Struggling but hopeful - Need Your Advice

natashab7202 · February 2022

Hi everyone- I have been on a new lifestyle journey over the last 2 weeks and it has been incredibly hard. I eat between 1200-1700 calories on most days over the last 2 weeks and have only lost 3 lbs. I know 3 lbs is very encouraging but I am aiming to be about 15 lbs down by March 11. I got on the scale today and I am at 165 lbs. It is incredibly discouraging seeing this number as i was 164.4-164.8 lbs about 2 days ago. I am also going to bed hungry like I usually stop eating by 430 pm and it's hard to not get hungry again by 9 pm. I am really not sure if there is something I am missing. I am adding cardio and weights into my routine starting today but its been so hard. My partner eats more than me and has been still loosing weight. He has lost another lbs after eating a burrito this weekend. If I did this I would not have lost any weight. Could someone please help? I am also mostly gluten free. I have cut out a lot of processed sugars and dairy. I am really at a loss and I would really like your advice.

ahoy_m8 · February 2022

Hi. Sorry to hear of the struggle. What jumps out at me first is you are doing something you describe as "incredibly hard." I think incredibly hard is a bad strategy. People tend to have more success with small changes that, when done consistently, have a big impact. If you feel the plan is doable even on days that you are not at your best (no one is at their best every day), then you are more likely to do the plan.

Also, 15lbs in 5 weeks merits reevaluation. The max rate of loss recommended is 2lb/wk and that is for people with >75lb to lose. I have no idea what your body composition is, but if you only have 15lb to lose 3lb/week is a bad idea. You will lose lean mass which is much harder to gain than it is to lose fat so you will look and FEEL worse in the long run. Recommended is 0.5 lb per week (250kal daily deficit) for the last 20 lbs. You may feel that this magnitude of deficit is not so difficult. And therefore a higher-probability-of-success strategy.

When people want unrealistic fast results they adopt an unrealistic difficult plan, can't stick with it and then start over again making no real progress over time. People who go slow and steady make real lasting progress. I would start by changing your goal to something that sets you up for success. Losing anything by March 11 is better than multiple restarts and frustration.

ETA: http://physiqonomics.com/the-weird-and-highly-annoying-world-of-scale-weight-and-fluctuations

natashab7202 · February 2022

Hi @ahoy_m8 thank very much for all of that. I am about 30 lbs from my goal at this moment. I completely agree with you 3lbs/ week is a lot but I am just tired of being in the high 150s-mid 160s over the last 2 years. So just wanted to change my diet. Challenge myself more. Idk dial in. However I agree I will be happy with any weight loss. Also love the article you shared. It was funny but true. I should definitely stress less about the scale and focus on creating a positive mindset.

claireychn074 · February 2022

It’s frustrating when you don’t lose in a nice linear fashion, but keep at a lower sustainable pace of loss and it will work. Make sure you weigh absolutely everything you eat, including liquids like milk or juice so that you know you’re accurate in your intake, and look for weight trends over time. For instance, if you eat a salty or carbohydrate-rich meal your body will retain water for a while which makes you weigh heavier. But it will go in a whoosh and then you’ll see the loss. Steady, slow and consistent wins the game, and won’t make you feel weak or ill (lose too fast and you lose muscle - your heart is a muscle…). Deep breaths, you can definitely do this!

AnnPT77 · February 2022

natashab7202 wrote: »

Hi @ahoy_m8 thank very much for all of that. I am about 30 lbs from my goal at this moment. I completely agree with you 3lbs/ week is a lot but I am just tired of being in the high 150s-mid 160s over the last 2 years. So just wanted to change my diet. Challenge myself more. Idk dial in. However I agree I will be happy with any weight loss. Also love the article you shared. It was funny but true. I should definitely stress less about the scale and focus on creating a positive mindset.

Also maybe focus more on creating positive habits?

If you don't like being overweight, I'm assuming you'd prefer to stay slim long term after you get there?

Taking a slower, more sustainable, relatively easy approach to the loss lets you focus some attention on finding and practicing the habits that will keep you at a healthy weight long term, ideally permanently, ideally pretty close to on autopilot (because life is gonna throw distractions, interruptions and stressors at you, unfortunately, in upcoming months and years).

Figure out how to eat an appropriate number of calories using food you enjoy, that keeps you full, that gives you good nutrition (helps with reducing cravings as well as fostering health). Find some ways of moving more that are enjoyable or tolerable, fit into your life well. (That can be exercise, or just daily life things; and even if exercise, it needn't be miserable, exhausting, etc. Just move more, habitually.)

You're taking an approach now that you find punishing and difficult. You can't continue with punishing and difficult forever. Consider shifting gears now, to a longer-term perspective.

natashab7202 · February 2022

Aww thank you guys! This is incredibly helpful to hear. I have been sooo frustrated over the last 2 weeks expecting to see weight loss. I have entirely given up on simple or complex carbs thinking it would speed things along but today when I ate my Quaker oats I felt a joy and satiety i had not in days despite eating protein and healthy fats. You guys are right i have to do this while living and thriving in my life. I need to eat foods that keep my energy up and full longer. I know I will continue to struggle but this was incredibly helpful. Thank you 🙏

girlwithcurls2 · February 2022

It's a process for sure, in so many ways. Great job taking the advice from the wise ones here, and changing your approach! And congratulations on 3 pounds in 2 weeks. I'd be THRILLED, but my plan is much slower weight loss, so that means I have to be OK with not seeing measurable results for an extended time. Keep reading, and bring your questions. Long term people here are happy to share their knowledge, ideas, strategies, advice...

kshama2001 · February 2022

Everyone I know in real life who lost weight quickly eventually threw in the towel and gained it all back, usually plus more.

Slow and steady wins the race!

Also, if the exercise is new, you could be retaining water from that. I GAINED 7 pounds of water weight when I started weight lifting again.

Many women also retain water at ovulation and premenstrually.

I suggest using a trending app like Happy Scale (iPhone) or Libra (Android) and focusing on the trends, not the individual weigh ins.

Struggling but hopeful - Need Your Advice

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