The tickers here depress me sometimes.

[Eliana]

Originally Posted by rakel

It all depends on perspective. Plus, there is a lot of self loathing involved, which really has nothing to do with you, it's just how they feel about themselves. When I was 170lbs I thought I was disgusting too, and now I am almost twice that! But just because they have less to lose doesn't mean it's still not really hard. From what I know, it's actually easy to lose a lot of weight in a short amount of time if you have a lot to lose, whereas if you only have a small amount it takes longer and is harder to get rid of. Thats not to say that it's not hard to lose weight if you're larger like me - because no matter what it's difficult to change habits, change your heart/mind, etc. For the purpose of my demonstration, the "ease" is just physical... But if you don't address the mental, the physical won't happen, or it does and you end up gaining it back and sometimes more.

This is absolutely true. I thought it was hard to lose weight at 235, but it was a different hard than I experience now. Now my calories have to be spot on, and the quality of the calories matter (I'm convinced) and I have to not just exercise, but exercise with goals and intensity in mind. Before it was hard because I was battling cravings, any exercise was hard and intense and I had so much self-doubt. But I think the hardest thing for me was that I worked so incredibly hard and looked in the mirror and still hated what I saw. Now I can work really hard, lose nothing...but I least I like what I see in the mirror. I attribute that once again to having been where I have. If I hadn't gotten up so high, I would NOT currently like what I see. So when the scale doesn't move, at least I can say, "Well, at least I maintained this."

[SmallSteps]

No matter what your starting weight I believe all people think they are huge, enormous, big as the side of the barn. We are depressed and there is a lot of self loathing involved.

When I weighed 150 I thought I was as big as an elephant and now I would do anything to be that weight again.

So don't take it personal we are all here fighting the same battle and supporting each other along the way.

[goal4agirl]

My goodness you have lost a bunch of weight in a few shorts months (looking at you ticker Vex)
You are doing an amazing job! I would not worry one little bit about what others say about feeling huge at 150-170 Lbs.
The main thing is not to compare ourselves with each other, it will always lead to sadness and bad feelings. You just keep your eye on the prize and keep on going strong.

[oneshortday]

I tend to feel similarly more on a in-person basis. I know people who weigh anywhere from 130-180 who constantly talk about how fat they are. It drives me nuts, especially when I'm sitting right next to them! I know they don't mean it personally, but it's hard to see it that way when you're on the heavier side of the scale. I think a little tact would be nice, but it is what it is.

On here, however, I think it's a little different. As discouraging as it may be to see someone's highest weight as 160, let's remember that we're losing TOGETHER. It's about being healthy and happy with who we are, no matter which side of the scale we're on!

[ValRock]

I was born fat... I feel like I have more to be proud of.

You'll be there too one day and look back and be so proud of yourself!!!!

[duckyyellowfeet]

It does bother me, but I try to put it into perspective.

We all have something we wish we "had". I wish I hadn't regained 60lbs and had re-entered my journey after 5, 10, 15lbs. Other people wish they had started earlier in their lives. Other people wish they lost the same amount of weight that another member did.

I try to find the positive in the things I HAVE done right. There is always something "better" but there is also the best with the situation I have. That is what I keep forcing myself to look at....cause otherwise I go crazy.

[Nightkatt]

I think for me its not the starting weight .. but how low the goal is lol .. I feel bad for not aiming that low .. I dont know what I want to get down to, I just want to feel better and be happy in my skin .. hence only choosing 25lb at a time til I reach where Im happy. But then I look at the tickers with 1?? and Im thinking should I be aiming lower????? I think it has to be something you are confident in .. I remember when I was younger I got down to what was almost my ideal for my height and I felt like a walking coat hanger with my bones sticking out .. its in interesting journey with a lot of self discovery.

[rakel]

Originally Posted by Nightkatt

I think for me its not the starting weight .. but how low the goal is lol .. I feel bad for not aiming that low .. I dont know what I want to get down to, I just want to feel better and be happy in my skin .. hence only choosing 25lb at a time til I reach where Im happy. But then I look at the tickers with 1?? and Im thinking should I be aiming lower????? I think it has to be something you are confident in .. I remember when I was younger I got down to what was almost my ideal for my height and I felt like a walking coat hanger with my bones sticking out .. its in interesting journey with a lot of self discovery.

I know what you mean. I do have an ultimate goal of under 200 (don't much care how much under, we'll see when I get there), but for now I am focusing on losing 50lbs. Seeing a ticker with 160lbs to lose was freaking me out so I will just take it in smaller goals instead of focusing on the enormity of what I really should be losing.

[runningfromfat]

Originally Posted by Nightkatt

I think for me its not the starting weight .. but how low the goal is lol .. I feel bad for not aiming that low .. I dont know what I want to get down to, I just want to feel better and be happy in my skin .. hence only choosing 25lb at a time til I reach where Im happy. But then I look at the tickers with 1?? and Im thinking should I be aiming lower????? I think it has to be something you are confident in .. I remember when I was younger I got down to what was almost my ideal for my height and I felt like a walking coat hanger with my bones sticking out .. its in interesting journey with a lot of self discovery.

Looking at your ticker it seems what you're doing is working amazingly well for you, congrats!

I was the same. When I started the thought of losing 100lbs was very overwhelming so I've always put my mini-goals in my signature. For a long time I would just look at the top one on my list and focus 100% of my energy on that. When I started it was pretty incomprehensible for me to think of low numbers or imagine what it would even be like too. I've had a goal range in mind for awhile but really my mini-goals were always my main goal for that period of time (still is for that matter!).

[OnMyWayDown]

But if you don't address the mental, the physical won't happen, or it does and you end up gaining it back and sometimes more.

A very intuitive insight. I hope this time I can address the mental part and keep it off.

[Nightkatt]

I cant remember who had it on their signature but a fave quote I read when I was last on here was:

I cant lose 100 pounds, but I CAN lose 10 pounds 10 times Makes it more realistic

[saltatoria]

Sometimes I feel jealous that they're starting at a weight close to my *goal* weight, but then I remember everyone has their own struggle and it doesn't make it any easier for them.

I was sort of venting to my boyfriend that I'm so tired of hearing about girls at work who need to lose 5-10 pounds, like it's the hardest thing ever. I told him I wish I only needed to lose 5-10 pounds. He said, "Well, think of it as losing 5-10 pounds, and then lose 5-10 more, and so on." I get what he was saying, and it's nice to think of it that way, but I still get a little jealous.

[suzukigurl]

I totally get it but the way I look at it from a few points of view.
#1: EVERYONE is harder on themselves and most of the time it's a state of mind or an emotional statement not a statement of fact. I think back to when I was HUGE or ENORMOUSLY overweight at 225 lbs where as now I would LOVE to be back there.
#2: My best friend (who I might add I think is gorgeous... LOL) is struggling with her weight right now. She is 155Lbs, Yes I said 155lbs but this is the heaviest she has been in 15 years. Just a year ago she was 125lbs & the weight she gained is a HUGE amount to her.No matter what your size or weight when your FAT pants are to tight you get the same sick feeling in your gut! Now here I am her BFF at 285lbs(as of about a month ago) and she is not disgusted by my size or would say I am monstrously over weight!
#3: Everyone is at a different place in their weight loss journey. The journey is very personal and often can be a struggle no matter if it's 10lbs or 200lbs.
We all need to work hard to get to our goals. It might take someone who is 150 lbs a month to lose 5lbs where as I may be able to lose that in a week!

Again I know the feeling and have had those same thoughts from time to time, but this time around I am focused on my journey on only SUPPORT other on theirs I will never COMPARE again!!!