Discouraged....

omgzstef
omgzstef Posts: 157
edited December 23 in Motivation and Support
I don't know what to do anymore. Apparently I gained 6lbs. It's not water weight either because I drink water like a pro. I eat healthy every single day and somehow I still "gain". I suspected it was something to do with my thyroid, but by thyroid test came in fine so that can't be the reason either.

I lost only about 24 lbs in a year. A YEAR! I don't go to the gym all that often anymore because I leave my house at 7:15, get home at 7:30 & my gym closes at 8. I walk everyday at lunchtime, play softball once a week.

I honestly am so fed up and feel defeated at this point. I really don't know what else to do. Just want to cry. Help :(

Replies

  • omgzstef
    omgzstef Posts: 157
    meh :ohwell: :cry:
  • Jezebel9
    Jezebel9 Posts: 396 Member
    I stopped weighing myself so often because I just get frustrated. I weigh myself twice a month now. I think it must be water weight, even if you drink water like a pro- if you eat foods higher in salt, then your body might be holding onto the water... just my guess. I do not have a gym, but I do floor exercises for strength training- you just need a space on the floor the size of a yoga mat. I wish you the best.
  • jesstiger81
    jesstiger81 Posts: 93 Member
    I'm with you. I started C25K 6 weeks ago and haven't lost a pound. I started adding about 30 minutes of weight lifting to that about 3 weeks ago. Nothing. I think I am tightening up though, and maybe I have lost a couple inches. Have you measured yourself? Are your clothes fitting better? This sounds cliche, but it could be muscle gain. Is it near TOM? You can gain up to 6lbs just from PMS. I have stopped getting on the scale because it just makes me mad. I am doing all of this work, being honest about food tracking, and eating pretty healthy, yet it won't budge. So, I am just telling myself that I am building a ton of muscle.

    We are both in the same boat, I am getting frustrated too and am puzzled. I also had my thyroid checked and it is normal. My husband is baffled because he sees my sacrifice and restraint in the way I eat, and how disciplined I am in working out. Don't give up, try paying attention to your clothes fit and measurements for a while. That can be more reassuring than the scale when you're working out.
  • YvLess
    YvLess Posts: 8 Member
    Hi,
    Sometime we try a lot of things and we get mixed up. It would be a good idea to go see a personnal trainer to review your fitness plan. First i'll suggest you the right caloric intake and some exercices that can fit your schedule (can even be at home). Having the right plan help to get great results.
    I hope you find the right solution.
  • croberson8711
    croberson8711 Posts: 67
    I completely understand, I gained 2 pounds after 2 weeks of being faithful to my diet and moderate exercise! Thinking of getting my thyroid checked out, but kind of worried about the cost.
  • LJCannon
    LJCannon Posts: 3,636 Member
    :heart: I am so sorry that you are going through this!!
    Maybe for awhile you can focus on the Non-Scale Victories that JessTiger mentioned. Plus keep in mind all the other Health Benefits that you get from being more active and eating better - Heart and Blood Pressure Benefits, Prevention of many Diseases, and maintaining your Flexibility and Strengthening your Bones.
    :smile: I can't tell you how many times I have worked out or walked just for the sake of getting in the Exercise, knowing that the Scale would NOT reflect my hard work!!
  • bogle34
    bogle34 Posts: 107 Member
    HANG IN THERE! IT EASY TO GET DISCOURAGED, I HAVE - I WORK OUT, DRINK WATER,COMMON SENSE WATCH WHAT U EAT....BLAH BLAH...WHAT ABOUT THE #'S ON THE SCALE. SOMETIMES WE ( ESPECIALLY ME) ARE SO FOCUS ON THE #'S ON THE SCALE. I NOTICED THAT I AM LOOSING MORE INCHES THAT THE #'S ON THE SCALE GO DOWN. I CAN TELL BY MY CLOTHES THEY FIT MORE LOOSE. IT CAN ALSO BE MUSCLE, I TAKE BODY PUMP AT LEAST 2-3 DAYS A WEEK AND ALSO INCORPORATE AEROBICS / CARDIO WHEN MY SCHEDULE ALLOWS ME TO.

    I WISH EACH TIME / WEEK THAT I WORKED OUT WOULD EQUAL A POUND OR MORE LOSS ....HANG IN THERE...DON'T GET DISCOURAGED... JUST INCORPORATE A HEALTHIER LIFESTYLE WITH A POSITIVE ATTITUDE AND GIVE IT TIME....
  • Larisonlj
    Larisonlj Posts: 426 Member
    I lost in the beginning but now have been pretty stable for quite awhile. However....I am down 2 pant sizes. I'm wearing a pair of shorts that I haven't worn in 5 years but never got rid of them because I loved them so much. They are too big now. I still wear them with a belt though. So I've definitely toned and lost inches. Also, I'm trying something new, I increased my calories that I'm netting. MFP says 1200 however with all the working out/muscle built I really need to be closer to 1600. When I increased my fuel I started to lose again. I try to make the increase in calories good proteins.
  • omgzstef
    omgzstef Posts: 157
    I completely understand, I gained 2 pounds after 2 weeks of being faithful to my diet and moderate exercise! Thinking of getting my thyroid checked out, but kind of worried about the cost.

    I'd do it if I were you - gives you some sort of closure in a sense. Insurance covers most/if not all if it
  • omgzstef
    omgzstef Posts: 157
    Thank you all for your kind words of encouragement and tips. Definitely going to incorporate all of your tips into my... way of living? Can't really think of the right words there, haha.

    Some of my clothes ARE fitting better, but wouldn't it make sense that if you're losing inches, you're losing pounds too? And I feel with my high weight (187lbs @ 5'2") I should be dropping pounds like no one's business!
  • missattitude57
    missattitude57 Posts: 77
    Remember muscle weighs more than fat!! My suggestion would be to start taking your measurements every 2 weeks (neck, waist and hips) and then you'll have some numbers that are shrinking even if the scale is staying still or going up!! Keep up the great work and remember it's just a number, getting healthy is so much more important!!
  • Picklefrits
    Picklefrits Posts: 18 Member
    Ok so this may sound weird but im sure there are other people out there who are kinda the same way as i am. First of all i find that i dont have my lowest weight of the day right after i get up. In fact i usually wait to weigh myself about an hour after i get up with no drinking or eating anything and go to the bathroom a second time (i weigh on average about 1.5 pounds lighter when i wait) The second thing is eating or drinking ANYTHING after around 8pm. Even if its only water im drinking its like my body is keeping it for some special reason. I know it sounds kinda odd but ive tested this multipal times and i find if i drink or eat anything after 8 and weigh myself right away in the morning i can weight as much as 5 pounds more than i actually do. I dont know try not eating or drinking anything after you get home from work and see what the scale say the next day.
  • croberson8711
    croberson8711 Posts: 67
    I completely understand, I gained 2 pounds after 2 weeks of being faithful to my diet and moderate exercise! Thinking of getting my thyroid checked out, but kind of worried about the cost.

    I'd do it if I were you - gives you some sort of closure in a sense. Insurance covers most/if not all if it

    I will definitely look into it then, thanks!
  • jmhunter84
    jmhunter84 Posts: 206 Member
    I completely understand where you are coming from. Don't get discouraged its not about how fast you run the race, but just that you complete it. What I know is that you have to focus, and dedicate yourself to your goal. If you can break up 30 mins of working out into 10 min increments do it? Work out in the morning or before bed...maybe decrease your calories and workout to gain more. Make sure you drink water, and get plenty of rest. If you aren't sleeping good it means nothing, according to my doctor. Stay off the scale, and just strive to be active and eat healthy the rest will work....good luck
  • stephaniebrowning
    stephaniebrowning Posts: 16
    Not sure what your daily calorie goals are but if you are not eating 3 or more meals a day this could be a problem. And if you are eating big meals late at night you could weigh heavy the next morning. What are your daily calories? Are you drinking enough water?
  • jenniferhayeshayes
    jenniferhayeshayes Posts: 7
    Please don't become discouraged. It takes a while and of course there may be set backs, but when you fail, just start again. At one time, I was hard on myself when I got off target, but I learned to just chalk it up and start over. Remember, we are human beings.
    I have been very busy lately and haven't had time to exercise like I would like, but I plan to start again tomorrow.

    If you failed today, remember tomorrow is another day. Do your best and that is all you can do.

    Keep me posted. Be honest with yourself.

    Peace freeze
  • jenniferhayeshayes
    jenniferhayeshayes Posts: 7
    I forgot to say it is okay to cry just don't kep crying. It's okay to release pain with a good cry. I do it all the time, but I regain my focus and try again.

    Peace freeze
  • cmclark88
    cmclark88 Posts: 4
    @PickleFrits (Just realized I didn't quote your post! Sorry!) Part of that is because after 8pm your metabolism shuts down, so the later you eat, the more stuff you are going to have sitting in your body because it is taking longer to metabolize and break down. And it would make sense that an hour after getting up you'd be fine because about an hour after waking up is when your metabolism starts waking back up and is ready to process energy for the day.
  • cmclark88
    cmclark88 Posts: 4
    @omgzstef:

    Hang in there! Have you had any other conditions checked out besides your thyroid? What is your carb intake like? I was diagnosed about a month ago with Insulin Resistance--my body creates too much insulin because it's not responding to normal levels of it. I found out that I am eating way too many carbs (mainly in the forms of bread, pasta, potatoes, etc.) which causes my insulin to spike again. Make sure you're eating the right amount of carbs and getting most of them from fruits and veggies. If you've been eating more grains lately (regardless of how healthfully you prepared them) it could be causing you to hold onto some of that weight and add some. Let me know what you think!
  • LJCannon
    LJCannon Posts: 3,636 Member
    Thank you all for your kind words of encouragement and tips. Definitely going to incorporate all of your tips into my... way of living? Can't really think of the right words there, haha.

    Some of my clothes ARE fitting better, but wouldn't it make sense that if you're losing inches, you're losing pounds too? And I feel with my high weight (187lbs @ 5'2") I should be dropping pounds like no one's business!

    :wink: There is Very Little about this Journey that "Makes Sense", in My Opinion, LOL! It is a Lifestyle Change and I do things a Lot Differently now than I did before. For instance, Parking as far away from the Store I'm going to as possible. And walking to anywhere that is less than a mile from where I am. And always Standing Up & Walking while I am on the phone. It is little things like that which add up to Big Changes.
  • jesstiger81
    jesstiger81 Posts: 93 Member
    @omgzstef:

    Hang in there! Have you had any other conditions checked out besides your thyroid? What is your carb intake like? I was diagnosed about a month ago with Insulin Resistance--my body creates too much insulin because it's not responding to normal levels of it. I found out that I am eating way too many carbs (mainly in the forms of bread, pasta, potatoes, etc.) which causes my insulin to spike again. Make sure you're eating the right amount of carbs and getting most of them from fruits and veggies. If you've been eating more grains lately (regardless of how healthfully you prepared them) it could be causing you to hold onto some of that weight and add some. Let me know what you think!

    I would definitely give this a second look Stef. Actually, reading through it, I think this may be my problem! One thing I have considered is trying gluten-free for a couple weeks to see what my body thinks of it. I have a really hard time giving up foods, which I know is a problem, but I know lots of us struggle with it.

    Definitely keep track of your measurements. There's a place on MFP to enter them in, and you can find helpful websites to tell you just where to put the measuring tape. I bet you'd forget all about the scale if you saw inch loss!!

    Glad lots of people responded to your post. Hopefully you are feeling better!
  • RES2333
    RES2333 Posts: 36
    24 pounds in a year is still success isn't it? Think of it that way. You still lost weight and that is good! That is approximately a pound every two weeks or so. Don't get discouraged as in the overall picture you are succeding - just not as fast as you would like to, right?

    Are you weighing yourself consistently at the same time each day? If you weigh in at various times that can affect the result. The easiest is do it first thing in the morning when you get up before eating or drinking anything.

    Someone posted about your meals and if eating only three meals per day or bigger meals at night. You should shoot for five or six small meals per day. You want to keep your metabolism working all day.

    Also you mention walking and softball each week. Consider adding some strength exercises or buying some weights to do at home. And maybe change things up to increase intensity or distance of those walks.

    Keep pushing yourself and don't get discouraged. I just started using this site but looks like lots of people on here who are willing to help.
  • jaz930
    jaz930 Posts: 1
    Lately I’ve been getting a flood of messages all pretty much sharing the same issue: “I’m not seeing the results I want to see.” or “I’m not seeing results anymore.”

    Believe me when I tell you…YOU ARE NOT ALONE! Throughout this journey, I’ve hit so many plateaus where I felt my progress hit a dead-end. When I first started out, I was working out so intensely and saw results fairly quickly. All of a sudden, my body wasn’t changing as much as it used to, even though I was working just as hard.

    The key components to seeing results are: intensity and changing up your routine.

    INTENSITY: Challenge yourself. Working at a steady or mediocre pace isn’t going to get you to your goals as fast as you want them to. No one achieves their dreams by half-assing the work. You probably spend an hour or two in the gym, out of the 24 hours provided in a day…so give it your ALL. Walking out of the gym feeling like you left every ounce of sweat in there is one of the best feelings ever. Keep your heart rate up and the sweat dripping!

    CHANGE UP YOUR ROUTINE: Just like everything else, when you do something enough, it becomes easier. It takes less time and less energy to do something after you’ve done it so many times. When your body adapts to running a mile every day or doing the same type of workout, it’ll consume less energy to do that same task, therefore, it’ll burn less calories than it used to. Not only are you lacking the results you want from doing the same routine over and over, but it gets boring and the excitement that was once there in the beginning just vanishes. If you are used to getting your cardio done on a treadmill, then add in some HIIT by doing sprints…or hop on a stationary bike every other day…or challenge yourself on the stairmaster…or take a kickboxing class. Get away from repetitive workouts and make it exciting and fun. Challenge your mind and body!
  • omgzstef
    omgzstef Posts: 157
    Thank you all so so much. I really appreciate the support. I'm so hard on myself and I just expect more all the time. I need to realize that 24lbs is SOMETHING, and definitely going towards the right direction. So thank you again.
  • ChiJenn
    ChiJenn Posts: 97 Member
    I too am in the same boat and feeling sad and just want to give up. Totally working my butt off for more than 2 months and watching what I eat, no weight loss at all. BUT my beachbody coach measured me and I lost 15 inches! Now that would sound like a lot but my clothes don't fit any better that I can tell. Ugh I should just stick with it longer I suppose. I want to see pounds gone, darn it~
    Good luck.
  • aim2befit
    aim2befit Posts: 5 Member
    Muscle weighs the same as fat....it just takes up less space and burns calories.
  • Kcarroll01
    Kcarroll01 Posts: 18
    I read many posts but not all, so I apologize if I am reiterating anything here. Many of us "seasoned" dieters hit these plateaus. I have myself many times which led me to an article. I think we get stuck with that 1200 calorie mentality and I guess we should actually eat more than that. According to ShapeFit, "The key is to increase your calories with highly nutrient dense food to fuel your body! I would recommend not eating any less than 1,500 calories/day and make sure your protein levels are kept high. In terms of diet, I would focus on lean protein sources (chicken breast, turkey breast, egg whites) and lean fibrous carbs coming mostly from non-starchy vegetables (broccoli, mushrooms, yellow squash, green peppers, etc.) Try and limit all starchy carbs from your diet and limit fruit after 6pm, since it contains lots of simple sugars which will effect your insulin levels and hinder your weight loss". I also read some valuable info at http://www.livestrong.com/article/86975-increase-calories-lose-weight/
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