Meeting of the End of The Road Club

Bang!  Bang!  (That was my gavel bringing the meeting to order).

Well, end of the roaders, how are we all doing?  I'm down again this week to 119.5 (Hey - there's a 1 in the middle!) - which leaves me 1.5 pounds left to get to my original goal. 

So, here are my major concerns and worries: 

1.  Nobody in their right mind would say that someone who is 5' 3.5" and weighs less than 120 pounds (barely, but let's count it anyway) is fat, right?  So when will I feel that I'm not fat?

2.  With only 1 1/2 pounds left to lose - why is my stomach still not flat, sexy and smooth?  Do I need to lower my goal a few more pounds?

3.  Can I maintain?  I know how to lose weight - I've done it!  I've lost over 30 pounds.  Do I know how to maintain it?  Would it be easier to have some splurges and gain a pound or two and then lose it?  It'd probably be more fun.

Ok - so here are my major thoughts concerns for the week.  If you're in the same place, please feel free to offer suggestions to mine and add your own to the mix.

Lucky you Liz!! Under that 120! 

I too have that darn tummy and I blame my children 100% for being born!!  LOL  Somethings you can only do so much about unless you can afford surgery! 

I feel that I am not doing so well at this these days - some of it is circumstances beyond my control such as moving, but a bunch of it is me trying to sabotage me from being successful....why oh why do I do that?  Well I am pulling up my shorts and getting back to full swing next week, home obligations will have to wait for me to do my 1/2 hour weight training....too bad if someone doesn't like it! 

Maintenance is the most scary word in my vocab these days!!  Can't even imagine how I will do that - losing is short term goal, maintenance is like....FOREVER!!  That is a little daunting to say the least! 

As for when you won't feel fat?  I think that is more an emotional thing than a physical thing.  Your comfort zone is back there - even though you don't want to be that person anymore it's familiar and comfortable - You just need time to get to know the new you and to feel comfortable in your new lifestyle - it won't be as easy - we have set ouselves up for a lifetime of healthy eating and exercise...but that is a very good thing and worth holding onto.  The right thing is NEVER the easy thing -so if things seem easy, maybe take a look and make sure you are still on track! 

1. No. Nobody in their right mind WOULD say that. But it is difficult to change your mental image of yourself. Especially since you see yourself change gradually, if you to have not seen yourself at all between your before weight and now, it would probably be easier. You know you've done well so the mindset will change and let you see yourself as you are. Take pride in how well you've done.

2. I don't think you'd need to change your goal. Just throw in some more ab toning exercises and the sexy tummy will come.

3. Maintaining is an odd concept to get used to. I have a 400 calorie window that I like to stay in. From 200 below what I burn to 200 over. It seems to work. I haven't gained or lost a single pound since I reached my goal a month ago.

Hope that helps!

more  crunches for your stomach?

You're about my height (i am .25" taller!!!) and my goal is to reach 125-130lbs. I hope  i won't feel fat then. 

Don't you feel lighter, slimmer? You should be proud of yourself. I think that since you know you are not fat anymore, you will end up not feeling fat soon. If he does not do it, your SO should tell you everyday how lovely and pretty you look and someday I sure you'll be convinced too.

cheatingirl,

I totally know what you mean.  I'm 5'2" and weigh 113, I started at almost 125lbs and I'm down to 113, I thought I'd be happy at this weight, but I'm still not happy with how my body looks.

Truth is, I don't think we'll ever be happy (at least in my case) I'm ALWAYS going to find something I don't like.  My goal now is 110lbs. and I'm thinking to myself, my body's not gonna change that much with 3lbs. less, so I know I wont like it at 110lbs. either, but once I get there, I'll see.   Bottom line - we're our own worst Critics! It sucks.

Maintenance is a scary word to me right now because I have been stuck in a plateau for the last couple of weeks, so that seems like maintenance, but it also seems like I'm working hard at it.  Difficult to wonder if that's what maintenance is going to be like.  But, I know it's not supposed to be that way.  I'm also thinking that it will be gaining a pound or two, losing it, etc.  Or maybe instead of 5 to 6 days on lower calories and 1 to 2 on maintenance, I'll switch it around to 5 on maintenance and 2 on lower. 

As far as when you will not 'feel fat', well, I agree that it's a mind set.  Haven't you had skinny feelings!  Like when you were excited to fit into a smaller size?  And maybe when you caught a glance of yourself in a mirror or your reflection in a window and you thought you looked pretty good?  Try to hang onto those thoughts and feelings, because you have come so far and you DO look great.

I have started to think that I'm going to have to come to the realization that my tummy is never going to be flat unless I become anorexic because I was privileged enough to have given birth.  So, if I can't wear a thong bikini, well, there are worse things.  (like I'd ever want to wear one anyway, ha!)

well I have seen 136 this week but that damn 138 keeps popping up! LOL  Funny thing I noticed this morning is when I see the number closer to 140 I feel like its that evil 160 coming back.  I was 138.6 this morning and I was like thats too close to 140, which is too close to 160!  AHHH!  Im really working hard not to look at the scale so much and start going for the tape measurer now.  THe scale is a hard  habit to break though! I have been working my abs and arms hard this week and I do feel a difference and feel like my stomach is getting smaller.  I figured, Im 3 weeks from my next period so I will just work it as hard as I can and measure before I bloat!

Hi Cheatingril!

I am glad you are still losing! Congrats! I haven't been here lately (a lot's going on) but had to check in with my gang LOL
That's funny you would say that about feeling fat, as I have been going through similar feelings recently. I weigh myself every day which seems to help and keep me on track. So, anyway, when I do that, I try to feel if I feel heavvier or lighter than the day before. What's interesting is that for the past couple of days especially I have been feeling blah and chubby. I am glad I got on the scale, it definitely made me feel better about that as it confirmed I lost a little instead of gaining some. I try to listen to my body and it tells me I am fat while the scale proves me wrong! And to add to that, sometimes I feel more fat than when I were like 128! (I am now 122) OK so I am not sure if this info helped you as I am discovering it myself as well BUT I would try and see patterns in you feeling fat (hangover, that time of the month, etc.?) and weigh youself every day. I understand some people don't like to weigh this frequently but it definitely has helped me since I started (3 weeks ago).

Here's a little more thoughts about your worries:

2. Have you tried pilates? I too noticed that my stomach is the weakest part as I used to binge, eat late, etc. I always had that problem. I am glad I discovered pilates! They tone your body and entire core area! I finally started to see my muscles in that area, plus as a side effect, it helps me when I run and increased flexibility!

3. that worries me too. I have read that it is easier to lose than maintain. But what I am thinking of doing is to increase protein intake and decrease carbs when I do reach my goal and keep up with all the exercise and stuff. I know I am being in this losing weight mental mode for so long, I can't imagine just wanting to keep it at the same level but I'd imagine it should be easier if you (read: we) try and slowly bring the calories up (I would still rather lose than gain)

Anyway, as about me, I still see the trend (122 vs. 122.4-122.6 last week) so I am cool I guess. Plus, I seem to slow down just because I like the feeling from losing and afraid of maintaining LOL.

So, stick with this girl and share your thoughts, I seem to share many of them (most that you mentioned so far). We are almost there!!! Oh my ideal (and goal) weight is 120, so I am 2 pounds away, yeah!!!

Hi ladies, nice to know we're in the same boat and sharing the paddles!

I absolutely feel thinner than I did.  I feel healthier than I did.  I feel smaller than I did.  But that doesn't mean I feel thin, healhy or small - everything is relative, right?

Not to be overly pessimistic - but I have to say it.  If I'm (or we're) not ever going to be happy enough with how we look - is it worth it to give up those fattening foods that we used to enjoy?  I mean, if I'm going to feel the same - why not eat the same?

I guess in reality, I don't feel the same - so that's enough reason for me - but do you guys understand what I mean?

if you want to be healthy and live longer, yes it's worth giving upthe crapy food we used to like. Not totally. You can still have a hamburger once in a while :)

I think that part of the way that we chose to lose weight - calorie
counting, instead of an operation or some fad diet, is that we have all
the time to think and understand all the emotional effects of it,
analyze what we are going through. And we appreciate all the sizes we
are in a lot deeper and cherish the results more. I think this is a
growing personality process when you do it the right way. So, think of
that when you do have those fat feelings! (I have to!) ***hugs***

As others have said, simply modify your goals now.  Now it shouldnt be about weight loss and should trend toward "in the mirror looks".  You'll need to modify your workout and reduce the amount of cardio and increase the amount of weight training.  No, your're not going to get "built" but you'll tone up with lean muscle and even though your weight may remain the same you will look better in the mirror.

It's very possible that part of your 30 pound weight loss included muscle so now you need to put that muscle back on at the same rate you reduce the remaining bit of fat.

Hey cheatin girl, how long did it take you to lose the weight?

Congrats btw

First of all, congrats! Second of all, I know what you mean... not necessarily me- I have not been smaller than I am now with 60 lbs to lose still. But both my older sister and my mom lost a TON of weight, and they still point the same flaws they did before the loss. They are still in a constant battle and are always afraid of gaining it back and worry about what they eat.

My point is, I don't think these feelings will ever go away for us. We will never wake up one day, feel skinny, and decide our bodies are perfect. We are in a lifelong journey with different challenges each day, and that is why the lifestyle change is so important!
So, congratulations, enjoy your healthy body, and keep on keepin' on!

You know Cheatingirl, I have heard that, and this is going to hurt, but that sugar is the culprit that keeps the tummy bulge.....I can tell you I heard it on TV so it MUST be true right??  LOL 

Also, for tummy stuff - studies have actually showed that calcium seems to help so if you eat low fat cottage cheese daily, that might help target that area.  Another thing you might want to try is weight training - I haven't been weight training lately due to time restrictions and I have noticed that even though the weight gain was very minimal, my outie tummy is back!!  I don't concentrate on the tummy either - I just try to hold myself up in the middle while I life weights and push weights etc. 

We are all so different and there isn't any global solution for all of us but maybe what works for me will work for even one other person right? 

Don't give in to that little she devil telling you if you don't feel different you should eat the way you used to - looks and feelings aside, the machine that is your body is running so much more efficiently that you will live longer and healthier and that should be our ultimate goal right?? 

Hi all thanks for the thoughts - to address some of them specifically - altogether it's taken me about 16 months to lose the weight, but I had a hysterectomy last August  which negated all but 8 pounds of my loss up until then.  So, I've been on my program since the end of January.  

I don't think any specific exercises are going to really do much.  You know - can't spot reduce!  In my case, my belly has always been the first place I gain weight, and the last place I lose it.  (As for many moms) - I think it's just a matter of getting to where I feel good - and other people think I look good, since I can't judge that well, and accepting the rest.

I do exercise mildly.  2 - 3 times a week, a combination of cardio, muscle training (pilates) and yoga.  I don't do weights - but Pilates has you using your own body as resistance - so it's pretty much the same thing.  Although, I have been known to carry light weights when walking or doing a few curls in my office (I keep weights and good shoes here in case inspiration strikes!).

Ok, so where are the rest of our End of The Road Club members??  Don't make me take roll call, people!  Meljo?  Elin?  Natashenka? GramofKristen? Kat2480? 

I lost a lot and regained a few due to circumstances beyond my own control. So I have been in losing mode for the last three months. 10 lbs gone (again) back to maintenance which I find quite challenging. Actually I would like to lose 2 more lbs, but it is so close it feels like maintenance to me, lol. It's tricky, finding that balance of exercise/food/sleep etc., to maintain. I do believe I will ALWAYS be afraid od gaining the weight back. I have had bad dreams about it even. I know I am small now and I know other folks see my as small. I still struggle though.

Louise.