Riding The Merry-Go-Round...and Those Frustrating Plateaus

Hanfordrose
Hanfordrose Posts: 688 Member
in Motivation and Support
I spent a lot of time in my long life trying to lose weight. Sometimes, I feel like I have done every diet that you could imagine. I had my time with Weight Watchers and Adkins. I did Overeaters Anonymous and Mayo Clinic. I chewed Adys caramels, until I realized that I liked them too much to only eat one with a cup of hot tea. Half the box of those neatly wrapped caramel was just another binge for me. I also dreamt up some outrageous diets of my own, even living on only radishes and diet cola for most year...just to gain all that weight back and MORE.

That 'and MORE' would get me all the time.

So many of us know what it is like to get on diet 'rollercoaster' or 'merry-go-round'...to 'yo yo' through our lives. We would celebrate the losses (no matter how small) and feel sick over rebounds to a higher weight (no matter how small). It was those rebounds that led to frustration, anger and a sense of failure. Some of you may dealing with those feeling right now.

I can safely say that I have gained and probably 1,000 pounds in my 69 years of riding the diet rollercoaster. Many of you may relate to those figures. Most of you can probably relate to the sense of failure, when the scale goes up.

After losing more than 120 pounds, during the past 20 months, you might say that I am a success story and should not be concerned with that 'old rollercoaster ride', but you would be wrong.

Throughout my MFP weight loss journey, I have been 'RIDING THE MERRY-GO-ROUND'. I only record my weight on MFP, when it is 'lower than the previous low'. That leaves me with LOOOONNNNG stretches on the graph that show up as 'plateaus' on my weight record.

Are 'plateaus' really FLAT, like they look on the weight loss graph? NO WAY!!!

For the past month, I kept a record on paper of my daily ups and downs. I started the month already 4 pounds heavier than my previous low. My weight went up to a high of 166.2 on July 6th, then down to a new low of 160.4 on July 18th. This morning, I weighed 162.2 pounds. That 4 pound weight loss for the month equals SUCCESS, even though it didn't FEEL like a great month.

Most of the past month, I was riding that stupid merry-go-round, up and down...up and down, even though I was sticking faithfully to my food plan and my calorie limit. I did get to post 5 lower weights during July. All of them were small, but they were NEW, LOWER NUMBERS...something to celebrate. :smile:

How did I handle the UP's? If I said that I was cool, calm and unflustered...I would be LYING!!! My poor hubbie knows that I am human and want SUCCESS...not failure. Every once in a while, I whine and complain to him; and he keeps reminding me, "The pounds will come off. Just be patience."

He's right, but I have to live through the highs and the lows of my journey. I bought my ticket for this ride, when I joined MFP...when I decided that it was time to lose weight, not just a couple of pounds. I knew that my goal weight was going to be a big number. Originally, my goal was a 70 pound loss. Then, I realized that I needed to go a lot lower. I am still about 20 pounds away from goal weight, and I have no delusions about how long that could take.

Right now, I am still on this crazy ride. If I choose to get off of the merry-go-round, I can go back to eat 'without any concern' for my weight. I can hid the scale and just start eating like I did in the past. Of course, I will be buying bigger clothes for my rapidly growing body. That would be easy and familiar to someone who has FAILED so many times in the past.

Truth is...I have a feeling that I may be on this ride for the rest of my life. What I need to do is learn to enjoy the small ups and down as part of my life, without getting frustrated and giving up on my goals and food plan. That is the only way that I can keep heading in the right direction...DOWN please. :happy:

Are you on the Weight Loss Merry-Go-Round? :happy:

*****

Note: Yes, I weigh myself EVERY DAY...and EVERY NIGHT. That is NOT recommended, but I am a scale addict. That probably won't change any time soon. :noway: So, don't bother to tell me to hide the scale. It won't happen. :laugh:

Replies

  • dogluvr_2014
    dogluvr_2014 Posts: 54 Member
    Wow!!! Another great post and your story (except for being down 120 pounds) is so similar to mine. I am absolutely on that merry-go-round right along with you and I too will probably be here all of my life. I used to think that all I had to do was lose the weight and my world would be perfect and I would never have to worry about that again, but I know that is not the case. I will probably struggle with this until the day I die but I am committed to this now and I will never give up. I too weigh everyday and try not to let the numbers I want to see but don't see bother me.... but sometimes they do. The difference now is I don't throw in the towel and end up going to the store to buy my comfort in the foods I used to eat. Little Debbie is no longer my best friend. We haven't seen each other in over 65 days and I'm fine with never seeing her again. The price of her friendship was just way too high. I know a lot of people here get upset over the use of the words "good" or "bad" when referring to foods but I do use them sometimes. Because now I am trying to be all about my health and not just about trying to fit into a certain size anymore. Amazing how your goals change the older you get. If a food has little or no nutritional value then I do consider it a bad food, at least for me. That's not to say that I will never have it but that needs to be a rare occasion. I just want to be the best me I can be. I want to look into the mirror and like what I see again. Thank you Sue for all of your amazing posts and for reminding us of things we either haven't learned yet or have forgotten. God Bless!!! :flowerforyou:
  • jecosten
    jecosten Posts: 4 Member
    Excellent! Thank you very much for the inspirational posting!
  • WDA4655
    WDA4655 Posts: 91 Member
    Sue, did you just read my blog? You have described most of my journey. I am so glad we have become friends on this journey! It helps me to know that there are women out there that I can absolutely relate too! Like all your posts/blogs...fantasticly written my friend! :smile:
  • Hanfordrose
    Hanfordrose Posts: 688 Member
    Sue, did you just read my blog?

    You must have been looking over my shoulder. :laugh:
  • AnneCarolOne
    AnneCarolOne Posts: 33 Member
    What a timely post. I am lamenting my roller coaster ride at this moment. My dietician told me just today to not obsess over it- it is a negative thinking that torpedoes efforts to stay strong. I have so much riding on this weight loss that it diverts me from my ultimate goal and I forget to "see the forest for the trees"! You have a knack for keeping us on track and keeping it real. They say that misery loves company- I say that challengers need motivators that understand personally from experience. Thanks for the boost up!
  • MrsC1st
    MrsC1st Posts: 45 Member
    Yes, I'm on the merry go round, but I'm determined not to get off EVER. Lol... If I decide to get off this ride, I know that I will regain the seventy pounds and some.So in the midst of the sometimes crazy fluctuations, my seat belt is locked in place; there will be no refunds for the merry go round. lol I enjoyed this post, as usual. Thanks Sue:smile:
  • SusanGettingFit
    SusanGettingFit Posts: 14
    Mrs. Sue, you just summed it all up eloquently. I love reading your posts and watching your journey. I bought my ticket as well. Every single morning, I get a fresh start. It is up to me and me alone. I choose how, when, and what to fuel my body with as well as finding those opportunities to push myself from an exercise standpoint. If I choose unwisely, it can be a setback. Sometimes, I think I am really hard-headed and it takes me a while to wise up about certain things. This journey isn't a short trip which ends at a place of freedom and abandon. My journey must continue throughout my life if I am to find success long term. That is my goal. I am working everyday to make changes that I can live with, not just right now. Always.

    Thanks for sharing your thoughts! Keep on keeping on!
  • spikrgrl503
    spikrgrl503 Posts: 247 Member
    I needed this today, Sue. I too, only record lower than the low, unless it's been more than a month or two. So I've spent the last two months getting back down to that low. I'm down 2 lbs this month and while I can't see it on MFP it was a struggle and I'm proud. Only one more until I'm back to that lowest low!
  • ketandnan
    ketandnan Posts: 9
    It was like reading about myself!! you are an inspiration to us all! I know in my heart that this is my last hoorah I can NEVER ever go back to eating like I did in the past, is it hard? you betcha! are there days I just want to give up? you betcha! but IF I want to live I know I can't go back! and I have a whole host of people who need and depend on me being here for as long as the Lord tarries.
    God bless you Sue!
  • Kadje
    Kadje Posts: 50 Member
    I like your idea of just recording the lowest lows here! I am going to start doing that.

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