100+ lbs to lose, feeling overwhelmed

emkrichardson

Hey guys! I have over 100 lbs to lose (though if I lost eighty I'd be thrilled). I'm counting on it taking at least a year, probably closer to two. The thought of spending that much time thinking about every single thing I'm eating every single day...it's exhausting. The good part about being fat is that I can eat what I want without thinking about it! I've been fat my whole life, had thunder thighs since I was two. I literally have no idea what I'd look like if I wasn't seriously overweight.

I know in the long-run the results will be worth it, but when I'm in month two, and only down about five pounds, it feels like I'll be counting calories forever. Any words of motivation or progress pics or stories of your own struggles would be much appreciated! I need proof that this can be done!

meltedsno

One major thing that worked for me is to not step on the scale. I used to be a minimum-5-times-a-day-weigher-inner.... and then I'd move the darn thing around the floor...room to room, trying to find the "skinniest" spot on the floor.... always felt so defeated, so I can sympathize how it feels to have lost "only" 5 pounds in a month.

So... my suggestion-- as hard as it might be -- is to ditch the scale. Let your clothes speak to you. 12 months ago I weighed 230 lbs and wore a very t-i-g-h-t size 18 ( my all time high was 270 lbs/ size 26). I've weighed once since then -- end of Nov and only because I had a pre op physical. Told the doc at that time I didn't want to know what I weighed, but curiousity got the best of me and I asked in recovering what my pre op weight was... imagine my surprise when I found out that my non-weighing had resulted in 52 lbs lost!!! That was the motivation I needed to continue.

So... here we are, June 11, 2014 and I don't have a clue what I weigh right now... but I can tell you that I wore a size 6 pair of jeans to work today and have 3 newly purchased size 4 jeans in my closet (got a good deal on them so bought 3 pair)... wore one of the size 4s to work on Monday :-). Today, during a break from work, I was out walking around the building and a coworker of mine was also out there, talking on the phone as she strolled. She's a tiny little thing. Another coworker drove past the two of us-- later this afternoon, she told me that she was very tempted to take a picture of the two of us as we walked to show me that the "tiny little thing" was now me! wow...

Anyway... try not weighing in for a bit. Not saying you have to go as long as I have, but the fit of your clothes says alot more than a number on the scale. Also... counting calories/thinking about every item I am eating/ logging it all has become a part of my daily routine, like brushing my teeth, combing my hair, taking a shower. Like you, I've been fat all my life so I know that NOT counting calories DOES NOT WORK...

I have body parts that I never knew existed. I have hip bones, I have pelvic bones, I have cheek bones, I have a collar bone... I am telling you, I have never felt these bones before... My only regret is that I had to wait until I was almost 59 to experience this. I can only wonder what I would have looked like in my 20s if I had been where I am today. I've had 4 children and years of carrying around extra weight has resulted in some loose skin but give me this body over fat any day! You CAN DO IT... just don't give up...change your frame of mind from a "diet" mode to a "life changing" mode... :-)

feliscatus84

I'd like to add that what has been working for me is not thinking in terms of "Oh no! I have 100lbs to lose!". I think of it in small increment goals. Like of say 15-20lbs. That way it doesn't seem as tedious. When I hit that goal I reassess and think of all the things that I've gained since losing weight. Like the way the seat belt now snaps easily or how getting into my fiance's low sports car is now a breeze. Those things help keep you going!

Also changing up my food options has helped tremendously. I don't know about you but I used to get into the whole "I must only eat salad and chicken to lose weight!!" rut. Changing up my foods has made this manageable and that's really what the ultimate goal is! To be happy and be able to have the things you like if it fits in your calories/macros. Losing weight shouldn't put you through suffering! Also, finding low calorie at home options to my favorite foods has helped too. If I really want pizza but can't fit it I make a pita pizza and it kills that pizza craving. That has helped me so much I cannot tell you!

As far as tallying up what you eat-you really get used to it! I am not going to lie and say that it doesn't get annoying sometimes but once you stick with it, it really does become a habit. Now I feel almost weird if I don't get to log into myfitnesspal after eating. Also, by logging in you can manage how your day will go. Like say if you want ice cream for dessert you know you have to watch it at lunch or dinner. It really is a great tool that has helped me tremendously and has made it so I can have the things that I enjoy without becoming restrictive.

You know OP just start small. Little changes can really make a big difference! I have lost 35lbs since February and have had ice cream, pizza, and burgers! What myfitnesspal has taught me is that it's really not about how fast I go because even if it took a month to lose 5lbs that's 5lbs GONE! That is 5lbs closer to goal weight and 5lbs I never have to think about again! What also helps is reading the success stories. If I'm having a day where I'm struggling I go read them and I think "well if he/she can do it I can do it too darn it!" I mean there's folks on here that have lost hundreds of lbs! It really helps keep things in perspective. You can do it OP!

lindanewland37

If you look at the big picture it can be overwhelming. I have lost close to 70 lbs. in just over a year but probably still have another 100 to lose. I agree with the poster who said not to weigh very often - I only weigh every few weeks. I also have had to look at it in small steps because the big picture can be so daunting. Some days I have to just think of it one meal at a time, although most days I plan out the night before. It's easier for me than for some people because I live alone and work at home - but it is still a job. I agree also with the poster who said start with small changes. It can be done but don't expect it to happen overnight and don't beat yourself up if you have a bad meal/day/week - just start over the next meal/day/week. Also it helps not to view it as a temporary thing until you lose the weight but make permanent changes to your behavior and view it as just being the way you eat now.

Ou812iSeE

I would like to lose 100 lbs and at first was overwhelmed also. This is what I have learned so far and it has worked for me. I do weigh myself everyday, when I wake up and after restroom. I like the routine of it. I have noticed an increase sometimes and a loss other times, don't dwell on it. I have lost 18 lbs so far and I still eat what I want, I just eat differently. I had no realization of how many calories were in things. So for me, I had to start weighing my food. It opened my eyes! Once I saw how many calories were in a handful of cheese I realized I could use a 1/4 cup just fine, for an omelette, instead of the cup I was used to. And instead of 3 eggs I saw that I could buy egg whites in a carton and use 3 tblsp of that with only 1 egg, cool! That got me excited, so I now try to figure out how I can eat the same but a little different that's all. If I know the family is going to eat pizza, I walk a little extra and maybe eat a light lunch so I can have that third piece of pizza! I walk at least three times a week. At first I was slow and sore and I didn't want to do it, but once I learned I could eat more, I got my rear in gear. I see these commercials and all my life I have heard that powders or weight loss tablets or joining these weight loss centers were what a had to do in order to lose weight. THAT was overwhelming to me. To know I could never do it on my own made me depressed and I just wouldn't even try. If your able to change your mind from saying I'm on a diet, just take that word diet and throw it out the door. Everything we have heard about dieting is most likely wrong and was put in our heads to make people money. Instead say this is how I do it now. This is the way I live, and believe it. Eat at a deficit and you will lose. I eat 1200 calories, but I love my exercise days, when I can eat more. It took us a long time to get here, if it only takes me a year to lose it, shoot I'm in! Don't waste one more day thinking about it, just do it and be patient with yourself! All the best to you

z0bear

Hi there,

I've lost 40 kilos in 2 years,100+lbs sounds like a big number but remember you didn't gain that much weight in one day,I don't count carlories,I workout then I do my food shopping,everything I pick up in the supermarket I ask myself does it worth me to eat after my hard workout,and it helps alot! I eat fruits(sweet) and nuts as snack,when I'm really craving,I try to eat as much as vegies and white meat as I can,because they are good for you and doesn't contain much sugar as fruits. And yes I am one of those food nerd read infor and compare through different brand. Enjoy what you are doing,so in the end you get your results and you are happy inside and out. Have you ever heard of Paleo diet,they are so good !

lafaz

You know....the fact is, the time is going to go by anyway. I health coach people through weight loss and honestly, use the time (as I did) to really work on the stuff not related to diet.....to personal development, to understanding the reasons you eat, to carving out a vision for what you want the end result to look like. Again, that time is going to go by anyway. Let it go by in pursuit of what you really, really want. Create that vision board for yourself and chunk it into small goals. It's a marathon, not a sprint anyway. Being healthy is more than just counting calories and "dieting". It's about embracing taking care of yourself first, creating health in your life, and that happens in lots of small choices every day. Good luck....and while the destination is great, you learn so much along the way!!!

emmaalyssaa

Always thinking about this. It's so overwhelming. But the way I see it, is that it's a complete life style. Of course we won't be calorie counting all our lives. But I see it as someone who's very overweight that food will always be an important subject. I have a bad relationship with food so I will always have to watch what I eat in order to maintain my healthy lifestyle.

franhaselden

You don't need to lose 100lbs, you need to lose 5% of your body weight. Work out that number and don't think of anything else until you get there.

For example I have about 100lbs to lose overall as well. But right now, I'm focused on losing 7lbs as that will bring me down to the nearest stone (17st).

Focus on the smaller goals before you commit to the bigger goal or it will feel like it's neverending.

Work in 5% and 10% goals. Start with 5% of your current weight. When you achieve that, think of 10% (of your original weight). Once that's complete, 5% of your CURRENT weight etc...

LessHeavyVeggie

Hi, I'm the same boat as you (140lbs/10st to lose over all!).
Just take each day at a time and celebrate the small victories. Whilst, 1lb (or even 20lbs) may seem like a drop in the ocean, every little helps! I find it helps to think long term on the scale - eg. if you lose 2lbs in a week it may not seem like much, but if you do that for the next 3 months it'll be 24lbs and you'll be 1/4 of the way to 100! etc. I have mini goals within my mammoth 140 goal - I work in stone so it's 10st to lose overall, but my mini goals are 2.5st (1/4) 5st (1/2) and 7.5st (3/4) - that way you feel closer to achieving. Also, don't get discouraged if you have a bad day/week, just put it behind you and concentrate on today/this week.

DerFlexo

Try to set yourself smaller, reachable goals. Maybe 10 lbs a piece. Trying to lose 10 lbs isn't nearly as daunting as trying to lose 100, but the direction you'll be going is still the same.

JaneyB311

Hi, my goal is also to lose around 100lb and to start with I could not even think about losing anything like that, it seemed too daunting, too impossible. So I concentrated on tiny goals, a few pounds here and there e.g. going from 256 to 249 was a goal, as I was in a different set of numbers. I'm from UK so we use 'stones' too, so I set myself goals relating to that also......so losing another half-stone (7 lbs) or moving into to next set of stones.

I agree about not being a slave to the scales to a degree......I had to be strict and hide mine away most of the week. They come put now on a Thursday night before bedtime ready for my weekly weigh in on a Friday, then go away again. I personally find seeing the numbers go down helps, but you will get times that it stalls so you musn't let it get you down when it does.

One thing I wish I'd done but didn't was take my body measurements at the start. I have been measuring now for the last 2 months and in month 1 alone I saw a change of 8 inches from around my body, despite the scales only showing a 6lb loss that month. I'd really recommend doing that as seeing a change in inches is a real motivator.

And the best piece of advice I can give you is to be kind to yourself along this journey, losing weight is tough sometimes and requires a lot of changes to your lifestyle. So if you 'fall off the wagon' one day then don't beat yourself up about it....just get back on it the next day and learn from things as you go along. I used to be terrified that if I had a day off for attending an occasion etc then I would just fall back into my old ways and put all the weight back on. Of course that was nonsense! So build your food plan around you, eat well most of the time but if you love chocolate have a little, it's not the end of the world.

Good luck with your weight loss, if you want any support I am happy to be your MFP friend, just send me a request

meltedsno

I have to agree with everyone about not looking at the full picture and to break your weight loss down into pieces. So many times I've told myself I will start on the first of the month... first of the month comes and goes-- pretty soon it is the end of the month and I am looking back and thinking... "damn, if I'd have just stuck to my "first of the month" pledge, I'd have a month of lifestyle change under my belt, and if I can do it for one month, I can do it for another".

Guess after a few too many times of this happening, I decided to stick to it for one month, which did turn into another, and another and another --- miraculous thing has happened during this process -- I am no longer looking back at the month that passed-- instead I am looking forward to the month ahead of me

Sarah4fitness

If people measured running a marathon in steps, the number would be insurmountable and terrifying. That said, every time a runner puts one foot in front of the other, they're that much closer to completing the race.

Every little step is a victory, every healthy change is progress. And you know what slow progress is? PROGRESS.

Make one little change every week. Vow to drink a gallon of water a day, do it for a week, then add another change. Little changes add up to BIG lifestyle alterations, and the weight will follow. Congratulations on choosing to take control!

Azurite27

I've lost 130 pounds in the past year and a half. I started out doing it a bit unhealthy due to lack of knowledge. I'd suggest reading all the good links folks will post, focus on making small sustainable changes and getting there slowly but surely. You're welcome to add me if you like.

Iwishyouwell

As someone who has lost over 100lbs, I'm going to be dead honest with you.

I feel a lot more antsy, for various reasons, finishing the remaining portion than I ever did during the first 100.

smileygirl1980

On January 2nd of this year I decided I didn't want to be fat anymore, after dealing with all the pain and sadness for 33 years it was enough! So I decided I would start by cutting my calories to 1000 a day! I know exactly how you feel. It is extremely hard to count every little thing that you are eating all day long! I have learned to just keep my measuring cups and spoons on the kitchen counter at all times. Looking at menu's for restaurants online so I know what I can or can not eat, instead of just hoping it is under my calorie count for the day.
I have to say that this is the hardest thing I have ever done. To see the scale numbers go down has been the best thing to help me keep up on doing this for so long.

I know it will be difficult but with love and support from family you will be able to get through it....

Kimbermcle9

You've lost 80 lbs since January 2014????

healthdream

I have 110lbs to lose, I wish you luck on your journey

It is really overwhelming I know

sticky130

I just wish that somebody would invent a time machine where you could wizz forward say 18 months and say to yourself if you keep doing what your doing this is what you would look like, just to give you the reassurance it can be done!!

My old Boss used to always use this analogy when our sales targets came down each quarter, 'How do you eat an elephant? one little piece at a time' I sure he had no idea that I would transfer this to my weightloss though!!

Each time I weigh in I give my self a new goal, this time it's just to get under 15 stone, just that 1 pound under, which is in 2 pounds time. After that it will be kilo's, to get under 95, each time it changes but as each little milepost is knocked down I'm one step closer to my goal, or one more bite closer to eating an whole elephant! lol

beautifulwarrior18

Wow, that is overwhelming. Why don't you start by making it your goal to lose 5 lbs. Once you do that you can make your goal 10 lbs and 10 lbs after that. That's a lot less scary.

xX_PhoenixRising_Xx

What else were you going to do with the passing time? That's the way I look at it. I'd rather count my calories forever than go back to the 149kg (329lbs) that I used to weigh. That said, when I started out in November 2011 I didn't anticipate that I'd still be working towards my goal weight in June 2014. But you know what? I don't care. I've lost 140lbs so far, and I have 24 lbs left to lose.

I also broke up the journey into goals. In my case 5kg lots. I found lots of things to motivate me along the way though - from fitting smaller clothes to increased fitness. Being able to start running, and even before that things like not getting out of breath going up stairs, being able to walk further. Joints not hurting. It all helps, and those little bits of weight lost all add up. It doesn't seem like it's been so long tbh. Now it's all just habit

Sarahsteve7kids

Lots of great advice on here! What finally triggered me to lose weight (I had 75 pounds to take off) was seeing my sister who was heavier then me. When I saw her she had recently lost 20 of her 100 pounds and looked GREAT! it was so noticeable! I realized for the first time that we can feel good and look better as we are losing! I stopped worrying about my big goal and started with 'I can't wait to be out of the 190's" and it has continued to snow ball from there. Now I'm saying 'I can't wait to hit my half way mark'. Made losing fun and not so daunting! I do also count EVERY calorie this time and have found it really is no big deal at all and will probably do it the rest of my life! Good luck!

JeffInJax

When the overall goal seems so far off i found it best to break it down into achievable goals maybe a few months worth at a time. Like I said, achievable...it also needs to be sustainable. Aim to lose 5 pounds a month, or set "Mini Goal Weights" Like i started at 380 and 350,325,300,275,250 have always been mini goals for me and didnt give myself a timeframe, and im about to hit my latest mini goal of 250, with my overall being 225. Sometimes with the finish line out of sight it is easy to lose motivation but setting individual milestones makes it much easier to accomplish.

hol_lou85

i only ever weighed on a friday morning, and i didnt see it as 160lbs to lose, but i saw it in 10lb sections - each time it was a celebration that i was one step closer - look at the small steps and they will build up to the total amount.