Disgusted!

Posts: 11,486
3/22/12 5:58 P

I agree with Anarie. When I hit a plateau during the summer, I put the scale away and just worked really hard. The plateau finally broke in October. It lasted for months

Posts: 11,069
3/22/12 4:13 P

Also, look at your calendar and count back 28 and 56 days. Your weigh-ins on those dates were probably a little disappointing, too. Hormonal cycles make a big difference in water weight, and it's not necessarily highest at the point in your cycle that you would expect.

And there are hundreds of other things that can affect your weight on any given day but have nothing to do with anything you ate or the exercise you did. The weather, a bowl of soup with more salt than normal, an oncoming cold, and a gazillion other things can cause the scale to do something strange-- but none of those things means you have any more or less fat on your body.

Since you're very close to your goal, and especially since you've been there and "quit" before, there are two important steps to take. First, get a reliable, accurate body composition test. Depending on your age and health history, you might be able to get a bone density scan to screen for osteoporosis that will also give a body fat percentage; ask your doctor. If you can't do that, there are a variety of other good ways to measure it that will cost you in the range of $100-$150. That will let you know whether you actually have any excess fat. If you don't have extra body fat, there's nothing you can do to lose pounds without hurting yourself. If you're not actually fat, but you're not happy with your looks, then the solution is exercise, especially strength training. A pound of muscle takes up less room than a pound of fat, so developing muscle makes you smaller at the same weight.

And whether you do still have a few pounds to lose or not, give serious consideration to putting the scale away for a while. Give it to your BFF and ask her to keep it in her garage for a few months. Then measure your progress based on your Nutrition log and your exercise-- focus on giving yourself credit for the good things you DO, and let the results take care of themselves. You control what you eat and when you move. You don't control whether those things cause the scale to change. But the things you control are what matter for your health, anyway, so they should be what matters to you, not an arbitrary number. DO what you know is healthy and feel proud of that instead of letting a machine make you feel bad about things beyond your control.

Posts: 11,486
3/22/12 4:07 P

It can be very frustrating to see the scale stop moving or even go up. Please just hang in their and don't give up.

A change in activity could be just what you need.

SparkPoints: (793)
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Posts: 2
3/22/12 3:11 P

I want to thank all of you who responded with such support and good suggestions.
It was just so very disappointing to weigh myself and see that instead of losing weight, I had gained a pound!
I going to stick to this, switch things up a bit and see what comes.
Thank you all. Karen

Posts: 51,636
3/16/12 11:50 A

How long has it been since you lost any weight? I agree with the previous posters who said that since you are only trying to lose 15 lbs, the weight is likely to come off very slowly. Do you take your measurements regularly? Many times you'll see a loss of inches even if the scale isn't moving. I'd also recommend having your body fat tested, since that's going to be a better indicator of how much you have left to lose vs. the number on the scale.

Hope that helps,

Coach Jen

Posts: 373
3/16/12 11:31 A

Make sure that you are eating every 3-4 hours. If you go long periods between meals, that will slow your metabolism down. Also, make sure that you eat breakfast within 1 hour of rising. That will give your metabolism a kick start! All the best!

SparkPoints: (22,814)
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Posts: 1,545
3/16/12 11:18 A

Living a healthy lifestyle is never "all for nothing," girl!

Check your BMI--it could actually be that you're not getting ENOUGH calories. Wouldn't that be nice?

What got my metabolism going was cutting out animal products. My weight, cholesterol and blood sugar all normalized and have remained good for three years.

Posts: 734
3/16/12 10:18 A

Yes, the closer you are to goal weight the harder it is, you may need to change the types of food you eat, increase or change your excercise, and maybe do 1 day of just eating 6 apples only, that worked for me.

Posts: 4,812
3/16/12 10:15 A

You didn't mention anything about your activity. You may need to increase your physical activity or change it up. Our bodies get used to things and when they do they become stubborn and don't want to change. So try a new DVD you've been looking at, take a class at a gym or just push yourself further in your workouts. Increase frequency, duration and intensity. Don't give up, just keep pushing yourself.

Posts: 506
3/16/12 9:11 A

If you only want to lose 15 pounds, you're very close to your goal weight. That's when it's the hardest to lose. Yes, it's frustrating, but just be persistent. Try switching up your meals (ie: dinner for lunch and lunch for dinner.) Sometimes changing around how many calories you eat at certain times of the day can give our bodies a little kick in the butt. Depending on your much you're exercising, maybe you need to eat a few more calories? There are so many variables. You can always try asking your doctor, a dietician, or a personal trainer for help. But above all, if you want it, keep fighting for it.

SparkPoints: (793)
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Posts: 2
3/16/12 8:59 A

I have been using Spark People since January. At first I was losing weight(7lbs.), then it stopped.

Today I weighed myself and I gained weight. I have been eating between 1200-1300 calories a day. I record everything that goes into my mouth, including the tsp. of sugar I put into my tea.
What gives???? This happened when I tried the weight Watchers plan last year.

I have been trying to lose at least 15lbs. for two years now and nothing seems to work. I lose 5-7 lbs. and then nothing.

I have been on thyroid medication for 7 years, so I know that my numbers are good. I was walking, resistance exercises and doing Tai Chi.

I am now so disgusted that I feel all is for nothing.