How do you wait for the weight to come off??

TheBakerGirl

Hi all,

Just looking for some advice about being patient. I sometimes get caught up in a bad way of thinking, causing me to lose sight of all the good things I am doing in my diet and exercise. How can I remind myself that by doing the right things, the weight will eventually disappear? Being impatient just makes me want to throw in the towel and wreck all of my hard work. I know all good things are worth waiting (and working!) for...what can I do to keep that in the front of my mind?

Thanks for your advice!

TavistockToad

there is a really good quote that i have heard on MFP... 'in a years time you will wish you had started today'

it does take time, and you will get impatient, but then this is a lifestyle change for EVER... plus the weight didnt go on overnight, so it wont come off overnight either.

set yourself small goals, with non food related rewards, that should help!

shad1018

I feel the same way you do and look forward to the answers i know our MFP friends will share. Have a great day

Lotte34

I agree! I think this is why i fall off the wagon so often as I am not seeing immediate results. I second what Shad says and I look forwards to seeing the responses here

peteb79

I think its best, along with many small goals, to also have a longer goal to keep you on the path. I mark a mini goal every 10 lbs.. and my bigger goal is to complete some kind of obstacle course run by next summer. And my 10th wedding anniversary is coming up a year after that and we are planning a trip to Hawaii, and I do not want to wear my swim shirt in Hawaii.

Goals keep me patient.

p0stdramatic

I waited for years to start. My excuse? I want the weight gone NOW, and it won't happen NOW, so why bother? I finally came to terms with that in June, and on July 1st I started. I didn't concentrate on losing weight. I concentrated on measuring my food, tracking my food, drinking water, building endurance and strength. I've concentrated on becoming a new person and living a new lifestyle, because that is step 1 to losing weight and keeping it off. I've lost 40 pounds in the process.

My mistake in the past when I've tried to lose weight was obsessing over the weight loss, and thinking "Only [so many] more pounds and I can go back to being myself!" Which translated to "I only have to lose [so many] more pounds, then I can go back to being fat!"

Teliooo

I have lost about 100 in over six years. With lost of gaps in between due to preganncy,falling of the wagon a bit and so on. But imagine if I had never started? I would still be 100 pounds heavier and those years have flown by. I look at feel great now and it was all worth it. Doing it slowly meant that I barely put any back on and only really did due to pregnancy, losing motivation and just being generally busy to care about my appearance. I have so much confidence now. As cheesy as it sounds. Slow and steady really does win the race!

missfluffyuk

I suppose I'm really lucky, in that I not only don't have much to lose, but I seem to drop weight really quickly as well... Hopefully that hasn't changed!

But, I agree, mini goals really do seem the best things. And measure yourself as well -- while you may not be seeing much change on the scales, you might with the measuring tape!

mabelebam

Patience is one of my constant battles too, and it's not easy trying to stay on track. Whenever I feel like throwing in the towel, I reread my favourite quote :"Always remember the tougher the challenge, the more reward you will get when you get thru it." It reminds me that my hard work and effort will pay off in the end in huge amounts!

That, and the one in my sig : You don't drown by falling in water. You drown by staying there. -unknown author.

Also, I read a comment on MFP, which said "You didn't put on the weight overnight, so you won't get rid of it overnight either." Harsh, but true! Hope this helps, and hang in there! You're not going through this alone...we're all here to give you support and encouragement! )

Rae9911

I am not the most patient person when it comes to losing the weight but what I do that helps me keep on track is although I weigh myself each Saturday morning on the last day of the month I take all my measurements (Neck, Waist, Hips, L Thigh, R Thigh, L Biscep and R Biscep) so even if I have not seen much scale action and I measure, I seem to always see that I have lost in the measurement section. So seeing that even if I have not lost much weight but my measurements are coming down then I know that I am on the right track and to just keep plugging away at it. I measured myself on Friday and since I started on 8 Jan 2011 I have lost 5 inches from my waist alone and 5 inches from my hips so I would recommend keeping a monthly log of measurements.

chocoholicandbaby

I find it always helps to really remember why you're doing this. I also like to think about the way my life has improved since I've started being healthier.

An important step for me to take this time was to really focus on this as a lifestyle change. You hear people throw that phrase around all the time, and I have in the past as well, but this time I really appreciate it for what it means. Don't think of this as a 'diet' or as depriving yourself. You're actually doing yourself a favour by being healthy.

Also, as someone else pointed out, in a years time you will be glad you started today!

meeperoon

I picture myself in a years time, going on holiday with the bf for the first time and being by the side of a pool wearing a bikini and having no issues about it at all.

thats how I get through, because until I eat properly and change my lifestyle, it isnt going to happen!

It'll take time but everyday I see little changes and it pushes me to keep going.

TheBakerGirl

My mistake in the past when I've tried to lose weight was obsessing over the weight loss, and thinking "Only [so many] more pounds and I can go back to being myself!" Which translated to "I only have to lose [so many] more pounds, then I can go back to being fat!"

I love your response! It sounds like focusing on eating right and working out is the way to tackle this...the rest will follow. Thanks!!

jwil1231

aduncan24, good morning, how it works with me is like this...I plateau with the weight loss but I will happend to glimpse a image of myself in a mirror, or notice my pants are fitting, or my movement is a bit easier in something, and that realization tells me I'm still on track to improve and better myself.

So, while I would love, love, love to see smaller numbers - until they get here I celebrate my other mini accomplishements.

Hang in there. I'm plateaued at a 10 pound weight loss....and I want to lose 30 more. So I understand the frustration. :grumble:

TheBakerGirl

Thanks Mabelebam!!

Patience is one of my constant battles too, and it's not easy trying to stay on track. Whenever I feel like throwing in the towel, I reread my favourite quote :"Always remember the tougher the challenge, the more reward you will get when you get thru it." It reminds me that my hard work and effort will pay off in the end in huge amounts!

That, and the one in my sig : You don't drown by falling in water. You drown by staying there. -unknown author.

Also, I read a comment on MFP, which said "You didn't put on the weight overnight, so you won't get rid of it overnight either." Harsh, but true! Hope this helps, and hang in there! You're not going through this alone...we're all here to give you support and encouragement! )

These ideas really help. And you're right, the fact that we're all in this together makes it all a little easier. Just looking at other people's success stories is proof that patience works!

3shirts

I agree that the best thing is to focus on finding a new lifestyle. I am now regularly at the gym, play badminton for 2 hours a week and eat much more healthily.
These are things that just make me feel much better about myself and although I am only losing actual weight very slowly, I am seeing big improvements in my muscle mass, body fat percentage and, most importantly, the way I feel.

It was really hard and I had to practically wrestle myself to the gym for the first few months but now I am starting to see and feel the benefit it makes it easy to keep it up as I know it works.

christinaroxz

I think its best, along with many small goals, to also have a longer goal to keep you on the path. I mark a mini goal every 10 lbs.. and my bigger goal is to complete some kind of obstacle course run by next summer. And my 10th wedding anniversary is coming up a year after that and we are planning a trip to Hawaii, and I do not want to wear my swim shirt in Hawaii.

Goals keep me patient.

Love it! Way to set goals to keep you on track! I stay on track by reminding myself of all the cute clothes I could be wearing in a few months time! What woman doesn't love a new wardrobe!

:bigsmile:

HMonsterX

I agree that the best thing is to focus on finding a new lifestyle. I am now regularly at the gym, play badminton for 2 hours a week and eat much more healthily.

We should meet up for a game!

OT, yes, exactly this. Don't do a short time diet plan. Do a lifelong change. Makes changes that are sustainable. So even when you're at your lowest, what you eat wont be something you're cursing, as it's perfectly fine!

Angie789

I agree - mini-goals are the way to go! Because I am a former yo-yo dieter, I have been every size from an 8 to a 22 in my life. Instead of just focusing on my ultimate goal (which can seem so far away & daunting), I focus on getting down ONE MORE SIZE. I literally have a stack of jeans in my closet in each size, and I pull out the next size down as I go. When I can fit into a smaller size, it makes me feel awesome & motivated to keep going!

withchaco

Mix some muffin dough.

The flour, the egg and the liquid (water/milk) do not mix well at first. It doesn't seem like they're supposed to mix at ALL. None of the ingredients seem to stick together. But you keep going, and before you know it, they start to form a dough. This is how a person changes.

Just make sure you don't eat the muffins afterwards

becky2967

i focus on why im doing this, and try not to obsess over why you still look the same for afew weeks.. but i see it as the first few weeks your geting healthy and building good food habits.. slowly you will notice just how far you have come. monthly measurements are a good idea, as you will put on muscle which is heavier than fat. good luck!

Teddyaderwich

I feel very impatient at mo - came in all guns blazing - but currently feeling down because a week seemssuch a long time to lose a 1lb or 2.

I'll give myself a good talking to - and keep on track.

radicalbunny

Do I have to give you a good talking to as well? :P
Just look forward to small rewards every now and then (when I can afford them)

kapeluza

"I just wanted to post something about what to expect during the phases of weight loss.

Overview (why I'm posting this)
Over the course of about 7 months on here, I have seen many people suceed, I have also seen some drop off the map. I expect this is because some succumb to the demon that is temptation, and some to the devil that is dissapointment. I wanted to give a few "heads up"s to both new commers and vetrans to the site. Some may know already, some may not. But either way, if this helps anyone to set more realistic goals in their own head, I feel like it has done it's job.

Phase 1. The start of a brand new day! (or week, or month, or year)
Expectations are sky high, usually so is motivation and intentions. This is where most people lose the most weight. At the start it's not uncommon to see 4 to 8 lb losses per week. The reasons for this are mostly (sorry to disappoint) water weight. You drop excess water quickly, and you can have up to 5 lbs of water weight. The next biggest reason is the fat that is right next to the blood vessels, the stuff that you put on in the last month or three, it will melt like butter usually.

Phase 2. Reality setting in.
At about week 3 to a month or so, people suddenly realize that they are no longer dropping 8, 6, or even 4 lbs a week. This is a crutial phase in your journey. Expect this, it is natural. You have shocked your body by changing both eating habits and exercise routine. Now it has had a little while to become used to the new lifestyle, it's going to compensate. Your body still doesn't believe it's permenant yet, so it will still try to store some fat, so now that it knows how to regulate it's new metabolic levels, it tryies to store fat in earnest. It's not uncommon for people to hit a wall here, no loss for weeks. Expect this as well.

Phase 3. The routine.
At about 2 months or so, your routine is pretty much set, your body is beginning to believe that you really want to STAY the way you are going now. You will start to see more consistant (but lower, usually 1 to 2 lbs a week) loss, also, you should start seeing some muscle tone (depending on how much you had to lose in the first place). If you stop to think, you should realize that you have improved dramatically in your exercise levels. If you do cardio, you should notice how much longer and harder you can work. This is important to realize as it is just as big of an indicator as weight loss. Also, by now you may notice that your clothes no longer fit right. This is also very important. The weight may not be falling off anymore, but you are becomming a smaller person. Weight is arbitrary, if you are building muscle (which your body is doing at a furious pace by now) you won't notice huge losses, but you will notice wholesale changes in the mirror!

Phase 4. Really digging in.
This is where the second wall can happen. You're probably at between 3 and 4 months by now, and if you have gone this far, you feel like you have already suceeded. This is where many people stumble. they are tired of the routine, tired of eating different things from all their friends, limiting their alcohol intake. Basically the shine has worn off. this is when your really need to plant your feet. Maybe change up your exercise routine, make a concentrated effort to find different, but still nutritional food. Talk to people. And examine how far you have come. At this point, no matter how much external motivation you receive, it's all about believing in yourself!

Phase 5. End game.
5 or 6 months in you are probably working on that "last 10 pounds". This can be discouraging for many as it is a slow burn. Remember, your body probably feels like it is where it needs to be, your brain might think you need to lose 10 more, but your body is quite proud of itself now, it feels like it has "Done enough" and it wants to stay RIGHT HERE. The body LIKES to have a little fat around just in case, especially for the ladies (sorry girls, it's just human physiology). If you feel like you still need to lose it, prepare yourself for some guerrila warfare against your body. Design an exercise regimen that is very dynamic, forget the "same thing every day". Make a plan that challenges you both physically and mentally. Make sure you give yourself a day off here and there to just veg. And by all means, remember, muscle burns fat at rest. So get some weight or resistance training involved.
The last 10 may take 3 to 6 months to lose. I know nobody wants to hear that, but it's true. And forget the idea of increasing your calorie deficite, healthy bodies need good nutrition, your body no longer has the fat reserves to handle the large deficites you could when you were 30 40 or 50 pounds overweight. Better to make it a 3 or 400 calorie deficite (NET, please count your exercise calories too!). It may take a bit longer, but your body will like you for it. Plus it feeds those new muscles and keeps them burning fat, keeps your skin healthy (elasticity is important when you want those places that were stretched out to "snap back") and keeps you from getting head aches and depressed.

Conclusion:

this is what I have learned, not just from my journey, but from others as well on here. It saddens me sometimes to see people hit one of these stages and not recognize it for what it is, a part of the process. If we all can have realistic expectations, then we are more prone to win the fight and stay healthy in the long run. Note that some people will hit these stages harder then others, some may take longer, but for the most part, this is the rule that the exceptions will come from.
"

catlover98611

I got help with an eating plan. I weighed on the first day of the month and not again until the first of the following month, that helped in the beginning. I wrote down what I was going to eat before I went to bed and then ate only that the following day. I work this program one day at a time. That's all we really have, just today. To stay motivated, I picked something from my closet that was one size smaller than I wore at any given time, I tried it on when I was tempted to weigh, eventually everything in my closet and every drawer went to the give away box. Now, I'm naked!!! Not really, I have a few things and look forward to more SHOPPING!!!

UNDHockeyFan

This is a GREAT post! Thank you!

nettie1969

Aduncan ... so like me. i too am impatient as it seems like this weight did come overnight. i know it didn't - but that is what happens when you stop taking care of yourself (you stop noticing then suddenly one day you're like -- WTF when did that happen).

I weigh everyday (yes, I know very naughty) but I have a separate log in which I average my 3 day weight loss and also weekly and monthly loss averages. That way it is easy for me to look back over and see exactly what I am loosing - especially great for when you get a little demoralised ... you can say "hey, I am averaging xlbs over the week/s). Much better measure than focussing on just a daily or weekly result (I think).

Also, it has been said .... measure, measure and re-measure. Do your measurements every week (no way could I wait a month!!! lol) Sometimes i will even measure mid-week if i am feeling particularly frustrated or bored.

Then - here's the fun part - go an play with excel and learn some of their fun tools. You can graph your progress and do comparisons and charts ..... you may just find that using this data to self-teach some new computer skills will help.... Overlay your daily calories and exercise with your weight loss and look for patterns, etc.... Even if you aren't that interested in computers, you will be surprised at the ways you can manipulate/represent the data you put in - and you will be so proud of yourself for learning a new skillset (you may even like it). I will happily waste an evening on my excel spreadsheets (when there is nothing else on) and seeing in a graph my progress helps keep me motivated.

I even input my food and exercise into another excel spreadsheet and use it to come up with new recipes and meal plans to see where I can add in an extra treat.... lol My partner thinks I have OCD on this issue!

Good luck, hang in there and make a post if you are feeling really discouraged.

LillyMosley

there is a really good quote that i have heard on MFP... 'in a years time you will wish you had started today'

it does take time, and you will get impatient, but then this is a lifestyle change for EVER... plus the weight didnt go on overnight, so it wont come off overnight either.

set yourself small goals, with non food related rewards, that should help!

wow love this!

Pebble321

Set small goals and non-scale goals along with a big end point number goal.

Watching the scale move seems to take FOREVER whereas if you have a fitness goal (like running 5k or swimming for 30 mins or learning to rumba) then you can do something positive to get to that point. I find that obsessing over running training plans helps distract me from obsessing over food and running/exercise is something that I can DO every day to make me feel good.

And I set food goals too - at the moment I'm cutting out food with processed sugar Monday to Friday during October. Not the world's biggest goal but it is more achievable than telling myself "no chocolate or cake ever again" because that would just be setting myself up to fail.