What MFP is doing for me

Marianna93637

Ok, this post is not about me losing extreme amount of weight, or going through a huge transformation. It's about changing some long time habits and formed attitudes.

To start with, yes, I did lose 12 lbs so far (in about 60 days) I have 27 more to go.
But here's the most important stuff:

- I have always battled with weight, not in huge amounts, just always an extra 10-30 lbs excess, and that thought has always been with me. It was about what I can, can't, should or shouldn't eat. It was always "oh, I shouldn't eat any cake, it's fattening", or "I can have a lot of salad, it will help me lose weight". Little did I realize that I could've had 2 slices of cake and nothing bad would've happened, and all those salads with all that salad dressing was not helping me lose weight at all. I know this now, because I weigh and log my food. This is a huge difference, and it transforming how I look at food.

- the scale. The SCALE!! I no longer have this weird relationship with it, it was either that i was addicted to know how much I weigh, and those numbers meant so much, or I was avoiding it and hating it, because I knew the numbers were too much. Now I weigh myself much less often and I don't freak out if it doesn't move. I lost only 12 lbs, but I feel so good, the fat is gone from all the right places (waist, stomach, back) - there's still some, but enough is gone so that I feel great. I fit in a lot of clothes I didn't fit in before, so that feeling is enough, I don't need a number to make me feel better.
Ok, let's be honest, of course I still weigh myself, and those numbers do mean something, because I have to lose 27 more lbs, I want to see it going down, but I don't care as much right now. It will happen.

- and this brings me to my next point. I'm more patient. I know I'm doing it the right way. I eat at a calorie deficit, and I trust that it works. If I don't lose any for a while, I know eventually I will, and in the meanwhile I'm either losing inches, or I'm stabilizing the weight I now have. I can have a 'cheat day' (logging everything) and not feel guilty, the next day I eat normal, or less, and it will all work out.

- I just found some diet pills in my drawer. It's Slim Quick, or something like that, the kind that's supposed to help you lose weight, but reducing your appetite and giving you more energy. I always took those off and on, and never really realized they weren't working. Well, I knew, but I always blamed myself for not following it, etc.
Now I can't imagine why I would need those. If I need energy, I either need to sleep, or go for a walk, or drink coffee lol (yes, I'm a caffeine addict).

So what I got is a peace of mind, assurance that if I keep doing what I'm doing, I will lose the weight. I will maintain it. And if for some reason I gained some of it back, I can lose it again.
And I got patience. I needed that

ncfitbit

This is a wonderful realization, isn't it? I feel this way, too and it's great. Trusting the process and knowing that you have the patience (and knowledge now) to reach your goal is priceless because the anxiety about whether you're up or down is gone! Best of luck in your journey. I know you will get where you want to be.