Frustration and loss of motivation

wxchaser · April 2012

I've been on MFP for over 4 months now, and I feel like nothing I do is working. I've been working out a whole lot more. I've changed my diet. I've even bought DVD's of all kinds in hopes of losing a few extra pounds. Most recently I tried 30 Day Shred. After 2 weeks, NOTHING had changed. I hadn't lost any weight or inches, so I gave it up in favor of the gym.

I'm still feeling quite discouraged because I feel like no matter how much effort I put into this, I can't seem to get any results. 16lbs in 4 months...? Yes, it's about 4lbs a month, but I was really hoping to get more out of all this. I just don't understand what's going on.

I'm sick of being over 200lbs with my knee constantly bothering me because I'm so overweight, but I just feel like no matter how much I work out or how much I change my diet, nothing's happening. It's very hard for someone like me because I'm so goal oriented and if I'm not seeing results, I tend to give up.

I don't know what to do. I guess what I'm really looking for is some motivation. Please, anything will help. I'm just so sick of feeling like this and I desperately want to lose the weight.

tlowden1 · April 2012

I completely understand the frustration , and I'm on the same level as you right now. We just have to keep in mind that it didn't take over night to get to the weight that we are, and it's not going to take a short time to lose it.

My personal trainer said that in order to appreciate getting to level 10(the weight loss) we first have to go through the struggles of level 1 first. Take a deep breath, and just keep going. Keep your exercise going, and do some weight training to gain muscle so that you are constantly burning calories.

If you are working out and trying to eat better, the weight will eventually come off. It's a long road, but it will be worth it in the end. I'm right here with you, and I know we BOTH can do it!!!

violabeatle · April 2012

You are doing really well! No matter what your goals are, you are down 16 lbs from where you started, and that is an achievement in itself.

Just remember, if you stay focused you CAN and WILL keep going. It may help you to set up a reward system with mini goals and a corresponding reward every 10 lbs or so to keep yourself motivated. Since you are a goal-oriented person, it will give you checkpoins along the way to your ultimate goal.

I know you can do it. Be strong!

wxchaser · April 2012

I completely understand the frustration , and I'm on the same level as you right now. We just have to keep in mind that it didn't take over night to get to the weight that we are, and it's not going to take a short time to lose it.

My personal trainer said that in order to appreciate getting to level 10(the weight loss) we first have to go through the struggles of level 1 first. Take a deep breath, and just keep going. Keep your exercise going, and do some weight training to gain muscle so that you are constantly burning calories.

If you are working out and trying to eat better, the weight will eventually come off. It's a long road, but it will be worth it in the end. I'm right here with you, and I know we BOTH can do it!!!

Thank you. I needed that.

I know it's hard to do, and I understand that it takes time, I just feel like putting 4 months worth of effort into it, I should have seen a better result. I dunno... My friend told me she plateaued for almost 3 months before she started to lose weight again. Maybe my body's just stuck in a rut. Maybe I just need to make even more better choices.

Don't get me wrong, I have been going to the gym or working out every single day this month because I really do enjoy it. It makes my less reliant on some of the drugs I'm on. It's just that some days, I wonder if it's even worth it to go anymore. Ugh, I hate the struggle more than anything in the world. I just want to be able to see results like I do with the amount of time I spend on my homework. I get A's, but when I work out, I feel like I barely get a D.

wxchaser · April 2012

You are doing really well! No matter what your goals are, you are down 16 lbs from where you started, and that is an achievement in itself.

Just remember, if you stay focused you CAN and WILL keep going. It may help you to set up a reward system with mini goals and a corresponding reward every 10 lbs or so to keep yourself motivated. Since you are a goal-oriented person, it will give you checkpoins along the way to your ultimate goal.

I know you can do it. Be strong!

I have been doing that. I just managed to go 40 days without sweets, and that was a huge accomplishment by itself. I just don't know what the reward would be. I have a goal this month to go to the gym/work out every day, and so far so good. I just really wish I was seeing more results. That's the problem. I feel like I'm not going anywhere.

deksgrl · April 2012

When I get discouraged, I just have to try to think about how bad the alternative is. Choosing a healthier lifestyle is a win, no matter how long it takes. If you try to shift your thinking to additional side effects of getting healthier instead of just weight loss, it is easier to stick with.

gonna_do_it_56 · April 2012

Just stay focussed and remember that what you are doing now is for the rest of your life. So what if it is taking longer than you hoped. Everything I have read on threads say that you are losing well and in the best way. I think you have done marvellously!!!! Keep going!!!!:flowerforyou:

meg7399 · April 2012

How many calories do you eat and do you eat back your exercise calories? Sometimes not eating enough is a problem for some people. Your body really needs to find that happy medium of what calories are the right amount for weight loss and then make sure you eat back your workout calories in order to maintain energy. Some months I lose only a pound or two...but thats a loss and thats good! MFP only recommends losing a pound a week so it sounds like you are right on track!

aim145 · April 2012

Whatever you do don`t give up. You could have gained 16 pounds and be out 32 pounds. My weight is also comimg down extremely slow and because I so often gave up the situation never got better. Take heart and keep climbing. It takes hard work to be an overcomer!

YvonnePtm · April 2012

Don't give up, just remember you are getting healthier along the way. Perhaps you should to to your doctor for a check up as you may have polycystic overies or some other medical condition.

Try sticking to eating healthy and vary your exercise,and walking is pretty good and not hard on the knees. Your body doesn't know what its supposed to do if you keep yo-yo dieting.

What sort of exercise regime have you requested from your trainer at gym?

I also need to lose a lot of weight but am motivated by this site and love seeing everyday if I am within my calorific allowance and it helps me to make sure that I am not over eating and also eating healthy. Didn't eat very well today as feeling very depressed to gorged on coke and carrot cake. :happy:

XXXMinnieXXX · April 2012

Ok I few things I noted from what you wrote...

. Your on medications. Talk to your doctor see if any of the side effects are weight gain. May be making it hard for you. Could possibly change to something else.
. May be worth getting your thyroid checked.
. You work out every day? Your putting your body under a lot of stress if your not having a rest day and this can be detrimental to weight loss.
. Are you eating enough to fuel workouts?
. Try upping protein, lowering carbs... Just broke my 6 month plateau.
. Add a protein shake in after workouts maybe.
.Watch sodium levels.
.Try to not eat much processed foods.

Hope this helps.

Zara x

19kat55 · April 2012

I completely understand the frustration , and I'm on the same level as you right now. We just have to keep in mind that it didn't take over night to get to the weight that we are, and it's not going to take a short time to lose it.

My personal trainer said that in order to appreciate getting to level 10(the weight loss) we first have to go through the struggles of level 1 first. Take a deep breath, and just keep going. Keep your exercise going, and do some weight training to gain muscle so that you are constantly burning calories.

If you are working out and trying to eat better, the weight will eventually come off. It's a long road, but it will be worth it in the end. I'm right here with you, and I know we BOTH can do it!!!

Thank you. I needed that.

I know it's hard to do, and I understand that it takes time, I just feel like putting 4 months worth of effort into it, I should have seen a better result. I dunno... My friend told me she plateaued for almost 3 months before she started to lose weight again. Maybe my body's just stuck in a rut. Maybe I just need to make even more better choices.

Don't get me wrong, I have been going to the gym or working out every single day this month because I really do enjoy it. It makes my less reliant on some of the drugs I'm on. It's just that some days, I wonder if it's even worth it to go anymore. Ugh, I hate the struggle more than anything in the world. I just want to be able to see results like I do with the amount of time I spend on my homework. I get A's, but when I work out, I feel like I barely get a D.

Measure, measure, measure. If you are working out every day you might be gaining muscle. You might be dropping inches, thus looking smaller, even it it doesn't show on the scale. Do not get discouraged, just keep after it. You can do it!

Melaniec78 · April 2012

I've been on MFP for over 4 months now, and I feel like nothing I do is working. I've been working out a whole lot more. I've changed my diet. I've even bought DVD's of all kinds in hopes of losing a few extra pounds. Most recently I tried 30 Day Shred. After 2 weeks, NOTHING had changed. I hadn't lost any weight or inches, so I gave it up in favor of the gym.

I'm still feeling quite discouraged because I feel like no matter how much effort I put into this, I can't seem to get any results. 16lbs in 4 months...? Yes, it's about 4lbs a month, but I was really hoping to get more out of all this. I just don't understand what's going on.

I'm sick of being over 200lbs with my knee constantly bothering me because I'm so overweight, but I just feel like no matter how much I work out or how much I change my diet, nothing's happening. It's very hard for someone like me because I'm so goal oriented and if I'm not seeing results, I tend to give up.

I don't know what to do. I guess what I'm really looking for is some motivation. Please, anything will help. I'm just so sick of feeling like this and I desperately want to lose the weight.

I felt the same recently and had similar posts. I tried the upping the calories thing that people rave about and it made me gain. I tried watching my macro's and sodium and still wasn't losing. So after 2 weeks of being sick and hardly logging I had an epiphany. If I am dieting why am I never hungry? I mean you shouldn't be famished because you are dieting but you should learn your bodies signs and eat when it tells you it is getting hungry. I had borderline diabetes about 30 lbs heavier and if I missed a meal or even ate 30 minutes later than usual I would feel like crap. I got used to eating 6 times a day on South Beach and it worked for me then but unfortunately it got me used to snacking even when I didn't need it.

Anywho after my epiphany the other day I decided to cut out the 100 cal in between meal snacks and cut my dinner by 1/3rd (I was logging and supposedly at 1200 a day before I did that) LOW and BEHOLD I am losing again. 3 lbs in 5 days. And don't jump on me people and say you shouldn't go under 1200 because I am not. I was underlogging. Apparently I have no idea what 6oz of meat really looks like etc. Who knows how much I was eating. I am buying a food scale this weekend and I AM EXCITED NOW!!

Not sure if you are in the same boat but I hope this helps. And any weight loss is good but I know how you feel I give up on stuff if I don't see results I want.

bugtrain · April 2012

Just my opinion,but a pound a week sounds awesome to me! I think you may be expecting too much........it takes time

LeslieMDoyle · April 2012

Sometimes you have to tweak things to get just the right formula. Maybe more protein and fewer carbs. Or maybe MFP set your calories too high or too low. Don't give up just yet. Een though 16 lbs in 4 mos is less than you were hoping/expecting, it IS something. So, don't quit! Even if you only EVER lose 1 pound per week, in a year you'll be down 52 lbs! And that's GREAT!

Personally, I'm drastically reduced my processed foods (anything in a box like cerial, microwaveable meals, etc). And that's working for me right now. But I always suggest watching your sugar and salt, no matter what. And drink lots of water.

Hang in there! You can do this!

jadedone · April 2012

I know the feeling. I am mid plateau right now as well. I have been stuck in the same zone now for a month. I have lost around 1.5 pounds since then.

But the thing is, I told myself I was only willing to make changes I was going to commit to forever.

To bust through my plateau, I went back on that a bit, and added another day of exercise, and I switched my cardio and my strength. We'l see in a month if it helps with the scale.

One thing that helps me is giving myself non-scale goals to focus on. For example 100 pushups challenge, 200 squats challenge, tackling the steep hills in my neighborhood, increasing my walking pace, conquering the rowing machine, doing full pushups....

I can measure all of these things, even when nothing else is moving, and make progress to improved health.

Good luck, and stick with your healthy habits, they will pay off!

helenoftroy1 · April 2012

you know why you are going to keep going at this?....
Because in a years time you don't want to be saying "if only I carried on with I wonder where I'd be now" moan moan moan.

Instead you're going to be like "Oh my gosh, I can not believe what I have achieved in a year, and to think I was almost going to give up?!!!"

That's me, I've just done a year and sure I felt like giving up but I didn't and now I look back and think "you know what I can do anything now if I have just managed to keep at a healthy lifestyle for a year and lose close to 50lbs!"

So that is why you are going to carry on. Because you are worth it and you can do it and will. in time.

You're doing fab!!!!

:flowerforyou:

thrld · April 2012

When my kids were little, they would grow like crazy for 2-3 months, then stop. My sister said they were still growing like crazy, just in ways I couldn't see -- their brains, their circulation system, their organs, etc. etc.

I've been doing 30DS for 3 weeks with no changes. And minimal weight loss. Very minimal. I don't cheat on the nutrition part, either.

My thought is that when I excercise I'm adding muscle. I'm toning up. I'm getting my systems in order.
And when I lose a certain amount weight -- then it will be visible.
At the very least, I'm expecting to find that at the end of the the 30 days, I will be more fit, able to do more, stronger. And I will then use those abilities to do additional excercise, to do more -- to have an active, healthy life. Looking better, fitting into my old jeans -- that's the icing, not the cake. And it will happen, it just may take me a bit longer.

Every step you take gets you closer to your goal. You just can't always see where the path leads.

kevin3344 · April 2012

I've been on MFP for over 4 months now, and I feel like nothing I do is working. I've been working out a whole lot more. I've changed my diet. I've even bought DVD's of all kinds in hopes of losing a few extra pounds. Most recently I tried 30 Day Shred. After 2 weeks, NOTHING had changed. I hadn't lost any weight or inches, so I gave it up in favor of the gym.

I'm still feeling quite discouraged because I feel like no matter how much effort I put into this, I can't seem to get any results. 16lbs in 4 months...? Yes, it's about 4lbs a month, but I was really hoping to get more out of all this. I just don't understand what's going on.

I'm sick of being over 200lbs with my knee constantly bothering me because I'm so overweight, but I just feel like no matter how much I work out or how much I change my diet, nothing's happening. It's very hard for someone like me because I'm so goal oriented and if I'm not seeing results, I tend to give up.

I don't know what to do. I guess what I'm really looking for is some motivation. Please, anything will help. I'm just so sick of feeling like this and I desperately want to lose the weight.

I felt the same recently and had similar posts. I tried the upping the calories thing that people rave about and it made me gain. I tried watching my macro's and sodium and still wasn't losing. So after 2 weeks of being sick and hardly logging I had an epiphany. If I am dieting why am I never hungry? I mean you shouldn't be famished because you are dieting but you should learn your bodies signs and eat when it tells you it is getting hungry. I had borderline diabetes about 30 lbs heavier and if I missed a meal or even ate 30 minutes later than usual I would feel like crap. I got used to eating 6 times a day on South Beach and it worked for me then but unfortunately it got me used to snacking even when I didn't need it.

Anywho after my epiphany the other day I decided to cut out the 100 cal in between meal snacks and cut my dinner by 1/3rd (I was logging and supposedly at 1200 a day before I did that) LOW and BEHOLD I am losing again. 3 lbs in 5 days. And don't jump on me people and say you shouldn't go under 1200 because I am not. I was underlogging. Apparently I have no idea what 6oz of meat really looks like etc. Who knows how much I was eating. I am buying a food scale this weekend and I AM EXCITED NOW!!

Not sure if you are in the same boat but I hope this helps. And any weight loss is good but I know how you feel I give up on stuff if I don't see results I want.

Good points. You'll see a lot of threads like this where the person doesn't know what is going on. Bottom line is, you have to be patient. You stopped 30 DS 2 weeks in because you didn't see results. You know, not everything shows up as a result right away!!! Guaranteed, if you were giving it your all and eating right, you were getting stronger. There's no way you can do a Jillian DVD with planks and squats and not be!!! So let's not say it doesn't work until you've completed the ENTIRE 30 days, and measure at that time. Anyone who has done Level 2 of that DVD has seen measurable results, I'm sure.

Also, I can't see your diary but if you're consistently eating right, and it seems you are, you will start to see progress over time.

Bottom line is, 16 lbs is not bad. Do you know lot of people on this site would take that in a heartbeat? That would mean in 2 years you would be at your goal weight, just doing what you're doing. So I wouldn't say that's bad. Look at the bright side, and just stick with it, because it's more important to be consistent than it is to lose temporary weight.

kuger4119 · April 2012

As others have said, there are a lot of factors that can come into play. Personally, I've reached the point where I am plateauing a bit but part of that is that I've changed my workout routine to add more strength exercises into the mix. My chest and arms are about 1/2" bigger and my waist is slightly smaller but I weigh only 1/2 pound less than two weeks ago. As long as I'm moving slowly in the right direction....I don't care.

Starvation diets are not a good idea in my opinion and the comments telling you to make sure to provide your body with fuel are accurate. You may see a short term increase in weight while your body adjusts to the extra calorie intake, but if you are honest with yourself and work off any extra calories, you will start to see improvements again. The biggest mistake that I see people make is to get discouraged, cheat on their calories a few times and then pretend like it didn't happen. Not saying that you are doing that, but even a single soda in a week adds up to a couple pounds in a year. So, keep up the hard work, EAT and be honest with yourself and good things will happen over time. Also, the comment about resting is valid. I work out 5-7 days per week but some of my best weight loss days are the ones after I've taken a day off.

Finally, make sure that your diet is based on getting a variety of food and not just focused on calories. I have a sister-in-law who lives on soy products and protein shakes and I feel that it is a factor in her horrible metabolism.

NicoleG_86 · April 2012

A pound a week is HEALTHY and awesome! I wish I was losing that. I have lost only a pound and I have been doing this thing for 5 weeks now. My body is just like that though. I don't show any real "results" until I hit the 6 week to 2 month range. Your body might work in the same fashion... but I mean, you ARE losing weight. After all, that is the goal of this thing right?

Try not to think too hard about how much you have lost. It's all about how you feel and you did say that going to the gym has you off some meds so you must be feeling better in some way. :happy: Keep it going. It will all be worth it. 16 pounds is really great, and besides, it wouldn't make sense if you stopped or got frustrated now... your goal was to lose and you are doing that! That's awesome.

Frustration and loss of motivation

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