Ever feel like it's not worth it?
 

I've been having a few days where I am just having trouble feeling like this just isn't worth it.

Usually I'm able to talk myself down from the ledge and say "self, what are your alternatives?" And really, they are pretty bad alternatives. I could feel worse physically and emotionally by stuffing my face with an extreme excess of food that's bad for my body and not exercise, just let myself feel like garbage. And that's not an option.

The thing is, I've been counting calories consistently since August, and exercising pretty consistently since February. I eat about 1800 calories a day (although sometimes more, sometimes less, but usually not enough to not at least maintain). I exercise on the elliptical or incline treadmill 40 minutes, 4-5 times a week (enough to get me extremely sweaty and short of breath).

Is this just not enough?

My pattern is: I get to my "low" of 262. Then I bounce up and get back down to it and then it happens again. This has been happening OVER AND OVER AGAIN and I can't figure out why.

I confess that there are some weekends, and sometimes longer (if I'm visiting family for a few days, for instance) where my diet is not ideal. BUT I always get right back on track, and sometimes it's like... for WHAT? My weight loss is extremely slow and it is so discouraging.

I know we all lose at different rates and losing 2 lb/week is not always a reality. But some days (like today and yesterday) I get so frustrated that I can't even see a clear path ahead and I feel like I will NEVER get there.

For instance, my calorie deficits are usually at about 1000 after exercise. These last few days they've been at 500 or less, and I gained 3 pounds.

I hate logging every single calorie and thinking about this so often and having nothing work. I've had trouble losing weight before, but never THIS much. I'm exhausted all of the time and it's just been harder to motivate myself to get up earlier and exercise.

We all go through this, I know... and it makes me want to just kick something and throw a tantrum. :devil:

(and for whatever reason, it's not even TOM related. I'm just cranky as all getout about this!!!!)

Oh hun it is such a hard journey but it is SO WORTH it!

When the scale doesn't move it can be so frustrating and counting calories can be so frustrating as well. This is why I don't do it. You have an idea of what to eat and what not to eat, maybe go easy on yourself for a bit and eat the foods you have been eating and just listen to your body. Watch portion size instead. Stop eating when your satisfied. Maybe taking a bit of break from the logging will ease the pressure off a bit. I found it to be too much to log everything, so once I got a good idea of what to eat I just kept count before I put it in my mouth. You KNOW what to eat now right?

I'm also debating of chucking the scale. Seriously it's so frustrating when you lose sooooo slowly. Maybe you need to spice things up a bit? Maybe try a new exercise? Or try strength training. Something to ignite that spark again. When things become menontenous (sp?) it gets boring. I have to be stimulated and kept interested to keep on it.

You've been doing it for so long, I think you just need a change and not to be so hard on you. Ease up a bit, re evaluate your interests and what makes you happy, new exercise etc and go from there. It doesn't mean you have to give up you just have to tweak it a bit :)

ETA: There was a motivation saying on here that said "Obstacles are when your eye is off the goal" ;)

Yes, there are days where it feels "unrewarding".

However there is really no reward in the alternative. Yes, in the short term, it's nice to not have to count (which after 8 years of maintenance I no longer do), it's nice to enjoy all the fatty/sugary foods, but that stuff comes at a high price.

Everything comes at a price. Getting healthier will cost a lot of aggravation at times, frustration, boredom, annoyances - but staying overweight would eventually cost me my health, mobility, and possibly my life.

So I pick what has more value :)

i have days where i feel like this. here's what i decided

i'm just going to keep going and see what happens. the worst that could happen is that i stay around the same weight. the best that could happen is that i could lose.

for the first six weeks it felt like it wasnt worth it. then the weight started coming off and i figured, why not keep going with this?

Sending BIG HUGS your way...Please know that everyone has these days. I think of it like this...I have 3 options:

1) If I give up, nothing will change.
2) If I give in completely, things will get worse (hello 280 again)
3) If I give it a try, something has to change. Maybe not as quickly as I want it, but they will change :)

For now, chuck the scale and focus on having fun eating well and exercising. Has your body responded in inches?

I'm wishing you the best and cheering you on to goal. Congrats on your success so far and remember the 3 options above :)

^^THIS!!^^

Sometimes I have to force-feed myself with logic & common sense, instead of stuffing myself with food. :yes: :^:

I feel your pain right now! My scale dropped to 136, then went back up to 138 and then back to 137 and now instead of going down its back up at 138. There is no explanation other then my body must hate me and my scales a tease. Its emotionally draining to put in so much effort into it and not see a difference.

However, when I do see a difference or drop on the scale the feeling is AMAZING and it instantly makes the wait worth it. The problem is I forget that feeling in between drops. Try remember that feeling, think about when you finally see 261pr even 259 on the scale. I know it doesn't feel like it now but you will eventually get there if you keep on your plan.

We can do this, we just have to push through the hard times with all the strength we can muster and keep on moving forward :)

I lose slowly too.

I've lost about 12 lbs in the last 12 months. That's only ONE -- 1 -- pound per month.

But, I am in a much better place in terms of my health, my activity levels, and how I feel internally, even if the weight loss isn't there.

The scale is only ONE factor of this journey. Look, even if you got on the scale tomorrow and it suddenly read 164 lbs, would anything change?

Secondly, the calorie counting will have to continue for as long as you don't know intuitively how much you should eat to keep your weight at 164 lbs (when you reach that). Eventually, you will. It will become routine. But for now, it's not... so you have to count.

After all, you know precisely how much you need to eat for 262 lbs, right?! That's why you stay at that weight. Eventually, you'll figure out how much you need to eat at 164 and how much exercise you have to do and the types of exercise.

I can't eat like anyone else in this forum... I have to eat what makes my body lose weight. For me, it's about balancing my IR/PCOS stuff with my food and my exercise. Is it slow? Sure, it's slow.

But there are other things you need to consider and appreciate, like the health you're giving yourself, maybe you're more flexible or stronger or maybe you can run a 5K or lift this amount of weights or play this sport that you couldn't do before. Maybe you find out that the scale doesn't change, but you don't have to take X medication or your blood pressure is lower or your cholesterol is better.

Those are the things that will take you past the lack of scale movement.

Don't give up. This isn't a sprint or even a race! This is a marathon.

Thanks all. :grouphug:

I know you're all right.... the alternative is "worth it" even less. It's a process. It's just more bothersome some days than others!

You've all given me good things to remember. THANK YOU!

It is worth it, even if the weight comes off very slowly.
I count my calories and lose about a pound a week. It is so very slow. :snail:
But I can lose 50 pounds in a year that way.
I don't want to lose weight so fast that I get super saggy skin. Who wants to end up with footlong flabby boobs that you roll up into a AAA bra? I don't.

Just live your life and don't worry about the weight coming off.
Just count your calories and forget the rest. This is a lifelong endeavor to lose the weight and then to maintain it. So there is no rush.

With each pound you lose you will feel a tiny bit better and a little bit happier too.
:smug: