How to deal with slow weight loss

[Ola2]

So I have been losing weight, but doing it healthy takes time and I am only losing 0.5 a week, 2 kg a month at most. I have a starting goal of losing 23 kilos. I have lost 3 kg, but losing 20 will take at least 5 more months and that feels like forever!!
How do you not give up at some point?

 

[Cate]

I would be so happy with a half kilo weight loss a week. Please keep doing what you are doing as it's working. The slower you lose weight (& half a kilo a week is not slow) the higher the chances of you keeping that weight-loss off forever. Some weeks you may lose more & they will be a bonus. Keep it up Ola

 

[liza]

I agree with Cate--slower is better as it means it will be more sustainable for the long term. It's a lifestyle change then, rather than just a short term fix that won't last. 5 months is nothing--will fly by!

 

[Llama]

I lost a kilo a month - for 20 months. It did feel like it took forever sometimes. And then I regained some in the past couple months (how does that go so much faster than losing?!) so I'm having to do part of it again, which is maddening. But it's so much better than still being 20 kg heavier! Looking back it still felt like a big change in a short amount of time even if it felt slow while I was doing it. What helped was to focus on being healthy and taking care of my body and letting weightloss be a side effect.

 

[Koko65]

Well done on your awesome weight loss LaMaria.
I managed to lose all the baby weight (it was all baby) within 5 weeks of giving birth and it was so motivating seeing my body shrink! Then I lost a further 9kg and was 66kg (was 75kg before baby was conceived.. for the record I am 5’7” 36/F) - not sure where my motivation has gone to remain on the healthy eating and exercising plan now tho! I feel I just got bored of it or am fearing the hard days!!
What does everyone do to motivate them to stay on track?
My goal is 60kg by mid July. I don’t want to let that one slip away from me!!
help and suggestions much appreciated!!

 

[Llama]

I managed to lose all the baby weight (it was all baby) within 5 weeks of giving birth

That´s a massive achievement and must mean you were taking good care of yourself during pregnancy. What helped you stay on track then?

What does everyone do to motivate them to stay on track?

I may not be the best person to answer this question because I definitely struggle but things that do help me are:
- Always drinking enough water. Soda is an additional treat, not a substitute for water.
- Eating good quality fruit regularly to feel like I´m treating myself.
- Finding or thinking up new recipes sometimes so normal food doesn´t start to feel boring and bland.
- Moving regularly in ways that feel good to me to remind me that this body is a good body which does its best for me.

 

[Ola2]

I would be so happy with a half kilo weight loss a week. Please keep doing what you are doing as it's working. The slower you lose weight (& half a kilo a week is not slow) the higher the chances of you keeping that weight-loss off forever. Some weeks you may lose more & they will be a bonus. Keep it up Ola

I think its hard because I was all my life very skinny. I had extreme stress and pressure on me the last 2 and a half years (I was working towards getting accepted to a masters that required so much emotionally for about two and a half years where I had no other life, I cried a lot and all the enrgy I had was put only there leading me to quit my regular workouts, overeat and just be in bed studying or sleep all day every day), during that time I gained all the weight! I have horrible stretch marks...
So I do feel like if I just lost all the weight at once right now, now that I got accepted and I'm not so stressed, it would stay off for good...
So it doesnt help me to feel like its a lifestyle change... and I have a hard time not breaking down from frustration and self hate.

 

[Koko65]

That´s a massive achievement and must mean you were taking good care of yourself during pregnancy. What helped you stay on track then?

I may not be the best person to answer this question because I definitely struggle but things that do help me are:
- Always drinking enough water. Soda is an additional treat, not a substitute for water.
- Eating good quality fruit regularly to feel like I´m treating myself.
- Finding or thinking up new recipes sometimes so normal food doesn´t start to feel boring and bland.
- Moving regularly in ways that feel good to me to remind me that this body is a good body which does its best for me.

hi LaMaria
Thanks for your message . I think it’s more boredom or apathy than hunger that causes me to lose focus. I’m like “ah well, I achieved that, it felt good for a few days but I’m not so enthused about losing any more..”
it’s almost like I feel accomplished momentarily and kind of ease up on the determination, but then if I go off track for a few days I get frustrated with myself for not just persevering.. if that makes sense?
Definitely a mental thing rather than a physical thing where I need to feel full/need more flavours etc..
I like your last one about moving your body in different ways to appreciate and celebrate it.
Helping me lose the baby weight was my friends wedding at 8 weeks postpartum (I was a bridesmaid in the Bridal party) so maybe knowing I was going to be “on show” on this particular date?
i was very restrictive with cutting out all dairy (all chocolate was off the menu also) as I was still breastfeeding as well, and this was recommended to help with baby’s wind. So having those external motivators may have been the ticket.
Also it just seemed to fall off without a huge huge effort. I never had a goal weight as such in mind, I just wanted to look good in the bridesmaid dress, which I seemed to!
Perhaps I need to buy a pair of jeans that are a size too small and have them as a goal to fit into?
I don’t have any pressing health issues which mean I must restrict .. I hate to admit but I think it’s likely more of a vanity than a health thing when it comes to the reason I want to lose weight.

 

[Llama]

I had extreme stress and pressure on me the last 2 and a half years (I was working towards getting accepted to a masters that required so much emotionally for about two and a half years where I had no other life, I cried a lot and all the enrgy I had was put only there leading me to quit my regular workouts, overeat and just be in bed studying or sleep all day every day), during that time I gained all the weight! I have horrible stretch marks...

That must have been such a rough time for you and the surplus weight is a tangible reminder of it every day.

So I do feel like if I just lost all the weight at once right now, now that I got accepted and I'm not so stressed, it would stay off for good...

That could well be true and you´re definitely at an advantage compared to someone who´s been overweight all their life. Still: going back to those old, healthy habits and letting the weightloss happen organically is probably the safest way to get back to where you want to be. 5 months is not SUCH a long time. Maybe every time your current weight gets you down look at something that reminds you of how hard you worked and how proud you are of having achieved your goal.

 

[Llama]

I’m like “ah well, I achieved that, it felt good for a few days but I’m not so enthused about losing any more..”

I don’t have any pressing health issues which mean I must restrict .. I hate to admit but I think it’s likely more of a vanity than a health thing when it comes to the reason I want to lose weight.

Sounds like the reason you´re struggling might be that losing weight just isn´t that much of a priority for you. Nothing wrong with a little bit of vanity in my book, and maybe you can use it to motivate you. I´m not a fan of buying things that are too small because you never really know what shape you´ll be after losing weight but looking at wonderful clothes can´t do any harm. Any styles you´d love to wear (again)? Any pieces you don´t wear now because you don´t feel confident in them? Maybe imagining yourself wearing them and thinking about how great you´ll feel could motivate you when an extra piece of chocolate is trying to jump into your mouth. I think that´s one of the exercises we did back when I was a WW member.

 

[Ola2]

That must have been such a rough time for you and the surplus weight is a tangible reminder of it every day.

That could well be true and you´re definitely at an advantage compared to someone who´s been overweight all their life. Still: going back to those old, healthy habits and letting the weightloss happen organically is probably the safest way to get back to where you want to be. 5 months is not SUCH a long time. Maybe every time your current weight gets you down look at something that reminds you of how hard you worked and how proud you are of having achieved your goal.

Thank you for being so empathic. It was horrible and it is a reminder of the time and also a really big change. I'm only a little bit overwieght (I will stop being over in 5 kilos), but I guess it is such a big change that I have a lot of trouble accepting my body the way it is right now... I feel like I didnt have the time to grow to love it at a heavier weight as well.
Hopefully once I'm not overweight again, and coronavirus stops so I can go climbing again (which was my love and passion for many years), I'll start re-loving my body... I think I used to get a lot of love for it out of it's functionality, a lot of which I have lost and slowly regaining...

 

[Llama]

Climbing is wonderful! And it rewards you for every ounce you lose so that could be something that helps you stay motivated on your way back to a weight you feel good at.

I'm only a little bit overwieght (I will stop being over in 5 kilos), but I guess it is such a big change that I have a lot of trouble accepting my body the way it is right now... I feel like I didnt have the time to grow to love it at a heavier weight as well.

Accepting your body when it doesn´t conform to societal norms is hard and there´s no shame in not always being able to do it, especially right after such a big change. I do think it´s helpful to practice stopping yourself when you say or think something negative/insulting about your body and replacing the thought with something kind. Because something you think kindly about is something you´re more likely to treat well. And you clearly deserve to be treated well after all that hard work and sacrifice.

 

[Ola2]

Climbing is wonderful! And it rewards you for every ounce you lose so that could be something that helps you stay motivated on your way back to a weight you feel good at.

Accepting your body when it doesn´t conform to societal norms is hard and there´s no shame in not always being able to do it, especially right after such a big change. I do think it´s helpful to practice stopping yourself when you say or think something negative/insulting about your body and replacing the thought with something kind. Because something you think kindly about is something you´re more likely to treat well. And you clearly deserve to be treated well after all that hard work and sacrifice.

Thank you ❤

 

[Aamae]

So I have been losing weight, but doing it healthy takes time and I am only losing 0.5 a week, 2 kg a month at most. I have a starting goal of losing 23 kilos. I have lost 3 kg, but losing 20 will take at least 5 more months and that feels like forever!!
How do you not give up at some point?

I drink an Organic COFFEE that helps me with weight loss. I've lost 12kg's in 2 months

 

[Cate]

@Aamae -enough of the mushroom coffee sales, pleease.

Climbing is wonderful! And it rewards you for every ounce you lose so that could be something that helps you stay motivated on your way back to a weight you feel good at.

That is something to look forward to again. I think we all need something positive & that we love doing, to look forward to.

 

[Aamae]

@Aamae -enough of the mushroom coffee sales, pleease.

That is something to look forward to again. I think we all need something positive & that we love doing, to look forward to.

@Cate ,I don't sell them. I just drink them.

 

[Cate]

So, why are you promoting them everywhere? I’m glad you are not selling them & putting links. We get SO much spam that we almost expect it with newbies, I’m sorry.