This is why I always give up!
drednme
Posts: 4
So last week was my first week giving this my absolute all. I was THRILLED to step on the scale after a week of counting every calorie to see that I had lost TEN pounds. However, even though my calorie allowance has dropped (I've continued to stay under my calories), the last several days the scale has been yo-yoing up a pound and a half, and back down a little. Yesterday, in order to get past this, I worked out (haven't started doing that regularly like I should) and also sweated my butt of for an hour in the heat doing farm chores, and made sure I stayed well under my calories. I was certain I would wake up and be done with this little game, just for the scale to show that I was once again up a pound and a half. WTH?! This is why it's so easy for people to give up... Well I'm not going to do it this time, but I do need help/advice before I pull my hair out!!!
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Replies
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Sometimes it sucks being a woman. Our bodies fluctuate so much during the month that it can get discouraging. That is why I only weigh myself once a month. If I weighed myself everyday, I would have given up long ago.0
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If I read your message correctly you lost 10 pounds in a week. That is probably at least part of why you are not losing now. You body needs to catch up. Also, if you just started to workout that can cause weight gain because your muscles are not used to it and retain water. Finally, don't trust the scale. Get out a measuring tape and take you chest, waist, hip, and thigh measurements as they are a much more accurate picture of what is going on than the scale is.0
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Your weight will go up and down based on what you've eaten, not eaten, a bowel movement or not, how much water and salt you've had, monthly influences. The fact that you lost 10lb in the first week is great, but way way too much to soon. In general you should be loosing between 1-2lbs/week. My recommendation is to follow the MFP guidelines about calories, exercise, water. While the scale is my best/worst enemy when I wake up, it is my tape measure that tells me the true story. My loosening clothes and family also see it. This is a whole lifestyle change and it doesn't happen overnight. Looks like you have a little person to persevere for!0
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First off, do NOT weigh yourself every day! No more than once a week. Your body varies all the time. All that scale stuff does, is make you nuts, frustrated, and wanting to cave. So..stay off the scale. Your body will have a lot of adjusting to do. So, trust the system, stay within your calorie goal, and drink lots and lots of water. You will see progress!!0
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you shouldn't give up over one pound!! Mine goes up anywhere between 2-3lbs depending on what exercises I did that week! Anyways I was told that losing inches was a better way to show progress than to weigh yourself! I know I would rather lose a paint size than lose a pound, but hey maybe that is just me!0
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That ten pound could have been a little bit of water weight as well. Are you drinking soda? I know if I have more than 1 diet coke in a day it will make me reatain at least a pound or two.
Don't give up! Stick with it and ignore the scale. I've been through the yo-yo weight recently and stuck it out and I'm starting to notice in my appearance that I'm thinning in certain areas.0 -
It could just be water weight! I find the day after a really streneous workout the figures go in the wrong direction, because of holding onto all the water it can.0
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Some people want to weigh in daily, and if so that's fine, but try only "counting" one weigh-in a week, same time same scenario, for example, Friday mornings first thing. Especially since this was your first week of giving it your all, you will notice that if you continue doing that then your numbers will fluctuate throughout the week, but your Friday numbers (or whatever day) should be more consistent and hopefully in the direction that you want.0
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Also remember, that when you work out hard one day, you're more likely to be a little heavier on the scale the next due to water retention in your muscles. They need it to help repair themselves and to make you stronger! You can't have gained 1 1/2 pounds over night, its more likely water that your body is holding on to. Make sure to drink 1/2 your body weight in ounces of water and you should go back down soon. Don't give up! :flowerforyou:0
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Get rid of the scale,at least for now. I had my husband take ours away because I was constantly looking at it, he brings it back out once a week for me. Don't go too under your calorie goal either, your body will store what it's got to prevent starving. Take it one day at a time. I too want very much to lose weight, and this is the first time I am determined and doing it my whole adult life. But my goals are different this time around. I want to be healthier, of course thinner, but for me just wanting to be healthier seems to be working for me.0
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My weight fluctuates throughout the week from day to day. I have stopped weighing myself everyday and only weigh myself once a week at the same time each monday and I have conintinuously lost 1-1.5 lbs even though a few days ago it said I was up a little. Don't get discouraged keep going you can do it! :happy:0
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If you don't weigh yourself daily, a lot of the frustration will disappear. Once a week, twice tops. It ensures maximum sanity retention through your body's NATURAL ups and downs.
10 pounds in a week is fine for that first week (it's water weight, by the way....not actual weight) but that can't and won't continue.0 -
For those of us who fluctuate frequently like that, I found a tip years ago that is pretty helpful. Weigh yourself every day, but remember that that weight DOESN'T COUNT. Instead, once a week, take a 7 day average. As long as the average is going down, you're on the right track. Also, if you bloat a lot during THAT week, skip it. You know the numbers won't be accurate because of the bloat, so there's no reason even to look--the scale is going to lie, and you'll get upset about it anyway. So, three weeks a month, take a weekly average. Don't stress the up and down. You are weighing yourself at the same time everyday, right? Because it can fluctuate by more than 5 lbs in the course of a single day. Don't give up, and remember that sometimes, NUMBERS LIE. If you're eating right and exercising, your body is improving even if your weight isn't changing. That's what matters. Good luck!0
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My weight fluctuates up and down every day, so don't beat yourself up! 10 lbs in a week is awesome! Don't chain yourself to the scale... do measurements and feel the changes in your body and clothes... that is how I judge my weight loss... If I trusted my scale.. I would have given up long ago! Good luck
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You just have to be willing to accept these changes if you chose to weigh yourself every day. These things happen with our body. You have to find peace in knowing that you are eating correctly and doing your body good regardless of how little the changes on the scale show. It will all catch up if you keep doing the right thing. You have to literall eat 3500 calories in order to gain a pound, so think about it like that. If you are guilty of eating that many calories in one day, then you are responsible for the changes on the scale; otherwise, it is normal bodily fluid fluctuations that we all deal with. Keep on working hard.0
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I agree with one of the other posters. Measure yourself! I lost an inch on my waist & an inch on my hips in the last two weeks & can you guess how many pounds I lost? A big fat 0-I was getting a llittle depressed but those inches made up for the weight big time. Good luck-don't get too down-if you continue eating right & exercising it will work. 0
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Someone else posted this article, it may no be the case for you yet, but it is something to remember. And it's also good for the future on why we give up and gain the weight back. http://www.activepassivediet.com/files/active_passive_chapter_1.pdf. I also weigh myself everyday, but only take the average as my weekly weigh in, since my weight fluctuates so much during the week. Another website a fellow mfp-er suggested is http://www.skinnyr.com/ for tracking your weight everyday and SEEING the graph move up and down. Hope this helps.0
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Think lifestyle, healthy eating, some exercise, about 1/2 hour most days. Don't beat yourself up! This will get you where you want to go. :flowerforyou:0
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I did not read everyone's posts above.
I am not an expert (in anything)
Breathe!! Relax this is a lifestyle not a race. This journey is for the rest of your life. Think long term!! As you learn more about your journey, clean eating, the foods and drinks and how they help or hinder your weight loss you will find yourself in a more comfortable postion and you won't be looking back to the 'old' you anymore.
You have just begun. You will find that there are bumps in the road along the way, don't panic, just pick yourself up and move on. You know why you are here and you are better off for being here.
NOW:
Girl!! Get away from those scales.
Measure your body (chest, waist, thighs, arms, neck, etc) write them down. Measure yourself once a week or whenever but don't obsess over it.
Pick a day (once a week, once a month, whatever) to weigh yourself.
On that day, first thing in the morning:
After you go to the bathroom
Before you consume food or drink
Naked
Place scale (digitial (get one)) in the same spot on the floor (no rug)
weigh yourself 3 times in a row.
Record your weight.
:flowerforyou:
ZH0 -
If I read your message correctly you lost 10 pounds in a week. That is probably at least part of why you are not losing now. You body needs to catch up. Also, if you just started to workout that can cause weight gain because your muscles are not used to it and retain water. Finally, don't trust the scale. Get out a measuring tape and take you chest, waist, hip, and thigh measurements as they are a much more accurate picture of what is going on than the scale is.
This ^^^^
Plus, something a lot of people don't realize is that one day of work or one day of being off-diet doesn't always show up the next day. I've found that it can take 2-3 days for either to show up on the scale. For instance, this weekend I worked my tail off hauling and stacking wood (so I can relate to the farm work) sweated like crazy and stayed within my calories all weekend. So yeah, you'd think that'd show up as at least a pound loss on Monday morning but nope! I was actualy up a couple of pounds but I knew it was from water retention, not just from muscle repair but also from the imbalance I'd created from the major exertion and copious sweating. Haven't had my official weigh-in yet but my iffy home scale appeared to be down a bit.
Moral of the story - give yourself a break and get over that instant gratification mindset because, as you have already admitted, it will all lead to failure once again. This is not Biggest Loser, this is not a race or competition. Take a breath, keep plugging away and you will see results.0 -
Someone else posted this article, it may no be the case for you yet, but it is something to remember. And it's also good for the future on why we give up and gain the weight back. http://www.activepassivediet.com/files/active_passive_chapter_1.pdf. I also weigh myself everyday, but only take the average as my weekly weigh in, since my weight fluctuates so much during the week. Another website a fellow mfp-er suggested is http://www.skinnyr.com/ for tracking your weight everyday and SEEING the graph move up and down. Hope this helps.
Thanks for the active-passive thing. I was getting quite depressed at the beginning of it, but as you read through it gets a little better and as you understand it makes perfect sense!! I will definately take this into account when i reach a plataeu! I may even have to re-post for others!!0 -
I did not read everyone's posts above.
I am not an expert (in anything)
Breathe!! Relax this is a lifestyle not a race. This journey is for the rest of your life. Think long term!! As you learn more about your journey, clean eating, the foods and drinks and how they help or hinder your weight loss you will find yourself in a more comfortable postion and you won't be looking back to the 'old' you anymore.
You have just begun. You will find that there are bumps in the road along the way, don't panic, just pick yourself up and move on. You know why you are here and you are better off for being here.
NOW:
Girl!! Get away from those scales.
Measure your body (chest, waist, thighs, arms, neck, etc) write them down. Measure yourself once a week or whenever but don't obsess over it.
Pick a day (once a week, once a month, whatever) to weigh yourself.
On that day, first thing in the morning:
After you go to the bathroom
Before you consume food or drink
Naked
Place scale (digitial (get one)) in the same spot on the floor (no rug)
weigh yourself 3 times in a row.
Record your weight.
:flowerforyou:
ZH
Excellent, excellent advice!!!!0 -
Stay on track and off the scale!!0
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If I read your message correctly you lost 10 pounds in a week. That is probably at least part of why you are not losing now. You body needs to catch up. Also, if you just started to workout that can cause weight gain because your muscles are not used to it and retain water. Finally, don't trust the scale. Get out a measuring tape and take you chest, waist, hip, and thigh measurements as they are a much more accurate picture of what is going on than the scale is.
Thanks for this tip! I have the same problem with my scale not giving me my true weight. I can step on it 5 times in a row and get 5 different weights. It all depends on what part of my feet I put the most pressure while I stand there. I think I will start measuring inches and only weighing once a week or once a month.0 -
You said it yourself............you aren't consistent. Losing weight the first week is EASY especially if you just go in calorie deficit after a being sedentary and overeating CONSISTENTLY for a good period of time. And that loss will be mostly water. 10lbs of fat would equate to 35,000 calories burned. You know you didn't do that. As for gaining after "working out" it's water retention. If you're consistent with exercise, this will eventually go away since your body is retaining water and glycogen in anticipation of working out again. Consistency is the difference.
Old saying, "Consistency is the difference between true champions and occasional winners". It's true with weight loss. You can occasionally win, but if you're not consistent you'll never reach your ultimate goal.0 -
"Well under calories"
I'd bet that's the problem. :O(0 -
Thanks everyone for the wonderful answers- I didn't disagree with any of them! I am absolutely an "instant gratification" kind of person. I've been overweight my entire life and like so many others I've been "dieting" most of my life. Well.... not anymore. I've got two toddlers who look up to me, and I must learn to lead by example. It's time to stop putting myself last, and realize when I take care of me, I will take better care of my husband, my kids, and my farm animals.
Thanks for all the help and listening to me whine this morning after a disappointment. I stood back up and dusted myself off. It's was great to have so much support, especially since it was my first post and you guys obviously don't know me. It's awesome how much support there is here and I'm thankful I found MFP!
Time to get off the couch and bare the heat so that I can get my chores done. Thanks again everyone- this isn't the last time you'lll here from me. 0
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