please help as I'm very close to giving up !

I joined MFP at beginning of January with the aim of losing 1.5 stone at half to one pound a week. my husband has encouraged me to exercise and I have a WII Fit workout programme 2-3 times a week (made up of 10 mins jog, 10 mins step, 20 mins muscle). 3-4 times a week we go for a walk - one long walk upto 6 miles and the other occasions are 2 miles in 30 - 35 minutes.

however to date I have lost and gained the same four pounds - haven't lost any inches either ! :frown:

apart from my breakfast cereal and bread, all my food is freshly prepared.

when I started I didn't use my exercise calories, but now I do and it hasn't made the slightest difference ...

off on hols in a few weeks - guess I'll be wearing the faithful black swimsuit again and hiding in the shade :-(

love the website and the app on my phone and faithfully record everything.

any suggestions to keep me going ??

thank you for reading this. x :flowerforyou:

Replies

  • mmstgr
    mmstgr Posts: 578 Member
    Please don't give up!
    I am not an expert. I can't really offer anything other than some cheers.
    But do you feel like you are in better shape? I mean, is it easier now than when you started?
    I'm sure all you efforts have not been for nothing :)
  • sarafil
    sarafil Posts: 506 Member
    can you open up your diary so people can look at your food log?
  • jrodx2
    jrodx2 Posts: 203 Member
    Without seeing your diary, it's hard to tell if what your eating is the issue. Watching sugars helped alot for me but everyone is different and sometimes it's just about finding what is best for you and your body. Please don't give up just yet!!!!! The results are worth it, I promise!


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  • You have just got to stick with it. Most common reasons for not losing are:
    Not recording your calorie intake accurately - people usually under estimate
    Not recording your excercise calories accurately - usually over estimated
    Drinking away calories with high calorie sugary drinks or alcohol
    Bread!
    Remember calories in v calories burnt. If o have a defucit ou will lose weight.
    You don't give much info. But if you only need to lose a small amount it is even more important o be focussed.
    Also having a goal to focus on - say fitting into a swimsuit or jeans helps.
  • MIMITIME
    MIMITIME Posts: 405 Member
    Get your thyroid checked just to make sure that is not the reason. I have a thyroid problem but I can still lose on MFP. It is a slow loss but it is a loss. Before this site, all I could do was gain. If you were not eating your exercise calories in the beginning, it may take a little time to get your metabolism back up to where it needs to be. Just don't give up is the best advice I can give. Good Luck
  • amuhlou
    amuhlou Posts: 693 Member
    I have two guesses w/out being able to check out the diary -

    1) sodium is out of whack
    - this is less likely if you cook your food all the time, but it still can happen if you eat cured meats such as bacon, sausage, ham, or even corned beef. Soy sauce is also a huge killer. Even seemingly healthy things such as chicken broth have tons of sodium

    2) underestimating portions
    - are you weighing portions? getting a food scale was a huge eye opener for me. for example, one chicken breast can be 2 full servings depending on size.
  • TKHappy
    TKHappy Posts: 659 Member
    NOOOOO don't give up!! The hardest part is realizing it is going to take time....it took time to put the weight on, it will take time to get if off! Just stick with it...one week I will lose 2lbs, the next the scale won't move, or I will play rollercoaster for awhile....but I feel great, have more energy and those tight clothes are getting loose! You can do this, you just need to believe in yourself and have patience! :)
  • Remember you haven't been on this site for a long long time, since January is only a couple months....not saying that that doesn't take alot to stay diciplined for that amount of time, but give it some more time. Why not try changing up the diet, or increasing exercise, or eating smaller and more frequently?
  • frugalmomsrock
    frugalmomsrock Posts: 1,123
    Maybe you are eating too few calories? Or maybe too many? Hard to tell without being able to see your diary....
  • Jacwhite22
    Jacwhite22 Posts: 7,010 Member
    I would open up your diary if you are really seeking valuable input. Id be glad to try and help..
  • sm7163
    sm7163 Posts: 2
    don't give up..it can become very very frustrating but it will happen. keep trying. i agree with the others look at your food log. even though i keep track of my excercise i dont let it increase the amt of calories i take in ..i have a set calorie intake regardless if i exercise or not. you could try that as well.
    good luck ..trust me it will all work out in the end
  • belgerian
    belgerian Posts: 1,059 Member
    I see apart from my breakfast cereal and bread again how much in portion do you just assume or weigh it. Maybe get a scale and it will give you a more accurate idea calories in. vs calories out.
  • Candida1983
    Candida1983 Posts: 188
    I joined MFP at beginning of January with the aim of losing 1.5 stone at half to one pound a week. my husband has encouraged me to exercise and I have a WII Fit workout programme 2-3 times a week (made up of 10 mins jog, 10 mins step, 20 mins muscle). 3-4 times a week we go for a walk - one long walk upto 6 miles and the other occasions are 2 miles in 30 - 35 minutes.

    however to date I have lost and gained the same four pounds - haven't lost any inches either ! :frown:

    apart from my breakfast cereal and bread, all my food is freshly prepared.

    when I started I didn't use my exercise calories, but now I do and it hasn't made the slightest difference ...

    off on hols in a few weeks - guess I'll be wearing the faithful black swimsuit again and hiding in the shade :-(

    love the website and the app on my phone and faithfully record everything.

    any suggestions to keep me going ??

    thank you for reading this. x :flowerforyou:




    Maybe your workout is not challenging you enough. You should try Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred, I have seen so many people start it and succeed in losing weight, and I just started it the day before yesterday. I feel really good after my workout and it motivates me to keep going. Please feel free to add me as a friend. :happy:
  • Espressocycle
    Espressocycle Posts: 2,245 Member
    Eiter you are underestimating portions (one downside of avoiding packaged foods!) or your metabolism is just lower than average and thus lower than MFP settings assume. Try changing your settings to 2 lbs a a week and see what happens.
  • fithealth4me
    fithealth4me Posts: 22 Member
    Please dont give up! You can make it! It will work for you!!!!!!!! Stay focus and dont let the little people win!!!!!
  • try to remember why you joined this site and decided to try to loose weight in the first place. you weren't happy and wanted a change, so giving up and going back to what you did before isn't the answer. you weren't happy then, you wont be happy now,

    instead I offer the suggestion to try something new, if what you are doing isn't working, try switching it up, try a new exercise, try changing the frequency or the intensity of your workouts, try eating different foods to see if that helps the pounds come off.

    giving up and being unhappy cant sound more appealing then trying something new that may help you feel better. I know we have all wanted to throw in the towel but we all eventually come back for more, because deep down we all know trying and failing is easier to live with then never trying at all!

    dont give up on your yourself, just give up on what is not working and try something new/different we are all rooting for you!
  • beth40n2
    beth40n2 Posts: 233 Member
    You have not been on that long yet, and the exercise you are doing may be building muscle. Take your measurements and keep an eye on them. You may be having some NSV (non scale victories)!
  • deeshear
    deeshear Posts: 4
    Denise...I know how you feel. I have battled with weight my entire life...a chubby little girl...a plump teenager, lost and gained weight all of my child bearing years and now a very hefty grandmother. In Jan I had the big scare...thought I was having a heart attack...it wasn't but thru all the test and meds found out I did have elevated blood pressure and 30% blockage of 2 small arteries. So I got to work and found a great program that works for me. I started on Feb 15th and have lost 16 lbs and 25 inches. God has been my inspiration and my strength. You see, I was a drug addict for a very long time...God healed me of that addiction and now He has healed me of my food addiction.

    God bless you and I will be praying for you.
  • newday332
    newday332 Posts: 54 Member
    No no no don't give up! I've been stalled for 3 weeks and have no intention of tossing it in. You are definitely on the right path. Have some more patience please.....hang in there.
  • Well said ^
  • I had that same problem, but when I increased my water intake to where it should be each day, things started working out.

    I also started monitoring a lot more than just calories, carbs, and fat. I now look daily at my fiber, protein, sugar, sodium, and other vitamins and nutrients, make sure that I'm getting the right sleep, and just pushing through every single day regardless of what the scale says.

    I have actually had to hide my scale for a few weeks before and just keep doing what I was doing, trusting that the scale would ultimately reflect it. It could also be that your body is at a weight that it has trained itself to be your new "normal." I'm obviously not a doctor, but I know that's often why we plateau, and you have to make changes (even things as strange sounding as a higher caloric intake sometimes) in order to get things kick started again.

    Please hang in there! You can do it! Feel free to message me or add me for some extra support!
  • darrensurrey
    darrensurrey Posts: 3,942 Member
    Don't give up! Open up your diary or post up today's food intake in this thread.