Patience - How Do You Keep It?

MegE_N

Hello!

I've been struggling with my weight since I can remember, but I started my 'wedding lifestyle change' about a month ago. So far it's going pretty well - I've lost about 14 pounds since April 21. But I find that I'm really impatient, and at least once I've fallen off the wagon for a few days because I was so discouraged that I 'wasn't getting results.' Yet when I sat down and looked back and realized that I'd only been at it a month and I'd lost 14 pounds, I was very proud of myself.

Yet I keep catching myself falling down that same trap - I step on the scale and don't see the results that I really want, that I daydream about. Does this happen to anyone else? Do you have any tricks to keeping yourself patient on your weight loss journey?

Thank you!

ChubbyInHeels

I think it happens to the best of us I find little non scale victories will hold you over Make sure you do measurements and I would start taking a picture inthe same outfit every month and see the changes that maybe the scale isnt showing you

dlionsmane

I agree with the other poster. Also I try to look at it as - just for today. I take it one day at a time, if I can get through today, then tomorrow I do the same thing. Just get through today. Don't worry about the big picture. Today is the day you make the right choices. BTW - 14 pounds in a month is a huge success, you should be proud!

Also you must remember that big losses are not always going to be the case, weight loss is not linear and I don't know when the wedding is for you but it has taken me over a year to lose 46 pounds, it is slow but it is consistent and I don't feel deprived.

Good luck to you on your journey. (and congrats on the pending nuptials)

sstolii123

I think you said it best when you looked at the big picture and realized you lost 14 pounds in one month!
Set yourself up for a win and only weigh in once a week or less, this gives you the opportunity to see the biggest change on the scale.
Set reasonable goals for your loss, 1-2 pounds a week even if you know you might do better, Set a goal to walk a mile or 3, 5 times a week, you will feel great when you achieve your goal.
sometimes when I finish logging in my food for the evening and MFP says if you keep eating like this you will weigh *** in 5 weeks, I put that statement into my calendar on the date is says I will weigh that amount. Each time that day came around I weighed less than MFP thought I would.

Remember the definition of success ifs the progressive realization of a worthy goal!!

Abi198111

I've been feeling the same lately! I've lost 21 lbs in total and I feel like I should be 'skinny' now but sometimes I catch sight of myself and think "you're still huge". I just keep telling myself to trust the process. I know I'm eating properly, logging everything and working my *kitten* off in the gym. I WILL get results and changes are happening all the time that I can't see...yet!

Kr1ptonite

Use to happen to me a lot, as I set high goals and I'd say you find most have had similar issues. It's part of the process. Keep at it mate, before you know it you will be at your goal

Therealobi1

You somehow learn how to be patient as you carry on. Me being impatient last year just made me more frustrated. I put too much pressure on myself. When i accepted that some weeks i will lose some weeks i wont and some weeks you lose more than others it became easier. Also people sometimes ask me if i have lost more weight even though the scales havent budged in ages, so hopefully that means inch loss. The bottom line is if u dont make an effort and keep at it you will never make any changes, so you just have to keep going. good luck.

LizN63

14 pounds in a month is awesome! I would be very happy with that.

Perhaps set yourself smaller, interim goals that you can achieve, weight related maybe but also fitness-related or something else, as a poster said below. You can hit those and feel good, then set some more!

DWBalboa

When you find yourself getting frustrated just remember to shout “SERENITY NOW!”




You have to remember that it took years for you to get to the shape that you are currently at and it's going to take a long time to get into the shape you want to be. It won't happen overnight. You also should keep the mindset that goals will need to be adjusted to find the correct goal, a more realistic goal for you and your lifestyle.
For me I do like to set my goals just a little further than my reach, that way I don’t get complacent and keep pushing myself. Sometimes I reach the goals and sometimes I don’t, when I don’t reach them I don’t fret about it I just readjust the goal for the next phase.
You can do this!
Good luck!

KaelaLee88

Slow and steady wins the race!

You are losing weight for a deadline, your wedding is coming up and you're putting pressure on yourself :-)

Just know that whatever you weigh on your wedding day, you will be a stunning bride who is marrying the love of her life!

Try to enjoy the journey and see this as a gradual change, good things come to those who wait :-)

Kaela x

gypsy_spirit

I've lost a little over 100 pounds in the last 2 years. It has been a long road, but very doable. The reason? I'm realistic and I have a solid plan to work. I'm eating enough to fuel my body/workouts and I've built habits which carry me through the low motivation times - and they WILL come. I also have worked very hard to learn moderation (so I can still eat the foods I love) and to learn delayed gratification (so I don't just binge willy nilly). Learning those 2 things mean I can survive all that life throws at me.

I don't know what kind of plan you have in place now or how sustainable it will be, but the information in the link below is awesome. It might help you build your own plan for health that will carry you through the hard times. Best of luck!

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1175494-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

zoeysasha37

14 lbs is great!! It's very important to look at the big picture, that's what matters. look at it like a lifestyle change, so time frames don't matter so much.

MinnieInMaine

Setting weight loss goals based on certain events (reunion, wedding, trip, etc) never worked for me. I've done some thinking about this and believe that this is because losing weight for a certain event is about pleasing others (wanting to look good for your soon to be husband, family, friends, pictures, etc) and therefore isn't very good motivation.

How about setting different goals. Wanting to improve health, mobility, longevity. Wanting to be more active, able to do travel easier, go to amusement parks, run/bike in races, shop in certain stores. Really think about why you want to lose the weight and once you come up with a reason that's more meaningful to you, it will click.

Here's the real kicker - the alternative is giving up and gaining all the weight back and maybe more - why would you do that?!