Discouraged

[leona2025]

Hello. I'm new here, but I needed somewhere where I can talk about the ups and downs of trying to lose 100lbs. Me and DH have started our fitness journey. We want to possibly have a baby in the next 2 years or so and so we want to be healthy for that I just want to be fit also. We workout Monday-Friday for and hour. I have been using the treadmill set to random inclines. I burned 555 calories last night and I never burn less than 400. Although I don't know if that is a good amount of calories burned.

Me and dh are doing the same exact workout and he looks noticably slimmer while I look exactly the same. I started out weighing 271. I am now 262 today, but my weigh fluctuates between 264 and 260. We have been doing this workout for a month and I feel terrible. If I could just break into the 250s I will be a little more encouraged. I even eat healthy. The thing DH is doing that I can't do is not eating all day. He is just eating one meal.

When I tell dh how many calories I have burned he lol and says he doesn't trust the treadmill calorie counter. He only burns about 200 or 300 calories, but I increase the pace and do the more intense side of the random incline. I don't know what to do. ANy advice or encouragement would be appreciated.

 

[Jericho]

If you are trying to lose weight, look more to your diet than exercise. You can only burn so much on a treadmill. Think of it like this, say you burn 200 an hour on a treadmill. 2 hours is 400 calories..look at your diet and you can likely find 1 or 2 things that you usually eat that you can eliminate to equal the same effect.

 

[BikiniBound2011]

Hello. I'm new here, but I needed somewhere where I can talk about the ups and downs of trying to lose 100lbs. Me and DH have started our fitness journey. We want to possibly have a baby in the next 2 years or so and so we want to be healthy for that I just want to be fit also. We workout Monday-Friday for and hour. I have been using the treadmill set to random inclines. I burned 555 calories last night and I never burn less than 400. Although I don't know if that is a good amount of calories burned.

Me and dh are doing the same exact workout and he looks noticably slimmer while I look exactly the same. I started out weighing 271. I am now 262 today, but my weigh fluctuates between 264 and 260. We have been doing this workout for a month and I feel terrible. If I could just break into the 250s I will be a little more encouraged. I even eat healthy. The thing DH is doing that I can't do is not eating all day. He is just eating one meal.

When I tell dh how many calories I have burned he lol and says he doesn't trust the treadmill calorie counter. He only burns about 200 or 300 calories, but I increase the pace and do the more intense side of the random incline. I don't know what to do. ANy advice or encouragement would be appreciated.

My husband and I would also like to have a baby in the next 2 or 3 years, so I am using that as a motivator to lose weight as well. It's great that you are doing this together and have each other's support. With that being said, I know how difficult it is to have a "weightloss buddy" and have them getting better or faster results than you. A few years ago I was on WeightWatchers with my mom and that's exactly what happened. She kept losing while I stalled out, and I got discouraged and quit, only to gain back what I lost plus twenty more pounds over the years.

Men seem to always have it easier losing weight than women. I think in general it's because our bodies need more body fat than their bodies do and we have more of a problem with fluctuating water weight because of the menstrual cycle so it makes the scale more frustrating. But please don't feel discouraged!! You have already lost 9 pounds over the course of a month!!! That's awesome and much better than I have done. The average most people are striving for is 2 pounds a week, and at 9 pounds in 4 weeks you are above that! You should be proud of yourself. Also, you said you have 100 pounds to lose. How much does your husband have to lose? If he is not as overweight as you, it's more likely his results will "show up" as far as inches lost sooner than yours. Also, everyone is different and loses their weight in a certain order from different body parts which is a genetic thing. Generally the last place you put it on is the first place that it comes off. Like for me, I know I'll always have a big butt and legs in proportion to the rest of my body, but I've come to accept that since it's something I can't change.

It might take you a little longer than him to "see" your results as far as inches and clothing size, etc. But I promise you, it will happen as long as you keep doing what you are doing and losing weight. Like Jericho said, it's easier to take out some calories in your diet than to try to burn more. But of course exercise is great for your body, so don't give it up. Also, losing the weight slowly over time is better for your body because you are not as likely to have stretch marks (of course genetics have a major factor on this). Plus, people who lose slowly tend to keep it off more than others who lose the weight faster because you are giving your body and mind time to adjust to change slowly, therefore it's more likely that those changes in your lifestyle will be permanent.

This site is really great because you'll have the support of so many other people going through the same thing. The before and after pictures are so motivational and helps you to realize that anyone can do it! I suggest starting a diary in the diary section and writing about your feelings and activities and just life in general. The people here are definitely supportive. I have only been losing weight for the past 3 1/2 months, but I have never really felt discouraged yet, because this site helps me to get through it. I know you can do it! Good luck!!!

 

[maverick2]

We workout Monday-Friday for and hour. I have been using the treadmill set to random inclines. I burned 555 calories last night and I never burn less than 400. Although I don't know if that is a good amount of calories burned.

I average about 500 calories per half hour on the treadmill (give or take) so it looks good to me. *shrug* An hour on the treadmill is a long time though for a relatively small amount of calories burned, unless you're using a higher incline. I'd do some weight lifting as well if I were you. The more muscle you build, the more muscle you have to burn fat, even while at rest. It might cause a temporary weight gain (muscle tissue damaged by exercise tends to hold water) but in the long run, it will help you lose weight faster.

Me and dh are doing the same exact workout and he looks noticably slimmer while I look exactly the same.

Men just lose weight more quickly because they have more muscle mass than women. Unfair but true. Not much you can do about this I'm afraid. Ever seen those Ally commercials where the man and the woman both stop drinking soda and the man gets skinny while the woman stays fat? That's why.

I started out weighing 271. I am now 262 today, but my weigh fluctuates between 264 and 260.

Have you tried taking measurements and progress photos? I find the scale to be discouraging sometimes because water weight can cause you to weigh heavy, even if you're losing fat mass. Also, I would check the levels of salt in your diet and see if you can't reduce them - women are terrible about retaining water, which doesn't help the scale either. Congrats on the almost-ten pound loss though, that's fantastic! Nine pounds in a month is totally respectable.

We have been doing this workout for a month and I feel terrible. If I could just break into the 250s I will be a little more encouraged. I even eat healthy.

I suggest you keep a food diary here at the forums to keep specific track of the food you eat. You might be taking in more calories than you think you are - most people do. Plus it will give you insight into your weak spots so you can work on a plan to improve.

The thing DH is doing that I can't do is not eating all day. He is just eating one meal.

Eating one meal a day is not good for your metabolism. If he wants to lose weight, he should eat small meals more often throughout the day so he has a chance to burn those calories off.

When I tell dh how many calories I have burned he lol and says he doesn't trust the treadmill calorie counter. He only burns about 200 or 300 calories, but I increase the pace and do the more intense side of the random incline. I don't know what to do. ANy advice or encouragement would be appreciated.

Instead of focusing on calories burned, I'd focus on something different, like time spent at the gym. Personally, my goal is to hit the gym anywhere from 30-120 minutes a day, seven days a week (that's just an example, it might be a little extreme for you). It doesn't matter if I have to take an "easy day" and I burn less calories on Tuesday than I did on Thursday, because I know inherently that my energy levels are going to fluctuate throughout the week. However, if you make exercise an ingrained habit, you will continue to lose even on those days when you don't burn as many calories.

Good luck!

 

[Adnama]

With all due respect...

With all due respect, I believe that a 10lb weight loss in one month is very good, very healthy and completely on the success end of the weightloss meter! Keep up the good work! Men just naturally lose faster than women...fact of life ya just cant change.

Also, by working out, you are building muscle which weighs more than fat...so you've probably lost more fat than you realize by replacing it with lean muscle.

Just my 2cents

 

[HotPieceOfAsh]

Hey

My advice is not to look at diet an execise as a punishment for being overweight. Look at it as a reward to your body and well-being. Keep your spirits up. You will be alright. =)

 

[biggestloser105]

Hello. I'm new here, but I needed somewhere where I can talk about the ups and downs of trying to lose 100lbs. Me and DH have started our fitness journey. We want to possibly have a baby in the next 2 years or so and so we want to be healthy for that I just want to be fit also. We workout Monday-Friday for and hour. I have been using the treadmill set to random inclines. I burned 555 calories last night and I never burn less than 400. Although I don't know if that is a good amount of calories burned.

Me and dh are doing the same exact workout and he looks noticably slimmer while I look exactly the same. I started out weighing 271. I am now 262 today, but my weigh fluctuates between 264 and 260. We have been doing this workout for a month and I feel terrible. If I could just break into the 250s I will be a little more encouraged. I even eat healthy. The thing DH is doing that I can't do is not eating all day. He is just eating one meal.

When I tell dh how many calories I have burned he lol and says he doesn't trust the treadmill calorie counter. He only burns about 200 or 300 calories, but I increase the pace and do the more intense side of the random incline. I don't know what to do. ANy advice or encouragement would be appreciated.

You've lost 9 pounds in 1 month, it's a pretty decent loss you should be proud of! Doctors recommend losing 1-2 pounds per week, so you're right on target as far as that goes. Burning 500 calories on the treadmill is great and amounts to a pound a week of loss, and it's a believable number if you're moving fast. An hour of walking at normal speed would burn around 300 calories, so if you're working harder than walking 500 calories per hour is entirely plausible.

I would add resistance exercises to your routine as well to maintain lean mass and stretching to prevent injury. The reason men lose weight faster than women is they have more lean mass which burns more calories at rest.

Eating 1 meal a day is not the best way to go about losing weight, if you lose weight by eating too little you can mess up your metabolism, you will end up losing muscle mass, you run a higher risk of having loose skin.

If you lose 10 pounds a month, in 10 month you'll reach your goal. It's not a very long time at all. Already in 4 months or so you'll be looking and feeling very different.

 

[leona2025]

Ohh Everyone thanks for the advice and support!. I got on the scale today and I was 258. 10 months until my goal weight sounds great. I really just want to be healthy. All my life I have been big and only I can change my mind set and activity to make the changes I need.

 

[swimalot]

Patience is really important, I have lost 55 pounds in just over a year and if the next 40 lb takes another year I have no problem with that. 10 lb per month is a nice round maximum. My doctor told me not to lose more than 25 per six months, I know I have lost more than that but it is a sign to be really patient about this if it is going to stick.

 

[jcunio82]

I always try to remind myself, you didn't put the weight on overnight, and you won't lose it overnight.

I think you are doing great and your weight loss progress is coming along nicely. When you lose it slowly you are more likely to keep it off, so keep that in mind.

Don't get too down about not losing a ton, just remind yourself how much you have lost. And don't compare yourself to your husband, my boyfriend is getting in shape faster than I am, but I just ignore him and focus on me. Our bodies are very different.

 

[Shinsplint]

Absolutely, men are meant to be leaner than women anyway, so don't see it as a contest. You're doing fantastically!