I'm already feeling disheartened...

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knystress
knystress Posts: 8 Member
in Introduce Yourself
Oh hi,

I'm new here but not really. I've had the app for a couple of years but never really been serious about using the social aspect. I consistently try to eat a healthy, balanced diet and exercise regularly, but this never seems to get me the results I want. Granted, I'm not perfect, I have bad days and I skip the gym sometimes but my healthy lifestyle doesn't eliminate any pounds.

So a couple times a year I get really serious about it. I limit my calories and I go to the gym four or five times a week, but after a while I see no change, not a single pound, and I think "what's the point?" I give up because I feel that I'm working so hard for nothing.

That's why I'm here now. I've been using the calorie counter forever (on and off) but I've never participated in the message board/forum side of this program before. I'm shy.

I've been limiting my calories to about 1700 a day for three weeks, I've been going to the gym at least four days a week and burning at least 500 calories each time, and I've gained two and a half pounds. Not great so far.

Nice to meet you all :)

Replies

  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
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    How quickly did you gain those two pounds? I'm going to guess that it was right after starting at the gym? It's not uncommon to see a stall or even a slight gain on the scale after starting a new exercise program or increasing an old one. Our bodies flood sore muscles with fluid to help cushion and repair them, which shows up as a gain on the scale. It's temporary though. Your body will release the fluid as it gets used to the routine.

    Some links to get you started:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1235566-so-you-re-new-here
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1234699-logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide
  • Nadisay
    Nadisay Posts: 18
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    Feel free to add me, we all need support
  • Michellemtjpjt
    Michellemtjpjt Posts: 105
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    Well the journey starts again. Was in it to win last year. Then life boom happen. Working two jobs school full time and no sleep. turning to the wrong food and not eating right made me gain all my 10 ponds back :(. But I am still active and keep going. Lets do this spring is here.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,867 Member
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    This might sound like an odd question, but do you really need to lose weight? Your ticker says 20ish Lbs which would indicate to me that 1) it will be very slow going and 2) it is quite possible that you really don't need to lose weight, but rather it is a body composition issue.

    I see #2 all of the time here...people unhappy with their body composition so they just compulsively diet...which does pretty much nothing. Such individuals need to get into the weight room and start pumping some iron if they want to change their body composition.

    #1 is tougher...if you really do have 20ish Lbs to lose, it's really not much and you simply don't have the fat stores necessary for quick weight loss.

    Lastly, I would ask how you estimate your intake. If you are just pretty much eyeballing your servings, ingredients, etc then I can pretty much guarantee that you are overestimating your intake and eating more than you think you are. I found it pretty damned amazing when I actually started using a food scale and weighing things out...before I used a food scale I was overestimating my intake by about 600 calories. I've been in maintenance for about 10 months now and I still weight some thing, but for the most part, using a scale really taught me what true portions of things really look like...so I pretty much just weigh calorie dense things that I'm bad at estimating for.
  • kpchefai
    kpchefai Posts: 54 Member
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    Feel free to add me as well. I am still a ways from my goal but have finally seemed to work out the correct formula this time around. I have done this before as well and switched back and forth between MFP and WW. A few things that I have done differently this time around...

    1. Log everything, everyday. If I am not sure about something such as restaurant food I take a good guess.
    3. Focused on meeting my macros...yes a calorie is a calorie but I feel much better when I eat balanced. I was shocked by how low my protein was.
    4. Weigh my food and log accurately.
    5. Strength training/Weight lifting
    6. Planning and pre-logging...I plan my day in the morning or even the night before so I know how much I have and where I want to use it. For example tonight I am going out with a friend for drinks so I have already logged the drink I will have so I can work around it instead of struggling/feeling guilty/passing it up.
    7. Found exercising to be enjoyable. I have stopped wasting my time on the treadmill and elliptical. I do Zumba classes and Kickboxing class combined with weight lifting.
    8. Added friends. This can be a game changer I think. I did not bother to add any friends the previous times but I have found that I like it much better with them. Even though I don't know them in real life they are congratulatory when I have successes and supportive when I do not. It is also nice to bounce ideas of each other and share experiences with people who are doing the exact same thing. I also like seeing everyones diaries and getting ideas.

    Good luck to you and it is definitely possible. I am not sure how often you log in but they say it takes 21 days to establish a habit. See if you can log everything for 21 days!! That should also give you a good amount of time to figure out if your TDEE is correct! Be patient, consistent and HONEST and you will see results!
  • Muirhead67
    Muirhead67 Posts: 6 Member
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    Keep at it. Don't let the scale make or break our healthy lifestyle changes. Do you feel better? Rest better? I've been at this tracking game (this time) for about 3 1/2 weeks. I know I was a junk food junkie, just like a drug addict. I'm coming off carbs and grease. Please stick with it, your body will adjust and function much better. Sending Positive Pro-Health MOJO your way.
    :flowerforyou:
  • kwantlen2051
    kwantlen2051 Posts: 455 Member
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    Patience, my dear :) Same thing happened to me. I worked so hard the first month and followed my calorie goal but didn't lose a single lb. I almost gave up. Then on my 4th week, I lost approx. 4-5 lbs. and approx .5 - 1 lb a week after. Now I've slowed down to about.5 a week or sometime takes even longer. Just keep going forward. it will happen. Good luck!!!
  • ccrdragon
    ccrdragon Posts: 3,370 Member
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    Don't be a slave to the scale - I would also recommend that you get a tape measure and get measurements of various places on your body - waist, hips shoulders, thighs, arms, etc and keep a record of those. I do measurements ever other week (this seems to be more than enough to track what's going on for body composition).

    You change body comp and actually add weight (muscle is denser than fat) while making yourself look better in the mirror!
  • BillRicks1
    BillRicks1 Posts: 473 Member
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    Welcome. Feel free to add me.
  • knystress
    knystress Posts: 8 Member
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    Wow, I've never had so much support so quickly. You guys are amazing! Thank you for taking the time to not only read what I wrote but for replying with thoughtful ideas. I had no idea ho good it would make me feel to hear someone validate how hard it can be and tell me it's okay.

    My boyfriend is a trainer, go figure, but he works with athletes and has never known what it feels like to be fat or to struggle with changing your body. When I go to him for support he doesn't understand what's getting me down. "Eat less, work out more" is not always what one needs to hear.

    Thank you, strangers. I think you all know how much your support can mean.
  • Iwuvmy4kds
    Iwuvmy4kds Posts: 5 Member
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    you can add me as a friend. I just started this again. It is helping me out. This time I am serious about losing the weight where as before it was because others said I need to lose the weight. It isn't easy to do but I am doing it. I gained 2 pounds and feel awful because it was the 2 of the 7 I lost. But sometimes that happens. I love this site because I see what I've ate and done for the day. I am suppose do snacks too. This is something different for me to do. I know I can do it though. It is helping have support by others that aren't family or your doctors. Tina Gehrig
  • knystress
    knystress Posts: 8 Member
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    This might sound like an odd question, but do you really need to lose weight? Your ticker says 20ish Lbs which would indicate to me that 1) it will be very slow going and 2) it is quite possible that you really don't need to lose weight, but rather it is a body composition issue.

    I see #2 all of the time here...people unhappy with their body composition so they just compulsively diet...which does pretty much nothing. Such individuals need to get into the weight room and start pumping some iron if they want to change their body composition.

    #1 is tougher...if you really do have 20ish Lbs to lose, it's really not much and you simply don't have the fat stores necessary for quick weight loss.

    Lastly, I would ask how you estimate your intake. If you are just pretty much eyeballing your servings, ingredients, etc then I can pretty much guarantee that you are overestimating your intake and eating more than you think you are. I found it pretty damned amazing when I actually started using a food scale and weighing things out...before I used a food scale I was overestimating my intake by about 600 calories. I've been in maintenance for about 10 months now and I still weight some thing, but for the most part, using a scale really taught me what true portions of things really look like...so I pretty much just weigh calorie dense things that I'm bad at estimating for.

    In truth I'm not at a particularly unhealthy weight, I'm pretty fit and strong, just also carrying a lot of fat in my hips and thighs (and tummy and arms and wherever else fat is unappealing). I'm no stranger to watching what I eat so I ALWAYS check serving sizes and enter my food accordingly. I don't weigh things but I do use measuring cups and the like.

    I do a fair amount of cardio and weights. I do BodyPump usually twice a week and hit the elliptical three more times (watching my heart rate as I go, I'm going to get a more reliable HRM today though, just to be sure).

    I'm 5'8", currently 176lb. Prone to being muscular. Maybe you're right about muscle weight, but I don't feel any less fat, ya know? I'd really like to see the number on the scale go down instead of up...
  • topp35
    topp35 Posts: 50 Member
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    I agree u have to have patience. They say it takes twice as long to lose a pound as it does to put a pound on...thats what I've always been told anyway. Sounds good:) I dont look at the scale as much as I do how my clothes look and feel on me. The scale isn't always our best friend. I log on everyday and am here for support feel free to add me:)
  • bm1409
    bm1409 Posts: 1,715 Member
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    Dont give up, you will see results. Going to the gym you are gaining muscle and toning your body. It may not reflect on the scale and you may not see any change at first, but you will notice the way your clothes fit. Keep working and soon you will see the results with your eyes and on the scale.
  • disneygallagirl
    disneygallagirl Posts: 515 Member
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    How quickly did you gain those two pounds? I'm going to guess that it was right after starting at the gym? It's not uncommon to see a stall or even a slight gain on the scale after starting a new exercise program or increasing an old one. Our bodies flood sore muscles with fluid to help cushion and repair them, which shows up as a gain on the scale. It's temporary though. Your body will release the fluid as it gets used to the routine.

    Some links to get you started:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1235566-so-you-re-new-here
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1234699-logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide

    some excellent posts to read - especially the path to your sexypants! Welcome to the forums! :flowerforyou:
  • amy8400
    amy8400 Posts: 478 Member
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    Okay, some quick tough love. If you're not weighing and logging your daily intake (and I do mean daily), you can't expect serious results. You may think you're working out enough and eating really healthy but without being accountable, it's just a guess. If you are truly serious about your goals, it's time to weigh your food, log it in your diary every day and do the same with your exercise. I'm proud that you've already made an effort--that's great to have the MFP app and go to the gym on occasion. But now it's time to jump in with both feet if you want it to happen. I friended you so if you decide you'd like some support, I'll be there for you. It's been a huge help for me and I'm glad to pay it forward. This community can put your motivation on hyper-drive so take advantage and make this Day One.
  • mrslyons13
    mrslyons13 Posts: 2
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    How much water are you drinking daily?
  • canadjineh
    canadjineh Posts: 5,396 Member
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    You will get better results with your cardio if it is intervals rather than steady state - your bf should be able to tell you more about this if he trains athletes - train like an athlete and you will get results like an athlete...
    Good luck and keep at it!
  • Sunshine2plus2
    Sunshine2plus2 Posts: 1,492 Member
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    Hello and Welcome! Sorry but there is no way you gained 2 pds if you are eating what you say and exercising like you say, its impossible! Give it a few more weeks it will be gone its more than likely just water. Anyways good luck and dont give up!

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