Slow Losses...

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13

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  • GabrielleZelda
    GabrielleZelda Posts: 190 Member
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    My trainer would always tell me, the slower the weight loss, the more consistent you are, the easier it will be to keep it off. You are probably gaining muscle at the expense of fat as well, so that will play a huge role in the numbers on the scale.

    I lost 70 pounds in about 2 1/2 years, at about the same rate you are losing now.

    Really though, how do you feel? How much energy do you have? How is your appetite? Are you noticing changes in your body? How are your clothes fitting? How have your measurements changed?
    These are the things you need to be thinking about and not the number ont he scale :). It's really just a stinking number that no one seens but you. So I threw mine right our the window!

    Good luck!!
    Gabrielle
  • faithstephenson
    faithstephenson Posts: 280 Member
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    My loss has taken me 2 1/2 years. It ends up being about 3/4 lb/week. But it doesn't come off that steadily. I'll go weeks where I am losing steadily, then not at all for weeks. But I know I am doing the right things, I just have to stay with it. Considering my past track record, I could have put on another 50-100 pounds in that time if I hadn't really committed. I've taken a couple breaks from tracking, and only gained a few pounds (less than 10) each time. That tells me that I'm really making this a lifestyle. And that's what's going to keep me healthy.
  • mamasyd
    mamasyd Posts: 80 Member
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    My weight loss journey started in October of 2008 and I reached my goal on March 23, 2012. There was a season during that time in which I lost nothing at all - for almost a year - but I did maintain what I had lost to that point. (There were some serious heart issues involved.) I picked it back up again in April of 2010, so the bulk of the weight loss took almost two full years. I didn't gain the weight in a short period of time and knew it would be a marathon venture. My goal was to lose only 2-3 pounds a week (and when you start at 385 pounds that is nothing!). The key is to keep going - not to look for 'instant results', but to work for permanent change.
  • MicheleTh
    MicheleTh Posts: 31 Member
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    Seems like I see topics and blog posts all the time along the lines of "70lbs down in 7 months!" or "1 year and 80 lbs later". While I'm THRILLED for these people, and I'm SURE they've been working harder/more consistently than I have I, I can't help but feel a little bummed out. I've been on MFP and trying to be more serious about my health since about April 2011 - so just over a year - and I'm down 22 lbs.

    I love that I've been able to not only take that off but KEEP it off (this is the lowest weight I've been since college), but I still need/want to lose another 30ish (that would put me in the middle of my healthy BMI range). I guess I just want to hear that I'm not the only one losing slowly... :P

    You are definitely not alone. I did p90x a year ago and followed the lean version and food plan for 2 weeks shy of the 3 months. This is when I gave up since I didn't loose any weight - not a pound. I got discouraged and cut way back on my exercise and tried the 17 day diet where I lost 10 pounds and then stopped. Frustrated again, I stopped tracking my food and quit my exercise. Thankfully I kept most of the 10 pounds off.

    I had decided in February that I was going to try again to feel better about myself and not be embarrassed to be in photos with my little girls. 6 weeks later and just finally seeing the scale drop. I am thankful for some advice I got from a trainer on MVP. I was eating too many calories. My body needed more of a deficit to loose. Of course I was trying to eat less than 1200 at some points which added some weight even with exercise. So, my magic number seems to be 1200 a day with a 30 min workout. I am trying to remember that this can be a slow journey to the finish line, but my self esteem and my family are worth the journey no matter how long it takes.

    Feel great that you have done 22 pounds. Awesome!!! Just keep at it.
  • iysys
    iysys Posts: 524
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    i lost my first 40 pounds in 4 months. then gained 10 of it back over the holidays. since the first of the year i've lost that 10 and 10 more. i've been stagnant for about a month now. seems slow to me i'll still take it. last night i decided i'll put the scale away. keep eating right. keep working on my fitness goals. in a month i will weigh myself again and see what happens.
  • Brianabomb
    Brianabomb Posts: 87 Member
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    WOW! Its so good to hear from so many people with the same stuff happening to them. I started at the end of Jan this year and have lost 16 lbs. That was in the 1st 2 months. since April, NOTHING!!! It is so very discouraging but reading other peoples outlooks are making me realize alot. It is very helpful. I WON'T give up.
  • Peppychristian
    Peppychristian Posts: 157 Member
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    I was spoiled at the beginning because I would lose 3 or 4 lbs a week and then I stopped. Now I am continuing to lose but it is only a pound or two every couple of weeks. I know I don't hit is hard as some but I am still living my life and the changes I have made are completely doable in the long term (I still have dessert and eat out from time to time). As you said in your post, you are keeping off the weight. I don't know how many people I have heard talk about losing large amounts of weight quickly but they usually put it back on.
  • caramel1920
    caramel1920 Posts: 271
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    :flowerforyou: I see so many of you who are so awesome, at least you've lost weight! Look at my ticker, I lose, I gain. I've been here since August of 2011 and WW before that! It can be extremely discouraging, but I will say this. I went to a conference this year and had all kinds of energy, stayed out late, walked around a lot and had an absolute blast! Last year at the same conference, I had no energy, was in the bed by 7pm every night, exhausted. So I think that I am doing something right! Also at my yearly checkup, I had a clean bill of health, the only thing wrong with me is my "extra padding" as I call it! I want it OFF but I think the most important thing for me to remember is I'm trying to stay healthy, no matter how much I just want to be overweight, instead of OBESE, my health is the most important! I don't know if I was giving you a pep talk or me but anyway, you're doing amazing, keep it up, don't be discouraged, we've got your back!:happy:
  • peggymenard
    peggymenard Posts: 246 Member
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    Darlings,

    Do not give up. I am a slow loser too! Try to find OTHER ways to know you are making progress. Are you stronger? Are you breathing better? Are your clothes fitting differently? I have been here for six months and only lost 25 lbs BUT people have started (this week only) making comments about how different I look. I get stuck for weeks and weeks at the same weight or bouncing back and forth and then one week it will go down 2-3 lbs. One post I read said to count weight loss my the MONTH not even by the week because of fluctuations. You can totally do this!! Think TURTLE not HARE!!! Much love to you all!!!


    Meg

    Love your post and love your name!!!:)
  • rcharlee
    rcharlee Posts: 182 Member
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    I know that exact feeling. I've pretty much stopped looking at other's success stories, since all it's doing is making me feel bad about my slow progress.

    Today I looked at my reports for the last 30 days, and went into WTF mode. I've exercised 29 out of 30 days, ate well for 29 out of 30 days (I had a cheat day), and I'm only down 2.6lbs in those 30 days. I set myself for a loss of 1lb a week, so that 2.6 annoyed me.

    I'm not going to blab about, "it didn't take you overnight to gain, so it's not going to come off overnight." Statements like that aren't helpful, they're just annoying. We all know this!

    Just know that you aren't alone, and eventually (which may seem like forever) we'll get to that goal. Slowly, but we'll get that freakin goal!
  • cpiton
    cpiton Posts: 380 Member
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    Same here. Though I've exercised (mostly cardio/light strength) for years, I've been working on my diet since late Dec. and challenging myself with serious exercise since February. You can see my ticker. Not many lbs lost. But I've lost inches, bf%, and one pants size. I can do a 5 minute plank where I could barely hold 20 sec in February. I have gained muscles, strength, and endurance from weightlifting. I can walk up a steep hill fast without always needing my asthma inhaler and now I can run, too! All in just over 4-5 months.

    Also, I consider what I would have gained had I continued on my old path. If it was a pound of fat a month, then I didn't just lose 13. I lost 13+the 5 lbs I didn't gain. Not bad :glasses:
  • shan_0517
    shan_0517 Posts: 88 Member
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    Ive been VERY discouraged with the slowness.. 7 lbs in 65 days! :( I sure hope it gets easier to deal with this. It does help to know that I'm not the only one out there! I too waqs beginning to feel like its just too late. Feels like Im definitley not doing something right.
  • Joeyje3
    Joeyje3 Posts: 58 Member
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    Mine is very slow as well, I'm 45 and it seems to go down then back up.. Mid 40's are hard! Not like it was in my 20's or even 30's. I did ok with WW last fall lost 12 lbs from Sept 2011 to Dec 2011 (until the Holidays) Then put it all back on except for 2 lbs. Now it's very slowly going down again less than 1 lb a week (on average). But a loss is still better than a gain. I'm glad to hear we're not alone. My problem is trying to stick with a program for more than 4 months. Good luck to everyone! WE CAN DO THIS!:ohwell: :happy:
  • mcginger1
    mcginger1 Posts: 128 Member
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    I am very curious whether my fellow posters on this thread are following the MFP baseline calorie allowance, or using their BMRs? I started with the MFP baseline (1,200) and didn't lose anything. I bumped my basic daily calorie goals up to my BMR (1,500) and lost a couple pounds, but adjusted it after the loss (1,450) and am now stagnant. Wondering if I should go back up? Anyone have thoughts on this?
  • stryke3
    stryke3 Posts: 5 Member
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    While the loss is slow and frustrating, these posts have been encouraging. Makes me feel that other people are going through the same thing. Just keep at it.
  • PrfctGdess
    PrfctGdess Posts: 257
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    You guys rock. :heart: Yes, I know it can take time to come off, and I'm OK with that...I was just starting to wonder if I was the ONLY one out there who had to wait longer for it to come off? LOL

    Yes, I have a lot more energy, I feel stronger, and my endurance is better. I DO take measurements too, and I HAVE gone down, but even that is annoying. I've lost 9.5 inches (2.5 off my chest, 5 off my waist, and 2 off my hips) and still can't really go down a pants size. My 16s FALL off my waist, but 14s don't seem to fit. :grumble:
    I am very curious whether my fellow posters on this thread are following the MFP baseline calorie allowance, or using their BMRs? I started with the MFP baseline (1,200) and didn't lose anything. I bumped my basic daily calorie goals up to my BMR (1,500) and lost a couple pounds, but adjusted it after the loss (1,450) and am now stagnant. Wondering if I should go back up? Anyone have thoughts on this?

    I've been wondering/starting to play with this as well. If I let MFP set my baseline, I should be around 1350, but that's what it said 20+ lbs ago too, and I KNOW I'm in better shape (and probably burning more efficiently) now. I just bumped it up to 1500 to see what that does, since I've gotten into working out more again.
  • PrfctGdess
    PrfctGdess Posts: 257
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    While the loss is slow and frustrating, these posts have been encouraging. Makes me feel that other people are going through the same thing. Just keep at it.

    Exactly. :smile: And exactly what I needed, so thanks :flowerforyou:
  • brendacs21
    brendacs21 Posts: 180 Member
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    slow loser here. I started just after 4th of july 2011, ive lost 26 lbs. to be fair i will say i didnt try to lose fall and winter , only maintain. i vowed not to gain during the holidays. I started off great losing week after week. when i started again in the spring i thought id be losing fast and i didnt , its been painful to see the results on the scale but i havent given up! im about 17 lbs from a healthy weight for my height and i havent determined what my goal is.
  • brittanylock09
    brittanylock09 Posts: 197 Member
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    I've been on here since February 11th and I've only lost 11 pounds. So really slow for me. But I can't be that active b/c of leg and back problems. So, I know how tough it is to never see the scale move.
  • buckeye86
    buckeye86 Posts: 128 Member
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    My almost 69 lb loss has been since Dec 2010. Sometimes it feels like things aren't moving until I look a few months before and realize they definitely still are. I know if I made an instant drastic change I personally wouldn't be able to maintain. I lost 35 lbs in 3 months when I was 17, and let's just say I wish I'd only gained 35 back. Plus, even losing this slowly, my skin isn't quite keeping up with me- I don't want to even think about what it'd look like if I'd lost it all in a few months! I have 8-10 ish more to go, which I know will be way more difficult- but after all this, I KNOW I can accomplish whatever I want. You are doing great and don't let the time it takes get to you because you're accomplishing your goals at your pace and if you keep doing what you've learned over time, you will be able to maintain.

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