I'm new to this board, but not to 3FC and definitely not to dieting! I'm trying to lose 10 pounds again (for the 20th time in the last 5 years). Long story short: I lost 37 pounds ten years ago, regained 10-12 five years ago, and can't seem to lose them. It's always the same story: I lose 2-4 the first week, then stall, stay there for 2-3 weeks and give up. Repeat ad nauseum. I've always been a calorie counter, but this time I decided to join Weight Watchers to help with motivation. I'm still counting calories (been doing between 1200 and 1400) and I've been following the program religiously. I lost 4.4 lbs the first week and 1/2 after that (the past 2 weeks). This is so frustrating. I know it's slow because I don't have much to lose, that's why I decided to post here. You guys are the most likely to understand the frustration! My exercise routine is erratic at best, and that obviously doesn't help. But if I was able to maintain at 2000 calories a day and now I'm eating 1200-1400 on the exact same exercise routine, I should lose at some point, right? Please? Part of me knows that I just have to keep. doing. it. The weight will come off eventually.
Anyone with similar stories to share? Please tell me there's light at the end of the tunnel!
Btw, I'm 5'4" and weigh 140-141. And I'm 36, which doesn't help either.
I feel your pain!
I started WW March 29th of this year, and to date I am down 21lbs. It is definitely a slow process, slower than last time I did it (In '98 I lost 43lbs in 4 months) BUT...I know why it's slower for me. I cheat. I don't mind losing it slow, because I know I can follow this way of life forever. If I was on a diet, where I couldn't cheat, and have my 'off' days, I'd fail. I figure, I'm still a winner. The scale is still moving in the right directions, most weeks anyhow.
In total, I'm down 37lbs since June of 2005. I feel much better, am much healthier and know the end is in sight...just need to crawl alittle faster and have more good days than bad.
You'll get there, just take time out to smell the roses and re-evaluate what you're doing and mix it up alittle. We're all in this battle together!! We'll win!
I have been doing South Beach and the first 14 days were great for the weight lose. It's the first time in 2 years that I have moved 5 pounds on the scales. This week nothing, no movement again. Obviously, I brought back too many foods at once. Hopefully being more careful this week will result in a lose, instead of feeling depressed.
Good for you on the weight loss! I did the South Beach diet 2 years ago and lost 15 pounds. I also lost 5 pounds during the first two weeks. I ended up putting most of the weight back on, though. I think what got me was getting too comfortable with refined carbs and not watching portions. I think there are some really good things about that diet, but one of its problems is it doesn't emphasize portion control enough. Now that I count calories, I'm doing better. I think I need to revisit some of the other parts of SBD, though.
Hi. Another slow loser here. The first 30 pounds came off in 3 months. Now it's a lot of back and forth with the same pounds. Last week, I managed to get down to 121 -- so incredibly close to my goal. Of course I knew it was a Friday and that I would gain over the weekend (my gym is open Mon-Fri, and I wouldn't be motivated to go then anyway). I did end up gaining my way back up to 125.
Anyway, I'm moving into a new apartment this weekend that has a fitness center in the building, so that should help with my week vs. weekend fluctuations. If I don't have to go outdoors to work out, there's no excuse for me not to. Plus I'll be living alone so I can have complete and total control over what food enters my apartment.
Through all the frustration, I just keep working out and counting my calories. That's all you can really do, and just trust that your body will catch up to reflect your habits. Good luck.
The last part of your post, GC, has been my song the last six weeks: "Through all the frustration, I just keep working out and counting my calories. That's all you can really do, and just trust that your body will catch up to reflect your habits."
It looks like we actually started at about the same weight and are currently about the same (I still have about 6 pounds to lose on a good day). I've been fluctuating between 121-124 since end of August. I actually developed a spreadsheet and only by doing that in Sept and Oct have I noticed a very slight decrease! I'm averaging about 122 this month vs 122.6 last month - so as you can see it is a very slight decline
You just have to keep putting one foot in front of the other, doing what you know will work, and one day (maybe soon) it will happen.
Haha! No, alinnell, it didn't come out right. But I know you mean well
GC, yeah, when I lost the weight originally 10 years ago it was the same thing: I lost 30 pounds in 3 months, then it took me 2.5 months to lose the remaining 6-7 pounds. Apparently my body hates to be under 138-140 (but I was able to maintain around 132 for 5 years, so I know it can be done).
I know there's no magic pill. I know I just have to keep doing it. But it's good to know I'm not alone.
I actually developed a spreadsheet and only by doing that in Sept and Oct have I noticed a very slight decrease! I'm averaging about 122 this month vs 122.6 last month - so as you can see it is a very slight decline
Hey! There's something else we have in common. I've been using an Excel spreadsheet since February, and that's really helped me keep myself accountable. For each day, I write what I ate and drank, how many calories were in those items, and how many calories I burned at the gym. When I first started it I felt like I was obsessing a bit much, but for me, it's what I have to do.
Clarabr, I know what you mean about your body not wanting to go under a certain weight. I feel my body was happiest at 127. I don't look too bad at that weight, but I refuse to go over 130 again, and 3 pounds just isn't enough wiggle room for me to fluctuate.
Good luck to all of you! It is good to know we're all in this together.
The spread sheet is an excellent idea! I did something similar, in that I would keep a log for the year, putting my weight and measurments in every month...So at one point I looked back from January to January and lo and behold I had lost 12# in the whole year, granted, it isn't much, but 10000% better than gaining those 12#... My average weight loss for that year was only 1# per month, 1/4# per week ... Yea, talk about your snails pace!!
So I guess what I'm getting at is like another poster said: "Through all the frustration, I just keep working out and counting my calories. That's all you can really do, and just trust that your body will catch up to reflect your habits." Amen Sistah
Have you guys ever tried the zig-zagging thing? Or upping your calories for a while and decreasing again? I was just reading yet another diet magazine that stated clearly "if you're plateauing, increase from 1200 to 1800 calories for a week and go back down to 1200. That should jumpstart your loss". I gotta confess, even though I've been trying this (dieting) for years, and have heard that piece of advice many times, I've never actually done it. I always give up after about 4 weeks, and go back on maintenance mode. I've never consciously upped my calories for a week and decreased them again. I might try that... I'm going away for 10 days and I won't have much control over what I'll eat, so that might be a good opportunity to try it.
I've read about your weight loss. Very impressive! (I've been lurking for way longer than I've been posting, so I feel like I know some of the people here already ).
You know, at this point I'd be *thrilled* to lose 1/2 lb a week. But I've lost NOTHING since September 24th.
Sometimes it takes a while for your body to catch up with you. I know that sounds weird, but it's true. I went through a period of about 6 weeks when I didn't lose ANYTHING, and I was being super-good the whole time. It was pretty depressing, but I knew if I just kept with it eventually my work would pay off. And then it was like all of a sudden I lost about 4 lbs. I even said to my personal trainer that it was like I suddenly woke up one morning with hip bones! She said it happens like that occasionally...our bodies have their own agenda.
I know it sucks, but hang in there. And remember, another important part of this whole journey is learning to live with our new habits and lifestyle for LIFE. The more you do it -- especially in the face of disappointment -- the easier it will be to keep these habits forever.
I don't know how helpful that was ...but hang in there, chickie, you're doing great!
Sigh... any other slow losers out there?
... Yea, talk about your snails pace!! 
...but hang in there, chickie, you're doing great! 