Not everyone realizes how hard it is. How hard it is to keep it up-- to keep working out, to keep eating right, to keep saying no to delicious things you love. To keep loving yourself even when you fail. To remember that messing up does not make you a total failure.
I am generally a pretty upbeat person. My mother has always called me her "joy girl" and it's accurate. I like to be positive and happy and help people whenever I can. I have my off days, of course, and there have been some hard times lately. But I pick myself up and start each day fresh and new.
I'm doing pretty well on my weight loss journey. Dietbet really helps, and when I don't do it is when I have problems (the 6 months between bets were a disaster). I am fairly competitive by nature, and dietbet drives me to lose weight to prevent myself from losing. I do not like losing, ha. I am working really hard right now. I'm eating well every day, having almost no cheats, and working out 6 days a week. It is working, it is clicking. Not every time I try to lose weight does it click, but it is clicking right now and I am happy about that.
But it is hard. It is a challenge everyday to not just go get a cheeseburger. To not just lounge but instead get up off the couch and get active. It is especially hard when people who love you, who you know truly care, encourage you to cheat. "One beer isn't going to add that many calories" or "you deserve some wine you've had a really hard day" or "one piece of cake isn't THAT bad" or "you worked out yesterday, take a break and hang out with me today." I already want those things, and then having someone else tell me I deserve them just makes it harder.
I know they mean well, I know they do. But I am taking control and actually doing something about the fact that my weight makes me unhappy, and those comments can make it harder to be strong. I tell them that and hopefully over time they will get it. It is especially frustrating when these comments come from someone who is thin and has never had to worry about their weight. They literally have no idea what it is like to have to work your ass off in order to get to a healthy place.
Not that this happens constantly, or I don't have people in my life doing the opposite--encouraging me, cheering me on, telling me how proud they are-- because I do. God has blessed me with truly amazing people in my life (even the ones who don't get the difficulty of weight loss).
It is also hard given the fact that the changes come slowly. I do my best to not deprive myself, but let's be honest, some deprivation is always involved, and the weight comes off slowly and the changes in your body happen slowly. It can be hard to remind yourself to keep going and keep working when you don't feel like you look any different.
I am thankful for the community there is in dietbet. It isn't just a place to bet money on losing weight and hope that others lose so you can get more money. It is people who are trying to help each other, encourage each other, give each other tips and helpful suggestions. I know that weight loss is hard, I know how impossible it can seem. But I also know that I have done it before, and I can do it this time. I am not going to quit, I am going to keep working at it and get to a healthy place, because that is what I need in my life.