REALITY: I gained 20lbs during my reset & NEVER lost it

I posted these pics before on the EM2WL forum, but figured it may do well to be posted here as well.

http://forums.eatmore2weighless.com/showthread.php?tid=196

Just wanted to pop in and say, that I'm SO sorry if I've EVER painted a rosy picture of EM2WL and weight LOSS. I've always tried my best to keep it completely real, as to how the scale will react, the amount of patience that is required, and how VERY long the process is. It is not a quick fix, nor would I want it to be, because I would not have learned the things that I have learned over the years, nor been able to accomplish the things that I've accomplished.

I have been on this journey for YEARS. There are still areas that I would like to see improve. Some will be in the near future, others are still a long time coming.

Anyway, there seems to be an ongoing trend of freak out/panic over weight gain. PLEASE understand how the scale plays into all of this *before* beginning. It is a tool. one of many. It does not own you, it does not tell you your worth, and it does not tell you the entire story. Period.

I gained 20 lbs on my reset and I have NOT lost it, to this day. Yes, when you see pics of me, it seems like I magically gained 20lbs of muscle or something, but I didn't. That 20 lbs came on, pretty much instantly. It did not look like it does now, and I had to live with the ups and down of it. The clothes getting tighter before they became looser. Feeling as if I'd outgrown my entire wardrobe, and even having to purchase NEW ones to accommodate the rapid gain. I even got to the point where I gave UP. Not in the sense that everyone talks about (like "I'm going back to 1200 cals!") but in the sense that "oh well, I refuse to underfeed my body, and reach an unmaintainable weight...so if this is the size that I am, it's the size that I am"

It was THEN that I quit stressing and let the real transformation begin. And it still continues to this day.

We recently posted this on FB, an old blog post (blog is no longer updated) that motivated me when the progress seemed slow going. It shows a woman's 6 YEAR progress w/eating properly and lifting weights.
http://builtblog.wikidbody.com/2007/08/02/it-takes-a-while/

I hope some of this helps someone, or at least gives a more realistic view point of how many of the bodies that we admire or hope to achieve take time...especially when done RIGHT.

Again...I'm sorry, if I've ever made it seem to be something other than what it is. :blushing:

~Kiki

Replies

31prvrbs

YEESSSS

Please bookmark, because you WILL get panicky

you WILL gain weight

you WILL want to quit

if you do quit...

you WILL, more than likely, end up back at square one :ohwell:

and if you push through.....

you WILL BE SO GRATEFUL THAT YOU DID!!!

~Kiki :flowerforyou:

moss11

Amen

carriea67

Thanks for posting this....because I "was" seriously considering scaling back the calories. I have been on this process for just over 3 months....and lately I have been losing the mental game.

But between this message & Lucia kicking me in the tail (a much needed one) - I am back on eating at 10% cut and changing up my exercise rountine. I am measuring & weighing in & taking pictures & trying on those skinny jeans and will consider those tools to gauge my process -- not define it.

And I figure the best things in life are ones that you earn.....so I am going to EARN this.

Oh and one a side note -- seriously, thank you for all that you do....the amount of time & care that you and Lucia show to all of us is incredible and certainly appreciated!

bellabrite

You guys have been SO real. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Each individual is responsible for his or her own actions and choices. We all make our choices based on our experience and education.

To blame anyone else for your own choice is a very sad thing, since it does no good for anyone.

We are human and I think that each of us lives life until we have some significant experiences and we realize that nothing really comes for free, but that that is ok. That confidence and self-love is really the "magic bullet." Ha, I sound so wise, right? But I'm still working through all this--I think we just get closer and closer to this.

As a side note, I feel that it would be beneficial to all members of this community for all of us to not include a "pounds lost" ticker in our signatures. To me it seems to go against everything EMTWL embodies. How about putting NSVs in our signatures?

geordiegirl27

Wow Kiki thanks so much for your dedication to supporting us all, your posts always inspire me.

I am only just starting this journey, havent got beyond netting BMR on a consistent basis but I struggle to eat much food, I am getting there though and eventually I will do the reset and hopefully change my body for good.

But even in these early days I have totally changed my view of food, I will NEVER return to VLCD I will NEVER starve my body of the fuel it needs. I am totally converted. I now enjoy food, I look at my stats and think, crikey I need something more to eat today. I'm learning to put in low volume high calorie food and even monitoring my macros - you have changed me!! but in a great way.

There is huge room for improvement but I'm in this for the long haul and not stressing over it too much, it will slot into place in the future.

In the meantime my body is thanking me, its letting me run harder, for longer and I'm not burning out part way round, I joined MFP to lose weight to help me run better, when all I needed was to feed my body.

The scales, I still hop on them for progress reports but I dont worry about the number any more, I got on this morning and I was up slightly and I said ok so be it, Its a number. The next milestone will be not getting on them anymore or only monthly when I do my weigh in but like everything else, baby steps.

I will no doubt have days of pulling my hair out, but you have all prepared me so much that I will hopefully take it in my stride and as part of the journey.

Thank you all xxx

31prvrbs

You guys have been SO real. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Each individual is responsible for his or her own actions and choices. We all make our choices based on our experience and education.

To blame anyone else for your own choice is a very sad thing, since it does no good for anyone.

We are human and I think that each of us lives life until we have some significant experiences and we realize that nothing really comes for free, but that that is ok. That confidence and self-love is really the "magic bullet." Ha, I sound so wise, right? But I'm still working through all this--I think we just get closer and closer to this.

As a side note, I feel that it would be beneficial to all members of this community for all of us to not include a "pounds lost" ticker in our signatures. To me it seems to go against everything EMTWL embodies. How about putting NSVs in our signatures?

Yes, you sound very wise

I love the NSV in the signature. I wish there were ways to have signatures here :ohwell:

nothingwithoutHim

As a side note, I feel that it would be beneficial to all members of this community for all of us to not include a "pounds lost" ticker in our signatures. To me it seems to go against everything EMTWL embodies. How about putting NSVs in our signatures?

That would be awesome. What's the title of this thread for anyhow? Maybe we should have tickers for how many pounds we gained. LOL, "20 pounds gained and not looking back!" :laugh:

Just kidding. It would be awesome if we could do the pounds gained thing if we knew how much muscle we gained, but otherwise it could be embarrasing. :embarassed: I like your NSV idea better. :bigsmile:

nannabannana

bumping to read more . Thank you. I never thought you made it seem easy. GOD BLESS YOU:)

HeidiHoMom

I love this post|!! Thanks Kiki!

I haven't had much time to post in this group lately...too busy eating :P

I had a 12 week plateau recently which I discovered might be postpartum thyroiditis related, and will find out my blood work results on Thursday but I have FINALLY started dropping again. I did adjust my calories to match my fitbit which was a bit less than what scooby suggested but it's really all about finding our own personal numbers and I think I finally have!

I am now .2 of a pound away from prepregnancy weight and I lost half of that weight eating more. After my first babe I starved myself to lose weight to the detriment of my breastmilk.

This has not been an easy journey at all. I started in April and it has been super slow going but frankly it is nice to be able to go out to family gatherings and to actually be able to eat. To not stress about food. To use food more for fuel and to not be hungry, irritable and constipated. The slowness is worth it in the end.

Thank you so much for all your hard work!