Support Needed-- Habits gone awry!

[zoolina]

I'm discouraged. I know I've been eating less than normal in the past few months of No-sing, but the scale just won't budge. Now, I'm not someone who has a whole lot to lose--15 lbs would put me back to where I was as a teenager--and maybe this just is the weight I'm meant to be.

But the lack of progress makes me feel like maybe it's not worth it. And I notice with that feeling, my much-improved eating habits are unraveling at the edges.

I think I just need a virtual pat on the back for all my hard work since November and a virtual kick in the butt to stay on track. All hands and boots welcome...

Zoolina

[ThomsonsPier]

I think you have the same disadvantage I have; because you only want to lose a small amount of weight, you don't have the momentum and reassurance from previous losses. Well done even more for sticking with it, in that case. It does work, but it works more slowly closer to your ideal weight.

Carry on!

PS: <kick/>

[pangelsue]

How close is 15 pounds to your ideal weight? I don't know your height or age. Maybe wanting to be the same weight you were as a teenager is not being realistic or even ideal. You're not a teenager. Maybe just being really happy where you are and maintaining might be in order. Or if more weight loss is ideal, up the exercise.
When the habits start to unravel, you are no longer happy with the process. I would suggest asking yourself what your goals are, if they are realistic and where you want to go from here. And be honest with who you are now. Don't talk to some ideal you were or want to be. Pat, pat amd a little kick.

[NoelFigart]

I'm discouraged. I know I've been eating less than normal in the past few months of No-sing, but the scale just won't budge. Now, I'm not someone who has a whole lot to lose--15 lbs would put me back to where I was as a teenager--and maybe this just is the weight I'm meant to be.

The scale weight is a measurement of health and fitness, but it's hardly the only one.

If you've been SGing, it's possible you're gaining musle and losing fat. How do your clothes fit?

Have you ever had a body fat analysis done? The thing about body fat percentages is that the healthy range is huge. My own healthy range varies according to body fat percentages varies by about 20 lbs. My vanity range is quite different, of course. I'd prefer to get to the low end!

[kccc]

I had some initial success, then I also "stalled out" in terms of the scale -- despite following No-S pretty well.

Of course... I stalled over the holidays, which had more-than-usual S-days. AND my exercise routine was also quite disrupted. Once I acknowledged those circumstances, staying the same actually looked like a major victory.

The point of this digression... are there external circumstances that would also factor in for you? How's your exercise schedule? Are you regularly "being an idiot" on S-days? Are you cheating "just a little" on N-days? Or maybe just eating out a lot? (All plates are not equal, as someone said in another thread... and eating-out plates tend to be worse than at-home plates.) Take a step back and put your analytical skills to work.

So that was your boot. But let me add it is HARD to stick with habits when you don't see the results you want immediately, so give yourself a BIG hand! Try to focus on habit-building (results you can control), not the scale (which you can't entirely), and reward yourself when you make each week. (Ideas for non-food rewards: flowers, scented candles, a new book or magazine, craft supplies, a "treat" outing somewhere... whatever makes you feel slightly indulged. And pat yourself on the back as you enjoy it!)

[billyymc12508]

Zoo,

I fully understand where you're coming from. When I fail to see the scale moving I think about the other benefits of a healthy way of eating -- which for me are feeling better physically (not full all the tiem, not sloggy from eating fat and sugar filled foods a lot), feeling better emotionally knowing that healthy eating benefits my body even when I'm not losing weight, etc.

I also feel good about not craving junk food. At least when I crave something...it's usually someting healthy. And when I crave something sweet for an S-day, I don't crave just any old crud -- I really do crave something special and decadent -- something home made.

There are other benefits to No-S besides weight loss...don't forget about them...and have a great weekend.

[florafloraflora]

To build on what Billy wrote, eating fewer calories is a great way to stay healthy and increase your lifespan. Digestion takes a huge toll on our bodies, and the less we have to digest, the better we do it and the better we feel.

[wosnes]

It's also possible that your goal isn't realistic. The most important thing is to keep up the good habits.

[Schnebit]

One thing that Reinhard said that really struck me is that even if you stop gaining, it's progress....

Think about it - if you followed the same old eating habits over the same period of time, you'd probably have more than 15lbs to lose...

I too only had about 15lbs to lose, and so far I've dropped 6 of them. If you're at the point where you've stopped gaining, you probably only need to make a few minor adjustments to get on the "losing" track.

When you really boil it down, losing weight is just math. In order to lose, you have to eat less than you burn. Start by looking at your portion sizes. Are they too big, too small, or just right? How strict have you been with the No S principles?

Look hard at what you've been doing, because the answer is right in there... and I'll bet that it's a matter of a few minor adjustments here and there that will make the difference.

Hope this helps,

Jim

[reinhard]

Zoolina,

From the title of your post it sounds like your behavior has been not quite perfect, but from the body it sounds like your behaviors have been good, you just haven't been seeing the results you want.

I popped over to your checkin for some clarification and it looks like sort of a mix .

So I guess my advice is:

1) if your behavior is good, and it sounds like it is good enough in that you know you are eating less, results will follow. They may not follow immediately, so you'll have to be patient. The average successful long term weight loss is something like just half a pound a week -- that's barely noticeable except after many months.

2) the most immediate problem is non compliant behavior, focus on that. If your behavior is better, your results will be too. It looks from your checkin like your behavior is getting better and better -- this is fantastic, keep it up! That plus a little patience will almost certainly do the trick.

3) not gaining is a result. And it won't take much more effort, either from stricter compliance or more exercise, to push you into actively losing. So don't despair that you haven't made more progress, this is a good position to be in. All you need, if you need anything more, is a few tiny tweaks.

4) if your behavior is close to perfect, and you exercise at least a bit, and you've given it some time and you still don't see any results, then maybe start to worry about plate size and such. But I'd resist the temptation to focus on this before you've given vanilla no-s a good few months. You might also wonder whether your goals make sense at that point, if moderate eating and moderate exercise can't get you there. But I think they will.

Hope this or something here helps!

Reinhard

[zoolina]

Thanks, everyone, for the kicks and pats. What would I do without you? No, really!

I don't think my goal is that unrealistic. I'm 5'3" and weigh about 140, and would like to weigh between 125 and 130.

The "habits gone awry" is, I suppose, more about a tendency. I feel that fence starting to give, strictness about to be replaced by laxity (laxness?laxation?) I see it happening in slow motion, a feeling that if what I'm doing isn't helping then why bother? At this point I AM still bothering, but this feels like it could get ugly.

The other thing--and I realize that I'm whining here-- is that due to a nasty sports injury I can't exercise very much. It's driving me nuts and making losing weight sooo hard.

Thanks again for the support..

Zoo.

[NoelFigart]

If you don't mind my asking, what was the injury?

I ask because I'm rehabbing a ligament replacement and meniscus repair in my knee, and deeply sympathize.

Swimming has been my salvation!