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  • RubyRed8067
    RubyRed8067 Posts: 301
    The scale is only one measure of your WL. The way you feel, the longer you last at the gym, the better your clothes fit all measure how well you're doing. Sometimes, you will plateau. Just make a few changes in your diet (not the same thing every day) and change up the workout schedule, and you'll start back losing again.
  • Sarahcuda
    Sarahcuda Posts: 76
    Patience!

    You didn't gain all this weight in a short time, so we can't expect to lose it in a short time. I completly understand how frusterating it is to see that scale drop, and drop, and drop, and then stop. My numbers didn't really change for 3 months... Just keep doing what you are doing. The number will go down and it will go up. Some days you will retain water more than others and that scale will go up. If you build muscle the scale may go up.

    The main point is not to give up. Sometimes we see these great loses at the begining of our journey and it almost feels like our body catches onto our plan and says "oh no you don't!" and then things slow down and stop. That's when most people give up. But if you persever you will succeed! Remember a good goal is 1-2 pounds lost a week. There will be weeks where you only lose .5 lbs and want to throw the scale out the window.

    Also... make sure you use a measuring tape and keep track of your measurements... these tend to be more accurate than the scale.

    Don't give up! You can do this! This is about a lifestyle change and becoming a new, healthier you. It won't happen over night. It is simple to lose weight, but no one ever said it would be easy!!!
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    I agree with everything except the fat. There really is no such thing as healthy fats. I would get a minimal amount only.

    Your brain requires fats to live. That is what is meant by "healthy fats." Have you ever heard of essential fatty acids? They are called essential for a reason. Our bodies can't produce these fats. We need them in our diet.


    http://www.fi.edu/learn/brain/fats.html

    http://www.med.umich.edu/umim/food-pyramid/fats.htm

    http://news.floressencetea.com/2011/03/23/fat-diet-essential-fats-brain-nerve-function/

    http://www.policymic.com/articles/8673/saturated-fat-is-not-bad-for-your-brain-and-you-ve-been-lied-to/experts
  • DawnieB1977
    DawnieB1977 Posts: 4,248 Member
    Sounds to me like you're doing great. You will lose a lot inititally and it will slow down, and some months you'll lose more than others.

    Personally, I try not to weigh myself too often, perhaps every 2 or 4 weeks, and I take measurements once a month and go by them more than the scales.

    I've been losing weight after having my 2nd baby last May (I started properly when she was 7 weeks old, in the July) and I've only lost 51lbs in that time, but 10 inches off my waist, 10 off each thigh and 10 off my hips. I'm more interested in getting back into my old clothes from 10 years ago and I don't really care what i weigh when i get there.

    So, don't stress about the scales, get a tape measure, make sure you eat healthily - lots of protein and veg - and get exercising, including strength training.
  • Gidzmo
    Gidzmo Posts: 905 Member
    I have been at this since October 15th, 2012. I have been below my calorie goal all but 2 or 3 times. At first I lost about 20 lbs, then a week with nothing gained or lost, then a week with 4 lbs lost, a week with nothing, then this past week I gained .6 lbs. This is horse S*@$. My clothes are fitting better, and I am wearing some pants I have not been able to in a long time, but I have to see the lbs come off!! The MFP App tells me I should have been 302 lbs by now. I started at 340, and I am now at 316.6 lbs. I am 6 foot tall, 45 years old, male, and get 2100 calories a day.

    I lost more weight and a lot quicker on a low carb diet many years ago. However, i really wanted to try this way, eat whatever just stay under your calories diet. Well, it is not happening. I do have days where I am 400-800 calories below my goal, but I do not want to, or feal like eating just to hit my calories. I know you have to eat your calories, but if its night, whey should I have to eat 500 calories? Makes no sense.

    Any ideas? By the way, I want to get down to 200.

    Credit to you for sticking with it this long! 24 pounds is great progress! I suspect that the computer is using an 'average person'. There is no such thing, as we are all different. Your metabolism is different from mine, and your nutritional needs are different from mine.

    The scale is only one measure, as RubyRed said. You'll start feeling better, and more of your clothes will fit better. THAT cannot be measured on any scale. Hang in there!
  • BlackTimber
    BlackTimber Posts: 230 Member
    You are doing amazing! Don't worry about the ups and downs as long as the general trend is down. I averaged 1.5 pounds a week for five months. Some weeks I only lost 1/2 a pound. As long as you are staying just under your calorie target you really cant go wrong.
  • naticksdonna
    naticksdonna Posts: 190 Member
    Stay steady - it will work just make sure your calories are made up of the right foods
  • weird_me2
    weird_me2 Posts: 716 Member
    I have been at this since October 15th, 2012. I have been below my calorie goal all but 2 or 3 times. At first I lost about 20 lbs, then a week with nothing gained or lost, then a week with 4 lbs lost, a week with nothing, then this past week I gained .6 lbs. This is horse S*@$. My clothes are fitting better, and I am wearing some pants I have not been able to in a long time, but I have to see the lbs come off!! The MFP App tells me I should have been 302 lbs by now. I started at 340, and I am now at 316.6 lbs. I am 6 foot tall, 45 years old, male, and get 2100 calories a day.

    I lost more weight and a lot quicker on a low carb diet many years ago. However, i really wanted to try this way, eat whatever just stay under your calories diet. Well, it is not happening.

    I do have days where I am 400-800 calories below my goal, but I do not want to, or feal like eating just to hit my calories. I know you have to eat your calories, but if its night, whey should I have to eat 500 calories? Makes no sense.

    Any ideas?

    By the way, I want to get down to 200.

    Honestly, I think your expectations are WAY off. I just did the math. Since October 15th (49 days), you expected that you should be down 38 lbs? That would mean that you should have had a deficit of 2700 calories PER DAY to meet this expected loss. There's really not much chance that you have a 2700 calorie/day deficit when you are eating 2100 calories per day.

    Where is MFP projecting this loss for you and telling you you should be at 302? On all of the MFP apps I've used, when I'm done logging for the day, it will tell me that if EVERY day were like today, I would weigh XXX in 5 weeks. That means that if I've had a particularly good day and I'm under goal by a few hundred calories for that day only, then it generally projects an overly optomistic number. On the flip side, when I've had a bad day and eaten over my calorie goals, it has an overly pessimistic number. It's just a projection and cannot control for all of the many variables that will happen in the coming days and weeks.

    If you put up some big losses, you are likely going to see some gains along the way. As PP have said, weight loss is not linear. Last week, I had a 5 lb loss and then overnight bounced back up 2.5 lbs. If I didnt' weigh every day, I might not have caught this and just caught the scale on a bad day and thought I maintained or gained when I didn't really.

    If you keep logging honestly and tracking everything honestly, you will eventually see losses. They probably aren't going to be as big as they once were or as you would like them to be, but you will eventually see results. Plus, if you keep honestly tracking, you can use this information to back track to figure out how many calories you're really burning in a day and have a better projection of weight loss.
  • Mesi13
    Mesi13 Posts: 10
    Just do the program!
    - Forget the scale.
    - Use a tape measure
    - Get some exercise
    - Find healthier foods.
    - Use a food scale - that really help.
    - Forget the scale.

    This!
  • marissaj16
    marissaj16 Posts: 1
    Just a thought...
    When I started this program, it placed me at almost 1700 calories/day (according to the information that I supplied). I was seeing absolutely NO results. I was obviously discouraged and slightly irked. It was my nutritionist that originally told me about MFP, so of course, I yelled at her. She set up my goals so that they were down to 1500 and lowered my sodium intake significantly (high blood pressure). I was seeing maybe 1 lb loss per week. She wasn't happy with that and neither was I. Not to mention that I felt like I was getting more than enough food. So she dropped me down to 1300, and that seemed to do it. I lost 20 lb over the course of a month and I still feel like I am getting enough food. My thoughts? Perhaps talk to a nutritionist... Maybe your numbers aren't exactly right.
  • Hellguy76137
    Hellguy76137 Posts: 53 Member
    You're not eating enough. Do some research on how the body works and utilizes different foods for energy so you can be educated about this. MFP is not the only resource, and it puts everyone into a "one size fits all" category. Or you can give up and never lose the weight.
    Harsh but I like it.
  • chocl8girl
    chocl8girl Posts: 1,968 Member
    meh.ro5694.jpg

    Dude...you lose 24 pounds in 6 WEEKS. That. Is. AMAZING. I know it's probably already been said, but weight loss is not linear. Weight loss is not necessarily the steady pace we would want it to be. The MFP "In 5 weeks you'd weigh blah" is crap. Don't even bother with it. KEEP going. Do what you are doing. Maybe tweak your calories a little, then GIVE IT TIME to see if that will work.

    You've got this.
  • MinisterTom
    MinisterTom Posts: 108 Member
    Just a thought...
    When I started this program, it placed me at almost 1700 calories/day (according to the information that I supplied). I was seeing absolutely NO results. I was obviously discouraged and slightly irked. It was my nutritionist that originally told me about MFP, so of course, I yelled at her. She set up my goals so that they were down to 1500 and lowered my sodium intake significantly (high blood pressure). I was seeing maybe 1 lb loss per week. She wasn't happy with that and neither was I. Not to mention that I felt like I was getting more than enough food. So she dropped me down to 1300, and that seemed to do it. I lost 20 lb over the course of a month and I still feel like I am getting enough food. My thoughts? Perhaps talk to a nutritionist... Maybe your numbers aren't exactly right.

    MFP Had my numbers way higher than actual. That's why I started trying electronics like the FitBit One and Body Media Link. MFP uses an equation (the same one for everyone). The electronics tell you whats up. I adjust my numbers based on the actual data collected daily on my armband.
  • maqsmj
    maqsmj Posts: 697
    your calorie in take will change as u r losing weight because of muscle gains and your digestion system

    make some new calculations and you will see that your numbers had changed and please find your body fat % as it helps alot
  • Mads1997
    Mads1997 Posts: 1,494 Member
    I have plotted my weight for the last few months. From the top of the mountain ( last stall) I've been seeing a dietician and although my weight fluctuates sometimes 500 gms a day it usually comes down as quick in a few days. This is eating the same pretty much all the time. It kinda puts it into perspective.

    Don't worry about gaining a kilo here or there as long as you are consistant is what counts.

    Hope this pic works

    HackDiet1.jpg
  • cebreisch
    cebreisch Posts: 1,340 Member
    There are many things that you need to look at. First, you do need to eat all your calories as it will help boost your metabolism. You should also look at the quality of food you're having. ONe of my nutritionists told me to focus on lean/healthy proteins and the carbs/fats will take care of themselves...I've found that to be pretty much on target. Also increase your fiber intake, and drink lots of water. No empty calories with full sugar sodas, etc. and make sure you log EVERYTHING - well, maybe not the packet of ketchup you put on your sandwich, unless you go through 50 packets a day. :)

    Anyway - don't be so hard on yourself!!! 24 pounds in 6 weeks is great progress!!
  • mamasmaltz3
    mamasmaltz3 Posts: 1,111 Member
    If I understand your post, you've lost 24 pounds in about 6 weeks? That seems pretty awesome to me, that's about 4 pounds a week on average.

    This... It seems like it's working beautifully... it's just your expectations that are out of whack.

    Weight loss is never linear. There'll be times you lose more, times you lose less, times you don't lose at all, and times you gain. If you know you're doing everything right, if your clothes are fitting better and you're making improvements to your health and fitness, you have to ignore those little blips on the scale.

    The .6 pounds you "gained" could be a 2 pound loss that's hiding behind a little fluid retention and a giant poop.



    ^^^^^^This! You are doing great.
  • meggonkgonk
    meggonkgonk Posts: 2,066 Member
    This is very true information. I agree with everything except the fat. There really is no such thing as healthy fats. I would get a minimal amount only. Let's see the food log. That will help.

    Dafaqu????

    Healthy fats is just a myth made up so people can eat almonds and avocados and olive oil? Real sinister food those healthy fats.

    Fat you retain isn't caused by consuming fat. It's overall overconsumption.
  • mraudit2000
    mraudit2000 Posts: 69 Member
    Thanks everyone for all the help. It really helps to hear the good words and the ideas. I know I need to eat my calories each day, I have read all the articles.

    I will keep at it, I swear. Maybe I will go to weighting myself every 2 weeks instead of once a week. I will also start to look at my macros more. I have noticed that my carb content is always low, and my protein is always close to the goal.

    My knee is feeling better so I should start to be able to do more exercises soon!

    once again, thanks for all the help.

    Tim
  • emtjmac
    emtjmac Posts: 1,320 Member
    I weigh myself every day.
  • StaceyJ2008
    StaceyJ2008 Posts: 411 Member
    stop worrying about a number. There are people that weigh what I do and wear clothes that I could fit two of myself in. It is just a number.
  • MissFit0101
    MissFit0101 Posts: 2,382
    See your doctor.
  • crazybookworm
    crazybookworm Posts: 779 Member
    Don't get me wrong, I love MFP! But I didn't use it when I was losing weight(I didn't even know about it!) I didn't join until I reached my goal and was learning how to maintain. Losing weight has been made to be so much more difficult than it really should be. If your not suffering from any medical issues like Thyroid or anything like that, than losing weight is a simple stragedy(i'm not saying an easy one, just a simple one!) Portion control, moderation, healthier eating choices and exercise. If your doing those 4 things, you will lose weight.
  • been285
    been285 Posts: 99 Member
    I average 1½ lb weight REMOVAL per week.

    ???? how long are you willing to commit to in order to attain your goal ???

    attitude really can be everything.

    keep going,,, it's not over till you quit.
  • disasterman
    disasterman Posts: 746 Member
    For some perspective: I just busted my *kitten* for six weeks doing hardcore boot camps 4 days a week, eating 1700 calories a day, running on weekends, and sometimes doing two workouts a day. Watched my macros carefully, drank a lot of water, got lots of sleep, and only splurged on alcohol a few times. I lost 11 pounds, dropped my body fat by 2%, and lost a couple inches off my waist. I was THRILLED with these results. Everyone's different but I'd say 24 pounds in six weeks is pretty awesome. How long did it take to put that weight on?
  • agggie550
    agggie550 Posts: 281 Member
    For me the key was Varity, I started at 382 lbs., plateaued around 320 for a few weeks, plateaued again at 290, plateaued at 265, and I found that every time I would start to plateau it was time to change what I was doing, Switch from running to riding the bike, switch from Isometric lifting to circuit lifting. I would also change my meal plans up, eating oatmeal instead of eggs, eating salads at lunch instead of meat and vegetables. Your body is smart and will learn what you are/trying to do. It will try to compensate, store food, plan for your exercising, so when you switch it up, it’s the classic body confusion, that you always hear people talking about. It’s a true statement though, at least in my experience. Just some food for thought, good luck.
  • cedarghost
    cedarghost Posts: 621 Member
    Have no idea why you are complaining.....:angry: You lost an average of four lbs a week, your clothes fit better and you are not hungry.....So what is the problem?
    No ****.....lol

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