So here goes. It's been almost a whole week since I have posted anything on this site. Last week was very difficult for me for some reason. I have logged in several times in the past week, but then contemplated whether to post anything or not. For one I'm not one to complain and rant and rave all the time and I didn't want everyone to thing that I'm just whining. Maybe that's my problem to begin with. I typically hold all of my feelings in until I'm ready to explode. Well now that I have actually gotten up enough courage to post here goes.
I'm having a tough time staying motivated. I've been on 3FC for a few months now and things have been going very well. It almost seemed as if things were going to well. It just seemed easier than I thought it was going to be. The first eight weeks I lost a total of 17 pounds. I was so excited and people even started to take notice.
Then there was last week. I weighed in on Tuesday (my weigh in day) and no loss. I said to myself, no big deal you're still doing good.
Well as the week went on it got worse. I kept thinking to myself that I failed because I didn't have a loss. I now find that I am in a slump and just frustrated and discouraged with this whole weightloss process.
I just feel like I am slipping back into that blah stage. I HATE THIS.
Again I'm not quite sure why I'm even posting. I guess just to get it off my chest so that I can go back to feeling better.
Not sure if I need a swift kick or some support or some will power dust or maybe someone to buddy up with to check to see that I'm still on track.
I don't have anyone around me that truly understands what a struggle it is to lose weight. So maybe that's why I'm here. I know a lot of you must know how I feel.
I just need someone to tell me to not give up!
Thanks for listening.

Leec

So what you didn't lose any weight. At least you maintained! When you're looking at the big picture or at a number on the scale, it's difficult to see what kind of an accomplishment that is. You burned as many calories as you consumed! That's great! All of that food you ate for one full week didn't even matter because you burned it ALL off. It's amazing when you think about it.

You can do this, you've been doing so good so far... you just gotta keep pushing. Take it one meal at a time.

Whenever I plateau, I just get stubborn and decide that if my body is going to do this, I'm going to just keep eating my 1300 calories per day forever. If it can manage to maintain itself forever on 1300 per day when it should take 2000... well- there's something weird going on that is beyond my ability to affect.

Congrats on not gaining.

Sometimes our bodies have to go through a little plateau so it can adjust itself to losing weight. I went through one and it lasted a month. It wasn't fun, but I kept track of my inches and I kept losing those.

As someone once said to me, sometimes our bodies want to make sure we really want to lose weight. It asks, "are you sure you want to lose weight?" Then we keep up what we are doing. Then it askes again, "are you really sure?" But we just keep plugging on. Then it may ask even again, "are you really REALLY sure you want to lose weight?" Maybe it just needs to make sure this is something you really want.

Think of the big picture. A year from now when you are sitting at your goal weight or close to it, will it matter that there were times when you didn't see a loss on the scale? No. What will matter is that you didn't give up.

We are here for you. Sometimes we have bad days or weeks or even months. haha We all understand and can give you support and encouragement.

Don't give up Angel33! I went through the same thing. I started trying to lose weight the first part of Feb. and I did really good. I thought "this is going to be so easy", because I lost 16 lbs that first month. Well as soon as I got into the month of March the weight loss stopped. I didn't lose any weight for four whole weeks! I remember crying and telling my husband that I give up one Friday night. But I woke up the next morning and I decided that I wasn't going to give up. I was going to keep trying, even if I didn't lose any weight atleast I was making my heart stronger.
It was hard to believe that I had hit a plateau after only a month but I did. I took the advice of some of the women on this forum and increased my calories a little and changed my exercise routine and in less than a week I dropped 3 lbs. I was sooo happy and sooo glad that I didn't give up!

If you need a buddy I'd be happy to be there for you to talk to. I'm also trying to get to my goal weight of 150lbs, though I have quite a bit more to lose than you do. Just keep up the good work, you've lost 17 lbs and that's something to be proud of!
Also don't be scared to post here, these girls have given me alot of great advice and helped me through some tough times in the few months that I have been on my journey.

It's not always as bad as it seems. I've been going through a similar spot where I haven't really been making much progress; I've been gaining and losing the same 5 pounds over and over. This past weekend was basically a continuous stream of eating and not working out. Coming to work today, I felt very depressed about the diet, feeling that I must have gained 8 pounds over the weekend (I easily gain 5 pounds in one weekend, so it's not an absurd expectation). Well, when I weighed myself today, I had gained only a pound and a half, which is fairly easy for me to deal with.

The fact that you've managed to maintain your weight without gaining is phenomenal; you're really doing great. Sometimes, it seems like your body just refuses to be rushed. Just remember, that even if you're not seeing results right away, you're still doing great things for your body/health.

Maybe you can try to mix up what's in your diet or change up your exercise routine. Some change in your habits can make things seems a bit less monotonous and might boost your body into dropping some more weight.

And really, don't worry about feeling like you're whining when you post. That's what this forum is for. Sometimes, I know I just need to whine and get my feelings out; it's not good to bottle that up. Hang in there!

Weight loss is SO hard at times, especially if you don't have anyone around who understands the struggle.You just feel so alone in what you are doing, or I sometimes do. We all get discouraged, I don't think it always has to do with how much we lost in a week.. but I find if I think of the big picture it gets discouraging. Have you tried taking measurements? That can be so helpful if you aren't losing pounds, because you may be losing inches!

One thing thats been helpful for me is that I'm training to do a 10k run (I'll likely half run it and half walk it), so even if I don't want to exercise, well I have no choice. I can't back out of the race (it cost me 40 bucks!!), so I go out there day after day. I don't have a choice, which somehow makes it easier.

You will get there, and posting is a GOOD thing! We all whine, it's probably good for you

-Aimee

Those were some excellent posts! I can't add much to that except that, when it seems like no one at home understands, at least you know that we do. I come here a lot so that my hubby doesn't have to listen to my almost constant diet talk - I know it bores him silly!

Don't give up, you're just in an emotional slump... come and vent anytime, and definitely, congratulations on not gaining...

-Lala

Thanks so much everyone!
I already feel 100 times better. It's so nice to know that I'm really not in this alone. I really do appreciate the pick me up. Now if I can get back my positive attitude I'll be okay. I'll cross my fingers as tomorrow is my next weigh in date. You know what better yet, who cares what the scale says because I know I'm doing all the right things. I'm not going to let the scale get the best of me.

Thanks again for all of the kind words.

Keep up the good work and never give up. I have weeks too that show no change, and my weight loss is very slow now. I'm never going to give up. I have 13 more lbs. to lose and I don't care if it takes a year, I believe it will eventually come off. If not, I stayed healthy by eating right and getting plenty of exercise. I know how discouraging it can be, I saw no loss this week either and have been re-losing the same 2 lbs. for the last several weeks, but I will stay true to my long term plan.

Angel, I dont own a scale and I dont weigh myself because of exactly what is happening to you. Your mind is messing with you. If you are doing what youre supposed to, you ARE losing fat, its just not showing up yet. Your body may have gotten what it needed to make some muscle, or maybe youre retaining water, who knows? But you are losing fat, and you shouldnt let numbers discourage you.
The only way I know Im losing is how my clothes fit and how I look. I am not going to worry even if those things dont change for a long time, I tell myself, because I am going to win, time will not beat me in this, period. It helps that I am very stubborn :OD.
Anyway, pay attn to the numbers after intervals of a month or two if you have to... I know there is no way I could deal with a daily monitoring. I would get discouraged. If you have to monitor it a lot, you have GOT to convince yourself that it does not mean you are not making great progress.

I know what you're going through, too. I had a similar experience last week. I didn't lose much (maybe half pound?) but I also didn't gain. I tried hard to see that as a victory, but I had a really hard time! All sorts of crazy thoughts found their way into my head eventually (oh gosh, I'm going to gain it all back!!!). but, you just have to try and see it for what it is. If you've allowed yourself to fall of the wagon, so to speak, as a result of your bout with the scale, then pick yourself back up and get back on track. Don't beat yourself up over it. Just keep on going. The weight will come off. It has to. There is no physical or scientific way it can stay, if you're working your plan.

Good luck!

Try measuring yourself also. When I was going through my plateau and was bouncing around from 270 to 272 for 4 weeks, I was still losing inches when I measured.

Angel, you are doing great! I am sure we all understand! Sheesh, I am going through the blahs with this stuff and I am even losing weight. And I actually ENJOY the way I am eating; I just want it to start showing! But nothing to do but keep going! Hang in there and you did the RIGHT thing by coming here and sharing!! We are here for you!

I know how you are feeling. Ive been at the same weight for 4 WEEKS NOW. It's very difficult for me and almost every day I just want to quite. But I cant. We understand how difficult it can be.