Losing weight is an emotional roller coaster

Hlami

Hi there!

Thanks in advance for even reading this...i need you input about the emotional side of losing weight. I knew in theory that losing weight was going to be an emotional roller coaster, but in practice its much more challenging than i thought.i think that emotionally I haven't grown as I ought in some areas.. Losing weight is a non- negotiable at this point in my life. It's one dream I've been deferring for, like forever..

Did you ever have times when you'd look at the slow progress and feel like, this is going to take forever, and feel devastated by that fact?

I was happy this morning because I've lost a little weight, but now I realize that my goal is months away and the child in me is having a meltdown because the penny just dropped that this is going to take months and months... Ive gone from elated to despairing... And this from me who prided herself in not being " emotional" ...how did you deal?I feel a little daunted!

I appreciate your input!

jzammetti

Losing weight forced me to face many insecurities and deep emotional issues...it has been challenging to say the least. But, with every success my determination and esteem grew. You can do this!

MaraDiaz

I know how that feels. And sometimes you just have to let yourself feel it and move on with making the right choices anyway. And remind that inner child that a year from now you can either be well along the way to your goal or even at goal or you can be stuck right where you are now.

Also I found setting small goals and noticing little improvements along the way and giving myself non-food rewards helped. What also kept me going at the beginning especially was exercise and how good I felt after exercising. I was also surprised and motivated by finding out how quickly my body went from puking after a light ten minute workout to long walks to adding in a little running for twenty or thirty seconds to finally progressing now to 2+ mile runs.

kellyscomeback

It's a long road and we are all here to help eachother.

Set one long term, realistic, goal. Then have many short term goals to help you reach the long term one.

I want to be in the 130s by the end of the year (that's 15 lbs for me if I hit 135), my short term goals are finishing the stages of New Rules of Lifting for Women (each section is 1 stage and there are 7 stages over 6 months). So finishing each stage will get me another step closer to 135.

And the days I stumble and shovel food in my face, well I'm human. And I know that a binge day, or going over my calories isn't going to mean I'm going to wake up back at 240 lbs. I'm human, it's normal. The next day I just pick up where I left off and keep plugging away.

danibu98

It's super emotional and I battle it every single freaking day. I wish I had more advice. I'm trying to lose 5 pounds- but ten times over. I'm trying to break everything into smaller goals so I don't get more overwhelmed than I already am!

crazy4fids

It is definately emotional, I think, especially for women, since we are very anchored to our emotions.
I personally have never been one to have to watch what I eat. I am tall (5'9") and 46 years old, and have been a stick figure all my life, up until a few years ago. My metabolism has slowed down and the pounds have been adding up. I maxed out at 185 in November and have had enough.
I have been on MFP for a year or so, but really didn't start working and watching my numbers till the middle of November. I have been using some of the herbalife products while I am learning how to eat (portion size/weighing/measuring everything) and how to eat nutrient dense foods. I find grocery shopping to be overwhelming now. I joined a gym and am working on getting back into shape. My daughters and I are running a 5k in July. It takes dicipline to go to the gym every day. Especially when my body aches and I am tired. I have also been overwhelmed with what to do at the gym. Treadmill or elliptical? Weights or not...force myself to stay for a full hour, or go home because I am tired?
In spite of doing all the right things this week (under calories every day, exercising every day...) I gained two pounds. I am anal and weigh myself every day...today, those two pounds are gone.

I just keep telling myself to stick with the program. So far, I have lost over 15 pounds. I want to get down to 135 or somewhere around that. Maybe a little heavier with more muscle.
Just keep at it and good luck!

Debbers10

I couldn't agree with you more! I have said this for a long time - that this is SUCH an emotional journey!! I have had many many ups and downs since starting this journey. Even with the progress I've made, I still have dark days. It's my nature to be terribly critical of myself and impatient!
A couple things I can offer:
1) DON'T GIVE UP! Just keep going! Keep working at it! Keep pushing yourself forward! If you stop now, you've lost all that you've already built on and you start at square one again.
If you read my profile (which I have never updated since starting this journey), I started in a very uneduated place. Because of how I was exercising, I hit MANY plateaus and had MANY frustrating days wondering why I wasn't seeing more progress. In June of 2012, I signed up at a gym & with a personal trainer and it has made all the difference for me!! Sure, I had some progress on my own, but it wasn't until I started learning things at the gym that I have made the greatest improvements and progress.
2) (& I think is most important) = be sure you are doing weight training! Lifting weights builds muscle which makes you burn more calories thereby making the most of the cardio you are trying to do to lose the fat! Do not be afraid of the weights or "bulking up" or something like that. And you can't just sit with the same weights over and over again - you have to push yourself forward into new weights. Our bodies adjust and adapt b/c it wants to stay in "survival" mode and retain fat --- so you need to "confuse" it by changing up routines, changing up cardio, changing up weights, etc.
3) Try some HIIT (high intensity interval training). There's nothing more mundane than trying to stay on the stupid elliptical for 60 minutes! BORING!! Believe me - I've done this over the past year and it is the most difficult thing to stick to! I've recently adopted this HIIT to my cardio portion of my gym time and have seen equal or greater results in 20-30 minutes of work than the 60-minute marathons I used to do! Again, it's nothing more than pushing yourself, confusing your body, shaking up the workout to make the most of your time you're putting in!
4) If you're on Facebook, check out the Ripped Goddess page! She posts fantastic motivational pics/stories, nutrition info, workout routines, exercise examples/education, etc etc etc! I've learned a ton from that page!

Oh - and, I don't know what your fitness/weight goal may be, but know that it most likely will change. Again, I started off on my journey very uneducated and I have now come to learn that the weight goal I originally set is not healthy nor "necessary". And I've replaced fat with muscle so it's not like i have anything more to "lose" on the scale, if that sort of makes sense? - i hope so! And I do not weigh myself very often at all. 1) B/c I know if it's a number I don't like, it puts me straight into one of those dark days and I get terribly frustrated with myself. 2) Your weight changes every day and throughout the day!! The very best measurement I've had is the ever-growing stack of clothes that no longer fit!! And, honestly, you visually see the changes! Just look back a few pics from just a few months ago! I'm telling you, you will see the differences already and THAT, MY FRIEND, HAS BEEN MY BEST MOTIVATOR!!! Plus makes me want to tear down the old ones and light a bonfire, but....I digress....

Hang in there. We all have dark days. And, yes, we're allowed to wallow in them, but only for a minute!! I've done it. More than a few times. But I climb back out of it b/c I know where I want to go, know that I can do it, believe fully in myself to learn and accomplish what I set out to do, and do NOT want to lose all that I've sacrificed and already put into it!!

God bless you on your journey!!!

Smoothroz

I have only shed a few pounds thus far however, I am eating better with lots of fruits and vegetables Nd daily exercise. This will lead to a healthier me and of course the pounds will drop. This is a process. It's easy on. It hard and slow to get off. Stick with it and know, we all get a little disappointed at times but the key is to keep T,it...do not give up. Don't concentrate on tomorrow but, focus on today. One day at a time.

Smoothroz

This is the advice to follow. Keep at it and in time progress will follow.

caribear1984

I know how you feel. I try to remember that the time will pass anyway, and I can either choose to make myself healthier, or wish that I had. My motto has been "just keep swimming" from Finding Nemo because even though it can get overwhelming, if you keep going in the right direction, you will get there.

You can do this.

exquisitecadavre

I have to agree with everyone here. This is highly frustrating and I get way too emotional over this whole process. To make it worse, while I have lost 8lbs, it still doesn't bring to to where I was when I first started attempting to lose weight around my sister's wedding last year (I fell off that wagon hard). So I saw a loss today and for a moment felt excited and then realized it really wasn't all that fantastic.

But seriously, don't give up! =] We are all here to help each other. We all move at our own pace, but we are in this for good not just a fad. So it is slow and sometimes tedious. But keep in mind that you lost! And even if you don't lose one week or gain one week, if you look at the overall picture you are making yourself healthier.

Also, find an exercise that you like. I hula hoop (all off body stuff though) and do zumba. It's fun to me and it's a lot more than I was doing previously. Find something that you love. xD

And, set small goals on your way to your big goal. My goal is by the end of this bride challenge I am part of to be in the 250s (the exact number is 254, but the 50s would be lovely). And then I'll set another one. I also put little reward in with those as well.

But, you can do this! =]

swingsintherain

Sometimes, I work very hard to ignore the "inner child's" temper tantrums. Because while yes it will take a long time, I can't do anything about it except to take each day and try to make it count. Don't focus on how long it will take.

It doesn't matter how long it took, only that you did it.

Also, small intermediate goals are good, too. My current goal is to hit 178, as that is the weight I was at at the end of 7th grade (~10 years ago), and for some reason that one in particular sticks out to me. My long-term goal is ~145, which I have never been in my adult life. The anticipation is killing me, but in a good way.