Successe is it normal to feel this way?

SouthernGuns

Okay so, here is my brief history.

2011 had my baby boy weighed 226-228.
Started my lifestyle change in April 2012.
By July 2012 was down to 198lbs.
Got Preggo had my baby girl April 2013 weighed 215.
Started eating right emidiatley got down to 205.
Joined MFP and now I'm down to 176.

Ok so I've lost over 25 inches and 50lbs, but I still feel like my success
Isn't good enough, like I want this so bad, I want it faster. But faster isn't
Always healthy. Losing weight slow is. But am I the only one who ever feels like my
Success isn't good enough, even tho I'm still not finished. My GW is 130 my UGW is 118-128.
I want to be a success story. I want to show my photos but I feel like its taking forever. Is this normal!?!
I've come so far yet feel so down I guess. I guess I just need some encouragement.
I haven't fell off the wagon I'm still going strong . But sometimes it's hard because what I love and desire to be seems so far away...

rebamay87

Honestly? Sounds normal to me - you've had a life while all this has been going on. Its not as simple as move from point a to point b in one smooth line. Weight loss is slow and sometimes tedious.

Keep at it, if you've managed to make continuous process then thats all that matters. Focus on the successes you're having now rather than showing off your success..It might not be the most glamorous journey, but it is one that is going to lead you where you want to go

Keep at it, and as always - time flies - you'll be a success before you know it.

ktsmom430

Sounds like what many of us go through. Keep up what you are doing and before you know it, you will be where you want to be. You are doing wonderful!

We would all like for there to be a magic, quick solution, but there really isn't.

You have two very young children. You will be a great role model for them. Enjoy this time with them, it is very special, and goes by so fast.

Continued successs to you!

cognita

Firstly, you've lost so much weight - CONGRATULATIONS!
Whenever you feel down or bad about yourself, just remind yourself how well you are doing. from 215 to 176 is an incredible achievement.
I think everyone on a journey to improve themselves - wether that's weight loss or college or whatever - on every life changing journey people doubt themselves. it is so hard to stay motivated and do hard to succeed... but YOU'RE ALREADY SUCCEEDING!!

I've lost no where near what most people on the forums have lost, but something that really helped me was breaking down my goals, and making goals not just number-related. i have a list up on my fridge door that i love to cross items off! One of them was reaching 130lbs, another was fitting into a pair of jeans i couldnt squeeze on anymore. I think the most important goal was being able to stabilise my eating for a full week (without a binge and a day making up for it, or a day going massively under my allowance). It's amazing having small things to focus on that you can cross off once a week or so, just to remind you how well you're doing and how far you have come.

You have obviously made some huge life changes, but just make sure you are eating /enough/. I stuck to 1200 calories a day and really struggled with feeling down and having no energy and generally feeling depressed about everything. Your food diary isnt visable to me but I would just reccommend that you check you are consuming A) enough calories, enough fat . Here's an article about fat intake and mood: http://www.healthy.net/scr/column.aspx?Id=91. to summarise, it's an experiment on a low fat diet where the participants on a lower fat diet experienced an increase in hostility among other things.
Another good thing to read is this atricle, which gives some insight about the effects of low calorie diets on moods: 'When researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, put women on a 1,200-calorie-a-day diet, they found that test subjects produced more of the stress hormone cortisol and reported higher levels of perceived stress' - http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/weight-loss/tips/diet-tips/diet-and-mood-swings/

If you're confident your intake and diet is sound, then unfortunately it's really just a waiting game. Take some photos, maybe, so you can see your progress when you feel down? You are doing well, dont put yourself down about it .

If it ever seems so far away, just remind yourself of the alternative. Whatever you did today was better than what you were doing at your HW. and you ARE loosing, however slow it might be. As you say, it's not always healthy to go faster. A very low calorie day for me often leads to a very high calorie day within the next few days... which leaves me feeling fully miserable.

Good luck and stay strong, you're doing great.

teachmom32

You're down 40 pounds since April. That's an amazing amount of weight! Don't beat yourself up about it. The mental part of weight loss is the most difficult. Learning that it will take a long time and will have to be maintained for life is a very difficult thing. Once you get in that frame of mind, though, it's easier to let the small gains and plateaus roll right off your back.

StephanieE3456

You've done a great job so far. Keep it up! This really is a journey and there is going to be ups and downs. The key is not giving up. I've had times where I've hit plateaus or stalled and gained several pounds but I keep showing up every day and trying again to do better. It's a winding road to goal with lots of ups and downs. You're doing great and I would focus on the day to day rather than far out into the future. Know that each day you stay on plan and exercise you're adding to your health and well being. It will all pay off in the end. Don't rush it.

TheArmadillo

It is normal to feel like this, but if it goes too far it can start to cause problems e.g.
1) feeling like you're failing can lead to self - sabotage
2) not being ever happy with your weight can cause you to go to low with your weight

plus other possibilities

1 thing I found helped was to be conscious of how much weight I had lost - seeing how big my old clothes were on me now. Also being conscious of how much my fitness has improved and making my new goals fitness based. I am still counting calories and trying to lose weight but my focus is on being healthy and physically fit. I also found being concious of what my body has achieved and what it can do gave me a more positive body image.

SouthernGuns

Thank you so much everyone. Such kind people. It's nice having people to confide in. God bless all of you!