Anyone else sometimes feel discouraged?

AbstractSilver
AbstractSilver Posts: 20
in Motivation and Support
Hi all,

I've been steadily losing weight (this time around), for about 7 months. In that time, I've lost about 24 lbs. Most days I'm ecstatic at that number, but sometimes I get a little down on myself and feel like I should have lost twice that. :C I know that slow weight loss is the key, and I definitely don't deprive myself when I have cravings for something, but I just want to stop being fat right now. At this rate, it seems like it will take me over a year to get to my goal weight.

Once again, most days I am really proud of how far I've come. I've finally gotten my binge eating under control, and am learning to make much healthier choices. But every once in a while (like today), I just... get really discouraged and tired and just want to BE there already.

Anyone else get this feeling sometimes? How do you keep yourself motivated when it feels like you will never make it to goal?

Replies

  • glassgallm
    glassgallm Posts: 276 Member
    I stay motivated because I realize this is a lifestyle change. It is not something I can quit. I have to do this for the rest of my life. When you take time out of the equation then you realize you just take things one day at a time.
  • AbstractSilver
    AbstractSilver Posts: 20
    I stay motivated because I realize this is a lifestyle change. It is not something I can quit. I have to do this for the rest of my life. When you take time out of the equation then you realize you just take things one day at a time.

    Thank you so much for the response. :) You're definitely right. I do see this as a lifestyle change, but some days I just get really bogged down by self doubt. Thankfully these kinds of days are happening less and less.
  • winteryrose1984
    winteryrose1984 Posts: 12 Member
    Don't worry, I think a lot of people are on the same boat as you are. I definitely go through that a lot! Then I stop myself and try my best to focus on how far I have come and how much has changed and how happy I REALLY am on the inside with my "small" successes and I keep moving.
  • winteryrose1984
    winteryrose1984 Posts: 12 Member
    Sorry for the double post, but just wanted to mention that the worst part of feeling like that is comparing how much I used to eat and how much I decreased it and my mind tries to convince me that I've failed because I was supposed to lose a lot more with all this hard work, but again I just try to push that negative talk out of my mind and remind myself that slow and steady will eventually get me there! Good luck to you!
  • Fiona_Cami89
    Fiona_Cami89 Posts: 42 Member
    Of course! I definitely feel deflated when I think about how long it will take to lose all the weight I've put on. But then I stop and think to myself: I've been gaining weight for the past four years and in comparison a year of losing weight is a snippet of time, even if it does feel like aaaaages!!! Losing weight as quickly as we'd like to would mean doing it in an unhealthy way, which in turn means we'd probably put it all back on again and then some!

    Be patient, we'll get there! :)
  • bobbijodmb
    bobbijodmb Posts: 463 Member
    I used to feel that way and sometimes I start to but I try to push those thoughts out of my head pretty quickly. I have started to learn to enjoy the journey and what it has to offer. =)
  • AbstractSilver
    AbstractSilver Posts: 20
    Thank you everyone for responses! :) It is encouraging to hear that others have gone through this as well.

    @WinteryRose19 I know exactly how you feel. Sometimes I think about the way I used to eat and I'm amazed I didn't weight twice as much as I did when I was at my highest weight. I would binge almost daily, and eat several thousand calories in one sitting. Looking at how I eat now, it does feel like I should be losing more weight than I am, but just the fact that I eat so much healthier is a reward of its own, even outside of any weight loss.

    @Fiona_Cami89 That's a great way to look at it! It has taken me years (I started putting weight on in high school and am now a senior in college trying to lose it) to get this heavy, and even having to take a year or two to lose it is nothing in comparison.

    @Bobbijodmb That is a great way of putting it. :) The journey has been so eye opening for me. Changing my habits hasn't only affected my weight, but has positively impacted my self esteem and my general attitude. I need to remember these benefits too instead of just focusing on how much or how little weight I've been losing.
  • ARC1603
    ARC1603 Posts: 113 Member
    I used to get days like this a lot, but less so now.

    What's helped me get over it is by asking myself what will arriving at my destination change in real terms? I can't suddenly just stop exercising and go back to eating how I was. I will still be exercising and watching my calorie intake. Forever. Yes, there are all the improved health benefits and improved self confidence, but I have found that these start to improve before I actually reach my goal weight. So it's actually eating well and exercising regularly that give me those things NOT being a certain weight or certain size. All that getting to goal will actually mean is I weigh a certain amount and wear a certain size clothes. All the other benefits come from the lifestyle, the journey if you will, rather than the destination.
  • TheWorstHorse
    TheWorstHorse Posts: 185
    When I am either feeling seriously bummed or overly enthusiastic about a number on the scale or how many calories I didn't consume or minutes of exercise I didn't do it is always because I have lost sight of why I am doing what I am doing.

    Feeling satisfied or discouraged or elated or bored is part of the deal but it comes and goes, while the reasons I am doing this don't really change. When I reflect on that, the discouragement or elation or whatever evaporates pretty quickly. That's the most important thing: to focus on making my "why" real, independent of how I feel on any given day.
  • krawhitham
    krawhitham Posts: 831 Member
    I can relate! every time I go over my calories I feel like im really hurting my chances of losing more weight! But as others have said, its a total lifestyle change, so I'm going to accept whatever amount of time is needed to lose this weight... even if it takes a year, I just want it to stay off for a lifetime!
  • jennifer_417
    jennifer_417 Posts: 12,344 Member
    It took me a year to lose 45 lbs...waaaaaay slower than I thought it would happen. If I let myself, I could get down about how long it took...but the fact that I lost 45 lbs is still true, no matter how long it took.

    At the end of the day, it's about the fact that the weight is GONE, and that's reason enough to celebrate.
  • kgeyser
    kgeyser Posts: 22,505 Member
    Yep, I've been feeling that all week. Every day, I've had this nagging "I don't want to do this anymore, I just want to be done" feeling. I don't know if I'm just tired, or cranky, or if it's all the cold weather keeping us inside, but yes, I can relate. I think (hope?) we're normal. :wink:
  • Smushyypanda
    Smushyypanda Posts: 12 Member
    At 20 years old I have let myself put on more weight than I would have ever wanted and let myself get quite unfit. When I was younger I used to swim nearly everyday and go horse riding every weekend but stopped very suddenly and haven't done anything since. Due to a medical problem that causes my leg to get painful and swollen if it's put under pressure I struggle with certain exercises and it means I cant do prolonged periods of exercise, however I want to change my lifestyle to get healthy.

    Like many starting out on a 'diet' I get demotivated when I can't see fast results (and I know this is a slow process) but what frustrates me more is feeling like I've given up to easily. I wanted to do 20 mins of slow jogging every other day but today I got to 10 mins of power walking and felt exhausted. Stopping at 10 minutes made me feel horrid I was so demotivated but I didn't let that stop me. I went away and came back about an hour later to do the last 10 mins where I did solid jogging. Yes it tired me out and yes I had to push through the "I can't do this" barrier but I didn't let my frustration get the better of me, I used it and applied it.

    It's easy to let yourself get down but dont worry everyone gets these moments.
  • ebayaddict0127
    ebayaddict0127 Posts: 523 Member
    YES! I only lost .2 pounds this week. I'm so disappointed and honestly almost said screw it and ate some junk tonight. But I didn't. I just started and have so long to go, but I have to remember I'm 13 lbs less than I was. That's the size of my dog! I lost a dog.. lol We will all get through this together.
  • daniellabella986
    daniellabella986 Posts: 325 Member
    Everyone gets discouraged - I do all the time! The key thing to remember is that you ARE losing, no matter what the number is. And don't go so much by the number on the scale, pay attention to your measurements and other noticeable changes. The scale isn't always the best motivator to begin with. I think 24 lbs. is awesome :)

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