I have already succeeded, but I'm not done.

CasperO

I started this thing for a lot of reasons, and they're all working out.

My BP was 150/90, now it's 110/65

My resting pulse was 76, now it's 56.

3 flights of steps used to wind me, now I can climb 10 flights at steady pace.

The first 5 minutes on an elliptical machine killed me, now I do 20 minutes every morning and increase my load by increasing intensity.

I used to suffer from severe sleep apnea, and didn't sleep soundly enough to dream for several years and spent my days dead on my feet. Now I sleep much better and have loads of energy and dream nearly every night.

I spend my weekends teaching motorcycling, which involves hours & hours of walking around on blacktop moving orange cones around - plus a little teaching and riding. Last year I did it at 265 pounds, and it almost killed me. I finished every class feeling completely burned out.

Well,,, This past weekend I taught my first class of the new season, and guess what - it was easy! I mean really no biggie easy. Worked the day job friday. I taught a classroom session Friday night 6-10pm. Then I taught 2 riding sessions out on the riding area, one 8am to 2pm, then a quick lunch break, then another session 2pm to 8pm. Then I did it again on Sunday. I was tired at the end, but not "lay down and die" tired, and that's a great great thing.

I weighed 270 pounds when I started, and now I've been in the low 230's for close to a month. I look and feel much better and I've basically accomplished the health goals I had, but I still want that 200 number. I think 'm at Bank's dreaded phase 4:

"""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! """

So here we are. I'm on a plateau, still working and watching the chow and being careful and yet I'm not reducing much right now, and I'm pretty Ok with that. In my case I'm not really that tempted to fall off the wagon, because I've yo-yoed before and I know how easy it is to lose what I've gained.

Stay with it guys,,, it may take a long time to get where you want to be - and I'm certainly not there yet - but every little bit is better than where you were, and that's pretty good too.

Banks' seminal work:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/9433-expectations

CasperO

I started this thing for a lot of reasons, and they're all working out.

My BP was 150/90, now it's 110/65

My resting pulse was 76, now it's 56.

3 flights of steps used to wind me, now I can climb 10 flights at steady pace.

The first 5 minutes on an elliptical machine killed me, now I do 20 minutes every morning and increase my load by increasing intensity.

I used to suffer from severe sleep apnea, and didn't sleep soundly enough to dream for several years and spent my days dead on my feet. Now I sleep much better and have loads of energy and dream nearly every night.

I spend my weekends teaching motorcycling, which involves hours & hours of walking around on blacktop moving orange cones around - plus a little teaching and riding. Last year I did it at 265 pounds, and it almost killed me. I finished every class feeling completely burned out.

Well,,, This past weekend I taught my first class of the new season, and guess what - it was easy! I mean really no biggie easy. Worked the day job friday. I taught a classroom session Friday night 6-10pm. Then I taught 2 riding sessions out on the riding area, one 8am to 2pm, then a quick lunch break, then another session 2pm to 8pm. Then I did it again on Sunday. I was tired at the end, but not "lay down and die" tired, and that's a great great thing.

I weighed 270 pounds when I started, and now I've been in the low 230's for close to a month. I look and feel much better and I've basically accomplished the health goals I had, but I still want that 200 number. I think 'm at Bank's dreaded phase 4:

"""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! """

So here we are. I'm on a plateau, still working and watching the chow and being careful and yet I'm not reducing much right now, and I'm pretty Ok with that. In my case I'm not really that tempted to fall off the wagon, because I've yo-yoed before and I know how easy it is to lose what I've gained.

Stay with it guys,,, it may take a long time to get where you want to be - and I'm certainly not there yet - but every little bit is better than where you were, and that's pretty good too.

Banks' seminal work:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/9433-expectations

christy559

OMG...I so needed to read that...
Thanks for sharing this...:flowerforyou:

DeeDeeLHF

Congratulations on your successes! Being healthy should be our #1 goal but I can understand wanting that number!!

I am not a long timer on this site but I have been sugar free for 4 years and that has not always been easy. I really think it is a matter of making the decision.

You have made the decision to be 200...now just do what you need to do no matter how long it takes. I think you know that if you quit you will never get there but if you hang in there long enough and it might be a long time, you will get there!

Again, congratulations on the successes that you have already achieved!

LisaZaugg1976

you are doing great!!!

MOMOFTWO29

You are doing so great, keep up the great work. :flowerforyou: