Losing confidence

Options
2»

Replies

  • jnbud2002
    jnbud2002 Posts: 216
    Options
    I also had that happen to me. I now only weigh myself once a week. I do it every Monday (to keep myself on track durring the weekends) about 30min after I get up before breakfast. It has worked for me so far and have been down 2lbs every Monday. Your weight will change every day and drive you nuts if you let it Hope this helps

    I do this too! Well, ok, I weigh everyday, but log in on Monday!

    Don't be discouraged, like many have said, we didn't get to where we are in a few weeks time! It's going to take some time to lose what took us some time to gain! I like to weigh myself in the morning when I get up and make sure I'm wearing the same amount of clothing every time. I weighed myself this morning and then again after I peed and WOW, flushed some poundage down the toilet! hahaha, stay on track! 2 lbs gone is better than none!
  • thepetiterunner
    thepetiterunner Posts: 1,238 Member
    Options
    If you rely on the scale to give you motivation/confidence on this journey, you aren't going to get too far. Too many variables factor into scale weight...especially if you are weighing in more than once a week...and even that is unpredictable to an extent. I know this is hard to accept, but scale weight is not the end all, be all of this journey. I can only tell you that if you are persistent and commit to the journey, the scale will ultimately comply and you will achieve whatever goals you want (but not as quickly as you'd like).

    I recommend that for motivation/confidence, you rely instead on the deep, dark, pulled from the inner guts of you, brutal truth(s) as to why you are on you are on this journey. Write down all of the things you hate about being overweight. If you dig deep enough and are honest enough with yourself...then either you have enough reason to stay on the journey or you are really okay with your current lifestyle. and, hey, if you are okay with your current lifestyle, I'm not going to tell you otherwise. I'm here to help encourage folks who hate being overweight enough that they want to make a change.

    ........ (shortened for brevity)

    BINGO. Concentrating on watching the scale tick down is going to lead to nothing but disappointment and heartache. Widen your acceptable range of signs of progress (i.e. measurements, how your clothes fit, how mucn energy you have, etc).

    Also, be PATIENT. You didn't gain all of the weight overnight nor will you lose it overnight. Be FORGIVING. You'll experience minor setbacks, but they don't have to become *major* setbacks if you don't let them. Examine your thoughts, feelings, behaviors, situations when you do and learn from them - set up action plans for next time. COMMIT to the long-term if this is really a LIFESTYLE change that you want to make, not just a phase so you can drop a few pounds. Make changes and choices you can SUNSTAIN for the rest of your life. Anything else is just spinning your wheels.

    Best of luck to you.
  • down_ell_beez
    down_ell_beez Posts: 23 Member
    Options
    You have to keep in mind that when you first start working out your body begins to build muscle. Muscle weighs more than fat, but muscle also burns more calories. Whenever I first start working out, always have a short period of fast weight loss, then I gain slowly for a week or two. After that I start cutting weight decently until I hit a plateau around 10 lbs. So just stick with it. You can always take measurements of your waist as sometimes you will be gaining weight (in muscle) but getting skinnier.
  • Wendysworld13
    Wendysworld13 Posts: 225 Member
    Options
    I have been doing this steadily now for 3 months and have only lost 7 pounds - very discouraging - however I have gone down two sizes in shirts and one in pants - how can that be if my scale and I are having a serious war - Muscle weighs much more than fat and I am gaining one and losing the other!
    I weigh in twice a week - Thursdays to see how my week has been and Mondays to keep me honest over the weekend.
    Daily doesn't work cause our bodies don't work that way we gain weight sometimes without eating anything - just breathe - you are doing and that is a step in the right direction.
    Good Luck and keep your chin up. It is worth it in the end!
  • Blodnie
    Blodnie Posts: 66
    Options
    If you rely on the scale to give you motivation/confidence on this journey, you aren't going to get too far. Too many variables factor into scale weight...especially if you are weighing in more than once a week...and even that is unpredictable to an extent. I know this is hard to accept, but scale weight is not the end all, be all of this journey. I can only tell you that if you are persistent and commit to the journey, the scale will ultimately comply and you will achieve whatever goals you want (but not as quickly as you'd like).

    I recommend that for motivation/confidence, you rely instead on the deep, dark, pulled from the inner guts of you, brutal truth(s) as to why you are on you are on this journey. Write down all of the things you hate about being overweight. If you dig deep enough and are honest enough with yourself...then either you have enough reason to stay on the journey or you are really okay with your current lifestyle. and, hey, if you are okay with your current lifestyle, I'm not going to tell you otherwise. I'm here to help encourage folks who hate being overweight enough that they want to make a change.

    Now, once you have those things written down...and assuming they are enough motivation to stay on your journey...the next thing I want you to do is to start appreciating the little victories this journey has to offer (victories that are not always reflected on the scale). I recently suggested to my pals that they make a chart and check it off daily to show all of the little victories that pile up. For example, your chart could have the following items:

    ate healthy breakfast instead of pop tarts (or unhealthy breakfast of your unhealthy lifestyle)

    ate healthy snack instead of Ho-Hos (or unhealthy snack of your unhealthy lifestyle)

    ate healthy lunch instead of Crapdonalds

    ate healthy afternoon snack instead of cookies

    ate healthy dinner instead of fried chicken wings

    avoided nighttime munchies because I wasn't really hungry

    exercised according to my plan

    drank X cups of water today

    logged all of my food and drinks today

    ate within 50 calories + or - of my calorie goal


    .... I promise you that if you persist, and make achieve these small victories most days, you will achieve bigger victories on your journey. When will you achieve those bigger victories? No one can tell you that. But if you think of this as a journey to good health that lasts your lifetime...who cares how quickly you achieve your goals (you certainly didn't destroy your health in a few short weeks or months)....if its a journey and you are achieving the small victories, then know the big ones will come.

    First, thanks to the person who started this message stream. It was *exactly* what I needed to hear today. I'm going through exactly the same thing. I can't stay off the damn scale - sometimes I even weigh myself three times at once and get frustrated because it's not exactly the same each time -- and if it shows a pound or 2 increase, I just want to give up. But so far, I've managed to keep going.

    Second, thanks for the post above. It's a big help to me and something I think I'll keep and read over and over again in those discouraged moments. I think the victories list is an excellent idea!!!!!!!!!
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
    Options
    +++1 on H_Factor's posts! He pretty much summed up all of what I was going to say.

    Just one thing to add - if you're not already tracking it, add sodium to your food diary. If you're eating a lot of fresh/whole foods, you're probably ok but if you're like most people and rely on package foods or take-out, you're probably having some high sodium days and that will definitely slow down your progress. Drink lots of water to help counteract the effects.

    Good luck!
  • MzFury
    MzFury Posts: 283 Member
    Options
    Agreed with many here - you guys who are facing disappointment need to "stick with it" PERIOD, because every moment that you are making good food choices and moving your bod, you are healthier, and you are almost guaranteed to be adding years to your life and quality of life to your days (fewer overall health complaints, higher energy, better self-image). You should definitely be exercising and definitely be taking your measurements, which will change even when your weight doesn't, if you're doing some challenging exercise a few days a week and watching your food intake. You should use the opportunity to learn how to change dietary habits to healthier ones that you ENJOY and can sustain, and get accustomed to planning for, so that life isn't diet/splurge. From my perspective, I've been a super-slow loser, and about 8 months on from REALLY getting it together to follow a plan, I am truly grateful that that's my pace - it has contributed to me cementing these habits for good and getting addicted to working out. Furthermore, my body composition monitor has shown me that it's often the case, for instance, that I will lose 8 pounds of fat but only 5 pounds of weight in 8 weeks, maybe. It has also shown me that my "other" (non-skeletal muscle, non-fat) weight can vary by more than 3 pounds - between about 61 and 64+ pounds - often in a single day. So there is NO point sweating 2 or even 3-pound gains or losses - you MUST stick with it to understand significant change over time... So get out your measuring tape, get some easy and delicious recipes or other meal planning that'll stock up your produce, lean protein and good complex carbs intake, find at least two go-to workouts that you can do for cardio and resistance, and that you can definitely fit in, make some strategies for vacation time, and stay with it! You will feel SO GOOD and be so happy you did!
  • csnooks82899
    csnooks82899 Posts: 26 Member
    Options
    If you rely on the scale to give you motivation/confidence on this journey, you aren't going to get too far. Too many variables factor into scale weight...especially if you are weighing in more than once a week...and even that is unpredictable to an extent. I know this is hard to accept, but scale weight is not the end all, be all of this journey. I can only tell you that if you are persistent and commit to the journey, the scale will ultimately comply and you will achieve whatever goals you want (but not as quickly as you'd like).

    I recommend that for motivation/confidence, you rely instead on the deep, dark, pulled from the inner guts of you, brutal truth(s) as to why you are on you are on this journey. Write down all of the things you hate about being overweight. If you dig deep enough and are honest enough with yourself...then either you have enough reason to stay on the journey or you are really okay with your current lifestyle. and, hey, if you are okay with your current lifestyle, I'm not going to tell you otherwise. I'm here to help encourage folks who hate being overweight enough that they want to make a change.

    Now, once you have those things written down...and assuming they are enough motivation to stay on your journey...the next thing I want you to do is to start appreciating the little victories this journey has to offer (victories that are not always reflected on the scale). I recently suggested to my pals that they make a chart and check it off daily to show all of the little victories that pile up. For example, your chart could have the following items:

    ate healthy breakfast instead of pop tarts (or unhealthy breakfast of your unhealthy lifestyle)

    ate healthy snack instead of Ho-Hos (or unhealthy snack of your unhealthy lifestyle)

    ate healthy lunch instead of Crapdonalds

    ate healthy afternoon snack instead of cookies

    ate healthy dinner instead of fried chicken wings

    avoided nighttime munchies because I wasn't really hungry

    exercised according to my plan

    drank X cups of water today

    logged all of my food and drinks today

    ate within 50 calories + or - of my calorie goal


    .... I promise you that if you persist, and make achieve these small victories most days, you will achieve bigger victories on your journey. When will you achieve those bigger victories? No one can tell you that. But if you think of this as a journey to good health that lasts your lifetime...who cares how quickly you achieve your goals (you certainly didn't destroy your health in a few short weeks or months)....if its a journey and you are achieving the small victories, then know the big ones will come.

    Thank you for this amazing post! I know it is something I am going to live by! :)
  • mayhem1969
    mayhem1969 Posts: 27 Member
    Options
    Weigh yourself less often. Weigh yourself at the same time. Weigh yourself in the same clothes. Weigh yourself on the same scale (make sure its correct). Your body is going through some incredible changes. It did not get where it is overnight, it won't get where its going overnight, either.

    Stay positive and don't dwell on negatives. Think of positives instead, i.e., I fell better, I have more energy, my clothes fit better, I look better, I can exercise easier, etc. Concentrate on those, stay on your goals, and then check again. You will be surprised how much the scale has moved.
  • Kissybiz
    Kissybiz Posts: 361 Member
    Options
    I'm finding more motivation from the friends I've met on here, than from the scale. I see their progress, their workouts, their healthy habits, and I'm encouraged and motivated to do my best every day.

    Lose the scale.. be the best you can be... and it will happen!
  • lynheff
    lynheff Posts: 393 Member
    Options
    You are on to something with the weighing less frequently. You CANNOT gain two pounds of fat in one day. Water will shift. More carbs, or salt in your diet= more water weight. Slash your carbs and see a really dramatic weight loss. That isn't real either since much of the initial loss is water. you can travel and make good choices. The problem for many of us is that we see holidays or vacations as break from our normal routines to include dieting, exercising and making good choices. Keep logging in for inspiration or at least, take a journal and keep up with your food. If you are sightseeing, that is usually good exercise. Good luck. Have fun.
  • Poohsta0
    Poohsta0 Posts: 147 Member
    Options
    Do or do not. There is no try. (Yoda)
  • draayer7
    draayer7 Posts: 24 Member
    Options
    If you rely on the scale to give you motivation/confidence on this journey, you aren't going to get too far. Too many variables factor into scale weight...especially if you are weighing in more than once a week...and even that is unpredictable to an extent. I know this is hard to accept, but scale weight is not the end all, be all of this journey. I can only tell you that if you are persistent and commit to the journey, the scale will ultimately comply and you will achieve whatever goals you want (but not as quickly as you'd like).

    I recommend that for motivation/confidence, you rely instead on the deep, dark, pulled from the inner guts of you, brutal truth(s) as to why you are on you are on this journey. Write down all of the things you hate about being overweight. If you dig deep enough and are honest enough with yourself...then either you have enough reason to stay on the journey or you are really okay with your current lifestyle. and, hey, if you are okay with your current lifestyle, I'm not going to tell you otherwise. I'm here to help encourage folks who hate being overweight enough that they want to make a change.

    Now, once you have those things written down...and assuming they are enough motivation to stay on your journey...the next thing I want you to do is to start appreciating the little victories this journey has to offer (victories that are not always reflected on the scale). I recently suggested to my pals that they make a chart and check it off daily to show all of the little victories that pile up. For example, your chart could have the following items:

    ate healthy breakfast instead of pop tarts (or unhealthy breakfast of your unhealthy lifestyle)

    ate healthy snack instead of Ho-Hos (or unhealthy snack of your unhealthy lifestyle)

    ate healthy lunch instead of Crapdonalds

    ate healthy afternoon snack instead of cookies

    ate healthy dinner instead of fried chicken wings

    avoided nighttime munchies because I wasn't really hungry

    exercised according to my plan

    drank X cups of water today

    logged all of my food and drinks today

    ate within 50 calories + or - of my calorie goal


    .... I promise you that if you persist, and make achieve these small victories most days, you will achieve bigger victories on your journey. When will you achieve those bigger victories? No one can tell you that. But if you think of this as a journey to good health that lasts your lifetime...who cares how quickly you achieve your goals (you certainly didn't destroy your health in a few short weeks or months)....if its a journey and you are achieving the small victories, then know the big ones will come.

    This seriously made me stop and think! Excellent words...thank you for the motivation to look at things a little differently than I think I have been! I am a person who does look at the scale for validation of my success, and it can be downright depressing when it doesn't move fast enough. I told myself this was a life change not a diet, but mentally I think I am treating like a diet!

Categories