So frustrated i'm in tears!

shalvors · January 2012

I have almost 150lbs to lose (i'm 5' 5.5"), seems so daunting. I've been going to the gym for 2 months now, 4 days a week, averaging an hour of cardio and recently i've started adding weight machines, alternating upper/lower body. I wasn't worrying about counting calories too much in the beginning as I was trying to just focus on consistency with my workouts.

For the last 3 weeks i've been tracking EVERYTHING I've eaten and staying under/at my calorie goals. The first week I lost 6lbs and the second week was 2 lbs, this week was NOTHING! I admit it, I cried like the frustrated girl I am!

I weigh so much that I figured in the beginning I should be consistenly losing. I am working so hard (ok here comes whining) I am eating better than I ever have, I've worked out more than I ever have, i'm taking time to focus on myself finally, and i'm just so mad. I have 4 kids plus 2 foster kids, I don't have time to take at the gym, but I know it's important for my health. Not seeing results is so hard, i'm not sure what I need to do differently.

Feel free to add me, I need all the help I can get. I'll open my diary and promise i'll take constructive criticism well!

tz2187 · January 2012

I know how you feel. I just started this 3 weeks ago, first two weeks lost 4 lbs, but today the scale said I had gained 1lb. I am tracking all my food and working out. I am telling myself to hang in there, but it's frustrating! You can add me as a friend if you like. Hang in there!

johncaraher · January 2012

I'm sorry you're frustrated... just keep it up! You're doing great - 6 lbs in a week is great, but you can't expect to sustain that. I don't think you need to worry about a single week - you have to realize there are always random fluctuations in any measurement, so just because you got the same weight in two weighings a week apart doesn't mean you're not making genuine progress. If you go a month without dropping the expected weight you might worry then... but for now just keep doing everything right - it will work out in the end!

TheFitHooker · January 2012

Sorry you are feeling frustrated. I'm frustrated as well because I keep hovering my 160's and everything has pretty slowed way down.

Are you 150lbs over weight or is 150lbs just what you want to lose? For me I was 250lbs at 5'3 so the first 85lbs was pretty easy and shed right off. The last 5lbs has been a nightmare. I'm having a hard time seeing 159, I'm still waiting on that to pop up on the scale. However I am told when I don't lose weight, to measure myself, because if I'm expecting to lose pounds and don't then something most likely has lost. So measure yourself. I find I get more excited about inches lost

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cgavin77 · January 2012

Dont be so hard on yourself. 8 LBS in three weeks??? THAT IS AWESOME! There could be a million reasons you didnt "lose" on the scale (too many to list) but just keep doing what you are doing and the weight WILL come off.
Just a few things- since you just started 3 weeks ago I would take all your measurements, I found on weeks I wasnt losing on the scale inches were still melting off. Also tracking the food/cals (at least for ME) was the more important for the two in terms of losing weight. I know LOTS of ppl who count the cals and DONT workout and still lose the weight . I know very few to no one who has been sucessful the other way around (until you're at maintenance).
As for working out, cardio yes, but also start some strength training as well. You will be shocked at the results. I found that when I finally hit my "goal weight" I still wasnt happy. Until I upped the strength training and started to actually CHANGE my body composition.
.
Again try to keep your head up and know that everything you do, everyday is working towards your goal...even if that DEVIL scale wont show it.
Good luck!

ebaymommy · January 2012

I'm sorry you're frustrated, but I think you need to take a good, honest look at what you are putting in your body. Yes, you might be staying under your calorie goals, but you are working out and fueling your body with a lot of processed food and eating out. You really aren't giving your body the nutrients it needs to function properly.

Do you track sodium? I'm guessing those #s are pretty high based on the amount of restaurant food you are eating. And the soda isn't helping either. That's a ton of empty calories and sugar/carbs.

What about replacing those 200-300 calories a day that you are drinking in soda and make them good, healthy foods that will fill you up and provide you with some nutrients.

I think you diary is lacking in good fats, protein and fiber and way too high in sodium and sugar. It's not just about staying under your calories - I mean that is important as well, but just as important is eating healthful, nourishing foods.

campfirecrafter · January 2012

Have you measured yourself? or tired to put on clothes that are normally tight? you might be surprised , I find that the numbers on the scale move incredibly slowly , but I am back to wearing pants that were super tight just a few months ago ...

Hugs , you can do this

jworb · January 2012

I totally understand where you're coming from - it can be easy to get discouraged, but don't let one "off" week get you down. 8 lbs in 3 weeks is still fantastic progress... heck, 8 lbs in a month is your recommended max 2 lb/ week loss. You should be proud of yourself! Everything else you loose this month is just bonus.

Good job!

gymmouse83 · January 2012

If your introducing weights it could be that your weight hasn't changed but that your still losing inches. Muscle is heavier than fat tissue (so i've been told) so you might be better tracking your measurements rather than focusing on weight. Don't let it get you down, you've done brilliant to lose what you have already!

Jen2Bfit · January 2012

I know it can be frustrating, especially when you have chaged eveything about your daily habits and are not seeing the results that you expect to. Keep at it, it will pay off. You have dropped weight and are headed in the right direction, it just takes the body time to adjust. I have not looked at your food diary but I would also take a look at sodium intake as well as calories. I will add you as a friend. Don't give up, what one cannot do alone can be done with the help of others.

DirtyHippieFeet · January 2012

2 pounds a week is normal and healthy to lose; I know it feels like a snail's pace, especially after such a huge loss in the beginning. Try to focus less for a moment on the scale and more on how you feel. Do you feel better? More energy, better mood, etc., from your healthier lifestyle? Probably. How do your clothes fit? I only lost 2 lbs this week (my first week), but I noticed after just a couple of days that my jeans already fit better.

Remember - nothing worth having comes easily.

Keep your chin up. It helps me a lot to break down my goal into 5- or 10-lb increments. So for you, say you're breaking it down into 10-lb mini goals. So you've lost 8 lbs - that's already only 2 pounds from your first goal! It seems so much less daunting this way. I was really discouraged thinking of my goal in terms of, "Oh s*it, 55 pounds is a lot." Maybe think of giving yourself a small, non-food reward each time you meet one of those smaller goals.

AlmstHvn · January 2012

What have you noticed in terms of your clothing? Any change in how the waist or hips fit? or for me, the first thing to go down is the chest... *sniffle!

vickyg1 · January 2012

Screw the scale go by inches lost!

Curvy1taliana · January 2012

All the replies above are great and I would like to add that maybe instead of saying you need to lose 150lbs, start out with mini goals, in 10 or 20 lbs increments, then move on from there. It didn't take a month to put on the weight, it won't all come off in that amount of time either.

I don't know what you are eating, but I would recommend cutting out as much processed foods therefore sodium, and also track your potassium levels with the sodium (to balance each other out).

The body takes times to get used to these changes and you may be very well losing inches when you are not losing pounds. That's why you need to measure, don't worry keep up the good work and your body will catch up!

usmcmp · January 2012

Of the 1700 or so calories you are taking in about 500 are from Mt. Dew. Try switching to diet and actually eating something for those 500 calories. Especially since your breakfast yesterday was only a Mt. Dew. You could have toast, bacon and eggs for the amount of calories in the soda.

sunkisses · January 2012

I looked through your diary. I think you need to eat more of your exercise calories back (not necessarily all...sometimes it's impossible). Your deficits are way into the hundreds on a regular basis which adds up at the end of the week. Read up on the link below (check out the recommended links they give you) and give it some thought. Good luck.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/390145-should-i-eat-my-exercise-calories

dragginfli · January 2012

I just keep telling myself to look at the big picture. If I lose 10lbs a month I will be thin in a year. I seem to lose 2 pounds gain back 3 lose 5 gain back 1 but eventually it goes down. its like watching the time on a download. 10 minutes left then 12 then 9 then 11 then 8. Completely annoying but I know eventually the download will be complete.

Smuterella · January 2012

I've taken a look at your diary, two things jump out at me. Firstly you rarely eat back your exercise calories, you might want to consider eating some, if not all of them back. Secondly, you drink a lot of Mountain Dew - that is just empty calories, pure sugar. While an occasional soda is fine, daily consumption is not a good idea.

shalvors · January 2012

Thanks everyone, it helps to hear from people who understand.

I am 150lbs overweight....maybe more actually, but that's my goal, I'm starting out with a 75lb goal just to not feel so overwhelmed.

I have lost a total of about 4 inches in the last 3 weeks, I know that's good, I think i'm jus so stinking stuck on the number. I have to get over that and look at this as a journey that is more than numbers, it's health.

I'm happy to have found this site and boards to help with reality checks!

unionironworker · January 2012

your replaceing fat with muscle its size not all just weight watch out for salt it holds water aside from all that your doing really really great

dragginfli · January 2012

I agree, it is hard to imagine that eating more will help you lose weight but I think that "starvation mode" trigger is very sensitive. From my experiences if I eat too far under then I don't lose.

So frustrated i'm in tears!

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