Have patience

[BabyButtons]

I think one of the hardest parts of losing weight is the waiting period. It's not the dieting or the exercising, its the waiting to see if all of my efforts are going to amount to something. Having patience is very important when you're making big changes to your lifestyle. Don't expect to see a change overnight or even in a week. Keep up with your plan for at least a month before you start thinking about changing something. Real progress takes time. Don't count the minutes or the days. In fact, don't even think about them. Instead, think about all of the things in your life that make you happy and this will help you to stay positive!

What do you do when you feel like your patience is failing?

(I just want to say that I got a new laptop and I LOVE using this forum way more on my computer than on my phone LOL I hope everyone is having great week )

[enviroTodd]

BabyButtons! I barely recognized you through all of your text haha. It’s great to see you in full sentence form.

That said, though, you’re right that patience is one of the biggest struggles for having to lose weight. All you want to do is see progress. Especially after working hard for a long time. This is the type of area where I find that yoga and breathing techniques can be the most helpful. If you work these things into your life and improve the energy flow through your body while you keep up a more calm and positive attitude, you will be able to embrace patience for your weight loss much more effectively. Working on motivation is just as important as working on exercise and your appetite.

[M-Stark334]

You're right babybuttons, patience is important. I tend to think that's why lots of people fail at their goals. It's not just a matter of setting goals that are too far beyond our reach, but wanting instant gratification. I know a lot of people who want to see results right away and expect to be rewarded for their efforts immediately. But, that's not how it works. You need to stick to it.

[BabyButtons]

BabyButtons! I barely recognized you through all of your text haha. It’s great to see you in full sentence form.

That said, though, you’re right that patience is one of the biggest struggles for having to lose weight. All you want to do is see progress. Especially after working hard for a long time. This is the type of area where I find that yoga and breathing techniques can be the most helpful. If you work these things into your life and improve the energy flow through your body while you keep up a more calm and positive attitude, you will be able to embrace patience for your weight loss much more effectively. Working on motivation is just as important as working on exercise and your appetite.

Thanks LOL! Yes! Breathing techniques and other forms of meditation are all great ways to find calm and patience. I always feel much better after I do Yoga, for instance.

[enviroTodd]

I do too, BabyButtons. I think that I don't just feel better immediately afterward but I believe that since I’ve taken on those techniques, I’ve been a better and more patient person overall. It is important to channel positive energies in the right directions so that it will be possible to continue to improve yourself. A lot of efforts, including weight loss, become something that can be done successfully when you feel more clear headed and ready to take on the challenges of the world.

But still, there are times when I still find my patience being tested even when I am at my calmest. I think that my biggest struggles with remaining patient in dieting is with plateaus. I know that I am likely still burning fat but am just building muscle so nothing is registering on the scale, but that doesn’t make it easier when no results are obvious.

[BabyButtons]

Yes!! Plateaus are the worst! Any time it doesn't feel like you are progressing forward is difficult when that's all that you want to do and you are doing everything you can possibly do at that moment. It's not quite the same as feeling helpless, but it's a similar feeling and that's not a good one to have.

[enviroTodd]

I find that it is important to come up with a strategy for keeping motivated throughout a plateau before they happen, instead of waiting for them to happen. The reason is that once you realize that you’re not losing weight despite your efforts, you will already experience negative energy. It is hard to push yourself at that point so the more you have reserves of positive energy ready to be used, the easier it will be to push through it.

[BabyButtons]

That's a really smart idea. You're right, having a plan before they hit is what is most important. It's never a good idea to wait until something happens, especially something discouraging because you're far more likely to give up than to try a new technique. If you already have a plan B in place, it makes things so much easier.