32days - 4lbs [Frustrated]

if you hang in for 6 months to a year, the steady decline when you run a report will make you smile. pound a week.. wish I had it since february

Honestly I would say 4 lbs in a month is pretty good! I am not nearly as versed as most of the people on MFP. But some things for me personally I've realized is when I don't drink enough water I tend to hold on to weight. Also, I would strongly recommend taking your measurements. I usually see a change in my measurements even when I haven't lost any weight.

Also can I ask why you don't work out? I feel like I look much better when I work out verses just eating right. My first 10 lbs I lost I was really happy but my butt and stomach were getting all flabby. Once I started working out things looked tighter and happier :-P

Unrealistic expectations. Tighten your logging.

AND a pound a week is a good rate, as frustrating as it might be. I am currently at .5 a week...so slow but I know it will pay off in the long run! Make sure you have other ways to measure success, some pants that are tight now, or taking measurements...take lots of before and during photos!

Don't get frustrated so soon. This is a marathon - one where small changes over time will produce dramatic long term benefits. Adding a food scale is a great start and I hope you stick with exercising - not only do you get the health benefits, but it occupies you and simply helps building the mind/body/spirit.

I'm not a believer is weight loss for its own sake and to be successful this should be a means to some greater goal.

The last 2 weeks of no loss could be related to your TOM/hormones. Or sodium, stress, etc.

I'd suggest get the food scale, aim for precision in logging. And find ways to increase your steps. Challenge yourself to make it 5500-6500, then after a few weeks increase from there. That will mean burning more calories. I don't know your stats, but at 4500-5500 steps a day, you're fairly sedentary. And without additional exercise or activity, your body can only burn so much. Which means your deficit is not going to be huge.

So your BMR is ~1633 and with sedentary activity you probably burn in a day 1900-2050 calories. Eating 1200-1500 means you have a deficit, roughly, of 625 a day. (I took the averages.) So you're doing good at 4 pounds in 4 weeks. I imagine your main frustration is it seems like you lose 4 pounds in 2 weeks, and 0 in the most recent 2 weeks. If your activity/routine has been consistent then the culprit is almost guaranteed to be water weight.

Your body can retain water for different reasons. A common one for women: hormones/TOM and its not the same for everyone. I retain when I start and for the next 10-12 days. Some women report they retain the week before. Then there is sodium, stress, lack of sleep, and muscle repair. The good news: its temporary. Dont' worry about water weight, and trust the science and give it a chance to work. Compare weight 30 days at a time. So comparing now to 30 days ago: you're down 4 pounds. You'll probably be down another 4-5 at this time next month.

You probably won't see a faster rate of loss unless you're able to increase your activity/exercise. And in time, to sustain the 1/week average you may need to do that anyhow. As you lose weight, your body will burn less calories to take care of itself so your burn will go down. And your deficit.

If you track your weight over the next few months, you'll probably see a pattern form. Of "losing" for part of the month, and maintaining for part of the month. You may even see some ups on the scale. Think big picture, and try not to panic unless you stay the same or go up long term. If you are less today than 30 days ago, you're good!

I suggest stepping up the exercise. Exercising at least twice a week where you can build up a pretty good sweat will help.

Flat spots in weight loss are going to happen. Be as accurate as you can be with your logging. The food scale was the right move. Results are not "quick" but they are steady. 2 months from now you will look at how much you lost and you will be happy. I am on week 20 and very pleased with the results. BTW, not to sound preachy but packaged food often has a lot of sodium. Sodium = water retention.

KellyDean242 wrote: »

I figured setting an 8-10lbs goal each month was reasonable but I guess I am wrong.

Realistically, I would look to do 1lb per week, over a long period average. Sometimes, you just hit a plateau, and I wouldn't worry about it. Just keep on keeping on.

Not to seem as if I am giving praise for a high-sodium diet, but provided your sodium intake doesn't fluctuate, it won't cause you to gain/lose any water weight. It's only an issue if one week (weigh-in) you eat a lower sodium diet and then increase your intake, causing an increase in water weight (and conversely if you generally eat a high sodium diet and then decrease, you will lose that water weight).

I've only lost a few pounds since January and I am heavier than you, but I am exercising a lot more than I used to and I have pictures that show I have lost a lot from round my tummy area. It is frustrating not seeing the scales move, but you just need to keep doing the small things and eventually they do make a much bigger impact. The 5000 steps is still classed as sedentary. If you are looking at increasing your activity, a good way to start is by just adding 500 extra steps to that goal every day until your doing that comfortably. Then try adding another 500. I have been trying to work out where the tipping point is with walking to see movement on the scales, and I know that its higher than 10,000 from seeing what other people with fitbits do who have lost weight. I've got my average to about 11700 a day, and I am striving to get that even higher. Long term, I want to be at least 15,000 a day, with some days where I am higher. However, at the moment, I am also trying to do other exercises like weight lifting so I am trying not to get too cross with myself.