Expectations

One of the biggest things that can cause you to stop reaching for your weight loss goals is unrealistic expectations. We live in a culture that thinks losing weight is about getting the most pounds off as fast as you can so you can get right back to eating what you want. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that philosophy is all about wishful thinking, not realistic, permanent weight loss. And it defititely isn't about being healthy.

An important thing in developing a healthy lifestyle and achieving permanent weight loss is giving up unrealistic expectations. You cannot control how fast the weight will come off. But if your program is healthy and you exercise, it will come off. The time will pass and you will be thinner and a lot healthier than if you take it off too quickly.

One benefit of taking it off slowly is that you're more likely to be doing it in ways that make it easier to keep it off. And in ways that are healthy for your body. And isn't that the real goal? Staying a normal, healthy weight?

So, my advice, fwiw, is to delete the word "only", as in I ONLY lost X this week, from your vocabulary. Celebrate every ounce, because they add up to pounds. Don't think of your goal as X number on the scale. Think of that goal as living a permenant, healthy lifestyle. If you do that, the scale and dress/pant sizes will take care of themselves.

Good luck, everyone.