Most frustrating thing in my life....

BarbBlue
BarbBlue Posts: 251
in Fitness and Exercise
I think losing weight or should I say trying to lose weight has been the most frustrating thing I am trying to do in my life.
It is not an easy thing to do. I hate when people say, "it's easy - just eat less and work out more". Well, it isn't that easy. I have to lose this weight once and for all...but it is really tough. There is no easy fix and I am not asking for one. Just for the scale to move a little more easily and readily would be nice. Oh and less frustration would be great too!

Replies

  • sbocha01
    sbocha01 Posts: 9 Member
    It's all about the commitment. You've got to make eating well and working out often as part of your routine. When you overeat or indulge a bit and you feel like a slob, you're getting there. When you miss a day at the gym and you feel like your body's missing something, you're getting there.

    Figure out what motivates you. I tend to do well with negative motivation, so my friend and I text each about how fat we are, which makes me want to get into better shape.

    When you're working out, push yourself just a little bit harder once in awhile. When you're tempted to eat something that's not the best healthwise, think about it in terms of how long you'd have to be on a treadmill to work the calories off.
  • CSwitts
    CSwitts Posts: 14
    It is not easy at all! The people that say that are always the skinny *****es that can eat whatever they want! It took me a year to lose 20 lbs! A whole year. I go on this site and someone's like lost 100 in 5 days (okay a HUGE exaggeration) but sometimes it feels like that to me looking all those post about people losing weight so fast but then I realize its about the progress I've made. Its about the time I spent and how hard I work. Just because something is hard does not mean it is not worth while! I mean who doesn't want to look great naked?! You can do it no matter how hard. People will appreciate it eventually. It took me to get 5 lbs away from goal before people started saying how great I look and now I feel amazing. It will all pay off in the end.
  • Gallowmere1984
    Gallowmere1984 Posts: 6,626 Member
    Look at it this way: the body is a LOT more efficient than you may want to believe. The damage you do to a body over decades can easily be undone within a couple of years if you are truly dedicated to it.

    Taking me as an example: I spent the better part of my life doing nothing, getting fat, and smoking like a train. I am 27. In less than two months, I have lost more weight than I put on over the past five years, and just from qutting smoking for three weeks, I am breathing better than I did when I was 16.

    It's as simple as wanting it, and busting your *kitten* to get it. I don't run, I barely do any form of cardio. All I do is powerlift and eat clean. Already dropped 15 pounds in two months. When all else fails, push harder. If you're not literally dying, there still more room to push.
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    How long have you been at it? What sort of exercise do you do and how often? How many calories per day? How much protein? What is your weight loss goal? Have you lost any yet?

    :tongue: Sorry for the 20 questions, but wondering about these things and if I can offer any advice after working at my own weight/fat loss & fitness over the past few years. I've learned a lot just in the past year here on MFP, and have gotten some good results.

    I also cringe at the phrase, "eat less and exercise more", mostly because all too often it results in people drastically cutting calories (MFP's standard seems to be 1200 per day - that was my first setting!), and working out like mad trying to burn major calories on a daily basis (done that too!). Which for me, ultimately resulted in a little weight loss, and a lot of frustration and burnout.

    Finding the balance of eating less in the sense of less junky food, but eating enough calories to fuel your body for workouts was key. Along with eating the right amounts of protein, carbs and fats. And not going gonzo on the workouts was another issue. Strength training with weights and a bit of cardio has done wonders for me!

    Check out this topic if you haven't seen it yet: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

    Great info and links to tools to calculate your weight loss & calorie goals. I used it to manually set my numbers here at MFP. The fat is coming off, and I'm working out 5 or 6 days a week for about 45-60 minutes. I eat around 1800 calories a day or more. I'm nearly to my goal weight, and focusing on losing the fat and building lean muscle at this point, so I don't pay much attention to my scale - but the inches are still coming off and I keep having to buy smaller clothes! :smile:

    Check out the thread, read through it - it makes sense. I had to read it several times to wrap my head around all the info. :tongue: I hope it helps - I know it sucks to feel stuck with the weight loss and it's so frustrating!!
  • bulbadoof
    bulbadoof Posts: 1,058 Member
    It is easy. It's all numbers. Calories in - calories out = weight gain or loss. Anything else is overthinking it. Don't think about "I'm never gonna have ____ again" or "I am craving ____ so badly right now" or "one _____ can't hurt". Give yourself a number and do what you have to do to reach it. And that's all. It's only as hard as you make it.

    I've lost a total of almost 150 lbs over 2-3 years and completely turned my life around. I'm not one of those "skinny b*tches" who can eat whatever she wants. I'm someone who chose to make it easy.
  • mgobluetx12
    mgobluetx12 Posts: 1,326 Member
    It's NOT as simple as just wanting it or everyone in the world would be thin. I'm struggling as well...measuring my food, coming under my calorie goal every day, working out hard and losing SUPER SLOW. Like 3lbs per month slow. I'm not going to stop though, but it's a HUGE frustration point, so I totally feel your pain. You are not alone.
  • lovinmomma
    lovinmomma Posts: 77
    I hear you loud and clear! I am never over my calorie goal, work out 6 days a week 1-2 hrs at a time eat well and the wieght wont budge its hard! but keep it up but if you arnt skinny at least your healthy <3 we are in it together
  • anemoneprose
    anemoneprose Posts: 1,805 Member
    Losing weight is simple, but not easy.

    1 + 2 = 3, it just does. (Given enough time & consistent, accurately measured effort.)

    The learning process, though, the motivational stuff, finding support, those are the hard bits. It took me months of obsession (basically) to reprogram my eating and cooking habits.

    But, if someone like me could do it, anyone can. I was never a natural athlete. I love all kinds of food. I tend to do things in spurts, vs steadily, and sometimes procrastinate.

    (The smart thing I did was take advantage of a motivational window, a change in my life circumstance, that presented itself. I stayed with it long enough to feel generally better, and start to see some results. Can't see going back now :)
  • catapultlaunch
    catapultlaunch Posts: 17
    bump to read Amy's thread post suggestion later tonight specific to:

    "Check out this topic if you haven't seen it yet: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12&quot;

    Thank you, Amy!
  • anemoneprose
    anemoneprose Posts: 1,805 Member
    Figure out what motivates you. I tend to do well with negative motivation, so my friend and I text each about how fat we are, which makes me want to get into better shape.

    The rest of this post is great (as are others), but I wanted to pick this part out & elaborate a bit.

    Some people are really good at visualizing goals. They can see themselves crossing a finish line, or fitting into a bikini. (positive motivation)

    Others are more careful types, who tend to worry, & are motivated by avoiding risk (the negative motivation mentioned above).

    It's a good idea to use support strategies that fit your type. Either way works, it's just more effective if it matches your inclination.
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    bump to read Amy's thread post suggestion later tonight specific to:

    "Check out this topic if you haven't seen it yet: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12&quot;

    Thank you, Amy!
    You are welcome! Glad someone shared it with me - it has made a big difference for me. :bigsmile:

    Two more great things to read:
    This one is from another MFPer who inspires me, lots of comparison & progress photos & info on what she's learned and what she does now: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/709987-how-wrong-i-was-600-days-of-mfp-lotsa-pics

    And an article on all too common mistakes: http://www.shapefit.com/overtraining-exercising-too-much.html

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