This is utterly ridiculous, and part of me knows that. But...
Originally my goal was 135-40. Got there, got happy. Woohoo & all that. Then I got on the scale one day to see 134. Whoa! I instantly changed my ideal zone to 130-135. Another Woohoo! Yeehaaaaa, I rule, I am the Atkins Queen, I am...
Disgusted. 136! What sort of a garbage disposal must I be? I am the world's biggest FAILURE and I am GROSS and must be destroyed. Now.
Which is stupid, because the week previous, 136 would have been in the LOW end of my range. And on we go.
The usual binging around, up a few, down a few. One day in late July last year, I saw a miracle. 132. Astonishing! Fabulous! Incredible! I LOVE my scale! It loves me!
The very next day it said 134. I am a blob.
132 and 134 duked it out for quite a while, nearly a year, until about 3 weeks ago when a new contender came to call.
130.
I don't think I want to speak to him. Where's he been for the last year?
And the next day?
Wait. Wait, 130! Where did you go? You were supposed to knock 134 out! I don't love him anymore!
Well, 130 is a blasted tease. He's visited me thrice more these last couple weeks, two days in a row once. During TOM, no less. He's really causing problems in my previously solid relationship with 132.
130, my love, I swear I will be faithful forever, if just once you let me see your friend 128...

Does it make that much difference? In my brain, it does. Still wearing all the same clothes, more or less. Don't really look any different, but it's so slow I wouldn't notice anyway. But those numbers! They are fickle. I am fickle. I love them until I meet their better looking friends, LOL! 14 months ago I was the WORLD'S HOTTEST BABE at 136. If I saw 136 tomorrow I'd probably go play in traffic. And I know it's dumb! We know how silly we are about those numbers!
What's really funny is if I go up, and I know I've been eating well and cranking up the workouts, I can ignore it. Of course it's muscle. But if that naughty number catches me in the wrong mood, well, a FAT DAY is at hand.

Even when we get to our goals our minds can still mess with us. We must be triumphant, and not let our brains get us down!
Be strong!

Stacie
222/130 today. Who knows what tomorrow will bring.

For the record, I've been in maintenance mode for just short of a year and a half now. When I got to that 135-40 range, I stopped trying to keep losing; that weight was OK for me. These last 6 pounds, over the last year, have been the old bod finding its own way. I feed it well and exercise, and figure it knows where it should land. It surely has more sense than I do!

I had a friend that got to her goal and looked awesome and then she kept lowering it until she looked peaked and grey, her husband doesn't even want to sleep with her "boney butt" anymore. She still thinks she could stand to lose a few. She went from 220+ (never got the actual #) to the low 120's (she's 5'8") and cannot get away from that mindset.

Our brains ARE cruel things sometimes. When I headed towards 400 I thought I looked exactly the same as I had at 330 but when I looked at the photos I knew that wasn't right. I think we get images stuck in our head whether we are trying to make our eyes see something better or worse.

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Noël


Worry doesn't empty tomorrow of its sorrows, it empties today of its strengths.

stacie- you crack me up!

you guys are right, that body image is a weird thing. i thought i was much less heavy looking than i actually was, and now, i think i haven't adjusted far enough down yet, even though i'm not at my original goal yet...it's something i work on all the time, gradually getting used to it. but i can be the same weight and some days feel fat and some feel like the hottest chick there ever was, you're right!

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Oh, Stacie! That is priceless!

It's hysterical because there is so much truth in it. I've been at this business for a long time now, and for me, maintenance is a long series of fluctuations - often for no easily identifiable reason. When I get up around my "high end" - 115 or so - I feel fatter than I ever did at 169. Humans are the craziest people!

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That is one of the funniest posts I've read Staci - and all the more because its so apt! And I think Noel has a very valid point there too. I find it important to set a realistic target weight for myself. When I get there - I say to close friends - tell me honestly - how does this look. Most times it used to be - great great - so good. The last few weeks - its been - not too much more! I remember years ago saying to my ex - I can never be too thin or too rich - and he said 'yeah - you can be too thin!' Last time I saw him he said 'remember what I said about being too thin!' So I'm very careful about it - because I know there are really serious medical associations if one gets too obsessed with body image (or comparing it with others goals/targets/achievements)

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The fox is wild!



5'3" Maintaining 121-125
Original weight 198 +

This post is priceless...I am 5'4" and want to be about where you are...my goal is 130...but right now I am happily stayinga round 157 and a size 8/10...though if I fluctuate more than a few pounds up I freak out...for whatever reasona nd I still ahve to try every pair of pants on...every one...tops too...I invariably buy then one or two sizes too big if I don't...my mind doesn't see the size 8/10 or size M/L top..it still sees the size 22/24 pants and the size 3XL top in the mirror...even though I have bought smaller sizes for a year. I am adjusting all the time...getting the mind used to the idea I am no longer huge and am much healthier...I think somewhere I feel better about my size too...just that my mind refuses to acknowledge what my eyes see in the mirror every morning...I step on the scale once a week and peek at the progress/lack thereof and replace worn out clothing with the same size as I have been but still somehow fail to acknowledge that I really am a size 10 in my mind...anyway...gotta love that debate...the what is my "get real" weight...and how much is enough!

Don't let your brain get to you...go kick the scale out the windown and enjoy the success!

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Lori

232/190/130
My other journal http://www.lowcarbeating.com/bb/showthread.php?t=1130

Stacie...finally...the true code...right here in black and white!! As they say: been there, done that, bought the t-shirt...and still keep trying it on to see if it's gotten any looser!! This essay should be sold on a flamin' plaque at the Successories Store...it's waaaaay more appropriate than most of the drivel hangin' on corporate walls right now.

OMG - thanks for the first laugh out loud I've had today!

That's why my current goal is clothes size and NOT the scale. I don't want anything that fickle dictating my mood for the day!

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Emily
Current: Size 10
Goal: Size 8

You guys are great! I was hoping this would be worth a chuckle. Had to post it after I realized yesterday that I was swearing out loud at the number. Not the SCALE, but the NUMBER. Like it was a living thing that could respond to my angst.
(rolls eyes at self)
Oh brother!

Stacie, ain't it THE TRUTH! Thank you for my morning LOLs!

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Alida
5'1" ~ 59 years old
Highest weight: 165
Atkins 7/10/2004
160/126/125
RE-DO, January 2008:
167/162/135

Stacie - Thanks! For the laugh and for the insight!

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my blog

I am so THERE. Stupid numbers.

For the first time in forever, I am actually NOT trying to lose any more weight, and I hardly know what to do with myself. That silly fluctuation game is what keeps me aware that eternal vigilance is the price of this priceless situation.

The other day, my husband remarked, "Your sister told me she's worried that you are getting too thin." Who ME??? Maybe she said it, maybe she didn't. But I'll take into consideration that someone is worried that my butt is too boney.

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Barb L.
Atkins since Jan 2003
Maintenance as of 4/05


My Fitday Journal

I always had a problem with my size 20s being too tight for my thighs and butt. Now my 12s are too big because I lost my butt. There is no happy medium. But I'm great today because yesterday, one of my friends told me that I looked like a movie star with my new smaller body dressed in color(instead of black), blond hair and sunglasses. Life is good today but watch out for tomorrow. I hate the number on the scale because it is stuck again.

Julianne

Stacie- so many of us can totally relate to your post! Loved, loved, LOVED it! Thanks for posting!

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Started Atkins-1/2/04
174 lbs at heaviest



5'0 154/136.5/130