A cool little motivator

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If you’re stalled in your weight loss, don’t forget to appreciate the work that you’ve done. Next time you’re at the gym, go over to the free weights section and find a weight that equals the amount you’ve lost (a gallon of milk also works. It’s 8.7lbs). Lift it and really feel its weight. Think of how your joints must be thanking you, even if it’s a small difference. Congratulate yourself for that! For me, if I can hold it in my hand and think about that weight and how it is no longer clinging to my body and weighing on my knees, it brings it home. I have a hard time lifting the 50lb dumbbells, but I’ve lost more than that from my frame (or more than 6 gallons of milk!). Kind of crazy…

Remember to appreciate your body at whatever weight it is. Love it and it will love you back. If you are always criticizing your body at that higher-than-you-want weight, it can be hard to break that habit once you’ve reached your goal.
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Replies

  • caitrocks8
    caitrocks8 Posts: 10
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    Great idea!

    My progress is slow. Sometimes, I feel like I'm not making any at all. I need to be more appreciative of how far I've come - Thanks!
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
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    This is a great idea. I've heard people use bags of flour or sugar as a symbol of their weightloss but this is a great idea, too. Way to stay positive!
  • kamri2002
    kamri2002 Posts: 3
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    Awesome way to look at things. You are definitely right! Every pound loss is success!!
  • ChapinaGrande
    ChapinaGrande Posts: 289 Member
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    I do the same thing, but with big buckets of lard (5 lb) or pound packages of butter at the store. Since it's pure fat, it gives me a visual as well as physical sense of my change in size and weight. good tip, OP!
  • acoustophoresis
    acoustophoresis Posts: 49 Member
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    I'm a total lurker on this website - in fact, this is my first community post ever. But I just had to say that this is the best thing I've read on the forums.
  • Pirate_chick
    Pirate_chick Posts: 1,216 Member
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    This is the best idea I have seen. Thank you. Sometimes it's hard when I go for weeks at a time without a single ounce lost, for whatever reason. To see my progress as something tangible will keep me from getting discouraged. Thank you so much.
  • Mikkimeow
    Mikkimeow Posts: 1,282 Member
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    This is awesome.
  • donnat238
    donnat238 Posts: 309 Member
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    Great idea! I'm going to trying this tonight!
  • klkateri
    klkateri Posts: 432 Member
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    Good idea. Currently, I'm at a gain/lose cycle of about 3 pounds and I'm incredibly frustrated. But, then I see my dog running around and remember that I just lost what he weighs and I'm amazed. Sometimes, I'll pick him up and weigh with him and then put him down and weigh without him just to see that drastic change!!
  • AmigaMaria001
    AmigaMaria001 Posts: 489 Member
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    I buy 1-lb of butter for every pound of weight I lose. I stick it in the freezer, and it's getting pretty full. Now when I get discouraged I just open the freezer and look at all that FAT! Fat that I am no longer carrying around!
    58369279.png
    Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Calorie Counter
  • 1HappyRedhead
    1HappyRedhead Posts: 413 Member
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    Thank you! :flowerforyou:
  • _Pseudonymous_
    _Pseudonymous_ Posts: 1,671 Member
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    This is such a fantastic idea. Thank you for sharing this. I think we all discredit our hard work here from time to time.
  • odusgolp
    odusgolp Posts: 10,477 Member
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    Very cool
  • LaurasClimb
    LaurasClimb Posts: 211 Member
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    Great post! Thanks.
  • richardositosanchez
    richardositosanchez Posts: 260 Member
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    Great motivation. It's easy to get caught up in the end result and fail to see the progress made so far.
  • hmaddpear
    hmaddpear Posts: 610 Member
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    Fantastic idea.

    When I go shopping, I put my groceries in a backpack and walk home (it's just a mile). A couple of months ago, I did this and was curious to find out how much was in the pack (it was pretty heavy...) I weighed myself with and without it when I got home and was surprised to find that a) it was 20lb and b) that I'd lost three of them. Judging by the way my knees felt after carrying it, goodness knows how they managed to support me when I was still carrying all three!

    Still got one and a half 20lb backpacks to go though.
  • logiatype
    logiatype Posts: 110 Member
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    Definitely need to try this. I still feel as fat as I was when I started out.
    Thanks
  • besaro
    besaro Posts: 1,858 Member
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    i carried a 50 pound bag of corn feed the other day, i can't imagine i was carrying twice that around everywhere with me.
  • FatPanda93
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    That's my fear, not being able to stop after I get to my goal. Or maybe not realizing that my goal is unrealistic. Which is why I try to tell myself: "120 lbs or whenever I look and feel healthy."