I went 5 days without working out ...and eating as much as I want...

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Fatvaporizer
Fatvaporizer Posts: 139 Member
in Motivation and Support
I don't even know where to start. So for 4 months straight, I had kept up a diet with only a few setbacks and binge days, few enough that it didn't affect my weight loss much. And, I also worked out very often and on a consistent basis. But over the past 5 days, including today, I didn't work out AT ALL, and I ATE as much as I wanted...foods that I had been avoiding all along, I didn't care about them and ate them anyway. I don't know how it happened or what made me to forget all about my weight loss journey.

5 days before though, I weighed myself and realized I was plateauing, since the scale hadn't moved from 176 lbs the week before to that day, so maybe that offset me...maybe I felt discouraged like, I'm stuck now and exercising or dieting won't do good. Maybe it's excitement from the elections? I don't know.

But the main thing is, what do I do? I went 5 days off track and unfocused, back to my old ways. How would you suggest I go about returning to my journey and not feeling bad for those 5 days of possible/likely weight gain and just overall bad decisions? Thanks.

Replies

  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 33,961 Member
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    There is no other way other than to just do it.

    I've done what you're describing too, and the only way it can harm you is if you continue in this direction. A few days or a couple weeks aren't going to derail your progress.

    Trying to figure out why can still be a useful exercise - but get back on track with your food right away.

    There are many weeks during weight loss when nothing happens. Stay the course.
  • johnnylakis
    johnnylakis Posts: 812 Member
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    I say you should set your calories goals to 1,200 calories for the next 5 days
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    Just get back to it...you shouldn't feel bad about anything...five days is pretty irrelevant to the bigger picture. Hell, I go on regular vacations for that long and don't workout and eat whatever...I don't feel bad in the least because it's not really relevant to the whole of what I'm doing.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
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    Stable weight for 1 week is not a plateau it's just life

    You have some weird relationship with food and healthy eating, it might benefit you to do some talking therapy and truly work out why you are so confused
  • cathipa
    cathipa Posts: 2,991 Member
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    Ignore the past 5 days. What is done is done. Move on and get back on track.
  • lniblack812
    lniblack812 Posts: 25 Member
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    Just get back on track! Don't punish yourself - life happens & honestly, it's not about perfection, just progress. Live & learn ;)

    You might also find that after that 5 days of being "off track" will actually help to push you out of your plateau once you get back at it. Good luck!
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    johnnylakis wrote: »
    I say you should set your calories goals to 1,200 calories for the next 5 days

    Totally random. Don't do this, unless it's the appropriate goal for your height, weight, age, gender.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    Sued0nim wrote: »
    You log it and move on

    You don't punish yourself with some ridiculous calorie intake or stupid OTT exercise program

    You log, you move on

    And next time you catch it at 4 days, or you amend your life so that you never feel you have to give up on anything

    You move on. You assess why it happened: too big of a deficit? Too many "off limit foods" and not enough yummy ones?
    And a week isn't a plateau.

    Move on.
  • kshatriyo
    kshatriyo Posts: 134 Member
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    Fatvaporizer wrote: »
    I don't even know where to start. So for 4 months straight, I had kept up a diet with only a few setbacks and binge days, few enough that it didn't affect my weight loss much. And, I also worked out very often and on a consistent basis. But over the past 5 days, including today, I didn't work out AT ALL, and I ATE as much as I wanted...foods that I had been avoiding all along, I didn't care about them and ate them anyway. I don't know how it happened or what made me to forget all about my weight loss journey.

    5 days before though, I weighed myself and realized I was plateauing, since the scale hadn't moved from 176 lbs the week before to that day, so maybe that offset me...maybe I felt discouraged like, I'm stuck now and exercising or dieting won't do good. Maybe it's excitement from the elections? I don't know.

    But the main thing is, what do I do? I went 5 days off track and unfocused, back to my old ways. How would you suggest I go about returning to my journey and not feeling bad for those 5 days of possible/likely weight gain and just overall bad decisions? Thanks.

    You need to look at your long term success and return to long term habit forming.
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,565 Member
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    johnnylakis wrote: »
    I say you should set your calories goals to 1,200 calories for the next 5 days

    OP is a male, so this is not a good idea
  • sammyliftsandeats
    sammyliftsandeats Posts: 2,421 Member
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    Fatvaporizer wrote: »
    I don't even know where to start. So for 4 months straight, I had kept up a diet with only a few setbacks and binge days, few enough that it didn't affect my weight loss much. And, I also worked out very often and on a consistent basis. But over the past 5 days, including today, I didn't work out AT ALL, and I ATE as much as I wanted...foods that I had been avoiding all along, I didn't care about them and ate them anyway. I don't know how it happened or what made me to forget all about my weight loss journey.

    5 days before though, I weighed myself and realized I was plateauing, since the scale hadn't moved from 176 lbs the week before to that day, so maybe that offset me...maybe I felt discouraged like, I'm stuck now and exercising or dieting won't do good. Maybe it's excitement from the elections? I don't know.

    But the main thing is, what do I do? I went 5 days off track and unfocused, back to my old ways. How would you suggest I go about returning to my journey and not feeling bad for those 5 days of possible/likely weight gain and just overall bad decisions? Thanks.

    As the others have said, just log it and move on.

    To the bolded part: perhaps this time, don't avoid all foods (unless you have allergies or any other medical reason) but work them in so you don't feel deprived. It could be the restrictions you set for yourself, plus not seeing the scale move, that triggered this 'eff it' attitude.

    Eat what you'd like in the appropriate proportions to suit your calorie goals.

    No more plain chicken and vegetables every night, if it isn't what you want.

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