Not seeing results! LOSING WEIGHT!!!!!

[Desperate4God]

I am a bit...no, not a bit...I am really, really, really frustrated. I've been going to the gym for about 3 months now. I took 2 weeks off for a vacation and now I am back on the ball again. But, you know what? I haven't seen any weight loss! I'm frustrated beyond words. You read in First and Woman's World magazines about how changing this or that or eating this way or that way will make you lose so much weight. And what have I lost? Nothing! Now, I can't say for sure that I have been doing everything that I can to lose weight. I know that I drink diet soda. I know that I eat junk food. I know that I don't eat all my veggies like I should. So, in that I understand that I'm probably not doing my best. But, I do kick my butt on that stinking treadmill almost every day. I should see something! I guess that what I'm doing is offsetting my workout by what I eat. So, I work out for at least 30 minues and do some sit ups and then I don't eat the best I can and I don't drink a lot of water, so I don't lose any weight. Go figure. While all the younger Moms lose weight by just walking around the block a few times a day, I have to do cardio 5 times a week for 30 minutes on top of eating disgusting food. I have to say that I do not like eating salad. I don't! I don't like drinking water. I don't like passing up that banana nut muffin for half a grapefruit. But, I have eat, drink, and do those things while my neighbor can do cardio twice a week, walk around the block a few times a day, and eat whatever she wants a lose weight. 

The encouraging thing is that I am skinnier than anyone else in my family, minus my teenage cousins. It runs in my family to be disgustingly fat. So, maybe this is just an uphill battle I am going to have to fight for the rest of my life. Maybe I am going to have to change my eating habits so intensely that processed food of any kind and drinks other than tea and water don't touch my lips. If that be the case...so be it, I guess. I don't want that, though. I know all the info about how to be healthy. I know how to eat right. I can tell you the biggest reason why people are overweight in this country, and only part of that reason is a lack of exercise. But, I am 26 years old and have been feeding my bad eating habits since I was old enough to make my own decisions about what I ate and when. ( that would be around 10 years )  So, I'm having to break old habits and make new ones and it's really hard and really frustrating.

When the scale doesn't move, it's hard. In my mind, I should be losing weight by now. But, I guess I'm not doing enough for that to happen. I guess if I had some sort of accountability, it would help. But, seriously? Having to tell someone that I ate a peanut butter sandwich instead of broccoli isn't that big of a deal.  

[mellie369]

May. 26, 2009 at 6:53 AM

I'm on a weight lose journey too... but I'm going about it a little differently than you.

I'm working on full body stregthening (instead of just cardio). Muscle will burn fat for you all day. 30 minutes of steady cardio burns fat right then and there... the fat burning stops the minute you step off the machine/stop the cardio.

By building muscle (or toning muscle) there is absolutely no reason for you to think you'll bulk up or 'look like a man' - that doesn't happen. That CAN'T happen until you take drugs to do so! Women don't have the testosterone to be able to bulk up like that. And there are ways you can just tone your muscles rather than add mass to them (if that's what you prefer).

There is also a new way of cardio called HIIT. High Intensity Interval Training. With this you do intervals. I do 30 seconds of sprinting and 90 seconds of recovery (slow walking). 20 minutes of this is suppose to jump start your body into burning fat even after your cardio session.

You're right, your eating doesn't help. I was/am in the same boat. I love my junk food! LOL But I didn't focus on re-doing all my eating habits. I started slowly. Making better choices. I always use to eat popcorn at night with extra butter. Well, I started by cutting out the butter and buying 'light' popcorn. I started adding a salad with my meal (with no-fat dressing) to help me avoid over eating the other foods on my plate. There are other little tricks too. Foods high in fiber help you feel fuller longer. Protein shakes also help fill my belly so I don't snack on junk food.

Throw your scale out the window and start measuring with a tape measure.

And last but not least: join Work It Out Sexy Mama! for real motivation and tips!

You can do it! There is just a right way and a wrong way of going about it and until you find that 'magical' way that works (for you), you'll feel like you are running in quick sand!

(p.s.... if you join that group, I'll show you the picture of my weight loss progress!)

[EileenMarie]

May. 26, 2009 at 8:03 AM

I agree start making little changes and it's not so hard to break bad eating habits.  Diet soda still spikes your glucose levels which can make you gain weight and the carbonation in it with the sodium will bloat you up. 

Look for products with at least 2 grams of fiber in it, and with shorter ingredients list.  Try to stay away from high fructose corn syrup that actually is another reason why americans are so heavy.  It's a cheap ingredient put into many things by manufacturers of food.

You do have do strength training along with cardio to lose weight and you should to maintain your muscle strength.  If you don't you will have your muscle get weaker and atrophy.  Muscle burns calories, maybe that neighbor is walking with weights or doing strength building exercises at home.

Add lemon to your water, it makes it taste better and alkalines your body to balance the acidity in it.  It also assists your body in breaking down protein you eat.

Get on a good Whole Food Nutraceutical like Juice Plus which is made of a variety of 7 fruits and 8 vegetables.  It's very nutrient dense and helps you fill in the gaps of nutrition you have. You can find out more about it at www.yourgoingtolovejuiceplus.com.

 

[mizkaye]

May. 26, 2009 at 11:10 AM

I know exactly what you are going through!  My family is inclined to obesity and we have always been a heavy, hearty stock!  LOL!  I have good news, and not so good news for you...

Ok, good news...you don't have to give up your peanut butter sandwich!  YAY, right!?  BUT, you should switch to natural peanut butter, only use the recommended portion size of 1 tbsp ( I think...check the label), put it on whole wheat bread, throw in a banana and a couple cheese cubes and a glass of water, tea or fruit juice.  That is a completely balanced lunch...fiber, fruit, calcium and protein all in one easy meal.  Afterwards, you can even have ONE Oreo for dessert.  Portion size is so important!  When I first switched from just loading up on food to measuring out recommended portion sizes, I thought I was going to starve.  It looked like such a small amount of food...how could anybody live on that?  But, cutting back on my Cheerios (recommended portion size of regular Cheerios=one cup) and making up the difference with fruit and vegetables (which you really can never eat enough of) kept me from being hungry. 

Now, the not so good news...NO SODA!  Soda is bad, bad, bad!  It has no nutritional value and no redeeming qualities at all and as somebody said, it spikes your glucose levels and makes you feel bloated and full of air.  Just cut it out entirely.  I did and I felt so much better!  Soda is really the only thing I gave up.  I still ate cookies, cake and candy...I just ate them in their portion sizes and only once a day.  The soda is evil...get rid of it.  Ditto for the sit-ups.  Sit-ups can actually make your stomach bigger because it works that small center of your abdomin.  Find excercises that work your entire core muscles.  The only thing that will burn that stomach fat is intense cardio (thirty minutes really ain't gonna cut it...I always did an hour and I always varied my speed and incline on my treadmill) combined with intense core excercises. (try holding your core tight and standing up straight as you walk the treadmill...don't slouch over and use the bars for balance only, not support)  It is crucial that you do some weight bearing excercises!  Why?  It builds muscle...muscle burns fat...but most importantly, it gives you a strong frame and that can increase your endurance levels making excercise easier for you in the long run.  It will also tone up the muscles so that they look better as the weight comes off.  Also, you need a strong frame to help fight osteoporosis and other bone weakening illnesses later in life. 

2 years ago I weighed 250lbs and my cholesterol was 250.  I changed my eating habits and started excercising 5-6 days a week and I used a website to help me keep track of my progress.  www.sparkpeople.com  I cut out the soda, switched to whole grain everything and used the portion control I told you about above.  I dropped 40lbs in about 8 months.  I got to the point where I enjoyed my body again and I loved the gym because it made me feel strong and capable!  I weighed 210lbs (I'm 6ft tall) and I was still flabby a bit in the stomach.  I was thinner but mostly I felt stronger and healthier and that was a great feeling.  I say 'was' because the next year I got terribly sick and was eventually diagnosed with Lupus and now I'm having a good day if I'm able to get up and clean my house a little...much less go to the gym 5-6 days a week...LOL!  But I do know what worked for me and I do miss that routine so I try to share it with everybody I meet.

Good luck to you!  I hope you get stronger and healthier and if you get thinner than that's great too but mostly do it for the strength and health benefits!

[Lb128f]

May. 26, 2009 at 2:13 PM

This is a great site for help! http://www.sparkpeople.com/ And, it is FREE! :-) Losing isn't "easy" or fast. And, trying to do it "part-time" doesn't really work either.

You say....

I know that I eat junk food.

I work out for at least 30 minues and do some sit ups and then I don't eat the best I can and I don't drink a lot of water.

I don't like drinking water. I don't like passing up that banana nut muffin for half a grapefruit.

Maybe I am going to have to change my eating habits so intensely that processed food of any kind and drinks other than tea and water don't touch my lips.

I am 26 years old and have been feeding my bad eating habits since I was old enough to make my own decisions about what I ate and when.

Wow...you are really hard on yourself. :( You really can eat whatever you want...you just have to eat a portion that "fits" into your "Healthy Eating Plan"...and, keep exercising, try Sparks...it helps to keep track of "what" you are eating and when. GOOD LUCK!!!

[MythicMMM]

May. 26, 2009 at 4:20 PM

hmm.. you are exercising a lot. Are you sure you aren't turning that fat into muscle which weighs more and is why the scale isn't moving? Your actually eating quite healthy compared to the average person out there. keep at it!