Do you ever have a day where it just feels like you're stuck in a way? That it's all kinda pointless because you still look like crap, you still have so much to go, and despite what you've accomplished so far..... when you look in the mirror you realize you have so much left yet? IF you ever get there at all?
After my initial 20lbs+ weight loss these past near 3 months... I've kinda been slowing down on the weight loss and it's making me feel kind of depressed. Especially after taking a picture of myself at the beach yesterday and SEEING how much more I have yet to go....... it makes me wonder if I'll ever get there. *sigh* It amazes me that I've lost nearly 40lbs in the past 3 years and I'm STILL SO FREAKIN FAT!
I mean, MY GOD, what the HECK did I look like back then?!?!?! Yeesh.
I hope this plateau breaks soon.... I need my confidence and happiness back!
What do you guys do when you feel this way?
Last edited by starfishkitty; 07-16-2009 at 03:53 PM.
You and I are around the same weight... I found that it was around this weight last time that I have to shake it up to keep losing. Adding in more activity (I started running) or changing calorie levels etc. It will slow down unless you change what you do.
Yeaaaah... that's what I was thinking actually. For a while, before I started dieting, I was really good about going to the gym because I was desperate to at least keep my scale at the weight it was at rather than going up. But it's so hard to stay motivated with so many crazy things and responsibilities in my life these days... not to mention working nights and pretty much trying to catch sleep whenever I can. Sometimes, a lot of the times, it comes down to 1 hour more of sleep or the gym? And when you feel ragged as h*ll.... the sleep usually wins. *sigh* Not to mention after beginning to eat healthy, I lost a ton of weight and felt so great that I didn't even NEED to go to the gym..... I think I kinda let myself slip.
However, I'm going to start crackin down on myself again. I've finally gotten the eating right thing started and am doing well in that sector.... but now I've got to start up with the exercise more regularly again. It won't be easy.... but it has to be done. And I know I'll feel better for it (I've been feeling less flexible and whatnot since I've stopped exercising as regularly)...
Last edited by starfishkitty; 07-16-2009 at 04:15 PM.
Location: Southern California, about an hour outside LA.
Posts: 75
S/C/G: 168/115/110 Now: 129/129/105
Height: 5'2"
I've felt "stuck" for quite some time now. You know, it's odd...when I first started losing weight, I set my goal to 130 because I figured that would be the perfect weight for me. Then I got there, and I felt as big as ever. And now that I'm jumping between 115-116, I still feel the same way. I keep lowering my goal weight.
When I got to 130, I lowered it to 120. When I got to 120, I lowered it to 115. When I got to 115, I lowered it to 110. Now I'm wondering how I'll feel when I reach 110, because it's hard to think that only five more pounds is going to make me completely happy with my body.
And I'm the same way when I see current pictures of myself. I still feel huge, and only see the problems that are there. And yes, I do think the "how horrible did I look BEFORE the weight loss" thoughts.
But the only thing that keeps me going during those times is reminding myself that every day is a step in the right direction, that I'm doing this in a healthy way, and that I'm much better off than I was a year ago when I started. We're only improving ourselves, you know?
Theres a huge mental aspect to this, I think. Once you start diet and weight loss, you start critiquing yourself. You become extremely aware of your body and hone in on those 'problem areas' to see if they're getting any better. And pretty soon it becomes a habit--at least it did for me, anyway--to look at those areas first thing when I step in front of my mirror. Even when I'm in the shower shaving or whatever, I look at my thighs or calves and think of how much better they could be instead of how much better they've become. And it can become so tiring to have such negativity swimming inside your head for so long.
It's something I'm still dealing with, to be honest. I don't want to become one of those girls that hates herself for no reason and sees things that aren't really there. We should just be proud of our accomplishments and stop saying "But I have so far to go", you know? We should allow ourselves the pride that comes with such huge accomplishments, one pound at a time. It really is a big deal. It shows a lot about our character, our perserverence, and our desire to work toward a better future.
We have to be careful not to let the innate self-criticizing aspects of weight loss get the most of us. Just be excited that you're going somewhere, and things are only getting better.
Good job on the weight loss so far! It really is a great accomplishment.
Just look at the short term - maybe set a smaller "mini-goal". My mini-goals are all about 6 pounds, because I can generally lose that in a month, and I can stick with ANYTHING for a month! And once I reach one, I'm psyched for the next one. It's a mind game for me - I really want to eat like a "normal" person some days. Then I remember the reasons that I don't want to.
Arggh!! I'm STILL stuck at my weight.... this sucks. I know I need to start exercising again I just don't have the TIME this week. However, I've made a promise to myself that once this week is over, I'm going back at least to my 3 days a week when I'm off. Why does everyone and their mother have to have a baby shower, wedding party, blah blah blah during the summer? Between having to keep my household running and working and trying to sleep then trying to spend my extra time doing this other stuff... I've had NO time to exercise! *^$ @#!!!
*sigh* NEXT WEEK.
The sad thing is that it's not that I don't WANT to go to the gym and work out... I DO. I enjoy it. I enjoy feeling good. I just.need.the.time.
Don't give up Starfish! Your success is such a big motivator for me. You can do this. Stick with the healthy eating and maybe look at the scale a bit less. Don't let not getting into the gym get you down. If you can't make it in right now, just do little things to burn more calories, like taking extra trips up the stairs, parking farther away, going to a coffee machine farther from your desk at work to get some extra steps in. You will get there! I know for a long time I would just give up when I would get frustrated. Keep at it and the little things will add up for a loss. It's hard when you have a busy life and are trying to change the things that keep you going, like eating and exercise. You'll get it!
And I will. I'm just waiting for the craziness of this week to be over with and I'm starting back at the gym, regularly. Slowly, but surely. And I'm definitely looking forward to it.
It does suck at times, but you are doing so well that you owe it to yourself to get to your happy weight/place Once its all said and done you will be amazed how fast it seemed to go and be so glad that you stuck it out!
There will be times when it feels like the weight is not moving . . . and I hate those times myself . . . BUT . . . I always think, if you stopped now, you just dont know what kind of potential you have given up . . . you just dont know how much weight the evil little metal box (scale) will give up tomorrow
Just one of those days....
Yeesh.
