Struggling to get out of "weight-gain mode" after recent weight loss.

LittleTikiBirdy

Hey,

I don't know if anyone can help me because I already know how to lose weight, but I'm just having trouble doing it, and I wanted to share this struggle.

For starters, about a year ago I successfully lost the first 10kg using MFP then maintained.

In the past few months I summoned up the courage to finish what I started and I lost the last 6kg by being strict with my diet (<1200net/day) and exercising regularly (HIIT&strength 3x/week, walking daily). Obviously, every day was tough going, and I had to make a lot of sacrifices, but I finally reached the goal I had been pining after for 5 long years!

When I reached my goal I decided to maintain (at 1600net/day) and did really well for about 3 weeks. My fitness gains were sooo good at this intake. I had a newfound energy and spirit, feeling like I could accomplish anything I put my mind to. I felt strong, vibrant, energetic. I felt like my life was really coming together and like I was really beginning to live my purpose.

Then there was a highly stressful 4 week period with excessively long desk hours & nearly impossible work demands and I started overeating every day (2500/day), with no time or energy to exercise. Sure I was productive, but I gained 4kg of fat.

This week, my hours return to normal and I have the capacity to start working on my goals again.
To reduce my stress levels, I've taken up healthy lifestyle habits such as quitting caffeine (boo!), getting adequate sleep & water, introducing meditation, less sugar, healthy balanced meals based around whole-grains, beans, fresh fruit and vegetables, etc. (Caffeine withdrawals have left me feeling weak, fatigued and headachy, but its early days).

Saturday was my last stressful day (I had a typical 2500).
I put in a huge effort on on Sunday and managed to have a 1027net - that's less than half of what I was used to! On Monday I tried my best too and scraped in at a 1404net! Yay
Today though, Tuesday, I slipped up and had 2493net (and its only 3pm) and it sucks. So much effort to do well, and so easy to mess up.

This is going to be so hard. Should I just go back to 1200 per day from tomorrow and not mess up again in 3 day's time? That's when the fatigue kicks in. Coupled with caffeine withdrawals, fatigue is really the killer for me. (1200 is a good number for me. I lose at a steady pace and I would reach my goal in less than 8 weeks, which is nothing).

How can I get past this 3-day hump? I think if I can make it past 3 days, I will get used to it and continue on my journey, but this is a real difficult one for me.

Thanks

Protranser

LittleTikiBirdy wrote: »

Hey,

I don't know if anyone can help me because I already know how to lose weight, but I'm just having trouble doing it, and I wanted to share this struggle.

For starters, about a year ago I successfully lost the first 10kg using MFP then maintained.

In the past few months I summoned up the courage to finish what I started and I lost the last 6kg by being strict with my diet (<1200net/day) and exercising regularly (HIIT&strength 3x/week, walking daily). Obviously, every day was tough going, and I had to make a lot of sacrifices, but I finally reached the goal I had been pining after for 5 long years!

When I reached my goal I decided to maintain (at 1600net/day) and did really well for about 3 weeks. My fitness gains were sooo good at this intake. I had a newfound energy and spirit, feeling like I could accomplish anything I put my mind to. I felt strong, vibrant, energetic. I felt like my life was really coming together and like I was really beginning to live my purpose.

Then there was a highly stressful 4 week period with excessively long desk hours & nearly impossible work demands and I started overeating every day (2500/day), with no time or energy to exercise. Sure I was productive, but I gained 4kg of fat.

This week, my hours return to normal and I have the capacity to start working on my goals again.
To reduce my stress levels, I've taken up healthy lifestyle habits such as quitting caffeine (boo!), getting adequate sleep & water, introducing meditation, less sugar, healthy balanced meals based around whole-grains, beans, fresh fruit and vegetables, etc. (Caffeine withdrawals have left me feeling weak, fatigued and headachy, but its early days).

Saturday was my last stressful day (I had a typical 2500).
I put in a huge effort on on Sunday and managed to have a 1027net - that's less than half of what I was used to! On Monday I tried my best too and scraped in at a 1404net! Yay
Today though, Tuesday, I slipped up and had 2493net (and its only 3pm) and it sucks. So much effort to do well, and so easy to mess up.

This is going to be so hard. Should I just go back to 1200 per day from tomorrow and not mess up again in 3 day's time? That's when the fatigue kicks in. Coupled with caffeine withdrawals, fatigue is really the killer for me. (1200 is a good number for me. I lose at a steady pace and I would reach my goal in less than 8 weeks, which is nothing).

How can I get past this 3-day hump? I think if I can make it past 3 days, I will get used to it and continue on my journey, but this is a real difficult one for me.

Thanks

The area I've bolded is where you answered your own question. It sounds like restricting so much is something you don't feel is sustainable in the long term. You even say so yourself. Maybe you can make a compromise here that will keep you aligned on an ultimate goal, such as continuing to rely on those healthy lifestyle habits you're now introducing into your life.

If you've gained weight from a point where you needed 1600net/day maintenance, then that means you can just go back to 1600net/day to get back to your last weight. You seemed most comfortable at 1600/day from what I'm reading.

Stress eating is something you'll have to reconsider. In all aspects of living, there are consequences for the choices we make.