happy turtle?
 

Is it a bad thing that I WANT to be a turtle. I want to lose slowly. Not that I always felt that way. For many years I wanted to lose the weight as fast and furious as possible. I counted, weighed obsessively, exercised, starved, anything that my brain rationalized would get me to lose it as quickly as possible.

It all only made me fatter in the end. :(

Now I feel like if I have something like 87 lbs. to lose, (Just guessing, because scales are no longer a part of my life) and I take something like 3 years to lose it, that will be 3 years of practice of eating the way that will help me keep it off, and in the end, that is what really matters to me. AND,
I can either spend those 3 years learning to adopt a new lifestyle and improving my health, hopefully, or yo-yo-ing, losing, gaining, and be right back where or started......or worse, AND feeling "not so good healthwise".
I do not want to lose and regain it all again and again. I will take as long as it takes to get there, and try to enjoy the healthful changes that a new WOE is producing.

I just felt like sharing my thoughts on this and hope I am not offending anyone. Believe me, I know how those that are frustrated with losing slowly feel and I sympathize and wish you the best outcome possible.

voguesd

great viewpoint. should serve you well.

The slower you go, the more eating that way becomes a part of your life. Good goals.

I agree as well. The slower you lose, the more it feels like a lifestyle. I've always believed that "a diet" is something that you continue with largely unchanged even when the excess weight is gone. All the best to you.

Thank you for your encouragement. It took many, many tries and failures for me to arrive to feeling the way I do. I wish I could have gotten here
sooner, but better late than never for me, at least.

I'm doing the same. Even though I'm weighing daily, its to keep me motivated, as the slow slide down is progress, compared to the slow growth in the opposite direction over decades.

At this point, I don't care if it takes 5 years to get to my generous goal, as long as progress is being made. I figure a year or two from now, my tastes will have changed, and my habits as well. My general low carb diet, for health, not for weight loss, helped get me to the point that I was ready to aim for losses. Six months later I'm 26% of goal. :)

I'm not happy to be a turtle, but I'm going to be happy just as long as I feel better.

Vogue, you are SO WISE.



perfect.

My one friend got discouraged about a year ago because she was only losing 0.3-0.5 pounds per week. We were talking recently, and she said that if she had stuck with it, she'd be close to her goal weight now. Losing is losing - maintaining is not gaining. Being a turtle is okay with me, as long as the numbers go the right way. I only wish wish wish I was also a GAINING turtle, but alas, that side of the equation is more like a cheetah after a gazelle. Hence, slow, quiet progress, appreciating each little milestone!

Good attitude,

Yes I'm totally with you too! I slowly came to realize it wasn't the weight that was the root problem, it was my regular routines. It was my routines that were slowing helping me store too much fat.

Doh!

So getting new routines that I like and that really work, that is the real big deal.

I just want to check in and thank you all for your encouragement.
I met my goal in July of 16 and have managed to maintain my goal "size" without too much drama.

At first when I met my goal, I panicked! All kinds of scenarios about regaining flooded my mind. I had met my goal, now what? I was so used to having a weight loss goal that I didn't know what to do with myself. I went up and down for a while, read every book and article i could find on maintaining and generally made myself confused, crazy and stressed out.

Finally I came around full circle to just doing what i had been doing all along to lose the weight was the answer to keeping it off. DUH!!

I realized that I just needed to set new goals and not allow myself to become complacent with my health.

I still do not weigh. I have slacks that I like the fit of and know that if they look good, not too tight, not too loose, then i am doing o.k.

I actually prefer to eat LCHF. I do have little indulgences now and then, and am able to enjoy without going overboard. LCHF makes me feel better and doesn't set me up for cravings. I also practice intermittant fasting but never go a full day without a good meal or two. (or three).

When I keep my focus on my health instead of focusing on my weight it is easier to resist the temptations that bombard us every day. In the end, that is what really matters. Feeling better and maintaining the best health possible.

Interestingly, there are times that I'm sure I must have somehow put on 10 lbs or so, I feel SO fat. So I go try on my slacks, sure that I won't be able to even get one leg in them, and lo and behold!! They fit fine. Just goes to remind me how my mind likes to play these little games with me. (If I were weighing every day, as almost every article or book on maintaining recommends, I'm sure I would be in the loony bin by now).

So, DO hang in there, in the future your struggle to meet your goal will seem like a blur, and won't feel like it took as long as it seemed at the time.

I think of all of you regularly and send my good wishes that you will have success in your endeavors to meet the goals that you have set for yourself.

Never give up! Never surrender!
Keep on "turtleing" along. You WILL get there, and I'm still right there with you.

Sharon