Hello.....I am getting FRUSTRATED!!!

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Sammi_2014
Sammi_2014 Posts: 18
in Introduce Yourself
So I started dieting on 9/1/14 and within the first 10 days I dropped 9lbs ! I went from drinking energy drinks and soda all the time to ZERO and all I drink is water and a few cups of coffee a day. I have been watching what I eat and measure my foods and doing exercises ....but no weight has been lost since then!! I have worked my butt off the past few days and nothing ! I just joined the YMCA and for the past 3 days I have been working out for an hour and a half to two hours.
I do 30 minutes of cardio to get my heart rate up and then I do some leg presses , lift some light weights for my arms, other leg weight exercises and this like ab crunch machine thing ....Today I also did this stair stepper machine and the bike ....Yesterday I walked a total of 7 miles between the work out and just normal every day ....What is wrong with my body ?! Why is it not wanting to lose weight !! Ugh, fat girl problems :(
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Replies

  • KellyM0102
    KellyM0102 Posts: 5 Member
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    If your goal is weight loss you may be focusing a bit too much on weights. Remember, muscles weights more than fat, so even though you may have lost some 'fat' pounds, you have probably gained some 'muscle' pounds. Google some pics of 5 pounds of muscle v. 5 pounds of fat. You may want to try more cardio and less weights - fat is burned when aerobic cellular respiration kicks in, and that takes about 20 minutes. So for a 30 minute cardio workout, you're really only burning fat for about 10 minutes.
    Your loss of 9lbs in 10 days is also a bit concerning, that's a lot of weight in a very short time, I'm hoping it wasn't done by extreme fasting...
  • Sammi_2014
    Sammi_2014 Posts: 18
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    No, I haven't done any fasting at all but I think that is due to the fact that I started drinking nothing but water and cutting my portions . I used to eat a lot and drink red bulls and pepsi all day long . My biggest thing wasn't that I wasn't eating healthy but that I was eating to much and eating out of boredom. Now, since I have dropped the initial weight I am like stuck.
    I have been doing the weights to because I want to be toned as well.....I am just getting so frustrated because I feel like am not getting anywhere .
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    Congrats on the loss!!

    Give it time.

    You didn't gain it over night, you can't lose it over night. And when you make changes like joining a gym you can experience a tiny stall. if you're eating at a deficit, and following the basic guidelines of MFP (1LB a week is a good start) things should start moving again soon.
  • thegreatcanook
    thegreatcanook Posts: 2,419 Member
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    Slow and steady! Feel free to add me.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
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    If your goal is weight loss you may be focusing a bit too much on weights. Remember, muscles weights more than fat, so even though you may have lost some 'fat' pounds, you have probably gained some 'muscle' pounds. Google some pics of 5 pounds of muscle v. 5 pounds of fat. You may want to try more cardio and less weights - fat is burned when aerobic cellular respiration kicks in, and that takes about 20 minutes. So for a 30 minute cardio workout, you're really only burning fat for about 10 minutes.
    Your loss of 9lbs in 10 days is also a bit concerning, that's a lot of weight in a very short time, I'm hoping it wasn't done by extreme fasting...

    I'm not even going to finish reading this. No.
  • connieelaine24
    connieelaine24 Posts: 59 Member
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    You may not be losing lbs but you may be losing inches and since muscle weighs more than fat your scale might not be your best judge at the moment. Just hang in there your doing the right things and you will see the difference if you just keep going. Perhaps take some measurements and see if that's where your making your progress. Don't focus on the number, just focus on how you feel.
  • Phrick
    Phrick Posts: 2,765 Member
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    When you start a new workout program your muscles will retain water for cushioning and repair. It will show as a lack of loss or for some people even as weight gain, but it is not fat. Your body is still losing fat you just don't see the results on the scale as fast. Be patient! You'll get there!
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    If your goal is weight loss you may be focusing a bit too much on weights. Remember, muscles weights more than fat, so even though you may have lost some 'fat' pounds, you have probably gained some 'muscle' pounds. Google some pics of 5 pounds of muscle v. 5 pounds of fat. You may want to try more cardio and less weights - fat is burned when aerobic cellular respiration kicks in, and that takes about 20 minutes. So for a 30 minute cardio workout, you're really only burning fat for about 10 minutes.
    Your loss of 9lbs in 10 days is also a bit concerning, that's a lot of weight in a very short time, I'm hoping it wasn't done by extreme fasting...

    I'm not even going to finish reading this. No.
    +1 for "no"
  • Sammi_2014
    Sammi_2014 Posts: 18
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    I just feel like I am doing something wrong ....I thought cardio and some light weights would a good thing. One of my biggest fears is a lot of excess skin that I see some people have. I have had 2 children and I am just trying to get to where I was before I had them .
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,565 Member
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    If your goal is weight loss you may be focusing a bit too much on weights. Remember, muscles weights more than fat, so even though you may have lost some 'fat' pounds, you have probably gained some 'muscle' pounds. Google some pics of 5 pounds of muscle v. 5 pounds of fat. You may want to try more cardio and less weights - fat is burned when aerobic cellular respiration kicks in, and that takes about 20 minutes. So for a 30 minute cardio workout, you're really only burning fat for about 10 minutes.
    Your loss of 9lbs in 10 days is also a bit concerning, that's a lot of weight in a very short time, I'm hoping it wasn't done by extreme fasting...

    I'm not even going to finish reading this. No.
    +1 for "no"

    For real. I already had a headache opening this up, it just made it worse.
  • Sammi_2014
    Sammi_2014 Posts: 18
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    What exactly do I measure , just my waist ? It seems like my legs are getting thinner and that is about it .
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,565 Member
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    I just feel like I am doing something wrong ....I thought cardio and some light weights would a good thing. One of my biggest fears is a lot of excess skin that I see some people have. I have had 2 children and I am just trying to get to where I was before I had them .

    As someone said before, you're going to retain water any time you begin a new exercise routine. Give it some time and it will come off.
  • Deipneus
    Deipneus Posts: 1,862 Member
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    So I started dieting on 9/1/14 and within the first 10 days I dropped 9lbs ! ....but no weight has been lost since then!! ....What is wrong with my body ?! Why is it not wanting to lose weight !! Ugh, fat girl problems :(
    23 days is too short a time to expect major results. It's not uncommon to lose weight quickly the first week because of water loss. Just keep at it and be patient. :smile:
  • jennifurballs
    jennifurballs Posts: 247 Member
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    Measure whatever you want. I measure my upper arms, waist, hips and upper thighs.

    DON'T STOP WEIGHT TRAINING! Lifting weights does not make you gain weight, but it will keep you from being a flabby, skinny girl when you reach your goal. You're on the right track with that and drinking lots of water.

    If you aren't already doing it, get a digital scale and weigh all your food. It's possible that you're underestimating your calories.

    Good luck!!!
  • pleasurelittletreasure
    pleasurelittletreasure Posts: 236 Member
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    If your goal is weight loss you may be focusing a bit too much on weights. Remember, muscles weights more than fat, so even though you may have lost some 'fat' pounds, you have probably gained some 'muscle' pounds. Google some pics of 5 pounds of muscle v. 5 pounds of fat. You may want to try more cardio and less weights - fat is burned when aerobic cellular respiration kicks in, and that takes about 20 minutes. So for a 30 minute cardio workout, you're really only burning fat for about 10 minutes.
    Your loss of 9lbs in 10 days is also a bit concerning, that's a lot of weight in a very short time, I'm hoping it wasn't done by extreme fasting...

    I'm not even going to finish reading this. No.

    Aw, c'mon. I burned a couple calories reading it through...from giggling.
  • dashaclaire
    dashaclaire Posts: 127 Member
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    What exactly do I measure , just my waist ? It seems like my legs are getting thinner and that is about it .

    You can add custom measurements in the check in screen.
    for example I measure my boobs in a sports bra, my waist (two inches above your belly button), my muffin top area, my hips (widest part of your butt), my right arm, my right thigh, and my right calf. I've lost an .5-1.5 inches off each one these by losing 11 pounds.
  • PrimalStrong
    PrimalStrong Posts: 4 Member
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    Not sure if it's talked about much on this board, but I found a lot of good, modern information in a book called The Calorie Myth by Bailor. It lays out today's science on how counting calories isn't really the equation you're looking for. You might find some good ideas and even solace by reading this book. Short answer: It's about hormones not calories. They type of food you eat vs how much. Best of luck to you.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    I just feel like I am doing something wrong ....I thought cardio and some light weights would a good thing. One of my biggest fears is a lot of excess skin that I see some people have. I have had 2 children and I am just trying to get to where I was before I had them .
    Let's say you lose another pound in September. That's TEN POUNDS in a month.

    That's great.
  • menelikseth
    menelikseth Posts: 1
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    Sorry for barfing all of my thoughts into one post but I have to add this to the discussion.

    Changing your body composition can be a test of patience. That's exactly what you are doing. By training you are swapping out fat for muscle. You are getting faster, stronger and better. It takes time, so my recommendation is to just enjoy the process. Have fun exercising. Feel good that you are striving for positive change. And whatever you do, don't give up!

    But don't over do it either. Pace yourself. Continue to eat healthy balanced diets. Stay hydrated. Avoid junk food, but don't deprive yourself to the point of misery. A treat every now and then is a good thing. I enjoy my ice cream occasionally. It makes me smile. Then I note it in myfitnesspal, and make sure I don't go over my calorie limit. It also motivates me to keep pushing myself harder (within reasonable and comfortable limits).

    If this is your first time training, then you do have a lot to learn. There is a lot of info out there, so give yourself time to process it all. Also, if you are new you will definitely want to talk to more experienced people and make sure that when you exercise, you are using proper form. Nothing is worse than an injury from doing an exercise wrong, or to a lesser degree, wasting a lot of time at the gym training ineffectively. So get an expert to help you make sure you are actually training effectively.

    And again, this is a lifestyle change. It's a huge deal. You have already taken huge steps into a lifelong journey of positive change. Don't turn it into a numbers game, and certainly don't set unrealistic expectations and get frustrated to the point of wanting to quit.

    Have fun!
  • hortensehildegarde
    hortensehildegarde Posts: 592 Member
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    I just feel like I am doing something wrong ....I thought cardio and some light weights would a good thing. One of my biggest fears is a lot of excess skin that I see some people have. I have had 2 children and I am just trying to get to where I was before I had them .

    the only thing it sounds like you could be "doing wrong" is not properly tracking your food (or overestimating your exercise calories if you are eating any of them back). So long as you are accurately weighing solids and measuring liquids and using accurate entries from the MFP database you should be fine.

    If your tracking is spot on and you are exercising and staying at or below your calorie goal (but not too far below if you have a really low calorie goal) then it is impossible to do it "wrong"

    Just keep at it and give it some time. 1 lb fluctuations can be hard to see because of how much weight fluctuates during a day and based on things like exercise/muscles retaining water, salt, TOM, etc. Over time the loss will show up but it won't be linear or entirely predictable.

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