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I alternate between sincerely dieting to improve health and appearance and just giving up on it all.
this has been going on for 40 years.
I don't like being fat, and I get all judgmental (silently, in my head) when I see fat people. I'm working on that, so each time I say negative things about myself or others, I gently (silently, in my head) correct myself. I'm trying to see each person's beauty. Maybe I'll even see my own one day.
This is what I have to say. Weight loss isn't easy. It's more than simply dropping pounds. It's changing a lifestyle. It requires you to go "all in". Being "all in" means that you'll stay the course if things start to stall (which they will). Your body isn't this losing machine that automatically drops a pound, two, or three each and every week. There will be some weeks that you'll lose one, some weeks you'll "gain" one, and others where you don't lose at all. It's the total body of work that shows progress. If you're working out, you'll see the results in the mirror. TMI I know, but I regularly took pictures of myself naked, started from when I was 200 until I hit 151. Sometimes if you feel really bummed out, all you need to do is look at your progress through pictures. Never underestimate the power of visual. I still like to look at myself when I was 200 to really appreciate all of the hard work that I put in.
People tend to not acknowledge the "little victories" but harp on numbers ("I only lost one pound this week....") You have to keep it positive. Instead say, "I didn't gain one pound this week..." or "I'm going down" Or how about feeling good that you made going to the gym a routine instead of flipping things to the negative and saying "I work out five days per week and I'm still not a size 2!!" Internal demotivators will derail progress far more than a cinnabon. Or how about celebrating daily victories (i.e. "I made it to the gym today even though I was tired" or "I avoided the greasy crap and ate a homecooked meal).
People also tend to not be realistic. I have 20% body fat and yet I'm no size 6. I probably never will be. Age and body makeup will do that to you. But what I have earned..through hard work...I'm grateful for. Learn to embrace yourself and your limitations. I push myself for fitness purposes now, not dress size. If you cant' fit into single digit clothing IT IS NOT THE END OF THE WORLD. Just look at how things used to be!
You have to do what's right for you. Sometimes people are just over by a few pounds and will never have the body they want. I have accepted myself for the person I am and quit dreaming of being the person I wanted to be. It's all about accepting reality and realizing that nobody's perfect.
You have to do what's right for you. Sometimes people are just over by a few pounds and will never have the body they want. I have accepted myself for the person I am and quit dreaming of being the person I wanted to be. It's all about accepting reality and realizing that nobody's perfect.
A few pounds isn't fat. Maybe we need to make a distinction between having a little weight on and being 75+ pounds overweight .
This is what I have to say. Weight loss isn't easy. It's more than simply dropping pounds. It's changing a lifestyle. It requires you to go "all in". Being "all in" means that you'll stay the course if things start to stall (which they will). Your body isn't this losing machine that automatically drops a pound, two, or three each and every week. There will be some weeks that you'll lose one, some weeks you'll "gain" one, and others where you don't lose at all. It's the total body of work that shows progress. If you're working out, you'll see the results in the mirror. TMI I know, but I regularly took pictures of myself naked, started from when I was 200 until I hit 151. Sometimes if you feel really bummed out, all you need to do is look at your progress through pictures. Never underestimate the power of visual. I still like to look at myself when I was 200 to really appreciate all of the hard work that I put in.
People tend to not acknowledge the "little victories" but harp on numbers ("I only lost one pound this week....") You have to keep it positive. Instead say, "I didn't gain one pound this week..." or "I'm going down" Or how about feeling good that you made going to the gym a routine instead of flipping things to the negative and saying "I work out five days per week and I'm still not a size 2!!" Internal demotivators will derail progress far more than a cinnabon. Or how about celebrating daily victories (i.e. "I made it to the gym today even though I was tired" or "I avoided the greasy crap and ate a homecooked meal).
People also tend to not be realistic. I have 20% body fat and yet I'm no size 6. I probably never will be. Age and body makeup will do that to you. But what I have earned..through hard work...I'm grateful for. Learn to embrace yourself and your limitations. I push myself for fitness purposes now, not dress size. If you cant' fit into single digit clothing IT IS NOT THE END OF THE WORLD. Just look at how things used to be!
This is a great post, and I couldn't agree more. While I did not take pictures to "document" my progress, I do have pictures that were taken along the way and I can see how much I progressed from when I started. I can't believe how bad I used to look, not just too heavy, but unhealthy, seriously I look younger now than I did eight years ago. I can even see how much smaller I look now compared to say three years ago when I was 20-25 lbs more.
Sometimes it is easy to get caught up in the "numbers on the scale" even when I know intelligently that I could not have gained a couple lbs overnight, it's just bloat or whatever. The scale is just a tool to keep me honest. I don't want any long upward trends. Like the poster above, I am a tall woman, do not have high body fat but will never be smaller than size 10 (on top size 12) due to my frame, but I feel like I look good and healthy this way, I do not need to have a Victoria Secret figure.
I ask because I've recently upped my workout routine to challenge myself to lose 10-15 lbs. I'm a person who doesn't fat shame, brow-beat, or criticize people due to their size but for me, I can never accept being fat personally or even overweight which is what motives me to work out and I'm late middle-aged.
I travel a lot with work which involves staying for six weeks or longer across the country so I can't always maintain the same exercise schedule. Of course, some days I'd rather stay in bed instead of getting up at 6 am to run when I'm at home or walking four miles in a hilly area after dinner. I've remembered over the years that many of my friends have given up on working out. One associate even said "forget about it, I'm just fat" meaning she is tired of working on her body and is at peace with remaining fat. Has anyone here done the same? What pushed you to do so?
No. What pushed me is looking at myself in the mirror, struggling to put on jeans, not being able to squat down my knee, lack of energy and mobility.
If you feel you are living the life you want and are not limiting yourself due to your weight, then you are fine. At 300 lbs, I could barely walk 2 blocks. I paid thousands of dollars to go on vacation to places I never got to see because I couldn't walk around.
I know that there are other people missing out on life because of their weight. It's not about a size. It's the quality of life. There are many proud phatties who are faking it.
I am overweight and that's not my experience at all. I have plenty of energy, walking around is no big deal. I have had various step trackers over the past few years, if I recall my biggest day on a vacation had 35k steps. I've done bike tours, walking tours, music festivals, snorkeling and all sorts of activity.
Sure I can't do full pushups at the moment, but that is a common thing. I just need to practice more.
Really the only limit to my life at the moment is that some clothing brands don't make my size, though being smaller would help somewhat, it would not be a pancea. I am a tricky shape for clothing, but I'd love more sustainable options.
I do not doubt that you struggled when you were 300 pounds, but your experience may not mirror other overweight people.
I think certain clothes fool us into not noticing whats going on with our body shape... all these stretchy jeggins, leggins, and stretchy denims make us think were not putting on the pounds when years ago we didnt have all these stretchy fabrics and we felt it round the waistband easier, same with nice dresses with a zip up the back.. this gave us the message that we had to drop that five or six pounds to get the zip up easier..... I bought a casual type of anorak coat for taking the dog down the park.. I bought a size bigger to what I THOUGHT I was and it was still too tight to zip up without my bum sticking out... at first I tried to kid myself that it was a small make from an online catalogue and why it didnt fit, then I tried on some older jackets I had in the wardrobe that Id worn a year or two ago.. and they were too tight too , I felt like crying to be honest then took a long hard look at myself and thought NO its time for a change. this cant go on. and my oldest son also was down visiting and said to me........Mum are you not bothering now with your weight and exercise like you used to.......then he said..... Are you just giving in to getting older......that was it...day of reckoning... no more junk food.. and right now Im off to do the twist to music and some exercises to music too, makes it so much more fun .. go for it , I swear youll feel fitter and better in your head and not so scared of mirrors.. hahaha.
I am overweight and that's not my experience at all. I have plenty of energy, walking around is no big deal. I have had various step trackers over the past few years, if I recall my biggest day on a vacation had 35k steps. I've done bike tours, walking tours, music festivals, snorkeling and all sorts of activity.
Sure I can't do full pushups at the moment, but that is a common thing. I just need to practice more.
Really the only limit to my life at the moment is that some clothing brands don't make my size, though being smaller would help somewhat, it would not be a pancea. I am a tricky shape for clothing, but I'd love more sustainable options.
I do not doubt that you struggled when you were 300 pounds, but your experience may not mirror other overweight people.
Of course my experience doesn't apply to everyone. However, it applies to many. I've heard the stories of people putting on a brave face when inside they were miserable. Were they all lying?
Jade, how overweight are you?
Maybe my message and point can only be understood by those with over 100 lbs or more to lose and are feeling it.
It's your life. It's your body. You get to choose. You can choose to be fat. If it works for you, then fine. If it doesn't, then make changes. Just be honest with yourself as to why you're making the decision.
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