I find it interesting that when people only lose a half a pound to a pound a week, they are complaining! This is so crazy to me for several reasons. Funny thing is, I used to be one of those people!
1. You're making an effort! Effort = difference (over time)
2. You are far better off than you were just a week ago.
3. If it's going to become a lifestyle, the slower the better (Studies show that when people lose weight slowly, they are more apt to keep the weight off.)
4. We need to remember, we aren't on The Biggest Loser working out 8 or 9 hours a day. (That is not realistic when we have a family, work, and other daily obligations.)
5. It's going to take us longer to get the weight off than it was to put the weight on.
6. Every person and every body reacts differently when we try to change things.
Believe me, I wish it came off faster too but in all reality, I'm glad it was slow. Slow and steady wins the race. Sometimes too, I think our bodies are holding out to see if we're going to do our part, if we're going to hold true to our end of the bargain. When our body can TRUST that we are going to feed it what it NEEDS, not what it WANTS, and give it proper exercise, this is when it starts to respond to what we are wanting it to do.
The next time you are feeling discouraged about how slow things are going, try the following that was suggested to me by my trainer, Jacob. Go to the store and pick up a pound of ground beef. Literally! You'd be surprised at how much a pound weighs! Even try picking up more. Five, ten, whatever you need to help visualize your progress. Carry it around the store for that matter. (In your arms, not the cart!) It really was amazing to me to do this. In the big picture I couldn't recognize how my body was changing but yet, when I made it into a reality it made me visualize what I was doing and how far I'd come. (Even if it were only a pound or two.) So, next time you feel like your efforts and hard work aren't paying off, take a field trip to your local grocery store and carry around some ground beef, and visualize what you've already taken off your body! It will amaze you!
1. You're making an effort! Effort = difference (over time)
2. You are far better off than you were just a week ago.
3. If it's going to become a lifestyle, the slower the better (Studies show that when people lose weight slowly, they are more apt to keep the weight off.)
4. We need to remember, we aren't on The Biggest Loser working out 8 or 9 hours a day. (That is not realistic when we have a family, work, and other daily obligations.)
5. It's going to take us longer to get the weight off than it was to put the weight on.
6. Every person and every body reacts differently when we try to change things.
Believe me, I wish it came off faster too but in all reality, I'm glad it was slow. Slow and steady wins the race. Sometimes too, I think our bodies are holding out to see if we're going to do our part, if we're going to hold true to our end of the bargain. When our body can TRUST that we are going to feed it what it NEEDS, not what it WANTS, and give it proper exercise, this is when it starts to respond to what we are wanting it to do.
The next time you are feeling discouraged about how slow things are going, try the following that was suggested to me by my trainer, Jacob. Go to the store and pick up a pound of ground beef. Literally! You'd be surprised at how much a pound weighs! Even try picking up more. Five, ten, whatever you need to help visualize your progress. Carry it around the store for that matter. (In your arms, not the cart!) It really was amazing to me to do this. In the big picture I couldn't recognize how my body was changing but yet, when I made it into a reality it made me visualize what I was doing and how far I'd come. (Even if it were only a pound or two.) So, next time you feel like your efforts and hard work aren't paying off, take a field trip to your local grocery store and carry around some ground beef, and visualize what you've already taken off your body! It will amaze you!
Just what I needed! I get so impatient with my body, but when I stop and think just how amazing it is that our body responds at all and the energy it takes for it get rid of even one pound, well...it helps to remind yourself.
ReplyDeleteEvery time I wear my tiny little ankle weights for a workout, I'm surprised (every time!) how liberating it is to take them off...And they are only 2.5 lbs on each leg.
So, yeah, a pound is a whole lot AND when I consider all the weight I have lost, well....I remind myself to be kinder and more patient.
I'm glad you stopped by Raeesa. I've never thought about working out with ankle weights. I bet that would add a whole new twist to things.
DeleteI love that phrase: Effort = difference (over time). That is totally going on my inspiration board, it is something that I need to be reminded of. I've been trying to lose (literally) THE LAST POUND to reach my goal weight (and a total of 100 pounds lost) for over a month. It is encouraging to me to remind myself that my EFFORT will make a DIFFERENCE over TIME. :) (BTW, did you get some funny looks setting up that picture in the grocery store?)
ReplyDeleteSherrie, I've been checking every day to see if you've hit that goal. SOOOOO close! The last pound is just being pesky. The good news is, once it goes it will be gone for good! And yes.....I got all sorts of crazy looks for piling meat on me but I didn't care. It felt good!
DeleteThis is a great post! I've been working on losing weight for a little over a month now, and it's been going a lot more slowly than I'd like. BUT for the past few years before starting this journey, I had been consistently GAINING weight. I realized a couple days ago that it's a great sign that I haven't gained any weight over the past month. We so often overlook our progress. Thanks for this reminder!
ReplyDeleteThanks for dropping by Lauren!
Deleteso is that all the weight you lost in that ground cow? I thought you were going to tell us to stay off that stuff. I've been staying away from it. I'll try picking up the 50 lbs I need to loose next time I hit the store.
ReplyDeleteBecky, they didn't have 133 pounds of ground beef so I picked up what they had.
DeleteThanks again Paige for saying exactly what I needed to hear!!
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome Christa. Love reading about your journey.
DeleteGreat post! So true! As a dietitian, I always used to tell my clients (I am a stay-at-home mom now) that you didn't gain weight overnight so it isn't going to come off overnight. 1-2# weight loss/week is healthy weight loss. Weight loss that is going to come off & stay off since you are making a lifestyle change, not on a fad diet or doing it an unhealthy way. :)
ReplyDeleteThis is an absolutely fantastic post, Paige. Much needed wisdom! I love this: Effort = difference (over time)!
ReplyDeleteThanks Maren! I like that quote too. Glad to have had some of your friends come my way and read this post. Whatever it takes to help each of us on our own journeys.
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ReplyDeleteWonderful post! I just found you over on Adrian's page! This really hit home, thanks so much!
ReplyDeleteThanks for dropping by Mrs. H!
DeleteJust found you from RunEatRepeat. Seeing your photos is just what I needed today. Thank you. You are amazing.
ReplyDeleteThank you Deidre. Glad you dropped by. Pictures are always a good visual aren't they? (Even when they involve the scary ones!)
DeleteLOVE the visual! My oldest is at college. She just told me yesterday, "I've only lost 5lbs since January" I had to remind her how great that was! Many college students GAIN while they're gone. She carried 16 credits and has straight As. She's doing awesome. PLUS, I told her, if you lose 5lbs every quarter by the end of the year you'll be 20lbs less!! We always want it to come off so fast, but a lot of times while we're thinking that we're either just maintaining or even GAINing!
ReplyDeleteThanks for dropping by! I know, isn't it crazy how the mind works. 5 pounds since January is fabulous! AND chances of her keeping it off are far higher than if she would have taken it off quicker. Tell her to keep at it, one day at a time. She'll get there. (sooner than she thinks.)
DeleteJust found your blog and I LOVE IT!!! Your jouney reminds me of my own. I'm encouraged by your philosophy and agree that slow and steady wins the race. My journey is taking longer than I ever thought it would, but I know that the Lord WILL finish the good work He began in me.
ReplyDeleteBlessings!
Bless you Kimberlynn. You are so right, God had created us to be such beautiful images of Him that He's going to take all the time that is needed to mold us into just what we are wanting to be. One step at a time. I hope you're enjoying your journey?
DeleteI added this post to my "Friday Finds" post, hope that's okay! :)
ReplyDeleteYES! I linked over from Maren. I love the pound of beef idea. Sometimes I load up my backpack (around 50lbs) and think about how good it feels to not be carrying that around anymore. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm SO guilty of being impatient with weight loss. I have SO MUCH to lose and I just want to be at a healthy weight already! :) But no matter how impatient I get, giving in is just not an option.
Nanette, you're cute. Never thought about loading up the backpack. Thanks for dropping by. You'll get this. Just think about how much better you feel 50+ pounds lighter. That to me is motivation. You go girl!
DeleteSaw your link from Maren and think your post is great. I am right in the middle of my journey and it is so easy to get caught in the moment where I think that I am making no progress. I need to give myself credit for what I have done but not allow myself to let that be enough. Congrats on your weightloss. I hope my after looks as good as yours!
ReplyDeleteLOVE your post and absolute perfect timing as I was lamenting a loss of "only" 1/2 pound this week. The idea of checking out the weight of ground beef is brilliant! The other day my son and I went to the corner store for 2 pounds of beef for dinner. He started to carry it home but said, "mom it's SO heavy you need to carry it". And I remember thinking "this is a bit heavy". Thanks for bringing it all together for me. I'm just going to keep on my journey and keep the little mantra in my head that it's 'progress not perfection'. Thanks again!
ReplyDeleteI love the visual but I could never do it. I have some serious food born illness fears and I can't even touch raw meat in the package. Weird, I know, but not my weirdest fear.
ReplyDeleteFound your blog from Maren! Fantastic post. Love the power of ground beef!!! Congrats on all the success you have had so far. What an amazing story!
ReplyDeleteCONVICTED!!!! I was just complaining about a 1 pounds weight loss (will be on my post tomorrow) thank you so much for the reminder of how AWESOME IT IT!!
ReplyDeleteKeep focused!
LOVE this!!! Thank you for always being an inspiration..you and the mama keep me going!!!
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