Slow and steady....right???

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.)