I've just finished my first "Weight Busters" competition at my local YMCA (I came in second by 1% but 60 lbs in 16 weeks is better than I've done in serveral years).

I'm starting the next session in a weeks and was thinking of ways I could take this "more seriously" and I realized I never got into a "flow" at any point in the competition. I've had several major weight loss campaigns over the years (Optifast, ye olde "exercise more and eat less" method) and occasionally I've hit a month or so where I just seemed to find a groove and it worked. I think Jerry said it on the last BL finale -- something along the lines of "Once I got my mind out of the way and let my body do the work, I lost the weight."

I think for me it has a lot to do with removing choice, as in, this is my food plan (easy on Optifast) and there are no other choices or this is when and how I work out and everything else (beyond immediate hospitalization) needs to be planned around that.

Have you ever "found the groove" and seemed to lose weight, maybe not effortlessly, but "joyfully" or "ethusiastically"? What did/do you think worked/s for you?

I lost 60 lbs this time around; I'm really thinking of shooting for an even hundred for this 16 weeks (and maybe I've been watching too much Biggest Loser).

Thanks,

Barb

Girl, that is 3.75 lbs a week!!! You should be so proud!!

Dang! 60 pounds in 16 weeks!... Now that's something. Second place is awesome! Congrats!

congrats!



I find it easier to get in the groove when I'm here.

I haven't found my groove, but wanted to say congrats on losing 60lbs! That's great!

Congratulations! That's an awesome amount of weight to lose so quickly!

I'm totally in my groove. Totally. I find it fun!!! How I got there? I don't know. If I did I could bottle it and sell it and be a millionaire

Jen, Kae, Cinnamon, thanks! I have a great team trainer and a really motivated team!

Lottie, I find that's true, too, but I wasn't sure if it was cause and effect or effect then cause, if you know what I mean. I find that when I'm going well and on plan, I read here a lot (though not so much posting); when I get off plan, I don't check in and see. Though when I'm absolutely desperate, this is the first place I go. (Lucky you!)

cfmama, you, DCHound and I seem to be running along the same curve (close starting weight, close current weights). Have you wondered why *now* and not before? What is making losing weight more fun now than gaining/maintaining was for the last however many years?

I admittedly overthink everything. Right now, my "spine" is external -- I know every week, I have to go in and weigh for my team. This isn't going to last forever (in fact, it's only going to last another 17 weeks) and I want to be able to take over and do this on my own. So I'm curious.

Barb

I do wonder why now and not before. I think for me it's because my life was never really on the line before. And I think I now know that I CAN do this. that it was possible the whole time for me to take control of my life and do this. I never had the confidence before to do that... why do I have it now? I built on little successes. Okay now I'm 2 days on plan... let's make it three... **** lets make it 229 (currently) days on plan. Oh look my pants are loser... lets see if we can make them fall off. lol!

I'm determined. I'm determined to get my life back. No matter how long it takes I will plug away at it. Because every single day I am stronger and healthier... and I wouldn't trade that for a big mac any day

You are doing AWESOME. You will keep doing this. I have faith in you

Congratulations on your achievement!

I've been in my groove since 01/27/09 - but I can't explain why this time and not last year or the year before. I've done it all twice before too, so I don't know why some years (decades) I have a groove and some a dirty great furrow.

I suppose I've kind of made weightloss my hobby. I do a lot of logging on sofware programmes and posting here.

This time I've gone for a no muss no fuss straight calorie counting, and the flexibility that gives has helped. I think some of RocknRobin's words have been most significant for me in terms of just getting down to the hard yakka of doing it, regardless of how motivated or otherwise I feel. Healthy eating has just become a habit now. I'm not 'cured', the only way I'm continuingly successful is by not having tempting things around me. It's somehow that the more successful days I have (107/107 so far) the easier tomorrow becomes.

Wow! You are doing really great! Keep up the great work! Way to go!

What an incredible loss! That is amazing!!

I have only been at this for maybe 6 or 7 weeks but i HAVE found my groove. I am counting calories (even on days when i feel *snacky* i still log it all and stay in my calorie range) and i am also trying to get 5000 steps a day. I usually reach that and then some. The groove feels awesome. I am ACTIVELY happy

It sounds to me you already have your groove with that awesome loss!! I do hope you feel your groove soon though.