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For all who don't feel a 5lb loss is significant...

kristanickerson
kristanickerson Posts: 72 Member
edited September 2024 in Motivation and Support
So I used to think, "ah 5 lbs that's nothing I can gain that in a weekend" and I never considered it a real loss when I lost it thinking "ah it could just be water". True enough, but now I'm down 10 so I know I've lost it. Since it comes off of everywhere and not just one specific place sometimes it's hard to see...so here you go. My profile is a pic of someone holding a replica of what 5 lbs of fat looks like....it's a great accomplishment and you should be proud :)

Replies

  • RyonsLions2
    RyonsLions2 Posts: 350 Member
    WOW that's gross!! LOL!!! But you are right! I wish I had one the size of 42 lbs!! What in the world would THAT look like?? LOL!! Thanks for the excellent encouragement!!
  • mynameisnotlisa
    mynameisnotlisa Posts: 39 Member
    Eeeeeeeeeeeeewwwwwwwwwwwww! And yay! :D Thank you - I've been doing the whole "well, it's just water weight" and believing that my weight fluctuates by 2-4 pounds every day, so that really helps. :)
  • dbarfuss
    dbarfuss Posts: 1
    Agreed with the encouragement! I just barely started myfitnesspal so to see that just makes me even more motivated!! I know I can do it!
  • crystal_loga
    crystal_loga Posts: 106 Member
    Go to your local grocery store and pick up a 5lb sack of potatoes. It gives you a hands on feel and look at what 5lbs actually is. I recently hit 15lbs lost, so I picked up three bags and held them in front of me. It was amazing!!!
  • RyonsLions2
    RyonsLions2 Posts: 350 Member
    Where is that beautiful place of that picture you have in your profile??
  • khoppe
    khoppe Posts: 1
    It is gross. Years ago I learned how significant even one pound can be - a nurse friend of mine had me hold one pound of ground beef to help me see how much one to two pounds a week looks like.
  • jahoolie
    jahoolie Posts: 6 Member
    Well done and thanks so much for the reminder. I haven't lost at all really. A few pounds but I seem to fluctuate daily so I'm not sure it's really lost!

    I know the exercise and diet changes are helping. I feel better. The clothes are fitting better. The scale though tells another story.

    Ugh! I feel like I've hit a wall and want to see a significant change. I might have to go for a starvation diet instead. No; I won't really but man I'm stuck!!

    Thanks to all that post. I find inspiration here daily! Thanks.
  • kristanickerson
    kristanickerson Posts: 72 Member
    Where is that beautiful place of that picture you have in your profile??
    That's the Grand Sunset Princess in Mexico and I'll be there in a few days :) for the first time!!!
  • MamaLeague
    MamaLeague Posts: 148 Member
    Wow, I've lost two of those! How NASTY! I'm so going to go to the store and lift potatoes and ground beef, lol. Talk about effective shock value!
  • RyonsLions2
    RyonsLions2 Posts: 350 Member
    Good idea with the potatoes bags... I can't hold 8 bags that I've already lost!!! WOW!! I still have about 5 or 6 bags to go!! LOL!!
  • kristanickerson
    kristanickerson Posts: 72 Member
    Well done and thanks so much for the reminder. I haven't lost at all really. A few pounds but I seem to fluctuate daily so I'm not sure it's really lost!

    I know the exercise and diet changes are helping. I feel better. The clothes are fitting better. The scale though tells another story.

    Ugh! I feel like I've hit a wall and want to see a significant change. I might have to go for a starvation diet instead. No; I won't really but man I'm stuck!!

    Thanks to all that post. I find inspiration here daily! Thanks.

    Takes time! Don't give up
  • kristanickerson
    kristanickerson Posts: 72 Member
    Go to your local grocery store and pick up a 5lb sack of potatoes. It gives you a hands on feel and look at what 5lbs actually is. I recently hit 15lbs lost, so I picked up three bags and held them in front of me. It was amazing!!!
    you can also do this with pounds of butter...it's closer to the size of fat. :)
  • agdeierl
    agdeierl Posts: 378 Member
    I hope I don't sound like the wicked witch of the west here, but as much as I would like to feel heartened by this post, seeing as how I've only lost about 5 lbs in almost 10 weeks, it's extremely unlikely when you lose 5 lbs to have lost all of it in fat. Usually it's a combination of muscle mass, fat, and water. So it'd probably be more accurate to picture a 3 lb fat model or something...
  • aippolito1
    aippolito1 Posts: 4,894 Member
    Yes, it's significant but when you lose weight, you're not just losing fat. You're losing water as well and muscle sometimes.
  • ronda_gettinghealthy
    ronda_gettinghealthy Posts: 777 Member
    I live on a small farm and I have to lose 64 pounds total to get to goal. I was picking up feed sacks the other day (50 pounds each) wow they are heavy- WOW I am carrying one of those plus around every day. Whew need to put that sack down!
  • bgeer34
    bgeer34 Posts: 135 Member
    Somedays when I start feeling like I am not doing good enough I think I have lost 55 pounds and my grandchildren only weigh 42 (first grade) and 34 (three years) so I have lost more weight than a small child.... that really puts it in perspective quickly too :)
  • mrsblair84
    mrsblair84 Posts: 62
    Wow, I've lost two of those! How NASTY! I'm so going to go to the store and lift potatoes and ground beef, lol. Talk about effective shock value!

    Me too...can I get a couple of those? It does look gross though. lol...glad to have gotten rid of it :)
  • ahadj
    ahadj Posts: 257 Member
    Another idea is to do it with bags of flour (5 lb or 10 lb bags). The other day at Sam's Club I picked up three 10-lb bags of flour and was amazed at how heavy they were. I told my boyfriend (who met me about 15 lbs ago and sees me every day, so hardly notices any weight loss) to hold them. He said "seriously?" I said "yes". I handed them over and then told him that that's how much weight I had lost.... He was shocked and I think finally understood what a struggle it's been for me, and what a huge deal having lost the weight was.

    Sometimes feeling that physical weight is more significant than any before/after pics can be. :)
  • Lizzgeorge77
    Lizzgeorge77 Posts: 52 Member
    And even water weight lost does make a difference in your appearance!! When you aren't bloated - with fat or water - you will look tighter and smaller and often less puffy in your face. So whatever the reason, when the scale goes down it's a good thing!!
  • Becky1971
    Becky1971 Posts: 979 Member
    I always think about a brick of cheese for 2 pounds, and even a stick of butter for a 1/4 of a pound, it really put into perspective that even a half a pound is something. When I was doing WW, they ran a campaign, having people send in their pictures with food (perishables) stacked up equaling their weight loss, it was very profound. I didnt' want to do it till I had reached my goal, but I still plan to do it when I get there.
  • kristanickerson
    kristanickerson Posts: 72 Member
    I hope I don't sound like the wicked witch of the west here, but as much as I would like to feel heartened by this post, seeing as how I've only lost about 5 lbs in almost 10 weeks, it's extremely unlikely when you lose 5 lbs to have lost all of it in fat. Usually it's a combination of muscle mass, fat, and water. So it'd probably be more accurate to picture a 3 lb fat model or something...

    Fair enough...but we could all use some extra motivation and I'd rather think that's what it is :) Power of positive thinking! I don't care exactly what it looks like as long as I'm shrinking, doing it in a healthy manner, feeling good and am inspired to keep on going.
  • kaymac1908
    kaymac1908 Posts: 39 Member
    Thanks for the visual reminder. 5 pounds is that much closer to your goal!
  • smilebhappy
    smilebhappy Posts: 811 Member
    Ha! I was wondering what was up with your profile pic then I read on......ewwww nasty!
    very very interesting.....thanks for sharing & putting it into perspective
This discussion has been closed.

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