Getting Frustrated

huizenm
huizenm Posts: 74 Member
edited September 23 in Motivation and Support
It's been over a month and I've only lost 4.4 lbs. This is the most I've weighed in over 10 years so I would have thought that the first 5 lbs would have come off fairly quickly. It's NOT! While I'm glad that I've at least lost something, I'M GETTING FRUSTRATED! I eat fairly good and exercise a lot. I don't think it's "not eating enough calories" type of thing because I always eat at least 1/2 of the calories I earn from exercising since I do a lot of it every day. I do strength training AND cardio...I try to eat my protein, limit my carbs, get my fiber in, drink my water, eat lots of fruits & veggies...UGH, what else can I do?! This is mostly just a vent on my part but ideas are welcome and appreciated! :)

Replies

  • sblowes
    sblowes Posts: 66 Member
    You should open up your food diary to public, so we can see what you're eating. Have you tried eating every three hours? It makes for 5 - 6 meals a day, but it keeps your metabolism racing the whole time.
  • jessieinblue
    jessieinblue Posts: 287 Member
    Would you be comfortable with making your diary public so we can make suggestions? :)
  • mresta
    mresta Posts: 33
    a pound a week is really good though! It's safe and the slower you lose it, the better, because it'll be harder to put back on. :)
  • maoh
    maoh Posts: 1
    You a losing a little over a pound a week. I know that it can be frustrating but you are making progress....I generally only lose about 0.5-1lb a week and I exercise daily and count my calories. I find the weight that comes off slowly but steadily is the most likely to stay off.
  • lucybp
    lucybp Posts: 193
    I agree with the above comments. Without further info however, I can tell you that some people won't lose weight when they eat their exercise calories. I know I can't. Good job sharing your frustrations instead of keeping it all in. Way to go!
  • gourleyr
    gourleyr Posts: 16
    I am frustrated myself. In three weeks that I have been working very hard, the first week I lost 2 1/2 the second week that came right back on (it was my TOM and the entire interior of my house was being painted that week - they say stress will cause your weight loss to halt) Then in the third week that came back off but only lost a total of 3 1/2 pounds in three weeks and I am burning about 500 calories a day in exercise and eating about 300 less than I am allotted. It is so aggrevating, but I know the process works and if I am patient, before summertime gets here I will be down about 15 pounds. Stick with it!! I am also trying to convince myself thay I am gaining muscle. Sorry you are frustrated, keep up the good work. At least we both have the scale moving in the right direction. Maybe we should take some measurements to see what else may be changing besides the scale.
    Hope you have a great day!!
  • ttraylor57
    ttraylor57 Posts: 5 Member
    Also, muscle weighs more than fat. Are you keeping track of your measurements? I think that is where you will see the big payoff for all the exercise you are doing, good luck!
  • Dobsaya
    Dobsaya Posts: 235
    You, like me are actually not far from your goal and are probably in your healthy weight range. This make each pound harder to lose.I have lost 4-5 pounds I'm 25 days but am looking much fitter and feeling better. A pound a week gets me to my goal by May so just be patient. Slow lose is healthy and more permanent.
  • huizenm
    huizenm Posts: 74 Member
    You should open up your food diary to public, so we can see what you're eating. Have you tried eating every three hours? It makes for 5 - 6 meals a day, but it keeps your metabolism racing the whole time.

    I do eat every 3 hours already. I will look to make my diary public but for now, here is a sample of my day....

    7:00 - Coffee with SF creamer and a Fiber 1 bar
    9:30- Light String Cheese & Apple
    11:30 - Light & Fit Yogurt, 1/2C Milk, Veggies Sliced
    3:00 - Pretzels
    5:30 - Dinner...usually some type of lean protein (Chicken or Pork, baked or grilled), Steamed Veggie, Fruit, Starchy Carb (brown rice, potato, Whole wheat pasta)
    7:30 - sweet tooth snack...lately it's been a few conversation hearts
  • scagneti
    scagneti Posts: 707 Member
    With only 20 lbs to lose, a pound a week is much more likely than 2 per week. If you do only have 20 lbs to lose to your ideal weight, you'd already be in a healthy BMI so you might be better off with measuring instead of weight. My weight has stayed within a lb the last week, but I've lost a full inch off my stomach (down to 30.5!) and two off my hips (down to 36) since I measured myself a week ago.
  • shezza737
    shezza737 Posts: 95 Member
    Also, muscle weighs more than fat. Are you keeping track of your measurements? I think that is where you will see the big payoff for all the exercise you are doing, good luck!

    I have recently been told muscle and fat weigh exactly the same! My doctor was the one to inform me of this,
    if you take 5kg of fat and 5kg of muscle, they both weigh exactly 5kg - he said to me ''simple as that''

    I have always thought muscle weighed more than fat, but seems i was wrong!
  • huizenm
    huizenm Posts: 74 Member
    My Diary is now public...let's here your thoughts! :) Thanks to all who have responded. I feel better already!
  • StacLegg
    StacLegg Posts: 346 Member
    my first thought is you need to eat a better breakfast to kick start your day! try some eggs, or oatmeal and fruit! thats my favorite!! =) and be sure you are drinking more water then what is recommended!! =)
  • 311Phil
    311Phil Posts: 397
    Also, muscle weighs more than fat. Are you keeping track of your measurements? I think that is where you will see the big payoff for all the exercise you are doing, good luck!

    I have recently been told muscle and fat weigh exactly the same! My doctor was the one to inform me of this,
    if you take 5kg of fat and 5kg of muscle, they both weigh exactly 5kg - he said to me ''simple as that''

    I have always thought muscle weighed more than fat, but seems i was wrong!

    well, a pound is a pound is a pound. its all about the space that pound takes up though. A pound of lean muscle takes up WAY LESS space than a pound of fat. so in relation to the size of that pound, muscle does weigh more than fat in the same volume.

    think of it this way, a pound of feathers and a pound of bricks way exactly the same....a pound. but they take up a WAY different amount of space.
  • hendricks1309
    hendricks1309 Posts: 42
    A pound of fat and a pound of muscle weigh the same. The difference is that fat takes up more space than a pound of muscle.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    For starters you have lost on average 1.1 lbs/week. MFP recommends 1lb, so you are above that. secondly you don't have that much to lose so it will come off slower than if you had 100lbs to lose.

    Since you only have like 15 lbs to go you may want to change your goal to 1 lb/week. As the closer you are to your goal the smaller your caloric deficit should be. This way you can lose weight while maintaining muscle, and you will have more to eat. When you don't have a lot to lose and you caloric deficit is large you will lose lean muscle which will slow down your metabolism. Please rethink your weekly weight loss goal and change to 0.5 or 1lb/week. It will work, and has worked for hundreds of people on this site. Good luck
  • reikichris
    reikichris Posts: 85
    I think you are doing great! A pound a week is wonderful. You are steadily losing, and that is what is important. Keep up the great work.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    A pound of fat and a pound of muscle weigh the same. The difference is that fat takes up more space than a pound of muscle.

    By volume muscle does weigh more than fat. When someone says muscle weighs more than fat they are inferring that by volume muscle weighs more, no need to argue this easy and simple point, you know what they mean. If you are arguing that would you say that you and I weigh the same because 1 lb of me weighs the same as 1 lb of you, that wouldn't make sense, and that is essentially what you are arguing when you say muscle and fat weigh the same. Worst argument ever, everyone knows that a lb is a lb but they are not comparing equal weights, they are comparing weight by volume, it should not be that hard to get that inference.
  • FemininGuns
    FemininGuns Posts: 605 Member
    You should open up your food diary to public, so we can see what you're eating. Have you tried eating every three hours? It makes for 5 - 6 meals a day, but it keeps your metabolism racing the whole time.

    I do eat every 3 hours already. I will look to make my diary public but for now, here is a sample of my day....

    7:00 - Coffee with SF creamer and a Fiber 1 bar
    9:30- Light String Cheese & Apple
    11:30 - Light & Fit Yogurt, 1/2C Milk, Veggies Sliced
    3:00 - Pretzels
    5:30 - Dinner...usually some type of lean protein (Chicken or Pork, baked or grilled), Steamed Veggie, Fruit, Starchy Carb (brown rice, potato, Whole wheat pasta)
    7:30 - sweet tooth snack...lately it's been a few conversation hearts


    Looking at what you've listed here, I would say that you need to start eating more protein and less carbs throughout the day. The most important meal to have protein would be in the AM, and all you're feeding your body is carbs with a c.r.e.a.m.e.r.?

    And Pretzels... Whoa - sodium and processed, really not good...

    Also, get rid of the sweet tooth snack...

    Here's what you can try out - if you try it for 3 weeks I guarantee you'll see results:
    Cut out all refined sugars (can replace with stevia) and table salts (can replace with organic sea salts). Cut out processed meats/foods. Cut our milk and replace with Almond unsweetned milk. Cut out pasta.

    Here's a sample menu:

    Breakfast (6am): 4 egg whites with 1/2 cup cooked organic oatmeal (can add cinamon and stevia)
    Snack (930am): 1/2 cup Greek plain fat free yogurt mixed with 1/2 scoop of vanilla protein shake and stevia, 10 almonds OR 1 can tuna mixed with 1 tbsp fat free mayo with 1/2 avocado
    Lunch (1200): 3oz chicken breast, turkey breast or sockeye salmon with 1/2 cup of cooked brown rice and 1.5 cups of veggies
    Snack (230): can of tuna mixed with tbsp of fat free mayo in half a whole wheat pita or small salad with 3oz of shrimp
    Supper (500-530pm): 4oz chicken breast, turkey breast, white fish with 2 cups of cooked green veggies
    Snack (8:00): 1/2 scoop protein shake with 1 cup of berries (this will take care of your sweet tooth) in the blender for a smoothie.

    Just some suggestions :)
  • OLP76
    OLP76 Posts: 768 Member
    How is your Sodium intake? You eatin' any processed foods? You drinkin' 8 glasses or more a day? Have you gained muscle? Have you lost inches? Weight will come off fast in the beginnin' - but don't let it get you down...Patience as my Husband keeps tellin' me...its not a race to see who can lose the fastest in a short time. We are all different. Keep your head up...This will soon past....
  • hendricks1309
    hendricks1309 Posts: 42
    A pound of fat and a pound of muscle weigh the same. The difference is that fat takes up more space than a pound of muscle.

    By volume muscle does weigh more than fat. When someone says muscle weighs more than fat they are inferring that by volume muscle weighs more, no need to argue this easy and simple point, you know what they mean. If you are arguing that would you say that you and I weigh the same because 1 lb of me weighs the same as 1 lb of you, that wouldn't make sense, and that is essentially what you are arguing when you say muscle and fat weigh the same. Worst argument ever, everyone knows that a lb is a lb but they are not comparing equal weights, they are comparing weight by volume, it should not be that hard to get that inference.

    I am not arguing anything. I am just saying a pound of fat takes up more space than a pound of muscle. A pound is a pound no matter how u look at it.
  • jaybaileys
    jaybaileys Posts: 317
    Possibly cut down on your carbs and add some protein and healthy fats. How much sleep do you get at night? If you are losing a lb a week that is pretty good.
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