Long time maintainer, and sometimes I want to quit.

crayonbreakywillow
crayonbreakywillow Posts: 44 Member
edited December 3 in Goal: Maintaining Weight
I've been on MFP for over four years now, haven't missed a day. I've been on maintenance for three years after successfully losing 90ish pounds. From the beginning, I've loved the control I have over what I eat. Counting calories made sense to me and it worked! My husband and I started MFP together and I love that it's something we share. We are active and walk, bike ride and now run together.

But lately it's been a struggle. For some reason the scale has been fighting us, even though we are more active than ever. And, I find myself obsessing over it to the point where I feel like it consumes me and I get cranky when anything "interferes" with my planned calories.

And, sometimes I just want to stop. I don't want to regain the weight, but part of me wants to go back to seeing food in all its pure deliciousness and not seeing numbers when I look at it. I love food and it's something I'm passionate about. We don't deprive ourselves of the things we enjoy, but I get tired of feeling like I have to feel guilty when we overindulge. And I get jealous of how the rest of the world just eats what they want, when they want without stressing over it.

I've thought of taking a break, but honestly I'm afraid. And, I'm quite proud of my 1,528 day streak. I feel like if we stopped logging, we may lose control and gain all we've lost. I'm also afraid I wouldn't be able to look at food without seeing numbers anyway because I'm so used to knowing the calorie count of everything. Can anyone relate to this? Has anyone successfully stopped logging? Am I doomed to log the rest of my life? I worry that one day I will look back with regret because I allowed myself to be so obsessed with logging that I missed out on enjoying life to the fullest.
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Replies

  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,179 Member
    Do you think you'd lapse back into the +90 lb habits of yore? Have you learned how to eat and be healthy? Have you tried for a few days just to see?
  • mom23mangos
    mom23mangos Posts: 3,069 Member
    Everything you said is how I feel and I've only been maintaining for 3 months! There are plenty of days I just want to say F it. I've lost a lot of the enjoyment of food and still can't quite get to the place where I consider it only fuel for the body. It helps that I bank my calories during the week and don't log/free eat on the weekends.
  • KetoneKaren
    KetoneKaren Posts: 6,412 Member
    There are some really great suggestions here, thanks for starting this thread as I have already been down this road and gained all my weight back, and am on my way towards goal again, 80lbs to go. Kicking myself.

    One suggestion that has resonated with me when I have mentioned feeling guilt about eating food not on my plan was to pre-log it and plan the rest of the day's intake accordingly. Looking forward to a planned, pre-logged guilt-free treat is good for me. I am able to savor the treat without having the pleasure ruined by guilt.

    Focusing on the presentation of the meal has also been helpful. I like for my food to look nice. For some reason, it seems more satisfying that way.

    If you do decide to quit logging, the weighing suggestions are great ones.
  • csuhar
    csuhar Posts: 779 Member
    toe1226 wrote: »
    maybe take a week off? just a week? or even two...1528, it is something to be proud of, but it is also completely arbitrary, a number on a website that has nothing to do with your self-value, joy, humanity. MFP will be here when you get back, you don't have to "splurge" or go crazy but you can take a little time off, refresh your brain and come back (maybe even a few lbs heavier...a few won't be 90!) it'll be great.

    Even just taking some meals off might help. I took a cruise earlier in the month and I made the decision to log (as best as I could guess) my breakfast and maybe my lunch but NOT my dinner or my beverages. That way, I didn't completely abandon the tracking habit or awareness of what I was taking in, but I was able to say things like "I'm going to enjoy dinner and not care about the calories" or "I'm going to drink at the bar, but I'm going to look at people and talk with them instead of burying my face in my smartphone".
  • nowine4me
    nowine4me Posts: 3,985 Member
    Maybe there's an in-between step? What if you continue to track your weight every day or whatever it takes to keep your streak (which is awesome -- by the way), but not log meals. In a few weeks, if that's not working go back to doing what has worked for you.
  • mrmeza123
    mrmeza123 Posts: 34 Member
    I've been on MFP for over four years now, haven't missed a day. I've been on maintenance for three years after successfully losing 90ish pounds. From the beginning, I've loved the control I have over what I eat. Counting calories made sense to me and it worked! My husband and I started MFP together and I love that it's something we share. We are active and walk, bike ride and now run together.

    But lately it's been a struggle. For some reason the scale has been fighting us, even though we are more active than ever. And, I find myself obsessing over it to the point where I feel like it consumes me and I get cranky when anything "interferes" with my planned calories.

    And, sometimes I just want to stop. I don't want to regain the weight, but part of me wants to go back to seeing food in all its pure deliciousness and not seeing numbers when I look at it. I love food and it's something I'm passionate about. We don't deprive ourselves of the things we enjoy, but I get tired of feeling like I have to feel guilty when we overindulge. And I get jealous of how the rest of the world just eats what they want, when they want without stressing over it.

    I've thought of taking a break, but honestly I'm afraid. And, I'm quite proud of my 1,528 day streak. I feel like if we stopped logging, we may lose control and gain all we've lost. I'm also afraid I wouldn't be able to look at food without seeing numbers anyway because I'm so used to knowing the calorie count of everything. Can anyone relate to this? Has anyone successfully stopped logging? Am I doomed to log the rest of my life? I worry that one day I will look back with regret because I allowed myself to be so obsessed with logging that I missed out on enjoying life to the fullest.

    Try logging in a couple days at one time. So your only logging on once or twice the week.
  • crayonbreakywillow
    crayonbreakywillow Posts: 44 Member
    I generally don't comment as I don't consider myself much of a good advice giver. Just thought I would throw in my two cents. Our minds can play some crazy tricks on us. I was O.C.D for most of my life and had to turn the door handle three times every time I walked out the exterior door to make sure it was locked. Eventually the door handle screws wobbled so loose that it fell off and I came home one day to an open door. Now that sounds silly, but I am making a point... you worked so hard to get to where you are. As much as I love this APP it is just an awesome tool. You lost the weight because you made a life decision and stuck with it. Sometimes the mental is the final hurdle, and since you made it through the physical... you are at the finish line. In my humble opinion, if you just maintain the discipline in your nutrition as you have you will be fine. Keep it up.

    As for the "everyone else just eating whatever they want", it will catch up with most at some point in their life and they will be begging to be where you are now. I've fallen off the wagon three times, and I never want to feel that way again. Keep doing what you are doing. Be proud of who you are become, the amount of days you logged means little to the amount of extra days of healthy life you have added for yourself.

    Wishing you the best of luck in your journey. Congrats on being and staying fit!

    I love what you said about this APP being just a tool. You're right. I definitely think it is a mental hurdle I need to overcome. By the way, thanks for the friend request! I also want to mention (because I feel like I have to explain myself!) that if you happen to see my diary for today, you'll see I went way over. My best friend had surgery today and I spent the day at the hospital with her. I decided ahead of time that I wasn't going to worry about what I ate. I'm fine doing this if I decide ahead that I'm going to, and I always log it. I would have been stressed if I hadn't planned for this and I had a day that went way over. So, somewhere in there, it's about controlling and deciding? Anyway, I'm going to be working hard on this mental hurdle. Thanks again!

  • crayonbreakywillow
    crayonbreakywillow Posts: 44 Member
    @RelevantGains I really like this idea! Thank you!!
  • victoria_1024
    victoria_1024 Posts: 915 Member
    I've only been in maintenance since April after losing 90 lbs but I do have that longing to just eat whatever I want and go back to my old habits! And the jealousy that other people don't have to think about all this as much as I do and they can just go about their lives! Like others, I like being thin and I'm motivated to stay that way but some days are harder than others.

    Something that works for me is taking weekends off of logging. Sometimes just a day, sometimes 3 days. I just eat what I want and don't care. I always gain weight of course, so then I eat at a slight deficit starting Monday morning and it comes off very quickly. I always continue with a high activity level and exercise. And it's not like I eat an entire pizza by myself, I do try to be mindful but I definitely go over by quite a bit and I don't log. I know this wouldn't work for everyone but I like it because i still get to really enjoy food on a regular basis but while still feeling in control of the process. I'd rather eat at a deficit some days and over eat other days than eat at maintenance all the time. But that's just what has worked for me. I'm still new to this so I'm assuming what works for me will change too!
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