[Aimster45]

I posted this over in my support thread, but thought I would see if any of you lovely folks have any learning tips, advice,etc. Thank you in advance

Had my second weigh in this morning and I'm a little dissapointed. Lost 1.6 this week.

I guess it's not the fact that I'm upset with 1.6. I know 1-2 pounds is normal. I think I was just hoping for a bigger loss so that I know "this is for real". Being 280ish pounds makes it very easy for the scale to fluctuate 5-7 pounds in ONE DAY so the fact that I've now lost 5.6 pounds total in 2 weeks is still playing with my head. Is this water? Is it fat? Am I truely losing anything or is the scale just bouncing around and next week I'll be up 5lbs?

So my question for you is....how many pounds did you have to lose before it "sunk in" that this is happening and you are successful!?

[shellsbrood]

I don't have any answers for you, but I wanted to let you know I'm right there with you!! I have the same thoughts going through my head. I can't wait until I reach that number where I know things are working and I am actually shrinking.

[guamvixen]

I didn't let it really sink in until I saw about a 20 lb weight loss, but more importantly, the moment my pants started fitting looser I knew I was doing something right! Hang in there! I hear we loose water weight first, and then it will get a little harder as you start loosing fat. But as long as you do everything right, it will happen! Don't obsess over the scale, remember, our bodies will flucuate over many different factors. Good luck and I know you will do it!

[StephanieM]

After about 20 pounds or so I started noticing changes with my body and that was how I knew I was finally getting somewhere. I measure my success based on how my body transforms with this weight loss, I want it at a point where I am happy. The number is just a convenient way of measuring that success.

There are still some days where I feel like I'm still heavy, but those come and go. It's all a part of weight loss, we go through this battle with our bodies and our minds about what is actually happening.

Just keep going, the more you lose the more it hits you. Don't get discouraged this early on!

[starbrite]

I've lost more than 60lbs and I still don't always notice it ! Weight loss is not an exact science, and can play horrendous tricks with your head. I've just come out of a two week stall where I gained and lost the same three pounds about three times ! What you do need to know, and be secure in, is that if you eat less, move more and keep believing in your plan, you will succeed. Keep going, you CAN do it

[caryesings]

I made a point of not getting on a scale at all the first 72 days because I knew how much it messes with my head. After that, once a month. And it was almost a year before I started believing the scale. Each month I would expect that the previous month's weigh in was a fluke. Luckily I knew it was working before I hit the two months where the scale had only budged 1 pound between monthly weigh ins.

[beerab]

I'm not sure what you are doing but some of us just lose slower than others- I know my body is stubborn as HECK when it comes to weight loss- I have to fight for every darn pound.

And it's also about tweaking, you may be eating too little, exercising too little, etc. I find that restricting calories too much slows my loss.

[Onederchic]

Originally Posted by starbrite

I've lost more than 60lbs and I still don't always notice it ! Weight loss is not an exact science, and can play horrendous tricks with your head. I've just come out of a two week stall where I gained and lost the same three pounds about three times ! What you do need to know, and be secure in, is that if you eat less, move more and keep believing in your plan, you will succeed. Keep going, you CAN do it

This.

I have lost close to 160 pounds and I still have a lot of days where I don't get it or see it in myself and I still look and feel like 330 pounds.

Good luck with your goals

[Aimster45]

Thanks so much everyone! I am not giving up. I was just curious if anyone else experienced this. I know it will come off in due time. I'd just like to be able to pat myself on the back and say "you are doing this!" right now it's still "I think you're doing this?"

I'm doing all the right things. I think it's just hard being overweight your whole life and believing that you are making this change and it's actually paying off.

Thanks for listening to my whine Best wishes to all

[rockinrobin]

Quite frankly, it sunk in that I was going to lose the weight before I lost even one ounce.

I decided that I was going to do this, once and for all, no matter what and permanently. There was no doubt in my mind that it was going to happen *this time*, because I was determined to make damn sure that it did happen. Finally, I was willing to do what was necessary and what was required to get the job done.

I would love for you right now, to stop focusing *so much* on the scale and instead focus on the behaviors. Because if you do that, there is no way that the pounds won't come off. They'll have to. They'll have no choice but to.

Focus on telling yourself no.Focus on finding, developing, creating healthy, delicious foods to eat that are healthy and lower calories. Focus on meal planning. Focus on mapping out your food schedule. Focus on learning about which foods work for you and which ones don't. Focus on calorie counting and which foods give you the most bang for your calorie buck. Focus on finding techniques, coping mechanisms, strategies, tips and tricks to keep you on plan through all situations - stress, happiness, boredom, loneliness, social scenes, restaurants, unforeseen circumstances, work place, holidays, etc. Focus on adding in activity and movement. Focus on finding a way to MAKE this work. Focus on become passionate about good eating. Focus on all these things, and rest assured, you WILL make this a reality.

I look forward to hearing of your continued progress.

[Vixsin]

Hi Aim! I wanted to take a second to reply to you as well.

I just want to say that you're doing really great. You have taken the first step on such an amazing journey. In a short time, you will be able to look back on all of this and be able to relish how far you've come.

You are making such positive changes and doing all of the right things, the weight loss is inevitable. That's how I look at it. Someone said to me that weight loss is 80% diet and 20% exercise. That has stuck with me. That's the rule that I live by. I am still battling my eating demons everyday but it has gotten easier. I am only 6 weeks into this so I am just as new as you are.

All you need to do is repeat to yourself that you ARE doing all of the right things. You need to feel confident in your choices for the day. If you're able to do all of that, you will be just fine. The weight will come off all on it's own.

I wish you the best of luck!

[60lbstogo]

Originally Posted by rockinrobin

Quite frankly, it sunk in that I was going to lose the weight before I lost even one ounce.

I decided that I was going to do this, once and for all, no matter what and permanently. There was no doubt in my mind that it was going to happen *this time*, because I was determined to make damn sure that it did happen. Finally, I was willing to do what was necessary and what was required to get the job done.

I would love for you right now, to stop focusing *so much* on the scale and instead focus on the behaviors. Because if you do that, there is no way that the pounds won't come off. They'll have to. They'll have no choice but to.

Focus on telling yourself no.Focus on finding, developing, creating healthy, delicious foods to eat that are healthy and lower calories. Focus on meal planning. Focus on mapping out your food schedule. Focus on learning about which foods work for you and which ones don't. Focus on calorie counting and which foods give you the most bang for your calorie buck. Focus on finding techniques, coping mechanisms, strategies, tips and tricks to keep you on plan through all situations - stress, happiness, boredom, loneliness, social scenes, restaurants, unforeseen circumstances, work place, holidays, etc. Focus on adding in activity and movement. Focus on finding a way to MAKE this work. Focus on become passionate about good eating. Focus on all these things, and rest assured, you WILL make this a reality.

I look forward to hearing of your continued progress.

Exaaaaaaaaaaaaaaactly! That's how I feel. I can lose the first 8lbs very easily in a matter of weeks, then plateau, maybe give up and bounce back to my starting weight.

But this time is different. I'm making the change of a lifetime because I need it. I'm about to turn 30 and I must take the bulls by the horns. I will lose my 8lbs, plateau, work harder and keep going. I will lose weight. It has sunk in that I'll lose these 60lbs the day I started, two weeks ago. I'll have ups and downs, but I'll keep going and one day I'll make it. And it will be gone. It's a lifestyle that I need to learn to love.

[therex]

i've lost almost 70 lbs and it still hasn't sunk in. i suppose it depends on the individual, but I think on some level we do realize there are changes occurring with our bodies or else we would quit.


I try and remember that giving up is just not an option.

[AZ Sunrises]

It never sinks in for me. I've lost over 50 lbs, and I can't see that I've lost anything.

Then again, it never sunk in that what I was gaining was a real gain either. What is in the mirror isn't what I see. In my mind's eye, I look the same as I did 10 years and over 100 lbs ago.

[Aimster45]

Wow, thank you all so much for taking the time to reply and share such experiences.

Everyone is so different and it's nice to hear from a wide variety.

Thanks again