Getting Discouraged...

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erikacrosby
erikacrosby Posts: 7
in Motivation and Support
Hey. I have been restricting my calories and doing strength and cardio for about 3 weeks now and I have not lost any weight. I have actually gained 3 pounds. I don't know what I am doing wrong. I need a little motivation or tips from anyone who is willing to offer them. I have started baking my foods instead of frying them, eating veggies instead of sweets, and eating whole grains. I guess that I am just getting a little discouraged and I do not want to quit. Will restricting my calories work and will I ever see results?? I have been doing pilates, walking pushing my 9 month old daughter in her stroller, and dancing for 20 minutes for my cardio. How long before I see results and does anyone have any suggestions of other exercises I can try. They would have to be exercises that I can do at home because I have two small children and cannot go to the gym. Thank you.

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  • ucaminax
    ucaminax Posts: 157 Member
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    If you haven't already, I would invest in a digital food scale from Target, and use it and measuring cups for everything for awhile to be sure you are listing your calories accurately. I know when I first started doing that, I was quite surprised! Also, I just discovered netflix has some exercise videos, which I plan to try when I can't get to the gym (I have a 2 yr old). Also take a look at your sodium-maybe add that to the nutrients you track. And redo your fitness profile maybe set to "sedentary" so it gives you fewer calories per day. It really just comes down to calories in vs. calories out, barring any medical conditions. Good luck to you and don't give up! Even if you haven't seen the scale move, you are making some very healthy changes. This is a lifestyle change rather than a diet, and a healthier you means that you will keep up with youir babies and grandbabies :-)
  • meggonkgonk
    meggonkgonk Posts: 2,066 Member
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    Diet is by far more important in actually losing weight than exercise. Exercise is a great bonus- for your belly and your metabolism- but what you are eating and how much is vastly more influential in terms of the scale.

    ucaminax makes a good point about accurately measuring your food, but equally as important is eating enough. Many people start out and eat their calorie goal, but exercise a ton and don't eat any of it back, their bodies react by storing fat and water.

    There are always a million reasons you might not be losing weight, sodium, too many cals, too few, types of foods you are eating, your period, heavy food (anytime I eat restaurant food I go up 3lbs immediately for about a day), pregnancy, or even jumping too fast into a difficult exercise regimen (causes your muscles to retain water to repair themselves). Without seeing your diary, it's hard to identify which of these might be causing your frustrating results -- so play around and give each major change 2 weeks-a month to see results.
  • VialOfDreams
    VialOfDreams Posts: 217
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    1 lb = 3500 calories. So if you want to lose 1 lb a week, you need to have burned an extra 3500 calories. I agree with the above posters, that it is more important to watch what you eat. Not sure how many times a day you eat, but it is best to eat 4-6 small meals instead of just a couple large meals.

    Don't starve your body, as it will enter a defensive mode, that will cause it to retain everything you eat. After hard exercises, drink a protein shake so your body recovers.

    Watch your sodium intake. The average person takes in twice as much sodium as the body needs.

    Drink water. Seriously. This is important. Drink at least 8 cups of water a day, and if you work out, you need to drink at least 10.

    Be stubborn. I've been through several plateaus, and I just kept pushing through them. Do NOT give up. You are in control. You may want to see a nutritionist to help you out. There may be some at your local health store that would offer free sessions.
  • Sigra
    Sigra Posts: 374 Member
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    Hey :)

    I get pretty distracted, and discouraged from my goals, hopefully we can help you asap!

    I personally find exercise and portions much more important than diet. Depending on your weight/height your calorie intake will be different. So far the best thing that has worked for me is eating 6x a day and working out 3-4x a week for 30mins - 1hr.

    The best part about eating 6x a day (if your job allows it), is that you eat all day, because you eat in small portions your body can burn the calories a lot faster. All bodies are different and you kinda have to work out what is right for YOU, not right for someone else. However I do recommend this. Make sure you're following your calorie intake (mine is only 1300 per day) even though it's low I'm able to eat a lot, example:

    Breakfast: 2eggs+rice
    Snack: Granola bar
    Snack: 90 cal bar
    Lunch: Turkey, Cheese and Broccoli leanpocket
    Snack: Parfait (Strawberry and Blueberry)
    Dinner: Steak and Salad

    Obviously the meals can change every day. I personally like to snack, or eat really large meals all at once. With this I can follow my snack routine. Eat every 2hrs and not be hungry all day, while still drinking an extreme amount of water to keep me in check.

    Exercising wise, to be honest I'm a huge fan of the elliptical with my Shape-Up sneakers on. That's pretty much the only thing that I use when working out, even though I've been told you should do different things each week, I just enjoy it so much! Whatever your preference is, I'm sure you can make it work :)

    If something isn't working for you (1-2lbs lost in the first week), move on to a different strategy.

    I hope this helps! Best of luck, Meg.
  • Katherine912
    Katherine912 Posts: 42 Member
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    I totally understand. I've been there. I was going through the same thing for a couple months and continued to gain weight. Turns out, it wasn't just what I was eating, it was my thyroid. My levels were way off, so my metabolism was basically nonexistent. I would have your levels checked if you seriously and honestly feel that you are doing everything right (as far a diet and exercise). Also, make sure you're getting adequate amount of sleep. Failure to do so increases cortisol levels, which can cause weight gain.

    Don't give up! You can do this. Let me know if you have any questions or need anything!

    Katherine

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