UGH! Need motivation

  • Okay so I have had REALLY hard time staying regular for the past week. It's so frustrating because ya don't lose when ya aren't regular. I gained like three pounds even when I was exercising like crazy (probably a total of a hour a day doing Pilate exercises and weight lifting) and eating on plan.

    Today I blew it and ate WAY too much peanut butter. It's so frustrating. I've been taking fibercon and had to drink aloe juice yesterday (It's disguising, by the way).

    I'm going to try Metamucil tonight and continue to take my primrose oil. I also am starting to take a large dose of vitamin C. I might add fish oil in the morning too.

    Seriously, can't I catch a break? And I started out so well by taking a walk in the morning.
  • I never had the problem w/ constipation but from what the others have said it sounds like it's fairly common. I know it can be frustrating, but I'm sure it'll all work out in the end (*ahem* no pun intended) and you'll be progressing at the rate you would like. Try not to get discouraged...you're doing everything right and you WILL be rewarded.
  • Besides taking Fibercon or Metamucil, make sure you drink lots of water to help get things moving. Eating beans every day will help, too.

    I tend to have an awful time with constipation while doing Phase 1, but I've found that drinking lots of water really does help.

    Hang in there, and your system will eventually work things out.
  • Yes on the water. Also, everyone here was writing about chia so I tried it (2 tbsp. per day in a drink to make chia fresca) and I really liked it AND I have been able to do without the metamucil I always had to take.

    Also, whenever I exercise a lot I always gain a little bit of weight. This was terribly frustrating to me until I read an article by a trainer that said when you exercise muscle, and the fibers tear and then rebuild themselves (this is how you build muscle), the muscle retains a lot of water to help with the rebuilding process. He actually said you should not expect to lose any weight on the scale for a month after beginning an exercise program, and in fact should expect to gain around 5 lbs. of water weight. This made me feel a lot better and when I went off plan this summer I had also begun an exercise program and it was liberating not to have to worry about the scale.

    Hope this is helpful. Hang in there!!
  • I agree with the water, I try and drink half of my body weight in water every day. When I am very constipated I take Ducolax, be mindful to take it when you have access to a bathroom!
  • It helps me to always remember what a healthy WOE SBD is. I feel so much better now and my body has given me proof of the results. I'm totally off blood pressure meds and my cholesterol and triglycerides have dropped dramatically.

    Fluxuations on the scale are normal and if I'm eating OP I take the ups and downs with a grain of salt. I know-we all like the scale to move, but it's no longer my only measure for success.

    I drink lots of water, eat beans daily and seem to stay quite regular now. I remember when I first started SBD that I had times when it wasn't that way. I think the body is just making alot of adjustments to a new WOE.

    Best wishes! Keep up the good work!
  • I completely feel your pain. I drink senna tea usually once per week in addition to daily fiber.

    While you are exercising a lot as far as time is concerned, it isn't a lot of cardio. I find when I do a lot of cardio, it gets things going. How long are you in your target heart rate? I strive for at least 45 minutes per day and usually more like 60-90 in my THR (145-155 bpm for my age).
  • Jlyne... don't be so hard on yourself! (I say that with much fondness and understanding, because I know the feeling!) It sounds to me from your post that you are doing really good. It's not like you went off eating donuts and stuff. So you overdid the peanut butter, better that than going off plan. You didn't blow it, give yourself some credit girl, you're doing awesome. Don't beat yourself up too much over peanut butter. Plus you're clearly working your butt off (both literally and figuratively, lol)! I can't stress enough what an amazing job I think you're doing. I wish I was more active and exercised more frequently! Kudos to you.

    My take on the 3 lb gain is this: it's not a huge amount, so it could definitely be attributed to water retention, constipation as you mentioned, or, going by the amount of exercise, muscle growth! Which is a good thing cause muscle burns so much more calories than fat does. And we women, the scales go up and down even up to 5 lbs throughout the day for us. Don't worry, it will all even out.
  • I feel your pain. I haev to take the scale with a grain of salt as well, because my weight fluctuates so much. Before I stopped eating gluten sometimes it was as much as 9lbs from one day to the next(which led me to figure out I have some allergies or sensitivities causeing inflammation). Anyway- just keep on truckin! If you stay with it the weight will eventually come off! Its so hard to think about it coming off slow but we didn't gain it in a week we won't lose it that fast either!
  • Thank you ladies!! I'm trying to drink more water like a few of you pointed out. I'm still having problems with constipation, but I'm just not going to weigh myself everyday. I think I put too much stock into it. (Thanks Melanie!)

    I also am making sure that I get my heart rate up a bit more for a longer amount of time. Hopefully these things will help.