This is my first day here, and I found this website after googling various things about weight loss on the internet.
My starting weight was 273, and my current weight is 230. I am 5'7 and used to be very athletic, hovering around probably 150-160 during my best shape in high school playing soccer for 10 years and year round for 4-5 years. What changed was sophomore year of high school I got a part time job at McDonald's, and went from 170 pounds to 250 in about 18 months. I gained an additional 23 pounds in college. I've been steadily losing weight since mid-June this summer, and have since lost 25 pounds, bringing my current weight to 230 (I lost 18 pounds the summer of 2011, also).
A few days ago I began to cut all carbs from my diet, and plan to keep this up for several weeks. My only problem is motivation. I work as a server 20-35 hours a week, on my feet the whole time, so I currently consider that my exercise for the week (4-5 days a week). Though after talking to my boyfriend tonight (who has also recently lost 60 pounds) I am planning to start going to the gym again on the days that I do not work. However, I went clothes shopping today and discovered that I have only dropped one pant size in the last 10ish weeks and after losing 25 pounds. I have noticed that my legs have thinned considerably, and my arms slightly as well, but my belly fat is still ever present, and I can't seem to get that to slim down. After clothes shopping today going terribly, I became very unmotivated and depressed and turned to frozen yogurt with a mountain of chocolate candies to make me feel better.
I don't really know how to stay motivated to keep losing anymore. Everyone keeps telling me that losing 43 pounds is a fantastic achievement, but all I can see is how much more I have to go (90 pounds to reach my goal weight of 140).
I was just hoping that someone here would have some kind of answer to motivation problems and how to stay motivated through this, as it is probably the hardest thing I will ever go through in my life. I also feel very guilty that I let myself become this heavy and didn't bother to do anything to stop it. I feel like a very selfish person who did not care about myself at all, and I have trouble coming to terms with that.
Mainly with this post I'm just asking for some extra support and motivation to keep going. I am so close to my 1st BIG goal - being in one-derland, and my hope is to be there by Christmas.
Any words of encouragement would be helpful. Just looking for a couple of friendly posts/words of encouragement here.
Hi There!
So glad you found this wonderful website! I come here when I need motivation. Keep looking around and come back often. There are new posts everyday!
I am in a motivational slump also right now so I understand how you feel. All we can do is keep looking at our goals and try to find it somewhere deep inside of ourselves to say "I am worth it" and "I can do this" Coming here with all these wonderful people will also help you get motivated and committed, **** half of us need to be commited somewhere!
You can do this don't give up the battle! It is a long journey but you are definitely WORTH it!!
Hi Jackie-
I understand your frustration with clothes shopping. I recently lost 32 lbs. but only have gone down one pants size. Here are some thoughts to help motivate you as you continue on your journey:
1. You already have the knowledge and ability! You were once very athletic (I was too in high school and college) and you know how to exercise and the benefits you get. And you know how to eat healthy, as evidenced by your huge success so far in losing weight. So remind yourself that you are a pro at eating right and exercising and you can do it every day.
2. It's not too late to make changes. I'm guessing you're in your twenties, so you can lose the weight and not have any wrinkles because your skin is so young. And there are muscles underneath that you will uncover so you can look great--your potential is unlimited. As for me, I waited until I was 57 to make meaningful changes to my lifestyle and it's much harder to do now. My skin is sagging as I lose weight and I don't think some areas (like stomach and underarms) are ever going to lose the excess stretched skin (sigh). Don't wait--do it now while you're young and have the energy!
3. If you don't make PERMANENT changes now, you will have a life of constant yo-yo dieting and buying clothes in many different sizes. Trust me, I have been doing that since I was 30 years old. What finally got my attention and commitment was that I recently developed diabetes and was forced to realize that being overweight and out of shape had real bad consequences besides my clothes size.
4. Figure out a reward system for yourself that does NOT include food. For example, you can set up a savings plan--put away xx number of dollars for every pound you lose and xx number of dollars for every day you go to the gym. When you reach your goal weight of 140, you'll have the money to buy a new wardrobe in size 6 or 8. Don't forget a monthly reward too--you need short-term as well as long-term goals and make those goals realistic. Remember the thinner you get, the more dedication it takes to keep losing weight and you won't lose it as fast as you did at the start. Be patient but stay strong!
Hi Jackie! Welcome! You've accomplished a lot! Don't discount what you've already lost -- 40 lbs is a bag of potting soil! Take a run by a garden center and try to lift that -- there's some motivation!
I'm very visual, and sometimes it's hard to SEE the weight coming off, even though you know you've dropped the pounds. I keep a pretty little jar filled with shiny pennies -- one for every pound I've lost. It's been so rewarding to drop a few in the jar every week and take them out and play with them. Slowly but surely, the jar has gotten fuller -- by the time I get to goal, it might overflow! You've already got a good start on things. Filler up!
I also have strange small goals -- I broke my predicted progress down into 7, 10, 12 lb breaks -- the numbers are totally random, but the weights mean something to me because I have some life event that I associate with that weight-- for example the weight I was when I graduated College, or as a Senior in High school. For my next goal -- in about 5 lbs, I am going to send myself flowers at work. I can't wait!
Have fun with it, and keep going! You've already come so far! Best of luck to you.
Just stick with it. It's true that it will take a little bit of time, but the time will pass anyhow, so isn't it better to be losing weight during that time than not?
Besides, you will start to feel benefits long before you get all the way to your goal weight (which, by the way, seems very low - 10-20 pounds lower than you were as a high school athlete might not be a realistic goal). It's not a binary proposition, where you are either enormously fat or perfectly trim. You have already dropped a pants size and you will continue to drop more. Your job as a server will get easier with every pound you lose. So just keep at it.
Thanks for the kind words I will make use of all of them!
AwShucks: I like the idea of making mini goals as well as long-term goals and reward. I should really do that - I think it will help a lot!
palomino: I have actually thought about doing that! Putting away a dollar for every pound lost sounds like an awesome idea
carter: I was actually still rather chunky in high school even as an athlete (i wore a 12-14 throughout high school), so to weigh less than I did in high school is not farfetched in my mind.
Thank you to everyone who posted. It's nice to be around people at any time of day who understand what I'm going through
new here - motivation problems :/
I will make use of all of them!
