I’m so close to giving up right now

Hsvaquita
Hsvaquita Posts: 24 Member
in Motivation and Support
I’ve hit a low spot today. I was down 5.2lbs and then yesterday the freaking scale went up 1.2lbs and today same weight as yesterday. I hate the darn scale! I’ve been eating clean and just drinking water, staying within my calorie budget, have been moving daily and doing at least 20 minutes of cardio. I’ve been doing all things right and the stupid scale went up 1.2lbs, what the actual heck? Am I doomed to be obese for life since apparently I’m not losing weight anymore but instead gaining now?? I’ve been doing this (this attempt at losing weight) for 3 weeks now and it’s the first time in my life my weight has rebounded so quickly and with me still doing things right! I’m frustrated because I really don’t get it, I’m doing things right. It was trending down and now up we go, why?!? 😞😞😞😞
«1

Replies

  • fitstrongfitlove
    fitstrongfitlove Posts: 58 Member
    Stay the course. You are still down. It is normal and expected for weight to fluctuate. Weight loss is a long journey.

    Read and apply everything that applies in these forums.

    If you give up and stop, the scale will continue to go up.

    You have every reason to keep going.

  • Lietchi
    Lietchi Posts: 6,100 Member
    This is a good explanation:
    https://physiqonomics.com/the-weird-and-highly-annoying-world-of-scale-weight-and-fluctuations/
  • rosebarnalice
    rosebarnalice Posts: 3,488 Member
    I've learned over time that my "normal" weight swing from water retention, dehydration, and salt intake is easily 4 - 5 lbs if I weight every day. So if my weight is up one day, but it's still within that 5 lb range, I don't consider it as a cause for alarm.

    These days, I weigh every day and those daily fluctuations don't bother me. But at other times when my mood and attitude on a given day was heavily influenced by my weight that morning, I went to weighing less often. I knew from weighing daily that Thursday was the day of the week that, for whatever reason, my weight tended to be lowest so I switched to weighing only on Thursdays.

    When my head was in a better place, I returned to weighing daily as part of my commitment to my programs and commitment to understanding myself--including what is "normal" for me in weight fluctuations.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
    Yesterday I did four hours of hard exercise, ate under my calorie goal and was 2lbs heavier today.

    And I really don't care because day to day fluctuations out of line with calorie balance are:
    • Normal
    • Expected
    • Meaningless as regards fat loss or gain

    Look month to month, not day to day.
  • ahoy_m8
    ahoy_m8 Posts: 3,052 Member
    Please take all the good information above to heart and read the links provided. Don’t give up, OP. The only thing you need to change is your perspective. I totally understand how the scale can psych you out. The thing is, data points in isolation don’t tell you much. Don’t give them more importance than they warrant. It’s the trend that matters, data in the proper context. Download a trending app like happyscale. Maybe look into myshapa (feedback without actual numbers) if you keep struggling with a longer term perspective .
  • Whatsthemotive
    Whatsthemotive Posts: 145 Member
    Okay. What everyone else said about weight fluctuations and weight loss not being a linear process is correct. Here’s another thought. You’ve invested some time and effort and you don’t want to waste that effort by giving up. Also. If you hang on and do the work, you will have a significant weight loss. When you lose five pounds that stays off, then you’ll know you can do it. For me, I know I can lose five pounds because I have lost five pounds. Just like I know I can make it through my workout because I’ve made it through my workout before many times. I know I can meet my calorie goal snd maintain a calorie deficit because I have done it on many days. I’m not asking myself to do anything I don’t know I can do. I’ve lost 26.6 pounds since January 1 doing it this way. I want to lose 25 pounds more. I know I can lose 25 pounds because I have already proven I can do it.

    But you have to stick with it a while longer to get to the feeling of confidence that you can do it.

    You are worth the investment of time snd effort.
  • LisaGetsMoving
    LisaGetsMoving Posts: 664 Member
    Stop weighing daily. Stress is not good for weight loss either. Weigh in weekly or every two weeks, but log everything, log every morsel and move your body more than normal, it doesn't have to be a fancy exercise program just move more. Even ten minute walks after every meal will help. Don't give up, stick to it, but don't get yourself too focused on the number on the scale. You are not a number.
  • LisaGetsMoving
    LisaGetsMoving Posts: 664 Member
    Also, I have noticed that the day after a really rough physical day I am often up a pound or so on the scale. For instance, I was painting a house from early morning until dusk, up and down a ladder all day, and moving, moving, moving. I was worn and sore by the end of the day, The next morning the scale showed a gain. After a rest day, the scale showed a 2 pound loss. Same thing happened to me the first time I walked 5 miles in 90 minutes. The point is, if you are working your muscles more than normal, it is not unusual to hang onto a little weight, but it's not fat gain.
  • girlwithcurls2
    girlwithcurls2 Posts: 2,257 Member
    I agree with everybody here: there is something else going on that you can't see. Water retention from exercise, hormonal water retention, more waste in your system: lots of totally natural, normal things that will mess with your mind in terms of progress. Stay the course. Give yourself time.

    The first time I lost weight (7 years ago), I didn't own a scale. I stuck to the plan and my clothes started becoming too big. Now I want to lose the rest, and while I started out weighing every day, I realized very quickly that it won't serve my mental health. I'm trying to lose 5 pounds every 3 months. That is painfully slow. There is almost no way I would see anything but constant fluctuations and it would be frustrating and really defeating, even if I used a weight trending app. Instead, I know my weight from 12/17, 3/17, and I will weigh for 4-5 days the week of June 17. I'm aware of how slow this is happening, and believe me, there are days when I think, "What's the point?" but whether or not I stick to the plan or bail, December will come again.

    Yesterday I went off the rails with my snacks. I knew it when I did it, and yet, I did it anyway. Today is a new day. Take it one day at a time. Take it one decision at a time, if you need to. I don't recommend giving up. You're not destined to be obese. You just need more time, and maybe a little tinkering with what will work long term for you. You're worth the wait :heart:
  • 1poundatax
    1poundatax Posts: 230 Member
    DO NOT GIVE UP! I have been where you are so many times and figured "it doesn't matter what I eat, I'm still gaining, I might as well eat what I want." I never looked at is as a normal fluxuation. NO! Wrong! I am staying the course now, at age 63. I have to for my health. Yes, my weight goes up(and down) unexpectedly. Sometimes I can figure out why, sometime I can't but I have lost 35 pounds and continue to lose. My numbers have all improved, I workout regularly and feel better than I have in ages. I do get weighed daily, it keeps me honest. That doesn't work for everyone. Just know you are so much more than numbers on a scale. You can and will do this.
  • MaggieGirl135
    MaggieGirl135 Posts: 976 Member
    Stay on target.

    Oops! This comment would have been better yesterday.

    But stay on target anyway and may the force always be with you!
  • bebeisfit
    bebeisfit Posts: 951 Member
    My weight can fluctuate up to 5 lbs in a day or two.

    Three weeks is a really short period of time. This isn't a "lose 30 lbs in a month" program. This should be a lifestyle change for you for your lifetime.

    Trust me..I used to drop pounds quickly and then go back to my old habits and gaining it all back. I wasted years doing this.

    Stay with the program. It works.
  • girlwithcurls2
    girlwithcurls2 Posts: 2,257 Member
    Another thought: think of it as science. When you do your weigh in, take emotion out of it. Get on the scale, get the number and before you react emotionally, tell yourself, "That's today's snapshot" or "That's my data point for today." No berating yourself. No being "good" or "bad" just a number in a looong line of numbers that provide information on any given day.

    I told you I can't weigh myself daily, but it doesn't mean I'm not curious as heck some days (the good ones, usually!) to hop on just once and see progress. But I also know the emotion that is (unreasonably) attached to my weight, and it won't be helpful, even if I'm happy about the number. Same goes for days when my calories are over, even when they're over by a LOT. It's a data point. Every day has one. For the rest of your life. Aim for more days that are "on plan" than "off plan." And give yourself the time and grace to learn about the process, about yourself, about what works for you. You have to find something that will work moving forward. And you will :)
  • 88olds
    88olds Posts: 4,463 Member
    Only way to fail is quit. Don’t let your brain wreck you with impatience. There’s a long weight loss learning curve. Plus the tinkering and adjusting never ends. Keep trying. You can do this.
  • lmf1012
    lmf1012 Posts: 402 Member
    88olds wrote: »
    Only way to fail is quit. Don’t let your brain wreck you with impatience. There’s a long weight loss learning curve. Plus the tinkering and adjusting never ends. Keep trying. You can do this.

    100% agree with this.
  • overeater1
    overeater1 Posts: 38 Member
    DO NOT GIVE UP! I went through this too and it’s sooooo demoralising but if you stick with it, the pounds will melt. I’ve lost 2 stone (30lbs) and the tough journey was most definitely worth it. If you give up, you’ll only get bigger. That’s what happened me before. This time I stuck it out; even when I fell off the wagon I got back on the next day. And I’m so glad I did. Not feeling huge and out of place, being able to shop for nice clothes and not for clothes to hide my belly and gigantic bum. I feel healthy, I look better and my mental health is so much more positive. It’s worth it, so just stick with it no matter what the scales say because eventually you’ll get there! Ps DO NOT GIVE UP!!!
  • corinasue1143
    corinasue1143 Posts: 7,467 Member
    88olds wrote: »
    Only way to fail is quit. Don’t let your brain wreck you with impatience. There’s a long weight loss learning curve. Plus the tinkering and adjusting never ends. Keep trying. You can do this.

    One more vote for this.

Categories