I have my three month appointment with my surgeon tomorrow. As overall pleased as I am that I am still losing, being contrary is somewhat in my nature. (Mary, Mary quite contrary, ring a bell? 🙂 ) I can’t help but be a wee disappointed that in the grand scheme of things and over the course of the last 12 or so weeks, I haven’t lost the amount of weight that I’d planned.
When I need a good healthy shot of cut-to-the-bottom-line perspective, one of the best people to go to in the world is my sister-in-law. I groused to her on the phone about my slower pace a short time ago. “How much have you lost?” she asked. “Only about 13 pounds in the last three or so months,” I complained.
“That’s great,” she stated without hesitation, doing the math and reminding me that it’s still a half pound to a pound a week. When I whined a little that I was hoping for three pounds a week, she laughed. “You lost faster in the beginning because you had more to lose.” It makes perfect sense to her that my rate of loss is slower.
Isn’t it funny how we can know such things intellectually but not assimilate them emotionally until someone else latches onto the logic and points it out to us? My sister-in-law is a nurse practitioner. She also gets battling snacking cravings, needing to lose weight, being diligent about exercise and everything else that goes along with taking care of ourselves and being healthy. With her, I get real solid understanding with that terrific perspective.
I’m less disappointed with my progress now that I had that phone chat. I’m still impatient to lose the rest of my excess weight, but I’m not down about it. My s-in-l also reminded me that I’m doing great and continuing to make progress in the right direction. I need to hear that from others from time to time. It reinforces it in my head and emotions. After hearing it tonight, I again wholeheartedly agree. Stalled or slow, at least I’m losing and not gaining. With every day that passes, I reach a new milestone because it’s absolutely the longest that I’ve ever sustained a weight loss effort. Every day makes it that much stronger and even more sustainable. It’s all good.
Tonight I’m happy with my mindset and very grateful to my sister-in-law for the much-needed perspective.
I’m so fortunate to have such a loving family. Can’t wait to see them this weekend!
Weighty Matters 
You are doing so well! I’m glad your SIL was able to help you see that. And you trust her perspective, which makes it so much better, so now you have new perspective. The progress, both mental and physical, just keeps adding up, making you yet more awesome! 🙂
You *are* doing great! And a half pound to one pound a week is nothing to sneeze at. I’d love to lose at that rate.