Annoyed with progress :((

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  • ChellieIrish
    ChellieIrish Posts: 593 Member
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    Have to agree with most of the others. 5lbs a month is great - that is what I average. You are getting close to move into the next decade on your scale and I don' t know about anyone else but when I get there it always seems to take longer to make that jump; my body just seems to get stubborn.

    This is me:
    7/2 179.2
    7/9 184.5 (yes that is not a typo!!)
    7/16 180.2

    I fully expect that next week I"ll be below 179 and I'll just sail through the next 8 lbs and then stall out for a few weeks. I've had this same experience since I started my journey back in December. It happened when I got to 200, 190 and now that I'm at 180.

    As long as it goes down - all is good!! Hang in there - it'll happen :happy:

    Thanks :flowerforyou: I suppose I am just feeling defeated this journey started back in June 2009 it was a rocky start I'll be honest but I hoped since I really kept to the schedule the last few months I would see a better result :grumble:

    I'm an impulsive person lol so I guess I just want to be there already which my body obviously doesn't :cry:

    I've always had a healthy appetite ie don't like fast food or greasy foods ... actually prefer the taste of low fat items and prefer my own cooking :laugh: My downfall in the past has always been crisps and icecream which now if I have it I limit it to be within my cals :smile:

    Guess I just need to keep focused and keep going :heart:
  • ChellieIrish
    ChellieIrish Posts: 593 Member
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    5lbs in 5 weeks is right on target for a healthy loss. Stick with it, you didn't gain the weight in week & you won't get it off in a week either. :flowerforyou: You're doing great, so keep on keepin' on!

    Thanks :flowerforyou: It probably is maybe if it was 1 lb per week I'd be happier the last few weeks it's been a loss yes BUT only a few ounces :grumble: Maybe it's all in the mind it just seems a very small number :wink:
  • jeweljade
    jeweljade Posts: 93
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    I hear ya! I have been working out and eating within my calorie limit for about 5 weeks now and recording it on MFP for about 2 weeks now. I have lost a grand total of 1 lb. But what keeps me going is the fact that regardless of what the scales say I have dropped one size, my stomach is flatter and I am getting toned. So don't loose heart. I know how frustrating it is for it to not show up on the scales, but it's not everything. Hang in there!!!!
  • AnnieeR
    AnnieeR Posts: 229
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    What about a little psychological trick - if you got a new scale that doesn't weigh in fractions (actually, not sure that's possible in the US? I'm in the UK so my scale is in stones and pounds) - I know I don't lose a full pound every week, but the scale implies I do. I might then lose a bit more than a pound the following week so in the end I'm probably losing about the same as you - 4-5 pounds a month, but week on week I feel like I'm losing steadily.

    I'm not sure that made sense - it makes sense in my head but I'm not explaining it very well. LOL.
  • robin52077
    robin52077 Posts: 4,383 Member
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    Chellie...after looking carefully at your diary, I think I need to tell you....
    You need to eat MORE.
    EVERY day you end the day under 1200 net calories! Slipping under every once in a while is ok, but NOT every day. You really should be eating OVER 1200 every day, plus eating back exercise calories. Sometimes when you exercise and only eat less than 1200 you are actually at about 800 net. Try to stay above 1200 net.

    Change your goal to 1 lb or 1/2 lb a week, and see how many calories it tells you to eat. You can always change it back and it won't make a difference. Do it just to see what is recommended. If you are set to 2 lbs a week and it has you at 1200, 1/2 lb a week would probably be better for you.

    People need to start thinking of their calorie goal as a goal to REACH, not a goal to stay UNDER. Too many people don't eat enough and then wonder why they plateau. I did the same thing, then changed it to 1500 and broke the plateau big time. Lost 4 more pounds in a few weeks after raising my calories.
  • missjo113
    missjo113 Posts: 52
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    I see what you mean.... the last 5 weigh-ins you've been having a rough go of it. Have you tried measuring yourself? It could be that evern though you're not showing it on the scale you may be dropping inches...
  • ChellieIrish
    ChellieIrish Posts: 593 Member
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    Thanks I really hope so it is so depressing when it is so slow I still have 20 lbs to go I hoped the first 10 would be quicker :grumble: If the last 20 lbs are this hard it's gonna be torture I have NEVER lost weight so slowly guess my body is fighting back this time :frown:

    I think you need to change your mentality. It's not a race. There's no big prize for losing 20 lbs in X months.
    So it doesn't take 2 months but 6 months, or 1 year. Your becoming healthier, and stronger.

    It's a lifestyle change, and a healthy journey. Enjoy your mini goals, and as Arielle said, enjoy the fact that your still losing.

    Thanks :flowerforyou: but I know it's no race have never thought of it that way :wink: just disappointed with the results the last 3 or 4 weeks :noway: Seems I have just reached a wall I need to find a way to climb it :grumble:
  • ChellieIrish
    ChellieIrish Posts: 593 Member
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    from 6/10 to 7/16 you have lost 5 lbs that is good. A suggestion to you would be to only weigh in once a week. That daily weigh in was makin feel depressed because I wasnt seeing any weight loss. But once I went to weekly I felt better. Frustration is almost a weekly feeling for me. I actually fell off for 2 weeks! Good luck!

    Thanks :flowerforyou: I've always weighed in weekly every Friday that is why when I lost only a few ounces I got peed off :blushing:
  • ChellieIrish
    ChellieIrish Posts: 593 Member
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    I hear ya! I have been working out and eating within my calorie limit for about 5 weeks now and recording it on MFP for about 2 weeks now. I have lost a grand total of 1 lb. But what keeps me going is the fact that regardless of what the scales say I have dropped one size, my stomach is flatter and I am getting toned. So don't loose heart. I know how frustrating it is for it to not show up on the scales, but it's not everything. Hang in there!!!!

    Thanks I'm trying lol :flowerforyou: and great work on dropping to the new size :drinker:
  • ChellieIrish
    ChellieIrish Posts: 593 Member
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    What about a little psychological trick - if you got a new scale that doesn't weigh in fractions (actually, not sure that's possible in the US? I'm in the UK so my scale is in stones and pounds) - I know I don't lose a full pound every week, but the scale implies I do. I might then lose a bit more than a pound the following week so in the end I'm probably losing about the same as you - 4-5 pounds a month, but week on week I feel like I'm losing steadily.

    I'm not sure that made sense - it makes sense in my head but I'm not explaining it very well. LOL.

    Thanks :flowerforyou: I'm over in Ireland just across the pond from ya :laugh: I have the WW scale which I changed to show lbs only as that is what this site uses :wink:

    LOL yes I got what you were saying I could change the settings to round off the figure but if I knew it did that lol it would drive me nuts not knowing the precise figure :wink:
  • ChellieIrish
    ChellieIrish Posts: 593 Member
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    Chellie...after looking carefully at your diary, I think I need to tell you....
    You need to eat MORE.
    EVERY day you end the day under 1200 net calories! Slipping under every once in a while is ok, but NOT every day. You really should be eating OVER 1200 every day, plus eating back exercise calories. Sometimes when you exercise and only eat less than 1200 you are actually at about 800 net. Try to stay above 1200 net.

    Change your goal to 1 lb or 1/2 lb a week, and see how many calories it tells you to eat. You can always change it back and it won't make a difference. Do it just to see what is recommended. If you are set to 2 lbs a week and it has you at 1200, 1/2 lb a week would probably be better for you.

    People need to start thinking of their calorie goal as a goal to REACH, not a goal to stay UNDER. Too many people don't eat enough and then wonder why they plateau. I did the same thing, then changed it to 1500 and broke the plateau big time. Lost 4 more pounds in a few weeks after raising my calories.

    Thanks so much for looking at my diary :flowerforyou: I actually thought I was eating enough ie getting fairly close to the 1200 goal hmmm just goes to show how much I didn't see looking at it :grumble:

    I've now changed the goal from 1.5 lbs loss to just a loss of 1 lb per week (as recommeded) that brings my cals from 1200 to 1360 :blushing:

    My next problem will be how to eat so many cals I struggle with 1200 as it is :blushing: I've never had a big appetite maybe I can increase the size of my brekkie and see if that helps :smile:

    I had a bad day today not everything was logged :blushing: so starting the new programme fresh tomorrow :drinker:
  • ChellieIrish
    ChellieIrish Posts: 593 Member
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    I see what you mean.... the last 5 weigh-ins you've been having a rough go of it. Have you tried measuring yourself? It could be that evern though you're not showing it on the scale you may be dropping inches...

    Thanks :flowerforyou: yes it has been hard to look at those figures guess I will have to for a few more weeks ... slow and steady :grumble:

    Since this journey has started yes I have dropped 2 sizes which yeah it's great but not where I wanted to be by now lol ... This has been a very long journey over a year and to see only 24.7 lbs loss it feels like my body is just teasing me lol :noway:

    I'm by no means a quitter so I'll just adjust what needs to be and keep going :heart:
  • dogdaze
    dogdaze Posts: 110 Member
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    Despite everything you have still lost about 5lbs in the past month. Not bad! Hang in there!

    The weight did not come off smoothly but I think a lot of us have that problem. I certainly do. I will plateau for 2 to 3 weeks and then drop several pounds at once. Not sure why, though water retention and hormonal issues definitely come to mind.
  • yvonnej1
    yvonnej1 Posts: 904 Member
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    I actually thought I was eating enough ie getting fairly close to the 1200 goal hmmm just goes to show how much I didn't see looking at it :grumble:

    I've now changed the goal from 1.5 lbs loss to just a loss of 1 lb per week (as recommeded) that brings my cals from 1200 to 1360 :blushing:

    My next problem will be how to eat so many cals I struggle with 1200 as it is :blushing: I've never had a big appetite maybe I can increase the size of my brekkie and see if that helps :smile:

    I recently changed my goal from 1lb a week to 1/2lb a week and I have actually lost more weight since doing that. I have to admit to not always managing to eat my calories too, but now I have a higher target if I am 200 or so calories under my goal, as I often am, this still takes me over 1200.
    One of the changes I made was changing my cereal bar from a really low calorie one to one that has nuts and seeds in to boost calories. I know cereal bars are often not ideal but I am not a morning person and for me it is better than not eating breakfast at all. Other changes I have made include using a reduced fat rather than really low fat coleslaw, same for mayo. I'm considering changing from very low fat soft cheese to a reduced fat option too. Although you might not eat these sorts of foods, there may be something similar you can change to help you eat your calories. Perhaps by changing some of the foods you eat to a higher calorie option if it's available you get round the problem of not physically being able to eat more.

    Good luck with your weight loss, you will get there :happy:
  • robin52077
    robin52077 Posts: 4,383 Member
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    yes! What Yvonne said. Anyone who is struggling to reach 1200 should stop eating "diet" food, Go for real butter instead of low fat spread, use real mayo in moderation, whole eggs instead of just whites, real yogurt instead of "light fat free".
    Nuts, seeds, peanut butter, whole milk instead of skim....there are plenty of ways to get your calories in. I keep both the lower cal and higher cal options in the house and if I am having a high cal day I will eat the low cal snacks, and if I am struggling to meet my cals I will eat the higher cal options to get them all in.


    And Chellie - maybe you'd have more appetite if you drank a LITTLE less coffee! :wink: Your tummy is full of liquid ALL the time, no wonder you don't feel hungry! lol:flowerforyou:
  • ChellieIrish
    ChellieIrish Posts: 593 Member
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    Despite everything you have still lost about 5lbs in the past month. Not bad! Hang in there!

    The weight did not come off smoothly but I think a lot of us have that problem. I certainly do. I will plateau for 2 to 3 weeks and then drop several pounds at once. Not sure why, though water retention and hormonal issues definitely come to mind.

    Thanks :flowerforyou: Well after the last few weeks hoping I am due for a bigger loss this Friday :wink:

    I actually weighed myself this morning and was quite surprised I was down another 0.2 lbs :noway: Honestly yesterday was in really PO humour and since it was my treat day had a few more treats than normal so expected to be up as was way over the cals .. that was the only reason I weighed in usually only do it on a Fri :wink: I actually wish I had been good to see what the figure would/could have been lol but that was yesterday back on track today :bigsmile:
  • ChellieIrish
    ChellieIrish Posts: 593 Member
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    I actually thought I was eating enough ie getting fairly close to the 1200 goal hmmm just goes to show how much I didn't see looking at it :grumble:

    I've now changed the goal from 1.5 lbs loss to just a loss of 1 lb per week (as recommeded) that brings my cals from 1200 to 1360 :blushing:

    My next problem will be how to eat so many cals I struggle with 1200 as it is :blushing: I've never had a big appetite maybe I can increase the size of my brekkie and see if that helps :smile:

    I recently changed my goal from 1lb a week to 1/2lb a week and I have actually lost more weight since doing that. I have to admit to not always managing to eat my calories too, but now I have a higher target if I am 200 or so calories under my goal, as I often am, this still takes me over 1200.
    One of the changes I made was changing my cereal bar from a really low calorie one to one that has nuts and seeds in to boost calories. I know cereal bars are often not ideal but I am not a morning person and for me it is better than not eating breakfast at all. Other changes I have made include using a reduced fat rather than really low fat coleslaw, same for mayo. I'm considering changing from very low fat soft cheese to a reduced fat option too. Although you might not eat these sorts of foods, there may be something similar you can change to help you eat your calories. Perhaps by changing some of the foods you eat to a higher calorie option if it's available you get round the problem of not physically being able to eat more.

    Good luck with your weight loss, you will get there :happy:

    Thanks :flowerforyou: I actually don't like the higher cal foods lol but from reading your suggestions I am thinking I might add some mixed nuts to boost the cals :bigsmile: I think if I weigh a portion out I could easily pick at them during the day without even realizing it which will hopefully help with the extra cals needed :laugh:

    I've had them in the press for a while but been afraid to open the packs lol but if I control the amount it might just work :drinker:
  • absofsteel
    absofsteel Posts: 48
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    What about a little psychological trick - if you got a new scale that doesn't weigh in fractions (actually, not sure that's possible in the US? I'm in the UK so my scale is in stones and pounds) - I know I don't lose a full pound every week, but the scale implies I do. I might then lose a bit more than a pound the following week so in the end I'm probably losing about the same as you - 4-5 pounds a month, but week on week I feel like I'm losing steadily.

    I'm not sure that made sense - it makes sense in my head but I'm not explaining it very well. LOL.

    I understand this totally !!! my scale measures in 1/4 lbs...I am aiming for 2lbs a week but this week Iost 1.8lbs and was disapointed for a few seconds that I was under goal but then I realised that on anyother scale that would have been a 2lb loss :huh:

    weighing once a month would give the best result and save us all a lot of heart ache..but who can resist hopping on those scales :tongue:
  • ChellieIrish
    ChellieIrish Posts: 593 Member
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    yes! What Yvonne said. Anyone who is struggling to reach 1200 should stop eating "diet" food, Go for real butter instead of low fat spread, use real mayo in moderation, whole eggs instead of just whites, real yogurt instead of "light fat free".
    Nuts, seeds, peanut butter, whole milk instead of skim....there are plenty of ways to get your calories in. I keep both the lower cal and higher cal options in the house and if I am having a high cal day I will eat the low cal snacks, and if I am struggling to meet my cals I will eat the higher cal options to get them all in.


    And Chellie - maybe you'd have more appetite if you drank a LITTLE less coffee! :wink: Your tummy is full of liquid ALL the time, no wonder you don't feel hungry! lol:flowerforyou:

    Thanks :flowerforyou: I am taking all the help you have offered on board and I think the best option for me will be adding the nuts and seeds :wink: I used to add seeds to my cereal so also might start doing that again :smile:

    I've had time to sleep on this and I agree with all of you I am on a journey here it might be slow and steady at times but a loss is a loss so I will just do my best :bigsmile:

    Emm re the coffee lol I used to have about 8 - 10 mugs a day which now I average about 4 - 5 a day somedays less lol but I am trying :wink: :laugh: In saying that I have now added a cup of water everytime before I have one while I am waiting for the kettle to boil so that will prob cut it out even more or :blushing: I'll be running to the loo :laugh:
  • misstrish03
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    Dunno if this has already been said becuase I didn't read the whole thread, but one diet book I have (the fat-fighter diet.. its fantastic!) says that every 5th day you should eat the amount of calories you would need to *maintain* your weight.So for me thats about 2100, but my daily goal is 1200. So every 5th day jack up your calorie intake, to trick your body out of "starvation mode" - storing calories as fat. It keeps your metabolism going!