so i really got serious about losing weight about 2.5 weeks ago. i've been exercising about 4 days a week and have completely revamped my diet - i've been using my fitness pal and have been around 1250 calories every day. i've focused on eating organic foods, with only an occasional processed product. however i've only seen a 1 pound drop in 2.5 weeks!
i'm a little discouraged - when i've dieted before (and have not been this consistent with exercise/eating right) it seems like i've dropped quite a bit in the first 2 weeks, at least 5-7 pounds.
does anyone have any suggestions of what i'm doing wrong? or has anyone else started slow? i don't want to have a rapid weight loss, as i want to be able to sustain it, but SOME results would be nice haha. urgh, just trying not to get upset about it. especially since usually the biggest numbers you'll see are in the beginning. any advice or motivation would be so great. thank you!!
i dont know what to tell you about the scale not showing results yet, but i can tell you what i tell myself to keep going.
it's better to be trying than to not try at all.
trying leads to the possibility of losing weight while not trying doesn't have that possibility at all.
keep at it! you're doing a great job
You may actually be eating too little given your activity level - I plugged your numbers into a calorie calculator and you should be aiming more for 1600-1800 cals/day given the amount you work out, to lose 1.5lbs per week. Perhaps you could try supplementing your current mealplan with one or two additional healthy snacks and see how your body responds?
i see why you're baffled. there are some subtleties that a lot of people do not consider when formulating a weight loss plan. for example, if you're shorter than most people, you need less food. are you sure that you've been exersizing enough? eating too little might be the culprit, but my opinion is that that whole theory about starving leading to holding on to more weight is a bit overrated. you're on track with the calories in calories out mindset.
I've been there. Its probably just water retention. After the "honeymoon period" where you drop a bunch of water and some fat weight when starting a diet, results get slow - because now its body weight that you are losing and your fat cells are retaining water. You are, overall, losing weight. Now if you want to lose that water weight, you can up the cals, maybe calorie cycle, but personally, I wait for the most part because in the long run maintaining my cal deficit=more weight loss for me anyways.
My advice is to post some of your daily intake (what you eat, the amt etc) on here, and we can see if that could be causing water retention. This doesn't mean you should change what you eat, but remnding myself that bloat inducing veg is the culprit makes me feel better.
Also, I would wait a little while-maybe a few weeks and see if you get a decrease and your body releases that water weight. If not, then switching something up could be a good tactic.
Consider it a test of discipline! haha thats what I tell myself
I've totally been there. Just stick with it! I actually went the first 2 months of weight loss without looking at the scale, because I know my tendencies, and if I don't seen a significant change fast enough, I won't stick with it.
The only advice I can give has already been given... Stick with it. Don't give up! And drink lots of water! It'll be worth it!
thanks for all the quick suggestions! you guys are great
im definitely trying to just keep telling myself to keep it up because i KNOW i'm bound to see results some time...right??? hah.. as far as exercise goes, i'm doing couch to 5k (just repeating the second week now) and doing some circuit training with my boyfriend on the fourth day. doing the couch to 5k i'm usually active for about 45 minutes to an hour, after i finish i end up having to walk another 15-20 before i'm home. we also take our dog on additional walks every day for around 20 minutes.
my meal plans are pretty typical... yogurt with berries in the morning or otherwise toast with a hard boiled egg. i've been making quite a few of the skinnytaste recipes for dinners, tonight i was going to try her enchiladas. lunch is usually a turkey sandwich on healthy life bread and some veggie - carrots, celery and an apple or some watermelon. anything i'm doing wrong here? i've been playing around with upping my calorie intake but i get scared...especially when i haven't been seeing any movement on the scale ya know?
again thanks sooo much. i'm kinda clueless with this whole thing right now so i appreciate the advice
To each their own but I highly recommend South Beach Diet. If you follow it correctly it eliminates cravings and puts you on the right track to eat perfectly healthy for the rest of your life. Plus thats how I've lost weight between each of my pregnancies. I love it!! I've completely been on track for one week and have already lost almost 5lbs Whereas before that I was just slightly straying but nothing crazy and not losing anything!
If you don't feel like going that crazy I would say maybe make sure you are drinking enough water and try to avoid drinking anything else if you can.
Good luck!!
Last edited by Blcarter84; 05-08-2012 at 03:15 PM.
I am having this issue now too, I have been stuck at 220 for about a week or so. I have dipped down to 219 a couple of times, but more so than often it says 220. your diet sounds good to me, but I often wonder if I am getting enough calories. I also kept a food journal from the beginning and I am glad I did, I think I may be eating a little more than I used to (still healthy but not lose weight healthy) so I switched it up today. good luck. I think sometimes I just need to throw my scale out the window. How about how do you feel? Do you feel better? Do your clothes fit better?
Hey There! Sorry your weight loss has been slow, but congrats on that 1 pound! It's not a huge number but that is no small amount of fat!
Weight loss has been super slow for me this time too. When I was younger making a dramatic change had immediate results... now that I'm in my late 20's things are so different
That said, I am still losing weight steadily! Just not as fast as I had initially hoped and it sounds like you are eating really great (I especially admire how much produce you are eating! I need to incorporate more) and getting exercise, so I hope you will have the same success.
I have gotten to a point where I lose 1+ pounds a week consistently, and I made a couple modifications that seem to have helped me: Calorie Cycling, Cardio Intervals and Strength Training.
Since you are feeling hesitant, rather than upping your calorie intake right away you could give Calorie Cycling a try. I aim for an average number of calories per day each week, but my daily intake might be 1500 one day, then 1200 the next, averaging out to my goal at the end of the week. This seems to help keep my metabolism going.
As for exercise, I have had my best weight loss success with intervals (C25k is good for this, as you switch off between walking and jogging.) I focus on my heart rate, and try to go from a fast walk/slow jog at 55-65% of my max heart rate to a fast jog at 80-90% of my max heart rate.
I have also tried to make sure I incorporate strength training. A friend recommended it and so far it seems like a combination of strength training and cardio seem to be essential for me to lose weight.
Good luck and don't get discouraged!! And congrats again on the -1 pound!!!
Last edited by MamieGrace; 05-08-2012 at 10:10 PM.
Dont get discouraged, keep up the good work!
With your level of activity, 1250 seems low. Try calculating the cals burned in your workouts, then recalculate your calorie intake.
Congrats on the 1 lb loss!
My advice take pictures and take your measurements! the scale sometimes takes a while to show a big difference. and make sure you are taking in enough calories. join the onederland post on here
Oh, definitely, that's very normal. I hate to say it, but give it about 2 months. Especially at the beginning, you'll see nothing happen, and then suddenly you'll drop a few pounds. It's just your body fighting back with water weight. Keep doing what you're doing and working hard, and you'll start to see results! I think it helps to only weigh yourself once a week. That way you don't obsess over the daily fluctuations. Of course, I should take my own advice, haha....
i dont know what to tell you about the scale not showing results yet, but i can tell you what i tell myself to keep going.
it's better to be trying than to not try at all.
trying leads to the possibility of losing weight while not trying doesn't have that possibility at all.
keep at it! you're doing a great job
discouraged with lack of weight loss :(
Perhaps you could try supplementing your current mealplan with one or two additional healthy snacks and see how your body responds?
