Slow and steady....right???

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cgrout78
cgrout78 Posts: 1,679 Member
in Motivation and Support
I KNOW that losing weight slowly is the way to keep it off and not lose muscle mass as well. I have my calories set to lose 1lb a week and I've been doing a half pound to a pound a week for the last month. So why am I mad that I'm not seeing that drastic scale drop??? I know it's not healthy to lose that fast and I won't keep it off (all the mistakes I've made before). Why can't I just be happy with gradual??? ARRGHHHHHHH. Anyone else get like this?

Replies

  • JJS1979
    JJS1979 Posts: 177 Member
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    I use to be like this and it caused so much anxiety and pressure. I had to change my mindset. The key is if this is a lifestyle change you will use employ forever than it should not matter if it takes you 3 weeks to lose the weight you want or 50 weeks. Once i started to think differently about goals and not make it about a goal weight or BFP but rather the activities to be healthy, that is when i saw true success. Goodluck!
  • Penthesilea514
    Penthesilea514 Posts: 1,189 Member
    edited May 2017
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    I have been dropping weight pretty gradually- I was not super interest in fast weight loss to begin with. I guess it is because it took years for me to add the weight, and in order to do it right, it will take a while. I am super focused on doing it in a sustainable way, so that when I do (eventually) reach my goals, many of my habits will be so ingrained that I can maintain better.

    Try using measurements- when the scale isn't moving much, I really have liked taking measurements. You could also try taking progress pictures at regular intervals. It can be hard to notice that you are changing, but it is definitely happening.

    If you focus on things that are not scale based measures of success, it may help you feel like you are accomplishing more. Good luck!
  • mistlechild
    mistlechild Posts: 9 Member
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    Try celebrating each reduction, even if you don't think it's worth celebrating. A lot of my frustration is built on constantly badgering myself or minimizing rather than celebrating my achievements. Even if it's as little as telling yourself that you've done a good job. Out loud. Hearing it may help!
  • mca90guitar
    mca90guitar Posts: 290 Member
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    Most people like instant gratification. Want it now and hate having to wait for it. Normal and hard to over come.

    Just try to be happy, even if the scale isn't going down bust out the tape and see where the inches are coming off and that should make you feel better.

  • foodhasfeelingstoo
    foodhasfeelingstoo Posts: 13 Member
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    Skip the scale. What does the number matter anyway? Eat and exercise to a level that feels good and relax! That's the real lesson to be learned here. Getting fit means to stress your body slightly during exercise and relax other times. The anxiety will just elevate your cortisol levels which makes your body hold on to energy storage. The short term exercise stress however raises your heart rate enough to train your cardiovascular system and slightly hurts the muscle. During relaxation the muscles repair themselves and get bigger/stronger. If numbers stress you out, skip them. Works wonders.
  • markymarrkk
    markymarrkk Posts: 495 Member
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    I am super slow dieting also!! I try to only weigh myself every two weeks, just to make sure I'm not gaining or hitting a wall.

    Also, the way I diet helps me make it sustainable to me. I do a strict calorie deficit one week and maintenance calories the next, I alternate between the two while doing a weight training/cardio split 3/2 days.
  • need2belean
    need2belean Posts: 353 Member
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    cgrout78 wrote: »
    I KNOW that losing weight slowly is the way to keep it off and not lose muscle mass as well. I have my calories set to lose 1lb a week and I've been doing a half pound to a pound a week for the last month. So why am I mad that I'm not seeing that drastic scale drop??? I know it's not healthy to lose that fast and I won't keep it off (all the mistakes I've made before). Why can't I just be happy with gradual??? ARRGHHHHHHH. Anyone else get like this?

    Take pictures. It is the only reason I haven't given up. I work hard, and I see changes. But the scale sucks A**. Just throw it away. I can gain 10lbs of water weight on an accidental binge night and that weight won't go back down for a week yet, my progress picture still shows muscles and change and I'm learning that that is much better.
  • leggup
    leggup Posts: 2,942 Member
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    Take additional measurements about once a month-- waist, hips, thighs, arms. You'll see some big jumps down even as your weight trickles lower. I also find it motivating to switch the graphical display to 2-3 months.
  • 88olds
    88olds Posts: 4,463 Member
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    So you're impatient. You don't need to act on it.

    Actually our brains spill out thousands of thoughts every day. Some people work for years at meditation just to turn off the noise for a few minutes.

    The "it's too slow" idea in your head is just another bit of unhelpful nonscence. You are on the right track. Don't let your brain do you in.
  • Fatvaporizer
    Fatvaporizer Posts: 139 Member
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    Patience is essential!
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,506 Member
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    Because shows like the Biggest Loser delude us to thinking that we can do the same.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png
  • ParanormaLauren
    ParanormaLauren Posts: 69 Member
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    I am also losing weight the slow and steady way. If there is anything you can do to help your brain gain some perspective, latch onto that. For instance, my goal for this year was to lose 50 lbs. A little wiggle room for insane weeks, but otherwise about a lb. a week on average. So whenever I feel like I should have lost more weight by now, I just take a step back and look at how much I *have* lost. It's not even the midpoint of the year and I've lost over 25 lbs. I'm exceeding expectations! That kind of puts the impatient thoughts to rest. I'm doing fine. We're doing fine. We have time.
  • InkAndApples
    InkAndApples Posts: 201 Member
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    I occasionally get really frustrated and a little voice in my head goes "that's it, I'm going to quit!" because everything isn't going fast enough. So I do the following:

    1. Ask myself what exactly I'm going to quit when in the last week I've eaten basically whatever I please and still lost weight. I have to remind myself this isn't actually a major hardship, logging is easy and the way I eat isn't restrictive. My brain just tries to trick me into thinking it is.
    2. Remind myself that the next year is going to go by whether I like it or not and think about how much more frustrated I'll be in a year if I give up now.
    3. Look at my progress pictures
    4. I do the opposite of ditching the scale, I weigh every day, seeing my trend over time makes a huge difference to my motivation (I use libra for my weight trend as I'm on Android, iPhone has happyscale and I know people use trendweight also.)

  • cgrout78
    cgrout78 Posts: 1,679 Member
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    Thanks everyone...I just needed to vent basically. I started with group training with another girl, and I've lost 6 pounds and she's lost 19. LOL. I think she's living off protein shakes, which...to each their own. I've been there, done that and gained it all back. I just was feeling sorry for myself. I really enjoyed reading everyone's responses though and it gave me some good ideas for when those feelings creep back up.
  • Chef_Barbell
    Chef_Barbell Posts: 6,646 Member
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    I like my muscles. That's what motivates me.

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