Does anyone else go in waves?

SuperheroSadie

Like, sometimes I'll be able to be perfectly within my calories with no effort. I'm poised, I'm in control, I'm working out every day and making my workouts more intense.

And then something happens and I don't care and I maintain for a bit. I try to force myself back into it but I keep going over my calories and not working out and coming up with excuses even though I'm 'trying'. As I said, it's maintenance. During a 1.5 month long section of this, I gained 1 pound. Not so awful. (Might I mention that this was during the christmas/ New Years season?)

Then suddenly, one day, I'm back in it again. Effortlessly. Like I've been on this calorie restriction my whole life!

I can't be the only one. Has anyone found any tricks to avoid the down periods? To get back to the 'up' periods faster?

Lewisg51

I do exactly the same thing, I hate it when I go on down periods but it never for more than a few days. I've found changing things up a bit helps, because I think the boredom is what makes me just go off sometimes.

youngcaseyr

This sounds like the story of my life... I have noticed that some kind of big event/experience/ opportunity tends to precede changes in diet and/or exercise habits. I've been working on trying to be more mindful in regards to noticing those kinds of changes and working harder to keep working towards my goals when laziness or temptation strikes

sunnybeaches105

Yes. Self improvement can be a lifetime endeavor so settle in and get comfortable with yourself while making sure you are also putting in the effort to improve. I'm a bit over four decades into this life and I'm still figuring out fitness, diet, work-life balance, etc. I'm starting to think there is no trick or secret to any of this other than to accept that we are human and we have both victories and failures. Just don't give up when you fail or waste so much time beating yourself up that you forget to celebrate the victories.

Machka9

Planned waves.

I stuck with it for a deliberately planned 16 weeks, then took a planned 1-month break, then stuck with it for a deliberately planned 16 weeks, then took another planned break.

That works for me.

kommodevaran

Yes. I used to believe I was in control over my dieting/weight management. It felt great, I was in the groove, I could do anything. We can do anything for a while, as long as we are motivated by results. But then life happened. Life always happens.

I don't know how long "a while" is - but I think what's different now, is that my current way of eating and living, isn't motivated mainly by weight management, but by day to day feeling of wellness. Cravings are more or less gone, I feel energized, I eat food I like, I like planning, shopping and cooking my own food, I don't worry much, and I don't exhaust myself with exercise. This is what I want to do because I like it, not to achieve an external goal.