Stepping Into the Void

I've been kinda down lately. For six weeks, I've been watching what I eat and running most days. On the days I don't go running, I ride my bike or do other things. And yet, the pounds refuse to budge. I feel that all of the effort is being wasted, and it's depressing.
Similarly, every night, I sit down at my computer and I write. I write articles, essays, short stories, etc. I am currently being published in an online magazine, but it's not paying anything. I'm waiting for the day when I receive an actual check for something I've done. In the meantime, I feel that I'm just putting all this energy into the void.