Overcoming Setpoints
Hi all,
I've already posted a success story; I posted it when I got down to 153/154 pounds. That was over two years ago now. It was exhilarating to have got down to the lowest weight I had achieved when dieting as a teenager. I don't need to repeat all that now; you can always read that first success story, it's still there.
I wanted to come in here though, to emphasise that persistence really will pay off. It was wonderful to get to 153/154, and I stayed there for a few months, but then I got a little too complacent waiting for the next whoosh, and started putting on a few pounds. Not too many; at my highest, carbed up after vacation, I saw 163. It was an up and down kind of thing, but not up and down fifty pounds more like five. However, at the end of 2005, I was trying my best to get back down to 154, but I couldn't make it past 157.
2006 was more of the same up and down - until the summer, when I decided enough was enough. I must point out that with all this, I was firmly low carb at least 85% of the time - I just know that for me it needs to be even higher, or the pounds do start creeping back on.
By September last year I'd managed to get back to 154, and I even got a bit lower. Beat that setpoint. Then in November, at about 151, I went travelling for business - weeks in London, New York and Toronto. It was also a time of seeing friends, partying - and some stress from a break-up with a boyfriend. So for two months or so while I was again at 85% levels, I wasn't 100%. And I wasn't counting calories, either, which I'd done during the summer when I was losing weight.
*so*
why am I posting now? Because once it got to early January I knew it was time to fully get back on track again. I was delighted to find I was only at 153.2 when I got on the scale after a week of de-carbing my system.
It's been a month today of fully low-carb and relatively low-calorie eating, and this morning I weighed 147.4
So - I spent two years struggling to stay near the 154 mark. At one point I was beginning to fear I'd never even see it again, let along go further towards my goal weight. But persistence really is key.
It may seem crazy to celebrate being only 7 pounds lighter than I was over two years ago - but anyone who has struggled with keeping the weight off, being a turtle, dealing with a sluggish metabolism even *with* the benefits of low-carb...well you'll know why this is something to celebrate.
And I thought it might be a reassurance for others who struggle with losing - even when it seems like you'll never ever lose more...even if it takes years...it can happen! Now I'm finally beginning to believe that I really and truly will make it to goal - possibly even some day soon!
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