This stupid weigth loss issue

I feel your pain.

It's taken me 3 months to lose 10 pounds, and I am not at a svelte 188 either.  You'd think that after not exercising for 9 months that at least the first few months back into it, you'd see some dramatic changes wouldn't you?

Nope.  No.  Nada.

You've lost 20 pounds in 5 months.  So, you're at about 1 lb a week loss, I think you are doing great.  Yeah, you're on the low end of losing weight but at least you ARE losing weight, somewhat steadily.  At least you've got a formula that seems to be working, albeit not very fast.  Look at it this way.  By the time you hit next April, assuming you keep up the slow and steady pace you'll be at that 160 you want to be at.  You'll be at the beginning of your next season, and you'll be ready to rock.

Some people can go out and run 8 minute miles without trying.  Other people have to work and work at it just to get to 13 minute miles.  Same for biking and swimming.  I work my butt off in the pool, but my sister can blow me away and she doesn't even swim as part of her regular routine - drives me crazy.

I've decided that some people are "fast" losers - they can go out there and the weight just drops off and wow, this is great.  Some people aren't.  Some people have to work really hard for every single ounce gone.  I think it's important to accept that you're not a fast loser - otherwise you tend to sabotage yourself.  Okay, at least *I* have sabotaged myself in the past.

I've found that this time around (yeah, I've been here before, hopefully this will be the LAST time) a few things.

(1) Only weigh in once a week.  Yeah, it IS about the scale, but weighing in every day will drive you extremely insane.  It's up, it's down, it's up, it's down - I think scales have an evil conspiracy going on.

(2) I used to "reward" myself for 10 pounds lost - but man, that was so frustrating cause it took forever, and then I didn't feel like I was making progress at all.  I changed that - now I "reward" myself for doing good with my training that month.  I've got my eye on a bike computer for August.  Something to work towards, and something that is totally under my control, unlike the scale.

(3) I vent - I didn't do that before and I think it dragged me down - it bites, sometimes it really sucks and telling someone about it sure does make you feel better.  Sometimes on my blog I whine a lot.

So - hope you feel better now that you've vented.  You're getting there!

Why is it petty?  It is NOT petty so don't say that about yourself! I lost all my weight over about  a year, in bits and pieces.  Started with WW, lost a bunch, then didn't lose any more.  A few months later, the motivation came back and I lost some more and started running more consistently.  And then I started tri training and that was it.

Oh, one other thing I did -I was on Wellbutrin.  It is an antidepressant that is also an appetite suppressant.  That helped ALOT!!!  It does not have sexual side effects and it is not addictive or speed-like.  I was depressed, but mostly because I was fat and hated it.  So it worked for me. I stayed on it for a year.

Jessica

Hey...I am there too.

I lost 70-75 pounds in two years, then started Tri training and have gained  back 5 pounds. I have been about the same weight for 15 months...I go up and down within about 5 pounds. Geez when I was lazy and did nothing, I lost weight in the beginning 2-3 pounds a week, then after 4 months of first starting to lose weight I started doing weights and my weight loss slowed down.

I went and saw Nancy Clark the sports nutritionist who advertises here on BT...changed how I eat...much healthier, but not losing. I had done the low carb thing for 2 years...and now I eat carbs. I think I am more sensitve to carbs than most people, but I need them to do workouts. It sucks to workout hard and as much as I (we) do and not lose weight at all or faster.

Nancy..I wish I could lose 1 pound a week...but having a deadline makes it harder to accept the slow pace. It is our 20th anniversary in 6 weeks. My husband is taking me where ever I want...Greece or Austrilia but I said next March...hidden agenda...want to lose more weight.