I am feeling kind of weird the past few days. Im all excited about losing weight, especially since I can now say Ive lost 40 pounds. But...........then I think back and know that since my highest weight I HAVE lost 40, but this time around I actually did not start out losing at my highest. I think I may have been like 311 or 309 instead of 316. Which that makes me having lost UNDER 40 lbs.

See the thing with me right now is, I havent been able to lose over 33 lbs in over 10 years. So being able to say Ive lost 40 lbs is such a victory for me, and its kind of like a "pep talk" to myself, saying "you can go much, much farther, you've lost 40 lbs"!

But then I think....If I say 40 lbs, is is a lie? Technically not since 316 was my highest weight, but again, technically I did not start out THIS TIME at 316 lbs.

Does this make sence to anybody?

I just have wanted to be able to be so happy about my loss, but I kind of feel like Im lying if I tell people Ive lost 40, when I have, if you count my highest weight. But if you count from the day I actually started this time, its maybe like 33.

Maybe Im just thinking about it TOO much, but to pass that dreaded 33 mark was so wonderful!! Then the stupid self doubt just had to rear its ugly head!!

Then I doubt myself even more and ask myself if I can actually get to 50 lbs lost and so on. I just have to keep telling myself to keep going and if I work hard for long enough, it will happen. I guess I just had to type this out and see it for myself.

Does anybody else have weird self doubt thoughts like this?

I hear you. But honestly, ups and downs are part of weight loss - so considering your loss as from your "high" weight isn't a lie - you did lose 40 pounds! You lost weight, gained back up to the weight you were at when you started this most recent (and final!) leg of your weight loss journey, and now you're on the way down again.

Congratulations on FORTY POUNDS LOST! I'm certainly very proud of you!

Mug, You absolutely can lose 50, 60, 70 and however much more you want. Stay on track with what you are doing and it will take you everywhere you want to go. Keep coming here. We are all here for you and we can get through this together--each and every one of us.

I was intimidated by the numbers too. What motivated me was seeing the scale drop and that is really what keeps me moving forward. Also, I had a full physical a month or so ago and got to see how my blood pressure, cholesterol, etc. looked. Wow! Stay strong and stay on course. Eat clean so you aren't struggling daily with cravings and smells of things that do terrible things to our bodies. Drink your water. Keep moving. Take your vitamins. You can so do this. It has been a long path but one SO worth going down.

Numbers are arbitrary ~ it's fine to use 40 since that was from your highest weight. Don't stress out about it. Just keep pushing and you'll do it! Congrats!! Losing 40 lbs is a big huge deal!!!!

I'm using my highest weight for my overall claims - 242, when I hit 200 it will be 3 stone lost.

For interim goals I'm using the weight I started this time - at the minute 225-199 (Easter goal)
When I do the Easter goal, I'll use that weight, please God 199 or less, as the start weight for the next goal - 199-179 for my holidays.
This way I can still get the big buzz of having also lost 40lbs from my highest startpoint 10/17/2002 but I can be true to myself about where I've actually started from this time.

Wow, two more lbs for you and you'll have lost the big 100!!!

Be sure to make a big deal out of it when it comes, cause it IS a big deal!!!!!!!!!!!

I hear ya, I"m not even really sure what my higheat weight was, I have it listed at 278 or 276 here I think, and that was when I went to the doc in Sept of 2007. It may have been a little higher prev to that doc visit. I also didn't join this wonderful site until Oct of 2007 and I had already lost roughly 8-10 pounds. I started here with that weight. Then I thought to myself well, those other pounds I lost count as well. So I changed it back to the 276/278...and it coulda been higher than that at one point in time.

Yep, I overthink too! and that is what you're doing. You're doing great Mug, and weather you started at 316 or 309, at one point you were 316 and you're down FOURTY pounds! And all of them count! And that, my friend, is AWESOME! Keep up the great work!

Thanks ~ the problem is, I've been stalled and stuck since Valentine's Day. I joined a gym three weeks ago and my weight is going UP! But, that's because I'm lifting weights. I'm actually getting smaller ~ I've lost a size in less than a month ~ just not lighter.

It'll happen eventually and believe me, 3FC will hear ALLLLLLLLLLL about it.

Mug you're doing amazing. Just amazing. I'm so proud of you.

And a big fat YES to getting to that 50 lb loss mark. Or that 100 lb mark Or the 150 lb mark. Of course you CAN do it. You've lost one pound. You KNOW what needs to be done - and you're doing it. You will just continue to do it. That's it. It's totally and completely up to you.

When I was in the throes of my losing stage, I'm telling you I just could have kept on going and going and going. 100 lbs. 150 lbs. 200 lbs. No difference. I'm telling you, you'll get so INTO it, and feel so fantastic, that if you needed to lose 250 lbs, you'd feel as if it were possible (because it is).

As far as the "real" numbers. I wouldn't sweat it. Nobody needs to know your EXACT numbers anyway. NOBODY. For a looong time the only ones that knew mine, besides my doctor, was right here at 3FC.

You just keep up the amazing work. Keep it up. There are sooo many more rewards ahead of you. I'm so excited for you. I can't wait to hear how you're reaping some of the benefits. They're coming. They're coming. BIG TIME.

Hey mug, I'm another overthinker! My high weight was from three months before I officially started trying to lose weight. We took a vacation where I walked more than I had in twenty years and I dropped some then. When I got home I was working myself up to seriously getting the weight off and dropped about five more. I figure I lost those pounds, it doesn't matter whether I was really trying to or not. You are doing great, don't sabotage yourself with self doubt. Just keep on doing what works!

Thanks everybody. I knew I would feel better after posting. And Thanks Rockin Robin, your success is always in the back of my mind........

Congratulations on losing 40 lbs!!! I completely understand what you mean. When I first came back to 3FC and was making my ticker, I went back and forth with using my highest weight (346) or the weight I was when I started over (341). As you can see, I settled on 341 because I felt like the first 5 lbs didn't count because I wasn't "trying" to lose weight. I'm weird like that.

Congrats on the 40 lbs! That's awesome...

Oh I have those doubts too. Right now I'm at 14 pounds lost. This is the most I've ever lost while trying to lose weight. Last time I was 'trying' I made it to 14 pounds exactly when I quit bothering. Now I'm a mix of excitement and nervousness. One more pound gone and I'll have broken it, but also - can I do it? What if I go back up? TOM started today, so my weight is up and it's so difficult for me to not see the non TOM number on the scale. URGH the things our minds do to us during this difficult journey.

My opinion? You HAVE lost 40 pounds. Our weights fluctuate so much. And even if you weren't AT 316 when you decided to start this time, you still lost those 5-7 pounds that were there. Be proud of all you've accomplished, be excited for all you will accomplish, and do not let overthinking things bring you down.