For the newbies: here is what losing 85 pounds is like
wendybird5
Posts: 577 Member
I originally posted this in January when I hit the 80 pound mark and thought I'd update it:
(The original post - http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/857137-for-the-newbies-here-is-what-losing-80-pounds-is-like)
So you found out about this app and are determined to lose a bunch of weight and let your inner skinnier person out. It's going to go something like this:
1st week -
I'm going to lose two pounds a week. This is going to be great. I'm going to be so determined and so dedicated...
2nd week -
The hell!?!?!? Why didn't I lose anything? I've been so good. I worked so hard. I should just give up. I'm just meant to be fat. I'll never lose this weight.
3rd week -
How did that burger get in my mouth? Or the pizza? AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!! I'm a failure...
4th week -
Holy cow!! I lost four pounds. That's a pound a week. That's not bad. I think there's hope.
2nd month - I'm losing so much weight. This is so great. I'll be to my goal in no time at all!!
3rd month - Um.... hello??? What happened? Why aren't we losing weight now. I didn't change anything. I even worked out more. Why do you hate me?!?!? I want cake!
4th month - Whew - doing good. I'm OK. Look at how far I've gotten. Yay me. Just hang in there. I'm going to try going to the gym.
5th month - Going to the gym is hard. I can barely get three days a week in. And everyone there must think I'm so fat and wonder why I'm there. And I'm so sore. Can't move anything. Sitting down is hard.
6th month - I thought I'd be farther along. Why haven't I lost more? I've only gone down two sizes. Shouldn't I be at my goal weight already? Maybe I should try that fad diet or that starvation diet? So tired of people trying to get me to splurge and eat my old favorite junk foods just because I'm working out now and deserve a treat. They just don't get it. I can't afford to splurge right now!
7th Month - I'm going to kill someone right now. I hate this stupid diet. Why didn't I just stick with what I was doing before? It was working. Maybe not as fast as I wanted, but it was working. Where are the cookies??
9th Month - I reached the halfway point!! I'm doing so great. I love my gym. I go there five times a week now. I found this really great class and the instructor is so awesome. This trainer taught me some great new exercises. Some of my friends want to exercise with me now. They are so amazed at how much I've lost and they want to know my secret. I've given up all my old fat clothes for all these awesome new clothes. (Yikes for my credit card bill, but yay for my closet!)
10th month - Plateau?? FU plateau!! So tired of this. Maybe I should try working out with a trainer because obviously I don't know what I'm doing anymore. I've even started gaining weight because I can't stop binging on junk because I'm so depressed to have become so stuck and just when I was half way there...
12th Month - Dammit!! I keep dropping sizes. Getting replacement clothes is getting so expensive!! I barely have the stuff for two months and it's too big again. Must buy smaller sizes so I have more time with them. So glad I stopped starving myself. BMR and TDEE all the way!!
16 Months - I feel great!! You know, even if I don't make it all the way to goal, the size I'm at now is pretty nice. I'm definitely getting a lot more attention. I'm OK if this is as far as I can get. I'm just really enjoying this new lifestyle. And all these changes I made for my health have inspired me to make other changes in other parts of my life. Over all I'm a much happier person and my life is a whole lot better than before. I got rid of the negative influences in my life and have a great circle of supportive, positive people. Work is much better. My attitude about life is better. Life is wonderful!! I feel like a burger tonight. I worked out hard today and I have the calories. I can have it.
18 Months - 80 pounds!!!!! I can't believe I lost 80 pounds!!!! I'm a smaller size than I was in high school!! It's so weird to see myself in the mirror. I'm the same size as my skinny friend. How did that happen? And I'm a single digit size now. Never thought I'd be able to say that!!
17 Months - I am now the same weight I was in high school, but I'm two sizes smaller!! 88 pounds total! I've dreamed of this for years, but never thought I'd be here. I should drop two more pounds to make it an even 90...
18 months - I started weight training to build muscle and tone and ended up gaining back four pounds. But here's proof that the scale is deceptive because while I'm a little heavier, size wise I'm about to drop to a size six. It helps that the weight gain was from muscle which takes up less volume than fat. Everyone still thinks I'm losing weight, but I don't even care about that number anymore. Now it's about jean size, how I look, how I feel and how much stronger and faster I am when I workout.
Things that I've learned during this process:
1. Weight loss is good for: improving your health and getting slimmer. Weight loss is not good for: improving your dating life, making you happier, getting you a better job. Weight loss will only strip away one more excuse you have for not having the life you want.
2. Your weight is constantly fluctuating and weight loss is not a downhill slope, but rather a zig zag that will eventually get you where you want to go - albeit on the scenic route. Some weeks you lose a lot, some weeks just barely a pound and some weeks nothing at all, but it's normal as your body adjusts.
3. One day of bad eating does not make you a failure or ruin all your progress. It just gives you some water weight to work off for the next week. Chill the f out about it!! You only fail if you give up.
4. Never ever ever ever watch reality weight loss shows and compare your progress against theirs. Unless you can spend three months doing nothing but work out with trainers, having your meals made for you and being trained to cook for yourself and not having to deal with regular, every day responsibilities like family, job, bills, then there is no way you are going to see e same progress unless you do something very drastic and unhealthy.
5. Take more pictures as you go. You may not feel very photogenic, but later as you go along you'll wish you had that embarrassing photo of you in a swimsuit just to be able to compare against the new healthy, fit you.
6. The closer you are to your goal weight, the more difficult it is to drop pounds and the more important your macros become.
7. I did not have as much saggy skin or boob droop as I feared, but I'd rather have that than all that extra weight back.
8. Not everyone is trying to sabotage you. They just don't know any better.
9. Attitude is EVERYTHING! If you don't think you can, then you want. If you think it's too hard, then it will be. But when you tell yourself you can do it, it is all possible.
10. "I accept myself unconditionally as I am right now." - One of the best affirmations ever.
(The original post - http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/857137-for-the-newbies-here-is-what-losing-80-pounds-is-like)
So you found out about this app and are determined to lose a bunch of weight and let your inner skinnier person out. It's going to go something like this:
1st week -
I'm going to lose two pounds a week. This is going to be great. I'm going to be so determined and so dedicated...
2nd week -
The hell!?!?!? Why didn't I lose anything? I've been so good. I worked so hard. I should just give up. I'm just meant to be fat. I'll never lose this weight.
3rd week -
How did that burger get in my mouth? Or the pizza? AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!! I'm a failure...
4th week -
Holy cow!! I lost four pounds. That's a pound a week. That's not bad. I think there's hope.
2nd month - I'm losing so much weight. This is so great. I'll be to my goal in no time at all!!
3rd month - Um.... hello??? What happened? Why aren't we losing weight now. I didn't change anything. I even worked out more. Why do you hate me?!?!? I want cake!
4th month - Whew - doing good. I'm OK. Look at how far I've gotten. Yay me. Just hang in there. I'm going to try going to the gym.
5th month - Going to the gym is hard. I can barely get three days a week in. And everyone there must think I'm so fat and wonder why I'm there. And I'm so sore. Can't move anything. Sitting down is hard.
6th month - I thought I'd be farther along. Why haven't I lost more? I've only gone down two sizes. Shouldn't I be at my goal weight already? Maybe I should try that fad diet or that starvation diet? So tired of people trying to get me to splurge and eat my old favorite junk foods just because I'm working out now and deserve a treat. They just don't get it. I can't afford to splurge right now!
7th Month - I'm going to kill someone right now. I hate this stupid diet. Why didn't I just stick with what I was doing before? It was working. Maybe not as fast as I wanted, but it was working. Where are the cookies??
9th Month - I reached the halfway point!! I'm doing so great. I love my gym. I go there five times a week now. I found this really great class and the instructor is so awesome. This trainer taught me some great new exercises. Some of my friends want to exercise with me now. They are so amazed at how much I've lost and they want to know my secret. I've given up all my old fat clothes for all these awesome new clothes. (Yikes for my credit card bill, but yay for my closet!)
10th month - Plateau?? FU plateau!! So tired of this. Maybe I should try working out with a trainer because obviously I don't know what I'm doing anymore. I've even started gaining weight because I can't stop binging on junk because I'm so depressed to have become so stuck and just when I was half way there...
12th Month - Dammit!! I keep dropping sizes. Getting replacement clothes is getting so expensive!! I barely have the stuff for two months and it's too big again. Must buy smaller sizes so I have more time with them. So glad I stopped starving myself. BMR and TDEE all the way!!
16 Months - I feel great!! You know, even if I don't make it all the way to goal, the size I'm at now is pretty nice. I'm definitely getting a lot more attention. I'm OK if this is as far as I can get. I'm just really enjoying this new lifestyle. And all these changes I made for my health have inspired me to make other changes in other parts of my life. Over all I'm a much happier person and my life is a whole lot better than before. I got rid of the negative influences in my life and have a great circle of supportive, positive people. Work is much better. My attitude about life is better. Life is wonderful!! I feel like a burger tonight. I worked out hard today and I have the calories. I can have it.
18 Months - 80 pounds!!!!! I can't believe I lost 80 pounds!!!! I'm a smaller size than I was in high school!! It's so weird to see myself in the mirror. I'm the same size as my skinny friend. How did that happen? And I'm a single digit size now. Never thought I'd be able to say that!!
17 Months - I am now the same weight I was in high school, but I'm two sizes smaller!! 88 pounds total! I've dreamed of this for years, but never thought I'd be here. I should drop two more pounds to make it an even 90...
18 months - I started weight training to build muscle and tone and ended up gaining back four pounds. But here's proof that the scale is deceptive because while I'm a little heavier, size wise I'm about to drop to a size six. It helps that the weight gain was from muscle which takes up less volume than fat. Everyone still thinks I'm losing weight, but I don't even care about that number anymore. Now it's about jean size, how I look, how I feel and how much stronger and faster I am when I workout.
Things that I've learned during this process:
1. Weight loss is good for: improving your health and getting slimmer. Weight loss is not good for: improving your dating life, making you happier, getting you a better job. Weight loss will only strip away one more excuse you have for not having the life you want.
2. Your weight is constantly fluctuating and weight loss is not a downhill slope, but rather a zig zag that will eventually get you where you want to go - albeit on the scenic route. Some weeks you lose a lot, some weeks just barely a pound and some weeks nothing at all, but it's normal as your body adjusts.
3. One day of bad eating does not make you a failure or ruin all your progress. It just gives you some water weight to work off for the next week. Chill the f out about it!! You only fail if you give up.
4. Never ever ever ever watch reality weight loss shows and compare your progress against theirs. Unless you can spend three months doing nothing but work out with trainers, having your meals made for you and being trained to cook for yourself and not having to deal with regular, every day responsibilities like family, job, bills, then there is no way you are going to see e same progress unless you do something very drastic and unhealthy.
5. Take more pictures as you go. You may not feel very photogenic, but later as you go along you'll wish you had that embarrassing photo of you in a swimsuit just to be able to compare against the new healthy, fit you.
6. The closer you are to your goal weight, the more difficult it is to drop pounds and the more important your macros become.
7. I did not have as much saggy skin or boob droop as I feared, but I'd rather have that than all that extra weight back.
8. Not everyone is trying to sabotage you. They just don't know any better.
9. Attitude is EVERYTHING! If you don't think you can, then you want. If you think it's too hard, then it will be. But when you tell yourself you can do it, it is all possible.
10. "I accept myself unconditionally as I am right now." - One of the best affirmations ever.
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Replies
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Love this. Loved it the first time. Will love it more if you post it again as you continue to sculpt yourself. You rock.
:flowerforyou: 0 -
Haven't I told u that you are AWESOME??! You rock pal! M so glad to have u around..0
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Awesome Post I'm currently on month 4 and feel just like said! You Rock! 0
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Thank you for this! It is SOOO hard to believe the mantra "slow and steady wins the race." I want to see instant results but I KNOW (despite my stupid negative thoughts) that instant results wont last and the slow drop in weight is the healthy and lasting way! Slow and steady wins the race, slow and steady wins the race....0
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Wow! You're amazing! I need to lose 80 pounds and just started. This is a great story. Thank you for sharing!! 0
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I laughed out loud at this. This is exactly what it's been like for me, except for way longer than a year. Good job.0
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This was very helpful for me, thank you for taking the time to post and share the knowledge you gained from your experiences 0
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It's helpful to read these things to remind myself I'm not crazy for having those same conversations with myself. (Unless you're crazy, too?)
Thanks for sharing!0 -
Congratulations to you. I having been battling the ups and downs of weight loss for years - luckily everytime I lose a
significant amount of weight I never allow myself to gain it all back - maybe I gain half back of what I lost and then I get
so upset with myself that I get back on the band wagon and begin to do everything right again - eating properly and
exercising (these two in my opinion go hand in hand) As much as I hate to exercise (getting all sweating) - it's all
about getting started - once, I am at the gym I feel good that I made it there another day and then I automatically
accomplish my goals. This time around I am almost half-way to my goal - 17 lb. lost, approximately 24 lb. to go -
I keep telling myself just don't give up this time no matter how long it takes - your story has certainly inspired me.
Thank you for that motivation.0 -
It's helpful to read these things to remind myself I'm not crazy for having those same conversations with myself. (Unless you're crazy, too?)
Thanks for sharing!
Well, I work out six days a week at the butt crack of dawn. Some people call that crazy. I call it... Crazy, but so worth it! 0 -
This is funny, true, realistic and a great reminder. I hope you don't mind if I copy it. I think I wanna print it out and put it next to my calendar. This is something that will help dispel all the negative thoughts I get every second of everyday about my weight loss (or lack there of on some weeks).
I'm glad people remember that (aside from liposuction) weight loss isn't fast, easy, or a "drop a pound a day" journey. But at least you made it humourous!!
=^.^=0 -
This is so true!!! Love it!!0
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This is funny, true, realistic and a great reminder. I hope you don't mind if I copy it. I think I wanna print it out and put it next to my calendar. This is something that will help dispel all the negative thoughts I get every second of everyday about my weight loss (or lack there of on some weeks).
I'm glad people remember that (aside from liposuction) weight loss isn't fast, easy, or a "drop a pound a day" journey. But at least you made it humourous!!
=^.^=
Thanks. Feel free to copy away. I know people have been sharing this with their families, friends, doctors, weight loss groups and more. This journey is not easy, but it is completely worth it.0 -
Argh. Found a typo. Fixing it here since it won't let me up there...
19 Months - I am now the same weight I was in high school, but I'm two sizes smaller!! 88 pounds total! I've dreamed of this for years, but never thought I'd be here. I should drop two more pounds to make it an even 90...
20 months - I started weight training to build muscle and tone and ended up gaining back four pounds. But here's proof that the scale is deceptive because while I'm a little heavier, size wise I'm about to drop to a size six. It helps that the weight gain was from muscle which takes up less volume than fat. Everyone still thinks I'm losing weight, but I don't even care about that number anymore. Now it's about jean size, how I look, how I feel and how much stronger and faster I am when I workout.0 -
Can't say this all-the-time about MFP message boards - but holy crap, what a great post! I really enjoyed reading it and felt like I could relate (even though I haven't lost much yet). Thanks for inspiring me for today!0
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Awesome! Thank you so much for writing this out - great motivation & reminder!0
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Love this!! Thank you for the inspiration!!!!0
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Interesting! Bump!0
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i absolutely love this! Totally sounds like me lol!!:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :flowerforyou: 0
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Everyone should read this post 0
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Love this!!! Thanks for sharing 0
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Thanks for this!! Saving so I can laugh at myself when I hit these checkpoints - because we all know I will.0
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This is exactly how I'm feeling. Awesome!0
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Laughed the first time I read it and laughed again. This should be required reading.:flowerforyou:0
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Love this! Thank you.0
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Loved it the first time and still love it now! I'm entering month four and while I've been going to the gym this whole time, I still relate to the sentiments completely!0
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Thank you for that post. You made me feel very normal.0
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OMG... Are you the voice in my head?!!!
I'm on month 6, and thank you for posting this.0 -
I also really liked this post. Especially the "chill the f-out" part after you've had a bad day or week. When that happens to me, I try to remind myself that even if I basically have to start over, it's from a position of already having lost some significant weight, and if I rolled the clock back 2 years to when I started, I would love the opportunity to fast forward to where I'm already at today.0
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Brilliantly written!0
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