I'm in a Slump

I've been doing MFP for a bit more than three months, I've lost 24 pounds and I'm 13 pounds away from my goal. I feel so proud of myself and I know I'm almost there, but lately I've noticed I've been a bit discouraged. The scale isn't moving and I've upped my workouts to around an hour and a half a day and so I upped my calorie intake to 100 calories more. Maybe because I'm so close I feel like I can be a little easier on myself but I'm not sure. Working so hard and not seeing any change is making it difficult to keep pulling on. I really want to be a success story but it's getting a little harder being so close and unable to move forward.

Replies

  • Giddyduck
    Giddyduck Posts: 212 Member
    It is challenging to lose esp once you start to get close to your goal. Make sure you are taking measurements and pictures. I do this every 4 weeks. I had been stuck in plateau from December until recently. The thing that kept me motivated was that I kept losing inches. I could see the changes in the pictures even when I was/am frustrated I know I am making progress.
    I am 15 pounds from my goal weight and I have lost a total of almost 30 pounds so far. Keep trucking along....
  • Good work so far! Plateaus happen for everyone on a long term loss and fitness plan, so don't get too discouraged. As another poster said, monthly photos and measurements will give you another way to see progress. And if you are feeling really stuck, open your diary. Without being able to see what you are actually logging in exercise and food, it is difficult for other people to give you any ideas...
  • leep917
    leep917 Posts: 40 Member
    Thank you. I take pictures and I try to keep motivated! Its hard though I suppose plateauing is apart of the process. Congrats on your loss! Inches are proof of progress
  • adaybetter
    adaybetter Posts: 51 Member
    Are you having any cheat meals? or at least some high calories meals once or 2x a week? And how much water are you drinking?
  • leep917
    leep917 Posts: 40 Member
    No cheat meals. Occasionally I eat a 1,400 calorie diet but I burn off almost all of that. I drink about 8 cups of water a day. Maybe I need to be a little more careful with my calorie intake
  • skinnybythanksgiving
    skinnybythanksgiving Posts: 159 Member
    You are losing wonderfully. As you get close to the last 10 pounds your weight loss will be less each month. It took me 5 months and a week to lose about 30 pounds. The last month I only lost about 3 pounds and I had to watch every bite I put in my mouth, no nibbles and no cheat days. It's hard to see the weight loss slow down but it makes sense when you do the math. Just hang in there and keep on going. What you are doing now is what maintenance is going to be too, just more calories. Even if you lose 3 pounds a month, you'll be at your final goal around the first or second week of August.
  • dintentions3
    dintentions3 Posts: 43 Member
    i feel discouraged too. ive only been doing it about 2 weeks but ive been eating between 1000-1200 calories a day plus exercising a good bit whereas before i was barely MOVING and was consuming atleast 4000 calories a day! ive lost 4 lbs the first 5 days but only a couple ounces since then. my mom on the other hand is eating worse than me and not exercising and hers is falling off. quite discouraging. when i was in my mid twenties, the weight would fly off. now im 31 and its going muuuuch slower