Frustration

lindamac8
lindamac8 Posts: 9 Member
in Motivation and Support
Hi everyone! I just want to vent that I'm getting so frustrated. I feel like it's so much harder to lose weight in my 40s than it was when I was younger (I guess that's true of everyone). I have amped up my workouts and am eating well, and the scale is not budging. Not one ounce. In fact, I even gained last week which is so frustrating. I'm going to keep on keeping on though as the alternative isn't better (gaining back what I've lost). It's just so frustrating!! Thanks for listening. :)

Replies

  • vinerie
    vinerie Posts: 234 Member
    I"m frustrated today, too. I feel like I have to be PERFECT or I lose any tiny bit of momentum I have. I'm nearing 40 (turn 38 this summer) and I think it is harder--although I've seen women in that age range lose successfully. Hats off to those ladies, as getting much past 10 pounds for me seems pretty impossible these days.
  • gothchiq
    gothchiq Posts: 4,590 Member
    How long have you been at this? At first, the workouts make you retain water.
  • CSARdiver
    CSARdiver Posts: 6,252 Member
    Oh yeah - I'm 44 and it's slower, but it works.

    I don't worry about weight as much as body composition - muscle tone, endurance, performance, etc.

    I work out with an IFBB and trainer and she carries two pics for her clients - one where she did cardio (before) and another a year later with 10 additional lbs but of muscle when she started lifting.

  • lindamac8
    lindamac8 Posts: 9 Member
    I officially started in January although some weeks are better than others, of course! I am losing at a snail's pace, if I lose at all. But I had tapered off the workouts until the last couple of weeks where I amped it up again so maybe I am retaining water? It's just so discouraging to be doing everything right and not see the scale budge at all. The last couple of months, if I lose at all, it's .2 or something, lol. I know every bit counts but man, I see all these other people losing 1 or 2 pounds, and I get so discouraged! I know I can't compare myself to others, but I can't help feeling this way when I look at my feed and see all the success others are having. Okay, pity party over. lol
  • karensuegill
    karensuegill Posts: 67 Member
    I'm 59 and have lost 54pounds over the last year and a half. Try to be patient. It will come off. Try to remember it's not a race. It's your life and health. If you are logging accurately and being honest with your portions, it will come off. Try not to judge your success totally on the scale. It doesn't tell the whole story. Measurements and clothing size changes sometimes are a better assessment of progress. What other positive changes are happening? Are you feeling more energetic? Are you sleeping better? Are you getting stronger? Do you have more stamina? Is your mood more positive? These are also indicators of forward progress. Don't base profess on one thing and you won't get so discouraged. Hope this is helpful.
  • karensuegill
    karensuegill Posts: 67 Member
    Sorry about the typo. I meant Don't base progress on one thing and you won't get so discouraged.
  • Carol_
    Carol_ Posts: 469 Member
    edited May 2015
    I'd be frustrated too. Maybe open your food diary? There are some great people on here that can help if they know what you are eating. ( but not me..lol. I barely hang on..haha )
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    edited May 2015
    Its not your age (btw i'm 46) ... there is something else going on, such as you may be eating more than you think.. and also if you eat back exercise calories, could be overestimation of exercise calories eaten back dipping into your deficit.
  • 999tigger
    999tigger Posts: 5,235 Member
    Its not your age. Mos likely you arent at deficit becayse you are eating more and moving less than you think. You dont really give enough information and we cnat see your diary so impossible to tell. In your interest to get it looked at though.
  • mojohowitz
    mojohowitz Posts: 900 Member
    Check sodium.
  • dargytaylor
    dargytaylor Posts: 840 Member
    Do you weigh your food? Very eye opening!! :) PS...I am 46 and was on a two week stall and and instantly posted in the forums, the next thing i knew 1.5 pounds came off ~ Good Luck!! Add me if you like :)
  • lindamac8
    lindamac8 Posts: 9 Member
    Thanks, everyone! Yeah, I weigh and count every single morsel that I eat. And I have a heart rate/monitor watch that tells me exactly how many calories I burn when I workout. And I rarely eat back my exercise calories (not saying I never do, but I rarely do). I do feel better and have more energy though so that's definitely a big plus. Maybe I'll stay away from the scale for a couple of weeks and see what happens!
  • CSARdiver
    CSARdiver Posts: 6,252 Member
    Even the best HRMs are widely inaccurate, but you're not eating back so that shouldn't have an impact. Looking at my trend over the year whenever I hit a plateau that went on for a few weeks I consulted someone else at the gym and broke up my routine to get by body working again. Your body likes steady state and needs a shock to the system to make a changes.

    As karensuegill so finely put it - focus on other positive gains you're experiencing and don't focus so much on weight.
  • aprilmcal
    aprilmcal Posts: 18 Member
    karensuegill wrote: »
    I'm 59 and have lost 54pounds over the last year and a half. Try to be patient. It will come off. Try to remember it's not a race. It's your life and health. If you are logging accurately and being honest with your portions, it will come off. Try not to judge your success totally on the scale. It doesn't tell the whole story. Measurements and clothing size changes sometimes are a better assessment of progress. What other positive changes are happening? Are you feeling more energetic? Are you sleeping better? Are you getting stronger? Do you have more stamina? Is your mood more positive? These are also indicators of forward progress. Don't base profess on one thing and you won't get so discouraged. Hope this is helpful.

    Thanks for sharing this. I am almost 51. This picture was taken on my 50th Birthday! Hated myself. Its been a long journey since then. I have moments where the scale means everything... as in it will ruin my day! It tried to this morning. Only one pound in over two weeks. I am frustrated and need to remember where I was at last June. I could hardly walk around the yard, now I can work in and around the yard and garden for hours!! Feel so much better with just 29 pounds gone. Clothing sizes are very different. I exercise almost every day! Cardio and toning. few weights. I started logging here again because I was getting out of control.. (quit smoking). Good Posts here!

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