Discouraged already

I think so... I was informed by my support team on MFP that I should eat more... Sometimes the more water intake will aid you in elimination that extra fat and liquid stored in your body. I am not an expert.. I urge you not to give up so fast...

Hi Don! Don't be discouraged. While I am only a few weeks in, I've been fighting my weight since I was a kid, so I've been there, done that. Yes, you can eat too little. Your body reacts by storing fat. I lost thirty pounds doing Weight Watchers a couple years ago, and they recommend no more than two pounds a week. So, you are actually now right on track.

I look at it this way. It took me fifty years to gain it. If it takes me awhile to lose it, that's okay. Mfp is very similar to Weight Watchers - recording everything you eat and drink is important, and taking pride in small gains without beating yourself up over the setbacks is crucial. You can do it!

I routinely go up a pound for a couple of days and then drop back down. I don't count any weight gain or loss as real unless I see it for at least 3 days in a row. Some things to consider:
1. Are you eating all of the calories MFP suggests? If yes, try going up or down by a hundred or so for a few days to shake up your metabolism a bit - works for me.
2. May be TMI, but could you need to use the bathroom?
3. Are you exercising? Remember that some folks put on weight as they start to gain muscle. The good news is that muscle is more compact, so where you may not see results on the scale, you might in your measurements. If you haven't taken your measurements, do that now.
4. What's the ultimate goal - to be skinny or to be healthier? If it's healthier, don't worry so much. Everything takes time and the scale is only one small gauge of being healthy.

Don't be discouraged(I"m from CHICAGO TOO!)

I was so good. Even through Turkey day I was so good. I was mainly doing low carb and trying to do Paleo and lost a great deal of weight. Then boom. Christmas goodies and parties started arriving my way. I am also on a budget so instead of buying things I make fudge and pies and breads to give away. Well I found myself partaking in the goods while making them.

I went from doing so well on my low carb food to trashing in by the wayside and indulging in WAY too many carbs.

And I think also being too strict with my carb intake lead to my binges. yup, binges. While making holiday cookies.. I devoured a WHOLE tin of frosting YESTERDAY! The whole can. Gone. In my mouth.

Not m proudest moment.

I am learning that being too strict = overcompensating later. I am at a good weight right now but still struggle. I eventually want to learn to be at this weight without the severe strictness and overeating.


I fluctuated from a low of 112 last week to 116.8 this week.

Noone can tell though. But I can tell and feel it and was/ am discouraged.

You aren't alone. THe holiday season is TOUGH!

Don't be discouraged! Everyone has minor setbacks and although it sucks, you just gotta dust yourself off and keep on truckin! You can do this! :drinker:

I've been at a plateau for 3 months (well, lost 5 pounds). My husband has been at the same 25 pounds since he started his weight loss journey a year ago (lost the weight fast then stopped. It's all been very disheartening. Especially when people tell me I look good and don't need to lose more (I have lost half the weight I want to and still have a lot of fat).

For him, it's a matter of not eating enough. With working out, he should be at a mimimum of 2500 calories and usually gets under 2000.

For me, it's because I eat too many unhealthy carbs (sugar, potato chips).

It's very discouraging, but I can't let myself give up - I know the weight will start coming off again eventually and if the numbers don't change, I"ll be happy if the %body fat goes into the normal range (3% to go).

Hello all.
I am 46 and live near Chicago.
I joined 2 weeks ago, starting weight 230 pounds.
I just weighed in at 226 pounds.
I actually gained 1.6 pounds this week!
Week one started out good (obviously) but now I just gained and I have not gone over my calorie count once.
I have been eating very healthy and have basically gone vegiterian.
Was not my intention, just the result of trying to eat healthy.
What gives?
Is there such a thing as not actually eating enough?

Open up your food diary and perhaps folks out here can make suggestions pertaining to your diet. Going completely vegetarian can be a shock to your system and perhaps you need to make some adjustments. Maybe your not eating enough.

Good luck with your journey... baby steps!

I routinely go up a pound for a couple of days and then drop back down. I don't count any weight gain or loss as real unless I see it for at least 3 days in a row. Some things to consider:
1. Are you eating all of the calories MFP suggests? If yes, try going up or down by a hundred or so for a few days to shake up your metabolism a bit - works for me.
2. May be TMI, but could you need to use the bathroom?
3. Are you exercising? Remember that some folks put on weight as they start to gain muscle. The good news is that muscle is more compact, so where you may not see results on the scale, you might in your measurements. If you haven't taken your measurements, do that now.
4. What's the ultimate goal - to be skinny or to be healthier? If it's healthier, don't worry so much. Everything takes time and the scale is only one small gauge of being healthy.

Great answer!

Give it some time. As they say Rome wasn't built in a day. If I got discouraged every time I didn't see a change or gained a little I wouldn't be where I am today. 54lbs down, 26lbs to go.


YOU CAN DO IT!

This is a journey not a sprint!! You need to be patient, drink lots of water and burn some calories in addition to lowering your calorie intake. If you want to make drastic changes to your diet that's ok, but for me I am eating most of what I did before in smaller quantities. I have cut down on sweets almost 75%. My husband and i are very social and I even have a booze category on my diary.....I have changed my body completely by working with a trainer and doing strength workouts in addition to the cardio. If you need another friend feel free to add me :-) Good luck!

i went from drinking a 20oz diet coke a day, to drinking about 1 every two weeks. i used to use it as a pick me up at 3pm. i read somewhere that one apple has the same amount of energy as a soda, and i just swapped my coke for apples. i'm not dragging *kitten* in the afternoon either.

oh this is a great tip! i stopped drinking my coke zero and it is tough to do!

Don't give up!

1. You have already lost weight. AWESOME!!
2. Be patient with your body. It takes some time for it to change from consumption mode to burn mode.
3. What everyone else said about fluctuation
4. Its just a number. If you lose any body fat, waist size, etc then you are becoming more fit.

Add me if you want.

ok, i just looked at your diary. you are 41, 230lbs, and at 1,620 calories? wtf mate? that is waaaaaay to low for you to be eating. how tall are you? i bet you have your diary at 2lbs a week loss (or more) and you have your activity level set at "sedentary" don't you?

unless you really are an office drone and sit at a desk all day, you should not be at sedentary. and your weight loss, especially in the beginning, should be geared at 1-1.5lbs loss a week. it will help ease you into this, and to avoid any crazy pleatues or loss of motivation.

i hope you've also looked at other information, such as TDEE, and body fat percentages, and what is healthy weight range and BF% for you.

but bottom line is that you are eating way too low. go to the the tools menu and take a look at your BMR. you should not eat less then this.

Hi Don, I've read your food diary and have to say that you are neither eating enough or eating healthy and it is no surprise you are gaining weight! Eating 800 calories and washing it down with a diet coke doesn't equate to eating healthy, you are going to have no energy to do anything! But please do not get discouraged, you can do this and there is lots of help out there to assist you on your journey!

-this. you have limited fruits and veggies and sometimes are not even meeting the min of 1200 a day! I do not know how you are not eating more! I would be starving! Also try to work out- even a 15 min walk at a slow pace is better then nothing.