Did You Know?

DoubleTheLove

For the successful weight losers here, did you just know that this was going to be the time that your weight loss plan actually worked? I'm just starting out and I believe my mind is in such a different place than it was all the other times I've wanted to lose weight. I just feel a difference in my approach and just slowly doing small things instead of trying to do everything at once. I want to be healthier, not only thinner. So, if you have tried losing weight more than once have you noticed a mindset change? Was there something that just clicked? Did you go all in or pick a few things every-so-often to work on? I guess what I'm asking is what was your big "ah-ha" moment when you realized "holy crap, I'm doing this for real this time". I read that you have to have your head in the right place for successful weight loss, just wondering how much truth there is to it.

jmeebeee

oh ya! youre def on to somethn here!! all the other times i tried the xyz diets i said id slow down on drinkong alcohol (mostly beer, been a beer girl since before i could drink legally) or id say ill quit until im done w/this program then the entire time id have the thought in the back of my mind, "cant wait to get buzzed after this diet!" and sure enough, id reach my goal, and bam... right back into the same routine of partying, late night eating n bad food choices... the viscious cycle this time tho, idk... something was different. like u said, i wanted to get healthy, and i knew that had to start from the inside!! so i quit everything bad in my life, (which included fast food, junk food and caffeine) and i was a hardcore coffee drinker n couldnt get enough soda, esp on days i was hungover!! i just decided it wasnt good for me and that i was going to treat myself as if i was my own 3yr old littlegirl and what would i feed her and how would i treat her... just like that all my bad habbits (or addictions) are no longer an issue for me!! its been since sept.27, 2015... ive lost 22lbs, and feel amazing!!! no gimmicks, no magic pill or exotic serum... just healthy food choices and TONS of water!! if only idve known this all along id have ALOT more money in my bank acct!!

DayOneVB

I definitely knew. I was in a position of it had to work! Just try to keep your focus, set mini goals to reach! Take it day by day. Keep hitting those mini goals and before long you will see drastic changes! Some days are gonna suck lol but just push through, the fight is so worth it! Best of luck and just know you can do this!

DoubleTheLove

Thanks for the insight! I feel hopeful this time around. Congrats on your losses.

kmleaf

I am almost 60 years old and believe me, I have lost weight many times over the course of my life by using various diets or programs. I've had some great successes but always gained it back quickly plus more pounds each time. We all probably know that routine.

I would like to say that this time my head was in the right place when I started, but honestly, I only started using MFP because my eldest son had lost a LOT of weight using MFP and he encouraged me to try it. I certainly didn't have any hope for myself. At nearly 300 lbs combined with my age, I didn't think it would be possible and that I would just give up.

I was completely taken by surprise that almost immediately something clicked and just felt right. I never had that feeling when I was "dieting" before. I was trying to somehow explain this feeling to people - how it just felt so very different this time- but I had to give up because I really couldn't put it into words. I also knew that they were just words until I had the visual success that matched how I was feeling.

It's been 9 months now and I have lost 92 lbs. Still a long way to go, but I know I'll get there because this time really IS different. I still feel that way and I don't feel like I am dieting - just eating really well. I eat what I like, when I like, but log everything. I know I will get to goal because it doesn't matter to me how fast the weight comes off. I'm just doing my thing - eating well and living my life and enjoying it. In the past, when "dieting", I guess I always got a little anxious and always felt a little sorry for myself. I was always pushing to lose the pounds as fast as I could. Probably so I could quit dieting. I don't have those feelings this time and that's a big part of why this feels so different and that I can eat like this for the rest of my life. I am the happiest I have ever been and full of hope now.

May the force be with you.

zoeysasha37

No there was no "ah ha" moment for me.
I started and didn't think I would last a month ( I've logged about 1060 days in a row

Sued0nim

Only when I got to a point I'd dieted to before and didn't feel any great issue with keeping on going as it felt so easy and natural to log, eat everything, move more and workout now

I was actually surprised how it was so much easier to just track calories than any fad, elimination, weight loss club, replacement drink that had been marketed as foolproof / new science / new way for the last 20 or so years

dramaqueen45

I had tried MFP a couple of times before I finally stuck with it. I'm not sure what was different this time. I believe part of it was reading a lot of the advice on the forums and also making some friends on here early on. I also think that I didn't approach it this time as a diet (I always wanted something easy and quick before- just give me a menu and let me follow it) but a new way to eat AND I didn't try to make big changes all at once. I just ate what I normally ate and logged the calories and I naturally started gravitating toward healthier foods because things like vegetables and fruits are just lower calories and do fill you up. I also found an exercise that I love to do (and bonus- my husband does it with me). I am now about 3 pounds to my ultimate goal and from there I'm going to keep trying to improve my fitness levels by increasing weights and setting new goals for cycling distances each year.

patesq

No, no aha moment here. I still don't know why I started or why I've kept at it for 6 months this time. I'm more than 2/3 of the way to my goal (down 77 lbs) but I really can't pinpoint a specific reason. I did lose weight many years ago for my wedding but nothing else has been that inspiring. I certainly am happy with the results though.

DoubleTheLove

Thanks for your replies, some sound similar to what I'm feeling. There's no real words for it, it's just a different feeling. Just have to remind myself that every small loss adds up and they eventually add up to be a big number in the long run.

oolou

jamiebermudez wrote: »

i just decided it wasnt good for me and that i was going to treat myself as if i was my own 3yr old littlegirl and what would i feed her and how would i treat her... just like that all my bad habbits (or addictions) are no longer an issue for me!!

I really like this way of approaching how to change eating habits - nice!

ForMe2No

For me I knew this time was different because this time it was about my health and not about my looks. So it has been a lifestyle change not a diet. The fact that I look better is definitely an added bonus. It's been almost 9 months and I'm down over 80lbs. I still have at least 30lbs to go possibly 60lbs to reach my ultimate goal. I wish you the best in your journey!

gramarye

No, I had no idea. I was at my most depressed when I started using MFP, so I didn't approach hope very well. I knew going in that calorie counting in the past (on a notebook as a teen) hadn't worked. But I also knew that the way I was living wasn't working, either, and I had nothing to lose by trying.

Eventually, maybe ten pounds or so down, I started to realize that I was changing and that I might actually succeed. But every time I set a goal, I alternate between cockiness (I've come this far -- how hard can it be?) and panic (there's no way you can do this, you can't possibly make it any further). But if I can get past anxiety and bouts of depression, my rational brain will take over and remind me that it's just data -- and data empowers me to know I'm doing well.

So, y'know, it's okay to people who don't feel different yet. Keep plugging away at it with as many small changes as you can manage, and eventually, it'll start to make sense.

Diana_GettingFit

Yeah, I knew. It was just time. My A1C was 7.2 and the doctor wanted to put me on a second diabetes medication. I'm a type two diabetic. I'd been on Metformin since 2008. When I researched the second drug and found it's strongly linked with causing liver problems I knew it was time to do something good for myself. Now I'm 30 odd lbs lighter and I'm off diabetes meds all together. My A1C in November was 5.5 which is well within normal range. There's no going back now. This is my new lifestyle now.

KareninLux

Totally different this time round. Feels natural and right. Not restricted. Just moderation. In moderation.

eva_letsdance

I did low carb and all kinds of restricted diets and I realized it does not work in the long run. Now, i am in it for the long haul. It is tedious logging all these cals, but I made some nice friends. I take pics of what I eat when I cant log it right away, so I can go back and remember it when I log it at night. It is also important for me to show my friends that I completed my diary at the end of each day. Good luck to you!

BernieMBurke

This my second time doing using MFP. The first time, I lost 90 lbs. in 10 months. I was exercising at the company-provided gym and calorie counting. That got me from 250 to 160. I maintained for 6 months and then my job location changed. I had to drive 50 miles one-way in DC traffic. Also, there was no gym at work anymore. Needless to say, with all the driving and new stress, I got lazy and put all the weight back on. Then, February 2015, I slipped on some ice and fell on my right arm (hands were full at the time). Nothing was broken, but I couldn't use my arm for about three days. When I got the doctor to see it, they took my BP and the top number was north of 200. That was my ah-ha this time. It's now been 10 months and I'm at healthy BMI (170) and I think I'm better prepared to maintain this time.

pinkston1920

I had to respond to this.. The most I ever lost was 40 pounds. I would always quit when I noticed a difference. It's like I was scared of the girl underneath all of the fat, depression, and weight... This time around I started having problems with my back going out and having muscle spasms. I was at 279 pounds.. I am only 31 years old and I was really ashamed and hurt this time around. I made up in my mind that I wanted to live and have a better and healthier life for me and my 4 year old son. I had tried Mfp before and had done well for a few months. I started out cutting back and walking for 15 minutes. Now I can walk anywhere from an hour to an hour and a half daily. I have cut out junk food and I am feeling better. My goal weight is 160.. I have lost 29 pounds in 2 and a half months and I am proud of myself. I weigh 250 as of Monday. It's coming off slowly but I know I will get there. I am determined not to quit. I just keep saying 90 more pounds to go...

seltzermint555

Yeah...definitely relate to that "different" feeling. I could probably go on for days but in a nutshell, I had to get past some mental obstacles that were keeping me from rationally educating myself about CICO and such...I had excuses in my head like a wonky metabolism, large frame, all those things...then something clicked for me.

carmkizzle

I think seeing results after I had been logging my food/exercise for a few weeks was kind of a mini 'aha' moment. I was like 'Oh! Eating less food DOES work...oh, ok!' (when I say "less" food, I mean one slice of pizza instead of 4, or 1 cookie instead of 6). Logging definitely makes you think twice about what you eat, and how much of it you eat. And because I was on a three week roll (back then), it was becoming a habit...and kind of a fun one.

forruths

There was definitely an aha moment for me this time and another when I realised MFP was working. I have always struggled with my weight and have lost and gained-once with a weight loss club and the other times by cutting down my intake of food radically. I did lose but never in a way that was maintainable.

My husband Patrick was diagnosed with cancer in 2009 and any thoughts of my own health went out of the window as we did the best we could to keep on living through surgeries and chemo. He lost the fight in 2011 and I was left traumatised and struggling with grief. The weight kept steadily creeping on as I tried to find out who I was without him. The journey led me to Summer 2015, so obese that pain in my knees was preventing me from doing even everyday tasks. I had a holiday on Lindisfarne but couldn't walk the shores, I struggled even to put on socks and shoes.

I came home from that holiday and it was as if something clicked-I could carry on dying or get on with living. I knew what Patrick would want me to do and for the first time since he died I knew what I wanted to do. I dusted off the scales and made myself get on-a shock after not weighing myself for years.

I found MFP, bought a Fitbit and 5 months later am 56lb lighter. It isn't always easy but this time is different. I'm walking, enjoying the gym, enjoying my food, making good choices that don't leave me feeling deprived. The exercise and energy have improved my resilience both physically and mentally. I have booked to walk a long distance walk this summer-62 miles over several days and when I think where I was just 5 months ago I can hardly believe it! I'm about half way along this weight loss path but it's going to be a lifetime of maintainance I hope.

Good luck, wherever you are on this journey.

senecarr

The National Weight Control Registry tracks people that have lost 30 lbs or more and kept it off for a year.
The head researcher said that from what he's tracked, no one says it gets easier, but confidence in maintaining grows every year until most people are fairly confident at 3 years of maintenance.

zombiemomjo

I have PCOS, and after hearing directly from my OB/GYN that I would always be heavy because my body would always work against me, I kind of gave up. My friend showed me this site, and I was bored at home that day with two little ones at home, so I started logging. Then I got up and did a workout. I saw that the calories I had to play with for the day went up. I said, "Huh? That's interesting." So then I did it again the next day and the next. When I noticed my wedding ring getting looser on my sausage fingers, it finally clicked. This is the real deal! I had it down to a science! When I knew I was planning to eat out, I worked out more that morning to bank some calories. I hit my goal weight in about 8 months, and I was over the moon and cocky about it thinking that if I kept working out, I could maintain without logging AND eat what I want. Fast forward 2+ years, and I've put all of the weight back on. This time it's different, because I KNOW I can do it. I know what I have to do, and I'm doing it every single day.

change4lifenow

For me, I reflected on the fact that I have done many difficult things in my lifetime, but losing weight is the only thing that has gotten the best of me. I felt that if I could conquer all the other tough things in my life, I was not going to let losing weight get the best of me. I have just started on my journey and in 1.5 weeks, I have lost 5.2 lbs. I feel that my mind is in a good place and I will not let my weight be an issue for me. I want to be healthy for myself, my kids and family. For the first time, I feel like this is it for me. I am claiming it and not looking back.

robot_potato

My A-ha moment was when I decided I wasn't dieting. I still eat whatever I want, I just fit it into my calories allowance. I had tried before, restricting myself from many things, but I like carbs, I like ice cream, I like lattes, I like food. I eat it, just less of it. I try to eat less processed foods, not for weight loss, but for health (highly processed foods make me feel greasy and sluggish).

Meganthedogmom

Yes, I knew this was it. I was done with fad diets, giving up and being fat.

gopgirl425

Maybe I don't know really...can't remember. I do know I had hit rock bottom.

Chrelaine

KareninLux wrote: »

Totally different this time round. Feels natural and right. Not restricted. Just moderation. In moderation.

This is how I am feeling this time around. After the holidays this year, I was literally sick of eating heavy, calorie filled food. I am enjoying the lighter food and not feeling deprived like I always did before. I noticed that I am eating better this time also. Before, I was trying to eat crap food in 100 calorie packs, so I was always hungry! Now, I am trying to prep all of my meals and snacks ahead of time and I am learning what fills me up. I'm not perfect, I just log everything. I don't take cheat days like I did before. I've noticed I'm not focused on "dieting" this time. My mindset is totally different. I'm determined to stick with this. I have 50 lbs to lose to be at a healthy weight for my height. 5.5 lbs down so far. I can't wait until I can see the weight loss in the mirror.

Machka9

DoubleTheLove wrote: »

For the successful weight losers here, did you just know that this was going to be the time that your weight loss plan actually worked?

When I started, I was determined to prove that it wouldn't work.


Background:
I have been slender my whole life, up till a few years ago when I slowly and gradually started putting on weight. I attributed it to perimenopause, and figured that's what happens when you get older. I also figured that there was very little chance I could lose the weight. My whole family started out slender like I had been, and as they got older, they slowly and gradually put on weight. So why would I be any different. Plus I was just a little bit overweight, so I didn't figure it really mattered.


Nevertheless, I decided to sign up here and diligently and meticulous stick to the diet like glue. I was going to give it a really good go for 3 weeks ... and when I didn't lose a single gram, I'd embrace my "little bit overweight".

The first 10 days started well. I didn't lose a single thing. See ... it doesn't work. I decided to wait it out to the 2-week point and then call the experiment quits.

But then, all of a sudden on Day 11. I lost weight!!! That wasn't supposed to happen!

By the end of 2 weeks, Day 15, I had lost 2 kg!!

I decided to stick it out for the full 3 weeks as originally planned. Maybe the weight loss was just a "blip". By the end of 3 weeks, I had lost 3 kg!

Goodness me ... I was on a roll. So I just kept going after that and have lost a total of 26 kg now.

bri170lb

I've lost weight before and then immediately after stopping the diet, gained it all back plus extra. This time I actually waited until I was sure I could do it for real and really change my life style before I started. I started because I knew I would do it.

trjjoy

zombiemomjo wrote: »

I have PCOS, and after hearing directly from my OB/GYN that I would always be heavy because my body would always work against me, I kind of gave up. My friend showed me this site, and I was bored at home that day with two little ones at home, so I started logging. Then I got up and did a workout. I saw that the calories I had to play with for the day went up. I said, "Huh? That's interesting." So then I did it again the next day and the next. When I noticed my wedding ring getting looser on my sausage fingers, it finally clicked. This is the real deal! I had it down to a science! When I knew I was planning to eat out, I worked out more that morning to bank some calories. I hit my goal weight in about 8 months, and I was over the moon and cocky about it thinking that if I kept working out, I could maintain without logging AND eat what I want. Fast forward 2+ years, and I've put all of the weight back on. This time it's different, because I KNOW I can do it. I know what I have to do, and I'm doing it every single day.

You can do it!