Big loss = motivation killer

Littlestandrews
Littlestandrews Posts: 96 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
This might sound like a dumb question, but does weighing ever derail your efforts?
When I see a big loss on the scale, I almost feel entitled to a couple days off (I've never had a cheat day but I feel like I "deserve" one). This is a lifestyle change for me, but seeing a big number lost makes me wanna eat at maintenance for awhile. I know that a life time of "cheat days" got me to where I was in the first place and I don't ever want to go back there. But I just think it's ironic that in my mind, instead of a loss motivating me to keep it up, it almost derails me.
Also, when I see a small loss, that makes me wanna keep going instead and wanting to give up. Am I the only one?!
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Replies

  • Jkn922
    Jkn922 Posts: 74
    I understand what you mean! When you get to a certain number it's like "phew I've lost a lot, I can chill out now"...that's how I felt at 142lbs in May. However I ended up putting 5lbs by September! I haven't got access to a scale and it hasn't been a big issue for me as I thought it'd be this way I focus on the eating right & exercising instead of worrying what I weigh (which also flactuates!). So you can reduce the amount you check your weight :)
  • icimani
    icimani Posts: 1,454 Member
    Me too!

    Whenever I reach one of my min-goals I seem to just forget all my strategies. I treat myself to a meal out, and it turns into a few days, sometimes a few weeks. Grrrrr!
  • fitfreakymom
    fitfreakymom Posts: 1,400 Member
    yup
  • piggyb73
    piggyb73 Posts: 67 Member
    yes, I've said a few times "sure i'll have a cookie, I lost 3 lbs this week" and if I don't lose it does motivate me more.
  • daterminedfatburnerX
    daterminedfatburnerX Posts: 346 Member
    Yes, I know exactly what you mean. Its like when i see weight loss i eat something bad like as a reward almost.
    So the way I avoid doing that is by weighing myself once every 4 or 5 weeks then cheating one day wont be so bad. Instead of weighing every week and cheating every week. Its really a mind game.
  • guroprincess
    guroprincess Posts: 140
    This is exactly why I think it's asinine to use food as a reward for weight loss. It works for some people but for a lot of others, it totally wrecks things for awhile.
  • CyberEd312
    CyberEd312 Posts: 3,536 Member
    I must be the odd one here then cause I don't consider any foods off limits so I pretty much have whatever I want as long as it fits my macro's and caloric needs so when I step on the scale it isn't any incentive to have some pizza, or cookies or whatever cause I am going to be eating that at some point over the course of my intake just like tonight I am making room for a pint of reese's cup chocolate ice cream.. I had to break through the mental part in the beginning but eventually I reintroduced everything back into my diet and am much better off now because I have the self control to grab 6 oreo's out of the package and put the rest away.... Takes time but anyone can get there if they work at it..... Best of Luck
  • lauraspberry
    lauraspberry Posts: 655 Member
    I was like that too but then I tried looking at my naked self in the mirror everytime after weighing, every morning when I wake up, before meals too lol. I look at my disappointing stubborn belly fat from hell, then I get right back on track again feeling as fat as I did before every pound I lost -_____- though I feel sad and depressed for a bit about my fats, I feel more motivated, I curse at my belly when I wanna give up while doing the workouts LOL it makes me push harder
  • QueenBishOTUniverse
    QueenBishOTUniverse Posts: 14,121 Member
    I must be the odd one here then cause I don't consider any foods off limits so I pretty much have whatever I want as long as it fits my macro's and caloric needs so when I step on the scale it isn't any incentive to have some pizza, or cookies or whatever cause I am going to be eating that at some point over the course of my intake just like tonight I am making room for a pint of reese's cup chocolate ice cream.. I had to break through the mental part in the beginning but eventually I reintroduced everything back into my diet and am much better off now because I have the self control to grab 6 oreo's out of the package and put the rest away.... Takes time but anyone can get there if they work at it..... Best of Luck

    I try to do this too, I'll have days over and days under. I try to make sure they average out, but if I want pizza and chick-fil-a, I have pizza and chick-fil-a, and then just make sure I balance it out the next day.

    I've also figured out several "naughty" items that actually fit quite well in to my food diary, so I can feel like I'm treating myself to a dinner out without actually going off plan.
  • judykat7
    judykat7 Posts: 576 Member
    I think this happen a lot. I keep a pile of pants that are too small. When I see a drop I go try on those pants and usually some will move into the can wear pile but there are always those that don't fit yet and that is my motivator to keep going and not celebrate with food the interim loss. I get those pants various places-friends, resale shop, and some I buy straight out cuz they are just too cute to not have. :smile:
  • MizMimi111
    MizMimi111 Posts: 244 Member
    Yep! Definitely psychological...just happened to me this week. Made it to 20 lbs lost and all I've wanted to do since
    is eat.

    A weird self sabotage kind of thing.
  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
    Not really, I don't recall feeling that way.
  • TX_Rhon
    TX_Rhon Posts: 1,549 Member
    OMGOMGOMG!!

    This is so me. Thanks for the post. I am 1.6 lbs from my goal and i've been eating horribly. Exercise? Nope!! I've added 5 more lbs to my goal, ha!

    But overall I have gotten healthier so I'm not stressing it too much. It's just good to hear others do it too! :flowerforyou:
  • lynn1982
    lynn1982 Posts: 1,439 Member
    I used to be like that. And then I'd end up gaining a bit of weight back and it would take FOREVER to lose it again... Try to remember how hard it was for you to lose it in the first place!! That has been an even bigger motivation for me than losing more weight. (And in the process I end up losing the weight!)
  • lebaker310
    lebaker310 Posts: 164 Member
    Yes yes yes yes yes! That was my problem in the beginning. I haven't weighed myself in a couple weeks and I could care less.
  • MimiLovesHorror
    MimiLovesHorror Posts: 47 Member
    Yes! Every time i reach a new milestone (like 155 lbs currently) i have a mini mental breakdown and start going up the scale again...its a cycle of yoyo-ing i go though. I am not sure if I loose motivation (because i feel i am almost there) or if i get intimidated because its getting harder and harder to loose weight.
  • EDollah
    EDollah Posts: 464 Member
    Not on a small scale, like 4 pounds in a week, but it's certainly true for me right now. I just passed the 100 pounds lost mark and have since gotten a little bit lazy. I had gone a week with no cardio, though I did keep up weight lifting and had several days where calorie intake was well in excess of target. It's way too soon to get "fat and happy", lots of work still to do but I'm on the rebound now though.
  • spoiledpuppies
    spoiledpuppies Posts: 675 Member
    A big loss actually reinforces that what I'm doing is working, so I'm even more motivated to do well. I agree with the commenter who said that food rewards just don't make sense and they can hurt at a time like this. I don't know how you can just change how you feel/think, but maybe instead look at a big loss as a sign of being on the right track and celebrate with a workout tool (weight, mat, etc.).
  • PersistentPresence
    PersistentPresence Posts: 35 Member
    This happens to me, although I still haven't figured out why. Every time I weigh myself, if I have lost 2 or more pounds, I start eating more. Because of this, I have decided NOT to weigh myself for 2 weeks and skip cheat days/meals completely. I do feel like I benefit from having a cheat meal every now and then (I've been planing 1 cheat meal per week), but over eating every time I weigh myself AND having cheat meals won't work. I figure if I just extend the time between my weigh ins (and cheat meals), I'll be more successful.
  • Melionfire
    Melionfire Posts: 343 Member
    I am the opposite!! Days when I see a loss I can't wait to workout and plan my meal because it proves to me that what I am doing is working!! When I see no improvement either on the scale or measurements is when I have to really push myself to stay motivated and on track!!
  • chellycakes
    chellycakes Posts: 347 Member
    I'm the opposite! Any loss makes me motivated that I can do this and I work really hard.
    When I gain weight (fluctuations suck!!) I feel like I shouldn't bother and I'd gain all my weight back anyway.
  • Kiayaxo
    Kiayaxo Posts: 57 Member
    I think the motivation has to come from you regardless of what the scales say :)
    That way you can always stay dedicated and motivated,
    You won't feel deflated and quit if you haven't lost and you won't get complacent and cheat as a reward
  • zenwillow
    zenwillow Posts: 1
    Thanks so much for posting your thoughts. I haven't gone through this yet but I feel a bit similar to what chellycakes feels when losing or gaining weight. I think (in my opinion at least) that it's a "mind over matter" thing. I like to think of pass little milestones and celebrate with something I want or enjoy like a new book or nail polish instead of food. I hope these links before will help. :)

    http://weightloss.allwomenstalk.com/weight-loss-tips-7-weight-loss-milestones-to-celebrate
    http://weightloss.allwomenstalk.com/weight-loss-milestones
  • vanguardfitness
    vanguardfitness Posts: 720 Member
    People need to find other ways of rewarding themselves besides using food. I think that's what causes a lot of problems to begin with.
  • danimalkeys
    danimalkeys Posts: 982 Member
    It motivates me when I see the scale go down. The last year of my weight loss has been a long and slow process, so when I see a full pound off the scale, that excites me. I'm 14-15lbs from my goal weight and already my weight is at the lowest it's been in 20 years so if anything, I'm more on board now than ever.
  • shutyourpieholeandsquat
    shutyourpieholeandsquat Posts: 1,394 Member
    See I'm the exact opposite. When I lose a large amount I go "YESSSSSSSS" and it motivates me to KEEP going. When I don't lose any for awhile it makes me go "well I'm working and STILL not losing so why not have a mini Reeses cup" ha!
  • heatherannh23
    heatherannh23 Posts: 71 Member
    I have that same problem. Then it repeats when I see the number go up on the scale again. Haha you're definitely not alone.
  • beachlover317
    beachlover317 Posts: 2,848 Member
    People need to find other ways of rewarding themselves besides using food. I think that's what causes a lot of problems to begin with.

    This. You have to change your way of relating to food. It's tasty, yes. But it is not logical to make that the reward for doing well this week with the scale. Perhaps you are being too restrictive with your eating plan. I also recommend not putting so much emphasis on the scale. I weigh occasionally, but only record it once a month. I also quit rewarding myself for weight loss. This is something I am doing to be healthy to feel great and to be here for my daughter and grandchildren. Running up a flight of steps with my arms loaded with 6 bags of groceries and not getting out of breath - priceless!
  • SamanthaD1218
    SamanthaD1218 Posts: 303 Member
    I'm the exact opposite! When I'm losing a lot, I feel so motivated and want to keep it up. If I go for a while without seeing any progress, though, I get frustrated and think "what's the point? I'm not losing weight so I might as well eat this junk." It's definitely not a good attitude and I have to push it away, but it's how I feel!
  • alisonlynn1976
    alisonlynn1976 Posts: 929 Member
    This might sound weird, but when I see quicker-than-usual losses, my thought process is, "I'd better eat a little more or exercise a little less, don't want my MFP friends to think I'm lying or starving myself." So I do ease up a little bit when I'm losing faster than I intended.

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