Throwing in the towel
zyxst
Posts: 9,149 Member
When did you guys decide you were finished with weight loss/gain? Was it when you reached your goal? Did you get sick and tired of eating at a deficit/surplus?
I'm mentally ready to be done with weight loss, just looking to see how other people did it and why.
I'm mentally ready to be done with weight loss, just looking to see how other people did it and why.
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Being comfortable where I'm at. The deficit / food wasn't a factor.0
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I am never done. My fitness level drives things now. I got down to approx where I wanted, but then I decided I was ok with the scale number and now want to change things up (as I have been for the past 6 months)...
It is never done in my mind.0 -
You can always maintain for awhile and then decide if you want to lose any more weight. After a year straight of losing I was ready to take a break - I'd lost 120 pounds (the other 7 came off finding my maintenance calories). I was into the normal BMI range (barely). I never had a set in stone goal weight because I'd been fat for so long that I had no clue where I should be or wanted to be.
My plan was to maintain for about 6 months and then reassess whether I wanted to go down a few more pounds. That was 18 months ago and I'm still maintaining - I've been banned from doing any exercise besides walking while some medical issues get sorted out and also told not to gain any weight. I decided to just maintain until after surgery and then see if I want to lose any more.
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I always thought that my ideal weight was 200 and I've "dieted" to that weight before. This time I've educated myself on nutrition and was pretty confident that I can easily reach that. I did; pretty effortlessly from around 230 which made me think that 200 might have been my "goal" weight because I didn't know how to properly supply my body with food and nutrients. I set a new goal of 190 - got to that pretty easy too. Then I set 185 as my goal - got there. Then 180 - got there but started to look scrawny. This path made me decide that my ideal weight is 185 - that's where I'm maintaining now.
If you're tired of being on a deficit but not sure if you are at your weight - reverse diet to maintenance for a few weeks or months and reevaluate then.0 -
Not done. Been maintaining for over a year while trying to lose a bit more. I guess that's what's been keeping me on track.. but I also don't sweat it if I'm hungrier one day or want a treat. But I pretty much have to eat at a deficit anyway because PMS week is a nightmare and I WILL gain weight if I don't eat at a deficit the rest of the time.0
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I didn't - I thought my goal was 60, then 58 kg, I aimed for maintaining that weight, adding 50 calories every three months... ended up at 55 - 57 kg. Cutting calories never was a big deal. But I suddenly felt counting them was. I eat what I need to anyway. Now I just log what I eat in my meal plan, a simple spreadsheet.0
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I liked how I looked in the mirror. Like MasterVal, I went to the point I felt I was too scrawny and upped it from there. Also, I felt like it was too much work to eat at that scrawny level.0
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Throwing in the towel usually means you're disappointed with results versus the effort you're putting in. Usually when I felt like throwing in the towel, I just questioned myself and answered honestly:
Have I really been 100%?
Did I really do everything right?
Have I really been consistent?
Have I attempted different approaches to help?
If I can answer yes to all of those with honesty, then I guess I could be justified in throwing in the towel if no results happened while doing them. If not, then it's not time to throw in the towel.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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Throwing in the towel usually means you're disappointed with results versus the effort you're putting in. Usually when I felt like throwing in the towel, I just questioned myself and answered honestly:
Have I really been 100%?
Did I really do everything right?
Have I really been consistent?
Have I attempted different approaches to help?
If I can answer yes to all of those with honesty, then I guess I could be justified in throwing in the towel if no results happened while doing them. If not, then it's not time to throw in the towel.
Since my answer to all 4 is no, now what? Start doing things I don't like to get the results I think I want?0 -
When did you guys decide you were finished with weight loss/gain? Was it when you reached your goal? Did you get sick and tired of eating at a deficit/surplus?
I'm mentally ready to be done with weight loss, just looking to see how other people did it and why.
Boy do I hear you. Some days are worse than others.
I'm 1 pound from "goal weight" - it won't seem to budge, but I'm just apathetic and not excited either way.
I've taken time off from logging, and seem to do okay. Then I return. I don't think I will ever again live without tallying calories either in my head or on the app.
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I will let you know when I get there.. still leaning out
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Not there yet. 10 percent is a long way away.0
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Throwing in the towel usually means you're disappointed with results versus the effort you're putting in. Usually when I felt like throwing in the towel, I just questioned myself and answered honestly:
Have I really been 100%?
Did I really do everything right?
Have I really been consistent?
Have I attempted different approaches to help?
If I can answer yes to all of those with honesty, then I guess I could be justified in throwing in the towel if no results happened while doing them. If not, then it's not time to throw in the towel.
Since my answer to all 4 is no, now what? Start doing things I don't like to get the results I think I want?
I guess you just don't want it enough, that's all.0 -
Throwing in the towel usually means you're disappointed with results versus the effort you're putting in. Usually when I felt like throwing in the towel, I just questioned myself and answered honestly:
Have I really been 100%?
Did I really do everything right?
Have I really been consistent?
Have I attempted different approaches to help?
If I can answer yes to all of those with honesty, then I guess I could be justified in throwing in the towel if no results happened while doing them. If not, then it's not time to throw in the towel.
Since my answer to all 4 is no, now what? Start doing things I don't like to get the results I think I want?
I guess you just don't want it enough, that's all.
Sorry, but this.0 -
Ok I was maybe a bit blunt, but it's not necessarily a bad thing... I mean, I don't want to reach my goal enough either. I'm not willing to give up my treats to lose my last 3 pounds, I'm not willing to go to bed hungrier than I've been already to lose my last 3 pounds, and I'm sure as heck not willing to make myself lift weights 3x a week to lose whatever fat I have left attached to my loose skin on my belly (knowing I'd probably have to go down to 18% body fat or something, and even then, I have a lot of loose skin)...
I don't want it enough, and that's fine. I'm relatively happy maintaining at 133 pounds right now (although man I could really do with an extra 200 calories a day, not gonna lie). Heck just the idea that I'd lose 50 calories a day at my goal weight (130) turns me off. Sure, I still have some fat in my midsection, but I'm way below the 'overweight' category and healthy and some point it just has to be good enough... and I don't think there's anything wrong with not REALLY caring about extra vanity pounds and having a 6-pack.0 -
My 2 cents worth comes from the sentence where you say you feel "mentally done with weight loss".....
If that's the case then have a break, focus on other things.
You yourself have answered No to all 4 questions that @ninerbuff posed....if you are at peace with those answers then you have your path. If on the other hand the No's give you pause for further reflection and you are unhappy with your current results but just need a break from 'dieting' go to maintenance, perhaps keep up with your logging in case you are prone to falling back into habits that bought you to MFP in the 1st place.
I think that many can relate to losing focus, getting bored and over the whole dieting, logging etc etc mindset and as @Francl27 has said not everyone has the goal to go further, faster, stronger or push on for the last pounds to disappear.
I just want to wish you all the best with what ever you decide.0 -
You've lost 163lbs! I am not surprised that you feel done.0
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You try doing all 4 right with commitment first. I say try it for at least 2 weeks. Then if you don't see any changes, make adjustments.Throwing in the towel usually means you're disappointed with results versus the effort you're putting in. Usually when I felt like throwing in the towel, I just questioned myself and answered honestly:
Have I really been 100%?
Did I really do everything right?
Have I really been consistent?
Have I attempted different approaches to help?
If I can answer yes to all of those with honesty, then I guess I could be justified in throwing in the towel if no results happened while doing them. If not, then it's not time to throw in the towel.
Since my answer to all 4 is no, now what? Start doing things I don't like to get the results I think I want?
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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I second what happycampr1 stated. I too lost weight the first 2 years that I was using this tool. I still had about 10 pounds to lose and plateaued. I had plateaued for a whole year....just couldn't wrap my head around dropping my calorie intake to reach my goals...in fact had a hard time keeping my calories under 2030 calories per day. This year I decided that I was going to get it done, stepped up the water intake, stepped up the exercise, and decreased my calorie intake, and it still took about 6 months before the scale started moving south again. Now I am losing about 1/2 to a pound per week. (setting my goal as 1/2 pound per week), and border between overweight and high normal with a bmi of 25.0.
You, my dear, are a logging warrior! Congratulations on all of the weight loss! superb. I can tell just by clicking on any of your days for the last 3 years, that you didn't fail to log even one day! You have to be such an inspiration for your mfp friends who are probably still wrapping their heads around the concept of logging their intake.
You should give yourself a break and maintain for a while until you are ready to lose the last 10 pounds or however much you have left to lose. It also helped me to add a couple of new friends who were so enthusiastic about getting started and had a lot of questions and new ideas about weight loss.
Stay strong!0 -
You're saying go back to the beginning, to push myself into doing things I dislike - weight lifting, different meal timings, being hungry/hangry, eat at a "real" deficit (not -250 cals), etc.? I stopped doing many of those things because I was turning into a person I hated. I started down an ED path that I prefer not to see again.
You try doing all 4 right with commitment first. I say try it for at least 2 weeks. Then if you don't see any changes, make adjustments.Throwing in the towel usually means you're disappointed with results versus the effort you're putting in. Usually when I felt like throwing in the towel, I just questioned myself and answered honestly:
Have I really been 100%?
Did I really do everything right?
Have I really been consistent?
Have I attempted different approaches to help?
If I can answer yes to all of those with honesty, then I guess I could be justified in throwing in the towel if no results happened while doing them. If not, then it's not time to throw in the towel.
Since my answer to all 4 is no, now what? Start doing things I don't like to get the results I think I want?
There's a big difference in knowing how much my physical appearance can be changed without surgical intervention and what will "snap back" in a few years.
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Ok I was maybe a bit blunt, but it's not necessarily a bad thing... I mean, I don't want to reach my goal enough either. I'm not willing to give up my treats to lose my last 3 pounds, I'm not willing to go to bed hungrier than I've been already to lose my last 3 pounds, and I'm sure as heck not willing to make myself lift weights 3x a week to lose whatever fat I have left attached to my loose skin on my belly (knowing I'd probably have to go down to 18% body fat or something, and even then, I have a lot of loose skin)...
I don't want it enough, and that's fine. I'm relatively happy maintaining at 133 pounds right now (although man I could really do with an extra 200 calories a day, not gonna lie). Heck just the idea that I'd lose 50 calories a day at my goal weight (130) turns me off. Sure, I still have some fat in my midsection, but I'm way below the 'overweight' category and healthy and some point it just has to be good enough... and I don't think there's anything wrong with not REALLY caring about extra vanity pounds and having a 6-pack.
^^ Are you my twin? :-D what you're saying mirrors how I think/feel I actually think its a good way to think, being happy and healthy, thats all that really matters
OP - I'll never be done with weight loss, what I mean by that is that maintaining that loss takes as much effort, I just get to eat more. I want to stay slim badly enough to do what it takes (within reason!)
Perhaps you just need a diet break and then you can come back to this process afresh.0 -
Throwing in the towel usually means you're disappointed with results versus the effort you're putting in. Usually when I felt like throwing in the towel, I just questioned myself and answered honestly:
Have I really been 100%?
Did I really do everything right?
Have I really been consistent?
Have I attempted different approaches to help?
If I can answer yes to all of those with honesty, then I guess I could be justified in throwing in the towel if no results happened while doing them. If not, then it's not time to throw in the towel.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
Being consistent is one thing, but "doing everything right" is another thing entirely. There's not a lot of room for perfectionism in weight loss, at least in my experience. No one does everything right all the time. Obsession about doing it all right all the time seems unhealthy to me. I suppose it depends on how you define "doing everything right."
OP, I've committed to losing weight slowly and steadily this time. I know I could lose weight faster if I ate at more of a deficit or neglected time with my family in order to exercise more, but I want to make choices that are livable for the long run. I haven't had nearly the journey you've had, but I've felt mentally exhausted more than once already. I allowed myself breaks, but I didn't really want them. Eating at my deficit (eating ~1600 cals a day, more if I exercise), and working out the way and when I want to (lots of running, some strength and HIIT training), are things I want to do anyway, so I've had better success this time. Maybe taking a maintenance break will be good for your spirit... maybe you'll discover your "happy place" in terms of lifestyle.0 -
I'm 46, and have been working out probably for 30 years, more than not...I can admit to throwing in the towel many times, usually out of frustration, never out of a feeling that I'm "finished", or that I'm completely satisfied with where I'm at. My journey has sometimes been about weightloss, others about just being happy with my body in the stage it's at......The last two years have been the easiest, and the most fulfilling, as I've come into my own spiritually and physically, finally. And with consistency, I'm finally seeing the results I've been dreaming about. Please don't "throw in the towel"...take a hiatus if you must, take some "me" time....but fitness, and taking care of your "self" will probably always be a factor to being the best you YOU can be...good luck xo0
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I'm mentally ready to be done with weight loss, just looking to see how other people did it and why.
When I made peace with the fact that there is much more to life than fitting into a stereotype of what a person should look like.
I am happy, I am healthy, I love the way my body performs. What it looks like is neither here nor there.0 -
I knew someone would check my diary.You, my dear, are a logging warrior! Congratulations on all of the weight loss! superb. I can tell just by clicking on any of your days for the last 3 years, that you didn't fail to log even one day! You have to be such an inspiration for your mfp friends who are probably still wrapping their heads around the concept of logging their intake.
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My 130's were a constant struggle. I wanted 130 and gave up initially at 133 because I just could not care about those last 3 pounds anymore. I was sooooo tired of a deficit. I tried a recomp instead, and I wasn't patient enough for that either. Now 5 weeks into a deficit, I'm not losing and I might give up again.0
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You're saying go back to the beginning, to push myself into doing things I dislike - weight lifting, different meal timings, being hungry/hangry, eat at a "real" deficit (not -250 cals), etc.? I stopped doing many of those things because I was turning into a person I hated. I started down an ED path that I prefer not to see again.
You try doing all 4 right with commitment first. I say try it for at least 2 weeks. Then if you don't see any changes, make adjustments.Throwing in the towel usually means you're disappointed with results versus the effort you're putting in. Usually when I felt like throwing in the towel, I just questioned myself and answered honestly:
Have I really been 100%?
Did I really do everything right?
Have I really been consistent?
Have I attempted different approaches to help?
If I can answer yes to all of those with honesty, then I guess I could be justified in throwing in the towel if no results happened while doing them. If not, then it's not time to throw in the towel.
Since my answer to all 4 is no, now what? Start doing things I don't like to get the results I think I want?
There's a big difference in knowing how much my physical appearance can be changed without surgical intervention and what will "snap back" in a few years.
Only you can know what you want to do.
If you want to continue losing weight, follow ninerbuff's advice or something similar. If you don't, that's fine too. It isn't up to anyone here to decide if you have lost "enough" weight or not. You can decide which option makes you happier. Also, no decision is final. There is nothing wrong with maintaining for a while and then deciding down the line that you want to lose more. But doing things half-assed probably isn't going to make you happy. You will be disappointed with the results, but still feel like you are doing all this work. It doesn't matter what your decision is, but make a decision and stick with it for a while, whether it is lose weight or maintain.
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Throwing in the towel usually means you're disappointed with results versus the effort you're putting in. Usually when I felt like throwing in the towel, I just questioned myself and answered honestly:
Have I really been 100%?
Did I really do everything right?
Have I really been consistent?
Have I attempted different approaches to help?
If I can answer yes to all of those with honesty, then I guess I could be justified in throwing in the towel if no results happened while doing them. If not, then it's not time to throw in the towel.
Since my answer to all 4 is no, now what? Start doing things I don't like to get the results I think I want?
I guess you just don't want it enough, that's all.
or is it that OP may be happy where she is, and really there is no need to do anything then maintain?
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Throwing in the towel usually means you're disappointed with results versus the effort you're putting in. Usually when I felt like throwing in the towel, I just questioned myself and answered honestly:
Have I really been 100%?
Did I really do everything right?
Have I really been consistent?
Have I attempted different approaches to help?
If I can answer yes to all of those with honesty, then I guess I could be justified in throwing in the towel if no results happened while doing them. If not, then it's not time to throw in the towel.
Since my answer to all 4 is no, now what? Start doing things I don't like to get the results I think I want?
Are you ok with where you are looks wise, health wise?
At the moment i just concentrate on not putting the weight back on. i feel good, i like the way i look so pushing myself to go further isnt working.
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When did you guys decide you were finished with weight loss/gain? Was it when you reached your goal? Did you get sick and tired of eating at a deficit/surplus?
I'm mentally ready to be done with weight loss, just looking to see how other people did it and why.
meh, just start eating at maintenance. you can always change your mind later, and resume eating at a deficit... if you want to.0
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