Completely Discouraged /cry
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I started this at 235 pounds. I lost 4 of those pounds the first week. I lost one pound the past two weeks. I started four weeks ago with the diet or way of eating. I have adjusted my weight goal from 2 pounds a week to 1 pound a week. At 2 pounds a week MFP gives me 1200 calories. I read so much my head is spinning about how 1200 is too low. Now at one pound a week it says I should be eating 1390. I started exercising ...it'll be three weeks on Monday. I walk on my new treadmill. Each day I have increased my walking so now at this current moment I walk at a pace of 3.2 mph and am able to do 1.7 miles in 33 minutes.
I am frustrated. I feel like I am doing something wrong. I'll open my diary for others to see, and this is scary for me as well and uncomfortable but I seriously cannot figure out what I am doing wrong. Is being on the treadmill 7 days a week too much? Should I be eating back my exercise calories? I don't track how much I burn from MFP as it really seemed to be way too high so I use a different site to hopefully be more accurate. I read where people say eat back your exercise calories and I see ones that say that's stupid and don't do it. I don't want to just give up. But I am also so discouraged. I need some advice or help. Please.
It looks like you are losing, so no need to panic. The basic things that seem suspicious in your diary is the entries in cups for cereal and slices for bread. If these are verified with a scale, fine. If not, try verifying that what fits in your cup or what you consider a slice is indeed what is supposed to be a portion. My slice of bread is around 3 slices of what MFP thinks is a slice, and cereal, what fits in my average cup is closer to 3-4 servings.
I got the bread calories and slices from the actual bread loaf. It says its 120 or 130 for two slices. I don't remember exactly as I am not in the kitchen. Perhaps I just not eat bread? or just make a half sandwich instead of a whole? I weigh all other foods like my meat or potatos and even veggies. The cereal box says its 120 for cinnamon life for one cup. I get my measuring cup out and measure it along with the milk. I am thinking I just need to maybe be more strict with my bread and perhaps no cereal. I am going to re evaluate these two options. Thank you. I will see how to adjust these two items. I appreciate the help
Slow down. You're going a little crazy here, thinking you have to eliminate things WHEN YOU ARE LOSING WEIGHT.
However, measuring cups are not as accurate as a scale. The serving size on the box won't just say "1 cup". It'll say "1 cup" with grams in parentheses. Use the grams.
As far as bread, no need to give it up. Again, the package will list the grams per slice. If you weigh a slice, and it's higher (or lower) than the grams on the package, adjust your entry accordingly.
This will all become second nature after a while.
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You're down 5 pounds in either 3 or 4 weeks. What's the problem?
I don't know if there IS one necessarily...its mostly me seeing others do so much more. A woman on my friends list said she lost 6 pounds this week. I think I am just worried I am not doing something right. I have not exercised like this ever before in my life...I have no real understanding of how to lose weight so I tried to make it simple..like the CICO thing. I try not to over think it but I feel behind in the four weeks Ive done this. Maybe it's all in my head.
Comparison is the thief of joy. Just because someone lost more than you doesn't mean that you are doing something wrong.0 -
Thank you everyone for your advice! I feel a bit less frustrated. after my post I hoped on my treadmill and walked 1.7 miles in 33 minutes at 3.2 mph. I suppose in 4/5 weeks its actually a 1pound loss a week and that is good. I guess I just felt discouraged because that first 4 pounds lost was in the first week. I am committed to being healthier and I know it's going to take me a long time to lose weight. I am sorry to have complained. I am so new to this way of life of exercising and eating better that I expected more. I don't know what I am doing half the time but I read a ton and try to understand better, this way of life and dieting. There is SO much to digest in terms of how to do this and how much weight is normal to lose and to eat back exercise calories or not or to walk more or not or to rest from exercise days or not. I know one thing I need to do is up my water. I am not drinking enough I think.
Anyhow thank you guys so much. I am a newbie just trying to work it all out.0 -
You're down 5 pounds in either 3 or 4 weeks. What's the problem?
I don't know if there IS one necessarily...its mostly me seeing others do so much more. A woman on my friends list said she lost 6 pounds this week. I think I am just worried I am not doing something right. I have not exercised like this ever before in my life...I have no real understanding of how to lose weight so I tried to make it simple..like the CICO thing. I try not to over think it but I feel behind in the four weeks Ive done this. Maybe it's all in my head.
You are doing fine. Averaging a very sustainable pound a week means 52 pounds a year. I would not change anything at this point other than ceasing to compare yourself to others.0 -
Glad you're feeling better, but I still recommend investing in a food scale.0
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@booksandchocolate12 - thank you for posting the chart! That is interesting.
Comparison is the thief of joy.
I like this quote very much!
@Day_knee - no words of advice to offer as I am new to this site but Congrats on the 5 pounds! Something must be working.0 -
I don't know if there IS one necessarily...its mostly me seeing others do so much more. A woman on my friends list said she lost 6 pounds this week. I think I am just worried I am not doing something right. I have not exercised like this ever before in my life...I have no real understanding of how to lose weight so I tried to make it simple..like the CICO thing. I try not to over think it but I feel behind in the four weeks Ive done this. Maybe it's all in my head.
6 lbs a week!! That sounds to me like my husband and his friends comparing fish they caught
I don't know the stories or stats, so the fish might have been that big or there might be other factors too.
The only consistent advice I have seen is that exercise is for fitness, eating well is for weight loss. Don't stop the walking, it's a great healthy habit! But I'd also pump the brakes on the over thinking, CICO etc. Find a calorie level you are comfortable to maintain and keep it up. It sounds to me like you are doing the right things!
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As everyone said, you're losing at a very respectable pace. It's possible/probable that it will even slow down over time as you approach your goal weight. It doesn't mean you're doing anything wrong, just that losing weight and keeping it off is a long-haul process, not a quick one.
We're so bombarded with ads and magazine headlines about impossibly high rates of weight loss that it's easy to get a crazily skewed view of what's possible. Women's World magazine this week has a cover story promising you can lose 46 pounds in 3 weeks. I literally laughed out loud in the checkout lane when I saw it, because short of amputating a couple of limbs, that is NOT possible. But not everybody knows better. And to someone who expects those insane rates of loss, one pound a week might feel cruelly disappointing, even though it means you burned 3500 calories more than you ate that week, which is GREAT!
Stick with it, OP, and just learn to evaluate promises and expectations rationally. A pound of fat is 3500 calories- even if most women ate nothing all day (which is miserable and unhealthy and should absolutely not be attempted) we still wouldn't lose six pounds of fat a week. It just takes time. If you have a lot of weight to lose, it can take a lot of time.
But that time is going to pass whether or not you're using it to move more, eat less, and learn about maintaining your health, so why not go for it and be fit and trim in a year rather than staying the same or gaining more?0 -
emmycantbemeeko wrote: »As everyone said, you're losing at a very respectable pace. It's possible/probable that it will even slow down over time as you approach your goal weight. It doesn't mean you're doing anything wrong, just that losing weight and keeping it off is a long-haul process, not a quick one.
We're so bombarded with ads and magazine headlines about impossibly high rates of weight loss that it's easy to get a crazily skewed view of what's possible. Women's World magazine this week has a cover story promising you can lose 46 pounds in 3 weeks. I literally laughed out loud in the checkout lane when I saw it, because short of amputating a couple of limbs, that is NOT possible. But not everybody knows better. And to someone who expects those insane rates of loss, one pound a week might feel cruelly disappointing, even though it means you burned 3500 calories more than you ate that week, which is GREAT!
Stick with it, OP, and just learn to evaluate promises and expectations rationally. A pound of fat is 3500 calories- even if most women ate nothing all day (which is miserable and unhealthy and should absolutely not be attempted) we still wouldn't lose six pounds of fat a week. It just takes time. If you have a lot of weight to lose, it can take a lot of time.
But that time is going to pass whether or not you're using it to move more, eat less, and learn about maintaining your health, so why not go for it and be fit and trim in a year rather than staying the same or gaining more?
I am one who will definitely make myself nuts over all the stupid weight loss things I see all over the place. It makes it more confusing for someone like me who has never attempted this before, to really get a good understanding. I have learned that CICO is the way to go. I panicked when I didn't see the scale move. I don't have a set time limit and I have it in my head that it's going to take at least a year to do this correctly. I hopped on my treadmill after my original post, walked 1.7 miles at 3.2 mps in 33 minutes..I took a shower..and feel better. and I know everyone is right that I need to adjust my expectations. My journey is going to be so different compared to others. thank you for all the advice
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booksandchocolate12 wrote: »Glad you're feeling better, but I still recommend investing in a food scale.
I have one. I will be more diligent about weighing my food! even bread!0 -
You're down 5 pounds in either 3 or 4 weeks. What's the problem?
I don't know if there IS one necessarily...its mostly me seeing others do so much more. A woman on my friends list said she lost 6 pounds this week. I think I am just worried I am not doing something right. I have not exercised like this ever before in my life...I have no real understanding of how to lose weight so I tried to make it simple..like the CICO thing. I try not to over think it but I feel behind in the four weeks Ive done this. Maybe it's all in my head.
You are doing fine. Averaging a very sustainable pound a week means 52 pounds a year. I would not change anything at this point other than ceasing to compare yourself to others.
Hard lesson to learn to be sure.0 -
your problem is in your logging.
you are not weighing foods accurately.
Get a good digital kitchen scale that weighs in grams and ounces. always opt for weight in grams.
you are eating in a deficit, yes, but not as large of one as you think. the more weight you lose, the smaller that deficit gets.
i've lost 80 pounds since 2015. LOGGING IS KEY. feel free to friend me. but only if profanity and borderline alcoholism doesn't bother you 0 -
You're down 5 pounds in either 3 or 4 weeks. What's the problem?
I don't know if there IS one necessarily...its mostly me seeing others do so much more. A woman on my friends list said she lost 6 pounds this week. I think I am just worried I am not doing something right. I have not exercised like this ever before in my life...I have no real understanding of how to lose weight so I tried to make it simple..like the CICO thing. I try not to over think it but I feel behind in the four weeks Ive done this. Maybe it's all in my head.
My neighbor lost 30 pounds last summer/fall. And she's gained most of it back. Slow and steady is sustainable.
Plus, the person on your FL might have had a big pre-menstrual gain followed by a big post-menstrual weight loss whoosh. Since you don't see gains in people's statuses, you don't know.0 -
emmycantbemeeko wrote: »As everyone said, you're losing at a very respectable pace. It's possible/probable that it will even slow down over time as you approach your goal weight. It doesn't mean you're doing anything wrong, just that losing weight and keeping it off is a long-haul process, not a quick one.
We're so bombarded with ads and magazine headlines about impossibly high rates of weight loss that it's easy to get a crazily skewed view of what's possible. Women's World magazine this week has a cover story promising you can lose 46 pounds in 3 weeks. I literally laughed out loud in the checkout lane when I saw it, because short of amputating a couple of limbs, that is NOT possible. But not everybody knows better. And to someone who expects those insane rates of loss, one pound a week might feel cruelly disappointing, even though it means you burned 3500 calories more than you ate that week, which is GREAT!
Stick with it, OP, and just learn to evaluate promises and expectations rationally. A pound of fat is 3500 calories- even if most women ate nothing all day (which is miserable and unhealthy and should absolutely not be attempted) we still wouldn't lose six pounds of fat a week. It just takes time. If you have a lot of weight to lose, it can take a lot of time.
But that time is going to pass whether or not you're using it to move more, eat less, and learn about maintaining your health, so why not go for it and be fit and trim in a year rather than staying the same or gaining more?
I am one who will definitely make myself nuts over all the stupid weight loss things I see all over the place. It makes it more confusing for someone like me who has never attempted this before, to really get a good understanding. I have learned that CICO is the way to go. I panicked when I didn't see the scale move. I don't have a set time limit and I have it in my head that it's going to take at least a year to do this correctly. I hopped on my treadmill after my original post, walked 1.7 miles at 3.2 mps in 33 minutes..I took a shower..and feel better. and I know everyone is right that I need to adjust my expectations. My journey is going to be so different compared to others. thank you for all the advice
There's simply no room for panic in weight loss! If you're doing it right (and it sounds like you are), it's a fairly slow and tedious process and you will not lose every week. In fact (prepare yourself now), sometimes you will gain. You just keep doing what you're doing and prepare yourself for the long haul 0 -
emmycantbemeeko wrote: »As everyone said, you're losing at a very respectable pace. It's possible/probable that it will even slow down over time as you approach your goal weight. It doesn't mean you're doing anything wrong, just that losing weight and keeping it off is a long-haul process, not a quick one.
We're so bombarded with ads and magazine headlines about impossibly high rates of weight loss that it's easy to get a crazily skewed view of what's possible. Women's World magazine this week has a cover story promising you can lose 46 pounds in 3 weeks. I literally laughed out loud in the checkout lane when I saw it, because short of amputating a couple of limbs, that is NOT possible. But not everybody knows better. And to someone who expects those insane rates of loss, one pound a week might feel cruelly disappointing, even though it means you burned 3500 calories more than you ate that week, which is GREAT!
Stick with it, OP, and just learn to evaluate promises and expectations rationally. A pound of fat is 3500 calories- even if most women ate nothing all day (which is miserable and unhealthy and should absolutely not be attempted) we still wouldn't lose six pounds of fat a week. It just takes time. If you have a lot of weight to lose, it can take a lot of time.
But that time is going to pass whether or not you're using it to move more, eat less, and learn about maintaining your health, so why not go for it and be fit and trim in a year rather than staying the same or gaining more?
I am one who will definitely make myself nuts over all the stupid weight loss things I see all over the place. It makes it more confusing for someone like me who has never attempted this before, to really get a good understanding. I have learned that CICO is the way to go. I panicked when I didn't see the scale move. I don't have a set time limit and I have it in my head that it's going to take at least a year to do this correctly. I hopped on my treadmill after my original post, walked 1.7 miles at 3.2 mps in 33 minutes..I took a shower..and feel better. and I know everyone is right that I need to adjust my expectations. My journey is going to be so different compared to others. thank you for all the advice
For fun and to improve your perspective, start running the numbers on crazy weight-loss claims you hear.
If a headline tells you you can lose ten pounds in a week, think: 3500 calories x 10 = 35000 calories a week/7 days= 5000 calories a day. They're telling you you can do something that requires burning 5000 calories a day over your food intake. Think about your MFP numbers- if it's giving you 1390 for a 1-lb a week goal, it's estimating your total daily energy expenditure at 1890 calories a day. So they're basically telling you you'd need to achieve well over twice your daily energy burn PLUS an additional burn to cancel out whatever they suggest you eat (I've yet to see a magazine promote eating nothing at all).
That's obviously not practical for nearly anyone, let alone the average person interested in losing a significant amount of weight. And Women's World was promising an even faster weight loss than that! So... that's obviously completely bonkers, hence why I laughed.
Learning a lot about calorie content and calorie expenditure will go a LONG way to giving you a mental framework for realistic weight loss goals, identifying when people are suggesting or promising impossibilities, and above all, appreciating your own successes. You're having great success already with a 1 lb/week average! Keep it up, and you'll be at your goal weight before you know it!0 -
I started this at 235 pounds. I lost 4 of those pounds the first week. I lost one pound the past two weeks. I started four weeks ago with the diet or way of eating. I have adjusted my weight goal from 2 pounds a week to 1 pound a week. At 2 pounds a week MFP gives me 1200 calories. I read so much my head is spinning about how 1200 is too low. Now at one pound a week it says I should be eating 1390. I started exercising ...it'll be three weeks on Monday. I walk on my new treadmill. Each day I have increased my walking so now at this current moment I walk at a pace of 3.2 mph and am able to do 1.7 miles in 33 minutes.
I am frustrated. I feel like I am doing something wrong. I'll open my diary for others to see, and this is scary for me as well and uncomfortable but I seriously cannot figure out what I am doing wrong. Is being on the treadmill 7 days a week too much? Should I be eating back my exercise calories? I don't track how much I burn from MFP as it really seemed to be way too high so I use a different site to hopefully be more accurate. I read where people say eat back your exercise calories and I see ones that say that's stupid and don't do it. I don't want to just give up. But I am also so discouraged. I need some advice or help. Please.
It looks like you are losing, so no need to panic. The basic things that seem suspicious in your diary is the entries in cups for cereal and slices for bread. If these are verified with a scale, fine. If not, try verifying that what fits in your cup or what you consider a slice is indeed what is supposed to be a portion. My slice of bread is around 3 slices of what MFP thinks is a slice, and cereal, what fits in my average cup is closer to 3-4 servings.
I got the bread calories and slices from the actual bread loaf. It says its 120 or 130 for two slices. I don't remember exactly as I am not in the kitchen. Perhaps I just not eat bread? or just make a half sandwich instead of a whole? I weigh all other foods like my meat or potatos and even veggies. The cereal box says its 120 for cinnamon life for one cup. I get my measuring cup out and measure it along with the milk. I am thinking I just need to maybe be more strict with my bread and perhaps no cereal. I am going to re evaluate these two options. Thank you. I will see how to adjust these two items. I appreciate the help
Weight loss comes down to calories. If you like bread eat it, just weigh it out. Same with cereals. Eat them if you want, but weigh it in grams. There's no need to eliminate any foods ( unless you have a medical problem) just be more accurate0 -
callsitlikeiseeit wrote: »your problem is in your logging.
you are not weighing foods accurately.
Get a good digital kitchen scale that weighs in grams and ounces. always opt for weight in grams.
you are eating in a deficit, yes, but not as large of one as you think. the more weight you lose, the smaller that deficit gets.
i've lost 80 pounds since 2015. LOGGING IS KEY. feel free to friend me. but only if profanity and borderline alcoholism doesn't bother you
haha thanks! I do have a scale but it isn't digital. Amazon here I come. I am going to buy a digital scale right now!!0 -
This is a male scientist's perspective (just FYI):
- I love the flow chart above. Thank's for posting it!
- Female bodies appear to have evolved to store energy more efficiently then men's. This has many overall benefits, so I think both men and women should strive to understand, accept, and celebrate the way we are.
- If you balance your calories accurately, you WILL lose weight! I promise on my credentials as a scientist. Unfortunately, that means weighing and otherwise accurately estimating portions.
- Planning every meal is a great help. Preparing your lunch and all of your snacks just after breakfast at taking them to work or putting them aside helps. Eating something every few hours helps.
- Eating 50% of your calories from fat helps reduce hunger. Nuts, cheese, meats, oils, etc.
- There is no reason to lose weight quickly. Most people didn't gain it quickly. 2lbs a week is very difficult. 0.5 lbs a week is pretty comfortable. It might be worth trying a maintenance diet for a few weeks first to get used to it.
- As above: if you are very hungry one day, make it a maintenance day, rather than a weight loss day. (For a 1lb loss per week, that is an extra 500kcal.)
- I think counting steps is the easiest way to start exercising. That can include counting steps on the treadmill, outside, at the mall, and at work. I like the fitbits, but most phones do it as well.
- I also really like "calisthenics" (basic floor exercises). Seek instruction from professionals (if you can afford it) or the many free videos online. To get to muscles that are hard to work with your own weight, you can use resistance bands. Just doing it, no matter what level, is way better than not, so don't worry about the amount of weight: it should feel easy at first. Consider that it has been shown clinically that even 10 minutes of calisthenics or walking makes a huge difference in overall fitness.0 -
emmycantbemeeko wrote: »emmycantbemeeko wrote: »As everyone said, you're losing at a very respectable pace. It's possible/probable that it will even slow down over time as you approach your goal weight. It doesn't mean you're doing anything wrong, just that losing weight and keeping it off is a long-haul process, not a quick one.
We're so bombarded with ads and magazine headlines about impossibly high rates of weight loss that it's easy to get a crazily skewed view of what's possible. Women's World magazine this week has a cover story promising you can lose 46 pounds in 3 weeks. I literally laughed out loud in the checkout lane when I saw it, because short of amputating a couple of limbs, that is NOT possible. But not everybody knows better. And to someone who expects those insane rates of loss, one pound a week might feel cruelly disappointing, even though it means you burned 3500 calories more than you ate that week, which is GREAT!
Stick with it, OP, and just learn to evaluate promises and expectations rationally. A pound of fat is 3500 calories- even if most women ate nothing all day (which is miserable and unhealthy and should absolutely not be attempted) we still wouldn't lose six pounds of fat a week. It just takes time. If you have a lot of weight to lose, it can take a lot of time.
But that time is going to pass whether or not you're using it to move more, eat less, and learn about maintaining your health, so why not go for it and be fit and trim in a year rather than staying the same or gaining more?
I am one who will definitely make myself nuts over all the stupid weight loss things I see all over the place. It makes it more confusing for someone like me who has never attempted this before, to really get a good understanding. I have learned that CICO is the way to go. I panicked when I didn't see the scale move. I don't have a set time limit and I have it in my head that it's going to take at least a year to do this correctly. I hopped on my treadmill after my original post, walked 1.7 miles at 3.2 mps in 33 minutes..I took a shower..and feel better. and I know everyone is right that I need to adjust my expectations. My journey is going to be so different compared to others. thank you for all the advice
For fun and to improve your perspective, start running the numbers on crazy weight-loss claims you hear.
If a headline tells you you can lose ten pounds in a week, think: 3500 calories x 10 = 35000 calories a week/7 days= 5000 calories a day. They're telling you you can do something that requires burning 5000 calories a day over your food intake. Think about your MFP numbers- if it's giving you 1390 for a 1-lb a week goal, it's estimating your total daily energy expenditure at 1890 calories a day. So they're basically telling you you'd need to achieve well over twice your daily energy burn PLUS an additional burn to cancel out whatever they suggest you eat (I've yet to see a magazine promote eating nothing at all).
That's obviously not practical for nearly anyone, let alone the average person interested in losing a significant amount of weight. And Women's World was promising an even faster weight loss than that! So... that's obviously completely bonkers, hence why I laughed.
Learning a lot about calorie content and calorie expenditure will go a LONG way to giving you a mental framework for realistic weight loss goals, identifying when people are suggesting or promising impossibilities, and above all, appreciating your own successes. You're having great success already with a 1 lb/week average! Keep it up, and you'll be at your goal weight before you know it!
haha so true! The diet things I see and think WOW...I want that. I even went as far as doing HCG injections for 6 weeks. yes I lost 29 pounds in one month...however....I gained it all back and then some. I am so mad at myself for doing that stupid HCG gimmick. I figure I quite smoking after 25 years 2 and a half years ago (cold turkey I might add) then I can do this!0 -
@booksandchocolate12 - thank you for posting the chart! That is interesting.
Comparison is the thief of joy.
I like this quote very much!
@Day_knee - no words of advice to offer as I am new to this site but Congrats on the 5 pounds! Something must be working.
Glad to see it wasn't completely overlooked.0
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