Frustration and loss of motivation
Replies
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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!
I really like that idea! Being a scientist, I like being able to measure things, and that sounds like a great way to make and focus on goals.0 -
this is my problem too, although I have no thyroid gland... have you ever had your thryoid checked? I am not being weird here- its acually one of the most common and yet undiagnosed problems among women in the US. sure would hurt to get check, and look into it.. google low thryoid.... My gyno said he's been trying for years to work that into yearly care procedures for women over 30.0
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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.
I really need to think about it more like that because I was seeing improvements with my knee when I was doing 30DS. Actually, it's still improving. When it swells, it's not as painful or immobile as it used to be. I really wish I had thought about it like that earlier. Maybe seeing what people have been posting was what I needed after all.
Thank you!0 -
I have to say, I've been told that weightloss is 80% your food intake and 20% exercise. Using a scale to weigh food, making sure you are logging portions correctly, and eating better food choices (non processed foods) are all going to impact you largely. Don't give up. It's easy to get discouraged and decide to throw in the towl...don't let yourself do it. You say you are a goal oriented person. WELL, why not make yourself some mini-goals and strive to reach those?? I find it's easier to motivate myself when my next goal isn't 50 pounds, but rather 5 or 10. It makes me work harder, because it seems so much more attainable.
Best of luck to you. 0 -
i suggest THROW YOUR SCALE AWAY!! the scale is your worst enemy. not only does muscle weigh more, but when the scale doesnt budge look what it does to us !?!? we go nuts, obsessed over a number that haunts us all day and night. we live, eat, breathe our weight. just let the number go ... keep doing what you are doing. i think you are doing a great job. dont give up if you see smaller results then you expected, they are still results in the right direction. EVERY STEP COUNTS !! and 16 pounds is EXCELLENT !! i say get out the measuring tape and do it that way. inches lost is better in my mind. Good Luck!!0
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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!
I set a goal of 1500 calories per day and I almost always manage to eat back my calories, with a few exceptions. I guess I might still be looking for that happy medium. I've been trying to read up on dieting and weight loss as much as possible. So far, the Mayo Clinic has had the best information and that's where I got the 1500 calories from.
I've also been having a lot of fluctuations with my weight, and that's what REALLY driving me up the wall. I think that more than anything has lead to so much discouragement.
I'm under specialist weight management within the NHS. I'm 240lbs and I eat 1500 per day. My dietitians says NOT to eat exercise calories back (until I'm closer to goal). Just to eat a couple of hundred if I'm hungry enough for them. It worked really well for me. Working out 5-6 days a week and eating 1500 had me loosing 2-3lb a week. Maybe try this? Apparantly its safer to have bigger deficits when your quite overweight. I was dubious about this info so have had 3 dietitians confirm it. Worth a try I reckon. X0 -
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.
See. I was actually thinking about buying a food scale myself! I think I just might do that now because I have a problem with portion size myself.
If your not weighing out you could be eating hundreds and hundreds more than you think. They are £4 on ebay for digital ones and a great investment! X0 -
I have been here for over at year, time, lots of time....yes, I yo-yo sometimes, yes, I have plateaued more times than I want to count. I can't exercise too much because I have MS....BUT still 60 lbs gone!!!
It will work but it's NOT a quick fix....and as others have said less processed foods help, lower sodium helps me personally and I haven't been doing well with that as of late, measure everything, I was shocked when I first started at what 1 cup of cereal looks like! Open your diary, most of the people here are great with advice on your eating .....(don't take anything too personally because a few have been rude) but it was worth opening my diary for all the great tips!0 -
I am confused - 1st you state you haven't eaten any sugar and now binging on chocolate. I totally get the binging in chocolate, but don't you think that binging might be a downfall? Unfortunately, it sounds like you are relying on food to help your pain. I get that too. However, this might be part of the reason for being overweight and not being able to stick to a healthy regiment. This is a LIFE LONG JOURNEY. Slow and steady! Yes frustrating, yes oftentimes dissapointing, but you also have to be honest with yourself as well. It sounds like you are pigging out and then whining that you don't understand why you are not losing....0
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It sounds to me like you're losing weight the RIGHT way. I feel like too many people think losing weight is easy and that you should be dropping 20 pounds a month like they do on TV or in the commercials.
Slow, steady, and sustainable weight loss is probably healthier for you anyway. 16 pounds in 4 months is actually fantastic in my opinion. Just think of how many people have been sitting around gaining weight while you're out improving yourself and your body.
Congrats on the success and keep it up!0 -
You've gotten a lot of good advice here.
You can do this, you just need to keep working at it.
Remember plateau's are EVERYONE'S nightmare.
You might want to think of this a a really tough class.
You either have to work through it - or you will have to repeat it.
You don't want to repeat it. :-)
Wishing you the best from Minnesota0 -
Dont get discouraged. Im looking at your ticker and looking at mine. You've lost 16 lbs. Thats Great!! I love to be there. just keep at it. Everyone loses weight at a different pace. Which i have to keep telling myself as well. Im very busy so a lot of my food choices are not good. thats what i have to work on. I come on MFP for support. the fact that you are frustrated just shows your determination. Keep up the good work!:flowerforyou:0
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I usely dont post on here, but I read this forum daily for inspiration. I to have been fustrated more then once, and was ready to throw in the towl. A dear friend of mine told me recently to think of it this way, " 16 pounds is the equlivent of 2 gallons of water.So... carry around 2 gallons of water around with you all day long and see how tired you get.. " .. made me think... hmmm 16pounds is a lot, I Still have a LONG way to go. but cant wait to get rid of this 12 gallons of water im carrying around now..LOL....; Keep up the good work...0
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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.
I have a friend who is on MFP and has lost 76 lbs in 10 months. She sets small goals for herself and rewards herself once she meets those goals. Her rewards are things like a pedicure or a facial. She rewards herself with things other than food. She plans to rent an exotic car for the day when she reaches her 100 lb mark.
The exotic car is right up my alley!! I think I'm gonna make that my 50lb goal!0 -
I swear I am in the same boat as you are. I can write this same email word for word...I have started watching what I eat and exercising in January and I am not seeing the results that I thought that I would have achieved by now.
But please, please, please hang in there...keep up your good work. It will eventually click and happen...that is what I keep telling myself. I will send a friend request and perhaps we can muddle through this together.
That would be awesome!0 -
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!
I set a goal of 1500 calories per day and I almost always manage to eat back my calories, with a few exceptions. I guess I might still be looking for that happy medium. I've been trying to read up on dieting and weight loss as much as possible. So far, the Mayo Clinic has had the best information and that's where I got the 1500 calories from.
I've also been having a lot of fluctuations with my weight, and that's what REALLY driving me up the wall. I think that more than anything has lead to so much discouragement.
I'm under specialist weight management within the NHS. I'm 240lbs and I eat 1500 per day. My dietitians says NOT to eat exercise calories back (until I'm closer to goal). Just to eat a couple of hundred if I'm hungry enough for them. It worked really well for me. Working out 5-6 days a week and eating 1500 had me loosing 2-3lb a week. Maybe try this? Apparantly its safer to have bigger deficits when your quite overweight. I was dubious about this info so have had 3 dietitians confirm it. Worth a try I reckon. X
That's what I read on the Mayo Clinic website. I'm trying to do that, but sometimes I just eat like hell during the day so I'm working out to fix it by the end of the night. Maybe that's my problem...?0 -
I am confused - 1st you state you haven't eaten any sugar and now binging on chocolate. I totally get the binging in chocolate, but don't you think that binging might be a downfall? Unfortunately, it sounds like you are relying on food to help your pain. I get that too. However, this might be part of the reason for being overweight and not being able to stick to a healthy regiment. This is a LIFE LONG JOURNEY. Slow and steady! Yes frustrating, yes oftentimes dissapointing, but you also have to be honest with yourself as well. It sounds like you are pigging out and then whining that you don't understand why you are not losing....
Yes, food is my coping mechanism, but as of late, I've been seeing a therapist about it and that's helped. She's shown me better ways of coping, but when you lose a friend suddenly, that all gets lost for a time. I binged for 3 days straight after I found out but after that binging, I headed straight back to the gym and I've been going for the past few days straight. That's helped me cope even more, and I'm actually happier when I walk out of the gym than when I walked in.
The 40 days thing was for Lent, BTW.0 -
You've gotten a lot of good advice here.
You can do this, you just need to keep working at it.
Remember plateau's are EVERYONE'S nightmare.
You might want to think of this a a really tough class.
You either have to work through it - or you will have to repeat it.
You don't want to repeat it. :-)
Wishing you the best from Minnesota
LOL! It's like my Intermediate Meteorology class that I'm taking right now. It's a B***H of a class, and the last thing I wanna do is retake it, so I'm studying like it's going out of style, sometimes staying up till 5am to get things done. That's actually a great way of thinking about losing weight.
Thanks for the insight!0 -
Totally in the same boat - 16 lbs in almost 4 months. It is frustrating to not see the results right away - I'm addicted to instant gratification. But like others have said, I have to stop thinking about only the weight. I'm down a pant size, I can go up stairs and not get as out of breath, my knees don't hurt quite as much as before, and I generally just feel better because I'm taking care of myself for a change. I'm trying to take this as a lesson in patience. The days are going to pass anyway, so each one can (slowly) get me closer to my goal or further away from it. Don't give up, we'll get there eventually! Think tortoise and hare or something like that
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Great reply helenoftroy01!! :flowerforyou:0
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bump I am a lot older than you, but I do share your past and present experiences. I have kept a personal journal for the last 30 yrs. I would put everything but my weight in it?. Now I plan my meals at least 3 days in advance and in a pinch I grab frozen cut up chicken and mix it in with some vegs to stir fry .Qt. size freezer bags with 1/2 lb chicken feeds me and my hungry husband RECIPES...RECIPES..You must re-do all of the old ones..Journal your mood, your weight, your meals in a written journal then go back and put the lost weight days in RED PEN...I do that with personal prayer request also. If you want you may friend me. I love MFP.0
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The best way to lose weight and keep it off is 05 to 1 lb per week. 16 lbs in 4 weeks is closer to 1 per week. Nothing wrong with that. Pick up 16 lbs of something. Then you'll see how much it really is. We all want to lose fast. Especially those of us with a lot to lose but lose it fast and put it back on faster. Slow and steady is the best way.0
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Thank you so much for this piece of advice. I'm the type, that if I don't see instant results, I give up or make excuses. But if I focus on reaching goals that are not related to the results on the scale, THAT is something that is compleltely under my control.0
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I totally feel you! I;ve been doing this hard core since Jan and I've only lost 4lbs! I think I'm going to throw out the scale as all its doing is frustarting me!0
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Sometimes all it takes is mixing up your workouts and eating a little more calories (the good kinds, not the bad ones) and then your body will start to be challenged again. Sometimes your body stops producing because it's used to the workouts. I know that was the case for me for a while.
Trust me, I'm exactly like you when it comes to wanting things to happen fast, especially if I see them happening to other people who aren't putting in the work I am. You just have to trust that you are making the healthy choices for you, and that your body will do what you're wanting it to.
Keep your head up!0 -
CONGRATULATIONS ON THE 16 POUNDS LOST!
Imagine, in 4 more months it will be 32 then 64...
You are in this for the long haul and its really hard to keep up the exercise and lose the weight. It hard to choose a different way to live and eat and 1 pound a week is the way to do this and keep the weight off for life.
Just think, the time will pass anyway and in 24 months you'll be fitter than you ever though you could be and healthier because of the new way you eat and more confident not because of how you look but because you would have done this thing you never thought you could do one week at a time.0 -
Omg, reading your post was like reading about myself! Ive been with MFP for 5 months and the same thing has happend i try sooo hard, eating 1200 calories a day walking, hiking, 30 day shred and only 12 pounds lost i have all but given up in the passed 2 weeks. I am 48 years old last week i went for some test to see if i had any medical problems for why im not lossing weight but the test came back all normal. I know this was not motavating im sorry. I know your frustation. Can i friend you mabe we can help each other.0
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I’m not trying to be mean, but your diet isn’t very healthy…, at all. It’s not about staying under a certain caloric number, it’s about living healthy. Sorry…0
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I’m not trying to be mean, but your diet isn’t very healthy…, at all. It’s not about staying under a certain caloric number, it’s about living healthy. Sorry…
I was thinking the same thing and was wondering if anyone else had taken a look before replying. OP, you are doing well staying in your calories but pay attention to WHAT you are eating as well. I just see a lot of chocolate, pop tarts, pastries, lattes, chips, cookies, fried food, fast food, etc. No fruits or vegetables. There is nothing wrong with eating the things in your diary, but it shouldn't be what your total diet consists of. I highly recommend replacing some of your meals and snacks with fruits, vegetables, yogurts, proteins, etc. Good luck0
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