In the middle of a regain - five star emergency
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douglerner wrote: »
Interestingly enough I went on a 5 week trip to the U.S. recently and came back 5 lb lighter! I was just so busy I couldn't stay home and "graze" all day.
There's a lesson there! Find something to keep you so busy you won't even think about eating. What have you always wanted to do but haven't gotten around to? Now's the time!
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douglerner wrote: »Stop eating so much or get fatter
Which do you want more?
Harsh though it may be, its the truth, and sugar coating the truth is how most of us end up gaining weight back.
So scale back or workout like the lives of your loved ones depend on it, that's really the only choices.
I wish I could crack the mystery of willpower loss, it would save a lot of us grief
The simple answer is that you have to find it in you; we can advise and cheer you on but you have to turn inward to find your motivation.
I wrote letters to myself. I talk about how I feel, where my health is and how I look naked as opposed to where I want to be. I find when I start to lose steam it really helps reading advice from my unhealthier self.
Good luck
Yes, there is no point in sugar coating (as it were) the truth. I have to find it within me to get back to "healthy mode." What I always can't fathom is that for two whole years in each of these cycles I am not tempted to stray from strict calorie control at all! But then something just seems to fall apart.
I think it is partly physical (my shrunken fat cells screaming at me that they are starving) and partly psychological.
doug
Sounds about right. But you've got the right attitude and you're addressing it head on which is half the battle right there!
I lost 50ish lbs about a year and a half ago and then I lapsed myself, eventually gained it all back, plus an extra 30. All I walked with from that was the knowledge that this is going to be a lifelong struggle. Here's hoping the both of us can keep hold of the reigns from here on out
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I try to remember, "nothing tastes as good as losing weight". Good luck...you can do it!!0
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My motto is "just log it", which keeps me aware of the amount of food I am eating. I also check before I go grab a snack, if it fits, I eat!0
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Bread is bad for me too. I grew up country where we had a "pusher" for every meal. Toast for your eggs in the morning; sammich on bread; and rolls or buns at supper to sop up gravy. My wife was the first to point out to me that I eat a "loaf" of a bread a day. I miss it, but eliminating breads and making sure to not "drink my calories" has made a big difference.
You got this, 10th time or 1000th time, its a lifestyle that we must maintain forever. We are here for each other, good luck on your battle!0 -
Thanks again for all your messages people. I agree with what you all wrote. Unfortunately, depressingly, I had another bad day today. I started ok.. but "something" has been happening around 4 or 5 pm and I just go off calories. By a lot. I'm afraid to see the scale tomorrow morning.
But I just can't let a complete rebound happen. It's too depressing to think about.
Tomorrow is another day... But what to start the day with?0 -
I do need to absolutely stay away from at least sugary things. I'm insane if I buy another blueberry maple scone from the corner store. I don't even like maple! What's wrong with me?!0
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You've identified a trigger - the time of 4-5pm. Use that knowledge to change your habit of eating during that time, or at least change what you eat. Set a timer so you go out for a walk at 4:15. Don't bring enough money to buy a blueberry maple scone!!!! Go out with just your ID and your keys. Or plan ahead and have a healthy snack ready to grab at 4:15. Or do both. Walk, and when you get back eat your snack.
Repeat this to yourself as often as necessary: "I am a person who doesn't eat junk between 4 and 5 pm"
You can do this!0 -
You've identified a trigger - the time of 4-5pm. Use that knowledge to change your habit of eating during that time, or at least change what you eat. Set a timer so you go out for a walk at 4:15. Don't bring enough money to buy a blueberry maple scone!!!! Go out with just your ID and your keys. Or plan ahead and have a healthy snack ready to grab at 4:15. Or do both. Walk, and when you get back eat your snack.
Repeat this to yourself as often as necessary: "I am a person who doesn't eat junk between 4 and 5 pm"
You can do this!
that's a pretty good tip
And I wasn't meaning to be 'harsh' it's just true .. you know what you need to do, and you know what will happen if you don't do it. Dressing it up ain't helping anyone
How's your exercise? Do any progressive resistance work? You should.
Also - that isn't what the flag system is about - so whoever is flagging needs to go read the guidelines
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I would say it is better you regain every ounce that you lost in the short term yet learn good lessons from the experience so that you can come up with an effective strategy for the long term than live your life in constant fear of regaining.
Your biggest issue at the moment is mental.
I suggest:- Relaxing. You are going to be fine.
- View this as a long term project to find healthy, sustainable habits you can maintain for life
- Give yourself permission to fail and gain some weight
- Learn something about yourself from each of these gains so you can implement strategies to avoid it in future
- Adopt a more moderate approach to eating to help with feelings of deprivation
- Never giving up on yourself
Be happy.0 -
Thanks again for the suggestions people. I agree with most everything written except the idea of regaining all I've lost! I just can't do that. That would be the worst thing ever!
About exercise - I've certainly fallen off the wagon with that. I used to cycle along the river every day. I've barely done any exercise at all lately.
It's too cold now to cycle along the river, but this afternoon I am planning to do a brisk walk along the river. And I should start using my Bullworker again for resistance training.
And this morning I shopped and just got lean proteins in packages with the calories clearly marked and am going to stick with that today. I just have to. My weight this morning was up again to a level I haven't seen in over 3 years.
doug0 -
Well, it's almost lunch time and I've been good so far.
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douglerner wrote: »Thanks again for the suggestions people. I agree with most everything written except the idea of regaining all I've lost! I just can't do that. That would be the worst thing ever!
About exercise - I've certainly fallen off the wagon with that. I used to cycle along the river every day. I've barely done any exercise at all lately.
It's too cold now to cycle along the river, but this afternoon I am planning to do a brisk walk along the river. And I should start using my Bullworker again for resistance training.
And this morning I shopped and just got lean proteins in packages with the calories clearly marked and am going to stick with that today. I just have to. My weight this morning was up again to a level I haven't seen in over 3 years.
doug
Yikes about the weight being up. I understand the sense of panic, but really try to take a calmer approach.
Also, weight loss as you know is more about food than the exercises.
Eat a lot less food than you have been.
What happens at 4 or 5 in the afternoon that causes you challenges?0 -
Yes, weight loss is definitely more about food than exercise. Yet... a few hundred calories in exercise a day can't hurt. That's a few potential bananas I could eat as a snack.
I'm not sure what happens in the late afternoon. Today was ok. I did my walk along the river for the first time in a long time, and stuck with higher protein, lower carbohydrate foods plus some fruit and I'm ok so far and it's already 5:20 pm here and I still have over 600 calories left for dinner.
So I think I'll be ok. Today at least.
I do think it is imperative to stop the regain though. Somehow.
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Well, I managed to finish today with a net of only 1342 calories, after exercise, which I also did for the first time in a long time. If every day could be like today there would be no problem.0
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douglerner wrote: »Well, I managed to finish today with a net of only 1342 calories, after exercise, which I also did for the first time in a long time. If every day could be like today there would be no problem.
Awesome job!
Just keep taking it one day at a time!0 -
douglerner wrote: »Well, I managed to finish today with a net of only 1342 calories, after exercise, which I also did for the first time in a long time. If every day could be like today there would be no problem.
Great job, Doug! You can do this...ONE DAY AT A TIME. You know you can!0 -
And this morning I saw a blessed 1.4 kg drop on the scale, which means a substantial amount of the recent gain was probably water gain which dropped off as soon as I cut back on all those grains and sugars.
So I am psyched for today.0 -
That's great!0
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I was also good yesterday. And did even more exercise. But I actually gained weight.
Yes, I know, daily fluctuations are meaningless. Still, disappointing. But I will try not to let it discourage me today.
On the positive side, this is my 1300th consecutive day of logging here at MyFitnessPal!0
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