3 months out, 30 pounds down, feeling like a failure

I keep looking at the calendar, looking at my current weight, and trying to make sense of all of this.

My "smart" scale is showing a continuing drop in body fat, and an increase in muscle mass (I am pushing my activity pretty hard).

Measurements are meh... some big drops initially then, like the weight loss, next to nothing.

I'm measuring and recording everything I eat and drink, the good bad and ugly. My weekly intake averages have been at a steady 700 calories a day. I do struggle to get in enough liquids, and I'm often a little low on protein.

I'm four weeks into a 5K training program and "running" three times a week, about a mile and a half at a VERY SLOW PACE of like 17.5 minute miles. Yes, that would be slower than most people WALK a mile. I'm trying to get a minimum of 10K steps a day (this week was bad as I've been sick). I've installed an elliptical machine under my desk at work and I've been doing ten minute batches of work on it every hour or so. Sometimes 20 minutes at a go. My thighs are soar after a few minutes of the elliptical so I'm assuming it's working (and my pulse does go up some while I'm doing it).

Please give me some advice on how I can kick things into gear! I want to lose at LEAST ten to fifteen pounds a month over the next three months.

Thanks!

I don't have any answers for you. You are exercising a lot so that may have an effect on your weight loss. You say you are dropping body fat and increasing muscle so you are seeing changes. I know we like to see the numbers of the scale going down.

Have you spoken with the surgeon?

Protein, protein, protein.....try to get at least 100 grams a day and work on getting in more water. Sip, sip, sip.

Don't get discouraged. Did you ever lose 30 lbs. in a month on a 'diet.' :)

Good luck!!

I've left messages (two) at the surgeon's office. One with questions for the NUT the other with concerns about the lack of pounds coming off. I haven't gotten responses from either.

make sure you get your fluid and protein in. that's your job. exercise at this point is good but not your job!!

you're right of course. I keep trying to get exercise in because I'm really aware of having "set down" a thirty pound backpack... I don't want to lose the muscles I had built up to carry my fat butt around! I also have more Non Scale goals than scale goals which should make this scale thing easier (but it isn't). I want to run a 5k, I want to mount a horse from the ground, I want to hike a "moderate" trail without having some old guy with a walker and an oxygen tank pass me by (yes that actually happened).

You're gonna do those things and much much more ! I totally understand your frustration I've heard it a thousand times from my very successful personal training clients - you're determined you're doing everything and the scale won't budge . The reason is muscle weighs three times more than the same amount of fat by volume.

The answer to how frustrated you're feeling is to go try on some jeans - you'll be amazaed at how great u look and how many clothing sizes you've dropped. (((()))) keep going !!!

This past week I was in Boston for a work conference, and on a whim I tried on a pair of jeans from Banana Republic... and they FIT ME! 31" waist and they FIT ME!!!!

At 3 months I was averaging about 550-600 calories with protein 55-60 most days. I was walking for exercise. You probably know that body muscle is heavier than fat so that is likely the main reason for a bit of a slowdown in your weight loss. After the first 3 months I lost less than 10 pounds a month (stats in my signature).

I know muscle weighs more than fat, but I'm a little dubious about accepting that is the reason I'm not losing weight faster. I mean I had to have enough muscle before to carry an extra thirty pounds around, so I keep thinking that by starting to run I am really just maintaining my muscle that would other wise be lost as I drop the extra weight I was carrying around.

Running is dangerous for most of us .... jes saying . Walking is safe and burns the same amount of calories REALLY