that you won't be able to get the weight off or that the diet will quit working? I don't remember ever being below about 180...even when I was younger. Maybe I did weigh less back then but I don't remember. So far this is my second week with counting calories and I've done well..but even in this second week, I realized my obsession with food has drastically gone down. I don't really want food that much the past couple of days....and to me that is a miracle in itself. I do read about so many people that are going into plataeus...and I know that the closer I get down to my goal , then I might get on one as well. I guess I can't imagine myself at 155 because I don't ever remember being at that weight. I just don't see myself getting down that low! It's like I think my body is going to play a trick on me and not allow me to get down past 180 because it doesn't remember ever being below that weight. It's weird, I know..and probably all in my head..but I do really think that because my body hasn't been at that probably since I was a little girl...that it won't get down that low..that I will get to 180 and it will just stop. I mean, I'm going to try..and if Ido get to 155 I'll believe it to be true..but not until then.
and I guess along those lines..what are you afraid of while losing weight? I know I should have posted that in my last post, but I sort of forgot at the end and maybe this subject has been talked about but I'm sort of new here..
We got a realy fabulous bunch of responses to a thread about doubts. I'll see if I can find a link for you.
Afraid? Hmmm. Weightloss is pretty scientific really. If I put my faith in knowing that I'm honestly doing what it takes. No, I'm not afraid. And my belief is bolstered each time I see progress, a pound lost.
Do I doubt sometimes that "I" can do it? Yes.
Calorie counting and exercise don't fail me ... I fail them.
You know I had such a hard time "dieting" and I have done it most of my life, but the lowest I was ever able to get alone was 180. Now with more years of knowledge and maturity, a better understanding of how the body works I am down to 164 on my own for the first time. I have had great success with structured dieting, but never could do it alone until now. I worry everyday that the weight I am at that day will be the lowest I can get, but then I think it is still better than where I was when I started.
Well... the thing I'm most afraid of is, of course, putting the weight back on. Which is why I'll have to watch my calories and keep an eye on the scale for the rest of my life.
I'm prepared to do that. However, my biggest fear is that somewhere down the road, whether it be 6 months from now or 6 years from now, I'll get lazy and lose track of what I'm doing and end up fat again.
Calorie counting and exercise don't fail me ... I fail them.
Well said; that's how I see it too.
And, like Linda, my biggest fear is putting it back on. However, that fear isn't really beneficial right now, so I'm trying to maintain my focus. From what I can tell, as long as I am really aware of what I'm doing, I won't fail. I may not lose weight at a fast clip, but eating right and exercise are going to get my healthier, no two ways about it. But I have to maintain an awareness, because I've been down this road before (though never as successfully), only to fall down, gain it all back and then some...
Yes sometimes I am afraid I won't lose "the rest of" the weight. Even at this stage, I feel much better about myself. But I've been lower before and I know I'll feel even better this time around with exercise involved. Part of me though is afraid I am genetically doomed to be "a certain weight" so whenever I plateau or my weight goes up temporarily I am always afraid I have hit that limit. However, when I remind myself of the science, and the fact that I thought this way about myself long before I started (that I was just doomed to way x lbs. and had not choice in it) I feel a little better and know that if I persevere I will see results.
I'm also afraid I won't be able to keep it up. I think a lot about maintenance, and while I can't say it scares me I'm always a little afraid I will goof and gain weight back and have to work even harder than I am working now to maintain. I think reading around here though reminds me this fears are all a little silly, and my progress so far and the other changes I have made in my life remind me that I can really accomplish anything I put my mind to.
I don't worry about it too much. The lowest my weight has ever been as an adult was 175 at 17 years old. My heighest weight was 272 and I'm just happy to be away from that. Even if I can't get to my goal weight I would be very happy to get under 200. I just take it one day at a time and do the best I can on that day.......that's all I can do.
Like some others said, now that I understand the science of what it takes to lose weight, I don't feel genetically doomed the way I used to. Weight gain and loss isn't as mysterious as it used to be. I'm not exactly sure what will happen when I reach my goal weight, so I do understand what it is you're asking. I think it's natural for all of us to wonder about a "place" we haven't been to in a long time. Have faith in yourself and your body ... you're off to a great start so there's no reason to believe you won't reach your goal.
I'm with Linda - more worried about not being able to maintain once it's gone.
Having got down to 140 once before, it doesn't worry me that I can get there, but also having put back all the weight I lost plus another 20 lbs to boot, it DOES worry me that once I hit that magic 140 I'll just go back to my old habits.
I worry whether I have the will power to continue to watch what I eat enough to maintain for the rest of my life - that's what I'm afraid of.
Thanks so much for all of the replies. I guess we all have our own fears, but since I posted this a couple of days ago..I have reminded myself to not think about tomorrow..just about today and to take it one day at a time. I tend to get ahead of myself sometimes..especially just starting out. I would be happy just to break this 200 pound mark...and then I will just keep on going and see what happens. They say that even 10 pound loss helps you become healthier..so I'm going to try not to expect which way this journey will take me..I 'm just going to accept what will happen from day to day. Expectations and what you think should happen and what really does happen can be surprising. Thanks so much for all of your support and thanks for the thread susanB.
are you ever afraid
I just take it one day at a time and do the best I can on that day.......that's all I can do. 
