I'm 18 days in and feeling disappointed..

It can feel agonizingly slow, however remember that one pound a week is healthy and safe, at at that rate, more likely to stay off then when lost more quickly. Find an object that weighs one pound and another that weighs five and remind yourself how much weight that really is. And also try counting forward 10 weeks on the calendar and stay focused on doing all the right things for those 10 weeks. You'll be down another 10 by then. It's hard to wait. It's worth it though. It didn't go on in 18 days and it won't come off that quickly either! Be strong and use your network.

Inches are more important than pounds. There will be times when your body is changing fat into muscle and the weight will stay close to the same but you will be losing inches. That's why your check-in should have weight as well as measurements.

You are still losing weight. Nothing to worry about. Losing weight slowly may be annoying, but you're more likely to keep it off than if you lost it all quickly.

If your weight stays the same for a month or you even gain a pound...
-lower your calorie goal
-if your goal is already 1200, make sure you're measuring your food
-do a more intense exercise program
-eat back only half of your exercise calories (due to underestimates in calories consumed and overestimation in calories burned)

If you aren't eating much and exercising a lot for a month and your weight loss stops...
-take a week off where you eat at maintenance mode and exercise a lot less or not at all
-after the week is over, go back to normal

If you have 75+ lbs to lose 2 lbs/week is ideal
If you have 40-75 lbs to lose 1.5 lbs/week is ideal
If you have 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lbs/week is ideal
If you have 15-25 lbs to lose 0.5 to 1.0 lbs/week is ideal
If you have less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs/week is ideal

As you can tell, weight loss slows a lot toward the end. This is because you can no longer eat as much of a deficit and your exercise isn't going to burn as much as it did when you were heavier.

Yes I've been moderately working out 3-5 times per week, always drink my water, I do measure and count my food
In total I have lost 1.5 off my hips and 1.5 off my waist but if I'm noticing inches dropping shouldn't the weight be dropping too?
It's so discouraging... Thank god I hold my weight well

That's excellent! Keep up the good work!

Three pounds of water weight?

Yep. I was carting around about 4 pounds of extra water the last few weeks due to caffeine increase (I am sensitive to caffeine and it makes me retain water) and very sore muscles from working out.

Water retention is pretty normal anyway, but increases with our workouts.

Yes I've been moderately working out 3-5 times per week, always drink my water, I do measure and count my food
In total I have lost 1.5 off my hips and 1.5 off my waist but if I'm noticing inches dropping shouldn't the weight be dropping too?
It's so discouraging... Thank god I hold my weight well

Sounds like you are seeing some results, but understandable that you want to see more. I am not an expert by any means, but it does seem like you should be seeing a bit more on the scale, especially with the awesome size drop you are seeing!

Weight is for sure not the only, or even the most important measure, but it can be encouraging especially when you are starting out. Here are some tips I'd have to help encourage you:

1) I don't know how you work out, but when I first started running my weight was ALWAYS up for 2 days after a longer run (6 miles). As my body got used to the increased intensity my workouts didn't cause me to retain or gain water weight. If you are starting a new routine, it is possible your body is responding the same way that mine did - are you weighing yourself every day?

2) Measure your food. Log EVERYTHING. Buy a food scale and use it religiously, likely this is the only thing that you really need to change. Most of the time people over-eat and under-log. They also eat back too many calories as MFP can over-estimate the calories we burn in a workout. So having a solid understanding of your actualized intake can help you figure out where you need to be.

3) Try to incorporate new, small activities into your day. Go for a 20 minute walk and listen to a book on tape. Do sit ups during one commercial. While you are waiting for something to cook in the microwave, do squats or lunges. I know this sounds dumb, but it will really make a difference! You will find yourself more energetic and making better decisions because you are moving more. It doesn't have to be a "work out" to work! Just get yourself moving every day in some way and it will pay off in spades. Honestly, the days I eat the WORST are the ones that I'm sedentary. When I start my day with a long walk with my dog and then take care to stretch etc, it really puts my focus on taking care of myself rather than indulging my cravings.

Anyways, those are just some things that I've noticed - you keep up the good work. It takes a while but it will all work out!

Uh, you're only 18 days in? What kind of results were you hoping for, pray tell?

I gently urge you to give yourself a small reality check. Do a little research and find out how long it takes the average person to see definite weight loss results. Then you might see that the results you have achieved so far are actually pretty freakin spectacular, and you have nothing to whine about. :flowerforyou: Keep reminding yourself that it's completely crazy and unreasonable to expect to lose weight faster than you put it on.

Hi,

I was in the same boat as you, and believe you me, I was beyond upset as I gained 2.5 pounds the first week. I measured everything, ate exactly the breakdown of what my fitness pal stated.

I didn't give up, and here is what I did:

I eat 1250 calories a day, based on 40% Carbs 30% Protein and 20% fats

I do spin classes 6 times a week and burn 536 calories within 55 minutes and do 30 minute of weight training 2-3 times a week and burn about 256 calories.

I lost in 7 days 4 pounds. This is working for me, as I have to choose wisely my calories and I don't feel hungry. If I do, I just eat a bit extra protein like a hard boiled egg, and maybe 1 oz of lean chicken breast.

I hope this helps, don't give up, it's a matter of figuring out what works for your body.