WEIGHT LOSS FRUSTRATION!!!!!!!

"I just wanted to post something about what to expect during the phases of weight loss.

Overview (why I'm posting this)
Over the course of about 7 months on here, I have seen many people suceed, I have also seen some drop off the map. I expect this is because some succumb to the demon that is temptation, and some to the devil that is dissapointment. I wanted to give a few "heads up"s to both new commers and vetrans to the site. Some may know already, some may not. But either way, if this helps anyone to set more realistic goals in their own head, I feel like it has done it's job.

Phase 1. The start of a brand new day! (or week, or month, or year)
Expectations are sky high, usually so is motivation and intentions. This is where most people lose the most weight. At the start it's not uncommon to see 4 to 8 lb losses per week. The reasons for this are mostly (sorry to disappoint) water weight. You drop excess water quickly, and you can have up to 5 lbs of water weight. The next biggest reason is the fat that is right next to the blood vessels, the stuff that you put on in the last month or three, it will melt like butter usually.

Phase 2. Reality setting in.
At about week 3 to a month or so, people suddenly realize that they are no longer dropping 8, 6, or even 4 lbs a week. This is a crutial phase in your journey. Expect this, it is natural. You have shocked your body by changing both eating habits and exercise routine. Now it has had a little while to become used to the new lifestyle, it's going to compensate. Your body still doesn't believe it's permenant yet, so it will still try to store some fat, so now that it knows how to regulate it's new metabolic levels, it tryies to store fat in earnest. It's not uncommon for people to hit a wall here, no loss for weeks. Expect this as well.

Phase 3. The routine.
At about 2 months or so, your routine is pretty much set, your body is beginning to believe that you really want to STAY the way you are going now. You will start to see more consistant (but lower, usually 1 to 2 lbs a week) loss, also, you should start seeing some muscle tone (depending on how much you had to lose in the first place). If you stop to think, you should realize that you have improved dramatically in your exercise levels. If you do cardio, you should notice how much longer and harder you can work. This is important to realize as it is just as big of an indicator as weight loss. Also, by now you may notice that your clothes no longer fit right. This is also very important. The weight may not be falling off anymore, but you are becomming a smaller person. Weight is arbitrary, if you are building muscle (which your body is doing at a furious pace by now) you won't notice huge losses, but you will notice wholesale changes in the mirror!

Phase 4. Really digging in.
This is where the second wall can happen. You're probably at between 3 and 4 months by now, and if you have gone this far, you feel like you have already suceeded. This is where many people stumble. they are tired of the routine, tired of eating different things from all their friends, limiting their alcohol intake. Basically the shine has worn off. this is when your really need to plant your feet. Maybe change up your exercise routine, make a concentrated effort to find different, but still nutritional food. Talk to people. And examine how far you have come. At this point, no matter how much external motivation you receive, it's all about believing in yourself!

Phase 5. End game.
5 or 6 months in you are probably working on that "last 10 pounds". This can be discouraging for many as it is a slow burn. Remember, your body probably feels like it is where it needs to be, your brain might think you need to lose 10 more, but your body is quite proud of itself now, it feels like it has "Done enough" and it wants to stay RIGHT HERE. The body LIKES to have a little fat around just in case, especially for the ladies (sorry girls, it's just human physiology). If you feel like you still need to lose it, prepare yourself for some guerrila warfare against your body. Design an exercise regimen that is very dynamic, forget the "same thing every day". Make a plan that challenges you both physically and mentally. Make sure you give yourself a day off here and there to just veg. And by all means, remember, muscle burns fat at rest. So get some weight or resistance training involved.
The last 10 may take 3 to 6 months to lose. I know nobody wants to hear that, but it's true. And forget the idea of increasing your calorie deficite, healthy bodies need good nutrition, your body no longer has the fat reserves to handle the large deficites you could when you were 30 40 or 50 pounds overweight. Better to make it a 3 or 400 calorie deficite (NET, please count your exercise calories too!). It may take a bit longer, but your body will like you for it. Plus it feeds those new muscles and keeps them burning fat, keeps your skin healthy (elasticity is important when you want those places that were stretched out to "snap back") and keeps you from getting head aches and depressed.

Conclusion:

this is what I have learned, not just from my journey, but from others as well on here. It saddens me sometimes to see people hit one of these stages and not recognize it for what it is, a part of the process. If we all can have realistic expectations, then we are more prone to win the fight and stay healthy in the long run. Note that some people will hit these stages harder then others, some may take longer, but for the most part, this is the rule that the exceptions will come from.

Best health to you all!

-Banks"


Also, other people might be HEAVIER than you and therefore lose weight easier.

7 lbs. is right on track with p90x in my experience. in fact, thats exactly how much weight i lost in my first month. ive gained muscle and lost inches. definitely definitely start tracking inches. ive lost 1.5" in each thigh and 1.5" in my waist & 1" in my neck.... who knew i had a fat neck?!?!??!

Only 7 pounds??? That is awesome. I agree go w/ measurements and also make sure you are eating enough calories. When I was only eating 1200 calories I day, I lost nothing. Now that I am eating between 1400 and 1500 I am losing steadily.

7 pounds in a month? I wish!! I've lost 7 pounds in the last THREE months.

But hey, as least we're losing!

Sooooo, I'm back on the forums again!!!! I last posted about my frustration with losing weight when I had only been doing p90x for 3 days! (silly, I know) NOW, it's been one whole month, and I've only lost 7 pounds. I'm VERY frustrated to say the least! I'm working my butt off, I'm eating right and tracking every single thing I put in my mouth. Last week I was even running 1.2 miles in the morning and then doing p90x at night. ughhhhhh! I don't know what to do anymore! I won't give up, because 7 lbs lost is way better than 7 lbs gained. I have been participating in challenges and staying in tuned with forums to keep myself motivated as well as hoping to keep other motivated as well! But it's getting a little tough when I see that people have lost anywhere from 15-20 lbs. in a month, and I've lost 7. I have 53.4 lbs to lose, and I know it's attainable, and i WILL succeed, I just need to find the one exercise that works!!! If anyone has ANY tips/ suggestions on something that would help me out, I would greatlyyyyy appreciate it!!! Thanks for the help/advice in advance!!:flowerforyou:

7 lbs in one month is excellent, that is almost 2lbs/week (which is the most you should be trying for, but I would recommenced a goal of 1.5 given the amount you have to lose)

Also doing running and P90x, make sure your are eating enough (I would suggest no less than (1700 cals/day) and you probably need even more than that on the days to do both.

7 lbs is great! You are loosing between 1 to 2 pounds a week and that is a healthy rate of weight loss that you should be able to keep off!

7 lbs in 1 month is FANTASTIC!!!! GREAT job! I have been doing Jillian Michaels workouts and my losses have only been a few pounds the last 2 months. I have lost inches though and I feel great. I too have much more I want to lose and I know that it will not come off fast and I don't want it to because then I would have all this skin just hanging around and that would not be fun at all. So take your time, get strong, stay focused and have fun with it. You WILL reach your goal!

You have a great attitude! You're frustrated, but you're dealing with it in a positive way, continuing to do what you know is helping and looking for answers. That's awesome. I'm not a sports or exercise or nutrition expert at all. It sounds to me like what you're doing should be working. Have you lost inches but not pounds? I'll share what I've been doing, just in case it's helpful to you. I started Weight Watchers 13 weeks ago (I know there is sometimes disagreement about Weight Watchers, but...it's working for me as part of my plan). I've lost 39 lbs in those 13 weeks. I track everything I eat (which you're doing) and I exercise almost every day (which you're also doing). I work out first thing in the morning; I get to the gym at about 5:50 am. M, W, and usually F, I do a spin class then walk hills on the treadmill for about 10-15 min. T, Th I do a 30 min strength session with a trainer. Then I do about 40/45 min of cardio, elliptical and treadmill hills, I wear a HRM during all my cardio and stay pretty intense. I'm dripping sweat after workouts. Saturday I do a good long strength session on my own then do a good cardio session. Sunday I usually spin. I weigh in at Weight Watchers once a week and go to a meeting once or sometimes twice a week.

I would bet that you are losing inches and getting smaller!!

This is the time you need to create a vision board of your expectations and goals. cut out pictures of the "NEW" you, clothes, activities and places you will be able to go and do as you reach your goal. I understand your frustration, my metabolism was so out of whack due to diabetes and other health issues, that the first 4 months weight loss was extremely hard to get; I appreciate the post about the different phases and plateaus, I am living proof of the " hey, things are looking pretty good @ this weight, but I'm only a THIRD of the way to my final goal, so yes, a size 16-18 looks better than the previous 26-28, but if this feels great, just imagine what 12-14 will do to my self esteem and health. Keep in mind, it's a lifestyle change, give it as much time to come off as you did to gain it. Learning to move, walk, stay active is extremely hard @ my age of 53, don't forgo the gift of good health in your youth. HANG IN THERE, you are worth it and deserve success.

"I just wanted to post something about what to expect during the phases of weight loss.

Overview (why I'm posting this)
Over the course of about 7 months on here, I have seen many people suceed, I have also seen some drop off the map. I expect this is because some succumb to the demon that is temptation, and some to the devil that is dissapointment. I wanted to give a few "heads up"s to both new commers and vetrans to the site. Some may know already, some may not. But either way, if this helps anyone to set more realistic goals in their own head, I feel like it has done it's job.

Phase 1. The start of a brand new day! (or week, or month, or year)
Expectations are sky high, usually so is motivation and intentions. This is where most people lose the most weight. At the start it's not uncommon to see 4 to 8 lb losses per week. The reasons for this are mostly (sorry to disappoint) water weight. You drop excess water quickly, and you can have up to 5 lbs of water weight. The next biggest reason is the fat that is right next to the blood vessels, the stuff that you put on in the last month or three, it will melt like butter usually.

Phase 2. Reality setting in.
At about week 3 to a month or so, people suddenly realize that they are no longer dropping 8, 6, or even 4 lbs a week. This is a crutial phase in your journey. Expect this, it is natural. You have shocked your body by changing both eating habits and exercise routine. Now it has had a little while to become used to the new lifestyle, it's going to compensate. Your body still doesn't believe it's permenant yet, so it will still try to store some fat, so now that it knows how to regulate it's new metabolic levels, it tryies to store fat in earnest. It's not uncommon for people to hit a wall here, no loss for weeks. Expect this as well.

Phase 3. The routine.
At about 2 months or so, your routine is pretty much set, your body is beginning to believe that you really want to STAY the way you are going now. You will start to see more consistant (but lower, usually 1 to 2 lbs a week) loss, also, you should start seeing some muscle tone (depending on how much you had to lose in the first place). If you stop to think, you should realize that you have improved dramatically in your exercise levels. If you do cardio, you should notice how much longer and harder you can work. This is important to realize as it is just as big of an indicator as weight loss. Also, by now you may notice that your clothes no longer fit right. This is also very important. The weight may not be falling off anymore, but you are becomming a smaller person. Weight is arbitrary, if you are building muscle (which your body is doing at a furious pace by now) you won't notice huge losses, but you will notice wholesale changes in the mirror!

Phase 4. Really digging in.
This is where the second wall can happen. You're probably at between 3 and 4 months by now, and if you have gone this far, you feel like you have already suceeded. This is where many people stumble. they are tired of the routine, tired of eating different things from all their friends, limiting their alcohol intake. Basically the shine has worn off. this is when your really need to plant your feet. Maybe change up your exercise routine, make a concentrated effort to find different, but still nutritional food. Talk to people. And examine how far you have come. At this point, no matter how much external motivation you receive, it's all about believing in yourself!

Phase 5. End game.
5 or 6 months in you are probably working on that "last 10 pounds". This can be discouraging for many as it is a slow burn. Remember, your body probably feels like it is where it needs to be, your brain might think you need to lose 10 more, but your body is quite proud of itself now, it feels like it has "Done enough" and it wants to stay RIGHT HERE. The body LIKES to have a little fat around just in case, especially for the ladies (sorry girls, it's just human physiology). If you feel like you still need to lose it, prepare yourself for some guerrila warfare against your body. Design an exercise regimen that is very dynamic, forget the "same thing every day". Make a plan that challenges you both physically and mentally. Make sure you give yourself a day off here and there to just veg. And by all means, remember, muscle burns fat at rest. So get some weight or resistance training involved.
The last 10 may take 3 to 6 months to lose. I know nobody wants to hear that, but it's true. And forget the idea of increasing your calorie deficite, healthy bodies need good nutrition, your body no longer has the fat reserves to handle the large deficites you could when you were 30 40 or 50 pounds overweight. Better to make it a 3 or 400 calorie deficite (NET, please count your exercise calories too!). It may take a bit longer, but your body will like you for it. Plus it feeds those new muscles and keeps them burning fat, keeps your skin healthy (elasticity is important when you want those places that were stretched out to "snap back") and keeps you from getting head aches and depressed.

Conclusion:

this is what I have learned, not just from my journey, but from others as well on here. It saddens me sometimes to see people hit one of these stages and not recognize it for what it is, a part of the process. If we all can have realistic expectations, then we are more prone to win the fight and stay healthy in the long run. Note that some people will hit these stages harder then others, some may take longer, but for the most part, this is the rule that the exceptions will come from.

Best health to you all!

-Banks"


Also, other people might be HEAVIER than you and therefore lose weight easier.

This was by far one of the best reads for people who (like me) get frustrated with how slow weight comes off. I guess we all want that "miracle" weight loss overnight, so it's really important to know that there is a light at the end of the tunnel (no matter how dim it may be) because others are going through the same stuggle. Thank you so much for this!!

Hey girl!!

I totally hear ya! So there was this period (like 3 months) that I worked out har din the morning and ran at night as well. I lost weight for sure, not a ton, but I did. Then I got burnt out. I was frustrated. So I stoped working out for 3 days. Suddenly all I lost 4 pounds.

So...my advice....
HAVE REST DAYS! From personal experience and from reading tons of stuff, its really important to rest so that your body can catch up and recover. You dont want tog et burnt out like I did because after I stopped I just didn’t have the heart to go back.

On rest days, I would go for like a 30 min walk, a light swim, something very chill but you’re moving and keeping some sort of exercise in your daily routine.

Also, I’ve done P90x and it is really really hard! (Would you want to coordinate to do the same DVD?)
-You may be building muscle, which weighs more than fat. Try on some clothes you have at home. Also, I like to go to the mall and try on clothes (a size smaller, my normal size) etc. It’s really motivating for me.


Good Luck!

P.S. 7 pounds in a month is healthy and normal! It’s a ton of work and you did it!

Ahh sorry for all the typos! I’m at work and definitely shouldn’t be on MFP :0)

I'm just like you. I haven't lost a lot and I have been on here for about a month and a half. At one point I was doing every challenge I could find on the boards, working out an hour or more EVERY day, tracking every single thing I put in my mouth. Then, like a previous poster, I got burnt out. And then school started...but I still count calories, maybe not everything I put in my mouth, but I try to keep a general count. I've only lost 9 lbs. (as you can see from my ticker) BUT I am still losing. I haven't gained anything since I started this process. Some weeks I only lost 2/10 of a pound and that really really frustrated me, but I had to tell myself, "It is still a loss." It might take me ten years (I hope to God not!) to get to my goal weight, but once I'm there I'll be very pleased with myself. And in the meantime I just have to keep reminding myself that before I started this, I was gaining at least a pound a week or more and now I am losing. Think of it this way: when you lose all this weight, are you gonna go back to your previous lifestyle? No, hopefully not because then you'd just gain it all back. You have to figure which changes to make that will make you ultimately happy in the end. This is about YOU and your journey. Best of luck, and if you ever need someone to talk to I am here. Might not always be visibly present, but I am on here everyday and I get notifications on my phone.