Discouraged

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ppeanut78
ppeanut78 Posts: 7
in Motivation and Support
I am very frustrated and beginning to lose hope. I have been working my butt off for a while in attempt to lose weight. I was just running at least 4 times a week. I had gotten up to a mile without walking, which is great for me since I am far from a "runner". I still wasn't seeing results, so my doctor suggested increasing my workouts to an hour...so I have been. I started P90X 3 weeks ago. I also still run after my P90X routine. I have also been watching my calories. I am well under 1200 calories a day. I weighed 164 when I started, dropped 4 pounds in the first week, then dropped an additional 2 pounds in the next week, now at the end of this week I am back up to 161 (a 3 pound gain!). I don't always track my diet and exercise, but I keep it up every day -- I don't have cheat days on diet and I workout at least 4 times a week. I feel like I'm working hard for nothing. It's becoming discouraging.

Replies

  • Heidi64
    Heidi64 Posts: 211 Member
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    I'm bumping this b/c I'm dying to see some responses!
  • Alissakae
    Alissakae Posts: 317 Member
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    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/PrayerofAmity/view/to-all-my-friends-who-are-netting-less-than-1000-calories-and-wondering-why-they-aren-t-losing-weight-399342

    This thread may be helpful to you. It's possible you are getting too few calories! And try to track every day, it's very helpful.
  • megsmom2
    megsmom2 Posts: 2,362 Member
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    Sorry you're having a tough time. Losing isn't a linear process...sometimes you just have to be patient. I would advise you that logging your food and exercise, and being really diligent and honest about it, can be very very helpful. Good luck...you can do this!
  • g4genn
    g4genn Posts: 58 Member
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    Maybe it's muscle?

    Have you considered incorporating muscle building in your runs? Lungs, squats, push ups and burpees.

    My trainer gave me this great article on only running to lose weight and it cleared up a lot of my questions .
    http://www.fitnessforever.com.au/2012/04/why-slow-sustained-running-makes-you-a-skinny-fat-person/

    Maybe it will help, maybe it won't.

    Also, you have to give your body time to adjust to any new routine, and new can be 6 months.

    I know it's hard to see the scale stuck or worst going up but you can do it. Stay on track with your eating and activity and it will come. Don't forget to drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.

    You are doing great and the effort will pay off, don't give up.
  • SherryTeach
    SherryTeach Posts: 2,836 Member
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    If you "don't always track your diet" how do you really know how many calories you are eating. We are notoriously poor at estimating food intake. If you are frustrated, spend some time tracking everything accurately and see where you are.
  • fanipack
    fanipack Posts: 28
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    I am very frustrated and beginning to lose hope. I have been working my butt off for a while in attempt to lose weight. I was just running at least 4 times a week. I had gotten up to a mile without walking, which is great for me since I am far from a "runner". I still wasn't seeing results, so my doctor suggested increasing my workouts to an hour...so I have been. I started P90X 3 weeks ago. I also still run after my P90X routine. I have also been watching my calories. I am well under 1200 calories a day. I weighed 164 when I started, dropped 4 pounds in the first week, then dropped an additional 2 pounds in the next week, now at the end of this week I am back up to 161 (a 3 pound gain!). I don't always track my diet and exercise, but I keep it up every day -- I don't have cheat days on diet and I workout at least 4 times a week. I feel like I'm working hard for nothing. It's becoming discouraging.

    How are your P90X workouts ? Have you improved since Day 1 til now ?

    If so , i'm almost certain you're getting stronger which equates to gaining muscle ( good weight ) while potentially burning fat assuming you're at a caloric deficit.

    I've hovered about 170-175 for the past 4 months but have dropped 2 pant sizes. Don't give up and remember it truly is a LIFE STYLE CHANGE.

    Track everything you eat , even if you go over your daily caloric needs , track it! Tracking 75% of what you actually eat is good as useless.

    Good Luck !
  • Gidzmo
    Gidzmo Posts: 905 Member
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    Your body is adjusting to a new routine. Losing weight, unfortunately, is never a straight line. It's up, down, up, down, and sometimes sideways. (I'm at the sideways point right now).

    Sometimes you have to make adjustments along the way (this is where the tracking comes in handy).

    Don't be discouraged at the seeming lack of progress. Make whatever adjustments you need to (as everyone's metabolism is different, what works for me won't always work for you).

    But don't give up! :flowerforyou:
  • singingsoprano
    singingsoprano Posts: 19 Member
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    I am very frustrated and beginning to lose hope. I have been working my butt off for a while in attempt to lose weight. I was just running at least 4 times a week. I had gotten up to a mile without walking, which is great for me since I am far from a "runner". I still wasn't seeing results, so my doctor suggested increasing my workouts to an hour...so I have been. I started P90X 3 weeks ago. I also still run after my P90X routine. I have also been watching my calories. I am well under 1200 calories a day. I weighed 164 when I started, dropped 4 pounds in the first week, then dropped an additional 2 pounds in the next week, now at the end of this week I am back up to 161 (a 3 pound gain!). I don't always track my diet and exercise, but I keep it up every day -- I don't have cheat days on diet and I workout at least 4 times a week. I feel like I'm working hard for nothing. It's becoming discouraging.

    If you're well under 1200, you probably are eating too little. You really might want to try to net close to the 1200 give or take 100. Plus, water weight will easily bump you up or down 3 pounds, even over the course of the day. I'm assuming you weigh yourself always at the same time of day, with the same clothes (or lack thereof).

    Be merciless with recording what you eat...the only exception I make is cruciferous veggies without dressing...I consider them free foods...

    And bear in mind that fast weight loss leaves flabby skin in its wake...your body needs time to adapt to the new weight alignment.

    Consider taking a profile shot once a week...that's my motivation on the 0-1 lb weight loss weeks. You're getting stronger, healthier, faster, leaner...don't let a scale (which is not likely perfect anyway) dictate your joy...
  • ppeanut78
    ppeanut78 Posts: 7
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    Because I am starving! Haha. I'm pretty sure that I am staying under 1200 even when I don't track. I don't have much variation to my diet...salads and chicken pretty much. I could be wrong, I was very surprised when I started tracking a few weeks ago...so many calories in the foods I love! Thanks for the advice!
  • ppeanut78
    ppeanut78 Posts: 7
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    Thank you everyone for your encouragement and advice! I'll keep tracking! I measured myself tonight....and I have lost 3/4 of an inch from my thigh and 1/2 inch from my waist...so that was uplifting. Thank you, again!
  • megleo818
    megleo818 Posts: 595 Member
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    Yep, you have to track ALL of your meals and snacks EVERY day. Period.

    Even if you're keeping a good and accurate mental tally of the number of calories you've ingested, if you don't track your actual foods and beverages you won't be able to look back and see where your body hit a snag. Could be your particular body does better with fewer carbs or more fat or less sodium or whatever combination of the many factors you can analyze if you have the data. If you don't enter it, you can't tweak it. Also, if you don't enter your exercise against your calories, you lose the ability to easily compensate for whatever you've worked off -- easy to build up a deficit or "invent" a deficit that doesn't actually exist.

    Bottom line: Use your tool. MFP that is. :happy:
  • avir8
    avir8 Posts: 671 Member
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    You might be doing too much so that it becomes counterproductive, but don't go by the scale go by the measurements, soon you'll see toning and shape that will show off your hard work
  • blackgem98
    blackgem98 Posts: 5 Member
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    Consistency is key! Just keep going. Remember, some women hold onto water once a month. Make sure you don't let that small weight fluctuation affect your workouts and eating habits. It IS working. When you gain, thats when you have to buckle down and keep ploughing forward. As mentioned before, weigh at the same time each morning, use the same scale, and dressed the same. When it gets rough, sit down and reflect on the positive. You ran a mile! Heyyyyy.... You are doing P90X, which means you've done tons of push-ups, pull-up, and Plyometrics of all things! You are a rockstar. :-)
  • aswinter
    aswinter Posts: 13 Member
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    I know some facts about losing weight, but it's hard to keep them consistent with my life.
    One thing I know is that even if you are under your calories, it really is all about WHAT you eat. I've read articles that suggest drinking a glass of lemon water in the morning because something in the lemon juice helps jump your metabolism for the day.
    Always eat a high protein and carb breakfast to give you enough energy to go throughout the day.
    Also, your body adjusts to a workout if you do it day after day after day so try to switch up your routine to different kinds of activites (doesn't have to just be the typical run/walk/swim/bike, you can try jump rope, dancing, walk climbers, etc etc)
    And like someone else pointed out earlier the best way to burn more calories is definitely incorporating strength training.

    hope this helps!!

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