need lots of encouragement/advice

[nickandsydsmom]

Okay, I know you have all heard this before at one time or another but....I am just getting downright discouraged! The Phen is definitely curbing my appetite, in fact I don't even take it everyday because I feel my appetite is still under control the day after I take it. I have been eating healthy (protein, fruits, veggies, yogurt, granola, nuts, etc.) I haven't even craved "bad" food. I weighed 233 at the doctors and I won't see him again until a month is up. My scale has been at 225 since day 2 of taking the Phen. Yes, I'm certain it was water weight, I do drink 12-15 glasses a day since starting also. My point is, I have been good with my diet, drinking my water and getting activity. Oh, I also walked 2 miles starting yesterday and did TaeBo. The scale is up 2 lbs. today!! I know it is not muscle because it was the first day of exercising. Is this pill just going to work for me? Yes it curbs my appetite and I'm sticking to around 1200 calories(900-1500) but if it's not helping with weight loss then should I even take it or just try it without? It seems I should be consistently losing a little every couple of days since I've cut back my calories. Please help me!! I am getting disgusted and am feeling like I will never lose weight!! I'll bet if I quit drinking my water for a couple of days I'll gain it all back because it is just water weight! My clothes feel exactly the same too so it's not just inches going away.

michelle

[Beckyfl1]

Don't get discouraged....STAY OFF THE SCALE!! (yeah, coming from me...the scale addict! lol). But seriously, just because you don't see as much loss as others experience, you've got to give it a chance. It's not a magic pill. It's not going to happen overnight. I would suggest that you take your Phen everyday. Exercise, eat right, drink your water and wait and see what the scales say at your doctors office on your next visit.

I just just talking to a friend today about how EASY it is to gain weight but it's SOOOO hard to loose it!! I wish it was the other way around. lol

Don't give up....you are making a lifestyle change. My scale hasn't moved in almost a week either...but I'm trying to stay positive and like I suggested to you, I'm going to see what my doctors scales say on my next visit.

Keep your chin up girl, it'll happen

Becky in FL

[nickandsydsmom]

Thanks for the encouragement Becky, I will try very, very hard no to get on the scale....

[EBONY POETESS]

Nick, don't get discouraged
You know I was looking at one of my old post about giving up and having surgery
I was in the 230's then originally 251
I'm 216 now and I thought to myself girl, you can do this chit!
On my first month of phen I only lost 4 pounds
It works and it sound like you are working with it!
You have lost weight remember that! Five pounds is alot
Girl I would have to walk to idaho with a sack of potatoes on my back to lose five pounds quickly
I had to continue to work at it
I said ok so the scale didn't move but I did!
And you have to think the same
In a month or two, you will feel the difference trust me
Now get off this computer and have your protein for breakfast and tell billy blanks I said what's up! I think I'll do billy today (pun intended to make you laugh)

[JeannieinMa]

Ebony your posts are always so inspiring, I love to read them , Nick, I have to agree, its the scale thing, DONT DO IT!!! I decided the other day to throw my scale away and to weight myself once a month. I think the scale is what discourages all of us, if you dont see it going down you want to quit or say #&^* it, Im not loosing so Ill just eat this anyways.. Just keep in your head that you are loosing and that next month you want to be REALLY SURPRISED , I am sort of making it a game, like I will surprise myself next month I want it to be really down... but even in a month if you only see 5 pds remember that a new born baby weighs almost that much so it is ALOT of weight... Good luck and stay off the scales!!!!!

[missus]

Hey girl, what they said. The scale is a bad boy, don't like him, never liked him. Don't let him get you upset. Just continue the healthy habits you mentioned, exercising, etc. You will get there sweetie. Gurantee.

HUgs to you girl.

Missus

[JeannieinMa]

Missus,

Its so nice to see a picture of you, Your a beautiful woman with such inspiring thoughts,you always seem to have a kind word for everyone.. You must be a very happy woman!!! Im sure all of us on here look forward to your posts and your caring feedback..

[nickandsydsmom]

Thank you so much gals!! I will NOT touch the scale until I see my doctor! I will continue with what I am doing and I will succeed!

[nickandsydsmom]

P.S. I just rode my bike 2 miles and it was pedaling the WHOLE time!!! I think I'm gonna die......

[gemmyrose]

I'm jealous of you; I've lost pretty much the same and it took me over three weeks! Maybe you're bod's just taking a break!
I think you're doing great. Two pounds a week is the average, and you've lost almost a pound for each day. If you had lost it steadily, and wound up where you are now, wouldn't you be happy? Be patient. I think you're going to do great!

[nickandsydsmom]

Well I managed to stay off of the scale until today, I should've waited an eternity to get on it!!!!

[Tanya in CA]

You're doing everything right... eventually the weight is gonna *have* to come off! Hang in there....

[dumbfox]

Ok, it's only been a week, and your body did rid itself of 7 excess pounds (yes, water, but still) weight. Cut yourself a break. Your body is adjusting to this new routine you've sprung on it...new eating habits, new exercise.

Please don't weight everyday. This will drive you insane. Take this advice from a self-proclaimed compulsive daily weigher. The scale is evil and will taunt you. I kid you not. LOL I think another woman on the board even had to have her husband put the darn thing in the trunk of the car!

If you truly stick to a heathly eating plan and exercise routine after 30 days and still see no further weight loss then I would see your doctor and have them test you for thyroid functions.

You're on the right track and I would bet a week from now you'll be posting about a loss. Hang in there!

[Rickysmiles]

Girl, I know what you mean. I hate the scale. It really plays tricks on your mind. It's such an evil thing. I truly hate being obsessed with my weight, but I think it stems from going from being in shape and thing being out of shape.

I read this article in the New York Times about this scientist that decided to try an experiment. He swallowed 1 tablespoon of Canola Oil 3x a day and he managed to lose 60 lbs. Not to say that this would work for everyone. He claims each person's body is used to certain tastes. Chocolate for some, pasta and marinara for others. And the body craves those tastes and get used to having them, because, we, of course, satisfy those cravings. The body will take those "sugars" and "starches" and store them as fat and won't release them and we all blow up like balloons. By introducing the canola oil in his diet, he claims he has tricked his body. He didn't really change his diet except adding the canola oil and his body began to release those fats. Weird Huh?

What I noticed, for me, was that I liked doughnuts of all kinds. Sweets!! And throughout the day, while working in the basking sun, I drank a lot of Powerade and Slushies. And even though I am burning like 1200 calories a day, just from working, I was cancelling that hard work out by indulging in a whopping 1500 calories in just drinks per day, plus whatever I had for lunch(McDonald's, Skyline, etc)! With phen, my cravings for doughnuts and slushies are gone and guess what? I'm losing weight now!

It's real weird like that. And all this time, I thought I could eat whatever I wanted because I walk for a living, but it wasn't so. I was sabotaging my diet with high calorie beverages.

My trainer also says that our bodies need to be tricked sometimes, especially when we hit a plateau. Circuit training is good. Walking with short bursts of sprinting. Weightlifting with 1 minute intervals of treadmill walking. Or like that doctor said, tricking your body with a different taste. Or looking for diet sabotagers, like I did.

Truth be told, you really are doing well. On average we're only supposed to lose 1-2lbs a week and you're doing great for two weeks. I'm with you, though, I want results now. Like everyone else stated above, don't weigh yourself, just keep moving. I believe you can do it! Let me know if there's anything I can do to help!

Talk to you soon....

[Vanett]

Don't fret honey believe me we have all been here I was exactly like you when I first started it seemed like everyone was moving their ticker but me and for a whole month mine stayed the same, the scaled didn't seem to move so I was convinced it was broken, which it actually is , but the point is I didn't give up! About the 3rd wk into it I started Phase I of the South Beach Diet and ended up losing 18lbs so it can happen and girl, believe me if I was able to do it anyone can but the important thing is to not to EVER GIVE UP!!!!

[nickandsydsmom]

Thanks for the encouragement girls! I am a little discouraged but definetly not giving up. I know I didn't gain it in a month so it won't come off in a month either but after so much "dieting" and no results in the past to speak of I just get scared that I'm always gonna be fat!! Some of the gals on here just have it melting off of them, I just expected to lose about 20 lbs. the first month and it's just not going to be that easy for me. I have been faithfully doing WW along with the Phen. so I am with the program and drinking lots and lots of water!! Thanks again girls and you all are doing an AWESOME job!!!

[CuzzzandU]

hey there nick, well i know how ya feel. when i 1 started the phen i weighted in at 308 lbs !! i even told the dr i was going to that i didnt think that this phen stuff would work for me. he told me that i would have to give it a chance. he also told me that it took me a long time to put the weight on so not to expect the weight to come off over night. i realy like this dr. but right now you are doing better than me, ( i have not walked in about a month) i have had this realy bad tooth ache, so i cant even take the phen, the side affects of the headache makes it worse for me. but as soon as i get this tooth out then i will be back on the phen. just dont give up. belive me, i have been were your at, more times than 1. if you need a buddy i will be one for ya. feel free to e-mail me or im me, or we can talk here at the forums. but ill be there to root ya on !! good luck girlie !! cuzzz

[SognoSopra]

Hey Nick,
Remember, too, that you're doing a lot of exercise. More likely than not, you're building muscle which is heavier than fat. Your muscle mass gain may be making it hard to see the loss on the scale. Remember, you aren't out to just lose weight. You want to lose the fat. One of the best ways to do that is to build muscle. Maybe you should try taking measurements and going by them rather than the scale? You might not lose but I would wager you're toning up and losing inches... And really, isn't THAT what we want to do?
Chin up and keep up the activity. Don't give in to some stupid number on a scale. Judge the improvements and take note of what seems to be toning up. You're doing everything right