Am I sabotaging myself or just getting comfortable?

Options
schelly81
schelly81 Posts: 161 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I've been at this awhile. Highest weight was 230, currently about 165. I want to lose another 15-20 pounds. My workouts are good, 4-6 days a week with a mix of weight lifting and assorted classes. My problem is my eating and drinking. I plan my meals and pre-log, I do great during the week usually. Weekends I often don't bother logging and eat too much and have a few drinks. I've been maintaining for the last 2 months now. I don't know how to get my head in the game! I justify my eating to myself all the time. I let myself make excuses and reasons why I can eat more. BBQ's with friends, camping, dinner out with my husband, stressful day.

so if anyone has any advice, or maybe some insight to what I could possibly do, I'm listening!

Other info. I wear a fitbit which syncs to myfitnesspal. I log all my food on the days when I'm logging, I do not log my binges. I know I'm "suppose" to, but I haven't been able to get in the habit. I lost 65 pounds in the last 15 months. I have my goal set to lose 1.5 pounds per week, the thinking of which is that my fitbit overestimates my calories burned by about 10%. This puts me at 1800 calories a day, I'm 34 and 5'6.

Seriously, I know how to do this, what's stopping me?

«1

Replies

  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,000 Member
    Options
    One thing that seemed to work for me was to give myself a time goal rather than a weight goal. When I started in mid-Feb, my goal was to lose as much weight as I could on a NET 1250 cal diet by mid-June. I stuck to that and lost 15 kg in that time.

    Then I took a vacation break and gained 2 kg which is well within a reasonable range.

    I'm starting up again, and this time the end of September is my next time goal.

    At a rate of 1.5 lb/week, you could reach 15 lbs in 10 weeks. September 15. Maybe give yourself until the end of September to take into consideration fluctuations. Just stick with it until the end of September. And log everything in that time. :)
  • nappsmcgee
    nappsmcgee Posts: 33 Member
    Options
    I've been going through the same thing. :/

    I've just been keeping in mind why I started. I also try to be as disciplined (nutrition wise) as I was in the beginning.
  • whmscll
    whmscll Posts: 2,254 Member
    Options
    Why don't you read the post you just wrote once a day? It might help you stop sabotaging your efforts.
  • oh_happy_day
    oh_happy_day Posts: 1,138 Member
    Options
    Maybe try logging what you consume on the weekends? That may be enough to reign you in a bit.

    It sounds like you've done an amazing job - 65lbs is fantastic! I think it's hard to keep your head in the game for a long period of time. Are you bored? Would trying new recipes or new gym classes help? What about signing up for a fun run or something similar to give you something to focus on?

    Alternatively, considering you're not actually gaining weight, maybe sitting at maintenance for another month may give you a mental break? Keep logging, keep making good choices but stop trying to lose.
  • tomatoey
    tomatoey Posts: 5,446 Member
    Options
    Maybe what's stopping you is that you like your life the way it is? You enjoy your weekends and your time with friends, and you feel like making changes to stuff you do on the weekends would mean giving up too much. If it is, that's not the worst thing in the world. You've worked hard and lost a lot of weight. Maintaining at 165 is better than gaining, and it's definitely better for you than 230 was.

    If you want to lose more, you'll have to face making some changes, and also find a way to not look at that as a sacrifice. I think the way to do that is to get excited about the changes, if you can. Easier to do with food than drink - e.g. find new foods to BBQ. (eg Portuguese-style grilled sardines, if you haven't tried them, are awesome.). Drinks, get lower cal ones and pace them with Perrier in between.

    Regarding stress management, it's worth looking at non-food/drink coping methods.
  • MamaBirdBoss
    MamaBirdBoss Posts: 1,516 Member
    Options
    On days when I go out or eat with friends, I eat little else that day. I also set some of my food aside right away.
  • charlisobel
    charlisobel Posts: 31 Member
    Options
    Congrats on your weight loss so far.

    I lost a similar amount a few years ago and then stopped using MFP because honestly I was sick of logging everything and wanted to just get on with life. Predictably I put all of it back on over about five years so am now starting again. Don't waste all your hard work! I think it's fine to give yourself a maintenance break before tackling your last 15lbs. I would try to get out of the stressful day mindset though as I used that as an excuse to eat rubbish and not exercise and before long I classed every day as a stressful one ;) And we all know healthy eating and exercise are so much better for stress relief!

    If you think the problem is boredom I would commit to maintaining your weight for a few months whilst waiting for inspiration to hit. Try some new exercise / classes in the meantime. I used to weigh myself once a week on a Sunday to try to prevent the whole weekend from being a write off.
  • buxbert
    buxbert Posts: 244 Member
    Options
    oh_happy_day wrote: »
    Maybe try logging what you consume on the weekends? That may be enough to reign you in a bit.

    It sounds like you've done an amazing job - 65lbs is fantastic! I think it's hard to keep your head in the game for a long period of time. Are you bored? Would trying new recipes or new gym classes help? What about signing up for a fun run or something similar to give you something to focus on?

    Alternatively, considering you're not actually gaining weight, maybe sitting at maintenance for another month may give you a mental break? Keep logging, keep making good choices but stop trying to lose.

    this is great advice I think! I think you are amazing, losing so much weight when I feel about the same after only 5 kg so far! thank you very much for your honest post! It helps to get me back on track - good luck to you!
  • Soopatt
    Soopatt Posts: 563 Member
    Options
    You have to log those binges! Face up to them, look at them and count them up so that you see them in perspective. I am not even telling you not to have them, I am just telling you that denial is a horrible and insidious thing. There is no mystery in your progress when you are aware of exactly what the numbers look like - only then can you be best informed of the changes you need to make.

    If you know exactly what the numbers are, maybe the cut-back can be milder than you think? A beer here or there? Maybe you can make slower progress, but still see the scales go down.
  • Jennak87
    Jennak87 Posts: 112 Member
    Options
    Honestly, the biggest shock to the system is logging binges. I never realised how many calories I was consuming in little midnight feasts.

    If I were you, I would act as normal this weekend but log everything after the fact and see how many calories you're actually clocking up. You might find that those 2 days are completely cancelling out all your hard work for the full week. If that's the case, then you can decide if all those indulgences are worth it.

    Even if you set your goals to -1.5/ 2lbs per week and just ate at maintenance at the weekend, you should still lose weight. Maybe only 0.5lb or 1lb, it's still a step in the right direction.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    Options
    Make yourself log at the weekends

    Even if it's too maintenance and your defecit happens Monday to Friday

    It's accountability

    You've given yourself permission to do this ... you just need to change that
  • snowflakesav
    snowflakesav Posts: 646 Member
    Options
    If you are maintaining that is terrific. Join a challenge and set your goal for a 1/2 pound a week.
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
    Options
    schelly81 wrote: »
    I wear a fitbit which syncs to myfitnesspal. I log all my food on the days when I'm logging, I do not log my binges. I know I'm "suppose" to, but I haven't been able to get in the habit. I lost 65 pounds in the last 15 months. I have my goal set to lose 1.5 pounds per week, the thinking of which is that my fitbit overestimates my calories burned by about 10%. This puts me at 1800 calories a day, I'm 34 and 5'6".

    Your Fitbit burn is TDEE (total daily energy expenditure), the calories necessary to maintain your current weight. If you eat at a reasonable deficit from that, you will lose weight. (But you still need to log everything you eat & drink accurately & honestly.)

    Connect your accounts at http://www.myfitnesspal.com/fitbit

    Enable negative calorie adjustments in your diary settings: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/diary_settings

    Set your goal to .5 lb. for every 25 lbs. you're overweight: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/change_goals_guided

    You can learn more in the Fitbit Users group: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/1290-fitbit-users
  • ercarroll311
    ercarroll311 Posts: 295 Member
    Options
    Ask yourself on the days that you're starting to make excuses, "Can I just stick to it today?". Take it one day at a time and it won't seem like such a big feat, or like you've got so far to go.
  • sarahrosheen
    sarahrosheen Posts: 82 Member
    Options
    i do the same. my 'cheat day' is Friday where I can eat whatever I want but some morphs into a cheat weekend. I find it better if I just have cheat dinner/night on Friday then plan a hike on Saturday or something to get my mind back into healthy mode !
  • ASKyle
    ASKyle Posts: 1,475 Member
    Options
    schelly81 wrote: »
    I've been at this awhile. Highest weight was 230, currently about 165. I want to lose another 15-20 pounds. My workouts are good, 4-6 days a week with a mix of weight lifting and assorted classes. My problem is my eating and drinking. I plan my meals and pre-log, I do great during the week usually. Weekends I often don't bother logging and eat too much and have a few drinks. I've been maintaining for the last 2 months now. I don't know how to get my head in the game! I justify my eating to myself all the time. I let myself make excuses and reasons why I can eat more. BBQ's with friends, camping, dinner out with my husband, stressful day.

    so if anyone has any advice, or maybe some insight to what I could possibly do, I'm listening!

    Other info. I wear a fitbit which syncs to myfitnesspal. I log all my food on the days when I'm logging, I do not log my binges. I know I'm "suppose" to, but I haven't been able to get in the habit. I lost 65 pounds in the last 15 months. I have my goal set to lose 1.5 pounds per week, the thinking of which is that my fitbit overestimates my calories burned by about 10%. This puts me at 1800 calories a day, I'm 34 and 5'6.

    Seriously, I know how to do this, what's stopping me?

    See bolded. Why not? There's your problem.
  • AbsoluteTara79
    AbsoluteTara79 Posts: 266 Member
    Options
    I've been slacking too because I'm pretty happy and the remaining weight I want to lose is pure vanity. But I do log when I overeat. Like two 3k days this weekend.

    I don't see it as sabotaging myself. The motivation has just tanked because I'm 90% happy with my progress.

    I'd just start with the commitment to log and go from there.
  • Adrobins
    Adrobins Posts: 13 Member
    Options
    First of all, congratulations for your success. This is amazing.

    I face the same problem... I'd like to lose another 10-15 pounds, but when I'm away for a while (like this weekend... I'm going to a cottage with people who.. drink a lot and love to eat red meat). It's nuts what 1-2 days of "not caring too much" can do to your body.

    The truth is only you can make those decisions... The same way you decided to lose all that weight initially. Just keep it up. You're not sabotaging yourself, you're just a human being. Accept those feelings, they're just feelings. Otherwise you can easily start sabotaging yourself for real.

    You can doooo iiiiit... yesss youuu caaaaaaan! :smile:
  • carakit
    carakit Posts: 126 Member
    Options
    I just posted an almost identical post yesterday! I also do great during the week and then binge on the weekends and don't log it. I have decided screw it I'm logging everything no matter how ugly it is!! Its the only way that I am going to be able to hold myself accountable. Congrats on losing 65lbs!!!

Categories