lost it-gained it back, now can't lose it again :( HELP!
So on January 7th, 2012, I decided to change my lifestyle. I changed my eating habits and starting exercising routinely. Two months later, I was down 20 pounds! I was so proud of myself. I lost about 5 lbs the first week, then about 1-2 pounds each week. Then came my boyfriend's birthday. His parents took us out to dinner, and so did his grandparents, and so on and so forth. Next thing I know I'm about to start back to school (Aug 20th) and I gained 14 of the 20 back. For the last 3 weeks, I've been exercising 5-6 times a week doing cardio (bike, elliptical, treadmill) and strength training (working a different body part every day.) I've been eating healthy (for the most part..I've had a few bad meals/days) and making sure I get enough calories. I am still the same exact weight I was 3 weeks ago!! At first I thought maybe it was due to me gaining muscle, but after I compare my before pics to myself now, there is NO change whatsoever. This cannot be more frustrating. I feel like I work out harder now than I did back in Jan-March, and I'm getting no results and it's disappointing.
I'm not really sure what to do now. Any advice?
Hey, we have similar stats. I'm also 5'11" and started out at 195 lbs. I can't tell you how many false starts I had before finally getting serious in 2011 and losing the weight. I would be "good" for a few days or weeks, then a special occasion would derail me and I'd be right back where I started.
Losing weight is about how much you eat, not how well you eat (though the quality may affect your health and well-being). If you exercise regularly and eat at a moderate caloric deficit (which in your case would probably be about 1,200 to 1,500 cals per day), you will lose weight. You just have to be consistent and persistent.
I'm now in maintenance mode and have at least one meal per week when I "slip up" and eat too much. No biggie, as long as I get back in the saddle the next meal, rather than the next month.
IMO it's a question of commitment. Once you're truly committed -- once you hear and heed that "mental click" -- everything will fall in place. I hope this doesn't sound trite, but I've found it to be true.
F.
Last edited by freelancemomma; 09-02-2012 at 07:02 AM.
Also it's easy to overestimate the weight loss benefit we're getting from exercise. So many times people justify going over their calorie limit because they've worked out hard, and while that burns calories, the calorie count on the machines at the gym (and also the charts online) usually pretty severely overestimates what we're actually burning.
It's amazing how easy it is to undo all our progress with "a few bad meals/days". I'm not saying that to judge you; far from it, I've regained a significant amount of weight just by letting down my guard about what and how I was eating. I felt 'normal' for the first time in my life when I got down to 150, and I let that lull me into a false sense of security right back up to 218 pounds.
In my experience, getting it off the second time is even harder. I don't know why, but what I did last time isn't working for me now, so I'm having to restrict even further. Of course, in my case some health problems have kept me from working out the way I used to.
You have youth on your side, and that's great. My suggestion would be to be honest with yourself about your bad days and to discount all your exercise entirely when looking at calorie deficit. By all means, work out for your fitness/health/look, but focus on your diet while you're trying to drop pounds.
Also it's easy to overestimate the weight loss benefit we're getting from exercise. So many times people justify going over their calorie limit because they've worked out hard, and while that burns calories, the calorie count on the machines at the gym (and also the charts online) usually pretty severely overestimates what we're actually burning.
It's amazing how easy it is to undo all our progress with "a few bad meals/days". I'm not saying that to judge you; far from it, I've regained a significant amount of weight just by letting down my guard about what and how I was eating. I felt 'normal' for the first time in my life when I got down to 150, and I let that lull me into a false sense of security right back up to 218 pounds.
In my experience, getting it off the second time is even harder. I don't know why, but what I did last time isn't working for me now, so I'm having to restrict even further. Of course, in my case some health problems have kept me from working out the way I used to.
You have youth on your side, and that's great. My suggestion would be to be honest with yourself about your bad days and to discount all your exercise entirely when looking at calorie deficit. By all means, work out for your fitness/health/look, but focus on your diet while you're trying to drop pounds.
lost it-gained it back, now can't lose it again :( HELP!
For the last 3 weeks, I've been exercising 5-6 times a week doing cardio (bike, elliptical, treadmill) and strength training (working a different body part every day.) I've been eating healthy (for the most part..I've had a few bad meals/days) and making sure I get enough calories. I am still the same exact weight I was 3 weeks ago!! At first I thought maybe it was due to me gaining muscle, but after I compare my before pics to myself now, there is NO change whatsoever. This cannot be more frustrating. I feel like I work out harder now than I did back in Jan-March, and I'm getting no results and it's disappointing. 
