I know slow and steady wins the race .. and that having lost 8lbs in 4 weeks is *PERFECT* in terms of how one should be losing weight.

I've settled "nicely" into my new lifestyle (no more headaches from giving up the soda, etc) and I found a "style" that will work for me : I cycle calories and let myself have a "free" day/night (ie. Friday night or Saturday) - I excersize every day for at least 30 mins and am drinking a minimum of 75 oz of water/day.

I guess I just expected to see a huge drop that first month because that's when I made all the changes - and yet it's come off "according to plan" slowly but surely - I guess I just expected to be "surprised" by the huge amount of weight lost in that first month and now that it didn't happen I'm like

I set "mini" goals for myself of 225 by April 15 and 200 by May 29 and I just don't think I'll meet them at this rate.

I feel like I need to "see" more to feel motivated - anyone else feel like this ?

I know exactly how you feel. Your stats and mine are almost identical. Like you, I think I'm now beginning to feel comfortable in this new lifestyle. But, also like you, I wish there had been some magic wooosh and a drop of, say, 15 pounds, just to get the ball rolling.

Alas, it was not to be. So I'll chalk up my 6.5 and be happy it wasn't going in the other direction!

I keep telling myself that going more slowly is beneficial, because it will allow the skin to shrink at the same time, so I won't be left with empty bags. Shhhhh please don't anyone tell me that's not the way it works, because that faith is part of what's keeping me motivated!

But yes, I know exactly how you feel. That's why I'm glad I found 3FC. At least I've got company on this journey!

Do ever I wish it would come off faster? Every minute of every day. Do I accept the fact that it isn't going to happen that way? Most days.

I completely understand where you are coming from but you have to keep in mind that your body is going to lose the weight at its own pace. Based on a month of history, you might want to re-evaluate your mini-goals, but that in NO WAY a failure. You are simply using the new information you have to make a better forecast.

Good luck! You are doing GREAT! Almost 9 lbs in a month is wonderful work!

Sara

I wish I'd wake up tomorrow and weigh 125 lbs. NOT GONNA HAPPEN

DNR

P.S. Just a little humor (I know, VERY LITTLE humor)

I would have to say, oh course! I do wish I could wake up and be thin. It's taken a long time for me to get to this place in my life where I'm comfortable with who I am, comfortable enough that I'm ready to make this change in my life. I know that it's going to take a lot of effort and work and lot's of sweat and tears but I know that this time I will do it. I'm not even sure I know what' motivating me, it could be a number of things, including my health and fitness, I'm tired of being tired and left behind and I have two small boys that very soon will be runnign faster than me. I need to be able to keep up.

I'm also scared, scared of having some illness caused by my weight, I think that is it more than anything. I don't want a heart attack when I'm 35 or whatever age. i want health! That's my motivation.

I think you are doing great. I've only lost 2 lbs in the last two months but I keep on going because I know I had some family issues, stress and sickness and I couldn't help the last two months but I kept going and I'm going to keep on going.

Believe me, as well as the physical issues there are a lot of mental issues when you lose large amounts of weight. If you woke up thin tomorrow after that brief moment of elation you'd realise that it takes a lot of coming to terms with. Plus you'd wake up with no clothes to wear

I don't mean that coming to terms with it is a bad thing, far from it, but sometimes you sit down and you realise that losing weight doesn't change everything that you don't like about your life, and that losing weight won't give you the perfect body. This isn't meant to sound like an excuse not to do it, but to emphasise that losing the weight slowly gives you time to adapt to the changes in your body and readjust your goals as you see the state that your body is in.

Plus, if you lost weight ultra-quickly you wouldn't really learn the habits and get into the routines that will keep you thin. You'd just feel incredibly smug and carry on doing what you've always been doing. Very soon you'd be back where you started. The longer it takes to lose the weight, the more ready you'll be to maintain your loss when that time comes.

It can be frustrating, but if you stick with it, it comes off. When I started I was horrified at how long it would take me to do this even if it happened really fast. But the time went by, and looking back I can't believe how quickly I've changed almost every aspect of my life.

All the time!I'm learning though that in order to lose the weight,I have to be patient and just continue doing what I'm doing to get there.I've been overweight for 13 years now...it's going to take time.It sucks,but thats just how it is..and I'm not giving up anymore.

And you're right...slow and steady wins the race.I've seen it time and time again in myself and my sister-in-law.We both have weight issues,and when we try and lose to fast,it always comes back...and then some.She's in that cycle again,and while I envy her that she's losing faster then me...I refuse to head in that direction again.I'm doing this a healthy way.

Yep, right now. I've hit a platue and I'm totally buggin.... <sigh>

Personally, I'm very into instant gratification... so yes, I think I should be skinny after one day of healthy eating and exercise. I get VERY frustrated knowing that if I eat a very clean perfect diet I do drop a lot of weight, but it's so hard to eat that way all of the time. I find if you break things down, focus on the hour, the meal.. the minute.. it'll all add up and you'll get there before you know it! Now I just need to take that advice...

-Aimee

I had a funny discussion on this topic. I was talking to my gym trainer one day when I was feeling fed up and saying how I just wanted the magic pill so I would wake up at goal. He reckoned he was first in line for it.

The guy, (absolutely gorgeous, in my opinion, pretty perfect) wants to be bigger. Sigh. No sympathy from me.

I keep telling myself that nothing worth having ever came easy. Apart from having no clothes to wear, I don't think we'd maintain it for very long if our weight loss came as a gift like that. I know I wouldn't. I now cherish every lickle pound I lose.

This is a really interesting issue. I totally know how you feel - I too wish that it was possible to do this quicker. However, isn't instant gratification and wanting things immediately the problem that got us here in the first place? The immediate gratification of the next cookie or bag of chips rather than the long term gratification of health. Learning to have more patience will probably benefit us in the long run in order to stay with our goals and ultimately be able to maintain.

Well I did have the big WHOOSH at the beginning. I've lost 20 pounds since December 12th. BUT... while 4 of that came off in Dec. The rest came off in January when I first got serious and in February it all slowed WAY down. I lost 4 pounds total in February and 2 of them keep coming back on!

I'm almost wishing I could see that slow and STEADY weight loss. The steady part would be nice at least. At this rate I'm left wondering if the rest of the weight has just decided not to come off or if it will start again. It is frustrating when it starts so fast and then comes to a stop or starts going up even though you haven't changed anything.

i know how you feel.i cycle almost every day too and lately i've started walking dvds.i have lost 15lbs since december .i thought i would be down more by now but i havent lost in almost 3 weeks.very discourageing.

I am so glad I am not the only one who loses weight slowly. Snail slow. I have been dieting for a year now and I have lost 31 lbs. And I stick to my diets without cheating. I just figure that my fat hangs on for dear life and each little pound is a huge victory of me winning. I get most discouraged when I hear of people losing weight quickly (my daughter loses 5 lbs in a week).
For me, I think this is the consequences of yo yo dieting throughout the years-that and the slowest genetic metabolism on the planet.

by the by, I am new on here, I was so excited to find this website. I have been stuck on the same weight and needed some more support to help motivate me.

Gracesmom!

It's a wonderful place to be!


Linda