Thursday, November 20, 2008

An Epiphany

I joined a "challenge" put out by Cara back on July 12. The challenge was to lose 18 lbs in 18 weeks.

The time is almost up and I was asked today what my total loss is since then.

As of this morning, I have lost 10.6 pounds since July 12.

Can't say the fat is just melting off, but 10.6 lbs is nothing to sneeze at.

That being said, I have to admit that when I looked at the time it took to lose that 'almost 11 pounds', I was a little disappointed at first.

Why?

I think, because in all my weight loss efforts in years past, it was always implied (at least) that 2 lbs/week was the average that could be expected. I don't know if I was actually TOLD that or if I somehow made it up in my own mind. At any rate, I've always felt that 2 lbs/week should be my goal and my expectation.

So, when I look at 18 weeks, I automatically think I should have lost 36 pounds. Hence, my niggling feeling of disappointment and the thought "That's not much....no big deal."

But then it suddenly hit me......

If I had GAINED 10.6 pounds in that amount of time, it would be a BIG DEAL! I mean, I would be crying in my nacho chips, for sure! I'd be telling myself that I would never be able to lose weight....and all the other lies that have gone with any upward movement of the scale.

Therefore, losing (which is much harder than gaining, as we all know) 10.6 lbs should also be a big deal, no matter how long it took. In fact, it should be a BIGGER deal.

Therefore, I am not downplaying my loss to myself by dwelling on the time frame.

Instead, I am celebrating the Ten point six pounds lost, never to be found again. Woo Hoo!

I am also celebrating the fact that while I was losing that 10.6 pounds, I was enjoying myself....I was enjoying my food..... and I was NOT feeling deprived.....I have been "Learning to Live", as I wrote about in a previous post.

THIS is the ultimate victory.....that I can love myself enough to change some basic deeply ingrained wrong thinking and wrong behaviors and enjoy doing it!

I've been overweight (or thought I was) for almost my whole life....fighting with myself to "just say no" to so many foods......if it takes 2 years or even 5 years to get to a point where I begin to "maintain", so what? What's 2 years more years when you look at it from that vantage?

Especially if I can love myself and my life while I am getting there.

8 comments:

kathryn Muyaba said...

so ture, it's funny i didnt think of tat my self, I lost 10 pounds and have been keepign it off but I idnt think it was a biggy... but if I had gained that I would have been SO depressed for sure! Good insite mom!

~TMcGee~ said...

Heck yeah 10.6 pounds is nothing to sneeze at! I am pretty excited for you. :-) I think I'm starting to look at it as "it too me x amount of years to put it on", it's going to take some time to take it off. Keep going Karyn, you are doing amazing!

Skye-Lynn said...

Beautifully said! BRAVO to you for your loss! I applaud you for stressing the positive in this situation. Too many people don't, but this is what is going to help you succeed on this journey.

I've always been the same way. If I didn't lose 2 pounds a week then I saw it as a failure. Not this time though. I have realized that this journey is something that a person has to be willing to commit to for the rest of their lives - no matter how slow it is.

As long as that scale is spiraling downward, I don't care what speed it's going! Thanks for reminding me about that. :o)

Heather said...

that is so great! Sure we all want the pounds to drop fast, but slow and steady really is the better way to lose.

Diana Swallow said...

Celebrate that weight loss! Those slowly lost 10.6 pounds are more likely to stay off long term than a quick crash and burn 10.6 pounds...Great job!

Anonymous said...

I've tried losing weight quickly but it seems to always come back. This time I'm losing it slowly, and so far (other than a few ups that come right back down) I'm losing it and keeping it off. I think you're doing great!!

Anonymous said...

Great attitude. You should be proud of the 10.6lb gone for good. No matter how long it takes you to reach your goal every pound off is in the right direction and you should celebrate that!

Anonymous said...

Karyn, you're so right. I never thought of it that way. You're right, if I'd have gained 10.5 pounds during the challenge rather than losing it, I'd be mortified. That would be a HUGE gain! So why can't I let it be a HUGE loss? I'll work on it. It'll be a huge loss soon. I just have to get past it for now.

I love this post. You are always so inspirational on your posts!