So nervous I've stopped losing weight/stalled. - 3 Fat Chicks on a Diet Weight Loss Community

letsgethealthy · 10-01-2011, 03:46 PM

This sounds weird, but have any of you lost a major amount of weight and stalled for a few months then when you start back up again you get nervous or anxious? I'm not sure how to explain it, but when I think about counting calories I get this wave of nervousness about not eating what I want to or my exercise isn't good enough, so I just eat like a pig.

I know some women on this site work out without counting the calories burned off and still count calories they eat so I might start doing that, but it really restricts how much I eat by not relying on the notoriously unaccountable cardio machine telling me how much I burnt off each session. I've lost 45 pounds by relying on the machine, but I read the article about how they overestimate ( which I've figured ) your loss and ever since then I've been extremely nervous about working out again to the point where I've stalled myself and started eating. I know you can use heart rate monitors, but I am strapped for cash so I feel so stuck/stressed/sad/nervous/anxious.

I'm not sure what to do because I've lost a large amount of weight before, but now I am scared to continue on. Whats up with that?

lin43 · 10-01-2011, 03:56 PM

I'm not sure what's up, but why not just practice the behaviors that you know will lead to weight loss and don't worry about how much you're burning? After all, if you eat within your calorie range and exercise regularly, you will lose weight. Who cares what the machine says?

Try to get away from "all or nothing" thinking. It's a sure way to get discouraged and give up.

jomatho · 10-01-2011, 04:17 PM

I did the opposite of you, I did not eat back my exercise calories in the beginning 6 months, hit a plateau, and now I am eating back my exercise calories, or most of them, and am starting to lose again. Yes I was scared in the beginning to eat more, I certainly didn't want to gain weight back, but it seems to be working so far, plus I get to eat more. Me trying to survive on 1200-1400 calories a day just doesn't cut it! Exercise is a way for me to be able to eat more (healthy food).
I know exactly where you are coming from, you want to do everything right and don't want to waste time doing the wrong thing, I feel the same way!
Not sure what the reason for the stall was, but if you were doing everything the same and stalled, then maybe it is time to change things up. If you stalled because you quit tracking or lessened your workouts, then maybe just go back to what you were doing that was working. We are all different and have to find what works for us. When that stops working, we need to find a way to change things up that we can live with. For me that would not be cutting calories, I would change my workouts or the type of food I eat first.
Don't know if that is what you were wondering or if that helps at all. Good luck to you!

letsgethealthy · 10-01-2011, 04:30 PM

Thank you both for your answers I think I was just nervous because I felt when I was working out I was unsure of how hard I was pushing myself and if I wasn't pushing myself hard enough ( didn't know how much I was burning off ) I wasn't going to lose weight because I was eating back more than what I was burning off or what I was doing wasn't enough. I guess if anything I was lacking confidence since the absence working out in such a long time.

jomatho · 10-01-2011, 04:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by letsgethealthy

Thank you both for your answers I think I was just nervous because I felt when I was working out I was unsure of how hard I was pushing myself and if I wasn't pushing myself hard enough ( didn't know how much I was burning off ) I wasn't going to lose weight because I was eating back more than what I was burning off or what I was doing wasn't enough. I guess if anything I was lacking confidence since the absence working out in such a long time.

Your efforts will show, don't worry. It really is a process of trial and error. I am not doing the same thing as I was 10 months ago, 6 months ago or even a month ago. Keep educating yourself and just don't quit trying.

Lisa532 · 10-01-2011, 04:59 PM

Keep at it!! It is better to be on a weight plateau that a weight increase.. Your body has to make adjustments in the whole weight loss process.. I know it is hard to be patient with this...