I feel so horrible right now and I have nowhere and nobody else to talk about this with. I have struggled with weight my entire life. I’ve always been overweight. I decided to make a change last year around August. I tried doing a lot of diets but couldn’t be consistent with any until now. Ten days ago, on February 13, I started doing the 18:6 intermittent fasting plus a low carb diet. The first few days were really bad I was in bed the whole time. But about 5 days in, I adjusted and I found that I’d lost 4lbs. I used to be 209lbs and I am 5’9, but I got down to 205lbs. I continued my diet ofc feeling great for the first time in probably forever tbh, and I’ve stuck with it. I have been really strict. But I went on the scale a few minutes ago to see that I am back to 209lbs and I felt so disgusted and bad, I was literally puking. I cried a little too. I feel so much hatred for myself and also exhaustion. I really thought I was getting somewhere. Forgot to add that I also do a little walking two to three times in a week - 3000 steps. I only have one meal in a day, and it’s mostly salad or lightly seasoned chicken. I thought I was doing everything right. I thought I’d have lost at least 2 more pounds by now but I feel so dejected right now and idk what to do. I know it sounds like I am way in over my head and maybe I am but I just really needed to let this out. Advice if you can pls, what do I do? I don’t want to give up, but I just feel so hopeless right now.
Idk if you need to hear this but 209 at 5’9” would be a dream for me, I’m sitting at 255 and 5’10” so… but, I came down from 425, morale is, your starting weight is someone else’s goal weight
Secondly, find something to do with your body, if you’re losing weight to be bound to a bed you’re doing it wrong, get out, walk, get hungrier and eat more
Brings me to the third point, you’re eating a little bit too little so your expectations are too high, eat more and watch how the pounds drop
Water, make sure you’re getting enough of that magic potion, I like to think it carries the fat out, not scientific but it helps
Get in the right mindset, why are you doing this? To feel good? About what? And why? Keep asking why and digging deeper into your own self until you figure out what you really want from this journey
You cried over a number on a machine that didn’t even care, I don’t think you walk around with that number on your forehead so why sweat it
Find other ways to measure success, time to 5k, pant size, whatever, if you’re female then good luck staying on track with a scale only unless you’re menopausal
Hope that helps
If I were you I would take a couple deep breaths. 10 days is a drop in the bucket, you need to give your body time to adjust. I suggest reading fast feast repeat for her 28 day fast start section. (I prefer the obesity code overall, but think it skews more scientific and therefore a little less reader friendly). In that book the author talks about the importance of not weighing yourself in the beginning to avoid this exact situation. Your body is adjusting. Maybe you lost inches, maybe your skin is clearing up, there’s a lot of benefits besides weight loss that may be occurring. If you are only preoccupied with a scale, especially in the beginning before fasting becomes an easier habit, you’re going to want to give up when you aren’t seeing losses. Weight loss isn’t linear, there’s up and downs. Stick with it, measure yourself, take pictures, have a goal item of clothing you can try on periodically. If you’re so upset by the scale that you’re throwing up and crying, that’s a problem. Put it away. Focus on how you feel, how you’re eating, how you’re sleeping and the weight loss will follow.
You know what helped me with my self-loathing? Yoga. I never did it before, but I know that being stressed stimulates cortisol and none of us wants that while trying to lose weight. I’ve been doing IF and keto since the beginning of January. The switchover to fat adaption took me 6 weeks and it took that long to go from 16:8 to 23:1. Meanwhile, I found a 30 day yoga challenge on YouTube. I committed to it and only fit in walks and a couple handweights as long as it didn’t interfere with the yoga (they’re like 20 minutes at most.)
I sucked at it overall until the end, but it taught me to breathe which , very surprisingly, started to kick in automatically when I was stressed and had bad thoughts. And, it taught me to be kind to myself.
It made a huge difference. I still can’t do the poses without falling, but I know I’m a beginner and it focuses on the journey. That mentality transfers to where I am in my health journey. A lifelong yo-yo of weight and now metabolic issues that I’m trying to solve for good.
You already know weight fluctuates even when you’re doing everything right. Start thinking of it as a trend, rather than one data point in time. Watch the numbers over weeks as they dip down and pop up, only to trend down even further.
I know how disheartening it is, but control the parts you can and your body will sort itself out and learn to follow.
Start with being kind to yourself. You are worthy. You are strong. You are safe. You can do this just like the rest of us.
Hi, I think it’s great that you’ve decided to make a change and that you should take things slowly and take incremental steps. It sounds like you have some really great ideas but that you are not as refined as you can be in terms of your approach, to which I’d say don’t even think about dieting yet and just sit there and come up with a plan. It would be even better if you made your plan with a low carb friendly dietician and also a therapist. Finally I would say a shift in mindset might be helpful. Instead of going on the scale every few weeks and tracking, just forget about changes to your weight completely and just focus on the specific steps that you can control on a daily basis and execute those steps to the best of your ability, and pour all of your focus into that. Good luck it’s tough but you can do it, but really I would prioritize a meeting with a dietician and a therapist. You’ve got this!
First thing: your weight doesn’t define who you are. You’re more than your weight and you should focus on that.
Second: scale isn’t always a good indicator of fat loss. You should take pictures to track and measurements of your body.
Third: what really matters to weight loss is calories out calories in. IF mostly works because it helps people limit their calories in. So while you’re doing IF because you’re getting super hungry you may be overcompensating by eating too much. Find your basic metabolic rate (can use an online calculator) deduct about 500-750 calories eat that much and add a bit of exercise (walking, running, gym, biking whatever). My fitness pal is a good way to track calories, and a small kitchen scale.
Fourth: eat your carbs. Literally unless you have actual celiac disease carbs are so important. Make it complex carbs like oats, barely, brown rice but have it. Carbs don’t make you gain weight, what makes you gain weight is again eating too many calories.
Fifth: work on finding love for yourself regardless of your weight. You’re a unique complex and beautiful human being. You’ve had experiences, thoughts, and dreams that are too varied, nuanced, and amazing for you to be just defined by your weight. Be patient with yourself and you’ll get there!
I know it’s easier said than done, but try to limit your stress. Stress is going to aid your body in right retention. Also, make sure you are not eating too much in your feeding window. Make sure you have something that will keep you dedicated because you won’t always be motivated but you can always be dedicated to something.
If you’re a woman fluctuations like this can happen because of your cycle it’s nothing to worry about.
Honestly if you have such an extreme reaction to the scale you should probably 1) seek out therapy if you can and 2) only weigh yourself once a month or less and just track your progress by taking measurements/pictures instead
OP, if you don’t have a therapist and maybe a good medical team I would invest in one (general practitioner, nutritionist, etc.).
The frustration over slow weight loss is one thing but the way you are describing how you feel needs some significant attention.
Weight wasn’t put on in a few weeks, so it will take much more than a few weeks to take it off. As long as you stick to your fasting schedule you will see results. These results may not even come for 3-4 months, but once they happen, you will feel awesome and want to continue it.
First of all, you are amazing with your achievements so far but be kind to yourself. You have gone all in but I feel like you need to slow down.
I would recommend trying to fast without low carb. If you are over restrictive it’s hard to stick to. I would recommend buying the book “Fast, Feast, Repeat” and listening to your body. Fasting isn’t meant to be hard. If you do it right, it will be easy.
Small steps and consistency are key.
Another great resource is Atomic Habits by James Clear. Don’t try and do everything at once. Set up your environment to build good habits and do it bit by bit.
Hi, just to add on to the answers that have already been posted from users, a great way to measure your weight loss is how your clothing fits instead of the scale. The scale is nice to use but it can really ruin your whole day if you see it go up a few pounds (which is a normal thing for the human body to do.) it definitely wasn’t fat that you gained I can tell you that right now without even seeing pictures of you or knowing what you ate
Oh sweetie, don’t be so hard on yourself!!
My weight can go up and down 5lbs in a day. Water, salt, booze, my period, always something. You’re doing great, just stick with it. Make sure you’re getting plenty of sleep, lots of water, and try for those 3K steps every day, then every week go a bit further (I started with my neighbourhood, then every week added a block).
For a little reference, if you haven’t figured out your TDEE, do that. 500 cals a day off that number will be a pound a week. On the flip side, you’d need to eat an extra 500cals a day or 3500/week to gain one pound, there is no way you ate an extra 14K calories in that time to have actually gained 4lbs. Stick with it, and you’ll see it all drop off in a few days plus a few more :)
Please stop weighing yourself. That number means almost nothing. Instead, think about how you feel in your clothes. Are your pants easier to zip up? Do the arms in your shirts seem to have more room? I used to have an ED and have not used a scale in over 20 years. I feel so much better for it. Just stop mentally abusing yourself over a number that no one else knows or cares about. Good luck!! Intermittent Fasting is so good for us (I believe!).
I’ve felt the way you feel and it sucks. Please don’t give up though, just relax and take it one day at a time and if that seems too hard then take things an hour at a time, you will get there eventually. I also downloaded the meditation app “Insight Timer”. When things get tough I find a quiet space and meditate. Yoga has also been helpful with my mindset. If you think you can’t do yoga for any reason then try chair yoga…
There’s going to be a lot of water weight whooshing around in the beginning. The first 5 pounds (since you were in bed with no energy) was a water drop from the fasting and low carb combo. The body tends to catch on and retain water sometimes. It’s happened to me in the past a few times. Best advice is stick the course and be diligent with counting calories and perhaps weighing food. Going too low can be counter productive as well. I know it’s mentally difficult but try not to weigh yourself for 3 weeks or a month. This way you aren’t chasing the scale weekly. It can be maddening
How would you treat a friend who says or feels this way about themselves? Because you wouldn’t treat them the same way you treat yourself?
Progress is progress no matter how small. Instead of looking at daily progress and therefore fluctuations (water or menstrual cycles among other things can give a false scale reading) why not look at week long progress. 10 days is just the beginning, be flexible, each day is a new day. You’re clearly driven, just use this to remain consistent and remember you’re worth is not dictated by the scale. Hope that helps, everyone is rooting for you.
The first thing I would say is don’t freak out! We’ve all had scale anxiety when it goes up a few pounds - this can actually be a result of water being absorbed to replace the volume in cells that emptied of fat. It can lead to a “whoosh” effect once it clears and you’ll be down a few pounds in a day.
Weigh yourself daily and take the average for the week and use that number as your trend line - day to day fluctuations can drive you nuts.
I also think you may have taken on too much at once.. you don’t need to cut out carbs, you don’t even need to fast to be honest.. some people find those as easy ways to stay on track in regards to total CALORIES. Download myfitnesspal, find out your daily needs, and keep track there.. the fasting part is helpful for me because if I can put off eating until noon it is a lot easier for me to make the rest of the day work.
Lastly is mindset… you didn’t put the weight on in a day or a week and you’re not going to take it off in that window either. I have been guilty of this as well. The key is consistency and reminding yourself every day is an opportunity to do better!
Weight fluctuates a lot throughout the day especially if you’re drinking a lot of water I always weigh myself right before i eat my first meal of the day and then stay off the scale the rest of the day
IMO you likely HAVE lost the 2 pounds but have 5 or 6 extra pounds of water weight. This is why I can’t weigh myself. I get in my head as well. I’m trying to be better about it because it makes sense scientifically but I feel like checking the scale only a couple of times a month might be a good idea for you as well. I’d say maybe get a measure and tape yourself every month for results. As a woman and hormonal my weight fluctuate a ton, and I can hold 10 lbs of water weight EASY before my period, and I know some women are worse. There’s a lot to it to where I think once a month on the same day and same hydration is the only way I can manage.
If you’re not drinking enough water your body will start retaining it and it will make you put pounds on.
And if you’re not eating enough food your body will start storing fat.
It’s going to be trial and error. I’ve been doing it for 2 months now, somedays my weight goes up, sometimes it plateaus for 3-4 days. It’s a learning experience that is going to be one of the hardest things you’ve ever done, the trick is to keep going at it.
10 days is not long enough to see realistic change. Your body weight fluctuates. Continue to make long term life style changes.
I personally lost 35 pounds following carnivoreMD. Will probably get downvoted but I found dropping salads (and dressings), lowering seed oils, and eating a lot of meat and fruit helped me have more energy, feel full, and stick to my fasting. The only grain I ate was rice. And started doing consistent resistance training to build muscle. This is my personal experience over 6 months.
Get a heavy bag that way you can beat it up and burn calories lol it’s a fun and effective way to lose weight and put some muscle on, ivd been at it and seeing a big difference along with weight lifting and IF, you’re part of a good community that prides itself on motivating each other, utilize it. You got this. Cheers.
Don’t quit. Don’t give up. Push through this. You CAN do this. It won’t happen overnight but you can do it. I’m not as experienced as others here but I was not losing weight and I took a look at my diet and found things I was doing wrong. Ask others here to look at your diet. I bet you had some hidden calories or sugar. Don’t quit.
If you are blood type A you will not have much luck with the Keto-type diet (low-carb). Check out “Eat Right 4 Your Type” book by Dr. D’Adamo. I’m blood type A, nothing worked for me except this.
I strongly recommend it.
I have similar stats to you (5’10, CW 210) and also have been overweight my whole life. Reading your experience reminds me of myself a lot. The prospect of losing weight and seeing a you you’ve never seen before is really exciting and I understand wanting to lose as fast as possible, but you must be kind and gentle with yourself. It’s something I’m still learning and working on now.
Especially if you have a cycle, I can guarantee you that the weight you gained back is water weight. I know a bunch of people are saying that, but it’s really really true. For the past 2 months I had the same freakout, where I’d suddenly gain 5+ lbs and even with longer fasts it wasn’t going away like I’d hoped. As much as I told myself it had to be water weight, I didn’t believe it until I did OMAD every day for two weeks while a friend was visiting. Before she came, I weighed 210. A week or so in, my weight had shot up to 218 and I felt devastated. I had been eating more than normal, so I was worried I was gaining real weight. However, over the next week, I still ate every day but my weight continued to go down and reached 210 again by the end of the week. Just like that, gone! I think something to keep in mind is that there’s things like waste or water that can make your weight come out higher than it actually is, but nothing can make the scale say a lower number than you are, so you can trust your lows. Also, make sure you’re weighing yourself in the mornings after you go to the bathroom for the most accurate weight, though you can still be holding onto water weight after that.
Are you making sure you’re not under eating as well? A salad and chicken sounds extremely low cal for OMAD. It’s tempting to think the less you eat = the more/faster you lose, but it doesn’t work that way exactly. You still need to be feeding your body a proper amount of calories. This is also key to having a sustainable diet and being able to maintain. You can still lose without doing low-carb as well, if that is feeling too restrictive. If you feel like you can’t wait until you reach your goal weight to stop restricting and being in a diet, it’s not going to be sustainable long term.
And most importantly, you have not lost your progress! I promise you, you’re not going backwards even if the scale is telling you so. Fluctuations are natural and something to get used to, which I still struggle with. It’s really frustrating! It drives me crazy! But you are still progressing and succeeding. Please be kind to yourself, this is a long process and there’s going to be bumps. You are doing great!! You’re only 10 days in as well, definitely give yourself more time as your body adjusts. Patience is key. Which is something even I roll my eyes at because I’m incredibly impatient and can’t wait to lose weight but it’s true.
If you ever need anyone to talk to, feel free to DM me. This reaction to gaining weight borders on ED behavior, so it might also be a good idea to talk to a therapist or someone like that about this. If you have a freakout at every fluctuation, it’s gonna be a rough time. They’re natural, and don’t mean you’ve lost progress. Take it slow, understand your body and be kind to it. You got this!!
Hey don’t give up! I measure myself to see results and try on old clothing that’s a bit smaller for results. You’ve not long been doing it and it takes time and dedication. I’m only six weeks into fasting and I write a journal on my eating habits and how I feel. Sometimes I feel like giving up but I refuse to because my weight has affected my arthritis so I need to lose about five or six stone. Every day is written up on chronometer and my journal and I’ll keep going
I would definitely add one hour of low impact cardio a day. Walking for one hour a day literally melts fat, in my experience.
Also, if you’re a woman are you on your period? I put on five lbs of water weight right before and during my period.
I also made a change in my diet last August too! I decided to go sober. You’re a fighter, feeling scared, afraid, worried and all that stuff before a challenge ahead or during a tough time is normal so just remember that youre doing you are doing your best and are staying the path. You could even ease up on the diet portion and just eat in moderation. Focus on getting a hang of the eating window and fasting window timing to fit your lifestyle, and continue to eat the foods that you like, sensibly.
I use the myfitnesspal website and app on my cellphone to build meals for the day ahead so I can see where I could increase or need to decrease, and it keeps me on track. It does its wizardry to figure how many calories we need to reach the goals we select whether its gain weight, or lose weight.
I started at around 176 pounds on 2/2/23 and just a few days later dropped to 174 at the begining of my first calendar week of doing IF 18:6 to match it up with my work lunch break at 2pm and eating until 8pm. Im at 170.8 now and thats only a loss of 6 pounds but does include a 2 pound gain I got last Sunday because I over-ate the entire of the previous week.
Ive since changed my eating window to be 12pm to 6pm and fasting window to 6pm till 12pm so that I could have my meals out of the way farther from bedtime cause I was feeling too full going to bed and having eaten all the way up until 8pm those times.
Anyways, its a marathon and many of us including me are still trying to figure this IF stuff out and tune the diet portion of it and make time for exercise.
Youre trying and its all progress, hang in there cause youre doing it for you.
It takes more time and more exercise! I’ve been going for almost 45 days and only lost 7 lbs. that’s not a bad thing tho. You want to lose weight slowly so that it stays off! If you starve yourself, you’ll gain as soon as u eat a normal meal.
I’d strongly recommend that you do some additional weightlifting to help you maintain muscle.Remember having 4 lbs of body weight from muscle is way preferable to having 4lbs of fat.Reach out to a certified gym trainer and work out 3-4 months with them , letting them know that you are doing intermittent fasting