How do you stay patient?

Dancesintherain75

I know I didn't get this big overnight... and I'm surely not going to lose 19 years of weight gain overnight either, but why is it sooooo hard to be patient?!!

Does anyone have any tips? Any mantra's you use to just keep going? I just keep telling myself "keep your eye on the prize girl!" (the prize is being at 140 and the happiness and confidence that will come with getting there) and so far it's worked but it's only been 3 weeks and I'm afraid that's going to get old before the year I gave myself to meet the goal is up.

I need weapons against the stressful days!! lol.

onwarddownward

Look for small victories every day that are not scale-related. Remember, this IS for the rest of your life, otherwise you'll just yo yo.

There is no finish, there is just today. How are you today?

Run4Me2Day

I know I didn't get this big overnight... and I'm surely not going to lose 19 years of weight gain overnight either, but why is it sooooo hard to be patient?!!

Does anyone have any tips? Any mantra's you use to just keep going? I just keep telling myself "keep your eye on the prize girl!" (the prize is being at 140 and the happiness and confidence that will come with getting there) and so far it's worked but it's only been 3 weeks and I'm afraid that's going to get old before the year I gave myself to meet the goal is up.

I need weapons against the stressful days!! lol.

I find motivational quotes or pictues of my ideal body/ abs and have one set as my wall paper at work and a different one on my home computer. I stay active on here and Facebook in fitness motivation groups. Definitely talking about it to someone else that has gone through some of the same things helps. Drop me a message if you want to talk some more.. or friend me.

Dancesintherain75

I know this is definitely a lifestyle change and I'm ready for it! I think by the time I've gotten 6 months under my belt, this will feel natural and will have become habit (at least I hope so!)

Today is an ok day. I'm not having a hard time with eating healthier, and I was actually happy with the distance/time/speed I walked today as I can feel it starting to get easier. But physically I'm frustrated lol. I want to SEE a difference already. It's illogical I know... but can't help the frustration. That's why I need my mantra.

Dancesintherain75

I find motivational quotes or pictues of my ideal body/ abs and have one set as my wall paper at work and a different one on my home computer. I stay active on here and Facebook in fitness motivation groups. Definitely talking about it to someone else that has gone through some of the same things helps. Drop me a message if you want to talk some more.. or friend me.

I think you're right.. just being able to express the frustration to someone who's been there will be helpful. Thanks for the offer!

howardheilweil

For what it's worth... Set very attainable goals, but for weight loss and exercize. Once you've attained those, set some more. I love having these small victories and it keeps me motivated.

Ed98043

I just remind myself that next year is going to come regardless of what I do, so where do I want to be when 2014 gets here? Do I want to weigh less than I do now, or weigh the same? Or how about another 10 or 15 lbs bigger like most years? It's my choice, a decision that I have to make every day.

As for the frustration over the pace of loss - I'm not on a schedule to lose "x lbs by x date" - I guess some people respond well to deadlines but I don't. I'll just keep doing the right things and it'll happen when it happens.

cwolfman13

I know I didn't get this big overnight... and I'm surely not going to lose 19 years of weight gain overnight either, but why is it sooooo hard to be patient?!!

Does anyone have any tips? Any mantra's you use to just keep going? I just keep telling myself "keep your eye on the prize girl!" (the prize is being at 140 and the happiness and confidence that will come with getting there) and so far it's worked but it's only been 3 weeks and I'm afraid that's going to get old before the year I gave myself to meet the goal is up.

I need weapons against the stressful days!! lol.

Focus on the process. Focus on being a healthier you. Focus on your fitness goals and general nutrition. Stop focusing and obsessing about the superficial results that come from eating better and exercising.

When you focus on end results, you rarely see the change; when you focus on the change, you always will see the end results.

Run4Me2Day

For what it's worth... Set very attainable goals, but for weight loss and exercize. Once you've attained those, set some more. I love having these small victories and it keeps me motivated.

Small goals are great. I try not to focus on the scale number, since muscle weighs more then fat....and if I am seeing a difference in the tape measure and the way I feel and my clothing fits that is my small victories.... The goals I set for myself are things that are definitely measurable. Somtimes it is in relation to a calorie burn.....trying new food.....exercising a certain number of days.....

oX_Vanessa_Xo

I know I didn't get this big overnight... and I'm surely not going to lose 19 years of weight gain overnight either, but why is it sooooo hard to be patient?!!

Does anyone have any tips? Any mantra's you use to just keep going? I just keep telling myself "keep your eye on the prize girl!" (the prize is being at 140 and the happiness and confidence that will come with getting there) and so far it's worked but it's only been 3 weeks and I'm afraid that's going to get old before the year I gave myself to meet the goal is up.

I need weapons against the stressful days!! lol.

I tell myself all the time, ugh... this is going to take forever! The old me would of said eff it. The new me is saying if I stop now I'll NEVER get to wear I want to be. I look at motivational quotes and pics, I have reminders that im worth it sent to me like 15 times a day, its an app called motivate me. I buy new fitness products, just like getting a new cleaning product lol,., excited to use it and try it out. I cut out pics out of fitness magazines and put them around my treadmill, so when I wanna give up, I look up amd see the body I'm trying to accomplish.

clareyoung80

I know exactly how you feel! Learning the art of patience has been one of the most difficult things about this journey. I personally cope by breaking my goal into concentric (if that's the word) smaller goals and phases. Like, this part of my journey - the main weight loss phase - is phase one. Phase two will comprise of seeing how I feel and going from there, probably more weight lifting and strength and eating maintenance calories. I'm in a friendly weight loss challenge with some friends till August, so that's my current main goal. In that I have monthly, weekly and daily goals too. I also track weight, body fat (on my scales anyway) inches and fitness. So, there's usually a weekly change on at least one of those fronts.

I also started zig zag calories on a fortnightly basis. I personally like complicating things with maths, spread sheets and daily calorie goals that change every few days. Makes me feel the passage of time is moving a little faster! Seems to work most of the time for me and stops me losing my mind!

sweetsarahv

just always remember that you sure won't get there by quitting

bryn10

I just remind myself that next year is going to come regardless of what I do, so where do I want to be when 2014 gets here? Do I want to weigh less than I do now, or weigh the same? Or how about another 10 or 15 lbs bigger like most years? It's my choice, a decision that I have to make every day.

As for the frustration over the pace of loss - I'm not on a schedule to lose "x lbs by x date" - I guess some people respond well to deadlines but I don't. I'll just keep doing the right things and it'll happen when it happens.

I am so glad to hear this because I use this reasoning too. We all set goals and it's so disheartening when the "deadline" comes and we haven't reached those goals. I just tell myself everyday that I am doing something that's GOOD for me...whether the clothes or scale reflect it or not. I would much rather keep going. Because if I stop, the time will pass anyways. And when next year comes, I don't want to look back and think "what did I do with all that time I had?! I could've been at __ by now!". It's not always an easy journey, but the best thing to do is to just keep going. You're not always gonna feel patient or motivated...it's the habit that gets you there. Good luck!

dbmata

I know I didn't get this big overnight... and I'm surely not going to lose 19 years of weight gain overnight either, but why is it sooooo hard to be patient?!!

Does anyone have any tips? Any mantra's you use to just keep going? I just keep telling myself "keep your eye on the prize girl!" (the prize is being at 140 and the happiness and confidence that will come with getting there) and so far it's worked but it's only been 3 weeks and I'm afraid that's going to get old before the year I gave myself to meet the goal is up.

I need weapons against the stressful days!! lol.

It isn't hard to be patient, we're conditioned to not want to be. Patience requires discipline, discipline requires effort. Lots of folks these days try to avoid effort.

I get that way too, so if I'm getting really ancy, I'll go fishing, or go shooting. Having to be patient and disciplined for a specific task will often quiet down my mind enough so that I may be quiet and patient mentally in my weight loss.

Oh, working out so hard you walk funny helps too.