Recognizing Progress

I've just gone back and re-read the last several posts. In each one I have lamented problems, admitted excuses, described frustrations and failures, but never recognized progress.

In one, I complained that I had been stuck at 146 lbs. That caught my eye because lately I've been frustrated that I am stuck at ..... 144!

I am not a fast loser. Many years ago I did the Atkins diet. It worked very well for me. I felt good. I lost weight. And I was able to maintain on it for a number of years. (A very frustrating year at work sent me scurrying back to the comfort foods and you can fill in the rest of the story.) Even though Atkins worked well, I lost weight slowly. My saving grace was that I measured and recorded my body each week and I saw progress. But the weight seemed to stay the same until one day several weeks later I would lose 5 pounds. Maybe I had insensitive scales that couldn't pick out small changes, but whatever it was, I learned that I don't lose weight quickly.

If Atkins worked well before and I felt good on it, why am I not doing it now?? Practicality. In Florida where the weather is always warm and fresh produce is available year round, meat, salads and veggies were fine. But now I live in Pittsburgh...the equivalent of Pasta World. Just tonight, we had dinner at a local resturant. I did have the steak salad, no dressing. It was excellent! But my husband had the stuffed shells. IT was to die for! Oh my gosh! I had one bite and wished I had gotten that for dinner. They really know how to make a great red sauce around here!

Enough about food. Talking about food is not conducive to staying on a diet. Back to the topic...recognizing progress.

The whole point of this post is that because I lose weight slowly I feel like I am stuck at a weight forever and that I am not making any progress in spite of all my hard work. The reality is I am making progress. I would love to lose a pound a week, but I'm more likely not to lose anything for a few weeks. I will bounce between a 2 pound difference for days on end, but as long as the bounce is between the weight I feel like I am stuck at (146) and the lower weight that just won't hold for more than a day or two (144), I am making progress.

The next step?? I am hoping to start the bounce between 144 and 143. At first, it will look good. I'll feel like I've made a breakthrough. But after a few weeks, even that step will start to feel like I'm stuck. Will I ever make my goal?

This whole weight loss thing is probably good for developing patience. But so far, that hasn't worked either!