Help!

[doitordietrying]

I am hoping to get some advice. I have been on the program for 9 weeks as of tomorrow. I have lost 26.4 pounds. That is great, but it is not enough. Not when I read about people loosing 100 lbs in eight months or 90 lbs since April. I know that I should not compare myself to others, and I know I should be happy, and all that jazz, and I am. I feel much better. However, I am getting a little frustrated at how much my weight loss has slowed. The first week I lost 9 lbs. I understand that the first week or so is usually an anomaly. I think I do a pretty good job sticking to the 20 carbs a day. I am pretty diligent about counting my carbs. I seem to remember reading in the forum that Doug suggested to someone to cut out the sugar alcohols. I do allow myself 3 of the Russel Stover mint patties after dinner each day. There is one net carb in those three pieces according to the package. However, there are a lot of sugar alcohols. Could that be the problem?
My frustration is compounded by the fact that my physical activity has increased greatly in the last three weeks. I am a school teacher and since school started back my step count has gone from about 4000 - 5000 steps a day to 10,000 - 12,000 steps a day. However, the weight loss has not increased.
Finally, could stress be a part of it? Since school has started back, the stress level has increased. This is mainly because of the fact that I am working on my Masters, teaching out of a temporary room, and have had an ongoing family crisis for the last month. Any suggestions?

[Phil]

Look three pounds a week with the schedule you are keeping is  amazing. Think about it. Are you under any stress with your job and school? Make your meals for the day try to get your carbs as low as you can, read the labels on everything you eat. I also try to stay in a positive mood, helps me a lot, stress is bad. Sugar  alcohols don't sit real good with me. If I have to have a sweet something I try to limit it (hard I know) but try. As far as your step count, that's a good thing better than staying parked on your butt. Your doing fine, breath and remember you will lose the weight fast and easy. Everyone is differant some people have more time to work on watching every bite they take more than others . We all lose at our own pace. Oh yea welcome to the board this is a very helpfull and encouraging site, heck the best!
              Good luck with your Masters.

[Doug Varrieur]

All well said Phil Glad to see you posting Doit, it always helps to talk it out with the family. 26.5 pounds is a good chunk for a start and 9  weeks is not allot of time. Your personal success will be different from others based on lots of factors but the key is discipline and persistence. There are several posts on this forum board you should read- http://fattoskinny.net/index.php?board=7.0 I'm sure you'll find your answers in there. How much more weight would you like to lose? 

[katary]

are you eating more of anything... even low carb foods to deal with your increased stress? and you've stated that you do a  "pretty good" job sticking to the 20 carbs a day, and are "pretty diligent" about counting my carbs.....i question whether the "pretty's" are good enough...I'm just saying ..... if you are doing as you say you are, then portion control or "hidden" carbs is what is hindering your progress....than again if you only have a little # of lbs to lose,it will take longer to lose those last few,but if you still have lots to get rid of,I'd say lets see that food diary:)

[doitordietrying]

Hello everyone. Thanks for the feedback. I kind of felt ashamed after I made my post yesterday. I was just frustrated. I had a good week of the Fat to Skinny program and lost 0.2 lbs and that is definitely better than gaining that much. When you look at the avg., yes that is 3 lbs per week. However, I lost 15 lbs in the first three weeks. It has taken 6 weeks to loose the other 11.6 lbs. Now that 3 lbs per week is down to 1.9. I am just concerned that it will continue to drop. I still have about 90 lbs to loose. At 0.2 lbs per week it would take 8.6 years.

When I say I do a pretty good job of counting my carbs, I mean that every once in a while, I may end up at 22 or 23 max, but not over that. My portion control is good also. I can't believe that I get full eating the amounts I do now compared to what I used to eat.

Anyway, as my posting name implies, I am going to do it or die trying. I am more committed than ever and I'm not giving up. Thanks for the support.

[katary]

well:) dont kill yourself,thats counter productive:)

[Doug Varrieur]

Please don't feel ashamed  everyone here has or will face plateaus...fear...frustration and then more resolve. It's all part of the psychological side of any self changing program, ride with it and let it roll off your back. We are a true support forum it's what makes us the best on the web.....everyone cares for each other 

AND I agree with Gary, dieing is counter productive although you will definitely be skinny! 

[SherriPie]

We all know just how you feel. When I first started I posted a huge rant about my husband having pizza in the house and I could smell it. Talk about freaking out. Anyway, we all go through it and we all loose weight and then slow down and then loose again. When I first started I lost a ton, then about a month in it slowed to 3 pounds a week. Then about 6 weeks ago I couldn't even loose a pound and I still have no idea why. It stayed that way for a few weeks, fighting to just loose a pound a week. I was down to eating 10 carbs a day and still not losing. Suddenly two weeks ago it just starting coming off again and I haven't changed anything. I know how you feel though. Sometimes it feels like I am never going to loose all this weight but then I hear Doug's famous line in the back of my head saying "you didn't gain it all overnight...you're not going to loose it that way either." 

Hang in there and if you wanna talk you can PM me anytime.

[beebs]

Everyone's body is different and everyone here has hit a plateau of some kind at some point. Take a pair of pants you cant fit into put them somewhere you can see them all the time then every time you're tempted to cheat go take a look at those pants you want to wear!

[umpa]

Good advice girls!