Overcoming Impatience

I definitely do. I'm fairly impatient and generally have unrealistic expectations. The 2 combined leave me discouraged at times when I should be pleased.

I'm not sure what to do about it. It's a matter of keeping perspective, which for many is easier said than done. I saw this pic a while back and it's been one of my favorites.

Does anyone else out there struggle with living in the present, or with contentment with ongoing improvements?

I won't throw this too far into a hyperbole, but I think this is true of most people in daily life! So yes, I am with ya. I find I am either too critical - worrying each day about calories, exercise, and such - or too focused on the end result inside of the journey to a better lifestyle.

I just signed up today. I want to try and not be impatient. I know the change will come but it can be hard. LOVE the quote on the pic that Jacksonpt posted. TOTALLY AWESOME!!!!

I definitely do. I'm fairly impatient and generally have unrealistic expectations. The 2 combined leave me discouraged at times when I should be pleased.

I'm not sure what to do about it. It's a matter of keeping perspective, which for many is easier said than done. I saw this pic a while back and it's been one of my favorites.

I needed this! I had a total fat day today and didn't want to come to work because of it. I changed my outfit 3 times. The sweater I wanted to wear originally, I haven't worn in like a year. I can fit it now and should have been happy about that, but because my stomach isn't a flat as I thought it should look in it, I got soooo depressed and changed. I should have been happy that I could actually put the thing on instead of busting out of it. Thanks for the attitude adjustment guys.

I had to change my focus on what I was trying to do. I always got impatient about losing the weight, and wished there was some faster way to get there. I determined that weight loss should not be my goal and I changed my focus to meeting smaller discrete changes in my life, and know that as a result I will continue to lose weight and be healthier. Sometimes I get a little impatient, but I like the picture that was posted, I'm not there, but I'm not just starting either. I've made a significant change by not focusing on the end state. A lot of people ask me what my goals are, and I'm specifically not setting them, because I don't know where I want to be until I get there.

this is also something i struggle with. i think because of constantly being worried about where i am as opposed to where i'm trying to be i often get discouraged and fall off the boat. this is something i'm aware of at this point so i try to push through it.

I am as impatient as they come...everything in life needs to happen now for me. Because I don't have too many pounds to lose at this point(7 lbs down and I'll be in the right range, 15 lbs is all I want to lose overall), it is extremely difficult for me to lose. I go down say, 1-2 lbs in a month and it is so tough to see the weighing scale stuck. But I do take joy in the fact that I am sticking to a program I got started on and it is something I wasn't very good at. Look at all the good things you are doing with yourself and take pride. The results will come. All the best!

This wasn't a problem for me this time, but it has been in the past. One suggestion is to set ultra-mini goals, such as drinking 8 glasses of water per day for an entire week or to exercise a certain number of minutes. When you reach these goals, reward yourself in a non-food way - treat yourself to an item or experience that is a little decadent. Or you can put money in a jar for each goal met and save up for something big! Another suggestion is to surround yourself with supportive people - both on MFP and in real life. It helps me so much to get the little WTG messages every time I work out or am under my calorie goal. And eating lunch daily with people who never disparage my choices or try to tempt me is also helpful. Of course, my husband (who is also on the journey) has been the biggest support, but that's hard to find! And my last suggestion is to focus on health rather than weight loss. Every time you choose lean meat, vegetables, etc. over junk, you are healthier, no matter what any scale or measuring tape says. Good Luck! You can do it!!

Bump. JacksonPT, thanks for that great inspirational picture! :happy:

I find it helpful to set short term goals to obsess over instead of the long term ones. I use jefit to track my weight lifting sets. Each week, I make it a goal to do either a higher weight or closer to the full number of reps for all sets than the previous week. That way, I always have a tangible number to look at for success.