Is this a phase or what?

michael_jordan7

Been on mfp since March 2015 and lost over 100 lb. I have done really well.... until the last week or so. I seem to have lost all control. I can't keep my spoon put of the peanut butter jar and I go through the fridge and clean out the leftovers, this had never been a problem before. Has anyone else experienced this? Any suggestions to help?

starwhisperer6

I doubt there is any science to it, but maybe you just need a few weeks of eating at maintenance. it is probably all mental but after a long time in a deficit I start to feel deprived even if I am not. YOu could take a little break and see if you can get your mind back in the game. I would keep logging the whole time.

WendyLaubach

First of all, congratulations on the 100 lbs.! That is quite an achievement. Tell us more about what's been going on before this change of mood? Were you logging your food before; did you stop? Is something making you nuts, so you need comfort? Were you getting a charge out of seeing yourself shrink and shrink into more regular clothes, and then suddenly it wasn't enough any more? Can you leave the house and go something to do something fun or rewarding when this mood strikes you?

Keiko385

Its just something we all go though at some point. It could be any one of a number of things, the holidays, tired of weighing and measuring every morsel, just plain hungry, vitamin deficiency. You have made great progress so far and a little extra every now and then wont hurt, just get in the right mind frame and jump back on board in the morning.

Christine_72

Congrats on the loss, that's a huge accomplishment :flowerforyou:

I go through stages of what I call 'diet fatigue', where I'm sick of counting calories and just dieting in general. I don't stop logging or counting, but I pop myself up to maintenance calories and stick with that for a week or two and then go back down to a deficit.

michael_jordan7

I have been feeling good, no new stressors. I had set a goal to be under 200 lb. By new years (that is in jeopardy). I have kept logging, though it is hard to log when you are eating peanut butter straight from the jar. I have wondered about vitamins, I was taking a daily vitamin but stopped a couple of weeks ago, just started back today. I think I am freaking out a nit because I fear putting all my weight back on.

Keiko385

I take a multivitamin, if I stop for a week or more my appetite seems to go through the roof for the first couple of days when I resume so its a possible cause. Like @Christinev297 said maybe a week at maintenance calories will help as well.....just dont freak out!

VintageFeline

Your losses average out to 11lbs per month, that's pretty aggressive so it's probably pretty normal to hit so called "diet fatigue". It could be time to lower you weekly target, take a couple of weeks off at maintenance and take a look at your macros to make sure you're getting everything you need in your diet. Do you do any exercise at all? With such an aggressive goal if you're not doing any type of resistance training you could be losing a lot of lean body mass at this point so slowing down will benefit you in more ways than one.

What you've achieved is huge but I don't think you should have a time scale goal. This is a great opportunity to start slowing down and learning what life long maintenance will be like. And hey, we all go through hungry phases, learning to deal with them is part of the learning curve!

michael_jordan7

What you've achieved is huge but I don't think you should have a time scale goal. This is a great opportunity to start slowing down and learning what life long maintenance will be like. And hey, we all go through hungry phases, learning to deal with them is part of the learning curve!

Thanks to all for the advice, I'm trying to keep calm & stay on track.

Karen_can_do_this

My tip for when you eat peanut butter out of the jar?
Put the jar on your scales. Tare it. Take out your spoonful. See what the negative grams are? Log it.
My last spoonful of nutella was 7grams for example

Karen_can_do_this

Ps congratulations on your awesomeness too btw

Christine_72

my "tablespoons " of peanut butter average 70g

ibesushi

Feel more comfortable hearing this now. Took a break from dieting to maintenance while I was doing extra work and was a bit stressed for a couple of days. But it has been a week now and I have not been able to be as strict with my diet as before. Previously, always was below or around my calorie limit, but now always a couple of hundred calories over or decide to have a maintenance day. Not great as I have lost 30lbs so far and need to lose another 50 lbs. But still logging. Will try exercising tomorrow morning rather than just a long walk. Change of routine might help.

arditarose

Have you taken a maintenance break? Perhaps it's time. Just don't stop logging.

Liftng4Lis

With that aggressive of a loss, your body is probably telling you it's hungry. Diet break time.

michael_jordan7

This is a great tip, thanks!

mrsfitzyv8 wrote: »

My tip for when you eat peanut butter out of the jar?
Put the jar on your scales. Tare it. Take out your spoonful. See what the negative grams are? Log it.
My last spoonful of nutella was 7grams for example

michael_jordan7

Liftng4Lis wrote: »

With that aggressive of a loss, your body is probably telling you it's hungry. Diet break time.

I think you and the others are right. What do I do? Set my goal to maintenance and then just log like normal?

michael_jordan7

michael_jordan7 wrote: »

Liftng4Lis wrote: »

With that aggressive of a loss, your body is probably telling you it's hungry. Diet break time.

I think you and the others are right. What do I do? Set my goal to maintenance and then just log like normal?

How long should the maintenance break last?

cjsgrimlin1

michael_jordan7 wrote: »

This is a great tip, thanks!

mrsfitzyv8 wrote: »

My tip for when you eat peanut butter out of the jar?
Put the jar on your scales. Tare it. Take out your spoonful. See what the negative grams are? Log it.
My last spoonful of nutella was 7grams for example

That is a great tip! You can use it for a lot more than just PB! as long as you got a scale you can do the math on it. You have done wonderful so far. Take it easy for a bit and get back into it. I'm sure you can still make it!

Christine_72

michael_jordan7 wrote: »

michael_jordan7 wrote: »

Liftng4Lis wrote: »

With that aggressive of a loss, your body is probably telling you it's hungry. Diet break time.

I think you and the others are right. What do I do? Set my goal to maintenance and then just log like normal?

How long should the maintenance break last?

Between 1-4 weeks. Go by how you feel. you'll know when you will be ready to jump back in.

arditarose

Two weeks is good for the diet break. You're going to feel awesome. You'll get a little practice at maintenance, you won't feel guilty about eating, you'll get rejuvenated. Then it's back on the horse.