Does the time it takes to loose weight frustrate you?

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Guitarjon
Guitarjon Posts: 204 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I feel like i'm doing really well but have 100 pounds to loose (less now) but I wish it would come quicker. I lost a lot initially and am now on a steady road of around 2/3 pounds a week but really cant see the end in sight! At this point (just over 2 and a half months) what do you guys use a motivator?
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Replies

  • dg09
    dg09 Posts: 754
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    It's definitely a long road man, I started on June 11th, so a little over 9 months. You just have to keep focusing on it one week or month at a time, I know it's cliche.

    Whenever I got down about how distant my goal was, I would play with the numbers a bit -- like say, "okay 15lb/month and I'll be at XXX in 4 months, or XXX on my birthday". I did that a lot.

    Best of luck.
  • mlb929
    mlb929 Posts: 1,974 Member
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    It took me 3 years to lose almost 50 lbs. I figured the longer it took the more committed I became and the less likely I will ever regain it back. It probalby took you over 9 months to gain the weight - think of it in perspective. One pound lost and not gained back is a one pound victory.
  • HMonsterX
    HMonsterX Posts: 3,000 Member
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    The faster you lose it, the more loose skin you'll probably end up with.
  • OnMyWeigh464
    OnMyWeigh464 Posts: 447 Member
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    Definitely frustrating! I know they say "it didn't take overnight to gain and it won't take overnight to lose" but it's still pretty annoying how long it takes!!! It's even more frustrating when you know you try EVERYTHING and STILL don't lose...THAT is whay I find really frustrating...then I wonder to myself "whats the freaing poing?" Some days I think that if I'm cutting calories and eating right and exercising and stuff and I still don't lose...then I almost may as well go back to my old habits...but I just keep trucking on...
  • nwg74
    nwg74 Posts: 360 Member
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    It takes patience and lots of willpower. I started 11th April 2011 and lost an average of 3 pounds each week since.

    Set small targets that are easier to get to rather than the bigger goal target. I am just half a pound away from my next target of 16 stone (224 pounds) and weigh in day is tomorrow. I sometimes like to try to reach goals by weigh in day and it can work. I then treat myself to something to eat that I have not been eating for weeks or months as a reward.

    I also like to change diet and exercise week by week. I don't set myself to a certain number of calories but have a range of 1200-1500 calories. It helps the body not expecting the same calories all the time.

    Don't feel bad if you want to eat more for a day or two. I have found eating more and then going back down help weight loss to increase after slowing down. Do not binge.

    Drink plenty of water to help hydration and look after the skin.
  • StevLL
    StevLL Posts: 921 Member
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    In the begining yes, but now I feel pretty confident that I'll eventually reach my goal. We are developing a lifestyle of habits that will carry us forward. My wife and I are not burning up the scale (averaging about 1-1.5 lbs a week) but it's pretty consistent and totally does not feel hard anymore. Heck people ask me how I'm doing it and I say two things. Eat whole foods, nothing with scientific words and log, log, log! Okay that is four things cause the logging for me is key. This place is a lifesaver
  • shanalivee
    shanalivee Posts: 27
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    i have been tryingto drop wight since jan and have lost nothing :( so be glad with what you are losing and keep motivated by what you have lost so far .
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,554 Member
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    I think the hard thing is realising that this isn't a short term "diet" that you do for a month and then forget about it - it's about making changes that will last for a lifetime. That's not easy, but it's a critical distinction to keep the weight off.
    I don't know the answer as to HOW to keep going - I think you have to prioritize your long term health and wellbeibg over the short term desire for too much unhealthy food.
  • rmatako
    rmatako Posts: 2
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    Hey, don't feel bad. I started the same time you did (seriously started) and have only lost 14lb. I make small goals like five pounds a month and figure that in a year I'll have lost 60 pounds! In two years max I can be at my goal weight...and two years isn't really that long. :smile:
    Good luck and great job!!!
  • runnercheryl
    runnercheryl Posts: 1,314 Member
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    Nope. I didn't gain this weight quickly. It took four years. I'm not going to lose it quickly, either. To do so would require me to do things I didn't agree with, and possibly put my health at risk.

    I've been doing this for almost a year and a half now, and overall have lost almost 20lbs. I should be reaching the 20lbs mark in the next few weeks. It's a long, slow road, but it's worth it for my health. I've just been keeping on going throughout, and I see it paying off.

    Look at it this way. Just because you have a goal weight, does that mean your two extremes are 'starting weight' and 'goal weight'? No. Every day is a 'current weight', and as long as you're at a happier weight than your starting weight, you've achieved.
  • nwg74
    nwg74 Posts: 360 Member
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    It also helps buying clothes and think "I will get into that someday". It took me 7 months to get into a pair of jeans with 6" waist smaller.

    I have been overweight for most of my life for about 25 years so I knew it would take some time.
  • pinuplove
    pinuplove Posts: 12,874 Member
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    When I first started, I wanted the weight to be gone YESTERDAY! But now that I'm in the swing of things, I'm good with slow and steady. I want to make it a permanent change :smile:
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
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    I tend to look for goals other than just the number on a scale. I noticed in another thread that you're swimming 40 laps in 40 minutes - that in itself is a pretty significant accomplishment (I can comfortably run 20km, have ridden my bike 100km but suck in the pool & have a triathlon in August)

    It's hard, over the years I've lost the same weight over and over and over again looking for quick fixes, maybe this time around I have finally figured it out - slow and steady progress and adopting habits that can be sustained and I don't fixate just on my scale.

    Take things week by week. Did you accomplish the workouts you had planned? Did you stick, more-or-less, to a sound nutritional plan? Are you feeling better?
  • here_I_go_again
    here_I_go_again Posts: 463 Member
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    Frustrating as HE*! for me. I'm with you. I want it yesterday but I keep on moving forward!
  • ginnylee74
    ginnylee74 Posts: 398 Member
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    I feel like i'm doing really well but have 100 pounds to loose (less now) but I wish it would come quicker. I lost a lot initially and am now on a steady road of around 2/3 pounds a week but really cant see the end in sight! At this point (just over 2 and a half months) what do you guys use a motivator?

    If you want some real motivation check out this group. (see below) They have really motivated me.:flowerforyou:



    Group Name: Advice From those who have lost 100lbs or more.
  • Flixie00
    Flixie00 Posts: 1,195 Member
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    I try an focus on non scale improvements. My weight loss has slowed, but I can see changes to my body from weight training and I recently dropped to a dress size I haven't worn for more than 10 years. I always try to remember that it took longer to put on the weight than to drop it.
  • DataBased
    DataBased Posts: 513 Member
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    ...really cant see the end in sight! At this point (just over 2 and a half months) what do you guys use a motivator?
    Hey there,

    I found a spreadsheet template on the Microsoft Office website that helps you calculate how long it will take to reach your goal. So for me to know it's going to take 19 months is helpful because I know the number of X's that I'll be making on my calendar. :-)

    BTW... The template name is Excel Weight Loss Tracking with Estimated Goal Dates Template. I had to tweak the number of calories I take in because its calcs aren't exactly like MFP's, and I had to change my weight loss goal a bit on the top to get it to show what I wanted at the bottom of the sheet... but eventually I got the info I wanted!

    Have faith, persistence, and patience!
    :flowerforyou:
  • lelliebugh
    lelliebugh Posts: 340 Member
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    I get frustrated but then I realize it has taken me 28 years to get where I am but in reality if I stick to my guns and not give up, it will only take around a year or so to get to my goal. Now tell me how the time really mounts up :) feel free to add me. time is of the essence and we can all do this. :wink:
  • JMarigold
    JMarigold Posts: 232 Member
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    Very frustrating. Especially since even though people keep saying you didn't gain it overnight, you won't lose it overnight . . . well I'd be happy to lose it as fast as I gained it! The most recent 30 lbs I gained in under 3 months--not pregnant either. So I'd LOVE to lose it as fast as I gained it but no such luck. It's taken me 2 months to lose about 8 lbs.

    Just gotta keep on trucking b/c the only way is forward unless you want to go back to where you were.
  • robert65ferguson
    robert65ferguson Posts: 390 Member
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    An ancient seer once said "you can eat an elephant of you take it one bite at a time" stick in there and be patient.

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