Stayin Motivated is hard

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tcombs0727
tcombs0727 Posts: 1
in Introduce Yourself
I have been working out for 4 weeks, Cardio atleast 30 minutes a day if not more. I have only lost 4 pounds. I weigh 158 my goal is 138, I don't understand how I can only loose this much. Everyone at my job lost more than me and hasn't been working out. I work out some days 2 times a day for 30 minutes. Doing Jillian, Billy Blanks, treadmill, Eliptical, bike.... IM READY TO GIVE UP.. I even gave up soda which is my favorite. WHAT AM I DOING WRONG..

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  • msdoan
    msdoan Posts: 42 Member
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    You have lost an average of 1 lb a week-you aren't doing anything wrong. This is a marathon, not a sprint. :flowerforyou:
  • Lspike92
    Lspike92 Posts: 20
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    It doesnt sound like you are doing anything wrong. A pound a week is pretty average. Good job (:
  • sweebum
    sweebum Posts: 1,060 Member
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    Well, you probably shocked the crap out of your body starting everything at the same time. You also seem to be eating too little. Have you got things set to 2lbs a week? You're 20 lbs of your goal, you'd do best to set a less aggressive goal. Say a lb a week, and eat more than 1000 calories a day:wink: And you're losing a lb a week, perfectly acceptable.
  • Allihexen
    Allihexen Posts: 111 Member
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    It doesn't have to deal with just working out, but your calories as well as your body type. I've been on a new diet and exercise routine since January. I've only lost nine pounds.
  • toomanycurves
    toomanycurves Posts: 110 Member
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    Don't give up. Some people (like me) lose weight slowly at the beginning. You're doing a good mix of cardio/weight work. Let your weight come off at its own pace and you will have a better chance of keeping it off for good.
  • yo_andi
    yo_andi Posts: 2,178 Member
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    A pound a week is nothing to laugh at! Don't give up. You're worth so much more than that.
  • jkvarley
    jkvarley Posts: 1
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    It does work to reduce your calories, track your calories and exercise. It's not fun but when you see yourself losing any amount of weight, you'll be glad you are sticking with it.
  • bshear13
    bshear13 Posts: 2
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    i have been at this for 6 weeks now and only lost 2 lbs. i have been told that all the walking, eliptical, Tae Bo, etc is adding muscle which weighs more than fat - so while it seems you arent losing weight - you are toning and possibly losing inches. i have lost 1/2" off my waist and hips and my weight fluctuates up and down 2 pounds. i am frustrated too and find it hard to stay motivated - but i keep telling myself to keep going! it has to pay off eventually!:smile:
  • phinphanbill26
    phinphanbill26 Posts: 574 Member
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    Sounds like your body is going into starvation mode. Not enough calories in results in the body storing for the worst. It sounds wrong, but, you have to eat to lose. Just eat right!
  • the_green_midget
    the_green_midget Posts: 80 Member
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    1lb/week is a perfectly healthy rate at which to lose weight. Much more than that, and it probably won't stay off. There are many factors that come into play as well... are you measuring yourself? If you're working out a lot more than you used to, you could be gaining muscle mass and losing fat. You should see if you're losing inches as well. Finally, compared to some people, 20 lbs from your goal weight isn't all that much and weight seems to come off faster when you have a whole lot more to lose, which might be why your coworkers are losing faster. Also, if they aren't working out, then they're losing fat and muscle, while you're gaining muscle.

    Hang in there! If you stick to it, those pounds will keep falling off and before you know it, you'll be at your goal weight. Heck, with 4 lbs per month, it should be gone in 5 months, which isn't all that long in the grand scheme of things!
  • AlichiaMJohnson73
    AlichiaMJohnson73 Posts: 186 Member
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    1st off "DON'T GIVE UP"...
    Slow and steady...the TURTLE won the race!
    You don't want to over due it...keep up with the exercising and you'll see it paying off. Watch your sodium intake. Sometimes sodium is hidden in some of the foods we eat and can be the culprit!
    I'm still going to applaud you on your efforts and your weight loss...4lbs down is way better than 4lbs up!:flowerforyou:
  • IslandDer
    IslandDer Posts: 27
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    I started similarly, last October, just exercising (cardio and strength training), and, by Christmas, I'd lost a whopping 6 lb! In January, I decided to take a serious look at my eating habits and started tracking calories. Since then, I've steadily lost 1 lb per week and I'm down almost 25 lb now. I'm using the data provided by MFP - net calories per day is 1580 and I do eat most of my exercise calories. Exercise alone won't do it (not fast, anyways) - in particular, cardio alone won't do it. Dieting alone will do it (as long as you're willing to keep "dieting" once you reach your goal - you can't go back to old habits). I've changed how I eat (it's not a "diet" and it's something I can live with forever - complete with birthday cake if that's what's happening!) and exercise almost daily and I know I'll be able to maintain my new weight when I get there in about 5 more lb!
  • Minkyru
    Minkyru Posts: 3
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    Although it seems like a contradiction you do have to eat more calories. To maintain a weight my doctor told me that a person needs to take in 100 calories for every body pound. So a person who weighs 120 pounds would need to take in 1200 calories just to maintain that body weight. So if you are wanting to lose weight it is obvious you would have to lower your calorie intake. However if the calorie intake is too small then your body will go into stavation mode and at that point the body holds onto every calorie and shuts down so you will not have any weight loss. Along with eating enough calories you have to account for the amount of calories burned during your work outs. Not saying you have to replace say 600 calories burned with 600 calories food but if your burining too many calories and not taking enough in it will do more "damage" than good. I use my husband's heart rate monitor, and use it everyday. I calculated what my Resting HR is and then calculated what my 50%, 65% etc is and make sure to get my heart rate up into that "Fat Burning" mode.
    Good luck in your journey!!
  • kellybean14
    kellybean14 Posts: 237 Member
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    I love that you do Tae Bo with Billy Blanks. He's my hero.
  • tiguer
    tiguer Posts: 37 Member
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    I'm hardly an expert at this but I agree, you need more calories. Also - I have found that I can really bulk up my meals without adding many calories by adding veggies to my meals. I buy a big tub of organic spring mix greens at Sam's and use it for salads, I put it on meat and cheese sandwiches, and even blend some of the spinach in my smoothies for breakfast. I keep baby carrots and fresh veggies on hand for snacks too. I'm a huge fan of getting in 5 servings of veggies each day - it seems to really help.

    If I have a rough day where I have indulged and feel guitly for it - I try to really push extra water...it seems to help!
  • ImaKnitter67
    ImaKnitter67 Posts: 42
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    It's a complete lifestyle change, not a diet. You will become more and more in touch with your own body as this fitness plan for life becomes a habit. As to how to stay motivated - motivated to live? We are all motivated to live - you just need to add one word to that, "Healthy"! You can do it. Specifically, you might want to change out one day of cardio for strength work/lifting. As you go along, there will be slowdowns. At those points, change up something! You could eat more, change exercises, whatever seems right to you at the time. Just keep your calories between your BMR and your TDEE, pay attention to your body, stay hydrated, relax and enjoy your new healthier life! Good luck and come here for motivation.

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