How do you keep going when things aren't changing on the scales?

[Ineedtochange]

Despite my desire to stay off the scales I succumbed and got on tonight. I have done everything right and I have stayed the same in 9 days. I'm feeling disheartened and rocky. Had zero non scale victories and I'm struggling to keep my emotions in check.How do you keep going when you feel hopeless?

[moreless Administrator 7 stone]

Ineedtochange, you've lost 17lbs in 39 days, an average of almost half a pound a day, which is amazing. There are many people here that don't lose that much in week, or a month. Weight loss isn't linear we just have to be patient and keep going, even when it feels hopeless.

Why not try joining in on the forum more? You could post your meal plans on the Daily Diary and we could help with possible tweaks. We have two amazing challenges being hosted by Hopalong1 which could help keep you on the straight and narrow. There's the Fit is Fun Club, where you could pick up some tips for gentle exercise. Everything designed to help with weight loss and improved health.

You can do this and we can help if you let us

[Ineedtochange 1st 7lbs 2023 August in reply to moreless]

Thank you for your reply. I have a very complex relationship with the scales and food. I like to log my meals then not focus on them, it makes me dwell and stress if I post about them. I have tried the daily log and weekly logins before and I'm sorry to say that, for me, they do not help.

[Hopalong1 Challenge Host 2st 7lbs]

Hello    Ineedtochange I don't think our paths have crossed before. I have been a member of forum since 2019 and have had a few hiccoughs in that time myself. Nine days is not a plateau but I wonder if this link might help

dietdoctor.com/weight-loss/...

Also I would like to invite you to our challenges

healthunlocked.com/weight-l...

If you put in a jar pound for pebble, just that, I think you will see your weight loss differently.

healthunlocked.com/weight-l...

This group has people facing your problem with the scales sticking. Some look for the good in the day 'til things move again, we are going to look at calorie counting, low carb, intermittent fasting and busy hands. Have a look and come back to me if we are not offering what you need. We have another seven week program still to fill. I hope of course that you will join us. All the best x

[Ineedtochange 1st 7lbs 2023 August in reply to Hopalong1]

Hi.I've been on the site under different names. I get so ashamed that I can't face returning under old user names.

Thank you for the links.

[moreless Administrator 7 stone in reply to Ineedtochange]

By always changing names, members have no continuity and will therefore repeat the same advice.You have no need to be ashamed, we are non-judgemental, but can only help if we have the full picture.

Be brave, tell us who you are and if your old profiles remain we can start building a picture of your past and form a way forward

[Ineedtochange 1st 7lbs 2023 August in reply to moreless]

Hi. Sorry I'm not on here everyday. I honestly can't recall my old user names and I deleted the accounts every time I left the site. No way to retrieve them.

[moreless Administrator 7 stone in reply to Ineedtochange]

That's a shame, but taking this as a restart, you can make a point to get involved and turn to us for help if things are going a bit pear-shaped

[Hopalong1 Challenge Host 2st 7lbs in reply to Ineedtochange]

You're welcome. Well that is good, you might remember me. If a member had covid or a broken leg you wouldn't think badly of them and I think our weight is like that, an illness. Take care x

[Ineedtochange 1st 7lbs 2023 August in reply to Hopalong1]

I'm definitely now on the wave length of thinking of weight being like a mental illness.

[Hopalong1 Challenge Host 2st 7lbs in reply to Ineedtochange]

Have you thought about approaching your GP? Mine has referred me to Tier 3 Weight management programme with consultant, counsellor, dietitian and physio. They consider other illnesses x

[Sharmian350 Restart April 2024 in reply to Ineedtochange]

Please don't feel ashamed. Personally I don't think shame has any place in weightloss or a healthy life. I change usernames all the time, just because I like a change.I have felt and been shamed in my journey and it is a horrid feeling. Its an emotion which belongs to the shamer not the shamed - but that doesn't help much.

As for keeping going, as Hopalong1 says 9 days is not a plateau, weightloss is not linear. There used to be a thing whereby people didn't loose anything for a while and then loose 5 pounds in a couple of days. The theory was that we loose fat but still keep the fat cells. These fill with water, which, itself, weighs. Then all of a sudden the fat cells die and the water is releasd as wee-and the weight is lost. If you notice you are going to the loo a lot for a couple of days it might be this water weight.

If I am trying to loose weight, I feel as if my muffin top and bum go a bit soft, even though I have not lost anything (or even gained a bit). Then all of a sudden I loose weight on the scales and my skin tightens a bit.

[Ineedtochange 1st 7lbs 2023 August in reply to Sharmian350]

Thank you. I'm very much a 'hide away from the world person' when it comes to my weight. Social butterfly when I'm feeling happy with it and seclude myself away when not.

[Sharmian350 Restart April 2024 in reply to Ineedtochange]

I think lots of us are that way, I am for sure, though I am never really a social butterfly and I am ALWAYS conscious of my weight and (sadly) how much space I take up. Sending supporting vibes to you xxx

[MIgnonne Restart Sept 2023]

Don't get on the scales at night. - you will be at least a pound heavier. Weigh yourself first thing in the morning

[TheTabbyCat Administrator 10 kg in reply to MIgnonne]

Hi Mignonne, thanks for your support 😊 May I ask if you're still on a weight loss journey or are you just visiting. Either way is fine by us.

[MIgnonne Restart Sept 2023 in reply to TheTabbyCat]

Hi TheTabbyCat Still have a couple of kilos to go, but have lost 10 gradually sticking to LCHF and avoiding alcohol😉

[Ineedtochange 1st 7lbs 2023 August in reply to MIgnonne]

Congratulations 👍

[Ineedtochange 1st 7lbs 2023 August in reply to MIgnonne]

Thanks. I'll keep that in mind.

[Imustdothis 2st 7lbs]

Hello Ineedtochange, please don't feel downhearted or ashamed, I have to say that this weight loss journey is one of the hardest things I have done, I have lost, put on and stayed the same and sometimes it really does not make any sense at all, but, with the kind backup of my friends on this forum I keep going. Please keep going with us, and, given time it will work out for you, tweaking is sometimes all it takes. Do what is right for you but stick with us, you are not alone and the hints, tips and backup is second to none and you are among friends that don't judge. Take care. Xx

[Ineedtochange 1st 7lbs 2023 August in reply to Imustdothis]

Thank you for your reply. Apologies for the lateness of mine, I'm not on here much. It's so hard battling one's demons every hour of every day. I rang a helpline the other night, who were very helpful.

[Imustdothis 2st 7lbs in reply to Ineedtochange]

Hello Ineedtochange, I am so pleased to hear that you rang a helpline the other night and got some help, demons take a lot of dealing with and unless you are or have dealt with demons you have no idea what it takes to actually deal with them. I do hope you find this forum helpful and things get somewhat better for you, but you are not alone for sure. Take care xxxx

[mizzou7016 Visitor]

What I do is pull up the picture that I have of me from January 2017, where I weighed 312 pounds(pre surgery weight), and tell myself that I never want to be that size again...that I don't want to be in a position where I can't walk up a flight of 10 stairs without having to stop to catch my breath. where I had to have someone else tie my shoes because I couldn't bend over to tie my own without becoming exhausted..my weight fluctuates a little bit....but the scale really hasn't moved in 4 years....am I where i want to be....no..but.....am I where I was 6 years ago when i started this journey......also no....just keep working....you will have results....and also I'm sure you have accomplished many non scale victories in the 39 days since you started your journey....I always tell people to look at things they struggled to do before.....and what they can do now.....journaling also helps

[mizzou7016 Visitor]

this....this is my motivation....i don't want to look like the 1 on the left ever again

my weight loss journey began in 2017.