Trust in the process, the results will follow

scolaris wrote: »

Brilliant! All sorts of 'yes!' here... I've only been here 3 months but I'm completely jaded by the folks who insist they can lose 3-4 lbs a week, or claim they are metabolically so 'special' they can't possibly lever more than 1000 calories in their pie hole, etc etc. And then, of course, poof!, they disappear! Sustainable & lasting weight loss really is a tortoise's game rather than a hare's. Thanks for writing this!

''... a tortoise's game rather than a hare's.'' Love this!
It really is. Patience really is key, and I'm starting to understand that with patience AND determination, it IS possible to lose. After several years of half-hearted attempts, or gung-ho approaches that deflated after the initial 2lb-drop-in-2-days high, I'm finally actually allowing myself to enjoy the slow journey to healthy and I'm celebrating the tiniest of victories.
If you looked at my scale weight this week compared to the same day last week, you'd see that I weigh exactly 1 lb more. But my trend weight has actually come down 1 lb. That's because my ''highest'' weight keeps on going down.
More importantly, I have a little more energy and motivation every day. Getting up and going for a walk in the evening isn't something I have to fit in like it was a few months ago; it's something I want to do.
And if I miss a night, it's not the end of the world. I think that's the biggest difference. Whereas before, one slipped meal, one pound gained or one missed workout and I was ready to throw in the towel. Now I ditch the guilt as soon as I get up in the morning and start off fresh every day.
@takingcareofus, you've got this.

Runagain_4 wrote: »

I'm only a third of the way to my ultimate goal, and I may never reach it. But I'm still proof that little changes can make a big difference over time. I'm a third of the way closer than I was just over 2 months ago. I'm healthier, more energetic, and way more positive than I was then too. And every day I find myself trusting more and more in the process.
Give yourself more than just a number on the scale. Give yourself more time than ''immediately, right now!'' to get slimmer and healthier and more positive. Give yourself a chance. You won't get there in a day, but you'll get better and better on the way there

Just thought I'd check in since it's been quite a while since I wrote the original post. It's always nice to catch up on a ''success story''.
My perception of success is probably a lot different than a lot of people's at this point in time. My success doesn't involve having reached goal weight. Yet.
My success involves still being here, still determined to reach goal. I'm a bit closer than when I originally posted, about 2/5 of the way, not quite halfway to goal. I've averaged a 0.1 lb/week weight loss over the last two and a half years. Infinitesimally small loss by most accounts. But I'm still here. I'm still determined. Here's what happened:
After the initial post, I lost progressively for a few more months. I stayed on track, I stayed focused. No sooner would I gain than it would come off. I was well on my way to goal, about 2/3 of the way there.
I went on six vacations in a 12-month period. I did extremely well exercise-wise on all six. I failed diet-wise on the sixth. I forgot to log after over almost a full year of consistently logging. I didn't lose the few lbs I'd gained once I got back from vacation. I didn't go back to logging consistently or weighing in regularly.
Things didn't slide too badly though.
Then I went on vacation in October 2016 and woke up one morning with 3 herniated cervical discs (out of nowhere). I was in agony. I couldn't lie down, couldn't sit. I could stand, but every step jarred. After an agonizing 12-hour trip home, it took me 3 weeks to recover to the point where I could go back to work. Sleeping continued to be sporadic. Walking was a chore. My doctor advised not to do any exercise or physically strenuous activity for at least 3 months. I got depressed. I gave in to emotional eating. I went back to Pilates eventually, but I kept on eating.
Within 11 months, I realized my weight had crept right back up to where it had been when I started. But I was determined not to beat my highest weight.
I pulled up my big girl pants and started logging again. I got serious about walking and Pilates again. I started watching what I put into my body. And the weight started going down again. Not fast, but in the right direction.
Then, about a month ago, I found out I am pre-diabetic. This was shocking, because while I'm still above the weight I'd like to be, my BMI is 23, on the upper end of the normal range. This brought about a few more dietary changes, and the elimination of most of my beloved carbs; surprisingly, I'm not craving them, and I'm actually feeling a lot better these days. Because of these restrictions, I now log on a carb manager app more than on MFP (because I'm too lazy to log on both sites), but I log every single day.
I am still focused on the goal. I am still working on it every day. My success may quite possibly never be measured in a number. But I am still here. 0.1 lb/week lighter on average than when I last wrote. Almost halfway to goal.
I am still here. And so are you.
And that's what really counts.