[BlackBarbieKiss125]

Over the past month I have been between I have lost maybe about 4 lbs.

Thing is, I go to the gym about 1 hour and half a day on average and eat about 1000 calories. So it feels funny that I am not losing more.

Trying to still keep it positive, I know a lady at my gym who does 2+ hours a day, works with a personal trainer, eats 1600, and lost only 20 lbs in the past 6 months. If I was her I probably would of given up by now because with that effort, I would expect 70 + lbs to come off.

[Arctic Mama]

Well why on earth are you setting up expectations for an output you cannot control? You can't make your body lose weight at a fast or steady rate except inasmuch as your eating and activity supports an energy deficit - day after day and month after month.

Four pounds in a month is healthy and VERY average for a woman. And if you're truly eating, every day, exactly 1000 calories along with your workout, you're under fueling you body and could be thwarting your progress in the gym because of it. Another serving of protein might do you a lot of good for properly fueling the workout and recovery cycle.

But truly, your frustration is because of your expectations, NOT your body. Your body IS losing and has lost significant weight. But because it isn't doing it in your preferred speed or timeline you're considering it a disappointment or failure? The logical thing to do is reframe your expectations. If you get in a nutritious day of on-plan calories and your daily workout, you've succeeded. You've won. You're awesome. And the scale and tape measure will do what they will do. You can't control them, so why base your contentment and happiness on something you have no direct control over?

Celebrate your achievements in adherence to your plan and give up counting on the rest. If you are consistent day after day and year after year, you WILL be healthier and WILL move closer to your goal, if not reach of exceed it. But this timeline and rate of weight loss you have in your head is nonsense, and it is defeating you mentally for no good reason at all.

And there's the tough love. Get over it and get real, you're doing just fine if you account of calories and exercise is accurate

[Radiojane]

You may just need a tweak. I stalled out and had to eat a little more. Are you eating back your exercise cals?

Make sure you measure yourself too. The scale doesn't always show progress.

[wannaBfitnessbuff]

Arctic Mama- Thanks for that. I needed to hear that too! I have been up a few pounds the last few days and was letting myself wallow in self pity. When I started this time I told myself it would be different, and the fact I am working on losing without the aide of some event I have to lose x, y or z by is going to be a huge benefit. I am making changes that will make me healthier and will eventually lead to the loss I want to see. Thank you thank you. I told myself when I started that I need to be happy whatever the loss, even if its 2 lbs or less in a month.

BlackBarbieKiss- I know how it feels that you feel you are doing so much work and the rewards don't seem to come even close to compensating. I think Artic has it right. And it reminds me of a friend whos recent loss I have taken as an inspiration in my renewed weightloss attempt. She has never been huge and maybe borderline overweight at her worst. But she has fought the same 15-20 pounds for years. Over a year ago she decided to set a goal of 2 lbs per month. That's it, no more than that. Well since she did that she has lost steadily (not the whole 2 lbs every month, but she always lost or maintained and never really more than 2 in a month). Well for the first time in her life she is at her goal weight. She is 5'9" and weighs 140 lbs. So actually she looks thin! She has done diets where she lost weight more quickly than this time, but she also has never gotten to this weight and she has never managed to maintain losses for more than a couple months. Seeing her no longer battling her weight is just inspiring. She has changed her habits and changed how she eats and she did it slowly and its sticking. Anyways your making progress and sslow and steady wins the race!!

Just think if you lost that same 4 lbs every month for a year you would be 48 lbs lighter! Think about it long term, and giving up leaves you no where but worse off.