Feeling overwhelmed?

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trhjrh06
trhjrh06 Posts: 2,272 Member
in Motivation and Support
So I've been down this road many times, you know where you've stopped and started and stopped and started. I've had good times where I've lost weight and then stopped and gained it all back.
I get really excited when I start losing weight, but then I sit back and look at the overall picture on how much weight I have to lose and it scares me. I feel like how in the world can I ever get there?
And I try not to worry about it and just go day by day, but I can't help but look at the overall picture on how much weight I have to lose. Has anyone else been here?
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Replies

  • Larius
    Larius Posts: 507 Member
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    "Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off the goal." -Henry Ford
  • ♥ChUbByCoyLe♥
    ♥ChUbByCoyLe♥ Posts: 267 Member
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    Totally!! I feel proud of myself for losing weight, treat myself, treat myself again....and again...then its back to square one!! I'm on the wagon and not coming off this time :wink:
  • cityatmidnight
    cityatmidnight Posts: 5
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    I'm absolutely there with you now. I haven't actively participated here yet, but I definitely feel for you and relate so I thought I'd make this my first post :)
  • melizerd
    melizerd Posts: 870 Member
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    I was were you were at this time exactly one year ago. I'm now 71lbs closer to my goal. 71lbs lost in one year averages out to about 1.3lbs a week, it doesn't seem like that much each week but in one year it's a HUGE amount.

    Remember that this is not a diet, it's a lifestyle. So you must be able to learn how to eat a proper portion size no matter if it's a slice of cake or carrots. I use measuring cups and measure out everything, or I count out chips etc.

    You CAN do this! You will have bad days, or even weeks but that's okay and having those bad days won't ruin the progress you've made.

    Early on only way ONCE a week, same time (morning after going potty naked is my time).

    Set smaller goals for yourself and give yourself a PRIZE for getting there, DO NOT MAKE IT A FOOD PRIZE!
  • NuttyBrewnette
    NuttyBrewnette Posts: 417 Member
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    Yep, been there.

    I try to keep my focus on today...take it one decision at a time. Small changes are the ones that stick....

    You can do this.
  • trhjrh06
    trhjrh06 Posts: 2,272 Member
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    "Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off the goal." -Henry Ford

    This is very true. I guess my thing is, I'm very happy I've lost the weight I have but I feel it isn't coming off fast enough! And the thing is I know it's not going to take over night or even months, the amount of weight I have to lose will take a year or so, I assume. All I know is right now i am doing the best I can and keeping up with it. I have to there is no way I am stopping this time.
  • Ashleysh22
    Ashleysh22 Posts: 209
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    That's the spirit! It's all about taking it one day at a time. I was really miserable and depressed last Fall after quickly putting on a bunch of weight following my wedding. I found a fitness program I loved and it kept me motivated and I lost 7 inches in three months. and then I switched programs for a bit and although I maintained - I wasn't enjoying exercise nearly as much. Then July hit. July was a really bad month for me. So I am more or less starting back where I was in January - and returning to the same program that really helped me back then. I am happy to help keep you motivated! Add me as a friend - we can fight this struggle together.

    Taking each day one at a time... Today I am doing a 20 minute core video and a 40 minute stretch video
    All I know is right now i am doing the best I can and keeping up with it. I have to there is no way I am stopping this time.
  • mewdds
    mewdds Posts: 22
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    I not only have been there, I AM there! I'm trying to focus on the small victories and hang on to those. My pants feeling a little looser, my body feeling a little stronger. I'm telling myself not to look at the end goal because it is so far away, but instead looking at one that is more immediately attainable and go from there. Mine is that I want to drop a size. I'm watching my blood pressure and already seeing the numbers improving. Things like that..... Will it work??? Only time will tell, but MFP really does add a new tool for success. You can do it! I put an undesireable picture of myself near my workout area. When I work out I focus on the rolls and how much I want them GONE! Pushes me harder and motivates me to keep going.
  • Lisa0711
    Lisa0711 Posts: 1,405 Member
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    As hard as it is, try not looking at all the weight you want to lose all at once. Look at it in 10 pound increments. I started at almost 250, and I would set my goals by reaching 240, 230, etc. this way it's a smaller, more attainable goal and you can put the focus into that. Then before you know it you'll have reached your goal (or at least be that much closer)!
  • Mommawarrior
    Mommawarrior Posts: 897 Member
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    Weight has been an issue for me for all of my adult life. I was VERY active as a kid and all the way through highschool. I never worked out to work out, I never ran to run. I was always doing multiple sports and marching band so although I was never super skinny, I was fit.
    Highschool sports over and the weight started coming. I have lost it and been maintaining and would get injured or have health issues that would not allow for the working out or running for months and months at a time. I would lose it again only to suffer another injury or illness....so I know how you feel.
    I have totally changed my diet and the health issues seem to stay away as long as I am careful with my food choices. I was finally able to start the exercise back up in April and I have lost about 25 lbs. ...roughly. I care more about my clothes fitting than the scale so I don't keep track too closely.
    You can do it! Eating healthy will help you alot. Lose the processed everything and all the fast food if they are in your diet. Soon your body won't crave junk and it will be easy to eat healthy without trying to. This will help you with energy that you need to exercise so you will feel better....big circle here! Good luck!
  • brandygregory
    brandygregory Posts: 4
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    Hi, I know exactly how you feel. I was reading some success stories and someone posted well I have x amount of lbs til my ultimate goal, x amount to this mini goal, and this much to my healthy bmi and it got me thinking I'm so hung up on getting under 200lbs, that I haven't even begun to see how much weight I ultimately need to lose. So I immediately calculated my bmi on here and saw that I have to lose almost 70lbs just to be considered overweight and altogether 106lbs to be at the mark of healthy, not actually in it but right on the healthy/ overweight line. I almost cried right then and there but I'm taking it day by day, hour by hour. I'm human, I'm going to make mistakes and choices that will hurt me along the way but I know that I can not continue living the way I was. I couldn't even breathe sitting still. My husbands family took us on a trip to the beach and I was the fattest person in all the pictures. It really put things in perspective for me. Keep a picture that really truely hurts you to see around. Heck, I put mine as my profile picture. Take it day by day. Looking at success stories helps me also. Hope this helps some.
  • trhjrh06
    trhjrh06 Posts: 2,272 Member
    Options
    I was were you were at this time exactly one year ago. I'm now 71lbs closer to my goal. 71lbs lost in one year averages out to about 1.3lbs a week, it doesn't seem like that much each week but in one year it's a HUGE amount.

    Remember that this is not a diet, it's a lifestyle. So you must be able to learn how to eat a proper portion size no matter if it's a slice of cake or carrots. I use measuring cups and measure out everything, or I count out chips etc.

    You CAN do this! You will have bad days, or even weeks but that's okay and having those bad days won't ruin the progress you've made.

    Early on only way ONCE a week, same time (morning after going potty naked is my time).

    Set smaller goals for yourself and give yourself a PRIZE for getting there, DO NOT MAKE IT A FOOD PRIZE!

    And that's exactly how I feel, it's NOT a diet, I don't like the word DIET. It is a life style change. And my thing is I know I'm not going to go the rest of my life without eating a piece of cake or chocolate. And I do the same thing I measure out everything. I count every calorie. I know there will be bad days but instead of having a bad day and just saying oh well, it's have a bad day and make the next day a better day.
    Why is it I feel like I have this great attitude in my head and I know what to do, but I also doubt myself as well?
    I think once I start seeing/feeling a difference it will help me as well.
  • Janey215
    Janey215 Posts: 2
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    Hi,

    I feel exactly the same way, you aren't on your own, for sure! :smile: It is a lifestyle change, and I suppose it's going to take time to "retrain the brain". We can do this! :smile:
  • suavequeen
    suavequeen Posts: 273 Member
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    The approach I have taken is not one of a goal to reach but but to slowly change my way of thinking. Its slow at first but before you know it you start making the correct choices automaticaly and progress comes quicker without the extra effort. I love to exercise so much now and find little ways to do even just a few minutes of toning at work. I think of what I am eating and the benefits it has vs all the negative impacts cause that only made me want it more. I still have work to do and have my days but i know what i want, will do what i have to do to get it, and have fun getting there. We are here to help, to cheer, to drag if we have to but know that you can do it.

    Ms. Reyna
  • melizerd
    melizerd Posts: 870 Member
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    You can do this!

    Early on (the first 6 or 8 weeks) I had to be very good, no slips because I needed time to create a new habit. Last night I went out for my birthday and I ate badly, doesn't matter to me now because today I'll be back to eating normal (which is within my MFP calories is now normal!)

    Also know that friends will expect you to still eat the old way, and you'll have to just say no thanks A LOT early on, but eventually they'll catch on and one no thank you will be enough.
  • trhjrh06
    trhjrh06 Posts: 2,272 Member
    Options
    As hard as it is, try not looking at all the weight you want to lose all at once. Look at it in 10 pound increments. I started at almost 250, and I would set my goals by reaching 240, 230, etc. this way it's a smaller, more attainable goal and you can put the focus into that. Then before you know it you'll have reached your goal (or at least be that much closer)!

    And I have been looking at it that way as well. Only a little different. My first goal is to be under 250, and I want to lose 50lbs by January (my birthday) ( so that would be around 224). Then I want to be under 200. And when I met my husband when I was 15 I was around 160, so my ultimate goal is to get to 140.
  • patiencez2
    patiencez2 Posts: 160 Member
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    we are all in the same boat! while on this journey we are learning how important healthy eating and exercise is.
    a New life style, Just stay is a one day at a time frame of mind. we can all do this. we are all here to help each other.
  • melizerd
    melizerd Posts: 870 Member
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    Just remember that while the first couple of weeks big losses are normal it you have a lot to lose (I had over 80 pounds to lose to hit the TOP of my healthy BMI) after that it usually slows down to 1-2lbs a week which is a healthy SUSTAINABLE weight loss. So make sure your goals are realistic for that.

    You're going to do great!
  • trhjrh06
    trhjrh06 Posts: 2,272 Member
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    I also have a hard time with finding the right things to eat. I dont have time at all to cook things for breakfast or for lunch, dinner is a different story I can cook anything. But breakfast and lunch i just dont have time. So I think that is one of my problems. Not to mention I know they say to not eat processed food, but it's so hard to find things that aren't processed. I do good with drinking my water, but it's just finding the right things to eat. Not to mention healthy eating is way more expensive than not healthy eating .
  • webdiva1
    webdiva1 Posts: 326 Member
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    "Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off the goal." -Henry Ford

    Best quote ever. :)

    I hear ya: I have a lot to lose, too, but there's NO WAY I'm gonna focus on the big number. It's way too daunting.

    What's working for me is to set smaller goals -- a whole lot of them. For me, every 5 pounds is a win, and every 10 lbs. is a BIG win. (I'm working on Win # 11 and Big Win #6 right now. Woot!)

    Every time I walk is a win, and when I walk further than I did LAST time, it's HUGE win. (Today I made it 6 miles. It's a VERY good day (although I am seriously pooped right now). :)

    Every time I skip canned/boxed/processed foods and opt for fresh, it's a win. When I shop the local farmers markets, it's a BIG win.

    Love your determination; it will see you through. As to your self-confidence ... I believe it will come as you begin to see more and/or new tangible results. Speaking only for myself, that's certainly been my experience.

    You can do this (but you already know that). So if you can, I encourage you to shift your focus off the big number and on to something that you can reach in a month or two. Who knows: it might be just the thing you need to chase away the self doubt blues. Forward we go!

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