't lose any more! I have about 10 more to lose to be at a very healthy weight. But, I'm glad that I'm heading in the right direction on the scale and that is the most important thing. And I think losing at a slow rate will help you to maintain the loss. Most people that I know that drop at 4 lbs a week don't keep it off in the long run.

auntiebabs

Losing slow is the way to go!

I found making a series of small changes, was less stressful than changing everything all at once. And it made it easier to stick with it.

Started in Sept 2010 and was down 32 lbs by Jan 2012.
I felt like picking lose 2 lbs a week would be setting myself up for failure.
Part of the time I did lose 1 lb a week and when MFP started giving me only 1200 calories a day I switched to lose .5 lb a week

The targets and goals are really just a "best guess" scenerio.
The benefit of tracking everything religiously is that you get to see cause an effect and modify your behavior to what works for you.

Sonyakrueger8

I lost a lot at first and now that I am within a few pounds of my goal its very painfully slow. It drives me crazy to see the same number everyday.

We will get there!

apbush10

But you lost 4 pounds. That is better than nothing. I know what you mean, I don't seem to lose it as fast as I would like, and I have so much to lose. Keep trying and keep tracking what you eat. It will work eventually. Make sure you eat enough or you body goes into starvation mode and slows your weight loss.

Annette

ChanniVincent

Hello, dont get discouraged ! I starting dieting and exercising for over 5 months before signing up for this site and i've only lost about 25 pounds in over 5 months, but i just keep looking for new things to try and healthier things to try, and definately different workouts to do I hope you keep moving forward, because thats where your going Remember, your changing your life, and slow change is better than no change!

KylBlade

My wife and I are working together at losing our extra baggage. It has taken years to get this way, and we both know it will take years to send it packing. However, I've just gotten onto the other side of a 4 week lull. It was disheartening to get on the scale and see no loss or even possibly an extra pound. I knew I was keeping to my calories so the weight gain was less than fun to see. This is when I decided it wasn't so important to see loss. I want a new lifestyle - not just less weight. So, i'm sticking with this regardless of the weight loss. I know with my previous course I was shortening my good years. Now, I'm working to get them back.

On a side note, I did realize that my weight loss started back up when I changed two things....

1) Increased my calorie intake. I was no where near what MFP was telling me I should be eating. I was short changing myself by 800 calories a day. However, the act of eating better meant that my foods weren't nearly as calorie dense. So, I wasn't actually hungry. I've not been hungry once during this. I have actually started intentionally eating things higher in calories. Nutella seems to be an easy way to drop in some extra calories without adding a lot of bulk. And almonds! I've been using half a serving (14 nuts) as a light snack.

2) Making Breakfast/Lunch my biggest meal. With a job it is hard to eat right for breakfast or lunch. We tend to pack on the heavy calories at supper. Well, I've noticed some benefits by making either breakfast or lunch the largest meal.

Regardless, my best suggestion is don't think of this like a diet. Your goal isn't to lose weight, but to take care of the machine. Losing weight is just a happy byproduct. Or, at least, that seems to be keeping me motivated.

zombilishious

I lost just over 20lbs easily and quickly. Then I incorporated heavier lifting into my exercise routine 3 days a week, along with the extra nutrition to feed my muscles. I've been losing and gaining the same 3lbs ever since. That being said, I've gone from a size 12 to a size 8 - all while losing and gaining the same 3lbs. In other words, I'm losing fat but gaining muscle, so I'm getting smaller. And I'm never hungry! Even though I still want to lose a total of another 17-25lbs, I'm happy with where i'm going and I really do like my body for the first time in a long time!

All our changes are good. We are learning to fuel our bodies with proper nutrition and exercise. We are getting stronger and find we can do things we never did before, like run a mile, or carry 6 heavy grocery bags at one time. We are learning lifestyle changes. We are finding our confidence again - and our fearlessness.

I didn't gain 1-2lbs a week over 6-12 months. More like over 5-6 years. It's not healthy to lose it quickly. If it was, we'd all get surgery and keep eating Big Macs!

You got this. Never give up on yourself!

DeniseB0711

According to the ticker on your profile page, you have 9 pounds to lose. Considering that, a loss of 1/2 to 1 pound per week is a nice healthy rate so you're actually right on target. Be proud of your success!!

I need to change my goal back to the long term "healthy weight goal"

Denise

PaveGurl

I feel you! In the last five months, I've lost less than 15 pounds (sssLLLLoooOoooooooOOOOoowwww LOL). but I'm making small changes to my habits and diet, and in the end... I think it's better fro me 'cos I'm making them NEW habits instead of a knee-jerk reaction.

I also had to make sure I was getting enough sleep - that was really messing me up!

reneelee

Boy it is tuff when the scale doesn't do what we want it to. I have maintained the same weight since December 2010. Still eating healthy and working out hard. I think it is because I'm so close to goal, could even stop lossing now and be on the high side of normal weight. Just wanted to be in the low to middle range of normal weight, because I know that menopause is comming my way.
I read once that when gaining weight your body will only let you gain so much then your bones need time to get stronger to support the pounds it is going to let you gain. I believe this, because thinking back I would eat terrible for a long time and have no weight gain then suddenly I would be up 5-10 pounds as if it happend overnite. So maybe this is in reverse the body nneeds time for the skin to shrink and know that it is still going to be fed. When i first started lossing weight i was told to eat .5 multi grain english muffin with real butter on it within 30 minutes of wake up. This worked for me and I thnk the reason she wanted me to do this was to let my body know it is getting fed and being fed some fat , so start burning tthem calories body. sorry so long.

omma_to_3

Me! In the first year I averaged about .8 lbs. per week (with some bigger losses, and some gains in there). I'm currently (the last two months) been upping my calories and losing more slowly (ugh) at about .5 to .6 per week. I haven't decided if I'll lower my calories back or not. But at least it's still moving!



This before picture was around my all time high, so not where my ticker started. But WOW!

Mustangsally1000

I've been at this for about 65 weeks..and have lost 41# so far, so it's about 1/2 # a week. I find it very frustrating, because it isn't 1/2# per week. I have so many weeks where I go up and down a pound or two and feel like I'm getting nowhere. I need to look at the over all picture. Very frustrating. But I keep plugging away at it.

I'd like to lose another 15# and then re-evaluate where I am, how I feel, and if it is realistic to think I could lose any more.

MFP saves me every single day!

StevLL

Slow is good in my book. Been at this 18months and while the scale does not move, the NSV's (non scale victories) are more importane to me. Lower BP, dropped 8 inches so far off waist, dropped from 4xl to 2x in polos and a baggy 3xl in drss shirts and AC1 is in the normal. you are doing great! Good luck, stay focused andf enjoy the journey.

Vicki66C

When I first started last fall, I lost weight at a rate of about 2 lbs per week. Then I hit what felt like a brick wall. Every Friday morning the scale kept telling me the same thing, no weight loss.....for 6 months! Last Friday though I was finally 2 lbs lighter and so darn excited to weigh in that day, my hard work was starting to pay off.

During these 6 months I also started taking photos on the 1st of each month in the bikini I am planning to wear on vacation at the end of June. I knew the scale can be a big liar so I wanted to see if I could see the changes I felt had to be happening with how hard I was working out and not to mention how hungry I was on a daily basis trying to stay within my calorie count. I also increased my daily calorie intake limit from 1200/day to 1340/day. Been doing this for the last 2 months and well, the 2 lbs speak for themself.

As for motivation, lean on your MFP friends, read the success posts for motivation and stay positive. Try little things and make sure to celebrate Non-Scale Victories. I get so excited when a pair of pants that previously was a bit snug is now easily zipped and buttoned. Or when my knee-high socks don't pinch. Still waiting for the day I can turn in the mirror and not have back fat - oh I am so looking forward to the day.

Feel free to add me as a friend and any time you need a laugh, kind word, a jolt or cattle prod, I'll be there for ya.

Great advise! As much as I hate having my photo taken at this size, I do like your idea,

trhjrh06

Well I have been at this for 10 1/2months and have been averaging around 1.33lbs a week. Some weeks I've lost more other weeks I haven't lost but I've lost 56lbs in 10 1/2months so that averages to 1.33lbs a week.
It isn't easy looking at all the posts of people losing 100+lbs in a year or less and here I am 10 1/2 months in and I've only lost 56lbs. But you know what? I've lost 56lbs!!!!!!!!!!! I could still be sitting on the couch weighing 274lbs. But I'm not. I'm at 218 and yes I still have a ways to go. But everyone is different. Try different things. Try changing your calorie intake..up or down it depends.

Just keep moving forward. You got this!
Also don't pay attention just to the scale take measurements and pictures! Pictures have really helped me realize. Cause sometimes looking in the mirror its still hard to see..

jlinam80

It's taken me 2 years to loose 70lbs. Which averages out to less then 1lb a week. I think shows like Biggest Looser set you up to feel like a failure when you just loose .2lbs instead of 10lbs in a week, but in all reality if you want it to stay off slow and steady is the way to go. Stick with it. I just did a 10k obstacle course over the weekend, and if you'd asked me even last year if I thought I could do it I would have said not a chance in heck. I haven't been loosing much lately, but I've been getting a lot stronger, and sometimes that's all you have to go by, and I figure that's good enough for me.

Ingadinga

I have lost 30 lbs since last August, and pretty much at goal. I just want to tone up a bit more. Like others I find it easier to maintain this weight than when I lost a lot of weight in a shorter period of time. Granted I did lose around 1-2 lbs a week at the beginning of tracking my food.
Also, I noticed that I go a month without losing any weight, then I suddenly lose 3 lbs. Then stay at that weight for a while before dropping more, it's not a plateau effect, just the way my body loses the extra pounds.

forsophia2009

I had always lost very quickly through crazy diets. But as quickly as I would lose, I would also gain. I lost 30 through LA Weight Loss and then gained 45. I lost 8lbs through some crazy juice fast diet and then gained 15. Etc., my entire adult life.

For the first time in my life I have actually kept my weight off. I started in January 2011 through watching portion sizes and exercising and have lost 42lbs since then. I haven't gained more than 1-3lbs during this time. It has been sloowwwww but it's gone for good. I have 40 more to go.