Hi Ron,
Something you mentioned there rang a bell for me - the feeling overwhelmed when u have a lot to lose.
I have started at about 280 lbs and have around 120 to lose - working in kgs since I'm not from the US if A the numbers aren't quite as frightening - if I want to get to my youthful weight I need to lose 54kgs, or if I want to get to where I felt ok at, then it is 44 kgs - doesn't sound as much.
However, whatever the number I relate to the overwhelming feeling of Oh God! How am I going to do this.
Well - how does an ant eat an elephant - one bit at a time, one bite at a time. I divided my loss up into 6 clear goals, set up a spreadsheet with this goals, allocated some nice little rewards for reaching the goal and when I reach one (I have just passed the first) I use the HIDE function on the spreadsheet to get rid of the goal I have passed and to concentrate on the goal I have in front.
That way I have chunks of around 10kgs (22lbs) in each goal.
Now the mind being a wonderful thing keeps reminding me 'yes, but, you are only tricking yourself, you still have this huge amount to lose' - and my reply to that (and yes, I know the first sign of madness is talking to yourself) is that "ok, if I lose this 10kgs I am going to be feeling a lot better than if I don't, so maybe thats all I'll be able to manage but it wil be better that sitting here waiting for the man with the shiny scythe to arrive at the door". (of course the second sign of madness is answering yourself, so I am truly lost)
Then, knowing my dear old mind as I do - having lived in it for nearly 50 years (
) I set reminders all about focus on my Outlook Calendar for around the time I am planning to reach the goal - saying things like - Focus you useless so and so (I even swear at myself) - time to re-energise and commit to another bite at that elephant.
It is surprising how soon that elephant starts to disappear.
I you would like a copy of my spreadsheet send me a PM and I would be happy to oblige.
Kind regards
Gavin