74 lbs down and feeling as fat as ever.

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julianpoutram
julianpoutram Posts: 331 Member
in Motivation and Support
I feel awful. Weak, feeble, tired, fat. I still have flab and I virtually haven't lost anything in about a month maybe more. And I've been binging recently and I still look flabby and it just makes me so upset having worked so hard and actually ending up feeling WORSE! My only dream was to be physically fit and I can't even make it there. I kind of want to just cry right now...
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  • schonkreuz
    schonkreuz Posts: 493 Member
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    Have you ever taken measurements? I had the same issue, I had lost minimal weight but lots of inches! What do you do for exercise?
  • julianpoutram
    julianpoutram Posts: 331 Member
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    I started going to the gym again after not going over Summer. Aiming to go to the gym 4 times a week again. I can't even complete workouts sometimes though because I feel so awful and week.
  • bwogilvie
    bwogilvie Posts: 2,130 Member
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    First, you're over 75% of the way to your goal. Congratulations!

    Second, though I had less to lose than you, I know how you feel. I still am flabby, even though I've gone from "obese" to merely "overweight" on the BMI chart. When I get glum about that, I take a look at some of my earlier pictures from the process. Seeing how much larger I used to be is a big pick-me-up and it motivates me to keep going.

    Third, don't beat yourself up about the past. You can't change it; all you can do is learn from it. Focus on the future: do you want to return to the way you were, stay as you now are, or continue to lose weight? Your answer to that question will determine what you do from here on out.
  • julianpoutram
    julianpoutram Posts: 331 Member
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    First, you're over 75% of the way to your goal. Congratulations!

    Second, though I had less to lose than you, I know how you feel. I still am flabby, even though I've gone from "obese" to merely "overweight" on the BMI chart. When I get glum about that, I take a look at some of my earlier pictures from the process. Seeing how much larger I used to be is a big pick-me-up and it motivates me to keep going.

    Third, don't beat yourself up about the past. You can't change it; all you can do is learn from it. Focus on the future: do you want to return to the way you were, stay as you now are, or continue to lose weight? Your answer to that question will determine what you do from here on out.

    Hey thanks, I might go look through them actually. It just gets me down when I know people at work who are older than me who just buy like 2 portions of fish and chips for just themselves for lunch and are slim as anything! It really gets me down that I have to work so hard and they do nothing...
  • schonkreuz
    schonkreuz Posts: 493 Member
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    I'm partial to lifting but everyone is different, if you are feeling to weak perhaps you aren't eating enough or maybe not enough of the right thing (your marcos). I flipped through a couple days and your diary wasn't filled out, starting with remembering to log should help tons for your energy :)
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
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    I'm partial to lifting but everyone is different, if you are feeling to weak perhaps you aren't eating enough or maybe not enough of the right thing (your marcos). I flipped through a couple days and your diary wasn't filled out, starting with remembering to log should help tons for your energy :)

    This. Plus, I bet your co-workers aren't as "lucky" as you think they are. I've been doing some extreme people watching since I started out almost 4 years ago and have learned that no one has it easy. The people who seem to be able to eat everything are also VERY active - doing things with their kids, exercising daily - and most of the time they eat well, it's just that we only see what they eat when there are gatherings.
  • I_mustacheU4pancakes
    I_mustacheU4pancakes Posts: 41
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    You haven't logged food intake at all this month so im wondering if
    You're counting calories or "assuming". Probably the latter since you're not
    Losing weight. Congrats on your weight loss.
    If you're feeling weak,that seems like a case of not eating enough. Thats how i used to get
    When i barely ate enough food and exercised.

    You should start logging so we can help you a little more.
  • ahamm002
    ahamm002 Posts: 1,690 Member
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    Don't think for a second that those old guys are just eating whatever they want and never gaining weight. Sure, they probably indulge themselves here and there, but if they didn't make up for it somehow they'd gain weight just like you would!

    It sounds like you're getting sad b/c you've plateued on weight loss or are just plain losing motivation for dieting all the time (who wouldn't?). Instead of just focusing on weight loss, start focusing on fitness. Set some different goals like aiming for a certain number of pull-ups or bench press #'s. After working on fitness for awhile, you can then go back and start working on dropping the pounds again.
  • sunshyncatra
    sunshyncatra Posts: 598 Member
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    I don't see anything in your food diary, but if you have been binging on fast food or food high in sugar, it can really make you feel bad. Try to make sure you get a balanced diet with fruits and veggies.
  • julianpoutram
    julianpoutram Posts: 331 Member
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    This is all really good advice, I am struggling to stay motivated at the gym, cardio gets very boring after a while and I'm intimidated by the sorts of people who use the free weights section. I do want to build more muscle and be stronger but I just feel like every pound I lose now has made me less able physically than I was before. It just baffles me that I can end up feeling so much worse off for trying so damn hard...
  • kowajenn
    kowajenn Posts: 274 Member
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    I'm married to a man who easily consumes 4500-5000 calories a day. He's very active and has a physical job, but he also has a metabolism that puts mine to shame.

    Then there's me. Even at my fattest I probably ate half of what he'd eat every day. Now I sit there at 1400 calories per day and he's still consuming 3 times as much.

    It can be demoralizing I suppose, but then I remember the words of my mother. Whenever I'd whine about how unfair something was, her response was always, "Suck it up Buttercup." It is what it is. Some people can eat more than you, look better than you, make more than you. That's just the way it is.

    Your job is to find a way to be happy with how far you have come. No one can do that except you. Look in the mirror. Do you look better? Yes. Do you feel better. I bet you do. Look at your food, tweak it as needed, and work out whether you feel like it or not. The loss will come if you work hard, even if it takes longer than you want it to.
  • healthygreek
    healthygreek Posts: 2,137 Member
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    Eat better and you'll feel better. If you don't, make an appointment with your doc for a check-up.
  • grho
    grho Posts: 71 Member
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    "Suck it up Buttercup."

    I just want to say I love that. :)
  • HeidiCooksSupper
    HeidiCooksSupper Posts: 3,831 Member
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    Eat for health and strength. Since you've lost 74 pounds you obviously know how to limit how many calories you consume but healthy feeling and strength depends as much on micro-nutrients as macro-. If (assuming no other health problem) losing weight is making you weaker it is likely you are eating a combination of too few calories with too little nutritional value. Look at the "Healthy Eating Plate" at The Nutrition Source for a lot of good information about healthy eating.

    http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/
  • tonynguyen75
    tonynguyen75 Posts: 418 Member
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    Tough love incoming.

    The reason you lost all that weight yet still feel flabby is due to loss of LBM. Your body composition isn't going to change with simply a calorie deficit. Protein intake and heavy lifting is what will change your body composition during weight loss the most. Sure you lost fat. but judging by your macros, you were probably losing at a ratio close around 30-40% muscle loss per pound lost.

    I'm guessing no one explained to you the next step... First step is calorie deficit. Second step is macros.

    You can either keep trying to lose, but change your macros to have ALOT more protein in your diet. (around 1g of protein per lb of body weight).

    OR

    You can try to bulk up with a lean muscle phase.
  • MartiCat70
    MartiCat70 Posts: 59 Member
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    This is all really good advice, I am struggling to stay motivated at the gym, cardio gets very boring after a while and I'm intimidated by the sorts of people who use the free weights section. I do want to build more muscle and be stronger but I just feel like every pound I lose now has made me less able physically than I was before. It just baffles me that I can end up feeling so much worse off for trying so damn hard...

    How's your thyroid? When I'm "hypo", I don't lose weight, struggle to walk two blocks because I have no energy. As for your workout, personally, I find gyms a bore :yawn: . I cycle somewhere, shoot hoops, zumba, swim, have fun! You've come sooo far! I hope to be like you:) Get a good check-up and start having fun! The other reason I avoid gyms is the fact I also compare myself to others. Try to avoid that. Go off and do your own thing. Stay happy with YOU. Just getting back on course with your food-diary is a start. Everyone can better help you then :smile:
  • MartiCat70
    MartiCat70 Posts: 59 Member
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    It can be demoralizing I suppose, but then I remember the words of my mother. Whenever I'd whine about how unfair something was, her response was always, "Suck it up Buttercup." It is what it is. Some people can eat more than you, look better than you, make more than you. That's just the way it is.

    Your job is to find a way to be happy with how far you have come. No one can do that except you. Look in the mirror. Do you look better? Yes. Do you feel better. I bet you do. Look at your food, tweak it as needed, and work out whether you feel like it or not. The loss will come if you work hard, even if it takes longer than you want it to.

    Very well said!
  • albionjen
    albionjen Posts: 86 Member
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    This is all really good advice, I am struggling to stay motivated at the gym, cardio gets very boring after a while and I'm intimidated by the sorts of people who use the free weights section. I do want to build more muscle and be stronger but I just feel like every pound I lose now has made me less able physically than I was before. It just baffles me that I can end up feeling so much worse off for trying so damn hard...

    Yep - I find cardio at the gym boring as well that is why I hit the weights section :) don't be intimidated by those who use that part of the gym! I'm an overweight woman but I pay my membership so I think I have as much right to be there as the buff guys! No-one has made any comments and I'm happy doing something I like. Get started with strength training and you won't regret it. Good luck :)
  • GeophysicsChic
    GeophysicsChic Posts: 1
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    Find an exercise buddy! I wouldn't work out half as much as I do without knowing someone was waiting on me to join them. I find gyms to be miserable because exercise machines are so boring. Try to find a park to run/cycle in so you feel like you are going somewhere and seeing new things. Try a sport to get into a routine and have some fun at the same time. I like to go to a rock climbing gym b/c it's a fun way to build muscle and burn calories (many gyms offer classes to get started). Having fun and seeing your new strength and ability applied to something real, instead of treadmill endurance, can make a huge difference in staying fit. Being stronger and toned will make you feel and look better. First and foremost though, you have to make sure you are eating enough of the right things so you can burn fat and build muscle at the same time :)
  • cosmonew
    cosmonew Posts: 513 Member
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    This is all really good advice, I am struggling to stay motivated at the gym, cardio gets very boring after a while and I'm intimidated by the sorts of people who use the free weights section. I do want to build more muscle and be stronger but I just feel like every pound I lose now has made me less able physically than I was before. It just baffles me that I can end up feeling so much worse off for trying so damn hard...

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