Help! Need Motivation to Continue...

redhotsmacker
redhotsmacker Posts: 227 Member
in Motivation and Support
So I'm having a down kinda day. I'm not even sure if it's warranted. This past year I decided to put my health and fitness on the priority. I figured why not, quarantine has me at home anyways. I was doing great or so I believe. I'm down approxiamately 80lbs. YAY ME!

The problem being that I still have about 50lbs to go before I reach my goal and for the past 4-5 months things have been moving at a snails pace (2-3lb loss per month).

I'm having a hard time with staying motivated, I'm very consistent with most days achieving anywhere between 1300-1500 calories burned (HRM). I do both cardio and weight training. My diet generally consists of the same foods daily with the only differences in the dinner menu. I generally don't have time to snack throughout the day either. I just wish I knew why all of a sudden my body refuses to cooperate. And it's not like I'm over eating.

Is anyone else in the same boat? My weight has not changed in over a month, neither have inches lost. My pictures show very minimal change as well.

I'm probably just grasping at straws here, but some type of progress would probably do wonders for me. I dont know how much I can keep going without throwing in the towel.

Replies

  • Lietchi
    Lietchi Posts: 6,881 Member
    Burning 1300-1500 calories in exercise sounds like a huge number. What are you doing to get that number? It might be inflated (HRM are often very inaccurate for strength training, for cardio it could be the case too).

    So how much are you eating and what are your stats? Age, current weight, height,...
    Are you weighing your foods and making sure you are using accurate food database entries?
  • redhotsmacker
    redhotsmacker Posts: 227 Member
    Hi Lietchi,

    To answer some of your questions...
    F 39 yo, CW 205, 5'7" Tall
    Generally my morning start with approx 300 cals burned using my max trainer (40 minutes ish), followed by strength training, also using my bowflex. My weight have increased since I've started. I'm now bench pressing approx. 125lbs just as an example to show my progress, I started by benching about 70lbs. I do strength training about 2-3 times per week, about 2 sets of 12 reps. On the alternating days, I followed up with more cardio on a recumbant bike (resistance 14). Then in the evenings I walk with my SO about 5km.

    Admittedly I have not been recording my foods as much because I figured for the most part I should be able to consume more especially with such a heavy burn throughout the day. However, I eat the same breakfast everyday, about 300-450 cals, usually considered brunch because it's often noon before I make it to the kitchen. I have weighed my breakfasts in the past to confirm the calories/macros. Dinners are a little bit more troublesome to track however I would estimate that they are well below 1000 cals. Also, my water intake, I generally measure throughout the day and drink about 80-100 ounces.

    Anything else, just ask 😁
  • goal06082021
    goal06082021 Posts: 2,130 Member
    edited November 2021
    First, -80 lbs is amazing, so pat yourself on the back for that. Second, 2-3lb per month is actually excellent progress! Fast loss is how you yo-yo, you want it to be slow and steady and sustainable so it stays gone.

    It sounds like you ARE still losing, just a little more slowly than you think you should be for some reason, so you shouldn't really need to change anything except that mindset. You're doing awesome, keep up the good work.

    edit to add: I just reread your post and saw that you say your weight hasn't changed in a month and also you're not logging very strictly. Tighten up your logging and stick with it another two full menstrual cycles, then reassess.
  • 88olds
    88olds Posts: 4,538 Member
    You don’t say exactly but do you keep a food diary? Starting at 285 lbs I lost down to about 220 mostly by not drinking alcohol and “watching” what I ate. Somewhere around 235 I joined a gym. It was great. I took up weight training and did the Stairmaster. My wife really liked the results. But I got in the 215-220 range and stayed there. No matter how hard I worked, including a personal trainer who usually left me on the floor, I couldn’t get any lower.

    In desperation I joined Weight Watchers. WW is actually just calorie counting dressed up for copyright protection. But that’s when I started tracking. As soon as I did that I saw my problem- I was eating too much. Fact is I can undo an hour at the gym in less than 5 minutes with a fork in my hand. I got a food scale and started looking at my portions. Next I realized that if I didn’t want to go around being hungry all the time I had to swap out some high fat high cal food for stuff that was more plan friendly.

    Did you calculate a daily calorie target when you started? Have you recalculated since losing 80lbs? Sounds like what has happened to you is you’ve found your maintenance number. Try not to be too distressed. I’ve had to reinvent my entire effort about 4 times to lose 100 lbs and maintain it. Few human undertakings track on a straight line. Weight loss is mostly about problem solving and persistence.

    BTW, YAY YOU indeed. Congrats on the loss. Never quit. Good luck.
  • LiveOnceBeHappy
    LiveOnceBeHappy Posts: 448 Member
    Imagine if you throw in the towel now. You've done SO GREAT! Keep going, even if it's slow and steady.
  • MaggieGirl135
    MaggieGirl135 Posts: 1,033 Member
    I agree with the others that you have done amazingly well!!! Start tracking foods, using a food scale and selecting “good” food entries on mfp—that will most likely get the weight loss started again / moving more quickly. Good luck; you can do this, clearly.
  • redhotsmacker
    redhotsmacker Posts: 227 Member
    Wow you guys are so awesome! Sometimes I forget that it's a long process. I know I'm already on the right track but it just seems like the changes these days are so subtle. I'm feeling much better today, thank you! I will carry on and make a few tweaks here and there! Two of my changes I'm starting to incorporate is more water and more of a focus on the types of foods I'm eating. I will also be adjusting my mfp goals to reflect a smaller weekly loss. It seems as though 2lbs a week is a little ridiculous to expect at this point. My main consideration is just to carry on with a healthy lifestyle. There is no race, I'd like to maintain my healthy choices for the long term.
  • Lietchi
    Lietchi Posts: 6,881 Member
    Also, after 80lbs lost, a diet break (eating at maintenance level) might not be a bad idea either, to just give your body a break :smile:
  • CarlaNeverGivenUp
    CarlaNeverGivenUp Posts: 108 Member
    Thanks for posting this and everyone's replies. Really a great reminder of mfp support and posting when you need encouragement!!
  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,626 Member
    redhotsmacker wrote: »
    Admittedly I have not been recording my foods as much

    However, I eat the same breakfast everyday, about 300-450 cals,
    Dinners are a little bit more troublesome to track however I would estimate that they are well below 1000 cals.


    theres your problem.

    weigh your food and log it correctly and accurately.

    i would guarantee you are eating more than you think you are, if the scale is not moving and its been awhile.

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