Giving Up

JContrevo

The scale is a meaningless measure of your success. I have been the same weight since mid February and I workout 6 days per week. Since 1/1/2013 I have only missed 3 workouts. Success measures are all around you. True measures. How do you feel going up steps? Better, same or worse than when you started? What type of exercise are you doing? Weight training will shrink inches but not your weight. How are your clothes fitting vs. when you started?

Do not get weighed every day. Once per week is it. Have you taken beginning photos and measurements? Re-check those every 4 weeks.

You are doing this for health, flexibility and energy primarily. Remember that. The scale may move and it may not, but you are very likely seeing progress.

JoelleAnn78

if you want over night results go get surgery

And, with surgery..... don't expect the weight to stay off without serious commitment after the fact.

LuciaLongIsland

Patience. You need patience. If you want instant gratification, it isn't gonna happen here. If you lose it fast you will gain it back.

LuciaLongIsland

The scale is a meaningless measure of your success. I have been the same weight since mid February and I workout 6 days per week. Since 1/1/2013 I have only missed 3 workouts. Success measures are all around you. True measures. How do you feel going up steps? Better, same or worse than when you started? What type of exercise are you doing? Weight training will shrink inches but not your weight. How are your clothes fitting vs. when you started?

Do not get weighed every day. Once per week is it. Have you taken beginning photos and measurements? Re-check those every 4 weeks.

You are doing this for health, flexibility and energy primarily. Remember that. The scale may move and it may not, but you are very likely seeing progress.

Well stated!

lilmissymoo90

if you want over night results go get surgery

And, with surgery..... don't expect the weight to stay off without serious commitment after the fact.

yeah my friend got surgery and shes had tons of problems she says she cant even enjoy food anymore i got offered a by pass as my bmi was over 40. free on the nhs ... i turned it down it was like someone saying to me ur fat u can't fix it we will .. then i became determined to prove every one wrong . wish i had of lost it all in 6 months 2 years and 40lb still to go ! my friend who got the bypass lost all the weight reallly quickly but now shes forcing herself to eat is sick often and cant eat certain foods i like the idea that its a lifestyle change and when i want a treat i can have one if im depressed i can have my icecream and a movie night.

Lovlilyn

... as per today I loss 35.5 pounds since January . Yes, this is a slow process ...

Sorry, 35lb in 4 months is not a slow process! That's almost 2lb a week. And, you must really be able to see results in such a short time. You are very fortunate.

ILiftHeavyAcrylics

not enough commitment for what results your looking for. work out more, eat right and youll get better results. its 30 times harder to lose than to gain lol

This. If you're ready to call it quits after just three weeks, you aren't going to make it all the way.

I really don't want to quit, i guess... I'm just frustrated and feel like I am depriving myself with no gain, But thanks anyway, I will keep this in mind.

Are you feeling deprived of certain foods or just a quantity of food you had grown accustomed to? A reasonable (starting point) amount of calories shouldn't leave you feeling overly deprived. And why do you consider eight pounds as "no gain"?

I guess I just feel like I can't eat the things I want anymore and want to feel like it is not in vain. I lost the 8 lbs last month. None since...

It sounds like you just need to be more reasonable in your approach. Work the foods you want into your calorie goal. If you're eating enough calories it should not be a problem. I go with an 80/20 approach-- if I eat 1500 calories I make sure that 80% (1200 cals) is healthy food that is helping me meet my macros, and then I let myself have 20% (300 cals) of my calories in "treats." Lately I've been having ice cream every night.

sweetpea03b

I wish I had 8# off right now! I'm at about 7 weeks starting back and I've only lost 4#... but I've done this whole routine several times and I know that it gets harder everytime (which is why they say not to succomb to fad diets because of the YOYO thing).

Anyway, I've only been running a mile 4-5 days/week (as my knee allows) and some simple free weight circuits so I think this week i'm really going to kick it up a notch and see if that helps out any.

Good luck.

marygee1951

I am never far over my caloric intake

Maybe this?

rainbowcandy2004

Don't measure your progress in weight loss measure your progress in how you feel, how your clothes feel, and the complements you get from others. I lost 90lbs and gained back 40 over the winter months and I still have people at work telling me I look slimmer. That helps me to get back on track. Don't throw in the towel I stopped logging and watching what I ate and gained those 40 back. Hang in there and keep doing what you are doing!!!!

rachelmchll

Honey 8 pounds in 3 weeks is seriously amazing! That is a healthy weight loss. You've actually lost more in three weeks then what is standard and recommended (2 pound weight loss per week). What you want to also remember is that your body is adjusting and converting to new habits. You are gaining muscle and muscle weighs more than fat so if you have plateaued this week, it is likely because of your muscle gain, not because you haven't lost actual fat. I know how you feel, I'm only 6 weeks in and I've had a week or two where nothing happened on the scale, but you just have to keep pushing through it. The number on the scale is just a number. Is it great to see it go down? Absolutely. But you are also getting so much more out of this then a different number. You're getting healthier, stronger, and I don't know about you, but for me my mental and emotional health has been great too. Keep pushing. It WILL pay off.

tlvasa

You are just getting started. You have to be prepared to ride the waves of weight loss. As many have said in reply, you have to make some tweeks to what works for you, but ultimately, if you stick with the program, it will work. I went through the month of April with ups and downs and the finally it stuck.

Weight your food - you would be surprised at how many calories you can add just by eye-balling. We never seem to want to give ourself less, do we? Eat the calories back from exercise, but make sure you earned them. Don't overestimate your exercise calories. Did you sweat? Did you feel it? Like Jillian says: Don't phone it in. Work it!

Engage in the program with friends who are on the same mission. This is priceless support. If you don't know anyone personally, join one of the groups on MFP.

Most of all - attitude is everything. Although weightloss is your goal, it is really about changing to a more healthy lifestyle. You have to be mentally ready to go all the way.

rduhlir

Posting this without reading all the replies, so forgive me if this is repeative, and please don't take this as being mean, it isn't intended to be that, just tough love...

If you are ready to call in the towel over 3 weeks of losing 8 lbs, then you came into this not ready to commit. I am guessing you came into this thing thinking you were going to lose 20 lbs in a month like all those bogus diet fad ads on television, right? Well, here is the news flash. It doesn't work like that. Yes, the more you have to lose the easier it is...until you start having less and less to lose then it becomes hard. You lost 8 lbs in 3 weeks. That is over 2lbs a week, and you are not happy? You forget that you didn't get this way over night, it won't come off over night.

You need to first get your head in the game and realize this isn't going to happen over night. Go take a look at the success stores....there is one thing in common among all of them. Through the high calorie/low calorie/high carb/low carbs there is one thing that stands out that is the same across the board. What is it? Patience. Some of them have taken 3 years to lose the same amount you are trying to lose. If you really, truly want this, and your heart is fully in it then you will become one of them.

But....

If you are already upset because you only lost 8lbs....if you are fuming after only 3 weeks and already looking to throw in the towel, then you need to take a look in the mirror and ask yourself...are you ready for this? If not, then you need to focus getting your mind in the game, and then coming back when you are ready to buckle down and look at the slide show, not just the one small picture of 3 weeks.

Good luck on your journey.

barbaratrollman

I upped my water, upped my protein and tried to stay away from simple carbs. It could be that your body is adjusting. Don't give up, just give it one more week. I know that you can do it.

This is what I did too. I had been at a month long plateau, which was beginning to get a bit frustrating. I upped my protein and fat intake, avoided simple carbs, and drank more water. I also upped my daily net calorie intake goal from 1,200 (Which I had frequently been under each day.) to 1,390 (Which I also am frequently under each day).

Since then, late March, I've lost another 10 pounds. (Today is May 7.) I eat all the time and never let myself be hungry, and I feel super energetic and robust. I think upping my healthy fats and protein really made the difference.

mtbardell2013

We are hormonal creatures that are not always in control of our bodies.

That being said, we can also kick *kitten*, and nothing really can stop you from achieving your goal.

Maybe your gym routines were, well, routines. You need to mix it up and not only do cardio on the elliptical for 45 minutes every day day in and day out. Mix in strength training, cardio, high intensity for short periods, low intensity for longer periods, playing a sport, etc.

I also know that if I eat boring food every day I want to go crazy and eat an entire bag of chocolate chips...which happened recently... so make sure to keep your diet interesting, too.

ambmoore74

Been there, many times. It helps me to take the focus off the poundage and just indulge in what I feel like doing in respect to being active. Don't feel like going to the gym? Go for a walk, do some yard work. Don't feel like going outside? Dance to your favorite song! Become empowered by your own control to make those moves to improve your LIFE, not just your body. Drink ALOT of water, get enough sleep, and make good food choices.

That being said, myfitnesspal is a good tool, but it has some gliches. For example, it told me I had burned way too many calories on the treadmill. I looked up a calculator and adjusted. Make sure what you enter for food gives you a good calculation, also. Hope this helps, everyone desearves to be their best! Don't give up, if you do, don't feel so guilty you don't come back. Everyday is a new beginning when you are trying to get fit. It is in our hands.

Amyy1982

DON'T GIVE UP!! It takes time I know how you feel because I have been in your shoes many times in the past but I have finally accepted that losing weight is not a race! Slow and steady is the best way. I have had a few weeks with no weight loss but it WILL PASS! I promise Just keep going! You can try eating less carbs at night and a little more protein, that might help get the scale moving.

Good luck and again, don't give up!! :flowerforyou:

Ladyinwaiting4

i agree with this! It took me almost 3 years to get from 250 pounds to my current 177 pounds.

not enough commitment for what results your looking for. work out more, eat right and youll get better results. its 30 times harder to lose than to gain lol

This. If you're ready to call it quits after just three weeks, you aren't going to make it all the way.

cw822

So here I am in my third week as a user on MFP. I lost weight with no problem in the beginning. I am never overindulging, I am never far over my caloric intake, and I make sure to exercise at LEAST 3 times per week. WHY am I stuck at the same weight??? I know this is why I am where I am today. I tried in the past and when I didn't see the results of my hard work, I gave up.
Is there anyone out there with this problem now or who has been in my shoes?? What on earth did you do to jump start the weight loss again?? I am asking because I am this close to throwing in the towel... again.
And yes... I am a female. :sad:

I am always amazed at people who want to quit after a short period of time because the weight didn't just fall off completely after you tried for a few weeks? Did it only take you a few weeks to gain the weight??!

ajstacey

If it doesn't hurt, it's not working.

This is so true.