Reply
 
Thread Tools
Old 07-15-2011, 09:14 AM   #1  
GettingHealthier
Thread Starter
 
Sophronia's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 146

S/C/G: 278/256/145ish

Height: 5'5"

Default The journey as the reward

This early in the journey, when no one is noticing that I'm losing weight and I haven't really moved into new clothing sizes, it's tough to remain committed despite the tremendous inconveniences of this new lifestyle. For example, I planned on having kiwi and a protein bar for breakfast. (Trying to wean myself from the protein bars, but they are super convenient and delicious!) I woke up to find my daughter had eaten both of them (and the GrapeNuts and blueberries that I looked for were not there either - probably my son). Such a pain to have to try and figure out something quick and satisfying that will help me stay OP. Glad that my kids naturally enjoy healthy eating, but really hard to plan stuff.

Had a happy moment when I stepped on the scale. But then looked in the mirror and noticed that my gut is still larger than my chest. Somehow I think I'm the only person in the world entitled to miracles? Who believes that a few weeks OP should result in miraculous transformation?

So, at the end of this long, rambling post is the point. This lifestyle is time-consuming, inconvenient, and difficult, especially in the part before I am noticing and appreciating the changes in my body in terms of slenderness. But I feel so much better. I can do so much more with my kids. If someone needs something from downstairs, I'm the first to volunteer to get it (free calorie burn!). I don't consume the guilt along with the double cheeseburger and Coke. I just need to hold onto these rewards - at least until the others start making appearances!

Last edited by Sophronia; 07-15-2011 at 09:17 AM.
Sophronia is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-15-2011, 10:15 AM   #2  
nirvikalpa samadhi
 
DCHound's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Gaithersburg, MD
Posts: 1,728

S/C/G: 369.5/ticker/169.5

Height: 5'8"

Default

The other rewards will show up momentarily - hang in there until then. What's the alternative? No rewards?? You can do it!!!!!
DCHound is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-15-2011, 10:18 AM   #3  
Senior Member
 
OnMyWayDown's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Florida Keys
Posts: 286

S/C/G: 322/see ticker/160

Height: 5ft5

Default

First I would like to say that your 22LBS is great progress.... KUDOS for that.

Keep in mind that even though you aren't into a new size I bet the size you are in fits a lot looser than it did before. No laying on bed to button up jeans. LOL.

Something that put it in perspective for me the other day was when I had to drag my 5 gallon water bottle up three flights of stairs. (This is usually my husbands job but he wasn't there and I was totally out of water) So as I am lugging this damn thing up the stairs I suddenly realized HOLLY CRAP this thing weighs the same amount that I have lost. NO WONDER I FELT SO TIRED WHEN I GOT TO THE TOP OF THE STAIRS BEFORE...
Just remember that every pound you lose regardless if anyone notices is 1LB less you have to lug around every day.
If it is any consilation noone has noticed my weight loss yet and I am up to 40lbs.
Keep up the good work and you will see improvements soon I promise.
OnMyWayDown is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-15-2011, 10:45 AM   #4  
Senior Member
 
linJber's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2011
Location: NW PA
Posts: 1,609

S/C/G: 255/holding at 162/160

Height: 5'-7"

Default

You're doing a great job and have a great attitude. And 22 pounds is a great start! I didn't get a single comment until I had lost about 30 pounds. Then it was just from family I hadn't seen in a couple months. I was looking at photos and realized even at 50 pounds my face looked almost the same. Maybe others tend to look at our faces first.

The journey is certainly the reward. You know you're doing what's best for you and that it's working. As nice as the compliments are, we are not really doing this for the compliments. At some point you'll hit goal. Compliments will fall off because you are just your normal THIN self from that point forward. The accomplishment is what keeps you going. The knowledge you did it for yourself for all the right reasons will help you maintain the healthy life style that you learned on this wonderful journey.

Good luck to you and to all of us walking this path together.

Lin
linJber is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-15-2011, 11:28 AM   #5  
Dukanista
 
April Snow's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Denver
Posts: 2,547

S/C/G: high263/current257/ticker/198

Height: 5'7"

Default

fwiw, I am just a couple lbs ahead of you (I update my ticker on Sundays, but expect to be in the 24-25 lbs lost range). And JUST this week, I all of a sudden noticed clothing getting too big and some things that hadn't fit before now fit.

So I bet you will "suddenly" see that happen sometime within the next few lbs you lose.

As for the food, I think it's FANTASTIC that your kids are eating your healthy foods - clearly you are being a great example for them. You'll just have to buy more of the good stuff (and maybe tuck away some "emergency" healthy foods in the back corner of a cabinet or something?)
April Snow is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-15-2011, 11:37 AM   #6  
Senior Member
 
Bellamack's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: upstate NY
Posts: 1,822

S/C/G: 214/211/150

Height: 5'5"

Default

Amen!
Bellamack is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-15-2011, 11:54 AM   #7  
Senior Member
 
SnowboundChick's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Yukon, Canada
Posts: 1,156

S/C/G: 332/270/160

Height: 5"7'

Default

Soon the lifestyle won't be inconvenient, it'll just be part of your life. I remember when I was six or seven months into it the last time, it just seemed to come naturally and was just a part of my lifestyle. I'm hoping to get back to that feeling again.
SnowboundChick is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-15-2011, 01:18 PM   #8  
Senior Member
 
sabrinalecompte's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: California
Posts: 225

S/C/G: 305 / ticker / 175

Height: 5' 10"

Default

I truly know how you feel right now. I've been having a rough go of it the last month or so.. struggling to hold on to my motivation and feeling down about the lack of progress. Then I realized, despite how hard it is to get that number to budge down, I have maintained an almost 30 pound loss for 6 months now. That, in and of itself, is an accomplishment.

Sometimes I get down about the fact that it doesn't seem very obvious that I lost any weight. Then I remember that what matters is how I feel.. more than how I look. I didn't decide to lose weight to be a hot, skinny babe (not that it wouldn't be nice, right?). I decided to lose the weight because I was losing touch with my family. I was vegging in front of the TV while my husband took the kids to the park because he could run and play with them and I couldn't. I was stuffing myself with junk food at every turn to stuff down feelings of guilt and sadness at the life I was missing out on. I wanted to find a healthy outlet for my feelings. I wanted to be involved in my kids' lives. I wanted to be healthy. The skinny babe part may come naturally with that... but the every day goal of playing with the kids, being a more active person, not feeling constantly guilty and sad all the time was more important to me.

Sometimes it's still really hard. But I am definitely better off today than I was when this started. And with every positive decision, something else good will come from it.

Your attitude about this process has been very nice to watch, Sophronia. I think you are doing a fantastic job and I know that you have been a source of motivation and inspiration to others on this journey because of it. Keep going strong!
sabrinalecompte is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-15-2011, 01:46 PM   #9  
GettingHealthier
Thread Starter
 
Sophronia's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 146

S/C/G: 278/256/145ish

Height: 5'5"

Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by sabrinalecompte View Post
I decided to lose the weight because I was losing touch with my family. I was vegging in front of the TV while my husband took the kids to the park because he could run and play with them and I couldn't. I was stuffing myself with junk food at every turn to stuff down feelings of guilt and sadness at the life I was missing out on. I wanted to find a healthy outlet for my feelings. I wanted to be involved in my kids' lives. I wanted to be healthy. The skinny babe part may come naturally with that... but the every day goal of playing with the kids, being a more active person, not feeling constantly guilty and sad all the time was more important to me.
Yes! That! It's what I am holding onto, and I don't understand really why it's not enough. I am a law student, so while I wasn't spending much time in front of the TV, I spent LOTS of time at a computer or with a book. And when my kids would ask me to play baseball or frisbee golf with them, I would often try, but I would lose stamina very quickly. Now, I'm walking two miles (and often more - the two mile limit is about time rather than stamina, and as I start moving faster, we'll be able to fit in more) with my two youngest children almost every evening. At another son's family night at Scout camp last night, I danced with the audience to the Macarena (yes, really), the chicken song, and the hokey pokey (Scout camp - it's all about cheesiness!). No getting out of breath. Refusing to feel embarrassed because I was by far the largest person who got up and participated (again - bonus calorie burn - what's not to love?). And feeling like the "fun mom" my kids deserve.

Snowbound - I sure hope you're right. I lost about 100 pounds three years ago (and found it again!), and I remember it getting easier, but never really convenient...

April - If I can only introduce my kids to healthier foods, it seems like that's more than adequate reward! None of my kids have a weight problem, but none of them have a skinny problem either.

OnMyWayDown- You're totally right. My pants are pretty loose, and my shirts have suddenly gotten longer! That's something!

Lin - I love reading your comments on all of these threads, and you're right - I'm not doing it for "them." But it would also be nice to get out of the zone where I'm "off-the-charts" fat and people start noticing I do actually have a shape. =)

DCHound - As always, you're totally right! Just articulating the rewards makes it easier to focus on them and recognize they're there, though. Which is why this forum is so important to me!
Sophronia is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-15-2011, 02:52 PM   #10  
Hi From Canada, eh?
 
Trazey34's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Canada, eh?
Posts: 2,370

S/C/G: check the ticker :)

Height: 5'8

Default

It's a funny thing, as time-consuming and a bit inconvenient it is to keep a house well-stocked with the 'right' things, it's NOTHING compared to the stress and anxiety I used to feel over "omg do i have enough diet coke, chocolate and cheesies to last me thru X amount of days???" and the feeling of terror if my supply ran low LOL not feeling THAT anymore is priceless!

congrats on 22 lbs., trying picking UP 22 pounds and running around with it, it'll feel like something to you for sure!!
Trazey34 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Related Topics
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Proselenes - Journey to the Dream Proselenes 30-Somethings 20 09-11-2010 01:37 PM
The Beach and the battle of being bummed out. xYourBelleMortex 100 lb. Club 26 09-05-2008 09:48 PM
The answer is simple.. Jenaya 100 lb. Club 17 01-10-2006 08:16 AM


Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off



All times are GMT -4. The time now is 09:35 AM.


We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.