I'm super bloated. I feel ..well, fat.

I've lost ten pounds, and I feel really good about it. I've said no to delicious things like cheesecake and lemon squares and I'm glad that I've been back with my running club again.

I guess my main worry is that I'm going to lose 10, 20 or 30 pounds and then quit again. That's what I've always done. I've seen progress, and then life comes up and things get forgotten or put to the wayside. Luckily I have weight watchers this time. I'm really liking it so far, but I'm worried the the one week I gain (which hasn't happened yet) that I'll get so discouraged that I'll stop.
I'm really hoping that with the help of everyone here and the weight watchers accountability points system I can stay on track and stay positive.

Okay, rant complete!

Sister, if you look at my little profile picture over <------------ and look right under it, you will see I have been here since 2010! I have regained and relost a few times, but you know what I see as my greatest success? That I keep coming back here. I know that worry that you have, because I have it myself due to what I considered as "failing". All I can say is that you have to look at this as a complete change in a way of thinking rather than a race. You are here to improve yourself, and for me, who learns things the hard way, that means I've had to have a few screw-ups to learn how to help myself. So, keep in mind that you know life gets in the way. What can you do when life starts to get in the way to refocus? What can you do to get over those feelings of failure when you have that inevitable (at least for me) gain? How do you think you'd do best to deal with those things?

The best thing I can tell you is to put those doubt feelings away and have the confidence and knowledge that you are a strong, smart chick who knows how to get things done. You have control over your actions and the way you feel. Don't let yourself become a helpless victim to your own mind, which is how I have felt some days in this weight loss process. I mean, you have said no to lemon squares. That would be a Hurculean feat for me (I love them dearly). You need to celebrate those awesome ten pounds and the great decisions you have made so far.

Now, if I could just follow my own advice.

Don't get discouraged and DON'T QUIT if you have a gain week. Everyone has them, it's between you and the lady that weighs you and it's going to happen but brush it off and "just keep swimming"

The first time I stopped was because my mom had a gain week (actually, her previous week loss was skewed because of medicine she had been taking and was evening out) and didn't want to go back. Had I stuck with it in March instead of restarting in September, who knows where I'd be!

You can do it!

I agree with Song of Surly, coming back here has always been my saving grace. I guess it's because it's difficult. Don't let the fat days get to you. Just stay off of the scale if you are feeling that way.

I've been coming here to 3fatchicks for a lonngggg time to. I think that I have gained and lost many pounds here. I got down to my ultimate lowest weight while using 3fatchicks, which was 150. Then, lo and behold, I stopped coming here.

I think weight loss is just a proccess of learning what works for you and what doesn't. I've come to accept that I will probably weigh myself everyday just because this is the only way I can keep track of my mess ups, of overeating and all the other things. I've learned here that it doesn't matter how much you exercise, it only matters that you stay on plan.

It truly is just a numbers game. But I got down to 150, my dream weight, and it was because of all the people who supported me here. That's why I am back, after gained 25 pounds from my dream weight, I have to get back here and try again.

Do I feel fat today? No, maybe not today, but yesterday I did. I think the best thing we can do for ourselves is instead of saying, "I feel fat today" we should say things like, "I am grateful that I am trying to change my life today."

Wanting to change your life, just in your mind, is stronger than a day when you don't want to change your life. Don't let the number on the scale or the way you feel about society's messed up image get you down. Instead, tap into that resilient hope you have today that didn't exist before you started this journey. You didn't have that yesterday, and now you do, so today is a better day because of it, even if you are having a fat day. :0)

Oh honey! You are so far ahead of the game because you have lost before, even if you quit. You know you can make the effort, so you'll be fine!

I've been trying to lose weight since May 2010. I've stopped and started again many times. Last May I gained 21 lbs and once I realized it I buried my smallest pants and I threw away a charm bracelet I had been making with one charm for each goal I met, because I was a failure and I'm done. Now I'm less than 5 lbs away from where I was before I regained and I just started making a decent effort on Sunday.

You can come and go as often as you want. As long as you come back, you're not a failure. As long as while you're in this process you learn something that you keep afterwards, you're not a failure. If you really want this, you will do it no matter how long it takes.

You're on the right track with thinking positive, because that worry will do NOTHING for you.

Either:
1) You'll keep doing the right thing but always be just a little bit stressed thinking about the possibility that you'll quit. This stress could disturb your sleep, raise your cortisol, mess with your immune system, etc. That's no fun.
or
2) You'll freak out about the possibility of quitting end up sabotaging yourself, making your worries come true. That's like being afraid you'll trip on a bumpy hiking trail so you throw yourself face-first onto it.

Maybe you will quit again. That could happen. But if that happens, hopefully you will have learned something new this time - about yourself, about nutrition, about your support network. And then like everyone else said, you just come back and start again.

Hugs!

I'm having a fat day too... Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day!

Thank you so much everyone for being so supportive!

Song of Surly Thanks so much! You're absolutely right! I need to stay positive and be realistic. I'm sure there will be gain weeks.

Librarygirl111 I am totally stealing your idea! I love in your signature how you have your next mini goal and what your reward is! I can't wait to get there now! Totally getting a spa day!