Plateaus and NSV; or, The Search For My Zen Place.
 

Normally I would stick this in the June NSVs thread, mainly because that is the one thread currently keeping me from eating all the chocolate biscuits my coworker brought back from France. But this is about frustrations as well as successes, so what the heck.

I don't know why I'm making excuses for posting a new thread. I guess I feel like I'm bothering people when I do. One of those 'I'm not good enough' behaviors that got me to my high weight in the first place, and a pattern I'm trying very hard to break.

Anyway! :sigh: I am still riding my latest plateau, which, four weeks in, I think I can officially label a plateau. I work out with my sister and she pointed out recently that this always happens to me, when it happens, right at the cusp between two decades. It also tends to happen around every 30 pounds, though this time I'm only 20 pounds down from my last plateau. So frustrating! This time I'm stuck at my high school weight, and I am determined to get into the 'overweight' range (around 158 lbs.) no matter what it takes.

In the meantime, the pants I am wearing today are a small 14 (as in, they didn't fit when I bought them, though my other 14s are all roomy at this point), so that's a small victory. They're still a 14 and not the 12s I was hoping to fit in by my vacation in a week and a half, but at least I'm making *some* progress. Thank God for yoga; it really does help shape your body even when you're not losing fat. I was a non-believer for a long time, but I'm totally on board now.

I post these tiny victories to remind myself of the progress I *am* making, since I tend to beat myself up when the number on the scale doesn't go down (STILL! You'd think after three freaking years I'd be over that), but also to encourage any lurkers who might be suffering a similar frustration and thinking about giving up to KEEP GOING. I've been at this three years with such slow loss, and no amount of badgering various doctors has given me a single reason *why* other than I'm getting older (I'm 36! That's not that old!).

But I'm not giving up, because I already cut up all my old fat jeans to make a cute new skirt which I wore to work yesterday and got lots of compliments on. So I have nothing to wear except clothes that either fit or are too small, which means there's nowhere to go but down. If I can stick with it for this long, anybody can stick with it, I swear.

Caroline its FABULOUS that you have posted this!!!! Sometimes you do need to see your victories in black and white.

You are making AMAZING progress . .. 85lbs and counting baby! :)

And how clever of you making skirts out of your old jeans!!!!!!!!!

Caroline, you're doing so well! Don't get discouraged about the plateau; it will eventually pass.

You did an excellent job turning your jeans into a skirt! It is very cute and you were clever to think of it.

I have several thoughts on this:

* 36 is not old!

* weight 160.4 - That sounds wonderful to me. This is one of those "relative things". From the viewpoint of 222, 160.4 sounds really good.

* small size 14 - once again, sounds really good.

* stop worrying about posting NSVs, I love them! They encourage me.

* working at this for 3 years - I understand why you are frustrated and impatient. That is a long time. But I am assuming that you are making permanent changes, the lifestyle changes that we talk about so much. If you had not worked on losing weight these last 3 years, how much do you think you would weigh?

* I don't know from personal experience (yet) but it is my understanding that weight loss often slows as your weight goes down. Therefore, your progress has slowed down because you have done so well.

* You are doing so well. You are succeeding! Celebrate!

I would have said pretty much exactly what time2lose said so I will just add...

Keep at it! You're doing great! And your Zen place seems to be easier for you to find than you think (cause it sounds to me like you are there!)

It can be frustrating, but you have made so much progress!! I think your body is giving you a fight, trying to hold on to the pounds. It will give up and you will win! Keep going!

You can't give up. Hearing stories like yours even w/ plateau's provides inspiration.

Wow.
Three years.
That is a long time. Talk about perseverance. And you know what perseverance brings? Character.

So, I would think you can count another success than just the number on the scale! For sure. I don't hear you complaining as just stating frustration. And that's OK. Victory here is just sticking with it. Plodding on.

You truly are an inspiration. Should I hit a plateau--(and I've no reason to think I won't) it'll be posts like this I'll remember.
You kept going in spite of the lack of evidence of success. You kept going because you know it's the right thing to do and you have faith in your methods--even when the results are hidden from view.
Good for you.

You're awesome.

Thanks, guys. I think the main reason I posted this is because it's easier to focus on my accomplishments and not the frustrations when I lay it out in black and white.

Would I say no to reaching my goal if it takes another three years to get there? Of course not! Sometimes I resent the fact that it's so much faster and easier for other people, but my lifestyle is definitely second nature now, and at least I know that I will keep the weight off in the long run.

Slow and steady really does win the race sometimes, and if sharing my frustrations helps someone else stick to their program, then I'm definitely happy to share!

You really are an inspiration. Thank you for sharing this.

I'm afraid I'll never succeed at this, but you give me hope.

I also have some of the same insecurities regarding posting responses or threads; I also feel like I am bothering people when I post them. And like you, I recognize that helped lead me to the weight that I am. But I love your posts!

You are doing fabulously with your weight loss! And I love the jean skirt!

You can TOTALLY succeed. You're starting at around the same weight I did, and you're way taller than me so you have less to lose! Already you're ahead of the game, the way I see it. :D

Isn't it crazy how we talk ourselves out of communicating with the people who will understand exactly where we're coming from? I think of all the people around here who post all the time and probably don't think anything of it, and I stress myself out over the, what, four threads I've ever started on this entire forum. It's so silly.

I think we should both try to get over ourselves and post more. It's probably the only way to get over our fear of it.

And thanks! I do love that stupid skirt, mostly for what it symbolizes. And who's going to understand that better than you guys, which is why I posted about it here!

You have done sooooo well! You are an inspiration to me and so many others. Your body has chosen this weight to sit at for WHATEVER reason for a bit... it WILL come off. Shake up your exercise, swap some foods for others... wait. It WILL WILL WILL come off.

I love your skirt. I love your attitude. Don't EVER apologize for posting. you are awesome.