Is 6lbs in just short of 5 weeks okay?

[Wobblysausage]

I’m feeling disheartened. I know I should be doing it slowly and unlearning all my bad habits. I know starving myself is not sustainable and seeing the scale go down fast isn’t a good thing but it’s so hard to be patient! Usually if I starve myself/restrict I could have lost over a stone in this time. I feel like a failure and like just giving up!

My friends are all doing diets and the weight is dropping off them and everyone’s noticing their weight loss. I feel like a big fat failure in comparison.

Fad, quick diets do not work long term for me and I’ve learned this now. I’ve tried them all! Slimming World, Weight Watchers, Atkins, Keto, fasting diets and massively restricting. I’ve been obese for 6 years now and I know I need to do it properly and not rush. So this time I’m not starving myself, I’m eating between 1400 and 1700 (which is apparently what I should eat to lose weight) and making better choices. I’ve not binged once or even had the intense, overwhelming urge to do so because I’m eating enough. I’ve not had a takeaway since Christmas and I’ve not even wanted one.

My clothes are feeling more comfortable, I feel better and the scale is going down slowly but I feel like it’s not enough! It is though isn’t it? 1lb per week is perfectly okay isn’t it?

1lb a week is fantastic.

You've found a way to make a lifestyle change that isn't punishing yourself. You're sticking to it, and seeing the results.

You should be proud of yourself. I know it's hard not to compare yourself to others, but it wont do you any good.

Keep going with what you're doing!!!!

It sounds way more sustainable than a crash diet. Why not add in a little exercise as that will make you feel good too? Perhaps weights so you start seeing yourself tone up? That will hopefully help take the focus off the number on the scales! But well done on what you've lost so far, be proud!

You are definitely going in the right direction and making a lifestyle change is way better than you dieting. Keep in keeping on 👏👏

Slowly is the way to go, it's more sustainable.

Yes, 1lb a week is good, because going slowly means you are breaking old habits, forming new ones. Habits take at least 6 weeks to break. And you are more inclined to keep going when you feel good about what you eat, rather than crash dieting and then having a huge wobble and pigging out.

1lb a week is great and in a few months time it will look a whole lot better. It's keeping going that is important, though slow weeks, through setbacks and most of all in maintenace when you're dealing with little ups and downs and can't rely on big losses to motivate you. Just keep going.