I try to gauge my success more by on the positive changes I'm making, rather than what the scale is telling me. Sometimes, I can do everything right, but scale won't move. In the past, this would lead to, "This is too hard and the scale didn't do what I wanted, so I quit."
Now, I think about what will happen in a week's or month's time if I give up.
Just keep going! Make the positive changes, and the weight loss will follow. Easier said than done I know, but it will lead to much better results in the end.
I agree with this. Think about all the good things you've done overall, and all the good you have done this week. And know that you are just awesome in general!
1) I find a pair of non-stretchy jeans in a line that I know I can get a size lower in (you know like Levis or Lee) that will not lie to me. Lately I haven't even been BUYING the jeans - I just try them on at Kohl's because I have been zipping through sizes (Even though I have been in the 200s since Thanksgiving, I have gone from 16 in November, 14 in December, and 14 is loose but 12 is muffin-top ish in mid January - the scale is "lying" but the pants are telling me another story). I buy clearance or thrift jeans and pants in whatever size fits while I am on my journey and wear them until I feel like a clown but I use the particular line to gauge my "true size."
2) Taking measurements helps - there are 3 reasons that I've been "stuck" at 210-200 since Thanksgiving. 1. there has been some diet deviation. 2. I had an injury which sidelined me exercise wise and required me to go off my diet (dr said so for recovery reasons, needed carbs) 3. My body decided to re-shape itself in the meantime - it's like it said, "while we're on this plateau, let's be meaner and leaner." My measurements changed drastically. I have had to buy new bras (smaller), new pants, my shoes even fit loose (my injury was a foot burn so I did not wear shoes for 6 weeks, and slowly going back to my shoes, they are all "too big" now). That's a huge change EVEN THOUGH the scale says I've only lost 7 pounds over the past 3 months.
In direct response to your post, I think that most people have a lull the 3rd week into a diet. It's like your body starts to freak out thinking "woah, we're having a famine here! what will we do!" and it goes into panic mode. It seems that if you keep on track, your body eventually gives up and then you start losing again--but that's where the determination is required on your part.
I know how you feel, sometimes there are weeks (usually in a row) when I won't lose any weight. It's frustrating thinking of all that you're doing to try and lose it for it to just not come off. The way I keep at it is to remind myself that I've been losing, I'm just not losing ringht now. Which means just because I didn't lose this week doesn't mean my work is in vain. It just means that my body is adjusting. You'll find that through your journey your body will continue to adjust and sometimes that means a weight loss stall. You're doing a great job so far!! and a great thing for yourself!
Only comment I'll add is that I think there is some value in preparing for a 0 or a gain before it happens. I've really been focusing on this recently. I know looking at the pattern I've had for the last several months that I will hit a 0 some week. Could be on an hour when I go do my weekly official weigh-in.
I agree it's hard to think about all that hard work not providing "results". But I've really been preparing myself to think about it differently. 0 or + weeks are going to happen sooner or later. We are making our bodies undergo significant change that was often years in the making. So I'm trying to think of it as something that is just going to happen so might as well get it out of the way.
I'm right there with ya - stepped on the scale this morning feeling great, and got stuck with a big fat nothing loss. I'm not letting it get me down - I'm just looking at it as a challenge to keep really, really focused this week. Here's hoping I can do it.
Like others have said, in the past when I tried losing weight and saw no loss whatsoever or perhaps even a gain, I'd get really frustrated and defeated and go off track for a few days/weeks/months or just give up entirely. This time around I'm prepared for seeing that on the scale. When it happens, sure I'll be frustrated but I know now that this is a marathon and not just a race.
Great job on the loss so far, btw! Keep going, you can't turn back now!
I am so happy to have just read this thread. I had the exact same problem on my WI day (Monday). I was actually UP 1.5 lbs! I had zero cheating over the week...I count every calorie and exercise religiously. The one thing I could think of was that I had more carbs than usual on Sunday...but then again, I was very safely in my calorie range. I just wanted to throw the darn scale at the mirror. I weighed in again yesterday and saw a 1.5 lb loss...and this morning, was up .5 again (after 2 days of veggies, veggies and more veggies and lean proteins!). It's enough to make me go mad!!! Reading the responses in this forum made me feel so much better. We have to just hang in there.
I have a reply in this thread somewhere saying I was plateau for a week and a half now. Well today I weigh myself and I'm down 2lbs That's along with minor loss with my measurements too. I'm actually almost down 3lbs because it was 228.8.
All I did was stick to my usual exercise but used a new machine, ate a bit less calories on my zig-zag days, and drank a ton of water.
I look at it this way, even if I don't always see the changes on the scale the changes are happening on the inside with the healthy eating and exercising. It's a long process but hang in there!
A zero loss isn't demotivating unless you expect a loss every week. It's a bit like saying "how do I stay motivated to go to work, if I don't get a paycheck every friday?"
Some jobs do pay every friday and the same amount every week. Other jobs pay more variably and/or on a different schedule. You might get paid every two weeks, or every month. You might get pretty much the same "salary" every week, or it might vary quite a bit. If you work for yourself, when and how much you get paid may vary a lot more.
Weight loss is a lot like owning your own business, and working for yourself. Ideally, the harder you work, the better and more reliably you get paid (and it usually works out that way - at least for the weight loss), but there are still might be slow weeks, or even weeks you don't get paid. You stay motivated by understanding that, and having confidence that your efforts will be rewarded in the long run.
It's taken me more than a couple years to lose my 80 lbs, the slowest I have ever lost weight (a lot of reasons behind it, many of my own choosing). I'm not working very hard (and that's ok with me), and I stay motivated by not seeing a no loss week (or month) as a tragedy. The main difference between this successful attempt (more weight than I've ever lost, and the longest I've ever gone without regaining) is my choosing not to be traumatized by stalls and slow progress.
It's mostly a matter of perspective, how you choose to look at it. Is a zero loss proof that you're a failure and that there's no use continuing - or is it just part of the normal course of weight loss. What you choose to believe has a huge impact on what you choose to do, make both kinds of choices count.
And know that you are just awesome in general!
That's along with minor loss with my measurements too. I'm actually almost down 3lbs because it was 228.8.
