After hundreds of failed attempts at diets, it's surreal that I'm actually doing it this time. I've attempted to lose weight since I was 11. My diets would last a day or two usually. Sometimes, I would miraculously stick to it for a few weeks. It began the same and it would end the same. I would always give up.
Until now.
It's not a diet anymore. Everything clicked in my brain. I know for a fact I can eat this way for the rest of my life. It's surreal (and in a way, scary) to think that I'm actually getting to my goal this time. I began in June and I have had one off day at a family get-together. If it was the old me, I would give up and go back to my old eating habits. I would think that I'm not strong enough and that no matter what I do, I will never get to where I want to be. After that get-together, I went right back to eating well. It didn't even phase me. Sure, I had a piece of cake, but who cares? It was one day out of the months I've been working towards this. The key to success is to not give up. Everything will take care of itself as long as you don't give up.
The fact that it's finally happening goes through my mind a lot. I'm actually doing this - what I've wanted to do but just haven't for so many years. I grew up constantly wanting this and now, it'll finally happen.
Does anyone else feel this way? Is it surreal? Scary? Exhilarating? A little of each?
It is amazing. Such an achievement to overcome it and find something that works for you. Well done on your hard work so far
I had never really tried to lose weight before, so this is my first proper attempt. I am happy every single day that I started this journey and made a positive change to my life. It's amazing what you can do when you really put your mind to it.
It's not a diet anymore. Everything clicked in my brain.
Quote:
Originally Posted by 1987
It's amazing what you can do when you really put your mind to it.
I truly think that for longlasting success, this is where the journey truly starts.
Melody - It really is a surreal feeling. For me, I've been amazed at what I've been able to achieve. I know I will go the distance this time. I know it. I'm happy to hear that you know it too!
This is my first attempt at weight loss too. I can relate to your surreal feeling. It feels great living in less of my body every day and seeing the clothes get bigger on me. I just can't believe I didn't do this years ago. Part of me never tried because I didn't feel I had it in me. A series of events happened this summer and something clicked into place for me. I'm so glad it did!
This has been my first and only decision to lose weight. And four years, numerous maintenance breaks, slips, off-plan days, and two pregnancies later, I am over 90 pounds down (pre-pregnancy ) and STILL going strong. It hasn't been perfect, as the previous sentence demonstrates. But when I went into this I chose to do it permanently and never, ever quit. And I'm still here, winning the war, because I didn't give up after a tough battle or three.
That doesn't mean I'm doing things the same way I did four years ago - the specifics of my plan have changed as my needs and health have changed. That's okay! Tweaking and adjusting and trying different method is all part of the journey. Even just standing still and focus on 'not gaining' is a MASSIVE mental victory and a perfectly valid choice along the way (some seasons are easier for weight loss than others. Sometimes we just hang on by the skin if our teeth and that's success, too!). But making the decision you have, to do it for life and never quit, that's what success really takes. Not perfection, not incredible results, but a willingness to keep at it and pick yourself up every single time you slip. No end date, no 'I'm there, now I'm done!'. Maintaining for life requires attention and vigilance in much the same way weight loss does. It's less strict, but your commitment to not regaining the weight is the very same one that brings you to success to begin with.
You said the magic words, the same ones I did - you committed and meant it. And that's the difference between a permanent yo-yo dieter and a successful maintainer. If you don't quit, you can't fail
Isn't it crazy? Every time you buy a new pair of pants in a smaller size, every lower 'set of 10 pounds' (you know what I mean, less than 200-190-180-170-160-150-140 etc) - all of that is totally unreal.
And yes, it's all a mind game! All of it. The power to say no. To say later. To change. It's not what we eat. It's the decisions we make every minute of every day for the rest of our lives.
And when those different, better decisions become 'normal' and the 'so what' sets in about it all - that's when we really won the fight
I know *exactly* what you mean. Once you've tried something for so long and so many times, you lose faith you'll ever be at a healthy weight because every single experience has told you it's not possible.
1987 - That is amazing that you've done so well in your first attempt. I am happy every day as well. My mood has done a complete 180 now that I am taking care of myself. I noticed that you're so close to goal. Keep going, you're almost there!
angieand2girls - Yes, I definitely know it. I am inspired by how you've decided to lose half of your body weight and just went for it. I've seen that you've been working out really hard and putting in 110%. You'll get to your goal before you know it!
Moving Forward - Yep, I think the main reason why I failed so many times before was because I didn't believe in myself. I can't pinpoint when the change in my brain occurred telling me that I really CAN do this, but I'm so glad it happened. Seeing how big my clothes were before really is an eye-opener! And I still have a little more than halfway left!
HungryHungryHippo - Thank you! Congratulations on making your goal. Yes, this time around, I haven't set myself up to fail. I finally realized that it's ok to not be perfect. I need to focus on what I can stick to for the rest of my life, not something that will give me quicker results. Humans crave instant gratification. It takes a lot of strength to get past this and see the big picture.
Artic Mama - Yep, I agree 100%. I cannot and will not see this change as a temporary one. No one should expect to hit their goal and then not continue to work on maintaining that loss. We're doing this for our health. We need to be healthy our whole lives, not just when we want to lose weight. "If you don't quit, you can't fail" is exactly what I remind myself while going through this.
InspiredBy - Yes! The way I think is completely different now. I always need to remember that even though I may not have something that I want to eat that day, I can always have it later! Before, I was irrational and I would think that I would not have an opportunity to have <insert food here> again in a long time or ever again. We can't think like that! Once I am at my goal weight, I will enjoy these types of foods on special occasions. How I'm eating now has become normal for me. How I was eating before is now rare and special. That's how it's supposed to be.
IsabellaOlivia - That is exactly what I had to change about myself. I would always justify my failed attempt because hey, that's how it's been every other time! Having confidence in myself and knowing that I can do it and that I'm WORTH it has made all the difference this time. Now that I see I can do this, there's no stopping me now.
Melody Leigh You have said something really profound....that your mood has done a 180 now that you are taking care of yourself.
That is exactly it for me......learning to value myself and treat myself with kindness as I would my children or my wonderful hubby.
Congratulations to you! Just in the past couple of days I've also begun to have the same feeling.
And it's not as if diets haven't worked for me before. Twice in my life I managed to get down from about a size 24 to a size 14, and both times were enormous, anxiety-filled struggles that threw me into a tantrum if I wasn't losing as insanely quick as I felt I should be.
This time has been different. It had to be! Since I'd let myself go somewhere beyond a size 28 (I wouldn't know exactly where I ended up, as nothing from the plus-size stores would fit me aside from stretch pants) I knew I had to take a long-term approach to my health if I ever wanted to reach a normal weight. And it's been difficult for me to fathom because I've been overweight since I hit puberty; I was already in a size 24 at the age of 14! While I'd always longed to be thin, I spent most of life feeling that it was an impossible ideal to obtain because the only methods that seemed to work for me were either prescribed diet pills or starving myself, neither or which are sustainable or even remotely healthy.
I made the realization one day that I was not only shortening my life, but that I didn't have much of a life to live in a body so limiting. I decided that things needed to change. I've spent years gradually changing my exercise habits. I went from being so sedentary that I'd be out of breath trying to make it to the next room (and I mean quite literally, my lungs could no longer handle lugging my body around and I wound up in the hospital a few times over it), to being able to walk for miles at a time and even throw a little jogging in. It's also taken years to change my relationship with food, including learning not only what is healthy to eat, but to be satisfied with what portions should really look like!
The losing process has felt especially slow to me, and I guess it has been. It's literally taken me years to reach the point I'm at, and given that I didn't notice any difference in my body when I lost the first 40 pounds (I seriously couldn't tell any difference in my clothes), my former "all or nothing" mentality had to be thrown out the window. I just kept plugging away, happy I wasn't gaining and hoping to eventually get under a size 24.
But the realization we speak of? It's finally hitting me. Just in the past few months I finally got below a 24 again. And just a few days ago, I fit into a 16. That means I'm only one size away from my lowest ever! It's finally happening, and I'm still in control! No freaking out, no starving, no diet pills, I'm doing it the right way this time. And it feels wonderful! No fighting tooth and nail to lose another pound, instead I just keep doing this the right way and reap the rewards.
Life is better this way. I'm not worn out all the time, and my world no longer revolves around food (diet or not). And I've finally hit the point where I'm getting all sorts of noticeable changes! Now i just worry about becoming a little too vain for my own good.
But congratulations once again! I've always loved your avatar (I'm a huge TLM fan).
It's Surreal That I'm Actually Doing This
) and STILL going strong. It hasn't been perfect, as the previous sentence demonstrates. But when I went into this I chose to do it permanently and never, ever quit. And I'm still here, winning the war, because I didn't give up after a tough battle or three.
Just in the past couple of days I've also begun to have the same feeling. 
