one month in and motivation is slowly going. . . .

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leader29
leader29 Posts: 12 Member
in Getting Started
Iv lost 8lb so far, but its slowed down loads, im struggling with motivation as it slows. I could really do with some motivational friends, and a bit of a pep talk from anyone that can help please, any experience to share xxx
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  • BoxerBrawler
    BoxerBrawler Posts: 2,032 Member
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    Hey, come on now... it's way too soon for you to be losing motivation!

    Congratulations on the 8 pounds, I am proud of you :) It sure isn't easy but soooo worth it when you see real results.

    The thing I love most about proper nutrition and exercise is that you actually get to see real tangible physical results.

    Do you know why it has slowed down? I mean there is always the plateau... which I have hit more than once... but is there another reason maybe? Did you start strong and then change your diet in a way that wasn't so strict maybe?

    Think about the reasons why you began this change in the first place, why did you decide to change your diet, nutrition, join here, lose weight, get fit?????? I think you should make a list of all the reasons and the way you felt as you lost that first pound or two and then post it here, and refer back to it often!

    Last... please remember, it takes a long time to put the weight on and it will take a while to get it off. Patience and consistency.
    :flowerforyou:
  • mchristian325
    mchristian325 Posts: 1 Member
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    8 lbs so far is great! I feel you with the motivation. This weekend i decided to go through some clothes. I donated my my XXL shirts and took some of my L shirts out. Granted I can't fit into them right now, but seeing the XXL go to an XL was pretty satisfying and I have the L to look forward to. Keep it up! Feel free to add me I try to be on MFP everyday,
  • rliissfussy
    rliissfussy Posts: 1
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    Hey 8lbs is great I have only just started and I am really trying to stay positive, you give me hope. Keep up the good work

    Rose
  • safetydeb
    safetydeb Posts: 4
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    Wow, 8 lbs. is great. I tried to start 3 weeks ago but ended up being selected for jury duty for a murder trial in my area so I didn't even bother to stick with trying. But now that everything is back to normal, I'm starting again this week. It's a little difficult because I work nights so my eating schedule is turned around. But I'm not going to give up. And you shouldn't either. 8 pounds is a great beginning. Just keep on posting anytime you need some encouragement. We all need it and the congratulation for losing. The going may be slower than you want, but there is progress. Keep looking forward!!:smile:
  • mreilly013
    mreilly013 Posts: 36 Member
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    Great job on your 8lb loss! It looks like your goal is losing 24 pounds? Well think of it, you are already 1/3rd of the way there in only a month! That is fantastic progress!

    Have you been taking progress pictures? If not I'd highly recommend them! It's so hard looking in the mirror everyday and not seeing changes, however if you take a picture the first of the month or once a week you can really see how you are progressing. Losing weight is not an overnight sensation, its slow and steady but one day you'll wake up and be like "baam! I look great!"

    Keep it up!
  • PaulaCLamb
    PaulaCLamb Posts: 8
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    As your body and its metabolism and hormones acclimatize to your new body composition you will face some stagnant moments. It is best to stay focused, it takes time to lose the weight and you want it to stay off right!! so it must be a slow process.

    I used to always tell my nutrition clients to ensure they are eating their calories, moving (helps burn extra calories), drink water helps to detox body and sleep….

    Carb re-feeds are important in shaking the body out of that plateau..only carb re-feed (1 meal and about 40 calories dependant on your calorie goals) on a day when you are exercising and keep the fat and protein intake at the "my fitness pal" level just get in those extra low fat carbs (a great one is oatmeal - large flake slow cooking as it is low GI and will not affect insulin levels)

    Leptin levels drop when we eat less calories than our BMR - which is whats happening when you are dieting so to shake the plateau and increase leptin levels (overweight people generally have lower leptin levels) you need to do a carbohydrate re-feed every so often…



    Good luck
  • Chance535
    Chance535 Posts: 64 Member
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    Great job on the 8lbs! Keep up the good work and the results will follow.
  • Mochi915
    Mochi915 Posts: 30 Member
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    Friend me and let's keep each other motivated. We've all been there!
  • 4legsRbetterthan2
    4legsRbetterthan2 Posts: 19,590 MFP Moderator
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    8 lbs is a good start. Sometimes you just have to keep reminding yourself why you wanted to start in the first place, write the reasons down or take some pics for comparison to remind you. Don't Fall Off the Wagon Now!
  • lessofless
    lessofless Posts: 40 Member
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    I'm in exactly the same boat as you. It's been about a month. It's been about 8 pounds. I've been in this boat many times. This is usually the time the I jump out and swim back to the island of fat. But not this time. Plateaus happen, but don't give up. Just keep doing what you are doing. Try switching things up a bit if you are getting bored. Learn a new recipe or try a different kind of exercise.
  • jeanners98
    jeanners98 Posts: 74 Member
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    Um... 8 pounds is incredible!!! You should be so proud of yourself for that. Keep it going!

    Feel free to add me, we can be buddies!
  • PopeyeCT
    PopeyeCT Posts: 249 Member
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    Congrats on a good start.

    Sometimes when I need a little motivation I like to browse some of the recipe sites and find something new to make. There are a lot of very good things to eat out there. Like chili can be made under 100 cal per serving.
  • sweetpea03b
    sweetpea03b Posts: 1,124 Member
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    Ok... I've been "back on the wagon" since last March..... (yep... almost a year). I lost about 5#... gained a few back... plateaued... started losing again (SO SLOWLY) last November.... (about 5# in 10 weeks). So... I've lost a total of 7# in 11 months. I'm down atleast 1 jean size (I always bought my jeans a little big so its hard to say) and my measurements are the same as they were when I was 20lbs lighter.

    I guess the moral of this story is:
    1) Weight is just a number.... what do your measurements say?
    2) People say this is a journey like you have an end destination. There is no end.... just a road that goes on and on and on. Meaning, you have to make good choices forever to stay healthy... not just for now until you get to your goal weight... cause guess what? If you stop living the healthier lifestyle eventually that weight is gonna creep right back... not to mention the non-weight related strides you're making for your overall health!
    3) You've been doing this for ONE MONTH... lets re-visit this conversation in 10 months :)

    Keep at it.... being healthy is for LIFE!
  • leader29
    leader29 Posts: 12 Member
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    I started off drinking plenty of water, and I seemed to have stopped that, I was also eating below my 1500, but now I seem to be allowing as much as I can. The 24lb goal is to get to my lowest weight, b4 I was pregnant, my boy is 1 year now and I feel I should have lost it by now.
    im 13 stone 4, and want to get to 12stone 2lb.... iv never been smaller than that and I cant see me ever getting lower, which is why its set to that.
    I want to feel comfortable to run around with my son, it wont be long till he walks, and I want to feel happy to play in the park with him in spring, I worry what ppl think of me, generally I have a very low opinion of my self.
    We took photos at the behining, and then saturday we took another set 1 month in, and when I looked at them I felt disgusted, im vile, it upset me.
    I hate that I have to limit my food when my oh can eat loadsand not gain, food is part of life, I want to enjoy it like everyone else, but I just get fatter.
  • Tracils2013
    Tracils2013 Posts: 1
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    Set daily goals, it hwlps to keep them more manageable.
  • kdsp2911
    kdsp2911 Posts: 170 Member
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    Motivation is great and all, but that's not all there is. Sometimes you just have to push through and do what you have to do if you want to see the changes. You are already doing amazing, why stop now? Don't let one little thing like motivation throw you off. If you find yourself slipping or wondering why or if it's worth it...check out the success stories here! They will inspire you and show you why you are really doing this. Because if THEY can do it, so can you!
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    It's a slow process and you're going to have to wrap your brain around that. In my experience, long term and sustained success happens when people really start looking at the much bigger picture, not just the scale. That bigger picture being your overall health now and in the long term...your nutrition, and your fitness. These things are life long endeavors...there is no finish line...you are never "done"...they are an intricate part of your everyday life forever. Once you start taking that all in, a handful of weeks is pretty irrelevant.

    I would suggest putting more of your focus on you nutrition and your fitness and the process of being the best you that you can possibly be. Be more awesome today than you were yesterday, and sleep well tonight in the knowledge that you're going to rock it tomorrow. You do that most of the time (you will never be 100% on) and the results will follow. Obsessing solely on the scale is not really going to get you anywhere fast.
  • nomad1000
    nomad1000 Posts: 206 Member
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    8 lbs is great. That is 2# a week, a healthy and sustainable weight loss. Way to go!

    Remember: Weight loss, like weight gain, doesn't happen overnight. I know it took me months to gain the weight I am trying to lose so I am willing to put the months of work to lose it. I have to remember that weight loss, like weight gain, isn't a straight line. There will be ups and downs. As long as the scale keeps trending down over the long term it is all good.

    I would also suggest not focusing so much on the scale but the other things like how do your clothes fit, how is your energy level, how is your fitness level compared to when you started? Sometimes the scale doesn't keep up with how we are really doing (too much sodium one day, too hard of a workout the next or it is TIM-all of which can cause water retention and lack of movement on the scale).

    Don't give up now!
  • kjo9692
    kjo9692 Posts: 430 Member
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    I started off drinking plenty of water, and I seemed to have stopped that, I was also eating below my 1500, but now I seem to be allowing as much as I can. The 24lb goal is to get to my lowest weight, b4 I was pregnant, my boy is 1 year now and I feel I should have lost it by now.
    im 13 stone 4, and want to get to 12stone 2lb.... iv never been smaller than that and I cant see me ever getting lower, which is why its set to that.
    I want to feel comfortable to run around with my son, it wont be long till he walks, and I want to feel happy to play in the park with him in spring, I worry what ppl think of me, generally I have a very low opinion of my self.
    We took photos at the behining, and then saturday we took another set 1 month in, and when I looked at them I felt disgusted, im vile, it upset me.
    I hate that I have to limit my food when my oh can eat loadsand not gain, food is part of life, I want to enjoy it like everyone else, but I just get fatter.

    Instead of fully restricting foods that you like why don't you have a cheat meal per week? I know it's incredibly hard but there are sacrifices that need to be made in order to achieve success. Hard work will pay off in the end. Once you reach your goal weight you will switch to maintenance and you'll be able to eat more calories so you can incorporate more meals or specific types of foods.

    To be honest, lately I haven't been too motivated, but it doesn't matter because I want to lose this weight period! If I don't work on it then I'll continue gaining more and more weight. I know what you mean about having low self esteem every time you look into a picture of yours. But guess what? If I don't do anything about it, I'll hate it more and more with time! So I better work on myself now before I regret it more and more!

    Feel free to add me if you need a friend or someone to support you, I know it's hard but I know you can do it! :wink:
  • jasmineeatsfood
    jasmineeatsfood Posts: 18 Member
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    Congratulations on the 8 pounds.

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