New Expectations
gypsybug
Posts: 106 Member
So, I had an aha moment about this EMTWL way. I have a bodymedia, but it still had my old goals (2 lbs a week) set up on it. I decided to change it to my current goal of 1/2 pound a week. Now I've had this sucker a good, long time and it "knows" my average TDEE for any given 28 days that I care to run a report for. So I ran one and plugged the numbers into the system. This is what it gave me.
Burn - 2270 total for a 24 hour period. (TDEE)
Eat - 2020. Course I never hit it dead on and I've been coming in quite a bit under, (more of a 500 week deficit).
So a deficit of 250 a day gets me my 1/2 lb a week.
Now...here comes the brain twist. My goofy head was still under the impression this would just HAPPEN and be SO OBVIOUS cause of COURSE it's going to fall off like CLOCKWORK and I will be the incredible shrinking woman by sloughing off MASSIVE inches!!!
LOL.
Then, I looked at my goal line under weight/inches. According to BM, I will reach my goal FEBRUARY 25, 2013!!!!! WHAT?! HOLY GRANOLA BARS BATMAN!!!! That's. Next. YEAR!!! I only have 25 lbs to lose! How is that possible?!!!
Lightbulb.
I picked this method because it is slow and steady. And now barely 2.5 weeks in I'm feeling all freaky and upset because I haven't made instantaneous progress. Silly woman.
It's going to be slow. Infinitesimally slow. Progress will be in centimeters....not inches at first. But those will eventually add up to inches. My 1/2 lb a week will sometimes be masked by hormonal changes, sodium heavy days, time of the month, stress, heavy lifting....but it will come off. I may gain muscle and drop body fat and just even it all out! But I won't be able to stand on my scale every Sunday morning in my birthday suit and say "Hey! Look at that! Another 1/2 pound gone! Right on schedule!"
So with my new understanding of how long this is going to take, and that I need to think in SMALLER metrics....I have gained a huge amount of acceptance and patience with my body. Having a goal line on a graph really puts it in stark perspective. And I have to remember, I chose this method for many really good reasons. No point in throwing in the towel before my plan even really gets started.
Burn - 2270 total for a 24 hour period. (TDEE)
Eat - 2020. Course I never hit it dead on and I've been coming in quite a bit under, (more of a 500 week deficit).
So a deficit of 250 a day gets me my 1/2 lb a week.
Now...here comes the brain twist. My goofy head was still under the impression this would just HAPPEN and be SO OBVIOUS cause of COURSE it's going to fall off like CLOCKWORK and I will be the incredible shrinking woman by sloughing off MASSIVE inches!!!
LOL.
Then, I looked at my goal line under weight/inches. According to BM, I will reach my goal FEBRUARY 25, 2013!!!!! WHAT?! HOLY GRANOLA BARS BATMAN!!!! That's. Next. YEAR!!! I only have 25 lbs to lose! How is that possible?!!!
Lightbulb.
I picked this method because it is slow and steady. And now barely 2.5 weeks in I'm feeling all freaky and upset because I haven't made instantaneous progress. Silly woman.
It's going to be slow. Infinitesimally slow. Progress will be in centimeters....not inches at first. But those will eventually add up to inches. My 1/2 lb a week will sometimes be masked by hormonal changes, sodium heavy days, time of the month, stress, heavy lifting....but it will come off. I may gain muscle and drop body fat and just even it all out! But I won't be able to stand on my scale every Sunday morning in my birthday suit and say "Hey! Look at that! Another 1/2 pound gone! Right on schedule!"
So with my new understanding of how long this is going to take, and that I need to think in SMALLER metrics....I have gained a huge amount of acceptance and patience with my body. Having a goal line on a graph really puts it in stark perspective. And I have to remember, I chose this method for many really good reasons. No point in throwing in the towel before my plan even really gets started.
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Replies
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YES!!!!! OH HOW I COULD JUST CRY!!!!
Isn't it a liberating experience when that light bulb goes off???!0 -
Slow is the best way...not what anyone including me wants to hear but it really is true. So glad I saw you post this...now I've joined this group I have been trying to get myself out of that mindset that I need to "starve".....taken me a long time to get to this point but I think I'm finally getting it!!! Thanks for posting!!!! 0
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I remember when my sister had this AHA moment. She finally realized that she didn't become overweight and unhealthy in a month, and couldn't get lean and healthy in a month either.
Frustrating though that may be.
Thanks for this post.0 -
Love this post!!!0
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I'm with you...realizing that even though I know slow and steady wins the race...i didn't KNOW it, more like I didn't OWN it.
It all comes down to being consistent. Being at a calorie and exercise level that is sustainable LONG TERM, not just for the moment. It's taken me almost 40 years (birthday next month!) to get were I am today, so if it takes another 40 years to get to where I want to be, so be it! I'll be the hottest 80 yr old on the beach!
Hang in there! i know we CAN do it!0 -
It's freakin' NIRVANA girl~ isn't it????:smooched: :smooched:
LOVE IT, LOVE IT, LOVE IT!!!
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YES!!!!! OH HOW I COULD JUST CRY!!!!
Isn't it a liberating experience when that light bulb goes off???!
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO
cuz we owe it all to YOU!!!!:flowerforyou: :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou:0 -
Aww, you guys are all so great! It IS completely liberating because once I had that epiphany, it took all the pressure off my weekly weigh-ins. My expectations are reasonable now and I don't feel like my body is holding out on me. Now...I can just breathe, eat and work towards becoming fit and my body will do the rest without me nagging it all the time.
Thanks so much for putting this info out there Lucia. I had to distill it and wrap my head around it in my own convoluted way, but now I'm really there! I get it!
Hey Lori!! Glad you found your way here. Hey whiz I'll be the hottie 80 year old next to you on the beach.... 0 -
OMG...this totally makes sense. I just posted not long ago about my bodymedia and I was totally confused about my numbers but I need to go in & revamp my goals. Thank you for posting 0
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Yes, yes and yes!!!
I weigh daily to see the trends, but it doesn't freak me out anymore. It does however make me more educated about how my body responds to various events (high sodium, TOM, heavy workouts, rest, etc). The scale says I've lost 1.8 lbs since March 1, but my clothes say I've dropped 2 sizes. And my quads, calves and biceps are peeking at me now that some of their "fat covering" has melted away.
I eat 5-6 times a day and feel energized. My previous weight loss attempts left me "skinny fat" and dizzy from the blood sugar fluctuations.
So again.... yes, yes and yes.... I eat more and I will weigh less... slowly but SURELY!!!!0 -
Very good post....We have to take a deep breath and relax! 0
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Yes, yes and yes!!!
I weigh daily to see the trends, but it doesn't freak me out anymore. It does however make me more educated about how my body responds to various events (high sodium, TOM, heavy workouts, rest, etc). The scale says I've lost 1.8 lbs since March 1, but my clothes say I've dropped 2 sizes. And my quads, calves and biceps are peeking at me now that some of their "fat covering" has melted away.
I eat 5-6 times a day and feel energized. My previous weight loss attempts left me "skinny fat" and dizzy from the blood sugar fluctuations.
So again.... yes, yes and yes.... I eat more and I will weigh less... slowly but SURELY!!!!
Just awesome!!! (As I wipe a tear....)0
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