not a happy camper right now
johnriii
Posts: 18 Member
I'm a 51 year old guy, who is about 60 lbs overweight. I'm a veteran (marines/army) so I know what it takes to be in and get into shape. I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes about four years ago, and have finally decided to get serious about my weight/health. I've been watching what I eat vigorously, and have been to Planet fitness 6 of the last 7 days, hitting the cardio for over an hour. three weeks in (today) I get on the scale, and I lost zero pounds. zero. how disheartening is that? I busted my butt all week long, stayed motivated, and this morning the scale jumps up and smacks me upside the head. I MUST lose this weight, it's not an option. I'm past the gotta look good in my jeans faze, this is about my long term health. what good is it to deny yourself if it's not getting me anywhere? now, I did review what i may have done wrong, and the one thing that jumps out at me is not drinking enough water, and not eating enough of my daily calorie allowance. most nights, I end the day with 7-800 calories left to eat, per my allowance. I did this with weight watchers too, a few years back. so maybe it's my own fault, trying to lose too much too fast. so I'm commiting to drinking as much water as I can stand, and eating more closely to my caloric allowance...healthy stuff, of course.
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Stick with it!!! It is disheartening but it WILL start to come of!0
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I have experienced that myself. I know if I don't drink enough water the weight won't budge because my body holds on to every drop of water it can. I personally drink an ounce of water for every pound I weigh. At first it's really hard, but then your body starts to crave it and it becomes easier to drink that much. Most days I can drink more than a gallon. I definitely helps me shed water weight rather quickly.0
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The problem isn't going to be not drinking enough water or not meeting your calorie allowance. The fault most likely lies in your calorie counting. Make sure you measure out everything and track super accurately. Losing weight really is just a case of calories in/calories out. You may be overestimating the amount of calories you burn during exercise, or underestimating your intake. Double check you've input your measurements and activity level correctly.0
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hang in there. It took me some time to start seeing results too. 50 lbs lost so far. I work out almost every day as well. Sometimes it takes a few weeks to see the scale move and some weeks I'll lose up to 3 lbs. Just make sure you're logging correctly and keep doing what you're doing. You'll get there. Good luck!0
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if you open your diary people can give you some more specific advice
in general though, not eating enough would not stop you from losing weight, it would make you lose faster
more likely you are eating more than you think and just not logging accurately:
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1234699/logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide#latest
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
focus on your diet. Exercise is great and has many heath benefits, but diet is the key to losing weight. You don't have to exercise yourself into the ground to get results.0 -
There are too many variables with the scale. Its probably like you said, not eating enough as well as your body is holding onto extra water for muscle repair of those great workouts your doing.
It's early on in your quest for better health and fitness so I would suggest taking some measurements and pictures to better track your progress.
Be patient, log all foods and make sure to drink that water. In a few more weeks you should see better numbers all around.
Good luck Marine/Army!!0 -
4legsRbetterthan2 wrote: »if you open your diary people can give you some more specific advice
in general though, not eating enough would not stop you from losing weight, it would make you lose faster
more likely you are eating more than you think and just not logging accurately:
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1234699/logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide#latest
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
focus on your diet. Exercise is great and has many heath benefits, but diet is the key to losing weight. You don't have to exercise yourself into the ground to get results.
This.0 -
Are you using a food scale and weighing and measuring everything you consume ?0
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If you've been sticking to your calories (using a food scale!) and macros (protein, fat + carbs goals), then it's probably a matter of your exercise regime. As a vet I'm guessing your workouts are pretty hardcore + aimed at building muscle? Well muscle is heavy and when you're building it your body tends to store more water - so the combination of the two can disguise fat loss. Take measurements (with a tape measure) now and keep up your exercise regime for another month - chances are you will see yourself losing inches, even if you're not losing weight as such (muscle takes up less space, pound for pound, than fat).
Alternatively, work out less and stick to simple things like walking, and carry on with your diet. Then the scale will show a nice drop. But... the healthier way to proceed is to stick to what you're doing right now exercise-wise. A note of caution on exercise calories, MFP doesn't always add the right amount - it can overestimate them. To get a better idea of what you're burning calorie wise through exercise, it might be worth investing in a heart rate monitor like the Fitbit Charge HR (which does steps + heart rate).0 -
I'm past the gotta look good in my jeans phase; this is about my long-term health.
Don't forget... since this is about health and not vanity, cardiovascular exercise has a ton of benefits other than just weight control.
http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/fitness/in-depth/aerobic-exercise/art-20045541?pg=2
Keep it up
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I notice if I eat too little like you. Where I'm anywhere between 500 to 1000 under my calories before working out I notice I don't loose any weight. As soon as I get closer to my calorie goal the weight falls off0
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Ok Jon...Take a deep breath. This was me last year. I could have written this myself. I had a heart attack last year at 53 yrs old and needed to get serious about my health and weight. You are doing great it just is a matter of consistency and time. Did you measure yourself prior to you joining the gym? I took almost 6 weeks before I lost a pound. I did notice my clothes were fitting better. Make sure you are weighing and logging your food accurately. Drink lots of water and keep doing what you are doing. I lost 22 lbs in 5 months just by walking and counting my calories. I have regained my health and have never felt better.
Hang in there and continue to be strong. You got this!!!!
As a mother of 3 Marines please allow me to express my gratitude for your service.0 -
thismamarox wrote: »I have experienced that myself. I know if I don't drink enough water the weight won't budge because my body holds on to every drop of water it can. I personally drink an ounce of water for every pound I weigh. At first it's really hard, but then your body starts to crave it and it becomes easier to drink that much. Most days I can drink more than a gallon. I definitely helps me shed water weight rather quickly.
yeah, it's hard to drink a lot of water without some kind of flavor, and with me working two jobs, it's hard to really organize my foods. I only use foods with labels that I can count calories, carbs, proteins, etc. even "healthy recipes" i stay away from if they don't give nutritional value. thanks for the reply, and we'll see next thursday where I am after drinking myself to death!!
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I'm past the gotta look good in my jeans phase; this is about my long-term health.
Don't forget... since this is about health and not vanity, cardiovascular exercise has a ton of benefits other than just weight control.
http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/fitness/in-depth/aerobic-exercise/art-20045541?pg=2
Keep it up
I agree - of course I understand that the scale is our tool of choice for measuring success, but don't let that little machine make you feel like you haven't accomplished anything. You have tracked your food, you have been exercising, you have been focusing on your health and taking steps to improve it.
I'm thinking with a 7-800 calorie buffer that weighing and measuring food isn't your problem (but you might want to google some images of correct portion sizes just in case). It took me a few weeks to start dropping pounds as well, maybe it has something to do with how *completely* sedentary I was before starting up with the exercise again.
Just stick with it. Remember that you're doing good things for yourself no matter what that number says, and that's worth celebrating.0 -
Ok Jon...Take a deep breath. This was me last year. I could have written this myself. I had a heart attack last year at 53 yrs old and needed to get serious about my health and weight. You are doing great it just is a matter of consistency and time. Did you measure yourself prior to you joining the gym? I took almost 6 weeks before I lost a pound. I did notice my clothes were fitting better. Make sure you are weighing and logging your food accurately. Drink lots of water and keep doing what you are doing. I lost 22 lbs in 5 months just by walking and counting my calories. I have regained my health and have never felt better.
Hang in there and continue to be strong. You got this!!!!
As a mother of 3 Marines please allow me to express my gratitude for your service.
you're welcome, I loved every minute of my time in the military. no, I didn't measure myself (probably should have) most of my weight is round my middle. no fat arms or legs. and I'm sticking mostly to cardio (elliptical and treadmill) until I lose enough weight to feel comfortable to run/jog again. I've had two large containers of water already today, and I feel like I'm going to burst! however, my kidneys will thank me for it, and I believe this will help over the next 7 days. I log my food on the diary, but it isn't open for the public. I know how to eat healthy, but being ADD, I fight extremes. either I'll eat way too little, or I'll eat way too much. I'm looking to find that middle ground and stay consistent on my working out. I'm looking to lose 30lbs by the end of the calender year, but I'll be happy to consistently lose anything period. thanks for the encouragement.
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kendalslimmer wrote: »If you've been sticking to your calories (using a food scale!) and macros (protein, fat + carbs goals), then it's probably a matter of your exercise regime. As a vet I'm guessing your workouts are pretty hardcore + aimed at building muscle? Well muscle is heavy and when you're building it your body tends to store more water - so the combination of the two can disguise fat loss. Take measurements (with a tape measure) now and keep up your exercise regime for another month - chances are you will see yourself losing inches, even if you're not losing weight as such (muscle takes up less space, pound for pound, than fat).
Alternatively, work out less and stick to simple things like walking, and carry on with your diet. Then the scale will show a nice drop. But... the healthier way to proceed is to stick to what you're doing right now exercise-wise. A note of caution on exercise calories, MFP doesn't always add the right amount - it can overestimate them. To get a better idea of what you're burning calorie wise through exercise, it might be worth investing in a heart rate monitor like the Fitbit Charge HR (which does steps + heart rate).
LOL...no hardcore workouts here, the Dr. specifically told me to ease into this, and stick with Cardio for the first month. i joined planet fitness, and I use the calories burned on the elliptical and treadmill as my gauge. and all I'm doing is walking, at a fast pace, and watching my heartbeat range. being formerly in "really good shape", especially for a man, tends to force people to want to get back there in two weeks. I'm realistic, but this morning was just a total downer for me. I didn't get up to 262 in two weeks, so I'm not going to lose it all in two weeks. this is my 3rd week of doing this, and I dropped 7 lbs the first two. thanks for your input.
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Know this. Your diabetes can go away with regular cardio regardless if you lose weight or not. Regardless of what the scale or measuring tape says you are a healthier version of yourself today for doing what you have been doing the lst three weeks. Keep at it. Don't give up.0
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ShellyBell999 wrote: »There are too many variables with the scale. Its probably like you said, not eating enough as well as your body is holding onto extra water for muscle repair of those great workouts your doing.
It's early on in your quest for better health and fitness so I would suggest taking some measurements and pictures to better track your progress.
Be patient, log all foods and make sure to drink that water. In a few more weeks you should see better numbers all around.
Good luck Marine/Army!!
patience is not one of my virtues, but I don't have a choice at this point. I log all of my foods (even the "bad" ones) on my diary, it's a great tool to keep me on track. it's really hard to eat healthy when you work 64 hours a week, because the preparation is a key part of eating the right foods. Smart Ones and Special K get old really quickly, and salads are just bleh after a couple days a week. however, I stick with fruits and lean meats, protein drinks, and a vegetable salad here and there. I seriously think my lack of water (and food) did me in this week, because in my yoyo world of loss/gain, water has always been a large part, and this past week, I seemed to minimize it. we'll see come next thursday morning. thanks for your time.
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noobletmcnugget wrote: »The problem isn't going to be not drinking enough water or not meeting your calorie allowance. The fault most likely lies in your calorie counting. Make sure you measure out everything and track super accurately. Losing weight really is just a case of calories in/calories out. You may be overestimating the amount of calories you burn during exercise, or underestimating your intake. Double check you've input your measurements and activity level correctly.
I appreciate the input, but I'm very accurate on both counts. my cardio exercises are done on elliptical machines and treadmills, so if they're wrong, not my fault! seriously, I DO believe in the premise of not enough water or eating too little. it's been proven by weight watchers and others that too little food will send your body into starvation mode, and hold on to weight/fat for dear life. the Army also believes this as well. either way, water can't hurt me, and a little more food would give me more fuel to workout more efficiently. we'll see come next thursday. thanks.
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noobletmcnugget wrote: »The problem isn't going to be not drinking enough water or not meeting your calorie allowance. The fault most likely lies in your calorie counting. Make sure you measure out everything and track super accurately. Losing weight really is just a case of calories in/calories out. You may be overestimating the amount of calories you burn during exercise, or underestimating your intake. Double check you've input your measurements and activity level correctly.
I appreciate the input, but I'm very accurate on both counts. my cardio exercises are done on elliptical machines and treadmills, so if they're wrong, not my fault! seriously, I DO believe in the premise of not enough water or eating too little. it's been proven by weight watchers and others that too little food will send your body into starvation mode, and hold on to weight/fat for dear life. the Army also believes this as well. either way, water can't hurt me, and a little more food would give me more fuel to workout more efficiently. we'll see come next thursday. thanks.
Then why are you eating 700 calories under your goal? If you put that you want to lose weight, it already has a deficit built into your calorie goal. If you said you want to lose 1lb per week it's 500, 2 would be 1000. So, you are possibly eating at a 1200-1700 calorie deficit.
You claim that you are logging accurately, although your diary isn't open, so I can't contribute much to that. Be sure you are weighing your solid foods with a food scale and choosing accurate data entries (thanks to all the users who manage to F thousands of entries up). Also, the machines typically do overestimate; I just log 2/3 of the calories it tells me that I burn.
That said, it's been a week; give it time.0 -
OP, I think many of us have had the same experience at the beginning. The first 3 weeks can be so disheartening--it was for me. We're busting our a** in the gym, eating better than ever before and then when we step on the scale there's little to no reward.
Like others have said, an open diary is helpful so we can offer some direction. If you don't use one already, a $25 food scale is your best friend. Next best is being able to easily log it here on MFP. At the end of the day, you've got a roadmap of where you've been. Some days you'll be darned proud of that food diary and other days you'll wish you didn't have to log that midnight snack that put you over on your day's calories!
I am confident with your background as a Marine, you'll have the discipline and drive to lose that 30 pounds sooner than you think
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I appreciate the input, but I'm very accurate on both counts. my cardio exercises are done on elliptical machines and treadmills, so if they're wrong, not my fault! seriously, I DO believe in the premise of not enough water or eating too little. it's been proven by weight watchers and others that too little food will send your body into starvation mode, and hold on to weight/fat for dear life. the Army also believes this as well. either way, water can't hurt me, and a little more food would give me more fuel to workout more efficiently. we'll see come next thursday. thanks.
You are in very blatant denial of your situation, it's no wonder you are not seeing any progress.
Starvation mode might be true to a point, whe you get extremely under weight, but it does not apply to the avarage human being because they will never get to that point, plus the changes that do occur are not enough to completely reverse the CICO equation. If that were the case concentration camp survivors would have all come out fat and happy.
The machines are widely accepted as wrong, so if you are ignoring that fact and using those numbers anyways, then yes, it is your fault.
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OP I don't think you are in denial I just think you want a quick definate answer and you can't have one. Its our bodies way of healing and it will do what it needs to do to heal. I took three years to lose 60 pounds...the right way and its been gone for 24 years. Just keep going and do not give up.
We - people are funny when it comes to our fitness and food. We focus on the results...the results are just a bi product of our behaviors...so focus on your behaviours and one day - poof - you will look in the mirror and be a whole different person. It happens in its own time....focus on the right thing...not the results but the behaviours that get you the results.0 -
I'm a 51 year old guy, who is about 60 lbs overweight. I'm a veteran (marines/army) so I know what it takes to be in and get into shape. I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes about four years ago, and have finally decided to get serious about my weight/health. I've been watching what I eat vigorously, and have been to Planet fitness 6 of the last 7 days, hitting the cardio for over an hour. three weeks in (today) I get on the scale, and I lost zero pounds. zero. how disheartening is that? I busted my butt all week long, stayed motivated, and this morning the scale jumps up and smacks me upside the head. I MUST lose this weight, it's not an option. I'm past the gotta look good in my jeans faze, this is about my long term health. what good is it to deny yourself if it's not getting me anywhere? now, I did review what i may have done wrong, and the one thing that jumps out at me is not drinking enough water, and not eating enough of my daily calorie allowance. most nights, I end the day with 7-800 calories left to eat, per my allowance. I did this with weight watchers too, a few years back. so maybe it's my own fault, trying to lose too much too fast. so I'm commiting to drinking as much water as I can stand, and eating more closely to my caloric allowance...healthy stuff, of course.
Here you say it yourself..."trying to lose too much too fast" this is true... this is not a race...this is your life and so you need to adjust this to be a lifestyle.
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4legsRbetterthan2 wrote: »
I appreciate the input, but I'm very accurate on both counts. my cardio exercises are done on elliptical machines and treadmills, so if they're wrong, not my fault! seriously, I DO believe in the premise of not enough water or eating too little. it's been proven by weight watchers and others that too little food will send your body into starvation mode, and hold on to weight/fat for dear life. the Army also believes this as well. either way, water can't hurt me, and a little more food would give me more fuel to workout more efficiently. we'll see come next thursday. thanks.
You are in very blatant denial of your situation, it's no wonder you are not seeing any progress.
Starvation mode might be true to a point, whe you get extremely under weight, but it does not apply to the avarage human being because they will never get to that point, plus the changes that do occur are not enough to completely reverse the CICO equation. If that were the case concentration camp survivors would have all come out fat and happy.
The machines are widely accepted as wrong, so if you are ignoring that fact and using those numbers anyways, then yes, it is your fault.
wow. I came here for support and information, not a verbal spanking. excuse me for being a little naive/ignorant in my old age.
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OP I don't think you are in denial I just think you want a quick definate answer and you can't have one. Its our bodies way of healing and it will do what it needs to do to heal. I took three years to lose 60 pounds...the right way and its been gone for 24 years. Just keep going and do not give up.
We - people are funny when it comes to our fitness and food. We focus on the results...the results are just a bi product of our behaviors...so focus on your behaviours and one day - poof - you will look in the mirror and be a whole different person. It happens in its own time....focus on the right thing...not the results but the behaviours that get you the results.
that's a good point. not giving up, just looking for support and people who can empathize. thanks.0 -
OP I don't think you are in denial I just think you want a quick definate answer and you can't have one. Its our bodies way of healing and it will do what it needs to do to heal. I took three years to lose 60 pounds...the right way and its been gone for 24 years. Just keep going and do not give up.
We - people are funny when it comes to our fitness and food. We focus on the results...the results are just a bi product of our behaviors...so focus on your behaviours and one day - poof - you will look in the mirror and be a whole different person. It happens in its own time....focus on the right thing...not the results but the behaviours that get you the results.
that's a good point. not giving up, just looking for support and people who can empathize. thanks.
Its a subject that gets overcomplicated. move more than you consume forever....forever and the weight will do away!
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wow. I came here for support and information, not a verbal spanking. excuse me for being a little naive/ignorant in my old age.
The best forms of support come in many forms and are not always what they seem. Would you rather someone "support" you along a failing journey by telling you you're correct when you aren't, or point you in the right direction even when you don't want to hear it?
ETA: there ya go sofaking0
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