Six months...no change.

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I joined a gym six months ago and my weight has been going up and down. A lot of my mfp friends reassured me its going to be a while before I see a significant amount of change. I'm also going to get tested for thyroid (I believe that's what its called) to see if something is wrong with my body that is making it harder for me to lose weight....I'm also under a lot of stress and I do believe that also has something to do with it.

Now, I how some people love to work out and love to run even though the pain is terrible. Also, people that have been overweight also start to like working out.

For me its been six months. I'm not so fond of it right now -even at six months in. My question is: When did you start to like it? When did you start tolerating it? Do you still think its a pain? Do you find yourself doing it because you NEED to do it (like myself)?

Replies

  • gooellie
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    Hun honestly you been logging in and been here for 6 months but you haven't been taking it serious for 6 months your more so off then on you need to really sit there and take one month serious and then see what happens no cheating then decide from there
  • melaniecheeks
    melaniecheeks Posts: 6,349 Member
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    Find something you enjoy doing! Hill-walking, dancing, swimming, playing sports..working out is harder if it's something you wont be motivated to do.
  • jennifer_417
    jennifer_417 Posts: 12,344 Member
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    I usually liked working out because I would get an endorphin rush, which felt great. And even days where that didn't happen...well, I had a sense of accomplishment that felt pretty good, too. One thing that helped me was, I would take my smart phone and watch videos on YouTube or hulu. Helped the time to go faster.
  • Funsoaps
    Funsoaps Posts: 514 Member
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    If you have a thyroid issue nothing will help until you get it regulated usually that means thyroid replacement hormones...also avoid soy like the plague. When you start seeing huge changes it seems to be more motivating.
  • chubbygirl253
    chubbygirl253 Posts: 1,309 Member
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    If u really want to see change you have to fully commit. Daily logging. Log every bite you eat. Commit to an exercise regimen. Motivated or not, DO IT. Doing it half-@s$ed won't get the results you are looking for.
  • mockchoc
    mockchoc Posts: 6,573 Member
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    Losing weight is around 80-90% diet and the rest is exercise so take another look at your diet and LOG LOG LOG every bite. Weighed or measured first always.
  • rduhlir
    rduhlir Posts: 3,550 Member
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    Find something that is a work out but doesn't feel like a work out. Do you like dancing? Then maybe zumba is more your thing that say running. Use everything to help you gain that extra calorie burn. Park at the back of the parking lot. If you are close enough to walk, get up early 1 or 2 days a week and walk to work instead of driving.

    I would also get that thyroid thing checked out, because if it is a problem then you won't be losing anything. I would get that checked out asap.

    And also, I agree with mock...log log log. You will be suprise when you see those numbers in front of you.
  • Marks281172
    Marks281172 Posts: 127 Member
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    Something i read over Christmas really struck a chord with me 'Exercising without dieting is like cutting the grass with a pair of scissors.. it will keep you busy but youll never see any results' .. that really sums up where i have gone wrong in the past. Perhaps you have fallen in to the same trap as i did and justify bad eating with the fact you work out?
  • RECowgill
    RECowgill Posts: 881 Member
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    I don't think you can get accurate advice if you aren't logging every single day and tracking every bite. You can't cheat on this, and you have to stick to it. Share the information, it will help you! :smile:
  • PrincessGlitterTush
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    Yeah, I would say if you're concerned that you're not losing weight. Have some time to rethink exactly how the past 6 months have gone. Do you think you could've done much better. I was also stuck in a rut where I thought I was doing great - because I put so much time an effort into designing meal plans, grocery shopping for the right foods and so on - but so often I would overindulge and binge. I wasn't honest with myself at all. However with that said - if you feel you've done a great job, then I'd go to the doctor to get your thyriod checked.

    In terms of exercising that I enjoy. I like to be surrounded by people so for me I prefer playing team sports instead of gyming. I really enjoy football and will pretty much play any sport as long as it involves other people :)
    I also have a gym contract and I'm on and off with it all the time. I have to constantly motivate myself to go. You should find a sport or activity that you enjoy and do that as much as possible :)

    In the end you need to know for sure that whatever you're doing is something you can maintain. There's no point gyming if you hate it so much. You can't keep that up forever then. Good Luck!
  • blackacres93
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    maybe you should try AEROBIC ?
    its much better than running or working out at gym and sweating as hell! At least for me, I am also just a beginner :) But i love the trill and the thought after sweating for an hour with 30 people i have no idea who they are but it gives me motivation. as I see them exercising and although I am totally tired I don`t give up because come on how would it look like : )
    thats why i love it
  • afr28
    afr28 Posts: 2
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    I've loved being active since I was little. But I love to eat just as much. Sometimes my workouts only cancel out my bad food intake so I do not gain or drop any weight. This is not my goal. So I had to change my eating habits in order to see any positive movement. Logging your food everyday is helpful. If you have thyroid issues than medication will certainly see you shedding pounds along with healthy eating and exercise. Your doctor can tell you more about a healthy lifestyle with hypothyroidism and maybe refer you to a personal nutritionist for intuitive eating. As for exercise, 3 to 5 days a week for 30mins per session should be sufficient to see improvement. Combine aerobic with anaerobic [running + weights/ interval training]. If running is painful for you try finding a great pair of cushioned running shoes. I use Asics Gel Cumulus which is like running with clouds on your feet. Use a treadmill or rubber track first instead of concrete. I prefer tread and elliptical to any other machines. If all else fails, bring in a friend. Some people are social animals and feel better with a workout buddy for support. If none of that appeals to you or you get bored, maybe Yoga, Pilates, swimming, hiking, biking or even walking would suit your needs. Whatever it is, keep trying your best, ask professionals for assistance and don't give up on your goals [make sure they're realistic].
  • dhakiyya
    dhakiyya Posts: 481 Member
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    Are you tracking your calories? With your food diary, are you weighing/measuring food or just guessing? Fat loss is mostly about what you eat and good portion control, exercise is what's necessary to keep your body healthy and have good body composition, and exercise is important for everyone, not just people who are trying to lose weight. You need to eat less than you burn off to lose fat, about 15-30% less. Too much less and you're just torturing yourself and setting yourself up for rebound fat gain. But you still have to eat less than you burn off to lose fat. If you're not tracking what you eat carefully, then what can happen is you work out hard, but then eat back your deficit so you end up eating the same as you burned off, and not losing any fat.

    Also, are you just tracking your weight, or are you tracking other changes, such as loss of inches and your clothes becoming loose? Sometimes with beginners at weight training, you can lose fat and gain muscle, so your weight stays the same, but you get thinner, because muscle is denser than fat.

    Another important thing with regards to exercise, is that you should enjoy it. Otherwise you're just torturing yourself. Weight training or other exercise that exerts the muscles very hard is important, but you don't have to actually go to a gym and lift actual weights. You can do bodyweight exercises at home (e.g. push-ups and similar) to maintain your lean body mass, and it's also important to just be more active generally, so all kinds of activities like walking, cycling, regularly taking the stairs instead of the lift, whatever exercise or physical activities that you enjoy, it all adds up. Combine that with eating less than you burn off and you should start to see the fat coming off slowly and steadily. there's a thread called "in place of a road map" which tells you how to calculate how much you're burning off each day, so you can calculate how much you burn off each day, and from that calculate how many calories to eat each day so you can lose fat without having to starve yourself.
  • seejulesrun
    seejulesrun Posts: 32 Member
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    If you have a thyroid issue nothing will help until you get it regulated usually that means thyroid replacement hormones...also avoid soy like the plague. When you start seeing huge changes it seems to be more motivating.

    I would test soy out some to see if you like it before you avoid it. I have thyroid issues and have gone through replacement therapy, and I love and consume soy often because I'm semi-lactose intolerant. Everyone is different.

    Also, have you ever been checked for PCOS? I was just diagnosed and now know how to explain some of the pain and discomfort I've had since I was in elementary school. It tends to be something that women who have a really hard time losing weight have because it messes with their hormones. I'm doing so much better on the meds they gave me for it.

    You can always message me. <3
  • Funsoaps
    Funsoaps Posts: 514 Member
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    If you have a thyroid issue nothing will help until you get it regulated usually that means thyroid replacement hormones...also avoid soy like the plague. When you start seeing huge changes it seems to be more motivating.

    I would test soy out some to see if you like it before you avoid it. I have thyroid issues and have gone through replacement therapy, and I love and consume soy often because I'm semi-lactose intolerant. Everyone is different.

    Also, have you ever been checked for PCOS? I was just diagnosed and now know how to explain some of the pain and discomfort I've had since I was in elementary school. It tends to be something that women who have a really hard time losing weight have because it messes with their hormones. I'm doing so much better on the meds they gave me for it.


    Actually it is a proven fact to mess with thyroid hormones even worse, def something to do your research on...one does not feel the effects immediately but it's something over time as soy blocks iodine and thyroids need that iodine. Personally, I would not eat a kickoff it while figuring out thyroid issues as it could be causing the issues.

    You can always message me. <3
  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
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    I started to like it when I could see progression; if not in my weight, but in the weight I was lifting. KNOWING I was making a difference was all I needed to continue.