Review Your Progress
 

Who knew that reviewing your progress and realizing how much progress you've made could be so motivating?! I've been writing a diet blog here on 3FC. I post something every day -- sometimes long posts but frequently just a paragraph.

I've hit a plateau and have struggled with getting the 10 pounds off in this decade. It's coming off, but glaciers move faster than the needle on the scale right now. It was beginning to get to me psychologically. When I posted yesterday, I wanted to see what I weighed in Mid-March. Well, going back, seeing that there have been ups and down along the way, but that overall I'm tracking down really helped for some reason. Plus reading what I'm writing now compared to everything being about food at the beginning made me aware of how much my thinking has changed.

Just throwing this out there that the blog tool really helped me a lot -- I'll definitely keep on writing and recording my thoughts and progress even if it is just for me.

Awesome Betsy, I am so glad you have something motivating! I read my older threads here sometimes and it's like a diary of my life on this mission to battle this weightloss.

I keep a food journal too and it's awesome (to me) to look back and see how healthy I have been eating (anything I eat gets logged and I don't want to see anything "bad" written in there!). I do MFP too but there is something about my own handwritten log that keeps it real for me.

The woosh fairy visited me last week and this week after I had a few awful weeks (that actually made me cry!) so I'm sure yours will be coming soon. I already lost more in the last 2 weeks than I did all of last month. I keep a log of every week's weightloss too and it keeps it real to see it all written out, I love it.

Elvis, it is so wonderful that you're seeing the results of sticking out what had to be one of the longest months in your life. Do you feel like those little fat cells have conversations sometimes? Hey, it's really comfortable here -- I'm sticking right here on her hips for at least another month. Then it's like they are abandoning a sinking ship.

Glad to know that someone else gets "help" from the tracking and reviewing and recording. Sometimes I think this has taken over my life. Other times I think that's the only reason that I'm making any progress so just go with it.

I am so glad to see the results. I just keep telling myself to trust my program, trust my exercise and trust myself that I'm doing the right things staying on plan. My body can't hold the fat hostage forever! (And no, fat cells, that's not a challenge LOL!) And yes, I do think they have conversations mocking me and I would be lying if I didn't admit that I talk to my fat and tell it to go already!! :D

My diet has definitely taken over my life but I guess it's a good thing. I have to literally be conscious of every single morsel I put in my mouth. As much as I have made progress, I'm afraid I'm always 1 pizza away from sliding down a slippery slope and I never want to do that again.

And yep, I get lots from my logging and tracking. It makes it tangible for me and I like that. So you surely have a logging friend in me! And you are doing awesome! :hug:

Hello Besty,...

I too keep a journal of what I am eating ( so I can remember some of the good meals that I have made too - memory for an old person slips lol) and what exercise and my mood on that day. Its nice to look back and go ... oh yeah I remember that day I felt good and then the next day the weight went down. and visa versa.... I also try and write down my thoughts. but that I am not as up on doing daily , which I should as my days would be alittle happier (I had a bad one today) If I did write down my feelings,, I agree with you... writing things down does help, lessens the pain/anxiety/anger etc just by putting things down in words :)

Betsy - I agree, keeping track of food and weight then looking back can be so encouraging. My weight loss has slowed dramatically, but when I look back a month ago I can see that I've lost about 3 pounds. It isn't a lot, but it's something! And far better than gaining 3 pounds.

Elvis, Sue, and Krissy -- it's always good to know that I'm not alone in this battle. This is entirely new for me and I'm hoping that when I finally get to the maintenance phase in a couple of years that I'll be able to use this to keep me on track. It's re-energized my efforts as I was getting close to the "why bother" stage with the stall I was going through. Back on track mentally which is 99% of the effort for me.

I can relate to this. In trying to remotivate myself for these last few pounds, I decided to download MyFitnessPal and track calories for a few days - something I haven't done during this process - to see what I could tweak and learn. When I tried to create the account, it said there was already one registered to my email. After some putzing, I got into my old account, that I registered for 2 years ago, it turns out, and then never used. It was completely empty except for this:

Starting weight 202 (11/2011)
Goal weight 155

That must have been at the start of a failed attempt. I lost no weight at that time, until I began this current journey 5 months later and 3 pounds heavier. I can imagine the sadness in filling out the starting weight (no offense intended to people heavier than me, that was just an extremely high personal weight) and the dismay at filling out the goal weight, so far away. And look at me now!! 155!! I made that long-ago, forgotten goal. Woo hoo!! So yes, going back and (inadvertently) looking at an old record was really uplifting.

This is so important for me!!! I have lost weight before (or maybe 20x before but who's counting? :) ) and once I got to goal (even if it was still a high weight), I never ever knew or thought on how to maintain. It was like, I lost 10, 20, 50lbs and to celebrate I had a beer and a pizza, or regular Coke and Chinese food! WTH was I thinking? Obviously I wasn't! I think for me, I *need* to log and be accountable for my food choices. That doesn't mean I won't have "junk" food ever, but it has to be in black and white for my face to see. I think this might be like 75% of my accountability (with 25% being good food choices). I'm not so worried about the food choices at this point as I am doing really well but it's going to be that personal accountability that I owe myself this time.

You have done amazing things, newleaf, esp. meeting your goal! And don't discount your amazing weightloss, you inspired me since the day I joined here! As far as filling in the starting weight, I will admit that I wanted to lie. Like I wanted to say I weighed 125lbs and wanted to lose 125 (lol). But if I couldn't be honest with myself then, was I really committed to trying to lose this time? I have 2 different apps. on my phone that show my starting weight. I get severe anxiety if I lost my phone or let someone borrow it, they might see my starting/current weight and I could DIE with someone knowing that. But you know what, it is what is is/was and there is nothing I can do about it. Plus it makes it real to me to see and remember I never want to go back there. As far as the goal weight, I will admit that I did/do mini-goals as to see 100/130/150 lbs to go was a tad overwhelming for me. Heck it's overwhelming to see the lbs lost as a high number too! But we all have to do it in our own way. I still have 40lbs +/- to go but it's not as daunting anymore, even if it's probably going to be the hardest 40lbs of all!

Thanks, elvisLover; you are an inspiration, too! You are going to rock these final pounds, I'm sure of it!!