Hi ladies, I'm not officially at a maintenance weight, but I need some advice. I have really been struggling for the last couple of months. Not struggling with my food, or really even with the exercise (although time change has got me off schedule), but struggling with the emotions of NOT seeing the scale change. I'm nowhere near where I want to be, weight wise, but I am just tired of fighting to see the scale change.
I am contemplating going into maintenance. When did you all decide it was time to do that? I suspect most people's answer is when they saw a certain number of the scale, or when a piece of clothing fit. But I honestly don't think I can wait any longer. I had hoped to hit "one-derland" or at least leave "obesity" (1 lb away from ticker weight!!) before I made this change, but I don't think I can make it that long even. I have been extremely discouraged and down the last few weeks and I just feel like it would be a relief to tell myself that I just need to eat 1600 calories a day and exercise 5 days and week, and that I don't have to worry about what the scale says. It sounds so simple when I read it, and I know that I probably should have been doing this all along. But somewhere I have gotten off track with that notion and have gotten TOO focused on the number on the scale. It has gotten to the point where I've felt twinges of jealousy when I hear from some of the fantastic women on this board who lose every week. That's crazy, I know. I even kicked my scale twice this week in anger over what I saw. SO not rational, and SO not me.
My biggest fear of doing this is that I will not start back trying to lose again. I will stay here at this weight and never make it to my goal. Has anyone done this and then successfully started losing again after a maintenance break? I'm sure some have, but it would sure help me feel better about this decision if I actually "knew" someone that it worked for.