Trying not to get discouraged.......

I have 2 weeks in and have lost nothing. It's hard to stay motivated when you don't see anything changing. I know the lack of exercise is probably a big part. Not just making excuses, but I am very limited due to several back fusions. Any suggestions would be welcome,

Replies

  • concordancia
    concordancia Posts: 5,320 Member
    Would you be willing to open your diary to get concrete suggestions?

    As for exercise, there are many threads on exercise with limitations. A few suggestions are:
    Swimming/ water aerobics
    Walking/ walk away the pounds DVDs
    Chair aerobics
    Yoga
  • carolynhart01
    carolynhart01 Posts: 73 Member
    What are your calories set at? MFP set me at 1200 and it got me absolutly nowhere (not true, it gained me 3 lbs). I had to figure out my BMR and TDEE and eat at least 1600 per day to lose anything.
  • squatsandlipgloss
    squatsandlipgloss Posts: 595 Member
    You haven't lost weight or no inches either? I think we should all know by now that weight doesn't mean a lot.

    And of course we need to know more about your eating and exercise habits to give you any advice.
  • I am currently on 1200 calories. I have only been doing upper body exercises with weights. I have been drinking diet pop, and not enough water. I will try to increase the water. I also will add some walking. I can't do a lot of walking, but I certainly can do some. I opened up my diary to the public.
  • carolynhart01
    carolynhart01 Posts: 73 Member
    Are you a vegitarian? I didn't see any meat.... If your not you can always add more lean protein that way. Eggs are eggselent and chicken breast. Other than the lack of meat, you are eating a lot of good foods. Might have to eat more calories which I know sounds like sabotage but truly can be a big benefit. This is the post that helped me the most on this site.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/937709-in-place-of-a-road-map-ver-3-0
  • Lammerchops
    Lammerchops Posts: 68 Member
    I can't see your food breakdown, but the minute I see a daily intake of 1,200, I immediately wonder what your stats are re: height/weight?
  • II'm 5'8 1/2. I'm at150 now. my goal is 140. I've put on 10 lbs. since October.
  • peopletalk
    peopletalk Posts: 519 Member
    II'm 5'8 1/2. I'm at150 now. my goal is 140. I've put on 10 lbs. since October.
    10 lbs is hard to lose especially if you're already at a decent weight. my ultimate goal is about 135-140 and i'm 5'6.
    so yes, it's gonna take you a little longer to lose the weight.

    maybe work on toning instead and getting some muscle instead of losing. 150 can look amazing with the right amount of muscle instead of fat :)

    but keep at it! my first 2 weeks into my diet, i gained because i started working out and your muscle kinda retain water or something like that. then i started dropping the pounds. patience is key :)
    good luck!
  • Anastacia1119
    Anastacia1119 Posts: 157 Member
    It's only been two weeks. You only have 10 pounds to lose, so you need to be patient. Also, I figured out your BMR and TDEE. You should be eating between 1500-1600 calories a day in order to lose weight. You don't need to stick to 1200. If you chose 2 pounds a week weight loss, MFP will default you to 1200 calories. You need to reset that number to .5 pounds per week as 2 pounds a week isn't reasonable with how little you have to lose. Don't give up! Just readjust and give it some time. :-)
  • aliencheesecake
    aliencheesecake Posts: 569 Member
    I have six months in and have only lost 6 pounds. I feel ya. Doc took blood today to see if I have a thyroid issue cuz I am hungry all the time!!!
  • kaseyhoop
    kaseyhoop Posts: 3 Member
    Just keep going! Your body is still getting used to all the changes. If you focus on eating healthy rather than losing weight it will help. You got this!
  • Rhonnie
    Rhonnie Posts: 506 Member
    It's only been two weeks. You only have 10 pounds to lose, so you need to be patient. Also, I figured out your BMR and TDEE. You should be eating between 1500-1600 calories a day in order to lose weight. You don't need to stick to 1200. If you chose 2 pounds a week weight loss, MFP will default you to 1200 calories. You need to reset that number to .5 pounds per week as 2 pounds a week isn't reasonable with how little you have to lose. Don't give up! Just readjust and give it some time. :-)

    If you have your weight loss goal set to 2lbs a week that is very unrealistic... At most you want it set to 1lb, and more realistic loss to expect is .5lb.
  • psych0kitty
    psych0kitty Posts: 313
    Regarding exercise, I recently heard about a program called T-Tapp. It's supposed to be great for people with injuries and other limitations. There are a few videos on youtube you can watch to get a feel for it.
  • Akimajuktuq
    Akimajuktuq Posts: 3,037 Member
    Only 10 pounds to lose (but currently at a healthy weight), it's been TWO weeks, and only eating 1200 calories.... and getting "discouraged".

    Come on, get real. Try focusing on health and permanent, sustainable lifestyle improvements. Get rid of the scale if you can't stop basing your success on that stupid number. Get outside, find something constructive to do. Or something.

    Or just "quit", cause that will really fix everything.
  • elainecroft
    elainecroft Posts: 595 Member
    In your diary you have a ton of calories from sugar - sweet tea, etc. Try to add more protein to your diet - some days you are only getting 24 grams. Try to add in veggies as much as possible too.
  • SirZee
    SirZee Posts: 381
    I'll be honest. It is because your mindset is not right. Your expectation is unrealistic. There are no shortcuts, you might notice some stuff after two months, thats worth noting. Week in and week out, no you wont notice, your "noise" (ie the fluctuations for whatever reasons, salt level, water intake/retention, T.O.M, etc) is bigger than the gains could possibly be.

    Until your goal is "to lose weight" it wont happen. Only when your goal changes to "i need to take better care of myself for life" will you notice permanent changes. This is not an easy step, for some of us took years/decades. Learn from our blindness, do it earlier.
  • climbamnt
    climbamnt Posts: 190 Member
    The closer you are to goal and the smaller the amount to lose, the slower the process is. Make sure your weight lose goal on MFP is only set to 1/2 pound per week, anything else is not realistic. You only have 10 lbs to lose, so instead of looking at it like a diet, just focus on my healthier choices and make it a lifestyle. Start cutting some processed food, replace more drinks with water, add more veggies, and get some more protein.

    Plus, it took you almost 6 months to put the 10lbs on, why do you expect to see it come off so quickly?
  • toaster6
    toaster6 Posts: 703 Member
    Results are not going to be immediate, especially as you've only a small amount of weight to lose. While exercise is good for overall health and the overall look of your body (so make sure you get whatever you can in), weight loss itself can be achieved simply by eating at a deficit. Give it time.
  • IamUndrCnstruction
    IamUndrCnstruction Posts: 691 Member
    Read this. I light bulb literally just went on over my head when I read this. I have been eating at 1200 or less for weeks now, with no results....now I know why.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/931670-bmr-and-tdee-explained-for-those-needing-a-guide
  • Bekahmardis
    Bekahmardis Posts: 602 Member
    I agree about more protein. Fewer carbs, more protein. The more protein you eat, the better your muscle recovery will be from your weight workouts. Regarding TDEE, it's not always accurate - Mine says my resting metabolic rate is 1309 calories, but I had it actually tested at the hospital and THEY found that it was incredibly low at 1106, so keep that in mind as well. Once I figured that out, I started losing. I've lost about 4 pounds in the past two months. Try some sitting ab exercises and something to get your heart-rate up a bit each day. I've had back issues as well - gained 20 pounds! - and it took my body a while to get back to normal.

    Try more veggies - broccoli, baby carrots, etc. Get rid of the soda altogether - the sugar substitutes actually trick your body into storing the calories rather than burning it, so that may be one culprit. I found that the Healthy Choice steamers are excellent at filling you up and giving you the right balace of carbs versus protein.

    Keep going, girl - don't give up!!!
  • Rocknut53
    Rocknut53 Posts: 1,794 Member
    The closer you are to goal and the smaller the amount to lose, the slower the process is. Make sure your weight lose goal on MFP is only set to 1/2 pound per week, anything else is not realistic. You only have 10 lbs to lose, so instead of looking at it like a diet, just focus on my healthier choices and make it a lifestyle. Start cutting some processed food, replace more drinks with water, add more veggies, and get some more protein.

    Plus, it took you almost 6 months to put the 10lbs on, why do you expect to see it come off so quickly?


    ^^This^^
  • tcunbeliever
    tcunbeliever Posts: 8,219 Member
    Your stats are set at 1200, but your actual consumption over the last 10 days averaged out to 1025...unless you have a medical condition and your doctor recommends such limited consumption, that's just not enough food...maybe if you are in a coma and sleep around the clock...try eating more vegetables and fruits and more calories...
  • Cockney365
    Cockney365 Posts: 52 Member
    Only 10 pounds to lose (but currently at a healthy weight), it's been TWO weeks, and only eating 1200 calories.... and getting "discouraged".

    Come on, get real. Try focusing on health and permanent, sustainable lifestyle improvements. Get rid of the scale if you can't stop basing your success on that stupid number. Get outside, find something constructive to do. Or something.

    Or just "quit", cause that will really fix everything.

    Pretty sure there was no need for this response? Give her a break, not everyone has all the knowledge and info you or others may have on how best to lose weight/keep it off/be healthier. MFP defaults to 1200 if you set your weight loss at 2lbs a week, which doesn't sound unreasonable if you listen to what we hear about weight loss day in, day out, that '1-2lbs a week' is a healthy rate to lose weight. Added to this, when you hear of people dropping big numbers in a week, it's natural to get discouraged when you have stuck to the rules and lost nothing.

    We NOW know about TDEE, BMR, eat more to lose more etc etc but that doesn't mean it's common knowledge to new people. Everybody has to start somewhere, you were new once! There's a difference between tough love and plain rudeness
  • xaris01
    xaris01 Posts: 2 Member
    Don't forget that you need to EAT to lose weight. There are a number of days in your log where you are way under your limit.
  • endoftheside
    endoftheside Posts: 568 Member
    II'm 5'8 1/2. I'm at150 now. my goal is 140. I've put on 10 lbs. since October.

    Before October, were you losing weight or had you been successfully maintaining at 140? Did something else change starting in October (job, activity, stress, etc.)? Trying to determine if you had a stable maintenance weight and calories in/out or if you were just starting the maintenance process then.
  • happywithme12
    happywithme12 Posts: 477 Member
    I'll be honest. It is because your mindset is not right. Your expectation is unrealistic. There are no shortcuts, you might notice some stuff after two months, thats worth noting. Week in and week out, no you wont notice, your "noise" (ie the fluctuations for whatever reasons, salt level, water intake/retention, T.O.M, etc) is bigger than the gains could possibly be.

    Until your goal is "to lose weight" it wont happen. Only when your goal changes to "i need to take better care of myself for life" will you notice permanent changes. This is not an easy step, for some of us took years/decades. Learn from our blindness, do it earlier.

    I totally agree, loosing weight is great and it makes you feel good but you have to change your whole life and start excersising and eating better to live a healthier lifestyle, if you just diet to loose 10 pounds you will surely gain it back at some point. You should find a good doctor and talk to them about a good life style change and what is actually healthy and what isn't. I have been at this for almost 2 years now and have lost 48 pounds and I am so close to my 50 pound goal but I more want to be healthier and change my whole body to feel good about myself for my kids and my husband.
  • Only 10 pounds to lose (but currently at a healthy weight), it's been TWO weeks, and only eating 1200 calories.... and getting "discouraged".

    Come on, get real. Try focusing on health and permanent, sustainable lifestyle improvements. Get rid of the scale if you can't stop basing your success on that stupid number. Get outside, find something constructive to do. Or something.

    Or just "quit", cause that will really fix everything.
  • thank you for such an encouraging post!. If I knew the answers, I would,t have asked the questions.
  • sciontc2
    sciontc2 Posts: 15
    I would limit the diet pop to one a day or every other day. I love my diet coke with splenda. But it cause water gain due to the salt.
    try to leave out breads, cheese, any milk products for 1 wk and see if that jump starts the weight off.
  • Thank you to all of you that responded. I don't know a lot about this, and that's why I signed up for this.
    I dropped the goal wt to .5 lbs. a week. I will. Cut down on the diet soda, increase my veggies, and protein, and also bump up my calories. I have been slim my whole life, and I try to stay around 140. It's where I'm comfortable. I'm on a couple of meds that possibly may have caused some of the gain, but I'm not sure.... It's definitely harder, the older you get!
    I'll try to be more realistic with my goals. And no..............I'm not going to quit.