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Old 04-06-2010, 09:25 AM   #1  
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Default How long have you been trying to lose weight?

Sometimes when I'm getting discouraged about my weight loss and I try to get myself motivated again one of the most common thoughts my "negative voice" gives me is: You've been working at this for nearly TWO YEARS and you've only lost 50 pounds. It doesn't take normal people that long to lose so little. And you still have 30 left to go.

But actually, I don't really know how long it takes most people to lose. So I'm curious. How long have you guys been trying to lose, and how much do you have to lose/have you lost?
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Old 04-06-2010, 09:31 AM   #2  
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I never did lose all the baby weight after my last was born and since my youngest is 13 . . . .

I lost 22 lbs about a year ago but fell off the wagon this past year and gained 10 or so back. Gaaaaa. Going at it again. Getting my head in the game is half the battle for me. Slowly getting there . . . .

Right now I feel like 'Crap, I'm 5'2" and weigh 161. Mooooo' and I think 'if only I could get down 10 lbs.' But then I'll get down those 10 and feel like 'Crap, I'm 5'2" and weigh 151. Moooo'. Gotta stay away from that mind-set it does no good. Easier said than done though.

One of the best motivators for me is my clothes getting more comfortable. I know in 10 lbs that they will be bigger on me and am keeping that in my mind rather than focusing on the numbers on the scale.

Last edited by Anne Elk; 04-06-2010 at 09:36 AM.
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Old 04-06-2010, 09:31 AM   #3  
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I have been trying for years. I only recently got my act together and realized that I needed to stop giving myself excuses and actually DO what I knew I had to do, i.e. eat right/portion control and exercise.

I started my (final, hopefully) weight loss attempt in June '09 and lost 20 lbs by October '09. I need to lose a little more than 10 lbs to get to 140. I've been working on these last 10 - 15 since October. I maintained during that time, which is good because at least now I know I CAN maintain. Still, it sucks that in 6 months, I've made ZERO progress. Blah.
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Old 04-06-2010, 09:38 AM   #4  
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5 years now

Yep, i lost most of my weight in the first two years then last September-December i lost another 23lbs.

I guess the most important thing is that ive kept it off. I may have a bad weekend or week but i always workout and keep an eye on my diet. I still have at least 25 more lbs to go until i reach my original goal weight
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Old 04-06-2010, 09:41 AM   #5  
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I have dieted once before and lost weight, but gained it back. I didn't gain any extra I just went back to 250. This time I am doing it more sensible. I'm trying to learn portion control and proper eating. I started again on 12/16/2009. So I have lost 49lbs since then. That might sound like a lot, but after the first week I haven't lost more then 2-3 lbs per week. I do have an occasional big woosh, but I don't think I am losing too rapidly.

It is starting to slow down some. I think it will begin to slow down more, but I don't mind how long it takes. I want to maintain for the rest of my life.
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Old 04-06-2010, 09:44 AM   #6  
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TheBunneh View Post
Sometimes when I'm getting discouraged about my weight loss and I try to get myself motivated again one of the most common thoughts my "negative voice" gives me is: You've been working at this for nearly TWO YEARS and you've only lost 50 pounds. It doesn't take normal people that long to lose so little. And you still have 30 left to go.

But actually, I don't really know how long it takes most people to lose. So I'm curious. How long have you guys been trying to lose, and how much do you have to lose/have you lost?
Normal people???? What and who and where are they?

There are no *normal* people. The only one you can and should compare yourself to is YOU.

Do you know how many *normal* people would LOVE to be in YOUR situation? 50 lbs lost over two years? A LOT. A real LOT.

It took me many DECADES to lose the weight. I look back and think of all those false starts, the ones that started out on a Monday and barely made it through to Friday. Maybe I wasn't serious ENOUGH about weight loss, but they never materialized into anything. So I DO count that time. Well, I don't actually think about it much (luckily), but now that it's been brought up, I did.

When I did get totally serious, totally committed and totally determined to lose the weight weight - no excuses, finally, once and for all and permanently, well I lost 154 lbs in 10 months. MAintained that weight for 2 months and decided to drop another 11 lbs, did that a month later. But I chose to stick to my plan day after day, week after week, through holidays, birthdays, stress, weekends, what have you. That was my choice. It isn't for everyone. There IS more than one *right* way to do this.

We are all unique individuals and take different approaches and paths on our journeys.
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Old 04-06-2010, 10:13 AM   #7  
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Do you mean trying, or actively trying? Because I've been "trying" to lose weight since I was 12, and I'm now 28. In that time I gained about 100lbs.

I've actively tried to lose weight before, but gained it back. This time, I've been actively working at it since the end of July 09. And I haven't lost all that much, if you'll look at my ticker. It's slow going, and I've been struggling lately, which has shown up on the scale as maintanance. I'm slighly bummed about it, but I'm just so happy I'm not gaining.

This is all to say don't worry how long it takes! You're 50 lbs lighter than you were two years ago, and I bet you're happy with that! Take as long as you want, it's not a race. You lifestyle won't change once you get to the finish line anyway!

Good luck!
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Old 04-06-2010, 10:25 AM   #8  
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I'm 5 months into this particular version of my weight loss journey. I think that it's likely to take me 18 months to 2 years total and that's fine by me, I'm not going anywhere. And I'm eating pretty much what I expect to eat in maintenance, although I keep my splurges (like meals out, alcohol, chocolate, etc.) very minimal at this point and I think in maintenance I will have slightly more flexibility.

If I weight 50 lbs less than I do right now in 2 more years, I won't be completely at goal, but yeah, I'll be VERY happy - it's a whole lot better than going backwards to where I was 2 years and 40+ lbs ago!!
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Old 04-06-2010, 10:32 AM   #9  
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I'm much like Robin. Very much! This time around? It's taken me almost five months now. But my real journey has been ongoing since I got married almost twelve years ago. I've never given up the struggle, though I have become complacent with a whoa-is-me-I-can't attitude.

It takes a lot of soul searching, research and above all PATIENCE for me to lose weight.
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Old 04-06-2010, 10:41 AM   #10  
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Well, if I lose 16 more pounds I'll be back to my pre-pregnancy weight.

Oh, did I mention that my son is nineteen?

I started trying to lose weight on June 19th, 2009 and have lost 83 pounds since then, but it took me 19 years of morbid obesity to figure out how to actually do it.

Fifty pounds is a HUGE achievement-- but, also you have to figure in TWO YEARS of not gaining.... During my long stay in obesity land, I ALWAYS WENT UP. Two years of trending down is two years of maintaining a weight lower than the weight you started. Kudos.
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Old 04-06-2010, 11:09 AM   #11  
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It's taken me a year to take off 60 lbs.

I started March of 09, when I was shocked at the number on the scale. 210. Larger than I was at 9 months pregnant. I really couldn't believe it. I was 42, my little one was 2, and I was heavier than I was while I was pregnant. How did that happen...

So I started a modified WW at home. Dropped 25, 30 lbs by summer. Then got stuck. Maintained, but didn't lose. So, in October, I joined a gym. Took off the other 30 lbs.

It's been a relatively slow process, if you figure, it's taken me 12 months to lose 60 lbs, that's 5 lbs a month. But, in a year, that 5 lbs a month adds up.

I'm looking to lose another 10 lbs. With the help and advice from my trainer. He's given me 3 months, (12 weeks) to lose between 7 and 10 lbs. I hear the last 10 are always the hardest to lose.

But, looking back, I'm so very proud of myself. I'm healthier, more active, happier.
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Old 04-06-2010, 11:10 AM   #12  
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Oh hun don't be hard on yourself. I've been overweight since I was a child. I've been here at 3fc since 12/2009 and in that time have only lost 35 lbs. I've gone up and down but haven't given up. I've gone through medical conditions and other things that have hindered my loss- but the one thing is I WILL NOT GIVE UP.

Last January 1st was the FIRST year I weighed less than the year before- and this year the goal is to NOT have a new year's resolution to lose weight I want to be at goal by the end of the year- I hope to do it- and if not- no big deal- I'm going to keep plugging along till I get there

50 lbs is great! It's 50 lbs you have taken off and kept off! Don't focus on the negatives- focus on your accomplishments- write them all down- and if you ever get discouraged read your list to yourself
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Old 04-06-2010, 11:19 AM   #13  
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Honestly, I think I have "tried" once - for about three months. I joined WW and lost 15 pounds. It was easy, but I fell off the wagon and gained 20 back. My friend who started WW with me the same day has lost almost 200 pounds in 18 months. It kills me. I think she's only gained three times at a meeting in that time period. She's a gym rat now and lives to exercise and I'm so proud of her, though I think in that same time, I could have met my goal if I would have just tagged along with her. I am trying to take it day by day, though some days, it's breakfast to lunch, lunch to dinner and dinner to bed. And I can fall off that wagon at any time during that day. Just gotta pick yourself up and get back on. I have another friend who lost 40 pounds two years ago and has struggled to get off her last 20. I keep reminding her that for two years she has kept that weight off and that's a bigger accomplishment than the last 20 pounds I'm not even sure she needs to lose anyway. Everyone's journey is personal. I get jealous, but I try not to beat myself up either. Something "clicks" in your head - mine clicked on, then clicked off. It'll click on again, just gotta wait it out.
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Old 04-06-2010, 11:42 AM   #14  
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Great topic to discuss. I keep seeing people start way heavier than I was lose to below what I weigh in a fraction of the time I've been trying. While I love to read these stories, it's hard not to get frustrated. But then I take a hard look at my situation and realize there are many ways I can improve.

I only started to put on weight a couple of years ago. Which means I have been trying to lose weight for a couple of years!

I "got serious" when I joined here, December 2008. I lost some weight, but then gained when I was away that spring, so I "got even more serious" in June 2009. I have lost ~12 lbs since then. So ~1lb/MONTH. It's been a bumpy and frustrating ride, but I keep changing incrementally and hoping I'll get where I want to be - with established, unshakable good habits - by the end of THIS year. 1 lb/month is OK by me - as long as it doesn't reverse directions!!
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Old 04-06-2010, 11:43 AM   #15  
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you know what? this is a REALLY great thread! i often find myself getting down because the weight isn't coming off fast enough (for me)...and every time i get in the zone, and on a roll, and i'm doing really well, i have a GINORMOUS setback (ie: my grandmother dying 2 weeks ago). that completely derailed me, but i also have realize that i am USING that as an excuse. i'm forever looking for and finding excuses...then, when a month has gone by and i've only lost 2 pounds, i get discouraged and depressed. SO, in MY warped mind i'm telling myself that it is taking me forever to lose weight, when really, i haven't been vigilant about DOING it. But back to my main point which was why i think this is such a great thread...i kept thinking that you gals out there that have taken weight off have just put your mind to it and done it since day one with no setbacks and it all came off quick and easy...when really, we ALL have bad days, setbacks and regressions, and life ISN'T like "The Biggest Loser" where they lose 100 lbs. in 9 weeks. This message board IS reality.
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