Hit a wall (psychological not literal)

CattOfTheGarage

Well, I'm spinning my wheels and have been for 3 weeks. I just cannot seem to get going again after the holidays. I'll have a good day and then the next day I'm just eating all the things. I'm still logging everything, but that alone seems to be taking all my willpower. I'm hovering around maintenance on average, so not gaining, which is something. But I just can't get into the head space. I've lost 1st 9lb (23lb) and I've got another 2st 7lb (35lb) to go, so I really need to get this show back on the road.

Any ideas?

MikeD0326

Join a fitness class or team up with a reliable workout buddy that you can go to the gym with. Or, if not a gym, then go for a walk or a bike ride, or do something active. But do it on a regular basis. Start slow and ramp it up again. Consistency is key. Work towards your goals. You have done great to this point so you know what it takes. Getting back on track isn't easy but once you do, you will be fine! I am in the same situation after the holidays and I just dedicated 2 weeks to eating right and doing something active at least every other day. I am starting week 2 and I feel decent after being really good for 1 week. I know it will get easier going forward. You've done it before. You can do it again. At least you realize it and are not letting it get out of hand - so congrats on that! Feel free to add me if you'd like.

kommodevaran

Find out what's taxing. Is it the logging? Have pre-portioned meals and no snacking. Is it the memory of all the good food at Christmas? Have something you really like every day. Are you tempted by holiday leftovers? Purge the cabinets, plan meals you look forward to, and shop fresh ingredients. Are you getting lazy? Go for a walk/run/bike ride, and dance or play with your daughter.

snowflake954

I had this problem too, so I decided to "change it up". I tend to eat alot of the same things, especially for breakfast and snacks. So, I'm trying different things--that got it started again.

lightenup2016

I'm right there with you! I can't seem to get back on track, just been maintaining a 2.5 gain since the holidays. I'm sorry I'm no help, just thought you might like to know you're not alone!

VintageFeline

This was me for much of the latter half of last year. I tried all sorts of things. In the end I changed my goal to maintenance and just tried to end the day in the green, even if it was only a little. I ended up with a net loss of only about 10lbs last year BUT that's not an only, that's a loss when I could have easily maintained or gained.

And this year I am back and getting on with losing the last 20-30. So I'd say experiment with some strategies but don't be too hard on yourself if it takes time to find your groove again. And tell yourself giving up at any point is not an option, even if it's a horrible drudge and you go weeks only hitting maintenance, that's still better than where you were.

gmallan

Read this, it's a really helpful way of thinking about things

http://www.precisionnutrition.com/pause-button-mentality

luluinca

Hmmm, I maintained a pretty decent loss, almost 70 lbs, for the last 18 months but never lost the last 10 lbs or so I really wanted to lose. I hit the new year determined that I would do it and the first two weeks, nothing. Just like you I couldn't get motivated.

So I hired a trainer and told him I wanted to lose another 10 lbs, along with some fitness goals, and since he was a trainer with nutritional experience, I told him to tell me what to eat and I'd eat it. That was last week and I've lost almost 5 lbs. Sure, that's mostly water weight and he's already increased my calories because that was a little too fast but it did work to motivate me!

Good luck this year! You know what to do and just need to figure out a way to make yourself do it. Maybe a great reward at the end?

Alatariel75

I have had the same issue since the holidays. To change my view, I got a 1 month gym membership and started forcing myself to go first thing, and I also signed up to do Febfast (give up alcohol or sugar or something you nominate) for the month of Feb. It's the first time I've ever paid good money to not do something, lol, my give up is officially alcohol, but I'm also using it as the mindset to get back on track, and I'm hiding the scale for the month.

Sometimes my brain needs to be slapped out of the track its on.

lemonychild

Start with a small deficit. Maybe go for only .5-1lbs A week max

Master_Butcher

You might be using up all your willpower on too many decisions resulting in decision fatigue. Once that's in effect it's game over for some. *kitten* decision after *kitten* decision, righting off the day then promising to start fresh the following day.. And the cycle continues. To help minimise the amount of decisions you're making I'd suggest prepping your food for the day the night before - after you've done everything important that needs doing for the night. Close to bedtime would be a good option. Also, if you're eating the same foods on multiple days, forget about the calorie details of it as it's already been established. It's not going to change if you calculate it again on another day. Jut eat the food and trust your log.

SiegfriedXXL

I had this problem too. For me, it was that I was restricting my calories too much. I was losing weight at a decent clip but I was irritable, low energy, and emotional. I've since retooled my calorie goal and it's given me much more elbow room. There are some days when I eat way under my calorie goal still but knowing that I have the extra calories there allows me more flexibility in my food choices and removes some of the anxiety from the process, for me at least.

yobigman

Try to remember why you decided to lose weight in the first place... something must have really spoken to you! Try imaging how great you'll look when you hit your goal, and how great it will be to wear a smaller size than what you wear now. Imagine the compliments that you'll receive when you finally hit your goal (particularly from the opposite sex!) Rehearse how you'll answer them.

ronjsteele1

Interesting that others have had this issue as well. I *could not* get out of funk mode after the holidays. I had gained a few pounds and just could not get back into deficit mode. I finally did some guided meditation with my practitioner and dealt with whatever emotional thing was holding me back. I still don't even know what that was but it worked. So maybe spend some time quietly to see if you can pinpoint an emotional "why" you're having a hard time. I still find it interesting that quite a few people have struggled with this.

dragon_girl26

yobigman wrote: »

Try to remember why you decided to lose weight in the first place... something must have really spoken to you! Try imaging how great you'll look when you hit your goal, and how great it will be to wear a smaller size than what you wear now. Imagine the compliments that you'll receive when you finally hit your goal (particularly from the opposite sex!) Rehearse how you'll answer them.

I was going to suggest something like this. I'm currently working through 'The Beck Diet Solution' book/workbook after seeing it suggested here on the forum a few times. The very first exercise is to make a list of all of the reasons why you want to lose weight, then rank them in the order of importance. Read that list to yourself each morning, or when you feel your willpower start to go. Sometimes all it takes is a reminder of why you do this.
I highly recommend the book, by the way. It's not a diet plan, but a way to train your brain to approach dieting in a healthier way. Maybe it'll help you find what you need.

CattOfTheGarage

Thanks for all your ideas and thoughts, everyone. I'll think more about all of them. I think the main problem is that I love chocolate and hate January. February isn't much better

Alyssa_Is_LosingIt

CattOfTheGarage wrote: »

Thanks for all your ideas and thoughts, everyone. I'll think more about all of them. I think the main problem is that I love chocolate and hate January. February isn't much better

Hey, I'm in the same boat as you! I have not been able to get back into the mindset since the holidays, either.

I don't really have any advice, but I can at least commiserate. Winter is so hard for me. All I want to do is lay under blankets and eat all the foods.

WJS_jeepster

I have a cartoon on my wall that shows Darth Vader, Voldemort, and "the guy who invented February" sitting at a table with name cards in front of them and it says "The annual meeting of the union of the Dark Lords". I hate February. We have had a depressingly grey January and I've been stuck just like you described. In past years, my only real solution is to gut it out and hope March is nice. Very little progress is made in my life in Jan or Feb.

Sara1791

CattOfTheGarage wrote: »

Thanks for all your ideas and thoughts, everyone. I'll think more about all of them. I think the main problem is that I love chocolate and hate January. February isn't much better

June is coming!

everher

I've lost 23 lbs with another 37 lbs to go and honestly, I'm just burned out.

I've been thinking it may be time for me to take a break for a week or two and just eat at maintenance.

If I don't do that my mindset is just to switch things up. I've been eating a lot of the same things for the past few months and I think I'm just burned out on them. I'm also playing with the idea of doing a smaller rate of loss for a couple weeks.

In the end I know it's just about willpower. Even though I've lost 23 lbs I desperately want to lose the other 37 lbs and I'm nowhere near where I want to be. It also helps me to remember that if I stop doing this I will just gain the weight back I've loss. I've done this too many times not to know that I would quickly gain that 23 lbs back and it was hard work losing the weight. I don't want to have to lose the same pounds over again.

Momentum builds upon momentum. I think if you (and I) can just a few days under our belts things will get easier.

ThatUserNameIsAllReadyTaken

Well, you didn't gain doing this so that itself ought to be counted a victory. I have found myself in the same boat as you several times. It is always the strangest things that get the wind back in my sails. You will get back in the game and get back to your goal. Maybe you just needed a break. Nothing wrong with taking one. What do you have in the near future that you would like do that your weight loss would aid in? Any health markers you are reaching for? A particular swim suit or vacation near a beach?

sbrandt37

I encourage you to focus on the small lifestyle changes that will help you meet your goal and stay there, and celebrate the small successes that move you in that direction. Every day you log your foods is a success. Every day you don't gain weight is a success. Every day you eat below maintenance is a success. Every day you get some physical activity is a success. Over time, those successes add up. Celebrate each one of them and forgive yourself when you aren't able to do them. Don't worry if you plateau for a while, just keep at it. You aren't failing, you are just succeeding a little more slowly. It happens.

I have lost 45 pounds over the last 10 months, with a 3 month plateau in the middle where I lost nothing. It was annoying, but I knew that as long as I kept at it and didn't fall backwards, things would eventually move in the right direction again. And they did. One day I had more energy and started working out harder and things started moving again. Now I am within 5 pounds of my goal weight and things are slowing again, but I know I will get there eventually.