Expectations vs reality for weight loss

Easier. It was the first /only time I tried losing weight and it went better than I had been expecting. Maintenance is a whole different topic though

It's been relatively easy, but I also expected it to be. Every time I go off diet for a treat I worry that I'm going to struggle getting back on but I'm committed enough that it hasn't been an issue.

First 50 pounds = easy peasy lemon squeezy

Final 15 pounds = exceedingly difficult in a mind-numbingly slow way

Maintenance periods interspersed with cutting periods = super easy, fortunately have never had a problem with these

Maurissa77 wrote: »

This is a helpful thread for someone on her fourth day of weight loss journey! You have all given me courage❤️

Just be consistent and honest in your logging. That's the key. If you maintain your deficit you WILL lose weight, it's a proven scientific fact. I'm down 26 lbs in 3.5 months, losing right at the rate mfp predicts. And I'm far from a perfect logger. I just try to log every meal and get as close as I can.

You got this!

I find weight loss very difficult. I've been successful, but as someone with a large appetite who tends to gain weight easily, I must weigh measure and track my intake to make any progress.

It's easy in principle, but tough in execution. I can only eat about a third of the calories I really want just to maintain (even less to cut). I had to tell myself that hunger is an indication that I'm burning fat and a sign I'm doing a good job. The notion that I'll be hungry all day for almost every day of the rest of my life is hard to accept, but I want to be lean more than I want to be psychologically content.

Maurissa77 wrote: »

This is a helpful thread for someone on her fourth day of weight loss journey! You have all given me courage❤️

For me the first 1-2 weeks are the hardest. I habit hack like crazy - lots of water/hot unsweetened herbal teas and tiny mint candies. A lot of struggle with not feeling satisfied from my meals. Hungry and always thinking about food. Then, it magically got easier. Suddenly I wonder how I'm going to eat all my calories for the day. I'm satisfied and still have 200-300 calories left. It's amazing - there's room for ice cream? Even though I had a 1000 calorie dinner the day before?

Like I mentioned above, I'm getting back into logging again after being inconsistent for a couple of weeks. The last week has been more of a struggle - thinking of food all the time, hungry even after a meal that should be satisfying. Yesterday, I could feel my body start to adjust and I only dealt with mild hunger and mild cravings. Today, I am starting to feel full after my normal breakfast. I know it's going to get better pretty soon - just have to be patient.

elaineamj wrote: »

It was easier than I expected - although I just recently had my first hump where I got tired of logging and ate too much for a couple of weeks and struggled to get committed again. I've gone back to logging - but as always, the first 1-2 weeks, I am starving. I'm just starting to get back to my zone where I am satisfied at a lower calorie intake. Can't wait to get to the point where I have plenty of extra calories to spare for treats, etc and don't feel deprived! I know that will happen in a little bit, just have to be patient and give my body time to adjust. It's so nice to see the scale moving downwards again!

I see we are twinsies again!

Easier for me in the beginning this time. But then the inevitable 'fall of the wagon' happens. Got back on. Then fell off. So weight sort of at a standstill due to such inconsistency. I am logging all these binges, but the #'s are bad and explain why I am not losing and should consider myself lucky I am getting back on the wagon inbetween such that I'm not gaining yet. I sort of need to get back into the swing of things again rather than a couple days on, a couple days off. Not real hunger for me, just the emotional disappointment I can't eat until it hurts every single day.

Every fad diet, every other attempt at losing weight - they all started out the same - really easy, lose weight, feel good, look good then BAM! I end up going back to old habits because the program is either too restrictive, too complicated or just doesnt suit my individual needs. This time on CICO, easy start up, and has continued to be easy as there are no special foods, I eat what everyone else eats(just less of it), no deprivation, no restriction, no weird ingredients or other irrelevant factors to worry about - just eat and log, eat and log. This I can do. And I have lost about 60 lbs now since October and sometimes have to shake myself to believe that this is my new, happy reality.