I have stopped losing weight. The last two weeks have resulted in nothing. I did splurge on Mother's Day, but that's it! I'm going to go nuts. I'm also getting very tempted. I figure, hek, why not have some ice cream, so AT LEAST I'LL HAVE AN EXCUSE FOR NOT LOSING!!! Aaaaaaahhhhhh!!!!!
Then, I'm a little resentful. Why couldn't I have been granted with one of those bodies that eat anything and not gain an ounce? Why is that I have to watch every calorie and pass on all the yummy foods? Why am I working super hard and getting NO results.... kwim?
Help! I need an intervention! The food isn't worth it, right?!
It's not worth it! Maintaining is FAR, FAR better than gaining back! Keep going. Keep doing what you know you need to do, and you'll get there. Make it so you never, ever have to reclaim this weight again.
Having seen my weight creep up the last two months, I can tell you it's not worth it. Stick to the plan and be honest with yourself -- don't do like I did and justify the extra nibble here while making dinner, or the extra goodie there. You'll see the weight go down, and you will feel really good about yourself. Don't give up!
Besides, barring the very rare medical problem, those bodies that can eat anything they want and still not gain weight don't exist. Those bodies are either very active, eating a lot less on average than we can see from our perspective (they may eat a lot at the party, but what do they eat each day, every day?), or are using some very dangerous "alternate methods" to control their weight.
Two weeks without any movement on the scale is quite a common occurance. I went through 6 weeks without meaningful movement spanning March and April. I know of other people here that have gone through much longer. I know how frustating this can feel... but just because the scale isn't moving doesn't mean that nothing is happening. Your size may be changing, your muscles might be building, your water levels might be adjusting. In other words, anything can be happening, there is just no way to know what.
However, I can tell you one thing that IS happening: you are getting healthier. Every time you make that decision to eat right, to exercise, to moderate, you are making a decision for health.
Right now, I know that you have lost the metric (scale movement) that rewarded you for all of the work that you are doing, and it can be hard to continue under those conditions. My suggestion would be to find another metric to watch while you wait for the loss to resume. Maybe it will be inch size, maybe speed at the treadmill, maybe endurance, weights lifted, vegetables eaten. Some other challenge that you can focus on. (I now use number of cal's burned at my 1/2 hour cardio sessions, amount of "extra" time I spend active throughout my day, how close I stay to my calorie plan, AND weight.)
By having so many progress metrics, I have lots of chances to succeed even when the scale isn't being so friendly. It takes away the fear that all of my hard work might not be effective.
I'm sorry that you are having to feel this frustration right now. But, believe me, it is really worth it to stick it out and continue in your determination to become a healthier person! I was stuck at 314 pounds for 6 weeks, I'm now 306.
The other thing is, just because the scale isn't moving, doesn't mean that your not getting results, all sorts of other changes will be taking place in your body, that my not ersult in a scale loss but are all very necessary and part of the process.
I'm a living example. I'v lost 5 lbs this year, I've dropped a whole dress size and a bit, my inches have come down.
Don't let a tiny piece of equipment (which was probably designed by a man!!! ) completely undermine you.
I agree with Andoreth. I tend to assume thin people eat the way I (used to!) eat and were just skinny. Nope. I have been studying the thin people I know! What do the majority do? Leave food on their plates, eat a lot of fruits and veggies, and, ack!, exercise. Maybe teenagers can eat a ton of stuff and never gain. But not most adults. I am also jealous of people who get to spend all the money they want and buy whatever they want. But who is that really? Even super-rich people need to keep a small eye on their finances or they will lose it all.
Self-control. Who wants it? Not me! Deep down I am a toddler and I want what I want when I want it, consequences be darned! The reality is: Life is not like that. If I want positive results, I need to make consistent choices to get those results, whether it is financial, wt loss, or any other target I have in mind.
Practice maintaining! Even if the numbers aren't budging on the scale, know that your body must get used to what you have already lost.
I went to a wt loss conference for health care professionals and the main point was that a good goal is to lose between 10-17% of one's body weight. Excuse me?? I thought. What about all of those people who have dropped 50% or more? 10% that is chicken feed!! That got me thinking....
There are many ways to do this. Some people plow through, with minimal plateaus and chug through 100+ lbs (and in no way am I implying that it is easy...it just LOOKS easy to those of us that observe your tickers more than your struggles!). That has worked well for them!! Perhaps another method would be to lose 10%, maintain for awhile, and then go for the next 10%. That's what I am doing. So far...it is working for me.
Success is the weight you have already lost. Do not minimize that! Keep on with the behaviors you have fought so hard to integrate! You will reach your goals!!
I was on a 3-week plateau, and had been desparately reading posts to keep from eating. Last week, I finally lost 3 weeks all at once, and since then I lost 3.5 pounds. So just hang in there - much as I LOVE losing weight, living healthily is what it has to be all about for me.
Besides, barring the very rare medical problem, those bodies that can eat anything they want and still not gain weight don't exist. Those bodies are either very active, eating a lot less on average than we can see from our perspective (they may eat a lot at the party, but what do they eat each day, every day?), or are using some very dangerous "alternate methods" to control their weight.
Don't exist? Not true. I live with two of them. They eat essentially what the rest of us eat, but they never gain weight.
My daughter takes after her father and it doesn't seem to matter what she eats, she doesn't gain a pound. My husband is high energy, skinny by nature and it is true there are times when he doesn't eat much, but he eats all he is hungry for.
He doesn't have the endurance that I have, but he has a lot of muscle, and a lot of energy in bursts. He tends to tire out faster and can't last as long at certain activities, but he definitely has a better metabolism than the average person. He is one of those wirey thin small people who don't eat if they aren't hungry, he tends to not eat right much of the day, smoking and coffee with lots of sugar rather than real food in the mornings. Doesn't care for sweets much, so yes there are differences in the way he eats, but if you could see how much sugar he uses in his coffee, you wouldn't think he ate "low calorie" by any means.
Still our thinking it isn't "fair" because we don't have someone else's metabolism or body type is just silly. We don't and that is the facts we must live with. We also have to really consider that in addition to their different metabolism there are differences in how they treat food.
Hubby will refuse to eat if he isn't "hungry". He also sometimes doesn't eat until he has to eat right NOW or else he gets the shakes. I worry about him more than I do myself because of the bad things he does and doesn't do to his body, but he definitely never gains more than 5 pounds which tends to come off again rapidly. He's 39 and has always been this way.
He is one of those wirey thin small people who don't eat if they aren't hungry, he tends to not eat right much of the day, smoking and coffee with lots of sugar rather than real food in the mornings. Doesn't care for sweets much, so yes there are differences in the way he eats, but if you could see how much sugar he uses in his coffee, you wouldn't think he ate "low calorie" by any means.
That's the point, the skinny people among us are only eating when they are hungry- they aren't eating just because food has been presented to them, or because they are bored, or all of the other reasons that us fatter people eat. And when they are eating, if they stop feeling hungry they stop eating, even if there is food left on their plate.
Add to that the fact that so many of the really skinny people I know are so active- there is a guy I work with who spends more calories "standing still" then I do walking. He fidgets, shifts, and all but vibrates. He's always doing something, I never see him just standing in one place, even when there isn't anything in particular to do. I almost never see him sit down, even if he is on a break. I can't imagine that he is any different at home. That adds up to a lot of calories in a day.
Call it metabolism, call it "nature", call it what you want, but it comes down to this- eat less, move more, be thinner. Eat more, move less, be fatter. Yes, they can eat "all they want and never gain weight", but if they ate all I want, and moved as much as used to, they certainly would.
Self-control. Who wants it? Not me! Deep down I am a toddler and I want what I want when I want it, consequences be darned! The reality is: Life is not like that. If I want positive results, I need to make consistent choices to get those results, whether it is financial, wt loss, or any other target I have in mind.
Ha, I saw myself in this one. The toddler is always wanting goodies, then the adult has to face the scale numbers! what a drag, heh heh.
I came within a couple of pounds of my initial goal weight a few months ago. Then I got complacent (okay, cocky). I added in extra food and gradually fell off the exercise wagon. Nothing happened the first few weeks and when the scale moved it was only by a pound or two. More and more bad habits creeped in and I my good habits were on again, off again at best. Now here I am. Regretting that I let myself get off track and having a difficult time getting back on track and staying there. I'd give anything to have the past 5 months back so that I could do it RIGHT (heck, I'd be BELOW my initial goal weight by now!).
Then, I'm a little resentful. Why couldn't I have been granted with one of those bodies that eat anything and not gain an ounce? Why is that I have to watch every calorie and pass on all the yummy foods? Why am I working super hard and getting NO results.... kwim?
I was watching an interview with Michael J. Fox last night & he told this story of god taking a whole group of people & everyone had to throw their "issue" into the middle for everyone to see. Then after a little bit everyone was told to chose the one they wanted & everyone took back their own.
I like this idea that no matter how unfair or terrible things seem we would probably find it preferrable to the "issues" others have if we had the choice. It may not be entirely true but I do think there is some real truth to it.
That's the point, the skinny people among us are only eating when they are hungry- they aren't eating just because food has been presented to them, or because they are bored, or all of the other reasons that us fatter people eat. And when they are eating, if they stop feeling hungry they stop eating, even if there is food left on their plate.
Add to that the fact that so many of the really skinny people I know are so active- there is a guy I work with who spends more calories "standing still" then I do walking. He fidgets, shifts, and all but vibrates. He's always doing something, I never see him just standing in one place, even when there isn't anything in particular to do. I almost never see him sit down, even if he is on a break. I can't imagine that he is any different at home. That adds up to a lot of calories in a day.
Call it metabolism, call it "nature", call it what you want, but it comes down to this- eat less, move more, be thinner. Eat more, move less, be fatter. Yes, they can eat "all they want and never gain weight", but if they ate all I want, and moved as much as used to, they certainly would.
Actually, I have to agree with SherryA on this one... I, too, live with a person who can eat whatever, whenever, and never gains...
My husband used to be scrawny...but now is muscular as he works a hard labor job. He eats when he isn't hungry and when he is. He eats as many calories or more everyday than I do on a "bad" day. He doesn't eat healthy... he drinks regular pop, eats tons and tons of junk food, drinks beer regularly, he doesn't drink water or take vitamins, he'll clean his plate and mine at supper, and doesn't get any exercise outside of work. The mainstay of his diet is high fat and high carb. He maintains his weight between 195 and 210, and wears jeans in size 34/36. I have been very scared about my habits rubbing off on him, and they have to some extent, but he is still skinny. I keep telling him that he can't keep this up, but he's been eating like this for as long as I've known him and his size hasn't changed in 5 years and he'll be 31 this year.
No, these people do exist.... as my husband isn't the only person I know like this either.
You know what is worth it? Remaining vigilant about your health. I have mostly been maintaining for the past 18 months. I know that eating healthier and exercising will help me maintain and lose weight. It will also make my life easier as I grow older. I've been trying to lose weight for the past couple months and nothing has happened. It is frustrating. I started monitoring my food more closely and to increase my exercise once again but I didn't lose anything for 2 months. After 2 months, the scale moved down 2 lbs or so. Ok some progress but anything else? I went away on vacation for 2 weeks, I didn't monitor my food which included ice cream bars, oily food, sweetened drinks and huge amounts of food. I have no idea how many calories I consumed because I couldn't even read the labels of the products I purchased. My vacation also included lots of walking. I get back and I lost 6 lbs. The biggest loss I've seen in many months. I don't quite get it but I'll take it. I am also back to portion control and as soon as the jet lag wears off, I'll get back to the gym.
It's not worth it, right?!
The food isn't worth it, right?!
) completely undermine you.
You're right.
