Reasons why I refuse to be down about slow weight loss

[Beach Patrol]

That's super ferret!

I agree!!
I'm not letting the "slow loss" get to me either! I've also been working hard, and in between the crazy TOM issues, I'm losing right around 2 lbs per month, and that's way better than losing 1 pound or no pounds... or worse, gaining!

And you know what? I am EVER so surprised at how "HAPPY" I am to weigh 166 now!! And I am in a size 12 pretty comfortably, even tho some of my 14's still fit. I remember about three years ago coming on this board & lamenting that I had to buy "some size 12 jeans" & I was SOOOO upset about it! Now I'm HAPPY about it! (and I look forward to wearing a size 10... hopefully by Thanksgiving or at least Xmas!!)

Plus, *this time* I am making sure that I EAT WHAT I LIKE and working my favorite foods into my 1500 calories-per-day plan so I don't feel deprived and get crazy & go off plan & eat everything in sight, like a maniac!

So the weight is coming off ever....so....slowly...
but it IS coming off! YAY, WOO HOO & A YEE-HAW!!!!!!

[fatferretfanatic]

Beach patrol, that is fabulous. That's one thing I have to tell myself often-Losing a pound or two a month is sooo much better than not losing or gaining! I am looking forward to being able to wear 16s sometime in the future, but I hope to be in 12s further in the future still, and then, dare I say, 10's??? High five, BP!

[HappilyMe]

My reason for ignoring slow weight loss? In the last 2 weeks I've lost another size, but the scale is only showing a difference of 3.5lbs. I do mostly strength training so I'm sure I'm just replacing my fat with muscle, hence the small difference on the scale but really noticeable difference with my body. I think this article explains it perfectly:

http://everydaypaleo.com/2011/06/22/...ddicts-part-2/

I actually put the scale away for awhile, and after my results during the past 2 weeks, I'm putting it away for good!

[kurisitaru]

I love all the reasons. AAAAND they help for me, I've always been slow to weight loss. I get excited at 1lb a week.

A few more:

I'm excited about slow weight loss because:
...I believe I'm also building muscle, so some of the "gain" instead of loss it my muscles looking sexy.
...It's nice to EARN it, I mean really earn it. To stick with it like a depressed lover. Something that sometimes makes you so happy, and other times it lets you down and you want to just quit on it. And when you don't, you know it's because you love yourself for it.
...I like when I don't think I've been losing because the scale goes slow, then I see someone I haven't seen in a month and they say, "GEE! You've lost weight!"
...Picking up two 5lb weights, makes me realize that my "small" loss, is actually pretty huge!

[augeremt]

Originally Posted by Nola Celeste

- I can finally eat almost everything in moderation because nothing is forbidden. That slows me down, and I know that a more ascetic plan would lead me to lose more quickly initially, but I also know that the bounce-back from rigid restriction makes me miserable.

I wrestle with this problem every day. I'm super envious of people who are committed enough to restrict themselves and lose quickly (and keep it off!), because I want to do that as well. But I know it's not for me. I do well for a month or so and then give up and feel a relief that I can eat again, and eventually gain back everything I've lost.

It's a vicious cycle I've decided to break with being ok with losing slowly. And for me, it's super slow. But I'm losing and learning to stay healthy and happy along the way. And those are the most important things to me right now.

[IsabellaOlivia]

When I'm beating myself up I try to remind myself:
The reason most people give up is that they focus on how far they have to go instead of how much progress they've made.

It strikes a nerve with me.

[fatferretfanatic]

Originally Posted by IsabellaOlivia

When I'm beating myself up I try to remind myself:
The reason most people give up is that they focus on how far they have to go instead of how much progress they've made.

It strikes a nerve with me.

This has been especially true for me in the past. For me it has to be a one day at a time kind of deal, really focusing on how I did up until today and not how long it will be until I reach my goal.

[Esofia]

Interesting. I've been focusing on how much I've lost, rather than how far I have left to go, and I've been feeling very happy about the weight loss. Could be a honeymoon thing, though.

* Because slow weight loss is more likely to be lasting.

As a slight aside, am I the only one alarmed at all the people who say, "I'm losing weight so slowly, only 3lb a week, I think I might give up!"? A lot of the people who grumble about slow weight loss are actually experiencing fast weight loss, and presumably have really unrealistic expectations about how fast they should be losing the weight.

[fatferretfanatic]

That's very true, Esofia. 3 pounds a week is wonderful and fast. I think a lot of people are just programmed to wish it away as fast as possible and get really frustrated when it doesn't come off quite that fast. Personally, I am pretty happy with 1 pound a week if I get that! But, to each their own. I just want to be positive about the whole package, even if that means that many weeks I lose nothing.

Today, I am absolutely not down about my slow weight loss because I just ran six miles, the furthest I have ever gone in my whole life. Yay!

[kurisitaru]

Originally Posted by IsabellaOlivia

When I'm beating myself up I try to remind myself:
The reason most people give up is that they focus on how far they have to go instead of how much progress they've made.

It strikes a nerve with me.

I need to do this... I think that's part of the reason I gave up last time. I had lost 22lbs... and still had 8 to go, and those 8 would NOT budge. It was easy to just think it would never happen, and instead of thinking, "You know what? I LOST 22lbs! That's GREAT! I should stay here at least..." I got depressed instead...

Now, I've lost 11lbs, and it sucks that I have to lose about 24-29 more, but I'm 1/4 the way there, and I should be proud of that.

[Emme]

What an awesome thread! I struggle sometimes and think that I am not losing weight "fast enough", but what really is "fast enough"? Everyone is different and I remember that when I was 274 pounds the pounds melted off a lot faster than they are now. But, they are still melting...slowly, but surely. One of my favorite quotes that helps get me through when I think I'm not doing 'good enough' is "time is going to pass anyway, so you might as well do something with it." It's better to keep pushing along!