[oneoftwelve]

Ladies,
I just had a thought I felt the need to share. Take it with a rather large grain of salt--I'm not a nutrition expert, a doctor, or any other professionally-qualified person to give such advice.
I am, however, a woman who lost 20 pounds in less than five months, maintained it for more than 2 months now, and is in the best shape of her life.
I've noticed a lot of people on this board are very numbers-focused. Goals around here seem to be pound-related, with the occasional change of a size-goal or an inches-goal. And I agree that numeric goals are helpful. We want quantifiable means of monitoring our progress.
My concern, however, is that if numeric goals are ALL we are striving for and we do not achieve them, we will give up the healthy habits we have adopted.
I see so many girls in acceptable BMI ranges setting numeric goals. Even if these goals aren't unreasonable, they strive for a certain pound/inch/jeans size goal without adopting a maintenance attitude.
I say all this because I'm completely convinced the key to my success was the fact that I committed, from the first day I began walking, to a healthy lifestyle NO MATTER WHAT THE SCALE SAID. I committed to exercising every day and eating healthily even if I never lost a pound, knowing that those choices would be good for my body. I decided then and there to accept that 140-pound body no matter what, and to take care of it because that was the right thing to do. Whether it changed or not.
So please do not beat yourself up when the scale gets stuck, the size doesn't change, the inches don't come off. Yes, use those indicators to maybe shake up the way you are doing this healthy living thing. Just don't use them as a reason to keep going or not.
Keep going because it's the right thing to do. People are so much more than bodies. We can strive to be great physically, but if we aren't healthy in our hearts, our mindsets, then no amount of physical achievement is going to matter. Even if we manage to maintain that awesome new pound level or jeans size, we won't be spreading a message of total health--body AND mind.

[WinterJinx]

I agree with you but I think the majority of us here lost the weight had to do it eating healthy and excercising. I know the focus for me tended to be the size of my body but that was the reward for eating healthy and excercising. And when I finally reach my goal size eating healthy and excercising will contribute to my maintaining it.

And come on lets get real if I had not been loosing weight from eating healthy excercising I would have went to a doctor because I would of figured after a certain period of time ether I'm not doing something right or there is something wrong with my body (i.e. a thyroid problem)

[LindseyLou]

Agree!!!

[JessieCat]

I like this post! Inspiring.. I am just starting to learn how to do this the right way... not depriving myself.. making mostly healthy choices, but allowing myself to enjoy treats in moderation.. in addition to working out regularly. It is a learning process.