A Slap In To Reality

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mynewlife10
mynewlife10 Posts: 52
edited November 2023 in Getting Started
So, I weighed myself and in a whole week I lost 1 pound. At first, I was very disappointed - I knew I had a deficit of 8,400 calories and couldn't understand why all that hard work only yielded 1 pound. I decided to go back to last week and really look at the numbers and here is what I found (after being brutally honest with myself):

- I had numerous Whole Foods drinks that are like Vitamin Waters (but not "Zero") so they have calories and sugar

- I had two 16 oz. cups of Sprite at the football game on Saturday

- Regular ranch dressing on the 1/2 salad I had when I went out to lunch on Saturday

- Some chips late Sunday (just snacking around)

- No nutritional supplements (such as Iron and Vitamin D, which I know for a fact I am deficient on based on my blood panel)

So, there I have it - I didn't log any of the above, and it all added up at the end of the day. This morning I have started to ONLY drink water and I will get moving on my Iron and Vit. D intake. It seems as if everything else is working the way it should.

The self honesty is as big a part of succeeding as anything and I have been slapped in to reality.
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Replies

  • LoggingForLife
    LoggingForLife Posts: 504 Member
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    Agreed...it's all those little things that you think don't count!
  • kristen6022
    kristen6022 Posts: 1,926 Member
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    Denial is an awful thing, huh? Great job on that 1lb though. You keep that up and in 8 weeks you'll be down 8lbs. See a trend! LOL

    I know after this past weekend (wedding in Atlanta, lots of eating out and drinking), I'll be up again on Friday. My stomach seriously wonders what I have done with it since I've been so GOOD the past 2 months. After stuff like that you just have to look at what you did and learn from it.

    Good luck hun. It's great that you are learning so much...stick with it and I swear it's the best reward ever!
  • afat12
    afat12 Posts: 178 Member
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    Agreed...it's all those little things that you think don't count!


    For sure! That is why MFP is so important, those little things will get you.
  • mynewlife10
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    What's great about this is that I made mistakes - what if everything had been perfectly run and I still only lost 1 pound with a 8,400 deficit? At least I can do something about this.
  • foxruddellc1
    foxruddellc1 Posts: 65 Member
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    Good for you! It is really important to be honest about what you are eating, but at the same time, 1lb is something to be proud of!!! Keep up the good work and keep watching what you eat. Use this as a learning experience!!!
    If I drink booze, that KILLS my calorie intake, 60+ ounces of beer on Sunday added up to over 900 calories that day!!!!
    As for the ranch dressing, and most of the other dressings, they are awful for you, made out of weird mixes of different oils... If you do want dressing, try making your own, balsamic or white vinegar, olive oil and spices... Hope this helps!!!

    3500 = 1lb, 7000 would be 2, from what you shared, you probably lost 1.5lbs but water weights 8lbs a gallon, which is roughly what you should drink throughout a day. When did you weight yourself? Had you done all you buzness and not had anything to drink?
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
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    You didn't ask, but I am going to offer a suggestion. Lower that deficit. You have only 49lbs to lose, shoot for 1lb a week. Maybe 1.5lb/week TOPS (probably not, especially as a woman). 8400 calories is at least 2x too high. You will have much greater long-term success.
  • kristen6022
    kristen6022 Posts: 1,926 Member
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    What's great about this is that I made mistakes - what if everything had been perfectly run and I still only lost 1 pound with a 8,400 deficit? At least I can do something about this.

    But don't think it's "perfect science" and every week you'll lose 2lbs. That's setting yourself up for failure. I'm set to lose .5lbs/week (I only had 8 vanity pounds to drop). Some weeks I drop 1lb, some 1.5, some .2. Weight loss isn't linear and some weeks you'll eat perfect and workout perfect and gain. In the end, on average, it does work. So, stick to it and before you know it, you'll be maintaining at goal!
  • ldrosophila
    ldrosophila Posts: 7,512 Member
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    i think youll find if you do nothing else but cut out the caloric drinks it'll make a difference.
  • waltcote
    waltcote Posts: 372 Member
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    For me it's learning, adjusting and moving forward. Becoming a better me day by day. :bigsmile:
  • MysteriousMerlin
    MysteriousMerlin Posts: 2,270 Member
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    It's hard to be honest with yourself about everything we're eating. We just have to be realistic! I've been planning out my days in more detail, and it's helping. I allow for some light snacking, and it helps me stick to it.
  • mynewlife10
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    Thank you for the suggestion. I am not aiming for that much of a deficit - my calorie intake stays at 1,200 or above. The deficit happens from my exercise so I am comfortable with it because it is not from "starving" myself.
  • Briko3
    Briko3 Posts: 266 Member
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    So, I weighed myself and in a whole week I lost 1 pound. At first, I was very disappointed - I knew I had a deficit of 8,400 calories and couldn't understand why all that hard work only yielded 1 pound. I decided to go back to last week and really look at the numbers and here is what I found (after being brutally honest with myself):

    - I had numerous Whole Foods drinks that are like Vitamin Waters (but not "Zero") so they have calories and sugar

    - I had two 16 oz. cups of Sprite at the football game on Saturday

    - Regular ranch dressing on the 1/2 salad I had when I went out to lunch on Saturday

    - Some chips late Sunday (just snacking around)

    - No nutritional supplements (such as Iron and Vitamin D, which I know for a fact I am deficient on based on my blood panel)

    So, there I have it - I didn't log any of the above, and it all added up at the end of the day. This morning I have started to ONLY drink water and I will get moving on my Iron and Vit. D intake. It seems as if everything else is working the way it should.

    The self honesty is as big a part of succeeding as anything and I have been slapped in to reality.

    And sometimes it's just the salty meal you had the day before causing you to retain a little bit of extra water.
  • sidney7305
    sidney7305 Posts: 36 Member
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    Hi, I'm just starting out myself. This is the beginning of my second week and I have lost one pound. That being said, I truly sympathize. What I am trying to focus on is that this is a lifestyle change. I have to do what I am doing now for the rest if my life and it will never come off as fast as we want it too.
  • mynewlife10
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    Can anyone here tell me how to get rid of the ticker, by the way? It isn't working.
  • mynewlife10
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    It's hard to be honest with yourself about everything we're eating. We just have to be realistic!

    This is so true.
  • TheCaren
    TheCaren Posts: 894 Member
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    A pound a week is respectable! However, I understand what you mean about being honest and logging EVERYTHING and not just ignoring little things here and there.
  • mynewlife10
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    Hi, I'm just starting out myself. This is the beginning of my second week and I have lost one pound. That being said, I truly sympathize. What I am trying to focus on is that this is a lifestyle change. I have to do what I am doing now for the rest if my life and it will never come off as fast as we want it too.

    We can and will do this.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
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    Can anyone here tell me how to get rid of the ticker, by the way? It isn't working.

    you can reset it if you like - re-input your starting weight, then put in your current weight today and that'll sort the problem. If you don't want it appearing at all go into settings and change the privacy settings (I think! its a long time since I fiddled around with that!)
  • mapenguinkeeper
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    I also have a severe Vit D deficiency and found it WAAYYYY easier to take the Gummy Vites than try to choke down the horse pills. It's also beneficial for my arthritis.
  • midwest_fittie
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    Pease add me, I love your honesty. I need more of it in my life and more people to point out what I'm doing wrong.
This discussion has been closed.