This is only the second time in my life I've been successful at losing weight - I was a normal weight all the way through my high school years - but I've been overweight/obese since I was about 19 years old (13 years).

Anyway, I've had some challenges this month (completely my fault) - and for the entire month of February, I'm only down 1lb. I'm on track as far as eating/exercising right now - but for some reason I've been kind of depressed today thinking that maybe I'll do all this hard work and it'll end up that I can't lose weight. Anyone else ever had thoughts like these?

I'm not sure if it's because I've never been truly successful at weight-loss before, or if it's because I've been working so hard for 2.5 months and only 1 of the 18 pounds I've lost has been in the last 4 weeks or if it's because I spent so many years blaming my fatness on so many other things (metabolism, genetics, any disease that prevented weight-loss and I thought I had it, or my bad knees, etc., etc.) that I still have some of those thoughts lingering? I'm just not sure - but it's kinda making me angry, lol. Anyone else ever feel this way? A little nervous/freaked out that no matter how hard you try you won't lose the weight?

Yes absolutely! Lunula, I have felt the same way that you describe so well, so often...for most of the last few years I was convinced that I just couldn't lose any more weight (and I am actually feeling that way right now too, but if I stay here it would br OK I think). I lost about the same amount of weight over a couple of months before I got married (20 lbs) that it took me nearly 3 years to lose 15 years later. And another several months to lose another 15. And working much harder too. I think that has been a big thing for me - realizing that I have to work SO much harder at age 40, after 2 pregnancies, than I had to at age 25...it is just totally different. I would have lost 50 back then if I had been doing what I do now.

It is also hard to maintain, knowing that you can't go back to the way you were eating before...can be kind of stressful too!

I know what it is like to feel angry at my body beciase I felt I was working so hard and not losing. I work pretty hard right now, it feels like, just to maintain! But I guess it means I need to work a bit more to lose - or rather, refine what I am doing now.

Lidian

I've only felt that was for the last 30 years! let me know if you find a solution!

YES!! I feel that way a lot. And sometimes I feel angry that I can't just eat the way I want to. (Like my hubby.) I am also sick of losing weight and then gaining it, AND MORE, back. I haven't been doing very well with the weight loss either, mostly due to stress also. I DO want to KEEP OFF whatever I can lose.

I hear ya, Lunula. I was great up until about the age of 22. I could eat whatever I wanted, jog about a mile 5 times a week, and be in perfect shape.
I've managed to drop about 20 pounds twice in the last 16 years, but it gets harder and harder as I get older. So do it NOW, hon! And keep it off!
I've got 60 pounds to lose, and when I joined the Y last fall I worked out like a crazy person. And I lost a whole 4 pounds. I've kept at the same weight since Christmas (despite being sick and not being able to work out), and now that I've started back at the gym today, I'm TERRIFIED that I'm not going to drop any weight! That it's stuck on my body for life, and no matter how hard I work, it won't come off. Okay, now I'm freaking myself out!!
WE NEED A MIRACLE DRUG!!

D'oh! I didn't wanna freak anyone out!! It's just that damned little voice in the back of my head - I think I truly did make myself believe that there was something "different" or "special" about me that prevented me from losing weight - like I had super-hero-stubborn-fat or something, lol. Since all of my best friends (ALL of them, including my sister-in-law) are size 6 or smaller... I've never really told anyone that I feel like that sometimes. Glad to know I'm not alone, hehe. Even if it is something sucky!!!!

Oh you are SO not alone on that one. I'm 42 now, and I went to get my birth control pill refill a week or so ago, and the clinician starts in on how we need to test my cholesteral and all that, and starts talking about how much harder it is to lose weight when you start into peri-menopause and you're older and on the pill and ...

I'm thinking in my screaming brain OMG you mean it wasn't hard enough BEFORE all that!?? *shriek*

How can I possibly do this with all that stacked against me!?

Yeah, I love the perimenopause thing. And it is so much harder after the second pregnancy than the first (and that was hard enough, thank you!) to lose weight. After DD#1 I went on my lovely plain spaghetti with butter substitute diet but I did lose all the weight then...after DD#2, well, my goodness! Talk about stubborn fat!

And way back when I was 25 all I had to do was cut out beer and walk a little more...oh yeah, I also cut out the Pop Tarts and Tobler bars! But it wasn't hard...

And here I am age 40 sprouting chin hairs and counting every darn calorie that comes my way and still you ought to see how closely my stomach resembles a bowl of jello!

I think it is possible to get in shape but it is such hard work! I said to DH the other day, I don't think you know how much TIME I spend on this every day! And he doesn't...the thinking, the counting, the getting on and off the scale, the walking, the measuring, the reading of the diet books - and of course posting on this wonderful site!

Lidian