Things are going ok. Weighed in yesterday at 236.4. I have been at 235 +/- 5 lbs since late May -- we are going on 6 months now.
Part of me is proud. Even though I haven't tracked much of anything in awhile, I am able to maintain this weight. That is evidence that my lifestyle has changed. I can peel off a 5 mile ride like it is nothing. Today I did one actually and was surprised when the odometer said I'd gone five miles; I thought it was more like 1.5. Yesterday I rode my bike to go see a musical at our performing arts center. Biking and more generally being active are just part of my normal life now. So are fruits and vegetables and vitamins. I am working on my abs and am making progress on my gun show even though I haven't blogged much about it lately. I have maintained this weight while working on (and, I am optimistic, overcoming) bouts with SI joint issues, a herniated disc, sciatica symptoms and depression. I didn't let physical problems derail me. I am not letting busy-ness derail me either. Yay me. Huge props for the lifestyle change.
On the other hand, part of me is annoyed at myself. I keep getting lapped by people online and in real life. In the last six months I've seen people heavier than me sail by 235 and are now in the 210s. One of my coworkers has lost 25 lbs and looks AMAZING! She has done this all in the last 6 months where I have lost 0 lbs (actually, if we want to be technical, I've probably lost about 20 lbs, and gained it too -- yoyoing with this small window). Now, I am so so so delighted for these folks. I am proud of them, and I know that they have worked very hard to accomplish these amazing feats. I'd be lying, though, if I didn't admit I was at least a bit jealous of them.
I feel like I am not even the tortoise in the tortoise and the hare story; I feel like a sloth who is getting her tail whooped by even the tortoise. I am a huge proponent that you have to do what feels right, though (ie, forcing yourself to stay on a plan that doesn't feel right or like something you can do forever and resenting it seems like a recipe for disaster, and for undoing whatever progress you manage on said plan). I think on some level my brain needs time to wrap its head around this weight loss for some reason. Today I started tracking for WW again. I tracked even the burger and fries I had for dinner. If it feels right, I will continue.
The good news that life and weight loss are not foot races. Even if sloths are directed and determined, they will make it to the finish -- just like I will, even if I am 40 when that happens (I am currently 31).
Can anyone identify with this and/or share some motivation/WL mojo?
Yeah - I think that's where I am too. I haven't lost any weight since I quit WWs. In fact, I put on a few - but just a few. I almost feel like weight loss is boyond me right now. I'm making some healthy choices, but I'm not counting points or calories. I don't really *expect* to lose wieght right now. I am excited about my new workout though - and I've changed my style of eating (clean) just not 100% and of course, I've not restricted my calories. I guess I know what I need to change, just haven't taken that step. But I'm not out of the game. Sorry that's not extra mojo for yah...
ReplyDeleteOh - I should say it's been 4-5 months since I've been on WWs.
ReplyDeleteWarning: this is going to be a "suck it up champ" comment.
ReplyDeleteYou know as well as anyone that weight loss is a personal journey. You have made huge strides in changing your lifestyle, no it's not perfect and no it's not programmed in, but most things in life aren't. Just like education, you have to work at it, you can't just buy the books and assume you'll know all the material solely on the fact that they're in your posession. You have made HUGE strides in your lifestyle, you are doing AMAZING things for your health, you are NOT making excuses.. you are doing the right things for you. Please don't let other people's journey distract you from that, this is not about them, this is about you. Maintaining is a great accomplishment, weight loss is always a journey that gets more and more difficult as you continue. It gets harder to lose weight as you keep going, and I know you have the motivation and the know how to keep pushing. So you can't go on a juice diet and have a Hollywood body.. so what? The goal is not to live off of juice for the rest of your life. The goal is to be the best you, that you can be. So suck it up soldier, eyes on the prize not on your neighbor.
P.S. for the tortoise and the hare comment, that's how the hare lost, by keeping tabs on the tortoise and making decisions based on someone else.
P.P.S sorry for being a b*tch
Kudos on maintaining the loss so far and making the changes to your lifestyle into permanent fixtures in your day-to-day life - that is no mean feat in itself.
ReplyDeleteI have only been at this weight-loss thing for just over 8 weeks so i haven't run into any serious plateaus... yet! I'm sure there will be some though...but for motivation when i'm feeling sorry for myself and just want to eat a doughnut (or a box of them) and i don't want to go to the gym or go for a walk, i try and remember that there are people in this world who would give anything to have 2 arms, 2 legs and the ability to move whenever and wherever they want to; there are those who are so malnourished they can't eat or who have no money and nothing to eat any time soon (think of folks in places like Haiti, Pakistan, etc). What i am saying here isn't that you should look on these people's suffering and use it to spur yourself on, not in the slightest, but that i find motivation in realising that i actually have it pretty great when compared to many millions of people in the world and i should be thankful for that on a daily basis. Our problems are nothing by comparison.
All the best with the tracking...and try to knock the burgers and fries on the head Sarah. ;o)