Why?

gracerichter3213

I always sabotage myself when I start losing weight. I'll be on a great streak, then I cheat and just go downhill from there, gaining my weight back. Idk why I do this. It's extremely upsetting. I'm starting back on my diet tomorrow and going to refocus. I just want to know does any one else do this? Do you have any tips or encouragement? I could use some....

JeromeBarry1

Tip 1: Each morning you awaken with a clean slate, a fresh start, and a new opportunity. Carpe diem.

Tip 2: Get plenty of sleep.

atjays

I'd wager that the vast majority of us struggle with the same thing. That's why we're here lol. Just have to get to a place where a bad day doesn't mentally wreck your diet. It's understandable and even advised to take a "cheat day" here and there for your own sanity. I've also found that working those "bad" foods into your diet makes a massive difference in terms of falling off the wagon. Being able to enjoy a few slices of pizza or fast food while on a diet is a glorious thing. As you trim down and assuming you're hitting the gym, you'll start to notice that those foods just don't make you feel all that great in general and you'll crave them less and less. Basically don't be overly restrictive with your diet, it leads to burning out quickly and bad cravings. If you want that cheat food, hit the exercise hard that day and feel like you're earned it. It's a good feeling

DietPrada

I did it for 20 years. I don't do it anymore, haven't for over 4 years. For me it was the struggle with restriction, being hungry, being resentful that I couldn't just eat when I was hungry, and finally my will power would break and I'd eat all the things. Going low carb saved me. I no longer struggle with the hunger, or the urge to binge. I don't feel deprived. I don't get that out of control feeling after having a high carb low fat meal and then being starving 2 hours later. I'm down 90lbs and I really feel like this is the way I am now, not that I'm constantly on the verge of a major food blowout.

mnbvcxzlkjhgfdsa12

Try to change your lifestyle instead of going on a diet. Any diet you cant do forever will fail. You might loose weight more slowly with a healthy lifestyle but you'll find it easier to maintain than a restrictive "diet", so you win in the long term. Good luck.

nosebag1212

Because being a caloric deficit sucks.

MaverickMatt87

What the above said.

LAWoman72

nosebag1212 wrote: »

Because being a caloric deficit sucks.

Yes.

Also, but maybe this is just me - I tend to get scared when I start to really lose. I suddenly remember how cruel competitive women constantly were to me when I was hot, right down to literally and deliberately trying to sabotage my job (happened more than once), embarrass and humiliate me and so on - and how guys either seemed to want to do me or be jerks to me as representative of all the cute girls in their lives who had turned them down (I'm married, BTW). I hate hate hate hate hate hate competition, and I find how men treat me when I look great just literally bizarre, and I just want to be comfortable and healthy and liked in a basic way and otherwise left the kittening kitten alone, but already at my current weight loss I am getting tastes of all this stuff again and I don't kittening get it...and I hate it. And I'm scared of it.

When I am neither some weird unwilling form of competition nor someone to alternately try to get back at and then hope to fuk - IOW, when I'm fat and sick - everybody is nice to me. I am not kidding. Everybody, full stop.

I feel like for a percentage of us, we self sabotage for reasons like this. Just another thing to consider.

VintageFeline

I think you need to reframe it. Are you cutting out a bunch of stuff because you're "on a diet"? You need to figure out how to eat to maintain weight loss for life. If that means making room for a bit of candy every day or banking calories for a more calorie dense meal once a week, then that's okay. You first of all just need to commit without excuses but you also need to examine why you can't maintain things. Very often it's because people are eating too few calories and/or being overly restrictive because they have a view of foods being good and bad and heaven forbid you indulge in the bad. Food is just food and unless you have no self control once you start eating something, it's fine to include things you like in appropriate portions.

PinkamenaD8

VintageFeline wrote: »

You need to figure out how to eat to maintain weight loss for life.

This op don't be affraid of having days above maintenance, of not eating something that you crave just keep firmly in your overall deficit. Try different foods that fill you up, maybe keto, but try to find a healthy diet that you can maintain.

Seffell

I don't do streaks. You can't expect to be perfect every day for a year or three... Every day is on its own. Some days I eat more. Most days I eat on a deficit. Life. We're human. Don't 'star over'. Just continue.

demarcan

i do the same thing. the one thing most of us on here have in common is we love to eat. sucks to gain the weight back but there are worse things to be addicted to i fell off the wagon big time the past few months (up 17 lbs) and am looking to get back on track myself. stay strong.

ejsilvi

Well it happens make up for it in the gym do another set of what ever u are doing run an extra mile look at the Zig Zag diet it works great for a ""Normal way we eat so if u were eating 1300 and u had a day were u ate 16 or 1800 calories then the next 2 -3bays u would eat close to 1200 check it out .

YalithKBK

If you go over your calories one time, one day, don't just give up and eat everything. Log your food and eat to your goal the next day and the day after that and the day after that. One day isn't going to ruin your weight loss, giving up entirely will.

Also, if you are tempted to binge eat, think about why. Are you actually eating enough or is your weight loss goal too steep? Are you an emotional eater? If so, how can you handle the emotions with something other than food? Figuring out why you are not sticking to your goals and fixing that is the best way to keep this from happening.

gracerichter3213

Thanks y'all for all the advice. I currently am doing Keto. I really enjoy it, and I feel full at the end of the day...but on Keto you can't have high carb foods so sometimes I just miss bread lol but I'm getting better at controlling myself. I plan on allowing myself cheat days now too, I need them!

Tacklewasher

gracerichter3213 wrote: »

Thanks y'all for all the advice. I currently am doing Keto. I really enjoy it, and I feel full at the end of the day...but on Keto you can't have high carb foods so sometimes I just miss bread lol but I'm getting better at controlling myself. I plan on allowing myself cheat days now too, I need them!

Be careful "cheating" on Keto. I don't know enough about it (so maybe join one of the Keto groups) but my understanding is a "cheat" day when you go high carb will force you back through the whole Keto flu like symptoms.

I couldn't do Keto or low carb. I like carbs too much. I'd rather learn how to eat what I like (within reason) and know I can eat that way the rest of my life.

natthefrenchone

Hi gracerichter3213! I can very much relate to this. I also have been wondering why I am mind-blocking myself from losing the 2 lbs I need to go below 300!! I have not been 302 lbs in years. I finally made it this far and I am so close I can taste it - but then, I get huge cravings and absolutely can't resist eating 300-400 over my calories goal. I have been trying for a few weeks now lol! Well, I still gotta tell myself that the number is still lower than what it used to be (315) and that perseverance will get me there one day, slowly but surely.

Emily3907

Tacklewasher wrote: »

gracerichter3213 wrote: »

Thanks y'all for all the advice. I currently am doing Keto. I really enjoy it, and I feel full at the end of the day...but on Keto you can't have high carb foods so sometimes I just miss bread lol but I'm getting better at controlling myself. I plan on allowing myself cheat days now too, I need them!

Be careful "cheating" on Keto. I don't know enough about it (so maybe join one of the Keto groups) but my understanding is a "cheat" day when you go high carb will force you back through the whole Keto flu like symptoms.

I couldn't do Keto or low carb. I like carbs too much. I'd rather learn how to eat what I like (within reason) and know I can eat that way the rest of my life.

I second this.

Also, OP, I won't give you my specific tips or anything because I believe everyone has to find their own way and what works for them as an individual, which can vary greatly person to person. But, one thing I did find helpful was seeing a therapist. I had gained a significant amount of weight (over 100 pounds) and I always felt like something was right under the surface and holding me back. But, I could not quite unlock what was going on. Seeing a therapist helped me work through my own issues and I am beginning to learn how to love myself again. I still have a way to go, but I do feel like I can work past the self sabotage now.