What I have learned

soarinup

Here's my two cents on the journey of weight loss and regaining your health:
Keep at it. Yes you will have a month, maybe two where you are "spinning your wheels". That is just life creeping into your daily routine. Over the past year, [I started 6 months before I joined MFP} I thought I was getting nowhere, but I kept trying. Even though at times I was skipping exercise a bit and snacking too much. ie, lying to myself, I was still making miniscule progress, completely unnoticeable to me.
I would have good weeks where I was on target every day for a week, then I'd fall back into maintenance mode. [When I say maintenance mode, I mean eating slightly over my goal calories.]
So fast forward to today. I have been feeling lately that I have not been motivated and failing. I looked at my reports, to see where I was at this time last year. I was ten pounds heavier! I actually had been making progress, but when its so very slow I don't give myself credit. I am beginning to think the very slow way is the way to go. It gives people in our lives no shocks, it gives my body no shocks, and I feel better about myself for longer periods of time....months instead of days or weeks. We all remember the first "diet" we went on. We lost drastic amounts of weight over a short period of time, and the crash was devastating to our ego when we eventually put it all back on.

Bonny272

I have to keep telling myself this is the healthy way to lose weight and that I'm not going for just a number on the scale. I'm going for a rest of my life healthy and in shape. I still get frustrated when the weight doesn't come off as quickly as I'd like, but I keep working at it and when I look back I see good progress. :happy:

shad1018

Wise words, thank you for sharing with us. I relate, because I feel like I have been spinning my wheels (wasted, my words) the last month. No change on the scale, unless I count the ups and downs!!
Thank you for reminding me that its a life long journey towards health, not a poroject I am in a race to finish..

Susan:happy:

vanessaclarkgbr

Like!

Puffins1958

I agree 100%, the slower we lose weight the more likely we are to keep it off. Lets face it, anything that comes to quickly we are likely to it gain back. Congratulations on your weight loss, way to go!!!!


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Puddykat1026

Slow & steady wins the race. It's a lifestyle change, not a diet. Diet's don't work because they are short-term. Think long-term & you'll go places in life

kyle4jem

I feel that this time around I have approached weightloss not simply as a "diet" (a word that I loath by the way) but as an honest approach to what I eat.

The first diet I ever went on was when I was 16. I was carrying about 10kg (22lbs) excess and I thought I was HUGE. I did the typical 70s diet - all salads and veggies - and I did slim down a bit, but never reached my ultimate goal of a flat chest and tummy.

At 24 I first set foot in the gym when I was at Uni. My mate Ste used to take me there and we'd lift weights and he tried to get me to do sit-ups and crunches. Sometimes we'd go out on our bikes... he was like 10x faster than me and I'd always be playing catch-up. We'd cycle 10-15miles or thereabouts. But still I always kept my wobbly belly and man boobs.

Anyway, I won't bore you with all the diets I've followed in between, but this time around the secret I've found is that I worked out what I WAS eating and how calorific it was, and then all I've done it cut down on calorie-dense foods like bread, pasta, chocolate and sweeties and re-introduced lighter tastier options such as smoked salmon, cottage cheese and Ryvita.

I still eat and drink more or less the same as before, only in smaller quantities.

I also have started exercising more: walking, cycling & swimming... with a weekly strength program to boot.

I'm working towards eating maintenance calories for my ideal weight at which point I will be able to say... hand on heart... this is not a diet... it's a change in lifestyle :happy: