Fresh start!

east_coastie86

Hi everyone! My name is Brittany and I'm starting my weight loss journey...again.

I lost about 30 pounds a few years ago and have now managed to pile it all back on and then some so I'm trying to start fresh.

I'm 28 years old and just recently completed a Master's degree. I blame my recent weight gain on the intense stress of Graduate school! LOL.

I've battled depression and anxiety and recently completed some bloodwork in the hopes of finding an underlying medical reason as to why I've packed on so much weight in such a short amount of time. I"m thinking there may be a thyroid issue going on.

I was steadily working out for the last month but got discouraged when I saw that I gained 6 pounds and lost no inches! So I have rejoined MFP in the hopes of finding some support.

I have a recent minor set back though. I'm such a klutz I tripped and fell off a curb today (I know...) and am currently laid up with a sprained ankle which I'm sure will keep me out of the gym for awhile.

Any tips on getting my motivation back?

I'm looking for encouraging friends!

SnuggleSmacks

I can understand. I'm 41 and just got my BFA, and gained about 15 pounds of the years doing it. It can be tough. But now you're all done!

One thing I do for motivation is keep a Pinterest board with photos of very fit women, inspirational messages and some workout routines. Any time I feel myself flagging, I look through that board and imagine having those bodies. It's pretty motivating to get to the gym.

Logansmama78

Hi Brittany,
I know exactly where you are coming from. It is so discouraging to see no results when we try sometimes. Then to add insult to injury, something always happens to make things a little more challenging. Don't worry though, things always look up. All storms pass. Your ankle will heal and you will be able to add activities to help you lose weight.

newlife888

Hey, I am starting over also. I lost 60 pounds 3 years ago, but it's been slowly creeping back on. I am a high school teacher and any time I come back from work, I am beyond stressed, and I just want to eat! I am ready to start over also. I have 25-30 pounds to lose. Feel free to add me. We can do this!

don3_16

I've been dutifully logging for almost 530 days straight. Started in May 2013 at 263 (total guess since I didn't want to know the real starting weight). The problem is that my weight plateaued at 215-ish the last 6 months and in the last month, I've been ticking up. And the last few mornings (granted we're talking day after Thanksgiving and day after my 10-year wedding anniversary, so lots of high caloric meals), I've been in the 2-twenty's.

I used to check Success Stories religiously a couple times a week and I used to take a monthly progress pic at the end of each month. That activity stopped during the summer, and 6 months later, I'm on the uptick.

Since I've logged religiously, i looked at my net calorie reports over the last 90 days. yup, numbers don't lie. My target net calories SHOULD BE 1,900, and over that time, I've been about 500 to 1000 (in some cases 2000) calories higher than my 1900 net about 75% of the time.

Now I know the culprit and I just need to make better choices, plan better and cut out on the stress eating. Sure, work has been absolutely miserable the last 8 or 9 months, but just because that is making me miserable doesn't mean I need to turn to food.

The best part about MFP is that it's on my phone, it's on my desktop at work and on my lap at night. For a moderate OCD-type like myself, having pretty much 24/7 access to my diary is the best way to hold myself accountable. During this stretch, there have been plenty of times where I've pre-logged a ridiculously 1,500+ calorie meal and said "*kitten* it, I deserve it".

Anyway, back to basics and start trending in the right direction again.