WHy are the first 5lbs the harded??
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Who the hell do you know who's lost 5 lbs a week?? NOT SAFE. :noway: :noway: You should never go over two a week, one pound a week is awesome. Remember, you didn't put on 5 lbs a week when you were gaining weight, you shouldn't LOSE 5 lbs a week while trying to get rid of it. You put it on slowly, you take it off slowly, that's how it works. Keep doing what you're doing, BE PATIENT, and you'll get there!
Edited to clarify 5 lbs of FAT a week is not safe. Some ppl lose that much in the beginning, but as a previous poster said, it is most likely water weight, and slows way down after a week or two.0 -
You have to exercise consistently...even if it's squats, push ups, jogging in place, jumping jacks, investing in a pair of dumbells in front of the TV if it's too dark out to go outside. Fit it in somewhere...
No excuses, play like a champion.0 -
No need to get defensive about it.
3 lbs is great. If you don't have time to exercise as long or as hard as someone else, then just do the best you can. But, you asked why some are losing weight faster.
I looked at a couple of days of your diary. It looks like you are eating a lot of processed food. Maybe try to shift away from high salt processed foods and shift to more fresh vegetables. It isn't that hard. If you can't swing fresh, try frozen vegetables, and stay away from lean cuisines, and Sargento snacks. They aren't that good for you and relative to the calories you are consuming, the aren't very satisfying. Second, I see that there are mystery meals. Are you sure you are accurately estimating how many calories you are consuming?
None of this is criticism. Even 1 lb a week is about 36 lbs in a year.
I completely see what you're talking about. But as for the "mystery foods". That was just two days, because over the weekend I was at cook-outs and wasn't able to track exactly what I was eating. Yes they are pretty accurate, I did make sure, and I did my homeowrk on that. As for the lean cuisines, it's easier to eat for lunch, and that is the only time I eat them, is for lunch. Like I said, I work all day, and am busy during the weekends, that I cannot prepare my foods for the week ahead most of the time. I do look at the nutritional facts on the lean cuisines also. As for the sargento snacks, that was one for last night - a cheese stick. One is not going to hurt me. Sorry I am a college student, that I do go from my job to class, and I don't have time to sit down and eat a proper meal in between the time. And by the time I get home from class, which is late, I'm not that hungry and prefer not to eat a big meal right before sleep.
I am not getting defensive, I am simply stating my facts about my life.0 -
Open your diary... It would allow people to help you out a lot better.
Edit: you did open it.0 -
I lost my first 11lbs in three weeks, which I guess equals out to more than 3lbs a week.
I just went total cold turkey on everything bad for me, and put 110% into working out and eating clean. I absolutely did not cheat once in that first month, I worked out ever single day for at least an hour, I cut alcohol, cut junk food and sugar (with the exception of fruit a few times a week). I actually found the first 25-30lbs the easiest to lose....I'm down to the last 10lbs now and I'm finding that to be the hardest and slowest. I think when you have a lot of excess fat, it can be easy to burn off if you really commit to doing it.
pretty much this. i went hard for the first month and saw great results which made me want to keep it up, now its getting a little tougher because i know i can get away with certain things and still lose kind of lol0 -
Hey, congrats on losing 3 lbs so far. I found it very difficult to even lose a pound in a week because I've got PCOS. I went to the gym, ate healthy, tried everything...but they didn't work. I started the cambridge diet a week ago and I lost 8 pounds in a week! I'll definitely continue. If you can, give it a try and good luck in all your endeavours xx0
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i found the first lbs to be the easiest of all... they are usually water weight. you need to check yourself again. are you using a food scale to weigh things? are you counting EVERYthing you eat? are you drinking enough water? are you working out? need more info to be able to help0
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Girl. The last 5 lbs are the hardest. :explode:0
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Ha ha ha. No, my dear, the LAST 5lbs are the hardest. :happy: I didn't get on the scale at all the first 6 weeks I was on MFP. Seriously. I just followed the program and kept my fingers crossed. As a side note, nowadays I ignore it almost entirely.
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No need to get defensive about it. 3 lbs is great. If you don't have time to exercise as long or as hard as someone else, then just do the best you can. But, you asked why some are losing weight faster.
I looked at a couple of days of your diary. It looks like you are eating a lot of processed food. Maybe try to shift away from high salt processed foods and shift to more fresh vegetables. It isn't that hard. If you can't swing fresh, try frozen vegetables, and stay away from lean cuisines, and Sargento snacks. They aren't that good for you and relative to the calories you are consuming, the aren't very satisfying. Second, I see that there are mystery meals. Are you sure you are accurately estimating how many calories you are consuming?
None of this is criticism. Even 1 lb a week is about 36 lbs in a year.
THIS.
OP you made A LOT of excuses as to why you won't work out, so why do you think you'll lose weight?
Do you want to be exactly where you are a year from now? Or do you want to look back at those excuses and still be overweight? If you don't care and you're not ready, that is what it is and that's ok. We all have to get to where we are TRULY ready to lose it before it happens.
But, to answer your question.... THAT"S why the first 5lbs is the hardest for you........because you have loads of excuses as to why you aren't really going to lose the weight.0 -
after taking a quick peak at your diary i dont think I saw one thing that wasnt processed or packaged. even your small serving of fruit was packaged... you need to weigh alternatives to find the best options for optimal weight loss, packaged food isnt the best. im a hypocrite for saying that, but at least i work the F out after eating something i shouldn't and still lose
start tracking your sodium. im guessing your way over. and whats all the quick adds that are in the 1000's? just curious. im guessing this is why you havent seen more progress. 0 -
Looks like you have a lot of quick added calories in your diary. Maybe you are under estimating the amout of calories you are eating. Also I would keep track of your sodium intake. Maybe you have lost weight but are retaining so much water that you can't tell.
Everyone is different and their bodies react differently. I generally will lose a lot early on. You may have to adjust what you are doing untill you find out what works best for you and then that may change in a few months. Try not to get discouraged. If this were an easy process we would all be thin already. Good luck!!!0 -
Don't compare yourself to others. A pound a week is good. 5-10 lbs in one week is water weight, or serious illness.
I must point out that Zaphod and I are in complete agreement. I've lost over 5lbs in a week before, but it was fluid I had been retaining because of a serious illness. Seriously, l pound a week is super healthy.
Oh, and you're doing yourself a disservice if you're sitting on the couch eating processed food all day.0 -
I feel your pain. I've lost *maybe* 3 lbs. To the point where in the 6 weeks I've been doing MFP it's not even clear to me that I've lost weight at all (since as you know, your body will fluctuate up down by so many pounds on a regular basis). What others have said about water weight and weightloss not being linear is totally true. Most people who suddenly start losing weight after upping/lowering their calories are probably just finally getting their body to shift water weight. We women can hang on to a LOT of water weight. It can mask actual fat loss going on. It's true the more you have to lose the easier it will be. It's also true that if you've been dieting recently or maybe have been doing some working out over the last couple months, your body won't be so "surprised" by your new diet/exercise so you won't see the early easy weight loss that many on this site do.
Exercise - technically you don't NEED exercise to lose weight. And the more you need to lose, the less you really "need" it. Weight is lost in the kitchen not the gym as they say. I feel your pain here as well. I wanted to start a running program and was working full time while in school part time. I was never able to stick with and get serious with it until I was done with school. So the people who say "you make the time" I get that it's not always easy. And I couldn't make the time until those aspects of my life lined up. But it doesn't have to be running. Walking is probably my favorite exercise for weight loss. I try to walk just here and there for five minutes or whatever on a break at work. Maybe you could try to add more walking inbetween classes or on breaks and that sort of thing. And I totally get not being in safe place, I actually go drive most nights to where I run, so I can be in a safe place when I am running. Seems counterintuitive to go drive somewhere to run somewhere, but I figure what helps it get done is more important :happy: Also highly HIGHLY recommend weight lifting. If you don't have weights, plenty of body resistance exercises you can do (squats, lunges, pushups, can look up online good beginner routines). The reason exercise is so highly recommended is not because it's so essential for weight loss, but because it really helps with FAT loss. And you want to lose fat, not fat AND muscle. Good luck.0 -
No need to get defensive about it. 3 lbs is great. If you don't have time to exercise as long or as hard as someone else, then just do the best you can. But, you asked why some are losing weight faster.
I looked at a couple of days of your diary. It looks like you are eating a lot of processed food. Maybe try to shift away from high salt processed foods and shift to more fresh vegetables. It isn't that hard. If you can't swing fresh, try frozen vegetables, and stay away from lean cuisines, and Sargento snacks. They aren't that good for you and relative to the calories you are consuming, the aren't very satisfying. Second, I see that there are mystery meals. Are you sure you are accurately estimating how many calories you are consuming?
None of this is criticism. Even 1 lb a week is about 36 lbs in a year.
I completely see what you're talking about. But as for the "mystery foods". That was just two days, because over the weekend I was at cook-outs and wasn't able to track exactly what I was eating. Yes they are pretty accurate, I did make sure, and I did my homeowrk on that. As for the lean cuisines, it's easier to eat for lunch, and that is the only time I eat them, is for lunch. Like I said, I work all day, and am busy during the weekends, that I cannot prepare my foods for the week ahead most of the time. I do look at the nutritional facts on the lean cuisines also. As for the sargento snacks, that was one for last night - a cheese stick. One is not going to hurt me. Sorry I am a college student, that I do go from my job to class, and I don't have time to sit down and eat a proper meal in between the time. And by the time I get home from class, which is late, I'm not that hungry and prefer not to eat a big meal right before sleep.
I am not getting defensive, I am simply stating my facts about my life.
The last time I lost a lot of weight, I learned that preparing lunch and bringing it with me was one of the biggest factors in maintaining weight loss. Preparing a healthy diet friendly lunch that isn't processed junk isn't time consuming. Some days, my wife would do it before she went to work, other days, I did it myself. It could be as simple as a turkey, tuna, or roast beef on whole grain, an apple, celery or carrot sticks, and a low fat yogurt.
Second, a lot of supermarkets and other retailers like Trader Joes have pre made individual salads. If you don't have time to make your own, buy those and take them with you.
Third, I thought I saw Sargento snacks in more than one diary. I can relate. I love Doritos and other salty spicy crunchy snacks. I haven't had one in 9 weeks. My son still eatst that junk, but it isn't for me anymore. While one packet of salty junk food won't blow the diet, I fear that you might be setting yourself up to fail. Seriously, try to go a week, two weeks, a month, without eating salty junk food snacks. You might be surprised how your body responds.0 -
One lb per week is good. What do you have your Goals set at? A few tips that hve helped me TREMENDOUSLY:
1) Measure and weigh everything, or at minimum, absolutely as much as you can. You may be eyeballing it and you might be off.
2) On any plate, in any meal - 1/2 vegetables/fruit, 1/4 meat-protein, 1/4 starch. Making a plate of spaghettit seems like it is low-cal, but you will be amazed at how much better you feel if you keep your pasta/rice/potato/bread to 1 serving (2 oz of Egg Noodles is enough for my husband and I to split, as a side dish) - also - make your starches count! Whole grains!!
3) Do NOT rely on MFP's calorie-burn numbers for exercise. Get yourself a heart rate monitor. A LOT of people have complained about using the MFP estimate, eating back their cals, only to find that they were actually going over because MFP's estimates were too high.
4) Water, water, water.
5) Frozen meals are hard to avoid, for some people. They are sometimes an easy way to keep portion control and calorie count. HOWEVER, a) They are frequently packed with sodium and b) Can sometimes leave you feeling hungry in no time. Consider packing a lunch and including a lot of lower calorie foods. You said you are starving when you get home, maybe eating more at lunch will help you control your evening eating, if you think that might be problematic for you.
Everyone is busy and has a lot on their plate. But, planning and prepping ahead of time will take you miles further. Relying on frozen meals and packaged snacks, as a convenience, is not the same as learning how to eat healthy and in moderation. Maybe try getting your food brain in complete order before trying to fit exercise in right now. Sometimes, making too many changes at once is a recipe for failure. Baby steps... Find a rhythm with your meals and snacks, and then incorporate fitness.
All of the above are what worked for me (including ditching the pre-packaged, pre-portioned stuff) and I lose 7-8 pounds per month. Slow and steady can be frustrating, for sure, but time is going to pass whether you do something or not. Better to look back at what you've accomplished, instead of what you COULD HAVE accomplished, with patience and persistence.0 -
3 lbs is fantastic! I know what you're thinking... if it's a pound a week, it will take forever... but before you know it, you will lose 25 and if you keep up a pound a week for a year (which no one really does that ... you'll probably go through a plateau or two), that would be like 52 pounds! That's a lot of weight.
If you lose it slowly, it's best... this means that you are maintaining lean body mass (muscle)... if you lose weight too weight too fast (especially by depriving yourself), you'll lose muscle mass and it will be harder and harder to maintain your weight-loss and you'll have more loose skin and flabbiness than you would if you lost it slowly and maintained more of your muscle.
Just think of it this way... you want to lose the right kind of weight... you want to lose mostly fat, not mostly muscle. It takes food and calories (the right kinds) to maintain muscle mass and to lose fat. 0 -
I really do appreciate everyone advice, or concerns.
Though, I am NOT making excuses. If I were, I wouldn't be trying to do anything. As for though, who say I need to change my eating habits entirely and looked at my food diary, obviously you are ONLY looking at the past few days. Like I said in the past, I was at a cook-out and I wasn't able to track my entire food that day. I did my research and the calories are roughly the same. Also, I've had a rough week, so no I haven't exercised since Thursday night, but everyone would see my regualy eating habits if they would have went back a week or two. I plan to exercise tonight, but please do not slam me for just looking at example from the past couple of days. Two days do not show someones life style to be able to critize it.
Like I said before, I do appreciate everyones opinion, and everyone has the right to their opinion. But please do not say hateful things to me, when I am simply asking for advice, and not for those to slam my lifestyle.0 -
GIRL! It's not hateful....it's called TRUTH! It's totally ok if you aren't in a place to do the work........but don't get offfended when you ASK for advice and then get called on your bad habits.
"I'm not making excuse BUT I CANT EAT GOOD BECAUSE OF XYZ AND I CANT WORK OUT BECAUSE OF XYZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Oh my word..........
How about you stick around for 3 months, and tell me how much you lose by then? Seriously. Add me as a friend and let's see your progress. Because if your excuses work for you, I'm TOTALLY changing how I do things. For reals. I could stand to stop "neglecting" my kids and sit around eating packed food with them all day.0 -
I really do appreciate everyone advice, or concerns.
Though, I am NOT making excuses. If I were, I wouldn't be trying to do anything. As for though, who say I need to change my eating habits entirely and looked at my food diary, obviously you are ONLY looking at the past few days. Like I said in the past, I was at a cook-out and I wasn't able to track my entire food that day. I did my research and the calories are roughly the same. Also, I've had a rough week, so no I haven't exercised since Thursday night, but everyone would see my regualy eating habits if they would have went back a week or two. I plan to exercise tonight, but please do not slam me for just looking at example from the past couple of days. Two days do not show someones life style to be able to critize it.
Like I said before, I do appreciate everyones opinion, and everyone has the right to their opinion. But please do not say hateful things to me, when I am simply asking for advice, and not for those to slam my lifestyle.
I actually haven't seen anything hatefull here. I've seen people trying to give advice, which you admit you asked for.
Bottom line is that you have to be ready and willing to make changes. The power is in your hands to decide to make changes or to continue looking for an easy way.
My advice, for whatever it's worth, is that you need to pick ONE thing to change. Just one. For example: commit to packing yourself a healthy mid-afternoon snack every day. If you want to continue with the frozen lunches, fine. But pack some fresh veggies or fruit for your afternoon snack. Do this every day for 2 weeks. Make it a habbit.
Once this has become your routine and you just do it without thinking about it anymore, then pick another thing to change. start carrying a large bottle of water everywhere you go. Seriously! Everywhere! You will get to a point where you will feel weird not having your water with you. Make it routine.
When the healthy snack and water become part of your routine and you no longer think about doing it, then add packing a healthier lunch to your routine. You're already packing the snack, so might as well throw the lunch in there with it!
These are just suggestions, do them in any order that works for you.
When you are ready to commit to making your health a priority and ready to make changes, then take control, take charge, and just do it!0
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