Impatience!

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CynthiasChoice
CynthiasChoice Posts: 1,047 Member
in Motivation and Support
I'm curious how others deal with being impatient about progress. Once in a while I long for those first four months of dieting when I was dropping 8 - 10 pounds a month. Now I drop only 3 -4 per month.

I know that's a decent amount, and the way I'm eating is really satisfying most of the time. I appreciate that the habits I'm learning now are increasingly enjoyable, and something I can continue (for the most part) for the rest of my life. But sometimes I just get so annoyed that I can't get results sooner.

Sometimes I realize that my impatient attitude is inching toward a danger zone. I'll have this fleeting thought of how fun it would be to binge. I'm successful at turning those thoughts off when they come up, but the fact that they still DO come up is troubling. Does anyone have a mental strategy to tackle impatience?

Replies

  • ElleHeart22
    ElleHeart22 Posts: 27 Member
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    I breathe and take it one day at a time. And it sucks. I wish it was easier, I wish I could snap my fingers and take the weight off.. but I guess every second I get frustrated I turn my thoughts to the thought that every second I'm closer to looking amazing. Every hard choice I make right is like letting go of a pound of worry on your mind. I'm with you though, it's been a hard week and idk if I'm still improving or not. Don't give up though. Realize that you're also doing the right thing for your health and enjoyment of every day.
  • BrendaLee
    BrendaLee Posts: 4,463 Member
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    Remind yourself that the alternative is not losing 3-4 pounds a month and that in a year's time, you can either be almost 50 pounds lighter or not. I have to keep reminding myself that the time is going to go by anyway, but yes, this process is painfully slow.
  • julzDC
    julzDC Posts: 3 Member
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    I get what you're saying. Last time i tried to lise weight, it was dropping off almost a size a week. That was a pretty crazy diet and it all came back anyway. This round, 8 weeks in, i'm dropping less than a pound a week, so right about 3-4/month.

    I try to stay focused on how much better i feel now that I'm exercising regularly again. And this time around i'm walking outside as opposed to the treadmill. HUGE difference in my mood and motivation. I have days where i just can't stop feeling hungry and eating. I try not to beat myself up about it and move on. I've also been using this great site called trendweight.com which tracks my weight trend and smoothes out the inevitable ups and downs.

    And I really like what BrendaLee said about the alternative. I am still going to be unhappy about how i look in a bathing suit this summer. But come winter, maybe i won't look like the Michelin Man. :)
  • cj94404
    cj94404 Posts: 154 Member
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    I am impatient too but everyone has such good points. Very sensible.
  • AliNouveau
    AliNouveau Posts: 36,287 Member
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    Waiting is hard, I've been there but just think 3-4 a month is 18-24 for 6 months!! and heck 3-4 lbs a month is nothing to scoff at. We all want instant gratification for our hard work but if you work hard and keep at it you'll get there.

    I set small goals and that seems to make it easier. Give yourself a treat once you reach the mini goals doesn't have to be more than a new pair of socks but I know rewarding myself really works for me.
  • evergreenlake
    evergreenlake Posts: 73 Member
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    A lot of people have those thoughts too, sometimes I think "wow, i just really want to eat a whole tub of ice cream, or a whole bag of chips cuz it'll feel good", but the few times that I have, it wasn't anywhere close to how I thought it would make me feel and then I pay for it the next day.
    It's a slow process, and takes a lot of mental perseverance as well as physical. Turning those negative thoughts around is amazing progress! So don't beat yourself up just because those thoughts pop up. We're all doing this grind together :)
  • 88olds
    88olds Posts: 4,463 Member
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    Impatience is one of a general class of "not good enough" thoughts that prevent success.

    I learned incrementalism in the gym. I lost a bunch of weight, stalled and hit the gym. The gym did not help me lose weight. But the gym did help me get my mind right so I could get back to losing.

    When I started say I could do a given exercise 8 reps with 15 lb dumbbells. After a while I was doing 15 reps. A little longer I was doing 8 reps with 20 lbs. Then 15 with 20 lbs. Weight training works if you put in the time.

    Weight loss is reverse engineered weight training.
    A calorie deficit that you can follow over time will work.

    But read this board every day and what do you see? People wrecked by the time element. Stated either directly like you or indirectly "I only lost X". That's a time complaint. And your brain saying "Not good enough."

    Something that helped me- we live in a world with limits. I can't fly like a bird or wiggle my nose and transport myself to Paris. I have to live within the laws of physics. I'm not going to live forever. Life has limits but it's ok. The amount of weight I can lose in a week is limited. Plus there's only so much I'm willing to give up to get it. It's ok.

    You are doing a good job. Keep going. Don't let your own brain mess you up. You will get to your goal and soon forget about how long it took.
  • Lizzy622
    Lizzy622 Posts: 3,705 Member
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    I have never found a binge to be fun or enjoyable. They usually come from a place of despair and self loathing. Maybe start journaling about when the thoughts of a binge come up. You may find the binge thoughts are replacing other emotions you are suppressing.
    This is a lifelong journey don't rush it.
  • CynthiasChoice
    CynthiasChoice Posts: 1,047 Member
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    Hi again! I thought this thread was dead the first day, but all you nice people commented. I love the advice!

    1. The idea of NOT losing 3 -4 pounds a month is devastating, but 40 pounds down by next July - awesome!
    2. Remembering my WHY - crucial.
    3. Not looking like Michelin Man this Dec. - great image, and very motivating in a negative but funny sort of way.
    4. Small goals with a fun pair of socks as a reward - cute!
    5. Binging is never as fun as you think it will be. Very true.
    6. Journaling about what else I'm feeling when I think of binging is a great idea. Hard, but worth the effort.

    You are all so generous to help me out. Thank you!
  • Momepro
    Momepro Posts: 1,509 Member
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    So far I'm reminding myself that 9 months seemed like a really long time when I was pregnant, but it passed quickly. And the 7 years after that have been even faster. Time will pass, for better or worse, so might as well keep chugging along.

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