When you have to lose LOTS...

It took me -years- to finally get back on the wagon. I had lost a serious amount of weight, and then non-serious amounts of weight (25-30 pounds) five times over after I'd gained some back. I lost control and ballooned after my pregnancy. I think it was when I realized that I just.. wasn't myself, anymore. I hadn't been in the fat suit since I was in early freshman year, and I didn't like it then. I hate it now, since I know what the alternative is. I felt more confident, healthier, had more energy, and was a hell of a lot more attractive when I shrunk down. So, all of the.. "Well, I already did it; I just don't WANT to anymore; it's so much work," it wasn't really going to cut it. At the end of the day, unless I buckled down and did something, I was going to cut years off of my life, and I was going to perpetually feel like a foreigner inside my own skin. So, trust me. You're not alone. I just had to pick the lesser evil -- being trapped inside misery of my own making because it was "too hard," or committing to a year or two of *kitten*-kicking with a lifetime of back slapping to come of it. I could have waited, again, made the excuses, again, procrastinated, again, but you know what? If I had done the hard thing two years ago, I could have had that many more years feeling -awesome- and proud of myself, rather than looking back on that opportunity to get on the elliptical with regret that I didn't. And believe me, when you look back, it's like child birth. You're not going to remember the pain in labor, just the blessing of the joy at the end. You won't remember sweating for an hour a day on the treadmill, but you will remember how good you look in the dressing room mirror when you pull on your goal pants without a struggle. The suffering is fleeting; the pay off is forever.

With that said, I think weight loss is mind tricks. Someone else said it here. I'm constantly visualizing the life I want. On the treadmill, while I'm sweating pools, I'm in my head walking into a place and seeing someone I haven't seen in years - all of that warm, creamy, ego-boosting praise for my new form. Buying the size 6's instead of being stuck in the garbage parts of the plus size section of the store, with Alfredo sauce stains on my XL shirt as I shame buy size 20's. I'm a competitive creature, so, I like to run at a challenge, full force. Right now I'm doing the #250kchallenge. If I aggressively approach my weight loss, I am a contender for a life changing sum of cash. That makes me a hell of a lot more likely to pack the baby up, pay the extra child care costs, and get to the gym in -15 degree weather. That is going to really encourage me to log every single stitch of food or drink I enter into my body. It could be anything, but, money -always- gets my *kitten* in gear. Find what motivates you and then reach down past that into the discipline to -get it.-

As for realistic lifestyle changes? Don't associate certain foods with weight loss and get stuck in that super limiting mentality that'll prevent you from making a commitment. I don't know anyone that's thin that is only a salad eater. That's bananas. It's unrealistic. But, do look for healthy options you can budget into your range. If I want something warm, I eat salmon, turkey burgers, veggie burgers, cover it in some pineapple salsa, give it a side of some healthy substitute I've devised in place of mashed potatoes or rice. I make zoodles with an organic tomato sauce. Boom. Pasta. And there's a ton of vegan soup options. If you're resourceful, there's pages on it. People make entire livings tricking the overweight brain into thinking it's -really- indulging when it's eating some fancy squash.

For short term goals, I give myself a prize. For every fifteen, I get to binge buy 50 bucks at Ulta, or on new clothes for my slinky body. Just some materialistic decadency I usually steer clear of, like I do brownie fudge sundaes. But, if I can -see- my goals, and how greatly improved I am, I'm not quitting until I see just how good I can get, how good I can feel. For bigger landmarks - 25, 50, 75, 100 - I take trips. Boston is a clear shot from here. It's my favorite place. When I'm down significant amounts of weight, I treat myself by going there and reveling in myself, and in the beauty of the city. Feeling good in a place you love is the best kind of medicine.

And, making friends on your path to keep you accountable is also good advice. When you want the brownie, call your sponsor. Everyone needs a reminder.

Best of luck!

This. Is. Wonderful.

I’m a start again, stop again type of person and the way you put weight loss in to perspective here is so eye opening. Thank you!

its1230atnight wrote: »

It took me -years- to finally get back on the wagon. I had lost a serious amount of weight, and then non-serious amounts of weight (25-30 pounds) five times over after I'd gained some back. I lost control and ballooned after my pregnancy. I think it was when I realized that I just.. wasn't myself, anymore. I hadn't been in the fat suit since I was in early freshman year, and I didn't like it then. I hate it now, since I know what the alternative is. I felt more confident, healthier, had more energy, and was a hell of a lot more attractive when I shrunk down. So, all of the.. "Well, I already did it; I just don't WANT to anymore; it's so much work," it wasn't really going to cut it. At the end of the day, unless I buckled down and did something, I was going to cut years off of my life, and I was going to perpetually feel like a foreigner inside my own skin. So, trust me. You're not alone. I just had to pick the lesser evil -- being trapped inside misery of my own making because it was "too hard," or committing to a year or two of *kitten*-kicking with a lifetime of back slapping to come of it. I could have waited, again, made the excuses, again, procrastinated, again, but you know what? If I had done the hard thing two years ago, I could have had that many more years feeling -awesome- and proud of myself, rather than looking back on that opportunity to get on the elliptical with regret that I didn't. And believe me, when you look back, it's like child birth. You're not going to remember the pain in labor, just the blessing of the joy at the end. You won't remember sweating for an hour a day on the treadmill, but you will remember how good you look in the dressing room mirror when you pull on your goal pants without a struggle. The suffering is fleeting; the pay off is forever.

With that said, I think weight loss is mind tricks. Someone else said it here. I'm constantly visualizing the life I want. On the treadmill, while I'm sweating pools, I'm in my head walking into a place and seeing someone I haven't seen in years - all of that warm, creamy, ego-boosting praise for my new form. Buying the size 6's instead of being stuck in the garbage parts of the plus size section of the store, with Alfredo sauce stains on my XL shirt as I shame buy size 20's. I'm a competitive creature, so, I like to run at a challenge, full force. Right now I'm doing the #250kchallenge. If I aggressively approach my weight loss, I am a contender for a life changing sum of cash. That makes me a hell of a lot more likely to pack the baby up, pay the extra child care costs, and get to the gym in -15 degree weather. That is going to really encourage me to log every single stitch of food or drink I enter into my body. It could be anything, but, money -always- gets my *kitten* in gear. Find what motivates you and then reach down past that into the discipline to -get it.-

As for realistic lifestyle changes? Don't associate certain foods with weight loss and get stuck in that super limiting mentality that'll prevent you from making a commitment. I don't know anyone that's thin that is only a salad eater. That's bananas. It's unrealistic. But, do look for healthy options you can budget into your range. If I want something warm, I eat salmon, turkey burgers, veggie burgers, cover it in some pineapple salsa, give it a side of some healthy substitute I've devised in place of mashed potatoes or rice. I make zoodles with an organic tomato sauce. Boom. Pasta. And there's a ton of vegan soup options. If you're resourceful, there's pages on it. People make entire livings tricking the overweight brain into thinking it's -really- indulging when it's eating some fancy squash.

For short term goals, I give myself a prize. For every fifteen, I get to binge buy 50 bucks at Ulta, or on new clothes for my slinky body. Just some materialistic decadency I usually steer clear of, like I do brownie fudge sundaes. But, if I can -see- my goals, and how greatly improved I am, I'm not quitting until I see just how good I can get, how good I can feel. For bigger landmarks - 25, 50, 75, 100 - I take trips. Boston is a clear shot from here. It's my favorite place. When I'm down significant amounts of weight, I treat myself by going there and reveling in myself, and in the beauty of the city. Feeling good in a place you love is the best kind of medicine.

And, making friends on your path to keep you accountable is also good advice. When you want the brownie, call your sponsor. Everyone needs a reminder.

Best of luck!

Break it down into smaller chunks. Losing 100 pounds seems SO HARD. But what about losing ten pounds? What about losing 5% or 10% of your body weight (which doctors say can greatly improve health and metabolic function, even if you're still overweight)? If you can lose ten pounds once, you can do it nine more times. As other mentioned, celebrate each time you hit a mini-goal - it gives you something to look forward to without being overwhelming!

Also, pay attention to yourself and your body, not other people. You can use your diary to learn what kinds of food keep you full, how hormone patterns or exercise change your appetite, and if making a small change to your average day can enhance your success (like, you didn't realize you were eating 3 servings of peanut butter in your oatmeal, but you're totally satisfied with 1 actual serving? Cool, you saved about 400 calories each morning).