I'm having a bit of a tough time

[SuzyB 182]

Going through the same thing. It has been much harder this Christmas season than I imagined. Between busyiness of parties, and other events, I am tired of being mindful of everything I eat. I barely have time to go for a walk with the kids out of school, let alone getting to the gym,. We do go for family walks but not cardio. Friday my oldest crew leaves for deer hunting so in many ways it will be easier to make the best food choices once they are gone.

[gamergirl 4,610]

Going through the same thing. It has been much harder this Christmas season than I imagined. Between busyiness of parties, and other events, I am tired of being mindful of everything I eat. I barely have time to go for a walk with the kids out of school, let alone getting to the gym,. We do go for family walks but not cardio. Friday my oldest crew leaves for deer hunting so in many ways it will be easier to make the best food choices once they are gone.

Yeah it's been a rough adjustment. I addition to busy, I feel guilt when I eat stuff that's not Protein or veg, even if it fits my calories and other requirements for the day.

[moonlitestarbrite 902]

love ursula! fav disney villain. very apropos.

[moonlitestarbrite 902]

Yeah it's been a rough adjustment. I addition to busy, I feel guilt when I eat stuff that's not Protein or veg, even if it fits my calories and other requirements for the day.

why do you feel guilty? a wise teacher once told me, " all choices are valid if you choose them with wide open eyes." meaning there is something to learn from any mindful choice, no matter hat the choice is.i did not have this surgery to feel guilty over a piece of dark chocolate or tbsp of mashed potatoes. if you are mindlessly eating, then dont feel guilty, change it!

[gamergirl 4,610]

Yeah it's been a rough adjustment. I addition to busy, I feel guilt when I eat stuff that's not Protein or veg, even if it fits my calories and other requirements for the day.

why do you feel guilty? a wise teacher once told me, " all choices are valid if you choose them with wide open eyes." meaning there is something to learn from any mindful choice, no matter hat the choice is.i did not have this surgery to feel guilty over a piece of dark chocolate or tbsp of mashed potatoes. if you are mindlessly eating, then dont feel guilty, change it!

It's a great question and I'm not sure I know the answer. I've been wondering this for the last few days. We have a Protein pudding we make with 17 gms of protein in it. It tastes absolutely delicious and decadent. Even though my head knows there's nothing wrong with it, I have this residual guilt from somewhere about enjoying decadent food like that that makes me worry I will put on weight.

I'm not eating mindlessly, in fact I'm driving my poor husband nuts I'm sure by being extremely detailed about putting in every last bit of food into MFP.

So it's not a rational thing, it's some vestigial emotional hang up that I haven't completely understood.

[Nicolanz 1,484]

Do you exercise? For me it's fun to set a goal and achieve it. I hate being bored and don't allow it! With exercise, you can always change it up and you feel so much better about your body. I got Brazilian Butt Lift workouts for Christmas and I'm so excited for the challenge! Just a suggestion......

[Arts137 1,811]

I agree with the "no guilt" approach. Just think and plan (well, I gotta, cause "Skippy" would suggest strange and continuous eating). And the longer I can avoid sugars and processed carbs, the less I want them...

[MichiganChic 3,262]

I went through that at about the same time frame..

I felt pretty good I bought a bunch of new clothes that I really like at a "regular" store and I got to feeling complacent... I stayed happy with the loss and my new duds for a little while then went on to be interested in losing again (at a snails pace mind you ) just like our body's go through stalls (resting periods) our brains go through them too.

I do think that's true. My brain has gotten tired of the constant diligence, fretting, and obsession with tracking food and weight and pounds lost. My body and brain (and my family) just needed a rest from the overly focused approach I've taken. One thing for sure, though, I need that level of focus to succeed. As soon as I let my guard down, habits start to slip a little, and I find myself not losing. I am a person who does not have any wiggle room at all - I immediately gain with even a little indiscretion. So even while I'm on a slight hiatus, it's still never far from my mind, and I'm still mindful on some level.

[Arts137 1,811]

I'm with you, Michigan Chic!

[MichiganChic 3,262]

I'm having a tough time. It's four months in, and it seems like the early days of weight just falling off every morning have slowed down. My size hasn't changed in a month or two, the scale is being willful, but mainly, I am being impatient.

I'm sure this is all normal, the only reason I'm putting it down here is to share that part of the journey where the shine sort of wears off, and this becomes your daily life, and you've lost the high that comes from early surgery success.

I am still not having trouble eating right, I'm still getting in my Protein and my Water, so that part is still going well. I'm not missing things or craving things uncontrollably, my relationship with my family is still as rewarding as it was, work is even more exciting than it was 3 months ago, so really, everything is going well. I've also lost 66% of my excess weight in 4 months so that too is going well. '

So what's not going well you ask?

I'm bored with this whole weight loss thing. Seriously, it's as simple as that.

I want to be at goal already! I'm sick of thinking about weight loss and smaller sizes. I want to just wake up and go about my life and not wonder if I'm at goal, or how much more I have to lose (27 lbs but who is counting?) My weight didn't define me before but I am starting to feel like I'm letting it define me more now. Did I lose? did I gain? When will I lose? Why did I gain? When will my size change again?

Bored.

LIke I said, I'm sure it's normal and for vets who have been doing it longer than me, I'm sure they can relate. But it caught me by surprise. How could losing weight become boring?! Isn't it the most exciting thing ever?! Well yes, but the routine has set in, the new has worn off, and it's just life now.

Tell me I'm not the only one?

GG, this sounds like me. I hadn't thought of it as being bored, but I suppose that's a good description. I found myself wishing (a little) that I could get a tweak to my surgery so I would have more restriction and less desire to eat like I did a year ago when newly sleeved. Absurd, I know. However, all that physical discomfort made it easy to stay laser focused on the prize. As i get closer to goal, looking and feeling pretty normal, I find myself in a bit of a quandary. On one hand I think I've done great and lost enough weight, and on the other hand I know my BMI is far from normal. Then I think who cares, I look fine. Then I think I'm just making excuses for myself so I can stop obsessing so much. I just want to be DONE! I hate always having to replace clothes, and not having enough in my closet for a decent wardrobe. Then I think how great it would be to wear a size 6. Blah, Blah, Blah. On and on. I drive myself nuts, and I know I drive my poor husband and kids nuts, too. Hence, the above post, where I've had to take a little mental hiatus. Honestly, I can eat right and I'm pretty sure I can maintain for life....I just had SO much to lose, I'm a little worn down from it, and I'm wondering "are we there, yet?" What a crazy way to think - but there it is!

[Fluffnomore 1,235]

I think someone posted about "normal" on another thread…what it is to feel normal, and like the body you have when you are at goal. It got me thinking back to my early 20s aka the last known time of a regular BMI for me. Was I happy with my body then? More confident? Hell, no. I remember jokingly saying to one of my friends a few years back, "I never realized that I could easily wear a bikini until it was too late to do so." I was never the thinnest girl and I thought that was the requirement.

So, I think about this now. I weigh less than I have in about 5 years (since I was very sick) and even though I'm 20 pounds above that point still I am starting to fit into those clothes. I must be in better shape. Wouldn't it be easy to accept things in about 10 pounds? Yes, but I would still be very much in the obese range. I promised myself if I did this I would take it to the limit of what is healthy and good for me.

I can already sense some of the discomfort in my family with my physical changes. My kids last night said, "You're getting so skinny!" I'm not skinny by a long shot. My daughter said, "All of the other moms will be jealous of you." I said, "Oh honey, I can't help that. They already are because I'm so gorgeous and awesome," and everyone laughed, but I thought this was interesting. Why do my kids have any skin in this game, of my looks? Why is it about my looks, for them? Is it easier for them if I remain hidden behind a layer of fat? Does it mean I'm less of a mom to them?

We are such weird creatures and once again I've veered off the original topic. It is wearing to constantly be on guard. But it is also wearing to not live up to your potential. That's what I have decided anyway.

[Arts137 1,811]

1. We are SUCH weird creatures.

2. food, especially chips and Cookies and Coke is SUCH an fun way to deal with boredom, sez my fat brain, Skippy.

3. And food is how we should Celebrate our great successes, Skippy again.

4. We are Sysiphus... condemned to an eternity at hard labor. And frustrating labor at that. For his assignment was to roll a great boulder to the top of a hill. Only every time Sisyphus, by the greatest of exertion and toil, attained the summit, the darn thing rolled back down again. Every day.

5. Let's go get some water!

[gamergirl 4,610]

GG, this sounds like me. I hadn't thought of it as being bored, but I suppose that's a good description. I found myself wishing (a little) that I could get a tweak to my surgery so I would have more restriction and less desire to eat like I did a year ago when newly sleeved. Absurd, I know. However, all that physical discomfort made it easy to stay laser focused on the prize. As i get closer to goal, looking and feeling pretty normal, I find myself in a bit of a quandary. On one hand I think I've done great and lost enough weight, and on the other hand I know my BMI is far from normal. Then I think who cares, I look fine. Then I think I'm just making excuses for myself so I can stop obsessing so much. I just want to be DONE! I hate always having to replace clothes, and not having enough in my closet for a decent wardrobe. Then I think how great it would be to wear a size 6. Blah, Blah, Blah. On and on. I drive myself nuts, and I know I drive my poor husband and kids nuts, too. Hence, the above post, where I've had to take a little mental hiatus. Honestly, I can eat right and I'm pretty sure I can maintain for life....I just had SO much to lose, I'm a little worn down from it, and I'm wondering "are we there, yet?" What a crazy way to think - but there it is!

I'm having a tough time. It's four months in, and it seems like the early days of weight just falling off every morning have slowed down. My size hasn't changed in a month or two, the scale is being willful, but mainly, I am being impatient.

I'm sure this is all normal, the only reason I'm putting it down here is to share that part of the journey where the shine sort of wears off, and this becomes your daily life, and you've lost the high that comes from early surgery success.

I am still not having trouble eating right, I'm still getting in my Protein and my Water, so that part is still going well. I'm not missing things or craving things uncontrollably, my relationship with my family is still as rewarding as it was, work is even more exciting than it was 3 months ago, so really, everything is going well. I've also lost 66% of my excess weight in 4 months so that too is going well. '

So what's not going well you ask?

I'm bored with this whole weight loss thing. Seriously, it's as simple as that.

I want to be at goal already! I'm sick of thinking about weight loss and smaller sizes. I want to just wake up and go about my life and not wonder if I'm at goal, or how much more I have to lose (27 lbs but who is counting?) My weight didn't define me before but I am starting to feel like I'm letting it define me more now. Did I lose? did I gain? When will I lose? Why did I gain? When will my size change again?

Bored.

LIke I said, I'm sure it's normal and for vets who have been doing it longer than me, I'm sure they can relate. But it caught me by surprise. How could losing weight become boring?! Isn't it the most exciting thing ever?! Well yes, but the routine has set in, the new has worn off, and it's just life now.

Tell me I'm not the only one?

I can relate to the "are we there yet?" bit for sure. I'm wondering at what point I will think it's enough. I see fat rolls and wrinkles more now than I did when I thought I had no choice but to live with the fat. Now, I pinch the fat at my back or my stomach and I think, "This has GOT to go". Talk about demanding right? it's not enough to be in size 10 jeans and a M shirt, now I want to look good naked too. I wonder when I will be satisfied.

And of course, I plateau a lot so that makes it less exciting but mainly, it's the same dang thing every day. Wake up, pee, weigh. drink your shake, log your food, drink your Water, and do not let up on any of it. Don't eat junk really ever.

I know it's what I signed up for, and I'm very, very grateful for the weight loss and the renewed health. But reality has set in for sure and it's just another routine.

[gamergirl 4,610]

I think someone posted about "normal" on another thread…what it is to feel normal, and like the body you have when you are at goal. It got me thinking back to my early 20s aka the last known time of a regular BMI for me. Was I happy with my body then? More confident? Hell, no. I remember jokingly saying to one of my friends a few years back, "I never realized that I could easily wear a bikini until it was too late to do so." I was never the thinnest girl and I thought that was the requirement.

So, I think about this now. I weigh less than I have in about 5 years (since I was very sick) and even though I'm 20 pounds above that point still I am starting to fit into those clothes. I must be in better shape. Wouldn't it be easy to accept things in about 10 pounds? Yes, but I would still be very much in the obese range. I promised myself if I did this I would take it to the limit of what is healthy and good for me.

I can already sense some of the discomfort in my family with my physical changes. My kids last night said, "You're getting so skinny!" I'm not skinny by a long shot. My daughter said, "All of the other moms will be jealous of you." I said, "Oh honey, I can't help that. They already are because I'm so gorgeous and awesome," and everyone laughed, but I thought this was interesting. Why do my kids have any skin in this game, of my looks? Why is it about my looks, for them? Is it easier for them if I remain hidden behind a layer of fat? Does it mean I'm less of a mom to them?

We are such weird creatures and once again I've veered off the original topic. It is wearing to constantly be on guard. But it is also wearing to not live up to your potential. That's what I have decided anyway.

Your kids are younger than mine so they may have some of the "What a mom is supposed to look like" thing going maybe?

My 24 year old was forced to admire me in my jeans and t-shirt today and he and I have a very close and open relationship. He says to me, "Mom not only are you getting skinnier, but your boobs aren't getting smaller either which is good!"

So they do get over the "What a mom should look like" thing

[moonlitestarbrite 902]

It's a great question and I'm not sure I know the answer. I've been wondering this for the last few days. We have a Protein pudding we make with 17 gms of Protein in it. It tastes absolutely delicious and decadent. Even though my head knows there's nothing wrong with it, I have this residual guilt from somewhere about enjoying decadent food like that that makes me worry I will put on weight.

I'm not eating mindlessly, in fact I'm driving my poor husband nuts I'm sure by being extremely detailed about putting in every last bit of food into MFP.

So it's not a rational thing, it's some vestigial emotional hang up that I haven't completely understood.

sounds like lots of juicy material for you to gnaw on for the next few days...