When I started this journey at 344 pounds, I never believed for 1 minute that it would be possible for me to get below 250 without having weight loss surgery. Then when I got to 250, I thought that 200 would be impossible. Then when I got there, I had a goal weight of 150, even though I'm 5'1". Why 150? Because I could not - for a minute - fathom weighing less then 150.

I couldn't imagine going to a store and not shopping in the plus section.

But I just kept at the healthy food choices and exercising and before I knew it, I achieved what I knew could never happen.

Some days I step on the scale and cannot believe that it is actually me standing there, weighing 116 pounds.

You can do this! But you need patience and persistance. Your weight loss so far is FANTASTIC! But as you get lower, you should not expect to lose so fast. Be patient and achieve your goals!

jen

Jen, your story is awesome! But right now I'm so discouraged it all seems so impossible...

I know you all are right, but I just don't feel it right now. I've been on plan this week, counting cals, working out, all that and today I get on the scale and see 286.6. I just cried. I really really thought I'd see 285 or 284 but I don't know that I ever will. I just feel so discouraged. I've always been fat and I'm feeling like I always will be. I know the fat is killing me, but golly, if I'm going to work myself crazy and not see results, why not eat whatever I want and at least enjoy life? AUGH!

Hang in there and keep plugging away. We didn't gain it overnight, so it won't come off overnight.

Please don't discount the fact that you've lost 47 pounds and run a 5k! Those are wonderful accomplishments!

Lastly, a word of (unsolicited) advice - I do think you need to increase your calories. I'm eating around 1700-1800 a day, and I'm tall like you.

All throughout high school I weighed between 250-275, and it seemed no matter what I did, I couldn't get under 250. Of course, back then I was armed with very little knowledge and a lot of misinformation about weight loss, and we had no online forums like this one to find others to relate with. I felt so very alone and struggled among friends that had no weight issues to speak of.

Then along came the phentermine craze. Not that I endorse it by any means, but going to a clinic and getting that prescription was the very first time I managed to get substantially below 250, all the way down to 220. It made me a jittery, nervous wreck though, and when a family crisis hit and I was no longer able to get the pills, the weight piled right back on.

Years later we were in the middle of the low fat craze, and pushed myself very hard and managed to struggle my way down to 220 once again. I was literally starving myself though and nearly ended up in the hospital. I became so burned out I gave up entirely, and shot right back up over 250 again.

It seems 250 was a major set point for me at various stages of my life. And it felt that no matter what I did, no matter how hard I pushed, I could not get below it without resorting to extreme, unhealthy means. I felt doomed to remain fat forever!

So then comes another story, one that I needn't go in much detail over . . . but the gist of it is that within the feeling of lost hope and a lot of unfortunate events in my life, I gained another 100 pounds on top of where I already was! And when the realization struck me, I think one of the only things that allowed me to turn my life around was believing that even if I was supposedly doomed to remain fat forever, I should at the very least be able to get down to 250 again, right? Because I was so heavy I had trouble breathing. Breathing! One of the very basics required to live and I didn't have enough breath to walk from one end of a room to another. Trying to bend over for anything was pure torture, which included using the bottom kitchen cabinets or tying my shoes. I also struggled to find any clothes that would fit around me outside of a big & tall men's store (I couldn't even fit in the largest jeans of a women's plus-size shop). I'd also stopped wearing makeup and jewelry because I figured, what's the point?

I literally spent years working my way back down to 250. Apparently another set point I have is 285, and getting back below it was a real b*tch in and of itself. I spent roughly four years at 285-290 (from 2006-2009), so I know exactly where you're coming from. I didn't manage to work past it until after I'd taken a break from worrying about it, giving myself time to settle while maintaining, and eventually deciding to buckle down on healthier living despite the lack of results I was apparently getting.

I had a similar issue when I finally got down to around 250 again, as I bounced around 250-260 from 2009-2011. Something finally clicked for me last summer and I managed to work my way under 250, but I don't think I was ready and ended up really struggling by the time I was in the 235 range. I snapped when a lot of excessive stress hit me all at once and completely gave up, figuring once again I was doomed to remain fat forever. And I ended up eating myself all the way back up to 267 last winter. I finally realized what I was doing to myself when I had my miscarriage (first trimester) in January. I knew I had to do something, so I made a plan to start over in March. That gave me a little cushion to mourn over what I'd been through (not just the loss of my first pregnancy, but the death of my cousin, issues with my brother, an urgent drive across the country, my car breaking down, etc.) and to get my head back on straight.

Within weeks of my new plan, I ended up in Urgent Care over what I thought was a gall bladder attack due to my new diet. Luckily it just ended up being a very painful case of gastritis, but it's the type of thing that would usually derail me. I stubbornly reworked my new plan though and got my way through it, one day at a time, one meal at a time.

Weight loss is not happening nearly as quickly as I feel it should be. I quite often gain for no apparent reason. Last month I spent three frustrating weeks facing the same number on the scale. But I think what makes all this bearable for me is focusing on what I can control and accomplish. I can stay on plan. I can do positive things for my body. I do what I can to nourish my body and soul. Something I can't control is how fast it comes off. I still get plenty frustrated, but I can't let the scale be my main focus! Whenever I do? I lose sight of what's important, that I want to be healthy and happy. Focusing on the rate of loss ends up being counter-productive since it frustrates me to the point of giving up.

The thing is that you have to shift your focus on what to enjoy. So many have the mindset of, "Well, it won't come off, so I might as well eat what I want!" That's how I ended up going 200 pounds over what my healthy weight should be! And the only reason I'm finally down to the 220's now with any amount of sanity is because I'm choosing to focus on how healthy I can make each day, not how much I lose each week. I write down all of my meals and snacks. I track how much I walk daily. I choose the stairs over the elevators and park farther away from the stores. And although it's easier said than done and took a h3ll of a lot of practice, I now look forward to healthy meals with smaller portions. It took time, but I've found enjoyment with staying on plan and finding what works best for me rather than being angry over not being able to eat like "everyone else" and giving up over a lack of results. I'll admit I spent way too much time feeling angry and bitter that I couldn't be naturally thin like most of the people in my life. But it is what it is, and no amount of complaining I do will make it fair or give me a level playing field.

Results take time. It's taken me since March to lose 40 pounds, half the amount a lot of people are capable of. But I'm doing it my own way, stress-free, without calorie counting (cc'ing just stresses me out to the point of giving up). I really hope you find what works for you. Eating "whatever you want" is not truly enjoying life; unhealthy eating actually robs you of happiness. Work hard with honor. Find ways to enjoy the healthier steps you need to take. People often view weight loss as a battle, but not me. Whenever I've done that I exhaust myself to the point of giving up, and it sounds like that's happening to you as well. Instead, embrace the changes you need to make. Focus on the positives! I know that if I eat too much pizza, I'll feel like a bloated, lazy glutton for the rest of the day. But if I limit myself to just one or two slices at lunchtime and pair it with a yummy salad, I not only feel better, but I have something to be proud of! This way I can still have pizza, fries, chocolate, whatever . . . it's finding the balance that keeps me sane, I guess.

Good luck to you, and take care of yourself! You can do this, one step at a time . . . we're never really standing still after all, so just make sure you keep going in the right direction.

Just to add my two cents:
Every 20 pounds or so off loss I've gone through, I hit a wall. I'm not sure if it's mental or physical, but it's like not only is the scale not budging, but I'm also just fed up on being on this journey in the first place. I want off! So for me, during those times, I change things up. I've used three different 'diet' plans so far (WW, Calorie Counting, Rapid Fat Loss) and just like everyone says, it all works as long as you stick with it. Sometimes, though, we just need variety.

And though I might get boo'd off my little stage here, can I suggest slowing down the exercise? Something else 'they' say is that exercise is for fitness and diet is for weight loss. While exercise is GOOD and obviously healthy and will be a vital part of your journey later on, I found that in the beginning/early middle, while it was great stress relief and accomplishment, it was just too much. I actually have lost more and faster since I cut my exercise waaay back. Now, I'll have to hop back on that band wagon soon, but sometimes less is more, you know?

Again, that is definitely my personal experience. I know a lot of people who say exercise is what keeps them going, so by all means if you're like that, don't stop!

We're all rooting for you. It's definitely okay to get frustrated. You can even throw a tantrum or two, you're entitled! But don't give up! You CAN do this!

You just need to lift your head up and keep doing what you are doing. Put the scales away for one month. Scales are just one form of measurement system there are many others but the most important thing is that you don't enslave yourself to those tools of measurement.
Keep eating healthy moderated meals with lots of protein, a portion of complex carbohydrates, vegetables and a bit of fat. Buy a plate with portion sizes marked on it if it helps. Exercise 4 times a week. Back yourself that you are doing the right thing! In a month when you pull out the scales again you'll see the results staring at you. At the moment you can't see the Forrest for the trees.
You have done amazing things so far just give your body the time to change. It will happen as long as you just keep on your merry way and don't overthink it.

Focus on a healthy lifestyle and the rest will follow!

It's all in your head. If you knocked off 48 lbs already, there's no reason that you can't do it again...and again...and when you've done it 3 times, you're practically at goal! You've done an amazing job so far...just keep on chugging away to a healthier you! I was pretty sure I'd never make it under 170 again since that was my high school weight back when I was swimming competitively and doing intense training 6 days a week, but I stayed stubborn and I'm dancing right above a normal BMI at the moment. I certainly can't run a 5k, but you can...so if I can get to a healthy weight, you most certainly can too.

Like a few people have mentioned already, that's a lot of exercise on not a lot of calories. I know it seems counter-intuitive, but more food might help put a spring back in your step. More calories=more energy=lower chance of burning yourself out because you've burned off all of the energy you've ingested.

In any case, hugs for you! You're fantastic. You can do it!

Dont' give up and let's go!! I'm starting my lifestyle change with fear, hopefully it will go away soon. (: Together we can do this!

Thanks everyone for all your words of encouragement! It's really nice to have somewhere to go when I struggle with this and know everyone understands.

Elladorine, thank you for sharing your story with so much detail-it really help me to read others' stories and see that my struggles are normal.

I know that my exercise was high, and my cals low, and on top of that I was breastfeeding a baby, but I chose to do it that way anyway. Being at 334 terrified me and all I wanted to do was loose, and loose QUICK! I decided any potential problems I may get from low cal/high exercise diet was preferable to the problems I was starting to get-and was at high risk for getting-at such morbid obesity...I appreciate everyone's advice on the matter though!

I had a rough weekend with other things in life, but I kept plugging away and doing what I knew was right weight-wise, and today I hopped on the scale to see.............

..............282.6!!!

I can hardly believe it. My weight hasn't been this low since about the first year of my marriage (been married 8 years)! Once I FINALLY got past *that* number I just blasted through. I feel so happy to be moving down again!

Stop. Take a deep breath. Seriously - a nice, long, deep breath.

First of all, you are not alone. I started losing in January 2011 and here I am, almost two years later and I have not hit my "goal weight" yet. In fact, I stayed at 160 for an entire year. It's funny that you mentioned you can't break the weight you are now, because in my past 3 weight loss attempts, I got to 160 and no further. I thought I was doomed.

BUT - I just kept at it. I stopped comparing myself to others. I constantly switched it up (new foods, new exercises, new schedules, books, articles, etc.) just to stay interested. Now, as I am within 5 pounds of my goal weight, I realize that my REAL goal has been to not gain anymore weight. Even if I stayed at 160 for the rest of my life, I was still succeeding.

48 pounds in 3 months in unbelievable and you should really be proud of yourself. I know, it's hard, because you keep looking past where you currently are. You want to be 20 or 40 or 80 lbs less, so it's tough to enjoy your success.

My advice - enjoy what you've done and know that you are on the right path!! You are seriously doing an amazing thing for yourself and you will not regret it!

Don't give up!!
You are so superstrong! You have done what most people never do. You are strong. You can do it!
Just relax for some time (not too long) and keep on trying!

What ever you decide-please don't give up. If you need to walk away for a short time (a couple days) you might come back with a clear mind. I started out close to where you did and it has been a long road for me (long story) but everything you do, a concious choice to have this and not that. deciding to workout, weigh etc. you have so much to be proud of, I have noticed countless ppl on this forum get where you want to be and they have celebrateed. You will get there. Maybe not without the falls on the way- you're human, right? Someone told me that -they were right.

We all have obstacles. Getting past them, we find there are almost always new ones. You can conquer these, you have enough invested in 'you' that you even joined here and sought the support that is helpful for your journey.

You can do this!
One day at a time!
Hugs!