I've been coming here for all of March. To date, I have lost 9 pounds. It has taken a week and a half to lose the last pound. When I see 9 pounds written down, it looks like a reasonable amount of weight to lose in a month. But it feels so agonizingly slow. I so desperately want to drop below that 250 mark. If I allow myself to think that it will take me a YEAR losing a pound a week to get to the 200 mark, I don't feel like I can hang on. I am mad at myself for doing this to my body. I am fighting back tears today, a real pity party of one. Sorry I am such a sadsack today. If I didn't have this place to come to, I would not still be trying.
We're glad to be here for you. You wanna a hug?
It can be done.
You can do it.
Step away from the big numbers! They all sound so daunting!
How about 10 lbs in April? That's a nice manageable thing.
And if you ever have these negative thoughts again. Come back here!
Say it did take you a year to lose 50 Lbs - what would make you happier in a year's time do you think? Being 200 or being 250 or more. One of my favourite sayings - and this so applies to how you feel today - is "don't be put off a project by the length of time it's going to take to achieve. The time will pass anyway".
You have to lose the first 50 to lose the 50 after it
I started nearly 3 years ago with the idea to lose weight, no real goal in mind. To date, I've lost 100 lbs. I've had long periods where I just maintained my weight and didn't go anywhere, I've had periods where I have tried to lose weight but the weight didn't seem to budge and I've had successes. If I hadn't started down my path 3 years ago, I'd weigh 100 lbs more than I do now. Of course I wish I had lost more by now but really if you don't start down the path and you don't continue down the path, then you'd be where you were at the beginning.
We all like progress and 9 lbs in a month is really good. I wouldn't be discouraged by that number at all. Weight loss does take patience but it will reward you if you keep it up.
hang in there..i know its very overwhelming thinking of slow wt loss..but if you do it right..it will come off and stay off. Also, you shouldn't always look at the big picture...it will become scary. You need to set mini goals...for example every 10 lbs or every 10%..whatever. Just something that works as a reward system. for example. My first 10 lbs i bought 3 new shirts...my 20 lbs goal (only 5 more pounds), i have been eyeing these adorable shoes. It can be things you love like a pedicure, a walk in the park...whatever you love...just don't use food as a reward. I know its seems like such a long ways away...but it will happen...slowly. I've been hear since Jan and only lost 15lbs so far...but thats AWESOME. Rejoyce and celebrate the small successes like that. Relax and just focus on how good you feel when you are eating right. Hang in there...you can do it.
I started this journey in the middle of March, and the first 9 pounds just fell away - yay! BUT... the next 2 have taken over a week and it feels like little gain (or loss, really - LOL!)...
I had originally set myself a mini-goal to be at 265lbs by April 1st, then 9 pounds just melted away and I changed it to 260 by the same date... know what? I've changed it back! Because if I DIDN'T get down to 260lbs by then (and I won't!) I would have been VERY discouraged, and I do NOT want to set myself up to fail!
Last night, I felt like 'why is this weight not coming off?!' and ate twice the amount of Sun Chips that I wanted to... know what? 1. It's PMS week - so big deal: I am retaining water for sure! 2. The weight IS coming off - I'm 11 lbs lighter today than I was two weeks ago! and 3. I really DID eat more than I planned, but still LESS than I used to -so baby, I'm just keepin' on keepin' on!
I'm so sorry you're having a sad day. We all have them from time to time. 9 lbs. is a real nice amout of weight to lose in less then a month. Very nice in fact. Not all weeks will give you the same number weightloss, even if you do the same exact things. You are bound to have higher ones and lower ones. If you stick to your plan there is no reason to think you may not have another 9 lb month. And even if it takes you a month and a half. The time really flies when you get into a groove.
Weightloss is definitely not an instant gratification kind of thing. It does take time and patience. But it is so very worth it. Unbelivably worth it if I do say so myself. One very good thing about weightloss when you have a lot to lose, like myself, is that you don't need to get anywhere near goal to start seeing and feeling the benefits. That will start to occur before you know it. I was looking and FEELING so much better with just 25 lbs. gone. So, please don't think that you have to lose 100 lbs before you can start seeing any enjoying your new lifestyle. Hang in there, it will happen.
9 pounds in a month is great!! Don't ever lose sight of that. Try not to impose time frames - they only lead to frustration. Just do your program, and let the numbers change at their own pace. Easier said than done, I know, but you didn't gain all the weight in 6 months, so you can't expect miracles to happen once you change your lifestyle and decide to lose it. Hang in there!
9 pounds is great! I lost 10 in January, 7 in February and so far, 7 in March. At the end of January, I was thinking oh wow, I can lose 10 a month, cool. February I had some lower back problems which slowed me down but, hey, 7 was 7! Now, March may be a long month but did I have to have 2 freakin' TOMs in it???? (As if almost 30 years of this crap once every month isn't enough!)
Anyway...we have to expect that this progression isn't going to be a constant, predictable one. I may weigh myself a week apart, see no change, then weigh 2 days later and 2 pounds are gone! You might have months where you lose 10 and months where you lose 5. Maybe it will take you a year to get where you want to be, maybe less, maybe more. That year will pass no matter what. Do you want to be where you are now or do you want to be less? When I start feeling like it seems a bit slow, I realize that it took me the last 3 years to gain 22 pounds and they came off in the last 3 months...that's a fair trade!
I know your goal seems off in the distance and you're probably overwhelming yourself thinking about all that time and what it's going to take to get there. But please remember that you've already lost 9 pounds, and you can lose 9 more, and 9 more after that. Break it down to mini-goals. You'll attain those sooner and feel good about attaining them. I may not make 10 a month but I'm pretty darn happy with the 7!
You didn't mention what specifically you did to lose the 9 pounds. Are you feeling like you pushed yourself to the max of what you can do to try to lose, like you gave it your all and 9 pounds (and no lousy t-shirt) was all you got for it? When you say you don't feel like you can hang on, is that your disappointment talking, or is whatever regimen you're on difficult for you to sustain? I was just thinking that, maybe if it's the latter, you can switch gears a little bit, maybe come up with something that will still take the weight off without making you want to give up. Honestly, if I went on a strict diet that didn't include bread or the salty snacks I crave and I pushed myself at exercise til I collapsed, I might be skinnier sooner...but I would have been miserable getting there and probably would start putting it back on. This way, it may be slower, but I'm okay with what I'm doing. When there are days I can push myself a little harder, I do. When I can't, I don't. I'm doing this to make me happy, not just at goal, but along the way. I wanna walk it like the yellow brick road, not the green mile. Losing weight doesn't have to be a suffering, miserable experience that makes you want to give up. I mean, as someone who used to hate to exercise, I'm finding I actually enjoy it. I can't do as much as I would like, but what I can do I have fun with and feel good afterwards for having done it.
Last edited by trekkiegirl; 03-29-2007 at 07:04 PM.
Hang on! Hang on! You can do this, you know you can!
Look at my ticker--it took me two months to lose 10 lbs. I am thrilled with that loss. I'm doing it the slow, steady way, and that's fine. Don't worry about the length of time. Just keep on!
Yes, of course you are angry that you have to do this. I'm angry, too, that I let my weight creep up for so many years. Then I'd diet, then I'd gain again--because I went back to my old ways.
You don't have to have that happen! You really can lose and learn to eat in a way that will keep you healthy.
I need this support so much. I thank you all for being here. It has been a difficult few days and I've done a lot of crying. I lost my mom in April 1998 and spring, which I love, also makes me sad. I doubt I will ever really stop missing her.
In response to some of your questions, I have been eating about 1300 calories per day with water, water and snacks helping me out. Tonight my lovely hubby took me out to eat and I was able to have yummy chicken and veggies over rice. So I am trying to live normally while learning to deal with food in a whole new way.
There are so many ways I am lucky, esp my hubby who patiently holds my feet for me while encouraging me as I did a big *10* situps! He is the exact same size he was when we married almost 30 years ago. URK! I have to remember when I have bad days that I do have many blessings.
My mom always told me I do best when I have a project and a goal. So I think I will choose myself as my next DIY project.
I take all your advice and good wishes to heart and am going to get some sleep. Tomorrow will be better. Thanks, guys.
The under 250 mark was my first mini goal. I also had the same problem with it seeming to take forever but my problem was I hit 250 and stuck there for a week which (for lack of better words) sucked because I was soooo close. I had my little pity party then upped my walking time by 15 minutes and dropped 2lbs in just a few days. So stick with it, it will come off.
Struggling with negative thoughts today
If I allow myself to think that it will take me a YEAR losing a pound a week to get to the 200 mark, I don't feel like I can hang on. I am mad at myself for doing this to my body. I am fighting back tears today, a real pity party of one. Sorry I am such a sadsack today. If I didn't have this place to come to, I would not still be trying.
(As if almost 30 years of this crap once every month isn't enough!) 
Honestly, if I went on a strict diet that didn't include bread or the salty snacks I crave and I pushed myself at exercise til I collapsed, I might be skinnier sooner...but I would have been miserable getting there and probably would start putting it back on. This way, it may be slower, but I'm okay with what I'm doing. When there are days I can push myself a little harder, I do. When I can't, I don't. I'm doing this to make me happy, not just at goal, but along the way. I wanna walk it like the yellow brick road, not the green mile. 
Losing weight doesn't have to be a suffering, miserable experience that makes you want to give up. I mean, as someone who used to hate to exercise, I'm finding I actually enjoy it. I can't do as much as I would like, but what I can do I have fun with and feel good afterwards for having done it. 
