Do You Ever Have Trouble With the Mental Side of Losing Weight?

lucypstacy
lucypstacy Posts: 178 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
On my average day, I'm proud of myself. I have done well, and I have lost weight. I know all this...

But some days.

There are other days I'm so disappointed that the scale didn't move more, or I start thinking my weight loss is so painfully slow. I know it's irrational, but I still have the thoughts. When I get in those moods, I jump on the scale obsessively and get disappointed if I don't see linear weight loss even though I know that's not how it works.

So far, I just try to keep giving myself the same pep talk. I go and look at charts to see how far I've come. I've lost 27lbs. I've done well. It's only the beginning, but there has to be a beginning for there to be an ending. Still, it's so hard to silence that little negative voice.

Anyone else have that issue? What did you do to overcome it?
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Replies

  • oolou
    oolou Posts: 765 Member
    First - congratulations on losing 27 pounds. That's a real achievement!

    Regarding the mental side of losing weight, I have the same issue. All I can suggest is continuing with the pep talks and every now and then really give yourself a big pat on the back for what you have lost already - take photos of your slimmer body, put on old clothes that used to fit and see how loose they now are, try to visualise how fantastic you will feel when you have lost another 27 pounds. Focus on how far you have already come rather than think about how long it may take to get to your target weight.
  • elliej
    elliej Posts: 466 Member
    Think of it as a marathon and not a sprint, you're not 'losing weight' you are making positive steps to improve your health - that way I find it a bit easier to focus not just on my weight but how much faster I can run / how much heavier I can lift / fit into some new or old clothes etc.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
    Need2Exerc1se wrote: »
    I think the mental aspect is the hardest part. In theory it's such a simple concept. Just eat less than you burn. But so many thing work against that in reality. Keeping your head in the game is the hardest part IMO.

    Agreed!

  • fitmom4lifemfp
    fitmom4lifemfp Posts: 1,572 Member
    I've never experienced any trouble in that aspect. I don't focus on the scale not moving. I focus on doing what I need to do, to get back into that size 6 dress, ;)
  • Emily3907
    Emily3907 Posts: 1,461 Member
    Yes. I yo-yo'd and struggled for years.

    Things that helped me were finding other markers of success outside of the scale. (Like measurements, fitting in to a new pair of jeans that are a size smaller, being able to increase your activity level, not getting out of breath at a time you normally would, increased flexibility, etc.)

    Also, I only weigh myself on the 1st of the month now, instead of daily. I was becoming too obsessed with the scale.

    I have many other things I have done, but they are more personal to my own issues and probably not super helpful to others.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    edited May 2017
    Read these, especially #6...I just wished they used a different word than "skinny"...that word makes my skin crawl.

    http://www.livestrong.com/slideshow/504127-the-6-secrets-of-skinny-people/#slide=7

    ETA: You have to focus on something besides just losing weight...losing weight isn't the be all and end all. Focus on the process of learning to live a healthier lifestyle...adopting healthy habits...establish fitness goals and objectives, etc. You'll need all of these tools in maintenance...being XXX Lbs isn't the end game...arriving at goal weight or whatever is really just arriving at the starting line of the real race that is maintaining a healthy weight and healthy lifestyle...it's not the finish line.
  • crazyycatladyy1
    crazyycatladyy1 Posts: 156 Member
    During my weight loss phase I had no problem. After I transitioned into maintenance though, is when I really started struggling mentally. 4 years into maintenance and I still have issues once in a while (earlier this year I hit a really bad rough patch and struggled to keep at it).
  • shrcpr
    shrcpr Posts: 885 Member
    Yes, the mental aspect is definitely the hard part. And knowing that maintenance is going to look very much like weight loss is just discouraging. I try to focus on the positive but it does get me down sometimes.
  • hesn92
    hesn92 Posts: 5,966 Member
    It is discouraging that it takes so long. I feel like I have been eating healthier I should be thin now! Lol. But I didn't gain the weight that quickly so i guess I can't expect to lose it that fast either.
  • 12774
    12774 Posts: 1,416 Member
    Yes, it is one of he most difficult task that I have undertaken and I know that it will be a lifelong commitment.Right now, I want to remain best friends with my scale. I have lost 33lbs this year and I am not looking forward to that dreaded plateau which usually will come between the scale and me.
  • amyepdx
    amyepdx Posts: 750 Member
    Don't think of there being an "ending". To maintain your goal weight, you will probably need to continue weighing and logging (at least I know I will). Instead, I'm thinking of it as a part of my life from now on. It's not a punishment, just a reality. I still have 20 to lose after taking 2 years and 4 months to lose 98. It will probably take until the end of the year and I'm ok with that. You are off to a great start - keep it up!!
  • Big_YEET
    Big_YEET Posts: 152 Member
    lgill1127 wrote: »
    My biggest struggle mentally is that I'm constantly making excuses for why my skinny clothes now fit/belittling my progress. I've lost 46lbs in the past year (slow, but steady) and still have about 60lbs to go.

    Example: When I went from wearing solely leggings to wearing my old skinny jeans again, my brain said "no, these don't actually fit - you just stretched them out enough to fit." Or even my old leggings are just "stretched out" instead of actually being too large for my body now.

    It's something I'm constantly working on - congratulating myself on the progress so far and being motivated for being almost halfway there. But there are still dark days when I belittle my progress or get bummed out because I "should have lost it all by now."

    One thing that helped immensely was letting go of some of my old clothes that are truly too big for me now. Knowing that there's no going back and not keeping them in case I gain it all back was a big positivity boost for me.

    Wow, this is exactly me. I just managed to get into an old pair of skinny jeans after wearing leggings for a while and I was scared they didn't "really fit". Nice to know I'm not the only one who struggles with these types of thoughts.
  • Sheisinlove109
    Sheisinlove109 Posts: 516 Member
    Great job on the weight loss.

    The whole process is hard, no doubt, but you are a warrior and you're going to keep pushing through It.

    Mentally we all get ourselves in frenzies especially when we are putting in the major effort and we don't see the scale move.

    I'm 82 lbs down. Some days it's all great and some days, weeks it stinks. Plateaus, stink. Changing my routine, stinks. Situations we don't expect, stink. Great thing is....they are temporary.

    When you find yourself in a rut emotionally, change it up! I plateaued for a month and thought the scale would never move again but I kept doing my thing and changed up my workout and...drumroll...moved again. Don't get obsessive, hid the scale and keep it moving...you'll be fine and before you know it you'll be losing again.
  • clicketykeys
    clicketykeys Posts: 6,575 Member
    One of the things I often tell myself is that feelings aren't facts. You could be at your goal weight or even below it and you'll still have days when you feel bleh. It's just a thing that happens.

    Nothing lasts forever. The feelings will pass. Keep your focus on your goals and keep going. You've got this!
  • moniquemtzquiros
    moniquemtzquiros Posts: 8 Member
    I'm a self-sabbotager.
  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
    Challenge your thoughts.

    Don't believe everything you think.
  • Fflpnari
    Fflpnari Posts: 975 Member
    lovecats321 wrote: »
    Absolutely. For me, weight loss is a mind game. I'd say it's almost 100% mental. Exercising and counting calories isn't rocket science, but it's incredibly hard because it's such a slow process and I have to make so many positive choices every day while simultaneously trying not to give up altogether. It can be exhausting!

    I've lost 19 lbs out of 50. I try to really focus on the little victories - I can wear shirt styles I've been avoiding for a couple years, I feel much better in general, I was able to successfully complete a hike I wouldn't have been able to do before. I love trying on clothes I've been holding onto but haven't fit into for a couple years - a lot of them are SO CLOSE to fitting. It's really easy to be bogged down with the things that aren't changing fast enough - like the fact that I've lost about 20 lbs and still haven't gone down a pant size - but I'll get there. And you will, too! :)

    I'm down 21 and have lost a pant size either!!
  • Fflpnari
    Fflpnari Posts: 975 Member
    Mental is defiantly the most difficult thing for most of us
  • YouGotThis435
    YouGotThis435 Posts: 29 Member
    edited May 2017
    I've had the same problem. I've lost weight and gained it back after becoming discouraged about the difficulty to lose weight once I reach a specific weight. Mentally I depend on the loss of a lbs on the scale as a reward for all my hard work and discipline and if I don't get it, im more susceptible to say screw it, and fall into a binge.

    One thing I've learned though is that if you get to a point in your routine where you aren't losing weight anymore, do some research and change your routine a bit. For ex. I hate eating breakfast, im not a morning person. For a while in my weight loss journey that was ok until I reached a weight that it wasn't. I stayed there for a few days until I decided to try something new and eat breakfast and instantly I was back on track with losing weight.
  • LotusCass
    LotusCass Posts: 145 Member
    Absolutely!!! Everything with me is about the mental challenges. I've lost 10 lbs but just hit a plateau in the past 2 weeks. Every other time this has happened is when I've stopped and given up. Last night I had such a mind battle convincing myself to keep going, the scales aren't everything, I'm allowed to plateau and have a week or 2 when I hardly lose. I think I won that battle with my mind, we'll see. :smiley:
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Every single day lol. I'll look at myself in the mirror and think I look ok one day, that 'I can afford a few extra calories'... then the next day I feel fat and ugly and get all depressed again that I can't lose my last few pounds.
  • Wtn_Gurl
    Wtn_Gurl Posts: 396 Member
    We all want the scale to move quickly! To handle the fretting about it when it does not move as you want - here is what helps me - Patience, realizing that weight loss is not always downward and the same, sometimes you have gains, one pound a week loss, 2 ounces of weight loss a day, etc. Also remember that each day is a victory - if you are still hanging in there, if you are still not going off your diet, if you are learning how to eat healthier, look for the non-scale victories. You may be encouraged by not focusing on your poundage lost, but on these many things.

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