Frusteration with weight loss

misshaliann
misshaliann Posts: 2 Member
edited November 2024 in Motivation and Support
I've been on my weight loss journey for quite some time now and I always end up giving up because of how frustrating it becomes. I realize things do not happen over night but I took all the right steps to loose weight and I've never lost more than 5 pounds. Its incredibly frustrating ! I'm just wondering if anyone else took a really long time to loose weight and if its just me or what. I've been working out 5 days a week and changed my diet slowly over the years but now its been the same for about 2 months, very healthy with little cravings and portion controlled.-- my boyfriend just lost 20 pounds in a month or two so I think this is why I feel like im something is off with me.

Replies

  • shan11180
    shan11180 Posts: 110 Member
    I have the same issue. My journey is a SLOOOOOOW one... It creates problems for me after a few months, but this time I actually am doing weight lifting and cardio (which I haven't really done in the past) and it seems to be helping. I was really hesitant to hit the weights because I have SO much to lose, but it truly is helping and makes me feel great!
  • Queenmunchy
    Queenmunchy Posts: 3,380 Member
    If that's you in your profile pic, I don't see how you could lose 43lbs!

    I have maintained the same weight (plus or minus 5lbs) for 8 years. I really want to be 10lbs smaller, but I'm not taking the steps I need to get there.

    Are you weighing all of your foods and logging daily?
  • amillenium
    amillenium Posts: 281 Member
    Queenmunchy wrote: »
    If that's you in your profile pic, I don't see how you could lose 43lbs!

    I have maintained the same weight (plus or minus 5lbs) for 8 years. I really want to be 10lbs smaller, but I'm not taking the steps I need to get there.

    Are you weighing all of your foods and logging daily?


    This is the story of my life...

    Yes, it is a slow process and its hard to watch your bf lose weight so "quickly and easily" but I think its a matter of weighing things correctly, logging accurately and being honest with yourself. I know why I'm not getting there.
  • bendis2007
    bendis2007 Posts: 82 Member
    edited October 2015
    Have you done a preliminary calculation of your Basal Metabolic Rate to know how many calories you should be taking everyday to maintain? Also, with working out if you are JUST doing cardio - then that will burn some calories but at 2 months you may have adapted. Make sure your workouts include some sort of lifting (building muscle is the best way to increase a metabolism - does not mean 2 pound weights, you should be doing a weight bearing exercise that involves about 75% of the muscle's max lifting capacity), if you ARE doing cardio it needs to have interval training to alter the heart rate and give you a higher overall burn and minimize adaptations. This will increase oxygen consumption in the muscles, but allow for slightly more calories to be burned during the recoup phase.

    With the food - are you measuring the food? weighing everything to get an idea for how many calories there are? Keeping the sugar intake where it should be? Eliminated all fluids except water? If you're guessing what the intake is without weighing or measuring everything, you MAY be overestimating and eating enough to maintain your current weight.

    Medications can alter the metabolism. As a young female the biggest culprit is birth control. If you are not sexually active you can talk to your doctor about going off of it or changing the brand and that may help. Lastly, do you have any other symptoms? Digestive issues? extreme fatigue? hair loss? Inability to lose weight coupled with other vague symptoms CAN be something more serious such as thyroid, cysts on the ovaries, adrenal burn out, etc. If that's the case a physical exam with your primary care is in order to do routine blood work and rule out any internal issues that may be slowing up the process.

    Pending that there is nothing wrong with your internal organs and you are an otherwise healthy woman with a painfully slow metabolism, you will need to assess how you are eating and what your true activity level is. At the end of the day you need to burn off 3500 calories to lose 1 pound a week - so a TRUE deficit in eating is needed, or a VERY good workout on the other end is needed to reach that goal.

    Good luck, hope it helps! I think you'll be able to make the changes and see an awesome difference in time! Don't get too discouraged, this is a marathon - not a race.
  • Derf_Smeggle
    Derf_Smeggle Posts: 610 Member
    I'm a guy who spent the last 7 - 9 months doing the same thing, after gaining 20+. There is nothing off with you. You're a human being just like the rest of us.

    My personal experience lead me to reevaluate what I was doing and how I was doing it. Folks here will tell you weight loss is all about the Calories In/Calories Out (CICO). I agree with them.

    However, it's not as simple as it sounds. Changing my decision and choices was difficult. My mental block was just the daily stress, rush, and grind. I had to do a pretty serious overhaul on my habits and my daily planning. I had to do a critical (not criticize) analysis of my methods. For me it's cooking more of my own meals, eating 5-6 times a day, and scaling everything.

    It's working.

    Sit down. Take a look at what you want. Take a look at what you are doing and how you are doing it.

    You are in control, and you can do this.
  • yesimpson
    yesimpson Posts: 1,372 Member
    I would check how many calories you are eating each day by weighing your food. That's the surest way to know.
  • tulips_and_tea
    tulips_and_tea Posts: 5,753 Member
    Derf_Smeggle wrote: »
    I'm a guy who spent the last 7 - 9 months doing the same thing, after gaining 20+. There is nothing off with you. You're a human being just like the rest of us.

    My personal experience lead me to reevaluate what I was doing and how I was doing it. Folks here will tell you weight loss is all about the Calories In/Calories Out (CICO). I agree with them.

    However, it's not as simple as it sounds. Changing my decision and choices was difficult. My mental block was just the daily stress, rush, and grind. I had to do a pretty serious overhaul on my habits and my daily planning. I had to do a critical (not criticize) analysis of my methods.     For me it's cooking more of my own meals, eating 5-6 times a day, and scaling everything.

    It's working.

    Sit down. Take a look at what you want. Take a look at what you are doing and how you are doing it.

    You are in control, and you can do this.

    This 100%! Great advice. I agree. Yes the math works, so get your numbers straight regarding CICO first. After that, it's about mindset and lifestyle.
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