thank you to everyone who commented!

Well yeah, the first half usually IS easier. It's the long, gritty haul that tests you the most. You're not dieting, your adopting a new lifestyle. For good. Or the weight loss WILL be temporary. I think too many people get the idea that they'll diet until they've reached "X" pounds and then they can "eat again!" But that isn't the case. You've got to work to find a lifestyle that you can maintain (mostly) comfortably.
I've also heard many of my overweight friends say things like "Ugh, I just wish I could eat NORMALLY again, I hate this diet!" But the truth is, the diet is much closer to normal eating than their previous ways were.
Basically you've got to change your mind to change your body. It's not about just hanging on until the weight is off, then "phew" you can relax. Unfortunately some people are not born with the genes or circumstances that make being thin easy. Like me, my body likes to gain weight, despite my mind disagreeing with that. It's work. It's doable. YOU can do it. Not every day is going to be a "great" day. Some days you'll be tired, angry, sad, bored etc and it'll be harder. If you remember that you only have to worry about the current day, it won't be so overwhelming. Today is the day you have to do your best. Tomorrow and the next day etc can all be tackled when they arrive.

I find I go through phases where my WL slows to a crawl for a variety of reasons, as mentioned above, tired, sad, bored, whatever. At those times I try to work on maintaining. I call it practice maintenance.

Take the pressure off trying to lose and look at what you're doing and see if you might need to change something up, if your program feels like a grind you probably want to try something different.

Best of luck to you

Ditto to everything already mentioned. I want to add that for me it is also important to celebrate the non-scale victories. Use some short term and long term measures of success other than weight. Some people run a 5k or take a challenging hike - things they couldn't have done before. And don't just note your progress - brag. Tell people. Tell lots of people. And use it. For example, I've been doing squats. A month ago I struggled to do 10, but now I can do 10 without breathing heavy. This morning I did some weeding and it was so much easier because I had built up those muscles. I couldn't have done it a month ago.

The journey gets harder, but you get stronger. So you can do it.

kelijpa, I love the idea of practice maintenance. I'm going to have to use that when I plateau.

That's such a great motto.

I'm a librarian -- so I love finding solutions in books.

As kelijpa said, practicing maintenance can be useful. In The Step Diet by James O. Hill, et al, they advocate losing for about 12 weeks and then maintaining for at least that long before taking another stab at losing. I never did that, but it was comforting when my weight loss took a break every 20 pounds or so on the way down.

The books that have been most useful to me on my journey are the ones by Judith Beck (The Beck Diet Solution and The Complete Beck Diet for Life). With them, I've put enough structures in place that I know I'll get back to my healthy lifestyle even at the rare times when everything has slipped. I know exactly how I'll get things going again and sooner, rather than later, I do.

thanks everyone

Hugs

You can do this! Just take it one day at a time!

I totally get where you are coming from. I am really struggling to get my motivation back since coming back from holiday. The 5 months before while challenging were not bad motivation wise but now, well it's tough. I haven't put on weight but I have only lost about 1 kilo in 3 weeks and trying to get back into the routine of going to the gym hasn't been easy. So what I'm am going to do set myself a small goal of once I have lost 10 kilos, I am going to treat myself to a new dress or pair of jeans. I think having a goal is key. Up to now it was I refused to get on a plane and ask for a seat belt extender (which I didn't so happy about that) but now that I have been on holiday, I have no immediate goal and I think this is why I am struggling. It may be the same for you, if we don't have a goal, then the struggle can seem endless and who wants to fight a never ending fight!

I love a bread like his, so great to read everyone's ideas and thoughts.

Staypuft-I love your motto, too, that's a great way to look at it. Somehow I didn't realize how much stronger I was in the garden 'til reading your post about weeding!

Gardener joy- interesting to great there's actually advocates for losing then maintaining then losing some more, etc. that somehow makes me feel better

Best to all

Motivation is fleeting. There are many days I don't have motivation. I get out there anyway! Even if you really don't want to or don't feel like it, do it anyway because you WILL feel better once you are done if this is in reference to exercising.

As far as "diet" giving you concern, don't look at it as a "diet" but a healthier life style. You CAN do this and YOU ARE strong enough. You are also backed by a great group of people on this forum who will help you through!

Another important thing to remember is if you have a bad day, it's not the end of your journey and will not undo the progress you have made. Just go to bed with a new resolve to stay on track the next morning.

This is hard. It is really hard. People who have not walked in our shoes have no idea how tough this is not just physically but mentally. There are going to be days where you worry you can't do it, where you feel like throwing in the towel, but keep at it!! Each day do something that will bring you closer to your goal!

Are you strong enough? Yes...you are. Can you do this? Yes...you can. Is it going to be easy? No....it's not. But things worth having are rarely easy to come by.

I'm struggling too. Really I am. So you are not alone! My weight loss has slowed dramatically. But I am not giving up. Because I don't want to gain back what I have lost. I don't want to be tired and achy all the time. And you know what? I don't want you to gain back what you have lost! I don't want you to give up! So keep at it!!

Hugs!

THANKS!

I didn't get a chance to read the original post, but I just want to say I hope you are feeling better! You can get through anything!