I don't know if anyone else goes through this, but the hardest part of this process is the pressure I put myself under when I compare my progress to other people's. Mostly to people here on 3fc, since this is the biggest group of people I know who are also trying to lose, get in shape, etc.

"She's the same height as me...but she managed to lose much more weight than I have!" or "She started at a higher weight...and she lost all of her weight so quickly! What am I doing wrong?" or "Why does it seem like everyone else has a much easier time of this than I do?"

I know this is selective reading. I don't know what everyone else has gone through, or what their body type is, or whatever. I just see that they've already gone through the process, whereas I'm still stuck in the middle of mine. Comparing myself to others doesn't do me any good, but apparently I keep on doing it.

(I'm particularly frustrated right now because I think I'm plateauing -- it seems like my weight loss is slowing to a crawl and I haven't the foggiest what I should do to kick things up a notch. I've been sticking to 1600-1800 calories and working out 6-7 days a week.)

Oh yes, I did this. And even though I make a genuine effort not to, I STILL do (she weighs HOW much? But she's my height!).

I remind myself every time one of those thoughts goes into my head that there is a difference between using someone as INSPIRATION (someone who lost faster, or who always seems to be OP, or who doesn't post about struggles, etc) and using someone to BEAT MYSELF UP. Then I tell myself to do the first one.

I used to do this...a wonderful thing happened though. I just stopped dieting and actually just thought of it as the way I live my life. I've only lost 80 pounds in two years...but it's ok. Cause I feel great.

I'm still giggling at the title, great one by the way!

Listen up chickie, 26lbs in an accomplishment, I'd say you're doing great! No use trying to compare yourself to others, we are all unique individuals. I am certain others are thinking Marcia, Marcia, Marcia about your 26lb weightloss and wish they were as far along as you in this journey too! Have you ever thought about that one? I'm sure its true! The last 10 lbs will come off the slowest, it is just how it is.... No worries, your doing GREAT! Mix it up a lil more, throw in a few days of less calories to calorie cycle maybe or try a different exercise for awhile, that outta get the scale a movin again.

My best advice for you would be to take those thoughts in your head and transform them from negative thoughts into positive thoughts. So instead of comparing yourself to so and so's progress and beating yourself over it, you can turn them into ...if so and so did this, so can I and I will. It might take a bit of practice you get you into your new mindset, but keep doing and eventually all those negative thoughts will be empowering thoughts.

For me it's the "she weighs the same as me and is wearing a size 12 and I'm still in a 24...wth?". So what if she's an inch or two taller...that just isn't fair. Especially those who are now wearing a size 4...no way will my body ever fit in a size 4, not even with anorexia. When I try to picture a size 4next to a size 9 (my goal..I have to be pretty skinny to fit in a size 9), I feel like a blimp.

I am definitely enjoying how far I've come -- the other day at the gym I got up from doing reverse rows (I basically lie on the floor and pull myself up to the Smith machine bar) and I could feel how much easier it is to get up than it used to be. I don't have to turn sideways nearly as much as I used to (although I still do -- old habits are hard to break). Being startled by my reflection in store windows has not yet gotten old.

Comparing myself is one of my most insidious traps, no matter the area of my life. I'm just glad to hear that other people do it too, so I feel less alone.

Sometimes I do to, and often have the same "WTH?" thoughts about the sizes that recidivist does. On black Friday, I got some different sizes of jeans from Old Navy for 50% off. I'm currently in a 14, so I bought a 12 and a 10. Just holding up the 10 I think "there's no way these hips will ever fit in there!".

There are some people who are around my height that have similar goal weights (Thighs Be Gone is one of them), where I keep scanning there sig looking for a link to pictures.

I've just completed my first full week on WW and lost 3 pounds. Thought like "Yay 3 pounds gone but <insert name here> lost 10. What is she doing thats better than what I'm doing?" keep creeping into my head.

The smart side of my brain knows there are different exercise levels, body types, metabolisms... etc and it knows that 3 pounds is a healthy amount to lose in a week. But there's that quiet voice waaaaayyyy in the back of my head that says "ha ha you failed again". That's the voice that shuts up when it's fed sour cream and onion ruffles.

I do this all the time! (And BTW Dianeofnka, you are a Marcia Marcia Marcia for me right now - you are doing an AMZGING job!) I try to avoid using other people to beat myself up and instead use them for inspiration, although it isn't always easy.

Use it as a motivator, not jealousy!

Sure, I have these thoughts all the time. Two and a half years it's taken me to lose 65 pounds, and I still have almost that much to go. So I get frustrated at the people who lose weight faster. But most of the time I can accept that I just have a really stubborn, carb intolerant body, and it will always be harder for me.

I seem to plateau around every 30 pounds lost, and it lasts months and months no matter what I do. Right now I'm at around 1400-1500 calories and six+ workouts a week, and I have no idea what I'm going to do to break my next plateau! I guess I'll cross that bridge when I get there.

One thing that helps is taking before and after pictures every twenty pounds or so. The comparison is ridiculous when I see it side by side, and that helps me realize how far I've come on the days when I feel like I'm just treading water.

(Though I still really hope it doesn't take another two years to lose the rest of my weight! But it probably will, and I won't give up.)

I still have a lot of trouble finding the balance in comparing myself to others.
Inspiration and self-recrimination can be just a nanosecond away, but I try to nip the self-bashing by reminding myself that this isn't a race, I can achieve the same results, perhaps not in the same time frame, but definitely eventually.

Oh, fer sure! You're not alone. And I compare myself to everyone; if the size isn't an issue then I'm beating myself up on why they have such nicer skin, hair, sense of style...

I'm also struggling this winter with my lack of self control of what goes in my mouth, November and December were bad months for me. (hey, look, we both started at 177, and you've lost MORE than I!! does that help? )

best wishes to you!!

Oh my gosh, Diane! That is so how I feel about your 2009 mileage already!