I did something really odd.

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jmzhale
jmzhale Posts: 186
in Motivation and Support
So far I have lost about 35 lbs which is equivalent to about 4 gallons of water (1 gal = 8.34lbs) in weight. I wanted to see how it would feel to have that weight back on so I took 4 gallons of water and strapped it to my waist with a belt.

I felt so heavy and my legs started aching after just a few minutes walking around. How did I ever have the energy to do anything packing all that around? I couldn't imagine riding the elliptiKILL or doing an Insanity workout with that weight strapped to me, but at one point I did and a little at a time almost to slow to notice those "gallons" fell off.

To be honest, I have been struggling with having the will power to eat right the past few days but after seeing how that 35 lbs felt it has given me a little jump start in my motivation. I'm excited to see how much better I feel after the next 25 lbs is gone.

Try this the next time you feel like you aren't getting anywhere, you'll be amazed.
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Replies

  • violetness
    violetness Posts: 131 Member
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    That is AWESOME!!!
  • FriendsR4EverTreasures
    FriendsR4EverTreasures Posts: 181
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    Non-Scale Victory! Hooray!
  • littlemisssunshine911
    littlemisssunshine911 Posts: 6 Member
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    Thanks for the idea! I have lost 16 pounds and find myself feeling like it's not much of an accomplishment. Ill try this!
  • AmyLRed
    AmyLRed Posts: 894 Member
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    Thats awesome! i am also 35lbs down, and i have a 25-26lb toddler. My husband reminded me that i lost the weight of him plus 10lb bag of potatoes. That put it into perspective for me of just how heavy that is and how much weight it really is. I agree, not sure how i "got around" before. Looking forward to losing more potatoes! (or gallons)
  • SuzieZimm
    SuzieZimm Posts: 238 Member
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    Wow! congratulations on your weight loss! There's nothing like a concrete, tangible reminder of how things used to be and how you've improved your health. Keep it up!! :happy:
  • charrn66
    charrn66 Posts: 30
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    Yeah! Doing that can be so insightful! Great job, and best of luck with the next 25!
  • sco8462
    sco8462 Posts: 34
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    Every now and again, when buying fruits and veggies, I'll pick up a 5 pd bag of potatoes. I have no idea if its a one for one, I doubt it, but mentally realizing how tired my lower back gets holding a few 5 pd bags.... That's motivating.
  • Papa_Swearingen
    Papa_Swearingen Posts: 139 Member
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    This is a great idea. Many times I feel discouraged because the process is soooo sloooooooooowwwww. I might try this next time! It could work with 10lb bags of potatoes too!
  • roander
    roander Posts: 192 Member
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    My hand weights are 5 pounds each. Sometimes they feel REALLY heavy and I'm carrying around six hand weights all the time! That is a great way to really connect with the weight you've lost!
  • reallymyBEST
    reallymyBEST Posts: 242 Member
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    Congrats! I do the same thing every time I grab a 40# bag of water softener salt having lost that weight before I started here. It's crazy, what it feels like!
  • harley47920
    harley47920 Posts: 62 Member
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    Wow. What a creative way to put things in prospective. That's great that you actually followed through with this and it was an eye-opener for you. Great job with the weight loss & keep up the great effort!
  • katherinemm31
    katherinemm31 Posts: 163
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    Love it and desperately needed that. Thank you for posting.
  • MaximalLife
    MaximalLife Posts: 2,447 Member
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    You're not crazy - just curious....So was I!

    I bought a 60 lb weighted vest along with 2 5lb ankle weights.
    70lbs total.
    That's how much weight I lost.

    I strapped all that on and went for a walk down my old path when I first began this journey - 2 miles.
    I remember barely being able to walk that distance.
    With all this weight, it was hard, hard, hard, but I made it.

    And THAT is how I lived?
    It felt good to shrug off that vest.
  • Melroxsox
    Melroxsox Posts: 1,040 Member
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    Great Experiment! Love it!
  • tronapage
    tronapage Posts: 23
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    You are awesome! Thanks for the insight. I have many more miles to go but my steps are getting lighter.:smile:
  • skmolove
    skmolove Posts: 191 Member
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    i like to equate my small weight losses with sticks of butter. weird?? maybe, but for me when i loose a pound i think that's equal to 4 sticks of butter, yuck!! likewise when i only loose a quarter or half a pound i think of it as being one stick or 2 sticks of butter...
  • cnsmith2
    cnsmith2 Posts: 539 Member
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    My niece and nephew were over at my house this weekend for a play date, and they both weigh roughly 65 pounds. I was joking with my niece (she's almost 11) that I've almost lost her and that I can't wait to lose her brother too. She looked at me strange with a quirky smile on her face and just started smiling as she processed what I said, and she looked at me and told me she was proud of me.

    Even though my clothes feel better, and I'm wearing some of my older jeans that haven't fit in a long time, I look in the mirror and still see the 400 pound me. I can't tell that I've lost weight, but I KNOW I have. Being so close to losing the amount of weight that my niece and nephew weigh just gives me more incentive and push to keep going.
  • amymt10
    amymt10 Posts: 271 Member
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    That does put it in perspective!!! I have lost 47lbs, my 6yr old son weighs 51lbs so I lost almost what he weighs. He is very heavy when I carry him. I recently had to carry him across the hospital parking lot to the er when he was sick and I was winded by the time I got in there! Hmmm....... makes you think. Great job on the weight loss!!!
  • Jill_newimprovedversion
    Jill_newimprovedversion Posts: 988 Member
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    Excellent progress you've made~~~Congrats!

    When I first joined MFP last year, I read a post about a man who'd packed a backpack with the equivalent weight his wife
    had lost-
    and when she complained about whether she'd really made any significant progress,
    he encouraged her to put it on.

    Took that to heart,and have passed it on to many friends.

    I've lost the equivalent of 2 grandchildren ( 28 lbs & 17 lbs)- I tried picking them both up -
    NO WONDER why I have SO MUCH MORE ENERGY!! and my back doesn't hurt anymore.



    Best wishes to you as you continue on.
  • gapm
    gapm Posts: 48
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    I once heard of a woman who got enough 10 lb bags of sugar to match the amount of weight she needed to lose and she put those bags on her counter. As the weight went away, so did the sugar. The bags of sugar were a physical representation to her of how much work it was to carry the extra weight around. She used it as motivation when she was struggling: Did she really want to pad her body with all that sugar that she would then have to carry around all the time? Did she want to have to continue to carry around those remaining bags of sugar? Thinking about it in those terms helped her. Even though I haven't done this, I find thinking about it in those terms helps me too.

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