Frustrated

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shelbygeorge29
shelbygeorge29 Posts: 263 Member
in Motivation and Support
Yes it's only been a week but WTF? Started at 311, worked a a trainer and nutritionist and followed plan perfectly and only lost 3.3 lbs. I've got 150+ to lose. Huh?

I'm 43, struggled with weight my whole life. Maintained an 80lb loss for 7+ years, worked out like a maniac and kept journaling. Fell in love and slowly started gaining weight. Gains really accelerated last couple years. Diet never totally out of control, never drank regular soda/high cal drinks, was a binge eater, ate fast food all day long. Hubby and I traveled country in RV for a few years, so ate and drank our way.

Journal is open, I realize I need to be patient but I should be losing more to begin with. If I have to be totally perfect with diet and gym to ever lose weight and keep it off, I'm not sure I've got it. Most people don't have to work this hard, especially with this much weight to lose. If I read another, "omg I stopped drinking soda and only ate fast food once a day and lost 30 lbs my first month!" I'm going to lose it....

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  • Jackie9003
    Jackie9003 Posts: 1,106 Member
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    Be patient that's a good loss in one week.
    Create a healthy calorie deficit and give it time to work patience really is the key.

    And don't read those articles as they're BS, anybody that loses 30lb in a month is not doing it in a healthy way and will probably put it all back on.

  • funjen1972
    funjen1972 Posts: 949 Member
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    Patience! This is a lifestyle marathon, not a sprint. You want to make sustainable changes you can maintain for life, not a quick fix you bounce in and out of.

    3.3 pounds is great for a week's loss! Add several weeks together and you'll hit a 10 or 12 pound milestone soon. The alternative is you did not lose or gained this week. I would take that 3.3lb loss!

    Just keep trudging ahead. Keep pushing toward your goals, little bit by little bit.

    I'm sending lots of positive mojo your way!
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,442 Member
    edited November 2018
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    3.3 pounds is AH-mazing!

    The Biggest Loser is the biggest lie! Faster weight loss is not better.

    Keep doing what you're doing, and put on your patient pants. ;)
  • tinkerbellang83
    tinkerbellang83 Posts: 9,136 Member
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    Patience is one of the hardest lessons to learn when it comes to weight loss.

    2lbs per week is a good healthy rate of loss and the maximum recommended, so no actually you shouldn't be losing more, the 3.3lbs you've lost probably includes a bit of water weight from making changes to your diet.

    Losing weight faster than you already are is more than likely a shortcut to losing any muscle you have along with the fat, which will do your body composition no favours.

    Set yourself a reasonable deficit, choose a sustainable way of eating, make sure you're getting adequate nutrition.

    Manage your food for weight loss. Exercise for heart health and muscle insurance.

    I second @Jackie9003 on the articles, they are clickbait rubbish, stop reading them.

  • elizabethmcopeland
    elizabethmcopeland Posts: 167 Member
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    Ever heard of the paper towel analogy? :)https://www.reddit.com/r/loseit/comments/40rkfy/i_made_a_gif_to_illustrate_the_paper_towel_analogy/
  • DeborahKilpatrick
    DeborahKilpatrick Posts: 80 Member
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    You did great!! Keep it up, ignore all the comparisons out there as they are totally unrealistic anyway!!! I can totally relate to falling in love and piling on weight by the way. I've done the same over the last year or two and gained 24lb. Im a binge eater as well and for some reason this time my head seems to be totally in it and mfp is really helping x
  • themrsb192
    themrsb192 Posts: 16 Member
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    You are doing great! It does get frustrating just remember it's your journey and no two bodies are alike!
  • shelbygeorge29
    shelbygeorge29 Posts: 263 Member
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    Started turning my head back around, I had just come back from gym and weigh-in. I expected more, but I did make progress! I feel much better physically since I've started working out hard again. She did say I lost 1% body fat, so that is good as well.

    Never heard paper towel analogy, but it is quite accurate!

    Ultimately I think I just needed to vent to people who understand. Thanks for the encouragement!
  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,483 Member
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    I did look at your diary.

    Well done on starting to log, but you will benefit long term if you take the time to learn how to log more accurately. It is a learning curve for everyone, even long time loggers can find errors when reviewing.

    You may want to invest in a digital food scale and weigh all solids.
    Slices of bread, avocado, yogurt, veg, oils, dressings, and butters.
    You get it, everything.

    Always double check your entries against packaging or mfg website.
    For fresh meat, produce, etc, check against the USDA database.

    For liquids, use cups and spoons.

    Cheers, h.
  • shelbygeorge29
    shelbygeorge29 Posts: 263 Member
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    Everything with the exception of bananas and avocados (which I buy organic so they do tend to be very similar in size versus regular which can be huge) is weighed or measured. I do a big meal prep and pre-portion it all out. I don't log red wine vinegar, yellow mustard, fresh herbs or small amounts of lemon/lime juice. I drink ridiculous amounts of h20 so I don't bother logging that. Everything else, ketchup, etc as it adds up!

    Replaced the batteries on my digital scale, I calibrate by weighing a nickel, it should weigh .5 grams. If it's off, you know to replace batteries.
  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,483 Member
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    I mentioned using a scale because you were frustrated, and you invited us to look at your diary.
    Measuring things, not liquids, like protein, fruit, veg, etc, by the cup or portion is less accurate than weighing by scale.
    Now you have your new batteries in, use your scale for everything. Avocados are calorie dense, so weigh them too.

    If you are frustrated with your rate of loss, not losing at the rate expected for your calorie intake, tightening up logging accuracy, and reviewing entries used, can often solve the problem.

    Cheers, h.
  • DaisyHamilton
    DaisyHamilton Posts: 575 Member
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    Also, how are you calculating your calories burned? Inaccuracies and going over a few times a week is enough to blow a deficit or lessen it. But in reality, 3.3lb per week is a great loss.

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