Weight loss journey update - UGH! Getting old.

[LuckyTheDog]

As of last Saturday, my weight loss total is 47 pounds exactly. That's since I started Weight Watchers in September.

It's coming off more slowly now. In the beginning, I would lose 3 or 4 pounds per week (one time, I lost 6 pounds). Now, I have weeks when I follow the program exactly and don't lose a pound. Other times, I lose a pound or so ... sometimes 2.

The good news is that it is still coming off. But let me tell you: this is not fun. I am getting SO sick of writing down everything I eat and calculating all those points. I am hoping it'll be easier to stay motivated when spring comes.

After some slacking, I am back at the gym. That should help. But I still have about 35 pounds to lose to be where I want to be -- and Weight Watchers thinks I should lose 15 more than that. Yikes. If I take their advice, that would mean I am less than half done.

Has anyone here been on a weight loss program for a year or so? If so, how did YOU keep going?

[IzaSparrow]

1. set a goal that is attainable at your goal weight, that is also

a reward. Like running a charity run or hike in a vacation destination. After a year, or more of work, you'll deserve it!

[darkstar]

2. For what it's worth, I think it's the nature of progress

When I started jogging, getting from 9 minute miles (my starting point) to 8 seemed kind of easy, but getting from 8 to 7 took quite a bit longer for the same distance. So hang in there. Those one pound drops are getting harder to come by, but I think your approach works, i.e., keeping a diary of my times really reinforce things--"Wow, that run took me 35 minutes 2.5 months ago, today it only took me 34:12..."

:hi:

[Skittles]

3. hey Lucky

try not to simply see your workouts as tied to your weight loss - see exercise as GOOD FOR YOUR HEALTH. It's something you should do consistently, not just when you're trying to trim some pounds!

[AlCzervik]

4. you're doing great! It took me about a year and half to lose 85 pounds.

the first 75 came off in the first 9 months and then it just dragged but the good news is that in July i'll be hitting the 3 year mark since i started and i've kept it all off.

[LuckyTheDog]

5. Wow... good for you!

Well, that shows it can be done.

In the meantime... I'm happy that I can once again climb a couple flights of stairs without getting winded.

[lost-in-nj]

6. KEEP GOING

and stay off the scale for a while.....

get back into the routine....

and don't worry about pounds....

but WOW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


47 pounds!!!!! AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!


do not get discouraged... please... spring is right around the corner and you can do so much outside then... change up your work out...

I can't wait till I can do my 2 1/2 miles outside....

CONGRATS!!!!!!!!!!



lost

[rockymountaindem]

7. I've been on a weight loss program for five years

:)

It's more like a constant program to keep things under control. If I ate everything I wanted and sat around all day like I'd prefer, I know I'd balloon out of control. In fact, that's exactly what happened when I was a kid before this started. The college years of unlimited greasy cafeteria food were not kind, but now I'm on my own food-wise and things are improving. I keep going because it's just the way I live my life I suppose. Instead of hating the gym, I now feel worse when I don't go. Besides, the motivation is clear. I've already been pretty fat in my life, and I hated it. Now I'm in rather good shape (though not quite where I want to be, yet), and I feel a little better about things. I guess the bottom line is that I feel better about myself at 173 than I do at 190. I'll feel even better once I hit my target weight of 160-165 (since I haven't been there yet, I don't know where the floor is). So, I'm just working toward that goal.

The thing is that you lose weight a lot faster when you've got a lot to lose. When I started coming down from 190 last May, the first ten pounds was pretty easy. Since then things have slowed, with a predictable reversal of direction over the holidays. But today, I wore my belt on the third notch for the first time ever. The pants I bought in November are close to falling off if I don't wear the belt, and it feels good to exercise some self control instead of being a slave to that unlimited free pie back in the dining hall.

It can be done. Just keep going. If you need inspiration, think about how much better things are now with the weight you've already lost. They'll be that much better when you lose the rest of it. Good luck!

[LuckyTheDog]

8. Thanks

As I said above... I DO feel better. I can walk up stairs without feeling winded. I no longer feel like I am going to die of a heart attack. That's a good thing.

[Orsino]

9. Best wishes.

The gym has always been my weapon since the Army stopped keeping me in shape.

[trof]

10. Been on one for 2 years. Lost 50 lbs. so far.

1500 calories a day.
You can read about it here:
http://walking.about.com/cs/walkoflife/a/dietportions.htm

It's more about learning how to eat differently than a 'diet'.
it's so ingrained now that I'll never go back to eating the way I used to.

Mainly smaller portions of whatever you want.
There's nothing that is taboo.

A bit of psychology involved.
I grew up with the 'clean-your-plate' mantra and I can't ever shake that.
So...the smaller portions go on smaller plates.
You still see a 'full' plate and you clean it.
satisfies all those little psychological quirks.
;-)

I treat the 1500 calories like a bank account.
You get up in the morning and think "OK, I've got 1500 calories to spend today. How do I want to spend them?"
Sure, you could spend them all on a banana split.
But you'll still get pretty hungry by evening.
So you learn to budget. Save up for something you really want to spend those calories on.

It has really been a lifestyle change for me.
Good luck
:thumbsup:

[electron_blue]

11. Yay for you!

I lost 40 lbs over 9 months (2004-2005) and have kept it off since then. I also got sick of writing everything down, so I paid to do WWonline and then Myfooddiary online (which is cheaper than WW) to chart it on the computer. It made the points/calorie counting a lot easier, saved time, plus it was almost a little fun. Eventually (after a few years) I quit logging, but still weigh daily or every other day. What keeps me going is focusing on the healthy aspects of the new weight, plus the fact that I *know* I feel better at this weight and I know that I don't feel good after I've overeaten.

Make peace with the idea that this really is a lifestyle change and think hard about how it can be to maintain, since that really is the trickiest part of all. Over 90% of people who lose 20 lbs or more gain it all back, plus some, within a year or two. I have found it really helpful to think and plan for the times that I will backslide. I read somewhere that maintenance is a lot like dieting with one treat added in a day. That's about right.

If you think the WW goal is too low for you, don't sweat it. If you are within 5-10 lbs of their highest weight for your height, you might still be at a healthy weight depending on your bone and muscle mass. And even if you are slightly overweight, it is still a far healthier weight than what you started at.

Bottom line: maintenance is where it's at. Start focusing on that, even though you are still losing.