Hard to get back on track

itsrainingoutside

I've been on a diet on and off now for a long time but I've lose near enough 15-20 lbs. I usually eat well and exercise regularly, and I am an overall healthy person. However, more recently as the winter has come and I've been studying for exams I have totally lost all motivation and time.
I find myself running/exercising once a week if even and I've been finding it very hard not to overeat and to monitor my portions. This is stressing me even further and bothering me as I have about 5lbs to lose. Does anyone have any tips for eating well and exercising when its winter time? Also finding time to exercise when I have so much to do every day?

Liftng4Lis

Try pre-logging your days. Have a plan and stick to it.

Cc215

Congratulations on the weightless so far- you are doing great!
exercise wise - for me - it's l about the scheduling - I find if I let myself get out of a routine then I'm out for weeks. Even with exams - you can plan in exercise times. In fact you need to - a break from the cramming does you good!
Food gets trickier for me this time of year too - in the summer it's easy to fall back on a takeaway salad. Preprepared frozen meals help. Bung them in the microwave for a few minutes - and easy calorie counted meals. If you don't have the time for that in exam season then ready meals do the same job - just be careful on the sodium count.
Failing all that - jacket potatoes. Easy. Quick. Comforting when cold. And depending on the topping nutritious and healthy!

terbusha

Yep, planning is the way to go. Know what's coming and plan for it. When I go grocery shopping on Saturday, I plan all of my meals for the week. That way, I can hit my calorie and macro goals pretty easily. Also, you don't have to devote tons of time to exercise. 30 minutes of focused, high intensity exercise is enough to make great progress. Just do your best!

Allan

unlikelyathlete

I kind of think of it like turning a switch "on" or "off" with motivation. You're either going to make time for your goals, or you're not. You already know that once a week for exercise is not going to help you create the kind of calorie deficit you need to lose any weight, and it's the little extra snack here or there that will be just enough calories to keep any extra pounds from coming off.
So, you have to ask yourself, is it really important to you to do this right now? If not, just make a deal with yourself that you're not going to feel bad that you have decided it's not a priority. You have other things taking your time and concentration right now, and that is understandable. However, if you are just at a stumbling point and need to re-focus:

1) Log your food. Just do it. Sometimes it feels like a pain, but just do it.
2) Yes, you have to study for exams/take exams/work on projects, but you will not be doing that every second of every day until the semester ends. Pencil in a half-hour, go to your gym on campus, and get moving. If you find yourself playing on the internet or watching TV, that was time you could have spent exercising, and it will clear your mind far better than other distractions. Might even help you study better.
3) Go a little easier on yourself. Maybe make the goal that you will enjoy the favorite foods you can only enjoy during the holidays, but that you won't eat any other treat or less healthy foods that you can get year-round. Or make a goal to maintain or lose only one pound through the new year.

You can do this! Flip the switch back on!

yoovie

you should start doing more now so you can have momentum to get yourself through the tougher months coming.

the trick to getting back in gear? getting back in gear. no shortcut sorry.

try overloading on motivation for the rest of the day and then tomorrow morning is the deadline, back to business.

TimothyFish

I find that it helps to go buy a new bicycle.