Anyone else feel like this?

Txnurse97
Txnurse97 Posts: 275 Member
edited October 1 in Health and Weight Loss
I'm in a grumpy, bad mood today. I shouldn't be. Today was my weigh in day. I lost 1.5 pounds, and that means I've lost 34.5 pounds since starting MFP less than 3 months ago. I'm doing well. I know that. But I'm still bummed.

I have about 70 more pounds to lose. I'm aiming for 1.5 pounds a week, which means it will take close to a year before I get to my goal weight. It just seems SO LONG. Week in, week out, weighing in, counting calories.

It just seems so daunting. Well, that's not true. I don't doubt that I can do it. Just such a long road. And I know if this is going to work, it needs to be a lifestyle change. Maybe that's the part I'm having a tough time grasping.

Why can't I concentrate on how far I've come, rather than on how far I have to go??
«1

Replies

  • Might I suggest you sit down........ask yourself.......is it more important how far I have come as opposed to going back to somewhere I really don't want to be. Go pull something out of your closet, put it on, look at how big it looks on you...smile...and take all that positive energy and spend it on how you will make this lifestyle change a permanent part of your life. BTW...once you get to your goal weight, you can be evaluated and told how many calories you can have a day in order not to gain your loss back. We ALL feel your pain but as in much we do...it is mind over matter.....Good Luck!! :)
  • Larius
    Larius Posts: 507 Member
    "Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal." - Henry Ford
  • One day at a time. Its the only way it is manageable for me!
  • stevwil41
    stevwil41 Posts: 608 Member
    Try setting mini goals. Don't look at it as 70 lbs to go. Set your next goal as 50 lbs lost for instance. Then you're only looking at 15.5 lbs for now. Breaking it up seems to work for me at least.
  • JNick77
    JNick77 Posts: 3,783 Member
    I'm in a grumpy, bad mood today. I shouldn't be. Today was my weigh in day. I lost 1.5 pounds, and that means I've lost 34.5 pounds since starting MFP less than 3 months ago. I'm doing well. I know that. But I'm still bummed.

    I have about 70 more pounds to lose. I'm aiming for 1.5 pounds a week, which means it will take close to a year before I get to my goal weight. It just seems SO LONG. Week in, week out, weighing in, counting calories.

    It just seems so daunting. Well, that's not true. I don't doubt that I can do it. Just such a long road. And I know if this is going to work, it needs to be a lifestyle change. Maybe that's the part I'm having a tough time grasping.

    Why can't I concentrate on how far I've come, rather than on how far I have to go??

    You're already down 34lbs, that's awesome just try and keep things in perspective. :)
  • Holton
    Holton Posts: 1,018
    Yes, but it is just human nature. You have accomplished a lot! Kudos to your accomplishments. Try to stay focused on the positive; though easier said than done sometimes!

    Take care and good luck on the rest of your journey!
  • Put it in context. Yeah, a year is a long time. But . . .

    You're 37. A year from now you'll be at your goal weight. Say another year of exercise to really get into great shape. That means by age 40 you'll be smokin'. And then you're done, for the entire rest of your life.

    The entire rest of your life. Think about it. A year is nothing.
  • SailingMike
    SailingMike Posts: 237 Member
    I think too many people feel like you because they are too focused on loosing weight rather than learning to be healthy and enjoying it.

    If your only goal is to loose weight, what happens when you arrive at your goal? Do you then begin to slowly eat yourself back into obesity?

    If your goal is to be healthy it is a journey without an end, but it is a pleasant drive. Learn to enjoy your new life style, find foods that are healthy and enjoyable, find hobbies and interests that take your mind off your stomach, find exercises that you LIKE to do and look forward to doing ( I LIKE to walk and ride my bike).
  • chevy88grl
    chevy88grl Posts: 3,937 Member
    You know what always helped me?

    To look at pictures, try on clothes, etc from when I was heavier. It helps to put it all in perspective when you see that you've had great success already.

    Also, set mini goals. Saying "I have to lose another 70lbs" sounds very daunting. Instead say in 15lbs I will have lost 50lbs total, in another 10lbs it'll be 60lbs lost. Focus on the loss you've already had. :)
  • I feel the same way.. While i look at some of these post about b4 & after pics (most of these post have taken months to do).. I start to get jealous & hopeful at the same time! I know I only been doing MFP realistically for 2 weeks with some exercise but I just want to fast forward to 3 months from now to see what I will have accomplish. I know its a waiting game but still. I just want it NOW lol. Im not sayng that im not willing to put in the hard work so YES I too feel the same way..at least for today lol
    Good luck ;)
  • debswebby
    debswebby Posts: 326
    The good thing about dieting is that you don't have to wait till the end to get the benefits. There are little personal acheivements all along the line. Don't think of where you have to get to, just enjoy the journey. Set little goals - maybe losing the next 7lbs. Little by little you'll get there. Think of how far you've come and feel proud.
    xx
  • velvetkat
    velvetkat Posts: 454 Member
    I have been on this journey for just over 6 months which thinking back it seems like I started yesterday. I started out with 120lbs to lose. I have now lost 83 lbs and have 37 more to go. The mini goals helped me a lot. my next mini goal is 85 lbs then it will be 100 lbs. Take it in small chunks and one day at a time.. Dont look at how long you have to go. Thats like looking at the clock every five minutes when you just started an 8 hour shift on a Friday.. Its seems like forever. I even forget how much Ive lost when people ask sometimes. At this point I am just going along trying to stay focused on my next goal!

    Youve done awesome and the time will fly by when you get close to the end!


    4925355.png
    Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Calorie Counter
  • karenwill2
    karenwill2 Posts: 604 Member
    I focus on 10 lbs at a time. And celebrate every time I get there. It is a battle and we all have hard times. Just dust off your fanny and keep on trucking. A year from now you will be very thankful you did.
  • Butrfli
    Butrfli Posts: 50
    One thing to remember is that we were not born to eat whatever we wanted and not pay the consequences for it eventually! This IS and will ALWAYS be a way of life. Don't look at short term and long term. We all want to lose the weight and look fantastic but it takes time (and a long time for some of us...myself included)! Believe me, I'm preaching what I'm still trying to learn myself. I am an instant gratification type of person (and that is what has lead me to being overweight). I would eat when happy, sad, deppressed or thrilled. I'm an emotional eater. No, I haven't cured this problem and will probably be a work in progress for the rest of my life. I'm staying focused on a day to day basis. I know your happy with your weight loss as I read, but you have to also accept that this is a permanent way of life. Dont let this become a chore. We have to make this come naturally. I often think to myself...hollywood stars have all the money in the world and could be eating rich, dining out anytime they want, but most are not overweight. They stay disciplined with their food choices. We have to do the same. It's a lifetime, otherwise, we'd be back in the same boat we started in and I know you and I both refuse to start again! Hang in there. I feel the way you do but I don't think about the long term discipline. Take each day as it is and enjoy it! Let all the rest be gone and free your mind!
  • Primrose1960
    Primrose1960 Posts: 55 Member
    I think you have done great in such a short lenght of time, I also have a lot to loose and find it daunting at times. Just think of the health benifits every pound of weight loss is to you. It will add years to your life. Maybe we should break our goals down into mini goals instead of concentrating on the BIG goal we have. Reward yourself for every hurdle you jump, and keep up the good work.
  • rosied915
    rosied915 Posts: 799 Member
    Yes, I can feel that way, but I QUICKLY and I mean QUICKLY talk myself right out of it!

    I am a "MiniGoal" person too but I do it in "decades".

    My first goal was to get to ONEDERLAND and the 190s, and now I'm looking forward to the 180s.

    Like you, the BIG picture for me is just too overwhelming and seems WAY out of reach for me. So "a decade at a time" is how I do it now.

    The other thing I will NOT do is put a time limit on reaching my goal like "by Christmas, etc"~ this has been a BIG mistake for me in the past so I am NOT doing THAT again!

    And think about what "Captain Mike" said above me~ what ARE we going to do once we reach our goal? Especially if all we concern ourselves with losing the weight as fast as we can.......

    By the way, you are doing OUTSTANDING and should be very proud of your effort!
  • cantjustcant
    cantjustcant Posts: 1,027 Member
    I focus on 10 lbs at a time. And celebrate every time I get there. It is a battle and we all have hard times. Just dust off your fanny and keep on trucking. A year from now you will be very thankful you did.

    This is EXACTLY what I am doing! I also give myself a reward every 10 pounds! Last one was a fresh haircut...next one is a pedicure....and the one after that is going to be NEW PANTS!!!!

    I have my eye on the big prize (yet to be determined) but focusing on on 10 keeps me motivated because I reach them fairly quickly and get a prize!!!
  • GO SHOPPING!

    That is an instant cure-all for grumpiness ; )

    Seriously, you don't have to buy, but try on some cute things (in the smaller size you are now) and look at some clothes that you would like to have in one size smaller than you are now. INSTANT motivation!!!
  • TDGee
    TDGee Posts: 2,209 Member
    You are an RN. Set measurable, achievable goals. Apply the Nursing process to this. You have already shown you are doing what you need to do. Just refocus your self to your immediate goals. Now, stop feeling grumpy and get out there and kick the world's *kitten*!!
    You got this!!
  • jujudot
    jujudot Posts: 129 Member
    First off, You have done an AWESOME job so far!! Don't discount it! :smile:

    Second- You need to break it down into doable/obtainable goals. It makes the task at hand seem much less daunting! I have found that 10lb minigoals work best for me. I started looking at things this way not too long ago-I was in the same spot you are now. Yeah, I've lost 20lbs, but I still have another 50 or so to go-I'll never get there. But now that I'm looking at things in the 10lb range it seems so much better! Each pound (or 1/2lb or 1/4lb) I lose is getting me that much closer to that next 10lb marker.

    It's all in the thinking! :bigsmile: You CAN do this!
  • glenbabe
    glenbabe Posts: 303 Member
    I think too many people feel like you because they are too focused on loosing weight rather than learning to be healthy and enjoying it.

    If your only goal is to loose weight, what happens when you arrive at your goal? Do you then begin to slowly eat yourself back into obesity?

    If your goal is to be healthy it is a journey without an end, but it is a pleasant drive. Learn to enjoy your new life style, find foods that are healthy and enjoyable, find hobbies and interests that take your mind off your stomach, find exercises that you LIKE to do and look forward to doing ( I LIKE to walk and ride my bike).








    I so totally agree with this thats where I went wrong before just the weight counted at last I have realised its for the rest of my life so whats the rush girl
  • rileamoyer
    rileamoyer Posts: 2,412 Member
    You know what always helped me?

    To look at pictures, try on clothes, etc from when I was heavier. It helps to put it all in perspective when you see that you've had great success already.

    Also, set mini goals. Saying "I have to lose another 70lbs" sounds very daunting. Instead say in 15lbs I will have lost 50lbs total, in another 10lbs it'll be 60lbs lost. Focus on the loss you've already had. :)

    Chevy88grl is right, those are some of things I have done as well as setting my ticker as to how far I have come (instead of to go). Take it one day at a time and remember, losing slowly is better for your health and makes your body remember your new weight better! YOu will be less likely to put weight back on, because when you do reach your 'goal' your body will be used to the new you (as well as your mind).
  • AZackery
    AZackery Posts: 2,035 Member
    Txnurse97, a year is not long. Time is not standing still. Think about it. Today is August 21, 2011. Before we know it , it will be September 1, 2011 and it will not be long, before time enters into January 2012. Time is moving.

    It will take me a year or longer to reach my goal too. I'm on a fat loss journey. I'm not trying to lose scale weight. There's a difference between the two. Fat loss and scale weight loss aren't the same thing. I have created a thread under the Fitness and Exercise folder titled Fat Loss vs Scale Weight Loss. A person can research the difference, by searching internent as well.

    I'm carrying a high percentage of body fat. My body fat percentage number has me at obese. My unhealthy fat didn't jump on me overnight and I know that I can't get rid of it overnight.

    I'm taking one day at a time and one month at a time. I do my weigh in and take my measurements once a month. My goal is to lose between 4 to 8 pounds of fat a month.

    Don't let the scale have power over your happiness. Remember, your scale weight can't determine what size clothes you wear. How much inches you have lost. What size dumbbell you can pick up. How many pushups you can do. How strong you have gotten, etc. Oh, let me add, scale weight doesn't determine if someone is healthy or fit.

    You are not a number. You are a person. Love yourself and embrace your year's journey with love. If you give up and give in, then the scale wins.
  • cchristman12
    cchristman12 Posts: 34 Member
    I would be happy to loose just 34 lbs. Be happy that you did and just keep going with your goal!!
  • Along the lines of mini goals, something I do is to print out 3 months on one page, then I commit myself to those 90 days. I don't think past those 3 months, it's too overwhelming. Then I set a goal to go with them. For example, at the beginning of the year I wanted to walk 10 miles a week - so every day I'd write down my mileage on the calendar. At the end of the 3 months I have a cool record of how much I accomplished. Having the visual of all 3 months together makes it so much more attainable, you don't look at it and think, "OMG - I have 364 days left to go!" You have an end goal that is visual and attainable.

    It was definitely a process for me. I got to a few points in my weight loss where I was happy and maintained, then decided to lose more. Overall it has taken me about 3½ years to get where I am (65 pounds down), but I promise you, looking back, it did not seem that long at all. You will get to the end of a year (90 days at a time) and be like, "That was nothing! And I feel AMAZING!"
  • If you allow it to be, it will. I say that from the perspective of being almost 2 years into a healthy journey resulting in losing, basically, one person. When I started the journey, I told myself that I couldn't think of it in total as it was overwhelming. I chose to think of it in ten pound increments and celebrated each ten pound goal with a non-food treat. Thus far, I've lost 14 of those increments, with a few more increments to go.

    During the time spent on this journey, I've learned that nothing is gained (or lost in this case) quick and easy. The time has been a gift to absorb the lessons in healthy eating and discovering what does and doesn't work with my particular body. So...I hope that you can change your thoughts to thinking the time spent on the journey is a gift and, of course, very well worth it!!! Good luck!
  • jeanlake
    jeanlake Posts: 130 Member
    It's a part of our culture that we want instant results. You are normal and will have other days like this. But the best thing is -- you are making positive and self-loving efforts to ensure a fit life you can be proud of. I think you've done a great job. Think about how fast last year went by. It will be September 2012 before you know it! Keep up the good - and honest - efforts. DropsOJupiter gave you some excellent advice.
  • _gwen
    _gwen Posts: 501 Member
    What's wrong with being a grump?

    :wink:
  • melsinct
    melsinct Posts: 3,512 Member
    I am another one who celebrates every 10 pounds. It's psychological trickery for me- seeing a big number change really motivates me. So you are in the 230s now, focus on getting to the 220s, then 210, then target under 200. Breaking it into 10 pound increments really helped me stay focused.

    Also, you have lost more weight in three months than I have in 6+months on MFP! Focus on what you have already accomplished and remember how much better you look and feel now as compared to 30 pounds ago.
  • cabaray
    cabaray Posts: 971 Member
    Every time I feel like this, I think back to when I went back to school. It seemed like it would take forever to get that degree, but before I knew it I was graduating. The days are going to go by whether you are losing weight or not. At least when those days are over, you will closer to your goal.
This discussion has been closed.