Not even close to giving up BUT !!!!

All MFP's

I am in this for the long haul, been working hard for 3 months with some "ok" results (23lbs) but like many many many before me, the lack of any measurable success after a rather consistent loss pattern and despite truly dedicated effort begins to wear you down. You do start to think why work so hard if nothing you do seems to move the bar (Down)

I religiously log my meals, even have the Body media fit that I wear 23 1/2 hrs a day, and routinely show 1000-1500 cal deficit each and every day.. They math says that should equal 2lbs a week. I just can't seem to figure this out.

Signed
Frustrated but not quitting

Replies

  • Wow, well done on the 23lbs! That's really good.

    And, you know, before I try to answer your question - the dedication and work you're showing alone is something to be proud of, no matter what the results are. Just for that you should be proud.

    As for why not 2lbs a week... Man, I don't know. In the past I could go for two months and not lose anything. Sometimes, I would lose 0.2lbs in three weeks, then 5lbs the next. It just isn't an exact science. I'm sure other people will have a better explanation, so I'll leave it to them. I just wanted to say well done. :)
  • thoseblueeyes
    thoseblueeyes Posts: 812 Member
    Hi mgreenham,

    Please don't get frustrated it willl happen. Have you switched up your calories so you might have high for a few days then drop down to low ( lower by a 200 than what you normally do) ? I would try that also if your eating the same thing almost daily or have the same exercise daily your body gets use to it. I would try switching that up too. I would love to be your friend if you would like one. Just send my an invite.

    Keep it up and I promise it will come off.

    Jodi
  • You are losing though - 23 lbs in 3 months is not bad at all! Lifting weights will help you maintain your muscle mass and prevent you from being "skinny fat" after you lose the weight. But eating at an extreme deficit over time may stall your weight loss. Try lowering the deficit to lose 1 lb per week or .5 lbs per week or even maintain for a week, and let your metabolism recover, and then you could go back to the 2 lb/wk loss. "Mixing it up" for your very adaptable metabolism helps a lot of people break plateaus.
  • toofatandy
    toofatandy Posts: 74 Member
    Just think had you not commenced your program 3 months ago, you could be 23 lbs heavier. Maybe your low daily cal intake is having an adverse effect on your weight loss at this current stage.
    If affordable visit a dietician I am sure they would be able to point you in the right direction.
  • AmberJo1984
    AmberJo1984 Posts: 1,067 Member
    It's a lot easier said than done... but, please try not to get frustrated or discouraged. 23 pounds is a wonderful loss. Also... try to focus on some NSVs... Maybe inches lost, feeling better, more energy, etc... Try to focus on everything as a whole instead of just the scale.

    Again... I know this is easier said than done. I still fight the frustration at times... but, it does get easier.
  • MrsPixelbark
    MrsPixelbark Posts: 175 Member
    23 pounds in three months is far better than just "ok". Lets do the maths- 23 pounds over three months (so, roughly around 12 weeks) equates to a 1.9 pound loss per week. Yes, maybe you aren't seeing it on a weekly basis, but weight is a funny thing, and whilst sometimes it comes off linearly - other times it comes off in chunks (where perhaps it has come off linearly but the scale has hidden it with water weight/time of the month etc).

    Keep putting one step in front of the other, you are loosing weight, at a rather rapid pace actually. Just remember, it will have taken a long time to put on this weight, you can't expect it to fall off overnight: slow and steady wins the weight loss race.
  • mgreenham
    mgreenham Posts: 40 Member
    Thanks all, You are all RIGHT!!! I really like the insight that at times weight falls off in chunks rather than a simple straight line.. Again this is why I think this method is far more successful than any other method... People like you guys willing to share the obvious when those discouraged needs it...

    Thanks again all
  • vice350z
    vice350z Posts: 1,066 Member
    it took you a while to get overweight...willl take you a while to get not-overweight.

    Keep it up...you're just more conscious of trying to lose weight than gaining weight.
  • glenette1
    glenette1 Posts: 140 Member
    I too follow the "plan" and do not see the weight come off as the formula suggests it should. However, nothing about our bodies works like a one size fits all math equation so regardless of how close the formula can be adjusted based on age, weight, height, etc it cannot take into account our individual body chemistry and metabolism. With that said, it remains only a mathematical calculation. We are not computers or robots so we can't program our weight loss, although it would be super nice. You are losing, which is what matters. We will all lose at different rates but it's the end result that matters so stay focused on the goal. You're doing great!!!
  • jerbear1962
    jerbear1962 Posts: 1,157 Member
    Keep up your great work...you will have ups and downs I went a whole month with no weight loss at all. Watch your body you may be gaining muscle and replacing that fat. Watch how your clothes fit, how your face, neck, hands, feet, legs and belly look. I first noticed that my feet lost weight and my hands as well. I gained a neck, calves, my veins started to show and now muscle definition in my arms. Dedication is so, so worth it...besides once you get down to your goal size you don't want to go back to your old eating habits and gain everything back...this is my new lifestyle and this is how I'm going to live the rest of my life.