A little discouraged :(

I have not been doing this long - only since 9/19/14 - I have lost 6 lbs total as of today 10/01/14 and I feel like I should have lost more due to my size. I have been under my calories each day. I know you should lose it slowly to stay successful, but I'm still feeling discouraged. Should you eat almost all of your alotted calories daily - will that help?

Replies

  • _BearNecessities_
    _BearNecessities_ Posts: 432 Member
    Quit watching the Biggest Loser and expecting miracles. You are down 6 pounds in 10 days. Accept that as great progress.

    That being said, you did not lose 6 pounds of fat. You likely lost primarily a bunch of water weight. Search the forums for the links geared towards new people. There is a lot of good advice if you read, open your mind and set realistic goals and expectations.

    Good luck.
  • CoachJen71
    CoachJen71 Posts: 1,200 Member
    I try not to eat my exercise-earned cals. Eating back too many of those will stall out your loss.

    And congrats on your first loss! :^)
  • RedfootDaddy
    RedfootDaddy Posts: 274 Member
    6 lbs in 2 weeks is an amazing loss! It really is! Don't get discouraged. This is a long process that you've got to tackle a little bit at a time.
  • CaitlinW19
    CaitlinW19 Posts: 431 Member
    6lbs in that amount of time is a huge loss no matter what your current size.
  • Keep your head up!

    The hardest thing to learn on any weight loss journey is patience. We have to remember that it took time to gain the weight that we have. And it will also take time to lose that weight. Weight loss is referred to as a journey because it is long term.

    It's hard to avoid getting caught up in the numbers game. But weight loss is about more than what you see on the scale. The number will fluctuate, and at times, seem to just stand still. But you should take a look at what has changed since 09/19/2014. Have you made healthier choices in regards to food? Are you incorporating more exercise in your days? Maybe set some non-weight related health goals that you can measure.

    ex. Exercise 3 times a week to start; or Eat vegetables 3 times a day.

    Focus on the positive and remember that weight is only a small indicator when it comes to your health. It sounds like you are doing great. Good luck and remember to give it time.
  • thismamarox
    thismamarox Posts: 105 Member
    Quit watching the Biggest Loser and expecting miracles. You are down 6 pounds in 10 days. Accept that as great progress.

    That being said, you did not lose 6 pounds of fat. You likely lost primarily a bunch of water weight. Search the forums for the links geared towards new people. There is a lot of good advice if you read, open your mind and set realistic goals and expectations.

    Good luck.


    I was thinking the same thing... Hell, if I lost 6 pounds in 10 days I would be doing the happy dance! The average realistic weight loss goal is 1-2 pounds a week. It will come off but expect a slow down when your body actually starts burning fat and not losing water.
  • dramaqueen45
    dramaqueen45 Posts: 1,009 Member
    Six pounds in a week and a half is very good. Usually people lose water the first week and then after that it's a pound to 1.5 pounds per week; sometimes it's .5 pounds per week and sometimes it will be none. You have to trust the process. I agree with TX- don't expect miracles. The Biggest Loser has people weighing in "weekly" when usually it's 2-3 weeks of diet and exercise. And yes, eat all of your allotted calories daily to keep your metabolism going. I've heard on here before - buy a food scale and weight everything- don't guess or eye ball anything. Also, find some type of exercise you love to do and just do it. Better yet find someone you like to workout with and have fun together. Believe me after a few weeks you will see the weight dropping little by little. Go read some of the success stories for inspiration. Join a group and make some friends on here with around the same amount to lose as you. Just don't give up. It's a life style change so don't think of it as a diet or a journey- this is a new way of living to a healthier you that will have more energy and feel better overall.
  • Lizzy1107
    Lizzy1107 Posts: 1 Member
    Six pounds in less than 2 weeks is phenomenal -- you are doing great! I don't know what your weight is but I've always heard it's best to only lose 1-2 pounds per week. When I get antsy to lose faster, I remind myself that this is not a diet/exercise thing, this is a lifestyle change -- I want to be a healthier, fitter, and yes, trimmer person for good, which means I have to take care of this area of my life forever. Do I need to be quite as restricted with my calories as I am while I'm in weight-loss mode? No. But I never want to go back to eating with little thought or control, which got me to be where I am now and not feeling good, anyway.

    You may want to check your calorie allowance and if it is on the low side, do be sure to eat the allotment. Supposedly, if we eat too little calories, our bodies thinks we are starving and conserves calories as fat. This is not a sprint, it's a marathon, so we need to pace ourselves. Enjoy the progress you have made -- a journey of a 100 miles begins with a single step. And you are already many steps down the road!
  • You are doing AMAZING!!! We (society) want things right now...Yesterday!!! You should be very proud of yourself and don't get discouraged. Easier Said Than Done!!! I started loosing weight in 2012 and lost a total of 105 pounds. When I changed my habits and started skipping the gym I put on about 25 pounds so I am getting back in the swing of things. One thing you don't want to do is give up on yourself. You can do this by making it a lifestyle change!! Good Luck to you and keep your head held high...you are doing great!!!
  • Girl, you better turn that frown upside down! :)

    You are doing a wonderful job, keep it up. There will be weeks you might not lose at all. It all evens out! This is a journey, not a race.
  • cedens312
    cedens312 Posts: 20 Member
    DUDE CONGRATS ON A 6 POUND LOSS!!!!! THAT'S AWEOSME!
  • sudmom
    sudmom Posts: 202 Member
    You are doing great-don't expect it to come off over night. It will take a while but you are making great progress in the right direction! Think of it this way... You have lost 6 lbs. in 10 days.... Keep it up and in 100 days you will have lost 60! :)
  • kissingalyssa
    kissingalyssa Posts: 2 Member
    Don't be discouraged! I've only been at it a little longer, since 9/16. Last week, I was so discouraged, too. But, over last weekend, I had big losses! Keep in mind that after your fat cells go through the initial release, the remaining components of the cell take some time to fully break down and finally be released. It is a process. So, some days, or even a few days in a row, you will see smaller losses. But, as those fat cells break down further, you will see some days with big losses, too! And, I agree with smv29053, we do want things yesterday. I was thinking this morning that the only difference between me and those that have already met their big weight loss goals is that they started before me. Some will start after me, too. Then, I will be the success story that they use for inspiration. So, keep your chin up. 6 lbs is awesome. I prefer to think of it as "almost 10". Keep pushing forward. And remember to keep drinking lots of water! :)
  • NikonPal
    NikonPal Posts: 1,346 Member
    Sounds like you are off to a great start...hang in there! I can relate to the need to shed a lot of pounds....now I am down to the final 40 pounds or so I need to get rid of. Just think of small goals not the whole challenge. Best wishes.
  • sweetcurlz67
    sweetcurlz67 Posts: 1,168 Member
    girl... it's oooookkkkkaaaayyyy....
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,487 Member
    6 pounds in such a short time and you're upset? You're doing fantastic - better than many - stop being unrealistic and celebrate your success!!
  • TheVirgoddess
    TheVirgoddess Posts: 4,535 Member
    I try not to eat my exercise-earned cals. Eating back too many of those will stall out your loss.

    And congrats on your first loss! :^)

    No, it won't.

    6 pounds in ten days is great - keep doing what you're doing!
  • Angelapatinor
    Angelapatinor Posts: 2 Member
    I wish I had lost six pounds in two weeks... I am only down 1.6 pounds in one month, exercising everyday burning an avg of 900 calories per day and eating my allotted count... Don't get discouraged! that's awesome! plus you want to lose weight and keep it off! - Keep going!
  • PDReader
    PDReader Posts: 24 Member
    AMEN. I mean...do you realize that's close to a pound a day?? Most people say not to lose more than two pounds a WEEK.
  • LifeOfBrian78
    LifeOfBrian78 Posts: 397 Member
    Congrats on the 6 pounds! That is great progress starting out, so you should not be discouraged. A lot of that is likely water weight, so don't be surprised if it slows down a bit.

    Click the below link. it has a ton of good info to help you since you are just starting out. Good Luck!

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
  • lish49
    lish49 Posts: 6 Member
    I totally understand but yes SLOOOOOW is better I get discouraged at times myself
  • galepa
    galepa Posts: 4 Member
    Wow! That is fantastic! Think how much 6 lbs of butter looks. It's a great start so don't feel bad at all. That's quite an accomplishment! Remember later that women especially fluctuate about 3-5 lbs on any given day so don't get weighed everyday. Once a week! Try for the same time each week.
    Don't let the scale rule your life either! You are getting healthy and THAT is a BIG deal!!! Stay away from wheat, even whole grains and all sweeteners and you'll do fine!

    Congratulations on a great start!!! Really!!!
  • angelexperiment
    angelexperiment Posts: 1,917 Member
    6lbs! That I wish I could lose! Struggling so hard. Eat your calories max for the day and not under. You do not have to eat back exercise calories if you don't want to. But don't go below 1200 cals thats what a woman body needs for all organs to function properly.
  • caesar164
    caesar164 Posts: 312 Member
    Just keep going! That's a good loss! I always eat all my calories back, and go over often, and still lose... My workouts are very intense though...
  • Sherrysjourney
    Sherrysjourney Posts: 4 Member
    Thanks to you all for the support and encouragement!! Oh and btw, I haven't watched the Biggest Loser in several seasons now. It's just not realistic. :)
  • twinkle150
    twinkle150 Posts: 133 Member
    Think day to day and lifestyle change. You want to lose the weight for life and keep it off. Slow and steady will win the race.