why am i so slow?
 

i did the september challenge last month and met my modest goal of 4 lb/175. im looking at the new thread for october and everyone else seems to have lost like 8 to 10 lbs. i feel like im doing everything right, why am i so much slower than everyone else? even people with a comparable amount to lose are losing 6, 8, or 10 lbs/month. should i try something else? or just be happy that im losing?

on another note, i went in for a flu shot and check up today. i am on a medication called remeron that helps me sleep, NOTHING else works (FIVE years after putting me on it, i was complaining to my psychiatrist about my weight and she said, "oh yeah, people usually gain 10 lbs/year when theyre on it"..... thanks for telling me....). today my MD said, "you've lost 45 lbs on remeron?!?!?!?!" i said yes, and he said "that is AMAZING!". he said he gives it to his elderly patients who won't eat because it stimulates appetite and helps with weight gain (my anorexic mom gained 40 lbs on it) and he's never seen anyone lose weight while they were on it.

maybe this helps explain my slow progress? as much as it frustrated me to hear another reason im fighting an uphill battle, it also made me feel AMAZING that i've overcome it. i am literally his first patient who has managed to lose weight without quitting the medicine. :carrot:

i have no answers for you hun. but i am really slow too. its taken me 7 weeks to lose 6.5 lbs. but, as my weight watchers leader said to me, if i put on 6.5lbs over 7 weeks, how upset would i be? and she is right, i would be so angry with myself.
it does sound like its your medication thats making it more difficult. but you should be so proud, all the factors are against you and you are still kicking butt and losing weight!!!

I have been on WW since January and have lost 13lbs. I am not the most strict, but I am losing and I don't feel deprived so I am happy with it.

You are doing so well! If you can shock your own doctor, you're clearly doing everything exceptionally well. Give yourself a huge pat on the back and keep it up!

Irene :)

Most meds made for sleep and mood increase appetite and slow down metabolism in my experience. I think it is great that you are steadily losing on remeron. I take lithium and my doctors are also surprised that I am losing weight and also very supportive of me by keeping me on the least amount of meds for my bipolar disorder as possible.

We are all laboratories of one. It is not helpful or productive to compare our weight loss to that of anyone else. You are doing splendidly.

Honestly - ANY loss is good. Even maintaining is good. Celebrate your loss - it is definitely something you should be proud of!

I was a turtle while I was losing. Yet, not worrying about my pace, not comparing my loss to others, and just staying faithful to my plan was OH, so rewarding.

Now, 15 months into maintenance - it matters not one little bit, how long it took to get here.

:congrat: on your progress! Kudos for doing so well :D

You are doing it and that is what is important. You have to be happy and able to do what you can live with. The rest are just numbers and you are still losing!! Congrats!

thanks everyone. i guess it just gets me down a bit when i see other people at a similar size dropping 8 or 10 lbs in one month when i can BARELY accomplish 4. i guess we all go at our own pace, im not kidding if i lost 10 lbs this month i would dance with glee. i just wanted to see if you guys thought this was particularly slow and i should be doing more.

Yet another pearl of wisdom for the archives! Love it!

I think the slower you lose it, the easier it is to keep it off. It helps your body to adjust - no idea if this is officially scientifically true, just my experience and my gut feeilng. I've been at this for ten months now, and have lost 26 pounds. That comes down to way less than a pound a week, but I'm happy with it.

I've also had med issues (needing to increase levothyroxin) which have come into play. The reality is with meds - or with other special challenges - this is going to be harder for some than others. I guess I try to look at the bright side and say, "wow, I may have insulin resistance and an underactive thyroid, but it could definitely be worse." I work with folks who have disabilities, so being around people who have to take hard-core meds with mega side effects to prevent seizures or other serious issues like that gives me a little perspective when I start feeling frustrated that I can't lose faster.

Who are these people of which you speak? 10 lbs., seriously? That's freeking lucky. I lose less than 7 lbs. per month and I bust my tuckus at the gym for hours, and eat more salad than a rabbit.

I mean, what I am trying to say, in a very roundabout way, is that we are all different. Some people lose 10 or more lbs per month; other people don't even gain on a diet that would have us tipping a cruise ship if we ate the same. That's luck! But you know what, let's not think about the people with perfect skin that "just wash their faces in the morning", or the skinny ones that "eat anything", or the rich ones that "just made a lucky guess" or something. We are fighting the good fight, overcoming our weaknesses. [Cue Rocky music] We are the champions! [/CRM]

There, do you feel better? :D

Congrats on losing 45lbs so far. I don't think losing 4-5 lbs a month is anything to scoff at. Plus, you are getting closer to your goal weight and your weight loss will slow down a little. And the fact that you were able to lose so much weight on a medication which causes weight gain in itself is amazing and you should be very proud of yourself. :)

Your doing great! Medications can make life a little easier, but sometimes they make weight loss a little harder. Everyone loses at a different pace. I lost at a fast pace at first, and sometimes i swear i'm battling the same two pounds for three weeks. That's how it goes. It's a journey and whether it's long or short just take it day by day. :-)

You've had an awesome loss so far! I agree with these chicks! Don't compare and take pride in your accomplishments. You are a success story in the making and no matter when you reach that goal we'll be cheering for you at the oal line!