Only a pound?
 

Sometimes it is hard to visualize exactly the amount of weight that we are shedding from our bodies. People might get discouraged that they only lose a pound or so and think that isn't very much. After every 5 pounds, I'd like to store a 5 pound bag of flour somewhere so I can visualize just how much weight I've lost.

Just imagine all of those excess weight that you have taken off! Even a pound is huge!

That is so true! Good post Matt!

As Earl Bruce(ex Ohio State Coach) would say, "a win is a win is a win". As Howie would say a pound is a pound is a pound. Hey that's 3 pounds, it all adds up.

I've just started a visualization/reminder/encouragement thing like that. But because five pound bags of flour are annoying to store, I picked up a tip from another board, and I use paper clips.

I have a paper clip chain hanging on my cubicle wall behind my computer monitor, where I sit all day. Four regular clips, then a colored one to mark a five-pound point. Every 20 clips, I loop it back up. The chain is 33 clips long so far, with one loop. I have the hangers set up for two more loops... just waiting for me to add clips to the chain.

It's an always-there visual reminder that this CAN be done. That I have succeeded so far, and can continue to do so. Each clip grows the chain. Each clip is a week or so of good choices in food and exercise, and learning better habits. Each clip is a victory.

Hope you don't mind me jumping in to comment here. Something that really helped me when I lost only one pound. Friend said picture 4 sticks of butter. This visual helped me because even when it is .5 think of two sticks of butter. That is discusting right! Hey they will add together and we will succeed!

The paper clip idea is great! I'm going to do that.

You're right, if it's 1 pound, 5 pounds or 0 pounds it doesn't matter. As long long as you're making good, healthy choices and taking care of your body, then that's all that really matters. I really like all the visualization ideas, it really puts what may be seemingly small accomplishments into perspective. Great job everyone!

Beverly

I took the butter idea further. I don't buy butter anymore, but while shopping after a discouraging Weight Watchers weigh-in where I'd "only" lost one pound (after several weeks of losing 2-4) I picked up a pound of butter and held it in my hand. As I felt that greasy pound of fat I imagined it spread over my body (but not in a kinky way :devil: ). I started making a habit of going to the dairy dept. and putting in my empty cart the total amount of weight I had lost and having a real good look at it (this was particularly helpful when I was on a plateau and feeling discouraged, because seeing the total would remind me how much I'd lost, even if I wasn't adding to the cart).

Sure, I got some strange looks, especially as my loss exceeded 50lbs. and the cart would be half-full, but I was in my own little world of weight visualization. When the day came that I recieved my certificate at WW for having lost 100lbs, I hurried to the grocery store with a friend to load up the cart. Unfortunately, there wasn't 100 pounds of butter on the shelf, but that in itself was awesome enough to bring home to me how much I'd lost.

I revealed to my WW meeting members what I'd been up to and a few said they'd be too embarrassed to ever do such a thing, but a few weeks later, while shopping, I saw a woman put around 10lbs. of butter in her cart, stare at it a bit, smile, then return the butter to the shelf. She didn't see me, but I gave her a thumbs up anyway! :)

Great story Jill.

It would have been awesome to see you put 100 pounds of butter in your cart...that might have gotten quite a few stares from people!

Hey Synger,

That is a really good idea about the paper clips! Until Matt's post I had never even thought of doing a visualization about the actual losing weight thing. I'm going to start. I do however put stars on the calendar each day I work out. It really helps me realize how much I am actually doing for myself. It also kind of works in the little kid way... I want to make sure my calendar gets full of stars each month! I'm a dork...lol :^:

OK - I just made my paper clip chain and I'm heading to the grocery store after work. I know, I'm crazy! Maybe I'll start by using marshmellows instead of butter - hee, hee!

~Dee

I love this too!!
I love knowing the weight of anything I pick up...and it's getting to the point now that many things I do this with are less than the amount I've lost..which is wonderful!

Rudy brought home a twenty pound bag of potatoes today and I could barely lift it with one hand..and I realized that I've lost more that one and a half of those!! :)
Or buying dog food...in those great big bags...it just makes me soooo happy!

Linda

I've been making a pretty beaded necklace (it started as a bracelet, but now it's long enough for a necklace) and giving myself one bead for each pound I lose, and I charm for every ten pounds. I have to go buy myself another charm for it today or tomorrow. I think when it's done it will be a very good visual reminder of what I have done, although I might have to loop it around my neck twice lol.

These are great ideas!

Dh and I are both trying to lose weight so we are thinking about, in the end, donating a pound of beans or rice for every pound we have lost -- which will be A LOT!

wow, I particularly like this idea because its something you can hold onto for life. that's fantastic. I might just have to steal that idea from you for myself.