It's been almost 1 month here on CC and so far have lost 6 lbs. But now the scales won't seem to budge. I'm getting discouraged.

Hi!

I have a goal of losing 50 lbs in 1 year and have decided to try to do this the healthy way. IN the past I would go on fasts or extreme diets and end up losing 40 lbs and then gaining it all back in 6 months or so. I'm hoping this won't be the case with my current weight loss journey.

I've been exercising almost every day for at least 30 minutes to an hour. Sticking to a 400-500 calorie deficit...I've had a few off days where I overate but have managed to get back on track...however, I am getting frustrated since I stepped on the scale this morning. I initially lost 8 lbs. only to find out today that I gained 2 lbs! And I've been working out and doing good for the last week. I had 1 day this weeken d when  I overate more than my calorie allowance but then got back on track the next day.

I'm getting discouraged. This whole journey seems slow and painful...It is especially discouraging when I see a 1-2 lb weight gain come up.

I want to stick to CC and not be tempted to just go on a liquid diet or fast or do something extreme to lose a lot of weight quickly...I know I'm just going to end up gaining all the weight back if I do that so I'm sticking to this slow journey but I need encouragement. Anyone have any motivating words for someone like me?

I appreicate it. I'm new here and really love how easy it is to use this site. I also love that I get to choose what I eat and I'm not really depriving myself like all the other diets I've had in the past.

Thanks!

tonicstudio,

I think you are doing everything correctly just make sure you log everything and I would only weigh yourself once a week. (Say Monday) Your body goes up and down thru the week by 2 lbs. What you are looking for is the results at the end of the week. 

 Hope this helps,

Thanks for the encouragement. YEs, I'll have to just weigh myself once a week. It's discouraging to see those 2 lbs. on that scale!

there's absolutely nothing wrong with a six-pound month.  if you're truly in this for health, that's a long-haul project, not a quick fix.  it's all about perspective.

Daily weighing, if you can't put those fluctuations in perspective, can really send you for a tailspin. My weight can vary as much as four pounds from day to day, depending upon what I ate the day before, what I've had to drink, how hydrated I am, what time of the month it is, how much sodium I had, what time of the month it is, etc.

You sounds as though you're doing everything right except the scale. If you're not sure you're doing everything right, you may want to look at how you're weighing/measuring your foods. You'd be astounded at how far astray you can go with that.

To be honest. I never concern myself with the scale. I'm more focused on size. I would recommend that when you weigh yourself, always do it at the same time of day: in the morning after going to the bathroom and before eating breakfast. I read in a health magazine that our weight fluctuates by 5 pounds DAILY!!!! So don't be discouraged and keep doing what you're doing!

Keep in mind to water retention does funny thing to the body. Somewhat for men but even more so for women. Some days my stomach gets bloated and I think "What is going on" but it all evens out in the long run. 6 pounds in a month is excellent.

Wow! that is shocking to hear that our weight fluctuates by 5 pounds DAILY! I just hate being "addicted" to weighing myself. I need to focus on the long term effects and really just weigh myself once a week. Otherwise, it could get real depressing. Thanks for the the great advice. I'm encouraged!

Don't get discouraged, do the math!  400-500 calorie deficit equals about 1 pound per week.  If you have lost 6 pounds in the past 3-4 weeks you are ahead of your target -- not uncommon to lose "extra" weight in the first few weeks of a new eating plan, especially if you gave up fast/prepared foods which have lots of sodium to help you retain water (i.e. "weight").

If you do want to weigh everyday, be sure to do it at the same time (most consistent is first thing in the morning after going to the bathroom) and enter it someplace that can calculate a trend line (I use an Excel SS from the "Hacker's Diet" or you can just use CC).  Then, ignore the actual number and only look at the trend line -- as long as it is going down you are gold.

If it is too frustrating to deal with the variations from day to day, only weigh once a week, or even less.  That doesn't work for me, but everybody is different.

That's it.   I'm sicking the scale police on you.  Put that think away.  Don't pull it out until 2 or 3 days after your next monthly.  It sounds like you are doing good with your food and deficits.  I wish you well, but I really mean it; put the scale away (I hear the sirens now!).

Do you eat breakfast?

I hit a plateau about a month ago and compounded with a very busy period at work where I would not have time for the gym.  Coincidentally, I started eating Wheaties for breakfast and with no exercise, have lost 2 lbs a week for a 4 week stretch right now and still going...knock on wood.

My weekly log in is located on the Shmooze forum in the motivation thread.  Feel free to visit.  It was about mid may when I started working on budgets that this started.

I don't know of anything else that I have changed that would correspond with the loss.  I promise I am not a Wheaties stockholder, either.

My suggestion is to LOSE the deadline for the weight loss.  Any loss that you sustain over time is a huge victory compared to the Yo Yo stuff.  I was so frustrated the first 2 months because I wanted to be at a certain weight by summer.  I let that go.  I have been overweight my whole life.  If it takes me 1 or even 2 years to lose it permanently, that's a huge success.  I've lost 12 pounds of my 50 and stayed there for 7 weeks.  Turns out I had a longstanding infection that made me feel constantly imbalanced and hungry so I ate close to maintenance calories the whole time.  For me to be holding steady is pretty cool.  It used to be either dramatically losing or dramatically gaining.  Slow and steady for us yo yo dieters is huge, womping, amazing success.  Normally in a 4-5 month period like this, I would have lost 15-20 and gained 25 back.  A 12 pound, sustained loss with ever-improving eating and exercise habits is a HUGE improvement.  Six pounds in a month is very good.  You'll find over time that your weight will hold fairly steady, or the trend will and you won't have to freak out about every little thing, including overeating here and there.

Way to go with your weight loss so far!  Please don't give up on your commitment to healtier living.  I am new to CC as well, but it has completely transformed my thinking and my habits when it comes to nutrition and lifestyle.  I would encourage you to pay attention to the Analysis that CC provides daily of the foods you are eating.  I give myself a pat on the back every day if I can attain an "A" grade, regardless of whether or not I have lost another pound when I get on the scales the next morning (I am also a daily weigh-in kind of person, but I am okay with gaining back a few here or there, since I'm in this for life).  Of course you're going to have fluctuations in weight but give yourself props for working so hard to get where you have!!

All aboard the Frustation Express. It takes a while, and its not business class, but as long as you pay your dues, you will get there.

It's a long journey, I'm not going to lie to you. The worst is not seeing changes day to day because you're focusing on it too much.

Sometimes I find that it seems like the scale gets stuck for several weeks at a time. I'll go one or two weeks without seeing even a pound of difference. Then, one day, poof! I'm down six or seven lbs from the previous day.

Your body is doing its thing. You can't rush it. It's like the employee that's cooped up in his office for weeks at a time, and you suspect he's doing nothing but playing solitaire, and taking personal calls. But then he really surprises you by month end with results. If you keep on track, and keep doing what you're doing, even though you're not seeing immediate, instant, right-this-moment results, they will come.

In the meantime, keep going. We're cheering you on!

Don't worry, you are doing well!  I know how it can be agonizing to lose so slowly- just think about this time next year (and the rest of your life!!!!)- when you will be at your goal! 

I agree with mommakitty, try to weigh yourself only once a month.  I do it 3 days after my period.  I recently had a scare like you- I was finally in the 170's again (179) and I got a little too excited and started weighing myself like every day and suddenly I was 182- aaaaagh!  I got my period that day lol 

tonicstudio, i was just as shocked as you are!!!!