Is it just me, or does everyone feel even fatter while they're dieting? I have a feeling it's just me. I always feel bloated and even worse about my body while I'm dieting than when I'm pigging out and eating whatever I want.

I started a diet almost a month ago and haven't lost a single pound!! I lost 5 "pounds" of water weight in the first week and after that...nothing. I've been power walking/jogging a mile every single morning Monday-Friday since I started. The only thing I've done wrong is a couple cheats on the weekend, but I haven't cheated once during the week. When I dieted before, I even had a "cheat day" and STILL lost weight. What's going on?!

For the first two weeks, my standard day was a medium sized bowl of Special K with skim milk, low sodium progresso chicken noodle soup for lunch, and a sandwich (lean turkey and low fat provolone cheese on light wheat bread) with a few baked chips and some fruit. This week I've kept the cereal for breakfast but I've also been eating it for lunch, and for dinner I've been eating light tuna and light mayo on my light wheat bread with the same sides and a couple times I've had homemade veggie soup with my sandwich. I've also been drinking over 64 oz of water each day. There's no way that's more than 1200 calories. I don't even snack...ever!

Does anyone have any suggestions? I've cut out diet soda completely, and I haven't been eating those fake healthy frozen meals. I'm getting fruit, dairy, meat, grain, veggies, everything. Do I have to completely starve myself in order to lose weight?

It's crazy because before this I was eating ALL THE TIME and the wrong things completely, getting no exercise, etc. and I gained about 15 lbs in a year and a half. And now when I drastically change my eating habits and start to exercise, my weight is still the same?

Every time I look in the mirror, I could swear I look like I'm gaining weight. All weighing myself every week does is make me depressed, so I've decided to go a few weeks with no weigh-ins, but I have absolutely NO motivation.

HELP!!

This may sound weird but maybe you aren't eating enough.

I believe if you stick to what you are doing, you will see results.I agree with not getting on the scale though.It can be so depressing when you are doing everything right and the scale wont budge.Hang in there and be kind to yourself.

Are you tracking your calories and measuring everything? I would probably up your fiber and decrease the carbs--be sure to get your water. With your H and W, you aren't going to see the quick losses you would often see when you are larger. Just hang in there. Make sure you are eating at least your 1200 calories. I eat 1500 and run 3-4 miles each morning and still lost--but slowly! (1 pound a week, maybe 1.25.)

Also, my weight goes up at ovulation and during my cycle. Tracking your weight really helps. One other thing, if you are taking in artificial sweetner, I would lay off it for a while.

--

You might be eating so little that you're losing muscle and actually getting fatter. Try actually inputting your food into something like fitday.com or the daily plate, etc, and tell us how many calories you're really eating. I think you need more. And I also think you'll need more exercise than 1 mile a day. You have to increase gradually if you were out of shape, but after a month, it seems like you could start pushing it a little more.

From what you posted of your plan it looks like you might benefit from eating more. I know that sounds counter-intuitive, but if your body does not have enough nutrition it will hang on to every last bit it has! Of course if you keep going like this eventually you will lose weight too, but you'll also probably be malnourished and feel like crap, and have a harder time maintaining.

My suggestion is to track your calories (at least for a day or two) as you're eating now and slowly add in 100 calories a week until you're at 1400-1500 a day.

That doesn't look like enough food to me. Eating too little can make weight loss harder than it needs to be. I agree that you should try tracking calories and see exactly how much you are eating.

Jay

One thing I've discovered is how easy it is to underestimate how much I am eating. In order to keep myself on track I weigh or measure everything I eat, otherwise, the portions just "magically" seem to start getting bigger.
Are you keeping track of what and how much you are actually eating? (Either on paper or online). I would suggest that for a week, you weigh, measure and record everything you put in your mouth. From your description above, your amounts seem pretty vague, i.e. one medium size bowl means different things to different people. Also, check the labels on the stuff you are eating to make sure you are portioning it correctly.
And like someone said above, if you are not eating enough, you might not be losing any weight either.
Good luck and let us know how that goes.

First, as for feeling fatter/bigger I can totally agree. I am about 40+lbs lighter from my highest weight and I feel bigger than ever before! It is really bothersome! My mind just hasn't caught up with the fact that I am 40lbs lighter and I am getting smaller.

Second, believe it or not, eating more can help you lose more! You need to find your *niche* in the calorie range. I eat an average of 1600 during the week (1,300 - 1,800 with one 2,000 calorie day!) and I can lost up to 3.5lbs. Your losses won't be as great since you're 140lbs, maybe .5 - 1lb at the most. But that's what happens - the smaller you get, the harder it is to lose weight.

Good luck and I hope you find what works for you!

Thanks for the responses everyone! Last night I added up my calories, and surprisingly it's anywhere between 975 and 1035. I know that's not enough, I'll have to do something about that.

I've been getting up at 6 each morning to run that one mile. I can't get up any earlier, I'm already dragging it at my 8-5 job and once I get home, I'm so exhausted I don't feel like doing anything. I think I'm going to start doing some crunches, lunges, work with weights, etc. after work or at night added onto that mile. Would that do it?

I also know I was vague with the medium bowl deal, but it's 1 1/2 cups. The portion size is 1 cup, so I add calories accordingly.

I'm going to stick to it, change a few things, not weigh in so much, and just wait it out. I'm so focused on feeling good in my bathing suit this summer that I'm not doing it the way it should be done. Work is crazy, and I get really lazy during the week. I've just got to snap out of it if I really want to change.

Thanks again!

You absolutely need to get those calories up. It's no wonder you only want to collapse when you get home from work!

Good luck! Check out the Calorie Counters forum--some good sticky threads at the top.

Jay

those frozen meals could make you bloat. and too much cereal could as well.

I often feel fatter and worse about my body when I am losing weight (I no longer diet) because I am so focused on my body. When I am not trying to change things I can easily ignore how my body looks, or very selectively look at one body part. When I am losing I am looking at my body for changes in detail...and of course no matter what happens I don't look as though I will be selected for the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue any time soon...okay, ever.

I'm not eating frozen meals. Haven't had one since I started.