I always thought I had a large frame...

11 months ago I started my 'healthy lifestyle'. I counted calories and exercised.

I began the journey at 245lbs. (Believe my highest weight was approx 265). At the start I couldn't even walk 30 mins at 2.1mph. My weight goal was 165lbs.

11 months later I am at 165lbs, size 12. I can run a mile, walk forever at a 4.0mph incline on the tredmill. But now what?

After losing all that weight, I've realized I've actually a pretty petite frame. 165lbs isn't what I thought it would look like. Yes I look MUCH better (over and over and over again!) But now I want to get into a healthy BMI range. I just somehow lost all motivation. Maybe because I reached the goal and still have more to go? When I set my original goal it seemed almost unreachable. But here I am...and more to go :(

Has anyone else met their weight loss goal and then found out that they still have a long ways to go? What keeps you from becoming 'burnt out'?

getting healthy shouldnt make you feel burnt out. you may want to exercise pretty intensely for a while to lose a bulk of your weight, but as you get closer to your goal, it should become easy. you just have to keep eating healthy and exercise regularly.

if you feel like youre getting burnt out, then you're doing too much. just step back a bit, evaluate your diet and exercise, and try to make it something that you can keep doing forever.

also, you could try P90X. it comes with a food plan, promises to get you in shape in 3 months, and really motivating. i just finished my 3rd week.

Congratulations on your weight loss!  That's an amazing accomplishment, and you need to be proud of what you've done for yourself.

If you've been doing the same exercises for a while, maybe it's time to switch it up?  If you have the resources, look into taking a class of some sort - aerobics, pilates, spinning class, karate or yoga, something to really put a kick into your workout and maybe boost your morale? 

Focus on your health and less on the number on the scale, think about how you feel in comparison to how you felt before, and don't be afraid to take your time to lose that last bit of weight. 

What you did was no small feat. Most people stop in a week, a month...11 months is a long time, and you should feel proud that you persevered for do long. It is a lot of work, and sometimes it's not just you feeling worn out, it's your body too.

By april 2006 I reached 200lbs, and I started exercising and counting calories in june of that same year. I had times in 2007, 2008, and yeah, 2009 (actually right now), when I honestly felt "burnt out". I think that happens because the less you weigh, the harder it is to lose more. So basically, the more you work on losing weight, the more energy it takes to keep losing it. You're bound to feel "burnt out". It's not that you're losing commitment. 

I'll tell you what I do, and I'm not sure if it's something you'd do too: I just let it go for a while. I usually buy a pair of pants that are my "goal" to keep track of my weight while I "let go". If they stop  fitting, I go back to counting calories and working out. Being able to go back to my "skinny pants" is always a good chalenge (I'm vain). Then when I go back to them, I buy a smaller pair and  keep going until I fit that pair. I love clothes and they have always been my main motivation, haha!

I hope it helps, I could really relate to your story :)

Thank you all for your words of encouragement.

I spent some time this weekend browsing the forums. I could relate to a lot of people and the ones just starting their weight loss journey really had an impact on me. I remember being where they are and I appreciate more where I am at now.

I have come a long ways and I'm so close to being where I need to be. I'm not sure when I started if I ever really believed I would hit 165...and now that I am there I just need to keep going. I was at the gym today and thought about those around me. The ones that are at a healthy weight...and they are still there every morning doing their routine. If even skinny people need to go to such efforts to be healthy then a still moderately overweight girl does too!

150lbs here I come!

in my expierience it doesnt matter how much you weigh or how great you look, you always feel like you have a long way to go. when i had an eating disorder i thought like losing 10 pounds.. then 20.. before you know it im like 110, 5'8, and still thinking i'm fat. needless to say i'd lost my mind.