What Am I Doing Wrong?
mavisclump
Posts: 19 Member
I need some ideas and encouragement :-(
I've been working on losing weight since early March, and I am not seeing the results that I read about others making. My clothes are only one size smaller (and sometimes I still have to wear my old size depending on the clothes), and I have only lost about 13 pounds in that time. Others have written about losing at least double in 2 1/2 months.
I eat no more than 1200 calories a day, even when I cheat. I keep my carbs, fat, sugar, and sodium much lower than I used to, and I am trying to eat more protein. Produce has never been a favorite, but I try to eat more. I also do moderate stretching and at least 45 minutes on the treadmill every morning - I have only missed 3 days in 6-7 weeks.
I should have lost more weight by now. How are others losing 25 or more pounds in that time? What am I doing wrong? Thanks :-(
I've been working on losing weight since early March, and I am not seeing the results that I read about others making. My clothes are only one size smaller (and sometimes I still have to wear my old size depending on the clothes), and I have only lost about 13 pounds in that time. Others have written about losing at least double in 2 1/2 months.
I eat no more than 1200 calories a day, even when I cheat. I keep my carbs, fat, sugar, and sodium much lower than I used to, and I am trying to eat more protein. Produce has never been a favorite, but I try to eat more. I also do moderate stretching and at least 45 minutes on the treadmill every morning - I have only missed 3 days in 6-7 weeks.
I should have lost more weight by now. How are others losing 25 or more pounds in that time? What am I doing wrong? Thanks :-(
3
Replies
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13 pounds in 2 months is incredible progress! People losing more are probably at a higher deficit. Don't worry about comparing yourself to them, because what you're doing is working.14
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I think 13 lbs in two months is awesome!! I'd be thrilled!
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You're not doing anything wrong, other than possibly putting yourself on a path to burnout. You are not everyone else, and everyone else is not you. Personally, I've lost 13 pounds in 14 weeks so if you're doing something wrong, I must be a complete failure
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It takes many, many months for me to lose a clothing size3
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13 pounds in 2 months is incredible progress! People losing more are probably at a higher deficit. Don't worry about comparing yourself to them, because what you're doing is working.
Thank you. I get discouraged at least once a week when I weigh myself and see very little change, or it goes up a pound or two (I know this is likely water, but it still disappoints). I just can't get that scale under 170, and I hate trying to shop for clothes, because I still can't wear anything much smaller.0 -
13lb is really great. I wouldn't discount that, at all!!! Celebrate every victory. Have you considered doing LCHF/Keto? Also, that total calorie count seems really low. What are those "cheats" consisting of...carbs? Keep going. A stall is not a failure.1
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I think 13 lbs in two months is awesome!! I'd be
You're right. I should be proud of what I have done, instead of feeling sad for what I haven't. I used to cheat on weight loss by using powerful fat burners, and the weight would melt off. But it always came back. This is the first time that I've ever tried to do it the right way, and the slow pace of it is goofing with my mind.0 -
You're not doing anything wrong, other than possibly putting yourself on a path to burnout. You are not everyone else, and everyone else is not you. Personally, I've lost 13 pounds in 14 weeks so if you're doing something wrong, I must be a complete failure
Definitely not a failure! I like reading about everyone's stories and feel happy for their results. I guess I am just very hard on myself0 -
What you're doing wrong is worrying about what others are doing rather than celebrating your own success. Comparison is the thief of joy.4
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BigBadVanna wrote: »It takes many, many months for me to lose a clothing size
How do you cope with disappointment?
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You're doing nothing wrong (probably).
You've lost 13 pounds in - what - around 8 weeks? A bit over a pound and a half a week? If you have at least 50 or so pounds to lose, and you weigh more than about 160, that's reasonable. Twice that would be reasonable only for someone over 300 pounds (using the "maxiumum 1% of body weight lost per week" rule of thumb - though loss should be slower as goal gets closer).
The people under 300 pounds losing 25 pounds in 8 weeks are the ones doing something wrong. They're risking losing unnecessarily large amounts of lean tissue (muscle, bone) alongside the fat - that's not healthy, and it doesn't look cute. They're risking side effects like thinning hair and chipping fingernails. They're probably causing extra adaptive thermogenesis, meaning they'll need to eat permanently (or at least long term) at a lower calorie level to maintain their new weight compared to what they could eat to maintain if they'd taken it more slowly; that will be no fun, and may mean they'll regain more easily. If they're normal-sized women eating below 1200, they're probably not getting adequate nutrition, which brings its own set of risks.
I could go on and on, but I won't.
I think you deserve a gold star: You're sticking to a new routine, you're losing weight at a fast clip: All is well. (Comparison is the thief of joy.)
My advice: Keep going, keep the loss rate healthy, stay strong while losing, and you'll achieve your long-term goals. Nice work!
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13 pounds is awesome! That said, how are you determining your intake? Are you weighing your food with a food scale? Getting your calories dialed in is essential to your continuing success. Everyone will tell you 1200 calories is too low, especially with the exercise you are doing. If you are truly eating that little the weight should be coming off, but you will also at some point start to feel the effects of too much of a deficit. If that isn't happening, you are eating more than you think.0
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You're doing nothing wrong (probably).
You've lost 13 pounds in - what - around 8 weeks? A bit over a pound and a half a week? If you have at least 50 or so pounds to lose, and you weigh more than about 160, that's reasonable. Twice that would be reasonable only for someone over 300 pounds (using the "maxiumum 1% of body weight lost per week" rule of thumb - though loss should be slower as goal gets closer).
The people under 300 pounds losing 25 pounds in 8 weeks are the ones doing something wrong. They're risking losing unnecessarily large amounts of lean tissue (muscle, bone) alongside the fat - that's not healthy, and it doesn't look cute. They're risking side effects like thinning hair and chipping fingernails. They're probably causing extra adaptive thermogenesis, meaning they'll need to eat permanently (or at least long term) at a lower calorie level to maintain their new weight compared to what they could eat to maintain if they'd taken it more slowly; that will be no fun, and may mean they'll regain more easily. If they're normal-sized women eating below 1200, they're probably not getting adequate nutrition, which brings its own set of risks.
I could go on and on, but I won't.
I think you deserve a gold star: You're sticking to a new routine, you're losing weight at a fast clip: All is well. (Comparison is the thief of joy.)
My advice: Keep going, keep the loss rate healthy, stay strong while losing, and you'll achieve your long-term goals. Nice work!
Thank you! I needed that0 -
ladonmwilliams wrote: »13lb is really great. I wouldn't discount that, at all!!! Celebrate every victory. Have you considered doing LCHF/Keto? Also, that total calorie count seems really low. What are those "cheats" consisting of...carbs? Keep going. A stall is not a failure.
My doc has "prescribed" the 1200 calorie intake with low carbs, fat, etc due to some health issues, but I can increase the calories after I get close to the weight that I should be for my height. And thank you for the kudos!0 -
mavisclump wrote: »I need some ideas and encouragement :-(
I've been working on losing weight since early March, and I am not seeing the results that I read about others making. My clothes are only one size smaller (and sometimes I still have to wear my old size depending on the clothes), and I have only lost about 13 pounds in that time. Others have written about losing at least double in 2 1/2 months.
I eat no more than 1200 calories a day, even when I cheat. I keep my carbs, fat, sugar, and sodium much lower than I used to, and I am trying to eat more protein. Produce has never been a favorite, but I try to eat more. I also do moderate stretching and at least 45 minutes on the treadmill every morning - I have only missed 3 days in 6-7 weeks.
I should have lost more weight by now. How are others losing 25 or more pounds in that time? What am I doing wrong? Thanks :-(
We have almost the stats. I thought something was wrong with me too. I've lost 14 lbs in about 16 weeks. I am about 168 right now. Its discouraging/slow, but it really is better for you. Although its frustrating, I'd rather developing better habits, and lifestyle that will help me maintain the lower weight, instead of doing a crash-diet/quick-fix and gain everything back.
You are right were you should be! Feel free to friend me, we can complain about slow (but fantastic) progress together!1 -
13 pounds is awesome! That said, how are you determining your intake? Are you weighing your food with a food scale? Getting your calories dialed in is essential to your continuing success. Everyone will tell you 1200 calories is too low, especially with the exercise you are doing. If you are truly eating that little the weight should be coming off, but you will also at some point start to feel the effects of too much of a deficit. If that isn't happening, you are eating more than you think.
I measure everything and have been "narrowing down" my diet, i.e. reducing variety in order to not become overwhelmed while I learn to eat differently. I don't allow myself to keep a big deficit, bc I know that going any lower than 1200 will make me sick, and my doctor will kick my a** lol2 -
I say keep up the great work! 13 pounds is huge!
In addition to your extremely strict diet (1200 calories a day? Yowtch!), you didn't mention your exercise regimen which could also help accelerate your metabolism and lead to additional weight loss.
My big tip is to make sure you exercise, but make sure what you do today, you can also do tomorrow.
It's definitely exciting to get started losing weight and make healthy choices, but too many people want to jump into exercising full force.
I started working out at age 28 and now work out 7 days a week, so when I started my weight loss at age 36, I didn't need to add exercise to my routine. However, if you're just starting an exercise routine, start small. Consider going on a brisk 30-minute walk each day. Once you get used to that, bump it up. Then, add weights.
Whatever you do to start, make sure you don't over exert by doing a full-blown 2-hour workout right off the bat and end up so sore you don't want to workout for DAYS afterward. Remember, it's a marathon, not a sprint - start small with something you can do everyday and add to it.
When I started working out, I rode a recumbent bike at very low resistance for 30 minutes a day, 5 times a week. Over time, I increased the resistance. Then, I added more time at 5-minute increments per workout. Now, I workout 7 days a week with the workouts running about 1 hr., 15 minutes each day with scheduled muscle groups and cardio types each day. Also, don't forget to stretch after the workout (reduces soreness in your muscles)!
I own a Bowflex gym, a treadmill, and an elliptical so I don't have to keep up an expensive gym membership (and also don't have the excuse that I don't feel like driving/walking to the gym).
Even after 12 years of working out (every single day for the past 8 years), I still don't enjoy it (believe it or not). The trick was to realize I shouldn't look at it as using my free time, it's required maintenance. Don't let yourself skip working out - it's like doing laundry or brushing your teeth - it's a necessity, not an entertainment option.
I recommend picking up some headphones and finding something you like to listen to or watch while working out (be careful not to get distracted and reduce your exertion). I'm a big fan of the stock market, so I download CNBC's free daily podcasts of their Fast Money and Mad Money shows, and then listen to those while I work out. I get my exercise plus I keep up on the stock market. Podcasts are fantastic, by the way. There's bound to be something out there for everyone.
Anyway, you're doing great! Keep it up!1 -
These are awesome responses!1
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mavisclump wrote: »Umm....I guess you can't say a** in the posts - forgive the autocorrect "kick my kitten" comment. I couldn't edit it!
Don't worry about it. Post here long enough and kitten will become your new favorite curse word!1 -
13 lbs is a great achievement! Stop worrying about others. Your physical make up is COMPLETELY different, no one person is the same. You can't achieve the same rate of loss as others and believe me, there will be others wondering how YOU have lost your amount when they haven't. You do what you are doing for YOU! Good luck 2
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irxproductions wrote: »I say keep up the great work! 13 pounds is huge!
In addition to your extremely strict diet (1200 calories a day? Yowtch!), you didn't mention your exercise regimen which could also help accelerate your metabolism and lead to additional weight loss.
My big tip is to make sure you exercise, but make sure what you do today, you can also do tomorrow.
It's definitely exciting to get started losing weight and make healthy choices, but too many people want to jump into exercising full force.
I started working out at age 28 and now work out 7 days a week, so when I started my weight loss at age 36, I didn't need to add exercise to my routine. However, if you're just starting an exercise routine, start small. Consider going on a brisk 30-minute walk each day. Once you get used to that, bump it up. Then, add weights.
Whatever you do to start, make sure you don't over exert by doing a full-blown 2-hour workout right off the bat and end up so sore you don't want to workout for DAYS afterward. Remember, it's a marathon, not a sprint - start small with something you can do everyday and add to it.
When I started working out, I rode a recumbent bike at very low resistance for 30 minutes a day, 5 times a week. Over time, I increased the resistance. Then, I added more time at 5-minute increments per workout. Now, I workout 7 days a week with the workouts running about 1 hr., 15 minutes each day with scheduled muscle groups and cardio types each day. Also, don't forget to stretch after the workout (reduces soreness in your muscles)!
I own a Bowflex gym, a treadmill, and an elliptical so I don't have to keep up an expensive gym membership (and also don't have the excuse that I don't feel like driving/walking to the gym).
Even after 12 years of working out (every single day for the past 8 years), I still don't enjoy it (believe it or not). The trick was to realize I shouldn't look at it as using my free time, it's required maintenance. Don't let yourself skip working out - it's like doing laundry or brushing your teeth - it's a necessity, not an entertainment option.
I recommend picking up some headphones and finding something you like to listen to or watch while working out (be careful not to get distracted and reduce your exertion). I'm a big fan of the stock market, so I download CNBC's free daily podcasts of their Fast Money and Mad Money shows, and then listen to those while I work out. I get my exercise plus I keep up on the stock market. Podcasts are fantastic, by the way. There's bound to be something out there for everyone.
Anyway, you're doing great! Keep it up!
Thank you! I used to love to run, but I injured my foot and had to quit for a long time. I am finally back on my treadmill (yay! My favorite cardio!) and am taking it fairly slow out of fear of re-injury. I have gotten up to 3.5 mph since March and plan to keep increasing slowly. I get on the treadmill every day, not only for the weight loss, but because I really enjoy it. And my music collection is a great friend! I have always hated strength work (boring), but I know that I have to get back to that soon. New running shoes this weekend after lots of reading and research. Anyway, thank you for your input. Much appreciated!1 -
I've lost 6 pounds since March.
I've lost 8 since January.
I'm technically the same weight I was in 2015 and 2014.
Feel better?
Hopefully not. This is a highly individual process and you need to focus on yourself. You've done a great job. Don't get side tracked about why it works better for others. I did that- for years. And it didn't help me progress.0 -
I wish I could lose 13 lbs in 2 months. With eating between 1200 and 1500 calories a day I've only lost 10 lbs in about 7 months. Wish i had your problem. Sounds like you are doing awesome!0
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mavisclump wrote: »
I eat no more than 1200 calories a day, even when I cheat.
You've had a bunch of good responses in this thread. I'm glad you're taking some of them to heart and that you've had an excellent start at this.
But I have to ask....what in the world does that snippet (taken from your original post) mean?
I would also mention, unless I missed it, that you haven't given us your basic stats. Age? Ht? Weight?
Oh, and what @AnnPT77 said. Just about everything I read from her is gold.
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1 to 1.5 pound lost per week should be your goal. Slow and steady, in a sensible manner that's good for the long term is a much better idea. I lost an AVERAGE of 1.75 per week for the first half of my WL journey. It slowed to 1 pound on average after that. And in a year 100 pounds melted off.
You are doing great1 -
I've lost just over 20lb in a year. It's really quite individual.1
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mavisclump wrote: »13 pounds is awesome! That said, how are you determining your intake? Are you weighing your food with a food scale? Getting your calories dialed in is essential to your continuing success. Everyone will tell you 1200 calories is too low, especially with the exercise you are doing. If you are truly eating that little the weight should be coming off, but you will also at some point start to feel the effects of too much of a deficit. If that isn't happening, you are eating more than you think.
I measure everything and have been "narrowing down" my diet, i.e. reducing variety in order to not become overwhelmed while I learn to eat differently. I don't allow myself to keep a big deficit, bc I know that going any lower than 1200 will make me sick, and my doctor will kick my a** lol
I was not referring to measuring because just measuring can result in many inaccuracies. Also, if you are not eating some of your exercise calories back you will have too big a deficit, then your dr can kick your a**. @AnnPT77 always has excellent advice, better stated than I could say it. You are on the right track. What other people do is not your worry or something to be envious of. Slow and steady will be more sustainable in the long term.1 -
@Silentpadna and @Rocknut53: (Blush) You two are so sweet! Granny-aged li'l ol' lady that I am, I just like to see our new folks succeed while staying strong and healthy at the same time.
OP, apologies for the brief thread hijack!2 -
@Silentpadna and @Rocknut53: (Blush) You two are so sweet! Granny-aged li'l ol' lady that I am, I just like to see our new folks succeed while staying strong and healthy at the same time.
OP, apologies for the brief thread hijack!
I'm granny-aged as well, wishing I had accomplished this many years ago while my skin would cooperate with my fat loss! Thin and wrinkled is preferable to fat and cottage cheesy though.
OP, also sorry for the short hijack. 3 -
Ready2Rock206 wrote: »What you're doing wrong is worrying about what others are doing rather than celebrating your own success. Comparison is the thief of joy.
^^^THIS!1
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