Working Hard for Nothing!

I feel like Im working hard but not seeing the results I deserve! Im sticking to my calories an working out hard. But my weight is just staying the same! Maybe I should try eating different.. I feel like I eat healthy things. But I guess there is always room for improvement! lol
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Replies

  • meags1985
    meags1985 Posts: 16
    I had one of these days yesterday. I got attacked in my post :tongue:

    But the people who decided to try explain nicely........
    They told me to keep going. Some said it takes up to 3 months for your body to adjust to the "new lifestyle" as it holds onto some of your calories and extra water stored in your muscles. Once your body trusts you are not on a starvation or fad diet, it lets go of all the excess stuff it's been holding onto.

    So I have 2 more months of feeling like this before I see results apparently!!
  • lol thanks. :)
  • agent99oz
    agent99oz Posts: 185 Member
    I started tracking my food and training over 40 days ago - I have lost 2kgs and put it back on...BUT my clothes feel better and I can see muscle
    Instead of allowing the scale to dominate me I am going to try and just keep training and working out....loads of reasons why you gain weight when starting out...could be DOMS, could be sodium, could be TOTM....anything...

    So keep going and keep tracking you will get there in the end
  • Karalopolous
    Karalopolous Posts: 574
    First of all, stop weighing yourself. I have to resist the urge daily, but please don't weigh yourself anymore.
    Second, go take a picture of yourself and then do this monthly to compare. I do this every month to see my progress and it really helps because I can "see" the results in a picture.
    The worst thing you could do is stop because you are getting discouraged. Don't give up, muddle through this day and the next and you will see results (eventually)
    :flowerforyou:
  • Hickyvikki69
    Hickyvikki69 Posts: 371 Member
    i been working hard completely to and i actually gained 3lbs and i am so totally bummed..im tired and im depressed that i gained n nothing is working out for me. but all i can do is keep going n hope something happens before i totally give up.
  • izzydino
    izzydino Posts: 254 Member
    1st month no weight lost... Give it time it will come.
    I had to become brutally honest with myself.
  • bakz4
    bakz4 Posts: 64 Member
    Hang in there. I've tried to lose so many times that I gave up. But this time (back in April) I made up my mind to stick to it, no matter what! I tracked calories, I began to increase exercise time (which for me is walking), I slowly began to give up things that I knew were unhealthy (wine, soda, chips, etc) and began replacing them with healthier calories.

    Don't say you're doing this "for nothing"...if you're changing the way you eat and what you eat, it's not "for nothing"...you'll start to see the scale move once your body adjusts!

    Hang in there.
  • morkiemama
    morkiemama Posts: 894 Member
    Quoting lindsay0515 from another thread:
    Check out this thread (at the top - red push pin article) on EMTWL. It's a great explanation of TDEE and the timeframe you need to devote to resetting your metabolism if you've been eating way below your BMR for a period of time.
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/512956-tdee-what-is-it-and-why-you-should-not-eat-below-your-bmr

    Edited to add: Make sure you are measuring and being honest with your food logging. It is important to log everything correctly as it can add up. Also, if you decide to go the MFP route (eating exercise cals back), instead of the EM2WL flat TDEE -15% intake, make sure you get a more accurate measure of your actual workout burns through a quality HRM. :) Underestimating food cals and overestimating burns from exercise can be culprits in many cases <3
  • marjoleina
    marjoleina Posts: 189 Member
    I think it is hard, because it is rewarding to see results. But you will, are you eating whole foods? I.e. unprocessed stuff, vegs, fruits, whole grains, watch your salt intake...
    I am sure you know all that allready.
    Persevere!
  • michellekicks
    michellekicks Posts: 3,624 Member
    To all of you who are stuck... do you have your goal set to lose 2 lbs/week?
  • dyn3428
    dyn3428 Posts: 14
    Think about the long term, not right now. If you are moving and you are eating better you are successful!!! It will happen!! Stay positive and remember it is worth it!!!
  • lessele
    lessele Posts: 40 Member
    how often do you weigh yourself? I only weigh myself every few weeks. We can get way too preoccupied with numbers. Are you watching your portion control? I dont know but sometimes changing up the foods you eat will do it. More fruits and veggies less processed and starchy...I wish you all the best. It is a process so dont be too hard on yourself. Eventually it will all fall off if you are honest and steadfast! Good Luck!!!!
  • Athijade
    Athijade Posts: 3,300 Member
    Track every day! And stay more consistent about eating your calories. Your log is all over the place.
  • sadielankford
    sadielankford Posts: 17 Member
    Are you keeping your sodium in check? When I lowered my sodium to 1500, the weight started to come off.
  • CherokeeBabe
    CherokeeBabe Posts: 1,704 Member
    I've jumped back on the wagon to lose 15-20 lbs and haven't seen a loss yet either in my first 7 days or so, it just takes time, it's not *your fault* if that's what you're worried about, as long as you're controlling your calories and exercising you're on the right track. Don't be discouraged, you can do it! :flowerforyou:
  • ginalaw13
    ginalaw13 Posts: 2 Member
    As a recovering "scale slave" try not to weigh yourself and focus on how you feel. I used to get so bummed about the scale numbers and would even weigh 2-3 times a day, "just to check." I can laugh about it now, but the fact that I wake up in the morning not feeling bloated and lethargic is a grand reward. I also love the idea of pictures. They say way more than the scale every will.
  • You can check my food diary. I tend to make nice choices! I weigh like everyday, I cant help it lol but ive tried staying under my calories.. hitting my calories.. an going over a lil' nothing seems to work!
  • TurtleRunnerNC
    TurtleRunnerNC Posts: 751 Member
    I just looked @ your diary & you netted less than 1,000 calories.. this is way too low. Your body is holding on to everything you are giving. It is not recommended to Net below your BMR. You need to calculate your BMR & TDEE to determine how many calories your body needs in a day.

    Go to scoobysworkshop.com to get your #'s then post them here & we can help you better.
  • kjerstenkipp
    kjerstenkipp Posts: 139 Member
    I post this all of the time " “It takes 4 weeks for you to notice your body changing, 8 weeks for your friends to notice, and 12 weeks for the rest of the world to notice. Give it 12 weeks. Don’t QUIT!”:
  • MorganLeighRN
    MorganLeighRN Posts: 411 Member
    Are you just starting out? Your body needs time to adjust. Think about it this way, your are burning fat but gaining muscle at the same time. You loose a pound of fat and gain a pound of muscle, so it looks like you aren't loosing any weight. Don't go by what the scale says, go by what you clothes say. When I first started out I gained weight (muscle) but my clothes began to fit better because I began to tone my body. You will start to see results as long as you stick to it. Make sure you are sticking to your good eating habits and exercising.
  • morkiemama
    morkiemama Posts: 894 Member
    You can check my food diary. I tend to make nice choices! I weigh like everyday, I cant help it lol but ive tried staying under my calories.. hitting my calories.. an going over a lil' nothing seems to work!

    How long have you been trying this new lifestyle? Also, how long did you stick with one change or one way of going about it before jumping to another?

    You have to give your body time to adjust to a routine. If you jump to something else too quickly, you won't see the results because your body doesn't know what you're doing lol. :) You need to give it time to catch up with you.
  • KrazyAsianNic
    KrazyAsianNic Posts: 1,227 Member
    Depending how long you have been doing this, you could just be at a plateau. If this is the case, then maybe try changing your eating habits and whatnot. Sometimes when people are closer to their goal weight, for some reason there is a need to eat more.

    Keep up what you're doing. If you're eating the same foods or doing the same exercises, maybe mix it up a little so that your body isn't staying adjusted to the change but constantly changing.

    Hope this helps a little.
  • Try shock tactics.... My weight came off FINALLY after removing starchy carbs like bread, pasta, wheat products, rice etc... play around with your macronutrients.... try more protein and fat, less carbs. It worked for me, but everyone is different. Also, add resistance training (just using your bodyweight) to create muscle to burn fat and increase your metabolism. Intense workouts create similar results... I have been running slow for months with little weight loss. Then cranked up the intensity to include sprints and interval training, and the weight is flying off me! Most of all, stick with it!
  • TammyW18
    TammyW18 Posts: 244 Member
    If u are not seeing the scale move, take ur measurements..
  • morkiemama
    morkiemama Posts: 894 Member
    I just looked @ your diary & you netted less than 1,000 calories.. this is way too low. Your body is holding on to everything you are giving. It is not recommended to Net below your BMR. You need to calculate your BMR & TDEE to determine how many calories your body needs in a day.

    Go to scoobysworkshop.com to get your #'s then post them here & we can help you better.

    This! :D

    Also, as mentioned earlier, check out the sticky threads on the Eat More to Weight Less group here:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/3817-eat-more-to-weigh-less
  • Nataliaho
    Nataliaho Posts: 878 Member
    I totally understand this feeling. I am not perfect with my diet by any means, but I am pretty good. I know that's my issue though, I need to be better. But I train HARD, like harder than all my friends, all my family and everyone at my work. We did a crossfit WOD yesterday and I beat every single person in my box, which is about 12 really fit people... BUT... I am still the fattest out of everyone (except my family), it gets really disheartening to know you work harder but don't look like you do :(

    You just have to pick yourself up, dust yourself off and keep on plugging away... think about it this way, what is the alternative? My old life? no way!!
  • nicgurg75
    nicgurg75 Posts: 3
    SAME THING Has happen to me and alot of other people......I agree with others don't weigh yourself all the time I have stopped weighing myself I am going to try one time a week if I can, it is really hard, I lost weight and them BAM I put it back on NOW I am trying AGAIN To loose 10 lbs, and keep it off and honestly this group is really helping me find someone you can talk to and make sure it is SOME ONE Positive that will motivate you ok. REALLY It has helped me to talk about it and learn to left myself up !!!! Find you some sticky notes and write positive things and put it on your bathroom mirror so you will see it when you wake up. Here is what I have on mine : Give yourself Compliments.....Make a Point to give yourself 3 compliments and FEEL GOOD About YOU!!!! Be Determined to do this daily !!! Visualize Your Success !!! Anything to motivate you post it !!! Be Blessed !!
  • wookiemouse
    wookiemouse Posts: 290 Member
    I agree with what's been said - it's not always about the scale. I lost only 8 lbs in 2011, but 4 clothing sizes. Is the scale number more important to you, or how you look and feel?
  • i_am_losing_it
    i_am_losing_it Posts: 310 Member
    I checked out your diary and it seems you track a few days and skip tracking a few days, I went several weeks back in your diary and it seems to be the case. On days you track sometimes you are way under and others at or above your calorie goal. If you are not tracking every day you could easily be going over on those days, and the days you do track are so inconsistent, you may not even be at a calorie deficit overall. Another thought I had is that your body must be so confused by the up and down that it is going to hold on to whatever weight it can because for all it knows you may only eat 700 calories the next day.
  • Temple_Fit
    Temple_Fit Posts: 299 Member
    You can check my food diary. I tend to make nice choices! I weigh like everyday, I cant help it lol but ive tried staying under my calories.. hitting my calories.. an going over a lil' nothing seems to work!

    Your diary looks pretty clean. How often are you eating. Eating ever 3hr can help speed up your metabolism.