Progress feeling less and less like success?
 

I'm trying to figure out why I'm feeling this way, and hopefully find a way to adjust my mindset because I think it's one of the things pulling me off track.

In the beginning of my weight loss I was ecstatic at even small losses. 19 pounds? Great! 30 pounds? Amazing!

Now I'm hovering around 65 pounds lost and I feel like it's nothing. I feel like my progress so far means absolutely nothing and I don't know why. I can't even pin point when I started to feel this way.

The only explanation I can come up with is after a time when I essentially took a hiatus from active weight loss and mostly maintained my weight for several months I felt like the slate was wiped clean so to speak, and any previous success was gone. I remember feeling like I'd be so happy to fit in a size 12, and now that I'm -almost- in a size 10 I'm mad at myself for not being able to wear them yet. :?:

I know it's causing a lot of panic and negative thoughts, yet no matter how much I try to reason with myself I still feel like I've failed. It doesn't make sense. :?:

I feel the same way, and I've only just begun my journey. Yes, I've lost 13lbs since I started and that means 23lbs from my high weight, but I still feel like I haven't accomplished anything because I still have so far to go. I get angry at seeing 203 on the scale because I feel like I've been doing so good, that it should be lower and it's not. But I've been losing slowly and steadily (for the most part) and that gives me a little bit of comfort. Knowing that if I keep it up, I should be seeing results in the future.

You've lost an amazing amount of weight though, and that's something you should be really proud of. And you've been able to keep it off, which for me was always the tough part.

I'm sorry I couldn't give you more comfort, but at least you know you're not alone in your thinking.

Oh, hun, do not shortchange yourself. You have made AMAZING progress. Weight loss at times can get you caught up in the absolute end product-but the journey is more than that. It's the change you see in yourself in the ways you choose to live your life. Although it may not seem like much to you, because you have done it and are living it, I promise that it was no small feat, and you should give yourself some credit. How could you even think of getting into size 10's if you hadn't built the foundation?

Very profound.

Bunneh - I had the same thoughts recently - stepped off the scale and asked myself "so when am I gonna really start losing weight". I don't know if it is the time of year, the changing season, the lighter, shorter, and smaller SIZE we thought we would be wearing by now when we started or what.

I have no advice just commiseration to know that you are not alone.

Perhaps you are just having an "off day". Or possibly you are starting to panic about almost being to your goal weight...

You have made tremendous progress. Please dn't discount how important what you have done is.!

Never, ever, EVER in my wildest dreams did I think that the physical part of losing weight would be easier than the emotional part! I beat myself up if I eat a tiny bit over my allotted calories. Or if I eat a food that MIGHT trigger a binge. Or if I only work out 4 days that week instead of 5. I am aggravated that I feel the weight loss and see it on the scale but don’t see it in the mirror or when I am looking down and seeing how huge my thighs are! One moment I am crying out of happiness because I am so proud of my accomplishments. The next moment I am lowering my goal weight because I don’t think it’s good enough. *sigh*

I know I am of no help. Just wanted you to know you aren’t alone. I do, however, think that your assumption of wiping the slate clean and resetting your weight loss clock is dead on when it comes to your current mindset. Instead of having a starting weight of 230, you now feel like you are now “starting” at 165. Because you had quite a few months where you got used to 165. It’s almost like the honeymoon period of a new relationship. It’s great and wonderful in the beginning and then cracks start to show. For you, 165 pounds was great for a while. And now, not so much. I can only imagine how frustrating that must be. That is why I am afraid to get complacent and I keep lowering my goal weight. I just hope to God that I’ll get over it before I develop serious issues. At least I know I have them though, right?

:hugs:

The thing that's really getting to me is that I've been struggling with this feeling for probably about a year or so now. It's been a long time, and I've lost about 15/20 pounds since I started having a really difficult time with feeling like a failure, and yet I still can't shake it. In fact, the lower I get on the scale the less and less successful I feel. :rolleyes:

Thank you all for the replies. I guess we all just need to figure out how to be kinder to ourselves, huh?

If you don't think that is a lot of weight loss, just look at your ticker: Look how far to the right your butterfly is!!!! You've already lost 65 pounds and only have 15 pounds to go.... you can do this!!!!!!

Don't worry sweetie, we've all been there. Just keep dieting, and know that we're all behind you. <3

We send you love!

I'm in the same boat, but I look in the mirror sometimes and see the change but other times I don't at all and still feel as fat as I was.