Weight Loss - When you are impatient for results

In the past I've used mini-rewards. Lose so many inches and get a treat (for me that's stuff like $10 gifts to myself that I wouldn't usually spend money on- I'm pretty frugal).

I also just try to do things I enjoy so that I'm not as focused on it. After a few weeks of getting back into a healthy mind set it seems normal to eat only lighter healthier meals. And I cook them for myself so they taste delicious. I also chose exercise that I enjoy.

The key for me to not feel impatient is to not feel deprived by what I'm doing so it isn't really a struggle. When I've tried more restrictive diets in the past I've felt like there was a giant timer clicking down somewhere that let me know when I would get to eat again and a longer timer for when I would I have my magical perfect body. Waiting for that made me really *****y. I'm not a happy camper when I'm hungry and have a long period of misery in front of me.

TLDR: Make changes in your life that don't make you miserable, keep living your life and hopefully you won't notice the wait that much.

Good luck on your journey.

I weigh myself once a month, so for me it's even longer and by the time I get there I really need that hit of motivation that losing weight gives me. So far it's working out well for me because I've lost decent numbers in both my weigh ins, the problem will be if I ever struggle on the scale which hopefully I won't.

I remind myself that impatience doesn't change anything and that giving in to that impatience would only push my goals further into the future.

Basically, I jut refuse to give in to it. That's probably not very helpful, but it is what it is.

Because I switched to setting fitness related goals over weight loss goals. Example my goals this month: Bike 300 miles, lift 3 times per week per my plan, and run at least once per week.

To do that I have to stay consistent. You also need to learn patience. Plus developing good habits, I log my food as part of my daily routine, I work out based on the routine I've put into place.

The other thing is I've learned this time around that I don't have to be miserable to lose weight.

This is GREAT advice!

Thank you everyone, all great advice,I think the key for me is like you say to realise I don't have to be miserable losing weight!

Here's a few links that have great information,

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1234699-logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide?hl=logging+step+guide

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1235566-so-you-re-new-here?hl=so+you're+new+here

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

When I was on my journey to lose weight I really enjoyed the process. I didn't do weight-ins at all. Exercising gave me a lot of energy and I got addicted to it. I used to picturing myself how I would feel, how I would look when I lose weight, what cloths would I wear and what things I could do. That visualization together with the energy and overall positivity I received after working out and kept me going.

For me, probably THE most significant change I made when I decided to make a run at this... again... was to completely change my expectations for weight loss. In the past I always had that "biggest loser" mindset - if I didn't see big losses on the scale I'd totally get frustrated and quit. So, at the beginning of the year I totally committed myself to averaging 1-2lbs of weight loss per week. That level is what I now consider success. Anything more than that is great, but I've also started to look at anything more than that as a bit of a caution - to make sure I'm always mindful about doing this right. Expecting 1-2lbs per week has really helped me get through those really tough times where I lose less than half a pound or even gain - both of which have happened a number of times this year. When that happens I can go back to "reports" in MFP and see where I was a month ago, or two months ago, and it helps me realize that I'm usually still on track and that I've come a long way. I even had T-Shirts made that say "100 in One" just to constantly remind me of the goal.

Taking pictures saved me. Being able to compare progress with the very beginning picture made me so thankful I was still working hard every day and NOT where I started. I did measurements and pitures every 2 weeks. There were times when I looked at the before/current pictures every day just to keep me motivated. Whatever works for you, but that works for me!

I know I shouldn't, but I weigh myself every day because I am impatient. I couldn't sustain any other way. I'd get too frustrated, too fed-up. It seems to be working well enough for me, so far, but I know I am abnormal in this.

Because I switched to setting fitness related goals over weight loss goals. Example my goals this month: Bike 300 miles, lift 3 times per week per my plan, and run at least once per week.

To do that I have to stay consistent. You also need to learn patience. Plus developing good habits, I log my food as part of my daily routine, I work out based on the routine I've put into place.

The other thing is I've learned this time around that I don't have to be miserable to lose weight.

Pretty much the same for me.

And on a similar note, OP you say you stop after 3 months. That implies a diet or that you're doing something that you can't sustain forever. For me the mentality of this being a lifestyle change and not a diet is essential. That way if it takes me another year+ to lose the remaining 25-20lbs its still a very small part of the rest of my life (I hope). I eat food I like, I log & weigh everything, I don't deprive myself of things I like I just include them in moderation. I ignore timescales - some months I'll average over 1.5lbs a week lost, other months it may be 0.5lbs a week but as long as the trend is down and my fitness gets better then I'm happy.

Only concenr I have is if I were to pick up an injury that took weeks to heal as my exercise & fitness is my driver and also what makes it realtively easy most of the time.

For me, probably THE most significant change I made when I decided to make a run at this... again... was to completely change my expectations for weight loss. In the past I always had that "biggest loser" mindset - if I didn't see big losses on the scale I'd totally get frustrated and quit. So, at the beginning of the year I totally committed myself to averaging 1-2lbs of weight loss per week. That level is what I now consider success. Anything more than that is great, but I've also started to look at anything more than that as a bit of a caution - to make sure I'm always mindful about doing this right. Expecting 1-2lbs per week has really helped me get through those really tough times where I lose less than half a pound or even gain - both of which have happened a number of times this year. When that happens I can go back to "reports" in MFP and see where I was a month ago, or two months ago, and it helps me realize that I'm usually still on track and that I've come a long way. I even had T-Shirts made that say "100 in One" just to constantly remind me of the goal.

^^This is exactly my mindset. Small steps, long term goals. Every little success is exactly that, a success! and not only in the scale, the NSV (non scale victories) are victories too!

Because I switched to setting fitness related goals over weight loss goals. Example my goals this month: Bike 300 miles, lift 3 times per week per my plan, and run at least once per week.

To do that I have to stay consistent. You also need to learn patience. Plus developing good habits, I log my food as part of my daily routine, I work out based on the routine I've put into place.

The other thing is I've learned this time around that I don't have to be miserable to lose weight.

Pretty much the same for me.

And on a similar note, OP you say you stop after 3 months. That implies a diet or that you're doing something that you can't sustain forever. For me the mentality of this being a lifestyle change and not a diet is essential. That way if it takes me another year+ to lose the remaining 25-20lbs its still a very small part of the rest of my life (I hope). I eat food I like, I log & weigh everything, I don't deprive myself of things I like I just include them in moderation. I ignore timescales - some months I'll average over 1.5lbs a week lost, other months it may be 0.5lbs a week but as long as the trend is down and my fitness gets better then I'm happy.

Only concenr I have is if I were to pick up an injury that took weeks to heal as my exercise & fitness is my driver and also what makes it realtively easy most of the time.

Agreed - another reason to weigh myself every day. Growing up we didn't have scales in our house, it was all a matter of looking in the mirror to see how you were doing. I will never go back to that ignorance, and I want to get up every morning and step on the scale so that I never look down and get sudden shock that I've jumped 20lbs.

A combination of pretty much all these things helped me. Daily goals, weekly, etc. New clothing size, monthly progress pics hung on the inside of my closet, and tracking weight. The Withings Scale has helped me greatly!