Help, I'm feeling discouraged

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suelloyd
suelloyd Posts: 5
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi all. I am 176 Lbs and5'9". I started using MFP one month ago with the goal of losing25Lbs. In the first two weeks, I lost 9Lbs and have not lost or gained an ounce since! I am feeling frustrated as I am working out four times per week, doing Zumba and water aerobics. I am sticking to my 1200 calories and trying to eat back what I burn in excersise. Please help as I am new to this and would appreciate any help!

Replies

  • Lozze
    Lozze Posts: 1,917 Member
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    9 pounds in a WEEK? Eek!

    Try and turn your thinking around a tiny bit. You've lost 9lbs in one month. That's a GREAT result.

    You're also very close to being in a healthy weight for your age and height. It's always harder to lose. What exercise are you doing and would you mind opening your diary?
  • gifthorse1
    gifthorse1 Posts: 1 Member
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    try eating more protein..100 grams per day...no carbs after 3pm
  • lisakyle_11
    lisakyle_11 Posts: 420 Member
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    try eating more protein..100 grams per day...no carbs after 3pm

    i can agree with the 100 grams of protein, but no carbs after 3pm? what happens then?
  • suelloyd
    suelloyd Posts: 5
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    I agree with the results this far but am feeling more discouraged with the"plateau" only after two weeks of trying! Thanks for your encouragement !
  • suelloyd
    suelloyd Posts: 5
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    Also, I've made my diary public, again any help is welcome!
  • Lozze
    Lozze Posts: 1,917 Member
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    I'm honestly not seeing a lot wrong with your diary. Maybe up the water intake.

    Have you been taking measurements? You might have changing body composition. I would also suggest weight lifting.

    Keep up the good work!
  • kettrickenx
    kettrickenx Posts: 92 Member
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    You should try drinking more water. I think that you might be building body muscle and losing fat simultaneously due to doing sports.:) That can explain why you are not currently losing weight. Be patient, you will get results!
  • suelloyd
    suelloyd Posts: 5
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    Thanks for the encouragement!
  • hedgiie
    hedgiie Posts: 1,245 Member
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    your in plateu, which is encountered by most of us. you need to cycle your calorie and workout. meaning you have to change your diet by increasing your calorie(rather then decreasing). then physically, you have to either rest or do more workout.
  • thor1god1of1awesome
    thor1god1of1awesome Posts: 481 Member
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    try eating more protein..100 grams per day...no carbs after 3pm

    i can agree with the 100 grams of protein, but no carbs after 3pm? what happens then?
    duh you turn into a gremlin after 3 pm
  • heykatieben
    heykatieben Posts: 398 Member
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    Try eating only whole foods - nothing in a package, no chemicals. It's "extreme" compared to an "average" diet, but in my experience, makes an amazing difference if you can do it...

    ... and you get to eat a lot more on a whole foods diet. It takes a lot more veggies to make a meal! I eat a whole bowl of blueberries every morning for breakfast :D
  • auntiebabs
    auntiebabs Posts: 1,754 Member
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    9 pounds in 2 WEEKS? Eek!

    Try and turn your thinking around a tiny bit. You've lost 9lbs in one month. That's a GREAT result.

    You're also very close to being in a healthy weight for your age and height. It's always harder to lose. What exercise are you doing and would you mind opening your diary?

    ^^this^^

    what's the big rush.... That's an awful lot awful fast... they say the slower you lose the more likely you are to keep it off.
    You said your goal was 25 lbs in the FIRST 2 WEEKS??? 25 sounds like a fine overall goal for your height,(will bring you from a 26 BMI to a 22BMI) but doing that in the first 2 weeks??? seems a little excessive to me.

    The closer you are to a healthy BMI the slower you lose.
    It took me 9 months to lose 25 lbs and I started out with a higher BMI than you did. (I started out at a 28 and my goal was a 22)

    I did lose 1 lb a week until MFP gave me 1200 calories a day.
    Then I switched to lose 1/2 lb a week
    For the last 5 lbs before my goal every time I lost a pound instead of letting MFP take away calories I added 100 calories so that by the time I reached my goal I'd be eating at my maintenance calories. This way I"m teaching myself to eat for the long haul.

    The way I figure it's all about a healthy body and being able to maintain that.
    I've fought the battle of the bulge my whole life and that lose then gain back plus more, then lose then gain back plus more cycle scares me silly. The more often you do that the harder it is to lose, but they more panicked you gt about losing, so you go more drastic.
  • ru4hope
    ru4hope Posts: 4
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    Hi, I know that even if I think I'm not losing, I feel a slight panic feeling. What I do is, say to myself, REMAIN Calm, and remind myself that I didn't gain all this weight over a month or six months. And that if I just continue regulating the calories, the weight WILL come off. It's Math... Also, do a self check on your Fiber intake, it will help clear out the colon. (Metamucil capsules if you don't like to drink it) And remember to drink water to ensure it makes it all the way through. Well, there's my 2 cents... Take care
  • JanieJack
    JanieJack Posts: 3,831 Member
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    Don't automatically think "oh no something's wrong." If you did everything you were "supposed to do" and the weight loss didn't come as you like, you still had a great week! And like another poster said, a great month! You can check out my blog post yesterday for times when I didn't lose weight when I was doing everything I should. How to solve the problem? Just keep going, and it will solve itself. Keep up the good work!
  • mrskesler
    mrskesler Posts: 73 Member
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    try eating more protein..100 grams per day...no carbs after 3pm

    i can agree with the 100 grams of protein, but no carbs after 3pm? what happens then?
    duh you turn into a gremlin after 3 pm

    Ohhhhhhhhhhh, that explains a lot! :)
  • suelloyd
    suelloyd Posts: 5
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    I never said I wanted to lose25 lbs in 2 weeks. However, thank you to all for the encouragement and ideas!
  • debshedkg
    debshedkg Posts: 28 Member
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    Hi Sue - wow you are doing so great. To be exercising as much as you are is excellent. I am 123.8 kg and I started climbing down five stairs - and that was hectic. Then I managed to get down all the stairs now I am actually doing a brisk walk and a week ago I managed a little jog - I stopped myself worrying about my weight - just being healthy - exercising and eating. I have put the scale away - only wear tight pants - track pants and well they get looser each week.

    Maybe stop weighing yourself and just enjoy yourself and you will be pleasantly surprised -

    I am so inspired by you ...........

    Thanks
  • proctorcj
    proctorcj Posts: 31
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    Dont weigh yourself so often...I know I try to only weigh myself every 2-3 weeks...that way Im not getting discouraged and let my body adjust to the changes
  • Tourney3p0
    Tourney3p0 Posts: 290 Member
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    I wouldn't change anything - at least, not yet.

    9 pounds in two weeks is 2,250 calories a day in deficit assuming it was all fat loss. Needless to say, this probably didn't happen. You most likely lost a lot of initial water weight, which is pretty common when you start. Your body is getting back into equilibrium. Give it a couple weeks and reassess the situation. There are lots of things to check, but it's way too early to bother right now.

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