[kreed137]

Hello all! New here, but thought that this website would be a great resource to help me stay motivated/get support for my weight loss goals!
So let's get down to the nitty gritty... Over the last three years, I have gained about 50 pounds, going from 130 to 180 (180 is my current weight and I'm 5'9 for reference). If anything, my eating and fitness habits have improved over the years, seeing as I'm not a booze-guzzling 21 year old anymore, but it seems like no matter what I do I continue to gain weight. I have switched jobs in that time, going from an active serving job at a busy sports bar to a desk job, so I do attribute some of my weight gain to that.

But moving on; I'm becoming extremely frustrated with my inability to lose weight. I started the South Beach Diet about 8 weeks ago as I've done it in the past and had great results. I was VERY STRICT during my first phase (2 weeks for those unfamiliar), and even cautious in the more forgiving second phase with what I was allowing myself to have. I exercised regularly, up to 5 times a week, with cardio and strength training. I have tried to avoid the scales, basing my weight loss more on the "it's how you look/feel and how your clothes fit" philosophy, but now 8 weeks later, I still do not see or feel much of a difference. I finally got on the scale to see that I've only lost 2 pounds. I'm very discouraged to say the least. I keep telling myself that hard work pays off, but I'm starting to lose hope. Has anyone else had a similar struggle and found a good solution? Any tips or advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks everyone!

[Riestrella]

You might not be eating ENOUGH food to compensate for your workouts. If you're doing cardio and especially strength training you need a lot more food than you might realise to help your muscles recover. How much are you eating a day? The amount of calories is preferable.

[toastedsmoke]

Hello and welcome! 3FC is awesome for support and I can honestly say if not for the wonderful people on here, I probably would never have gotten even close to goal. But anyway, back to your question. All I know of the SBD comes from years ago when it was at it's most popular and my mom did it. If I recall correctly, it wasn't really a calorie-counting or portion-controlled diet (at least not for the good fats and lean meats etc) but more a mindful eating of the right sorts of food way of eating. So I guess in the end it all comes down to how much are you eating? Are you a big eater? Do you have a smaller appetite? What are your portions like? I agree that 2 lbs does seem like a very mean amount of weight to lose after 8 weeks but it IS something! Maybe take a few days to monitor (measure/weigh/calorie count) what you're eating and how much of it because even "good-for-you" food has calories. My mom is morbidly obese on a 100% whole foods, clean diet so it's a combination of both what you eat and how much of it.
Whatever you do, don't give up! You can definitely meet your goals. Oh and also another good place to post as well may be on the South Beach Diet board (under Diet Central). They may also have diet-specific advice there for you in addition to here.

[Munchy]

Were you working out before you started the diet? It takes me 6-8 weeks to see a change after starting a workout plan. Sometimes I even gain due to water retention, etc. At some point it starts to show and the scales reflect that too.

Also, toastedsmoke is right on about the portions. The food matters, but the portion does too.

[Mer du Japon]

I've tried various diets like south beach and atkins....but at the end of the day, calorie counting is the only thing that works for me. 1200-1400 a day and the pounds come right off.

Also, get your thyroid checked if you haven't already.

[Paisleymama]

I don't have any advice as I'm sort of in the same boat...counting calories, exercising, eating clean and actually gaining weight when I'm at least 50lbs from a healthy BMI!

Don't give up! You must feel better within yourself if anything & noticing other changes. I'm trying to focus on being healthy overall instead of the actual weight for now, otherwise I know I will slip and throw in the towel.

[kreed137]

Thanks for all the support/advice! I am a pretty avid calorie counter, usually get around 1200-1400 a day. Mainly stick to lean meats like chicken/tuna and try to get a veggie in with each meal. I try to keep my sugars (that aren't from fruit) below 10 grams. I'm not a big eater so I usually have to make myself eat to get to my calorie goal. I have always exercised, but I've increased my frequency and how hard I workout recently, so I do try to keep that in mind. As for the advice to have my thyroid checked, I have had that done too. Hypothyroid runs in my family so it was a concern for me, but my test came back that it's normal. I'm going to stick with it and throw in some mare variations for my workout. Thanks everyone!

[SMSDREAMER2007]

1200-100 might not be enough for your level of activity; or you could just be losing inches rather than weight. Sometimes our bodies retain water when we work out but we are losing fat so it doesn't show on the scale. Keep it up and good luck!!