I don't know whats wrong with me today. Well I kind of do.

I haven't gone off plan, or binged, or anything bad, but my first week of cal counting is almost over and I am almost in tears as I type this. I just feel crummy.

I did a really good, strict job of counting my cals and worked out 30 mins almost every day this week ... but I guess what got me is this morning the scale read about 174 lbs (down from my start weight of 180) and now it says more like 178. I know it is probably because you weigh less in the morning. I should stop weighing myself so much, its just making me feel crazy.

I also just feel so ugly, I have horrible dark circles under my eyes and just feel and look gross. I am super paranoid I am going to have horrible saggy skin if I lose any weight (what am I worried about, I haven't even lost anything yet). I'm only 24. I don't know, maybe there is some skin tightening cream I need to be using. I guess I feel like even if I loose weight I am still going to look gross. Whatever, I guess some of us are never happy with how we look.

My TOM also just ended the other day. Who knows whats going on. I guess I just need to suck it up and get on the elliptical and work off the blues. Thanks for listening to me whine!

I'm sorry you're feeling so crummy!

You're right about what the scale says, though-- it's perfectly natural to fluctuate from day to day, hour to hour. You weigh less in the morning and more as the day goes on. If that bothers you, stop weighing throughout the day. Once you've got your morning weight, why is there any need to continue to weigh anyway?

Are you getting enough sleep? Maybe you just need a nice nap, or a good night's rest, to feel a little better and help with those dark circles. Eye creams are also nice, I use one whenever my eyes are feeling a little droopy and it makes things look and feel a lot better.

And saggy skin is something most of us worry about, but it really isn't as big of a deal as it may seem. I'd take some extra skin over 90-100lbs of extra weight any day. Just stick with your diet and take care of your skin to the best of your ability. It might bounce right back, it might not, but either way, you've lost weight!

Always try to look at the good over the bad. You've lost some weight already and you've been good about sticking to your plan, that's something to be proud of.

I really feel for you and hope you can feel better soon. I'd like to add that I was feeling similar yesterday but unlike you, I did binge. It's going to probably take me two weeks of busting my butt to undo the damage but hey, such is the consequence. What I'm saying is: well done for hanging in there.

I really think you will feel better as you continue to do this. We often rely on food to "medicate" away how we feel and when we count calories and are following our plans, we can't use food for this reason, so there can be a bit of a mourning period...kinda like losing a trusty friend. If you're feeling deprived, try to switch your thinking around....even if you have to fake it. I try to tell myself that if I eat the foods that make me feel worse in the long run, THEN I'm depriving myself of the life I want. This, in fact, is true, but it doesn't always feel that way.

Regarding the dark circles, they can occur for different reasons. It could be sleep deprivation but it could also signal allergies or even food sensitivities. You may consider cutting out gluten for a while and see if you feel better. Or, maybe dairy products....they can cause all kinds of symptoms in a select group of people. Just a thought.

I really am glad you were able to come here and vent....sometimes, that's all we need to do. See if you can do something special for yourself....do your nails or take a hot bath/shower, read a good book, go for a walk, call a friend, etc. As you continue on in this journey, you'll find that it does get easier and more than likely, you'll feel a whole lot better. Think long term.

I am sorry you are feeling bad. It will get better. But, if there is one thing I have learned is that there is no rhyme or reason to that # on the scale sometimes. I used to get really aggravated when I didn't see a loss when I felt I should. But this time around (this will be my last time of losing, I swear to god) what I am doing is tracking my daily weight (one time a day weigh, right after I get up and pee) so I can see and identify the trends. I also make a comment every day about the day so I can see at a glance, if I was off plan for some reason, if I am at TOM, if I didn't get my water in, if I didn't work out, etc.

Keep your chin up and hang in there...it'll be worth it and it's not a quick journey (well, it shouldn't be anyway).

Thanks for your kind words. I am feeling somewhat better. I'm not at risk to binge or give up or anything so I just have to remember every healthy meal and every day is one day closer to a better healthier me. It can't get worse unless I stop WHICH I NEVER WILL!

I have had dark circles under my eyes for a long time, I dont know if it is genetic or what. I do sleep well, I go to sleep around 10 or 11 on weeknights and get up at about 7 AM which I think is a good amount of sleep. I just need to keep up a good skin care regimen which I go off and on all the time. Just need to moisturize and hopefully my eyes will look better. There are so many under eye creams, I dont know which to choose. Oh well, I'll figure it out.

But again, thanks guys. I bought a Tanita scale on line today, mine currently is a 5 dollar scale from Family Dollar (crap!) so I am excited for a GOOD accurate scale. I definitely need to work on weighing myself less and pushing through.

Thanks for your support! Its good to know others understand the way I am feeling!

I'm the same age as you and I'm 5'1.5 ..I also started at a higher weight than you so I definitely think our bodies are still young enough to "bounce back"..

I also shared your paranoia of having flabby skin and while I'm not at goal yet, I can tell you that it looks fine. I prefer what my body looks like now than it did at a higher weight.

I think moisturizing and exercise helped keep things tight.

Thanks InControl! That definitely made me feel better. I figure I would pretty much bounce back but I have this terror/paranoia that I've ruined myself and while I would definitely rather be skinny and flabby than overweight and not flabby, its still scary! I just need a good skin care regimen for body and face. I guess thats the thing I work on next.

Did you use a particular body moisturizer or anything?

Don't weigh throughout the day. Apart from anything else, the food and drink you've eaten will mostly still be inside you, and their weight added to your morning weight. It's perfectly easy to have consumed 4lbs of food and drink. My breakfast this morning - 2 glasses of water, a mug of coffee, porridge with yogurt - weighed 2.5lbs.

Weigh in the morning, then leave it alone.

How many calories are you counting?
Are you making sure they come from fresh fruit and veg., among other things?

Re the saggy skin:I seriously doubt that you'll have an issue at your weight and height. I've lost 50lbs this year and I'm 2.25 times your age - and I have no saggy skin. In any case, don't let fear about what Might (or not) happen put you off getting healthier.

Tanita is the best scale out there.

Weighing once in the morning (after using the bathroom, before eating or drinking) is really all that you should be doing IMO. No other valuable information can come from weighing any other time of day. Like has been said already, the weight of the volume and food that you've consumed throughout the day that has yet to be digested will cause the scale to go waaay up. Overnight,it's digested so in the morning you get the best, most accurate number.

I don't think you have to worry much about saggy skin. But definitely the time to get your weight under control is now and you ARE doing that.

Stick to your calorie allotment - consistently - making sure to make them nutrient rich ones and you'll have that scale going downward.

Nothing takes care of a bad mood better than eating well and exercise.

You're off to a great start, now just keep at it. Keep on going...