Disappointed in myself.

roxannerussell · May 2017

Food is the culprit, I know I've been bad. I've lots 60lbs in the last 2 years and put back on 15 in the last few months. I was so good ate eating healthy and now I'm slowly giving in. Still do my workouts so for awhile there I figured muscle gain. I do have muscles but my stomach and hips are showing other wise. I need advise on how to be stern with myself with the bad food choices I make and plus I've been so hungry lately: I know how to eat healthy.

I've done it before so why is it so hard this time. I'm 5 7' @ 168lb from 154lb. Any advice helps.

wizzybeth · May 2017

TLDR Version:
#1. There are no bad food choices.
#2. There are choices to overeat - that's bad...but the good news is, you can get back on track this very day!

My rambly, probably-nobody-cares-to-read epistle:

You don't need to be "stern" with yourself. You have to be patient with yourself, and be good to yourself by perhaps planning ahead on what you're going to eat for the day.

Figure out when you're the most hungry most of the time and plan to eat your more calorie dense meals then. In general, I don't get hungry until mid day and into the evening so I usually try to keep my breakfast and early-day snacks lower calories so I have more calories for when it counts - late in the day and tonight.

I have realized that while I love to eat fruits for snacks (watermelon, honeydew, cantaloupe) I suck at prepping food - I have thrown out more melons than I care to admit because I didn't feel like making a huge mess to get my cubes of fruit. So I spend a little more money and purcahse precut fruit at the supermarket. Spending more for something I'll eat makes more sense than spending less on something I'm likely to waste.

So when I plan my day - have my lunch bag packed with my pre-logged foods - I can stay on track and am less likely to veer into overeating by getting McDonalds, because when I get McDonalds, I need to have fries, a soda, and finish it off with a sundae (plain though, no syrup at least). It turns into a bomb of a lunch (easily over 600 calories and will give me indigestion to boot) when I could have been perfectly happy with my packed lunch of about 350 - 400 calories

I enjoy munching, so I choose things that I like that are lower calorie: celery, pepper strips, grape tomatoes - I'm a weirdo in that I can eat those without needing dressing but if I want a dip, I dip in a measured out portion (and logged) fat free ranch dressing.

I drink my water and coffee throughout the day.

I'm not stern with myself. I just ask myself before eating something that may put me at risk of going over my calories for the day: "Is it worth it?" And usually it's not. But sometimes it is.

AND if I do over eat - I tell myself to get over it and get right back on track. Last night was one of those nights. I refused to get mad at myself and punish myself over it. Today is a new day - and I'm planning on getting through it one meal at a time, on track....

Sorry for the book. I tend to overshare.

toxikon · May 2017

Maintaining a low weight can be a life-long struggle. I have personally dealt with self-sabotage when I get close to my goal weight. I figure that I look good, I can ease up on tracking calories, maybe a few more treats... then bam, I'm back where I started.

The key is just consistency and avoiding complacency. You just gotta keep tracking. I think I will need to track calories for the rest of my life, because eating intuitively just doesn't work for me. And I'm okay with that. MFP makes it easy, and once you start, it's easy to build the habit.

Keep tracking your calories and keep weighing yourself on a regular basis - then you can see when you're starting to creep back up and take the necessary measures.

Don't deprive yourself - work daily treats into your calorie goal. Just watch your portions.

usmcmp · May 2017

You don't need to be stern, lecture yourself, or feel bad over food. You do need to tighten up your food logging and/or weigh your food. Eating "bad" foods isn't causing your weight gain, eating too many calories is. It's easier to over eat on calorie dense foods, but you can still gain weight eating "clean".

BuffingButtons · May 2017

I see more and more posts similar to yours. So many people jump on the band wagon of diets, intense training/exercise programs (HIIT/T25/Insanity) and setting unrealistic expectations from the start (1,000 calorie targets, 1 hour + exercise daily or macro counting). While your post doesn't elude to any of that (in fact 60lbs in 2 years seems to be a perfect target), I recommend that you focus on the longevity of life you have ahead of you. A few months is nothing compared to the many years you have ahead.

So you've had a set back... Reset and start again. Life is hard enough so don't get discouraged by a set back. In perspective, it's really a small set back compared to everything else in life. What if you were diagnosed with a terminal illness like cancer? Had a leg amputated from a car accident that wasn't even your fault? I know it sounds morbid, but truly you aren't worse case scenario. I like to think of worst case scenarios to help me put in perspective some of my weaknesses. I'd take 15 pounds heavier over a terminal illness or amputation without question.

15 pounds in a few months makes me wonder about other issues too... Hormones? Life changes? Depression? Did you move recently closer to fast food availability? What has changed in your life? Identify what the trigger is, if any, and create a plan to get you back on track. If there isn't one, just back on track.

Don't forget all the hard work you put in to get here. Don't discredit that. It wasn't a waste.

1reason2live4 · May 2017

Yes, I had a setback too. After three years of logging and hitting my goal weight (lost 164 lbs) I stopped logging October 1st to December 31st last year. Wow....I gained 14 pounds eyeballing my portions. Needless to say January 1st weigh in was a shocker. So back to weighing and measuring and logging....I am now convinced that I need to be a lifelong logger to stay at my goal weight. So far this year I have lost those 14 pounds plus 7 more and I'm at a new all time low. Don't beat yourself up....you've been here before. Baby steps toward your goal....slow and steady consistency is the answer. You can do this....you've already proven that.

Sunna_W · May 2017

You just need to find your "sweet spot" in terms of what is sustainable over the rest of your life and build a plan that makes that a reality. 14 pounds is an easy 272 calories and 180 days away - if you do nothing but change what you are eating. IMO that is pretty doable; what do you think?

roxannerussell · May 2017

Thanks too u all for input. I do log everything, I stay between 1200-1700 cals a day, but I do great tell mid day when I feel the hungrest, and I eat too much at once. I usually have cottage cheese/ fruit, or protein shake mixed with almond milk, plus coffee, creamer

roxannerussell · May 2017

I had more to my reply but it didnt show?

kbmnurse · May 2017

Just say no.

spiriteagle99 · May 2017

Most of us have been there. 15 lbs isn't bad; you'll lose it pretty quickly. Keeping it off is always the hard part. Try to figure out what your issues are. Too many sweets? Mindless snacking? Too much alcohol? Serving size? Eating out? Then work on those specific issues.

You say you get really hungry at noon. Maybe eat more protein at breakfast? More bulk in your lunch? Cottage cheese wouldn't hold me for an hour. Neither would a protein shake. I like real food.

roxannerussell · May 2017

I'm replacing premier protein shake for creamer, small changes. I've completed insanity 3 times and Body Beast 2 and running when I can. I am now doing Weights 3-4 days and cardio 2 days. I do like to drink alcohol which I quit for a while, now when we seem to relax in evening I want a drink.

JustinAnimal · May 2017

I know what you're talking about. Did a lot of yo-yo-ing, but I think I'm finally starting to figure it out. You lose the same weight over and over again, eventually, you get pissed off and more or less stop. I'm currently yo-yo-ing over the same 5-7 pounds, instead of the same 20.

With most things in life, I try to remind myself that it's a marathon, not a sprint. Like a marathon, I'll probably "get" most things right before I die. C'est la vie!

Sunna_W · May 2017

Another thing is to realize that when you do intense exercise you are releasing cortisol (and your body thinks you are being chased by a wild beast or the Heathen Horde) and once you stop doing what you are doing you body is then hungry and wants calories to support it for the next time.

How are you supporting your cortisol?

CSARdiver · May 2017

Think positively - at least you caught it and recognized this early on.

Conduct this exercise. Write down 5 "bad" habits that you want to change or conflict with your fitness goals. Prioritize these 1-5. Scratch off 2-5 and focus on #1 - identify a "good" habit to replace this with. Repeat until this in ingrained in your routine and creates a positive feedback loop. Once complete - repeat this exercise.

Disappointed in myself.

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