Phase Two - Not Losing Weight

[nancy508]

HELP! On phase one, I lost 10 lbs. Started phase two, lost nothing the first week, 2.5 lbs second week, and 1/2 lb the third!!!
I am eating only 1200 calories a day and exercising regularly as instructed. I am getting discouraged with my meager progress. Anyone have ideas? - I am at wits end - and 20 lbs away from my target.

[makkat]

Hey Nancy! Hang in there! While I don't have the answer you want to hear, you have still lost 3 lbs in 3 weeks. You are still losing! I definately know how frustrating it can be when that scale doesn't tell you what you think it should.

Maybe you should try posting an idea of what you are eating through the week. Maybe if you added bread and fruit you should cut one back or cut one out completely. I have only made it to P2 once a couple years back so I am not really sure what you ARE allowed to have.

So, sorry I am not helpful, but I just wanted to give you some encouragement and support. It's times like these that we need it!!

[paintedbliss]

I think you are doing good, 13lbs is great. Sometimes if you post your menu we might be able to help out. Maybe your having too many grains or maybe not enough. This wol can be a give and take in the beginning of phase to see what works. Are you exercising, drinking enough water??

[Jilly_Bean]

Originally Posted by nancy508

HELP! On phase one, I lost 10 lbs. Started phase two, lost nothing the first week, 2.5 lbs second week, and 1/2 lb the third!!!
I am eating only 1200 calories a day and exercising regularly as instructed. I am getting discouraged with my meager progress. Anyone have ideas? - I am at wits end - and 20 lbs away from my target.

Hi Nancy,

On Phase 1 to lose 10 pounds is really amazing! Unfortunately, it sounds like it set you up to expect impressive results every week. That's just not the way it works. I found for myself that I get discouraged (as you are) when I weigh myself too often. So now I only weigh myself every other week.

Also, if you only have another 20 to go (and I know it's all relative and 20 is still 20 but I hope you know what I mean), 20 is getting close and the closer we are, the slower it will come off.

Another thing that I've found I like to do is use a tape measure. It's a little slower, but much more accurate than the scales. Sometimes the scales can vary by several pounds depending on salt intake, hormones, bm's, etc. So they are not all that dependable, specially every week.

Be kind to yourself: Stick to the program and stay off the scales every week expecting to see a loss! It will happen as long as you don't give up.

[RedRox]

All of the above is very true!! Weight loss is neither linear, predictable nor comparable. Most people stall out completely for 2-3 weeks as they transition to P2, so it really sounds like you are ahead of the game. BTW, you are losing a pound a week in P2 and healthy weight loss is 1-2 lbs a week so you are pretty much in line with that average. Also, depending on if you are doing any exercise or not, 1200 calories may be too few to allow you to lose weight and you might need to eat more to keep your metabolism ramped up and ready to shed those last 20. Your "meager" progress might well be related to your "meager" intake. And yes those last 20 do go very slowly. The last 10 especially.

Posting what you typically do eat on a regular daily basis might help us see where things could be improved perhaps?

[k.s.e.live]

here is an post from 2006--no doubt there is some fancy way of linking to it, but i just pasted it here for comment's sake:



Old 05-09-2006
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Mindy moves on! is on a distinguished road
Default Losing Weight Slowly is Good Because....

* I am feeling thinner every day
* I don't have to rush out to buy new clothes, but am doing so slowly
* I am feeling fitter every day
* My body seems reliable - I can see the same shape day after day, yet it is getting slimmer!
* I don't have to worry about gaining my weight back all at once!
* I am feeling healthy
* My clothes fit great. No tight waist or pinching anywhere - YEAH!!
* People are complimenting me for my weight loss
* The loss is slow and steady so it is not a great "shock" to others (which always makes you feel like you were huge when they say, "oh my gosh you lost so much weight".
* Knowing the loss is slow and steady helps me keep on track for future weight loss
* I feel in control of my body now!
If I have an occasional mishap, the weight doesn't jump right back on -- providing I get right back on track!!
????: South Beach Diet Forums http://www.southbeachdietbulletinboard.com/south-beach-diet-forums-phase-2/2269-phase-two-not-losing-weight.html


Any body else care to add to this list???

i hope you stick with it nancy--three weeks isn't a long time in the scheme of your whole life Try to visualize a long term mindset--literally try it on for size in your mind. Would you commit to this program for 4 more months if that is what it takes to lose your last 20? Would you commit to it for 6 more months? And then obviously, would you commit to it for life? Your answers are your answers> Just something to think about. Good luck!

[Laura-in-Missouri]

Thanks for the post! I started Phase II a week ago, and I haven't lost a thing. I'm starting to cut back on some things I added back, and I am hopeful that it will work.

I lost 8 pounds in Phase I, and it is the only diet I have ever been on where I have actually lost weight. I have about 30 more pounds to go, so I have a ways to go.

Thanks!

[k.s.e.live]

One funny thing came to mind today....i mean, how much is enough? I lost 7lbs in phase one. I loved it, but, I would have loved it more if it were 10! but, how much is enough? at what point do we quit thinking "if only?" and think, "ah ha! success!"?

I guess the answer to that is self-evident. A goal weight reached is success. However, as Red Rox has pointed out, no one has the same weight loss experience. No one goes at the same rate, same plateaus, same drops etc.

I lost 7 lbs in Phase one. I plateaued for three weeks on phase 2. Now I have lost another 2lbs. I am under 10 lbs to go to my goal weight....so I realize it is going to be slow. However, I am active--I've been committed to not cheating--a big part of me wishes my weight loss was FASTER!!!!! In the big picture though, I want to love my journey, love my results, accept my speed and be proud of myself. I'll never stay committed if I focus on the negative.
????: South Beach Diet Forums http://www.southbeachdietbulletinboard.com/showthread.php?t=2269

Just thinking outloud.

happy almost friday

[Jilly_Bean]

Originally Posted by k.s.e.live

I'll never stay committed if I focus on the negative.

So true! Nice post, Karen.

[small dog]

Nancy, I bet you didn't gain 20 lbs in 3 weeks! Don't be discouraged. I also think you might not be eating enough. A too low calorie intake will slow down your metabolism, make your body want to hang onto weight because it thinks it is starving, despite whatever exercise you do. One thing I wish we could do is "see" the effect this WOE has on our blood chemistry. If you could see what your blood glucose levels, cholesterol, triglycerides, etc. looked like now compared to a month ago, I bet you would be SO pleased. After all, it's not just about what clothes we can fit into, is it?