I have over 100 pounds to lose...and am feeling discouraged

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  • crissi66
    crissi66 Posts: 98
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    hey keep your head up!! I worked out for a month before i started to see a change. Make sure you are logging everything. I have more than 70lbs to lose and if there is one thing i know it is very easy to tell yourself you can cheat on your diet because your working out. Be completely honest with what your eating. Diet is huge for us when we have so much weight to lose. Here are a few things i did when i first started:

    1.I dont have any kids so when i shop i shop just for me. I use a basket not a cart . the bigger the cart the more stuff you put in it.

    2. I trully hate salad. but love mixed raw veggies, carrots, cuccumbers, celery are delicious raw. i eat them in place of salad.

    3. WATER. soda and juice are empty calories . a bottle of juice from any store is almost 240 for 16oz. they count i tried to tell myself they didnt but they do.

    4. Really avoid eating out at first, everything is so tempting. the right choices really do take time to get used to so avoid crap. Things you think arent so bad can sometimes be the worst.

    Most importantly have patience with yourself. I tell myself it took 27 years to get this big it is sure not gonna come off in a week, month or 2 months.
  • pinky1988
    pinky1988 Posts: 21
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    I gained 70 pounds in 2 years, so thats 35 pounds a year, and a little over 2 pounds a month.

    So if you do the math, at 1 pound per week, thats approximately 52 pounds a year you can lose or more!!!!!

    So that means everything I did to gain the weight, i must reverse in order to lose it all.

    PUT THE SCALE AWAY! I had my boyfriend hide ours and he hid it good!!!

    Grab a tape measure and watch the inches go, the inches lost are more noticeable then the pounds.
  • Fliegenschwein
    Fliegenschwein Posts: 232 Member
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    A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step, as someone once said.

    A pound a week is just fine. Good luck and welcome :smile:
  • msemejuru
    msemejuru Posts: 229
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    Don't be discouraged since it seems you've done the hardest part! You've started working out more and are watching what you eat, be proud of yourself! Make sure you are logging everything you eat, even small bites while cooking or off other people's plates and the program will work. Break your major goal of lose 100 pounds down to a few mini goals i.e. lose "x "pounds by a certain date or per month (based on system recommendation). Also have some mini goals that are non weight-related like work out 5 times a week or have a glass of water before each meal. This will give you something else to track so you don't get discouraged.
  • JosephTucker
    JosephTucker Posts: 65
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    yeah, 2.5 pounds in two weeks is good, remember the salt could effect things too. Retaining some of that water. If you stick with it, trust me, it will come off.
  • petey49
    petey49 Posts: 58 Member
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    Hi: I just started this week. On day 2 I was so discouraged that I had blown my caloriesI was crying. The support I got from this board was amazing. I encouraged me and made me realize this is a journey not a sprint. It took me 3 decades to go from the body I had (and want back) to the body I have now. Okay I know I may not get back to the exact same body, but closer works. ;-)

    I realize that it will take me more than a few weeks, or a few months to get back, but I will get there eventually one or two pounds at a time. Keep up the exercise, keep up the calorie tracking. Don't beat yourself up. Eventually we will see the changes we want.

    On that note, time to burn some calories and earn a few extra for TGIF!
  • lupuslady
    lupuslady Posts: 99
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    Try hard not to get depressed, my scale did not move for 3 weeks, then overnight I lost 2 lbs, the a week later 3 lbs. Just keep at it and it will come off.
  • treehugginpam
    treehugginpam Posts: 1,131 Member
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    I agree with everyone else, 2.5 pounds is not bad (even though I know it's frustrating). You mentioned being under your calories though -- sometimes that can do it. If you go under your calories AND you're working out, that can work against you. You need to make sure that you're giving yourself the energy you need to work out as hard as you are by making sure you eat enough nutritious stuff.

    That having been said, personally some of my biggest weight loss weeks were weeks I allowed myself an "off day" to eat whatever I want. I don't know what it is, but it seems like for me one "free day" actually helps to kick start my metabolism!
  • edorice
    edorice Posts: 4,519 Member
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    Take it 10 pounds at a time.
    I also recommend a great book called Half As.sed, the author writes of her journey to lose over 100 pounds.
  • JuicyJBaby3
    JuicyJBaby3 Posts: 123 Member
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    Its very easy to become discouraged in the beginning. Because you are looking at how much you have to lose. Concentrate more on just being healthy and exercising. Watch your sodium, drink plenty of water.

    You are doing great!! This is a long process. We learn as we lose!!

    Good luck!!
  • mccomasa
    mccomasa Posts: 1
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    Don't be discorage!!! I hear muscle weight more than fat...(I think that's right) and though it might not seem like you're losing weight (which technically you are) right away it will eventually start coming off and you'll soon see the results. Don't give up, I just started yesterday and I'm a bit nervous myself. Keep up the good work!!! :smile:
  • molina76853
    molina76853 Posts: 143
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    This is my first week with MFP, however I started my lifestyle channge 2 weeks ago. In two weeks, I have had my discouraging days too. I also have days where I feel really great. I don't track my calorie intake yet, I am having to start this off slowing. I have greatly increased my water intake and have been walking daily. I found it to be easier for me to walk 4-5 times daily in increments of 5-10 minutes instead of trying to do it all at one time. This really does help and seems to give me that boost of energy. I started off with walking around the block twice and have now increased it to three times. Hang in there, the best is yet to come!
  • redhotsmacker
    redhotsmacker Posts: 227 Member
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    I've been where you are....actually, I started my weight loss journey on new years day of 2010. So almost a year! I have come a long way since then and have dropped over 80lbs. My advice to you is, take it in small steps, don't think of it as 100lbs to lose. Make small goals of increments of 3-5lbs. It is those small numbers that add up over time. I myself set little goals of 3lbs. Also, think of it this way, every day of healthy eating and exercise is making you healthier in the long run. Think about how close you will be to your goal in a years time! You can do it!

    You can add me as a friend if you like!
  • shaggy22
    shaggy22 Posts: 32
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    Remember that now you are learning the skills that will help you for the rest of your life! It is nice to lose weight of course, but at the beginning I think it is important to work on properly logging your food. Honesty is much better than meeting your calorie deficit target, because then you have the real information to work with (I am not saying you are being dishonest! I am just telling you what my focus was.) Then I worked on meeting my target deficit and adjusted the deficit to be high enough so that I could enjoy my daily food and not feel at all deprived, but still lose as much weight as possible.

    Then for me I slowly built in some exercise.

    I really try to remember that even if I am only losing a pound or half a pound per week, I know if I am below my calorie maintenance level then that weight will never be coming back!

    A nice one way trip!
  • qtwells82
    qtwells82 Posts: 352
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    2.5 pound is fantastic! Its normal to loose 1-2 pounds a week. Keep doing what your doing!
    Great job!!!!
  • cfaye90
    cfaye90 Posts: 1
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    I have a friend who has lost close to 70 pounds, but she has taken 10 months to do it. As you get stronger you will be able to burn more calories at the gym and that will bring it off quicker!! I weigh less than she does but she can run twice as far as I do because I just started working out. Set a calories burn goal for 4/5 days a week and stick with it. Then add to that every couple weeks. Keep it reasonable or you'll fail. I burn 325 as a goal but try for more!! Over estimate your calorie intake when you don't know for sure. You can do it!!
  • Fesse
    Fesse Posts: 611
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    and sometimes what can happen when you least expect it is one week you'll have an even bigger loss. So hang in there. We are all there and have been there. Best place to come when you got the blues. Everyone is so awesome here. Ask and you shall know. Don't stop and keep pushing harder.
  • superstarcassie
    superstarcassie Posts: 296 Member
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    You CAN do it. Don't get discouraged. Don't let the numbers control your happiness!! Watch the sodium and drink plenty of water each day. Measure foods and eat less boxed/processed. Push yourself hard in the gym (sweat, sweat, and sweat!!) and make sure you are proud of yourself for committing to a healthier life. Loosing weight isn't about the numbers, its about getting healthy and living longer. I know first hand how daunting 100 pounds can be. I still have around 60 (or more) I want to ultimately loose. I just know I have to chip away at it pound by pound, day by day! We CAN do this!!
  • ican♥and♥iwill
    ican♥and♥iwill Posts: 176 Member
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    It CAN be done!! You just have to make up your mind to stick with it!! It's hard and some days you're going to want to give up, some days you may even say screw it all and binge - but that's okay as long as you start back and DON'T GIVE UP!

    PERSISTANCE IS KEY!!!
  • SophisticatedLady
    SophisticatedLady Posts: 3
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    Think about how you feel physically. If you are working out more often do you feel like you have more energy? Remember, being healthy isn't a number, it's a life style. Try to reflect on all the great things you are doing for yourself by working out and eating well! It will all pay off in the long run!

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