2 Days in and Discouraged

Weighing yourself when you've just started is not a great idea. Our bodies are not so efficient that they immediately show results. What you do today could take a few days or more to process thru. Give it 2-3 weeks perhaps.

1200 is a hard # to stick to, for many people. 1300-1400 might be more sustainable for you. Even though everyone says that losing weight 'begins in the kitchen' - moving more does burn more calories. Doesn't mean you have to do anything complicated. Just look for ways to increase activity. Park further away from the stores. Jog in place while watching tv, or walk in place if jogging is too much for your present condition.

Last, but not least, how accurate are you on the calorie count? Do you use a food scale for all solid food? Account for cooking oils, condiments, etc.? If not this is something you can improve upon.

I just don't want to fail at something else.

Sounds like you are very hard on yourself, as other posters have said, it's not a battle that can be won in a day or two days, it takes time effort and energy.

As well .4 of a gain, even on consecutive days means nothing really. My weight can be up a pound or two over night for no apparent reason. This is a pic of my graph...not all down by any stretch!



It's a long term trend you need to watch. So relax, take some time, and let your body work.

OMG finally got my graph to work!

Hi everyone,

I just started. I started at 138 (5'2" at 44 yrs) and I had a difficult time sticking to 1200 calories so I had 1380 and I gained .4
The next day I had 1330 calories and maintained the .4 gain.

I know I'm only two days in but I am finding this discouraging.

I am a vegan and have been probably consuming around 1600-1800 calories to gain 25lbs so I thought after two days a smidge would come off, not gain. Before joining mfp I was trying to stick to raw till 4 but the weight kept fluctuating 1 up and 1 down.

I can't excercise for at least a week or two due to an injury but I have been sedentary for quite some time.

Any suggestions/motivation?

I just don't want to fail at something else.

Not trying to sound rude or be a jerk....

But 2 days and you are discouraged???
Did you get to your current size in 2 days??

Stay on your plan and give it time.
oh, don't weigh every day.....
once a week, track it over time and see which way it is trending

It takes 4 weeks for you to see your body changing.

It takes 8 weeks for your friends and family to see your body changing.

It takes 12 weeks for the rest of the world to see your body changing.

Give it 12 weeks. Don't quit.

There are a lot of pictures with this saying. I tried to do it here, but I'm not good at adding pictures.

If you have gained 25 lbs eating between 1600 and 1800 calories, there is something wrong.

I am 5 foot 3 and I got to my goal eating 1400 per day net.

I suggest going to the doctor and having your hormones checked.

Wow, who are you to say that I am "not ready"?

I am ready. I got the app, I've been logging every morsel for the last 2.5 days and I have come to the message board for support so that I continue and not give up as I have done in the past.

This type of feedback is very demoralizing and unhelpful.

They're not trying to be demoralizing at all, if anything, you should feel encouragement from what they say. They're telling you to give it time and not be discouraged in only two days.

Good luck to you.

Wow, who are you to say that I am "not ready"?

I am ready. I got the app, I've been logging every morsel for the last 2.5 days and I have come to the message board for support so that I continue and not give up as I have done in the past.

This type of feedback is very demoralizing and unhelpful.

I honestly suggesting getting a good group of friends for support. The people on this board are horribly sarcastic, rude and down right mean at times. It is NOT a good place for support.

It's taken me 9 months to lose 20lbs - that's an average of .5lbs a week. Some days I'm up, some days I'm down. It takes time to learn what works for you.

cheers.

You're discouraged by the weight of less than a full glass of water? Over two days? ok.......

No I don't think you're a jerk at all. I just got very nervous when I cut my calories so much and saw an increase in weight and then maintained it. When I try other plans I usually see a drop day 1 and 2 and then it seems to go up after a few more days so I quit the plan. This is unusual so I just got really nervous that this will work especially since i am so hungry.

I am used to vegan "all you can eat" plans which is how/why I have gained so much weight.

If you are discouraged by a .4 pound gain, then this will be a really tough journey for you. Read through the Success Stories and see how it really happens. Weight fluctuates. Daily. Hourly. A .4 pound gain is not a gain. My intent is not to sound snarky, but your post sounds unrealistic and I agree with the poster who feels you are not really ready for change. If you were in it for the long haul, you'd do what you need to do for 30 days, and then get on the scale and take measurements.

I started at 138 (5'2" at 44 yrs) and I had a difficult time sticking to 1200 calories so I had 1380 and I gained .4
The next day I had 1330 calories and maintained the .4 gain.
I know I'm only two days in but I am finding this discouraging.

Going by BMI, a healthy weight range is 105 - 130, so you're very close to a healthy weight.
http://www.shapeup.org/bmi/bmi6.pdf
But you're short enough that 120 lb (1200 cal) is reasonable.

Having so little to lose, it's going to happen slowly.
If you lose 0.5 lb a week, or even every 2 weeks, that's a victory.
In 2 days you're not going to see anything, or at most you'll see water weight loss.
You didn't gain weight in 2 days, you're not going to lose it in 2 days.
To lose a pound, you have to cut or burn 3500 calories.
But if you can do weightlifting, even body weight workouts, you'll likely see changes in shape maybe before you see changes in weight.
You might find that your weight stays the same but your body slims down, because fat is fluffy & muscle is compact.

I can't excercise for at least a week or two due to an injury but I have been sedentary for quite some time.
Any suggestions/motivation?

"Most weight loss occurs because of decreased caloric intake.
However, evidence shows the only way to maintain weight loss is to be engaged in regular physical activity."
http://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/physical_activity/index.html

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/MKEgal/view/2014-07-24-motivation-encouragement-680938
For the longer explanation, see the post.
- Set small intermediate goals & celebrate every one.
- Take measurements.
- Take pictures.
- Weigh yourself regularly.
- Be flexible; forgive yourself.
- Celebrate the non-scale victories (NSV's)
- Don't make any food forbidden.
- Don't give up!!!!
This woman lost 124 lb, and describes herself as a "not-stopper".
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1411868-i-ve-been-here-2-5-years-and-have-lost-124-pounds
"I'm a not-stopper. I'm not a go-getter or a great organizer or planner or more committed than anyone else. I probably didn't even work harder than lots of folks who eventually quit. All I am is a not-stopper."


http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819925-the-basics-don-t-complicate-it

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/872212-you-re-probably-eating-more-than-you-think

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/833026-important-posts-to-read

Very little hostility directed at you, lots of good advice plainly given.
And you say you're at 138, want to lose 24 lb, which would be 114... toward the low end of a healthy range.
And less than 0.5 a lb fluctuation is nothing - drink a glass of water or have a bowel movement & you can see that much change.

One other point - most women aren't used to weighing themselves every day. If you're approaching the start of your period, you're going to gain weight. Yeah, duh, you say. But you don't realize how much until you've been weighing yourself every day, for months. If I can hold steady the week before, it's a big victory. Usually I gain several pounds. But I know it's temporary.

I will hang in there but I certainly won't be using this message board for "encouragement".
I will have to find that from within.
It's too early in my journey to get such hostility.

I sometimes wish that MFP had a "funny" button....

First of all, you can't gain half a pound of fat by eating 180 calories over your goal. If you're set at 1lb loss/week & 500 calorie deficit, then you're still at a deficit by 320 calories. Even if you ate 180 over maintenance it wouldn't be enough to gain half a pound. I can assure you that you didn't actually "gain weight" so rest easy.

Aside from that, don't get discouraged. 2 days is too soon to start being hard on yourself. Some days it will be easy and some days it will be hard. Accept that as soon as possible. I joined MFP in 2012 but didn't start using it to actually lose weight until January of this year. I don't suggest taking that long to get your act together, but my point is that it just takes time and it takes you being determined. You can't make true change until YOU DECIDE you want to, and I learned that the hard way. Just keep logging and keep trying new things to figure out what works for you. Try some new foods, try new schedules of eating, experiment with drinking more or less water, getting more or less sleep. Everyday is a fresh start. If what you did yesterday didn't work, then try something different today. You'll find your balance in no time!


ETA that, similar to others here, didn't weigh myself when I first started out. I didn't even own a scale until I was like two months in. I focused exclusively on finding foods that I enjoyed and that helped me stay under my calorie goal. After a few months of staying under my goal and noticing some changes in how my clothes fit, I bought a scale & was happy to see I had lost 11lbs & that motivated me to keep doing what I was doing.