Any suggestions how to quit yo-yo-ing??
NurseAmj
Posts: 19 Member
I will be so careful and balanced for a few days, and will stick perfectly to my diet, hitting at or under my calories goals every day. But then I'll go out of control for a few days and just eat whatever I want. Then back to being super strict and motivated...and the cycle continues. You get the idea.
Has anyone else struggled with going back and forth between extremes like this? If so I would love some suggestions to break the cycle! Thank you!
Has anyone else struggled with going back and forth between extremes like this? If so I would love some suggestions to break the cycle! Thank you!
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Replies
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If you find it difficult to stay on plan, your plan may be too restrictive. On the days when you are "super strict and motivated," are you eating foods that enjoy? Is your calorie goal reasonable?9
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I've never been "super strict"3
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janejellyroll wrote: »If you find it difficult to stay on plan, your plan may be too restrictive. On the days when you are "super strict and motivated," are you eating foods that enjoy? Is your calorie goal reasonable?
You make a good point, thank you for your insight! My calorie goal is 1200, that's what the app calculated for me.
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I agree it sounds as if your plan might be too restrictive.
This might sound stupid but for me, one of the things that helped me stop yo-yoing is sort of setting restrictions on when I eat and less so on what I eat. I used to have a problem more so with snacking after dinner, so I told myself no more eating after 8pm, as I realized it had become habitual rather than an actual desire to eat.4 -
cwolfman13 wrote: »I've never been "super strict"
And you're still able to lose weight that way? I guess I'm just stuck in an all-or-nothing mindset.0 -
Did you set your goal to lose 2 pounds a week?0
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I agree it sounds as if your plan might be too restrictive.
This might sound stupid but for me, one of the things that helped me stop yo-yoing is sort of setting restrictions on when I eat and less so on what I eat. I used to have a problem more so with snacking after dinner, so I told myself no more eating after 8pm, as I realized it had become habitual rather than an actual desire to eat.
I don't think that sounds stupid at all!! I think that's great idea, maybe I'll give that a go. I'm also bad for being hungry in the evenings and wanting to snack.1 -
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janejellyroll wrote: »If you find it difficult to stay on plan, your plan may be too restrictive. On the days when you are "super strict and motivated," are you eating foods that enjoy? Is your calorie goal reasonable?
You make a good point, thank you for your insight! My calorie goal is 1200, that's what the app calculated for me.
MFP is the best, but it's not perfect - this is a big flaw, unfortunately. It lets you set your weight loss goal to 2 pounds per week no matter if it's possible or not. If you don't have a lot to lose, you can't lose 2 pounds per week. And the lowest MFP will go, is 1200.0 -
On the days you are going "out of control" is it because you are eating a high volume or are you eating "bad" foods? If it is the later, find a way to fit the foods you love into your calorie goals. If it is a volume thing, why do you feel that you need to eat that much? Are you hungry, bored, emotionally eating?1
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cwolfman13 wrote: »I've never been "super strict"
And you're still able to lose weight that way? I guess I'm just stuck in an all-or-nothing mindset.
I lost weight by maintaining a moderate deficit. I didn't do any 180* changes to my diet over night...my diet evolved to be more nutritionally sound over time...making life changes is a process, not an overnight thing. I set small daily/weekly goals...I knew I drank too much soda, so one of my first small goals was to ween down and eventually remove soda from my diet...I didn't eat enough fruits and veg, so another goals was to start eating at least 6 servings of veg a fruit...usually 4 servings of veg and 2 servings of fruit...
When I started exercising, I didn't just jump off the couch and start doing all of the exercise...I started walking...after a couple of months I did a C25K program to run a 5K...a couple more months and I joined the gym to start lifting weights...a year later I was training for a sprint triathlon and almost 5 years later I'm an avid cycling enthusiast and rock climbing enthusiast...
It's all process...you have to focus on the process...
The all or nothing mentality will get you know where...it is unrealistic to think you're just going to have some perfect diet all of the time...you'll never miss a workout, etc...5 -
cwolfman13 wrote: »I've never been "super strict"
And you're still able to lose weight that way? I guess I'm just stuck in an all-or-nothing mindset.
Actually, not being super strict (just be aware that "strict" can mean two quite different things - "restrictive" and "accurate"), and lose the all-or-nothing mindset, is the only way one can lose weight and keep it off for good.1 -
Do something that is sustainable. That's the trick. I have over 100 pounds to lose but at a one-pound-a-week rate (TDEE-500), I can stick to it. I feel like I'm eating a "normal" amount not the amount of an obese person nor the amount of "someone on a diet." Find your new normal.2
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kommodevaran wrote: »
MFP is the best, but it's not perfect - this is a big flaw, unfortunately. It lets you set your weight loss goal to 2 pounds per week no matter if it's possible or not. If you don't have a lot to lose, you can't lose 2 pounds per week. And the lowest MFP will go, is 1200.
Hmmm. I'm technically only a few pounds overweight, so is 2 pounds unreasonable? Should it be 1, or 1.5 instead? I suppose I'm just impatient!!0 -
magster4isu wrote: »On the days you are going "out of control" is it because you are eating a high volume or are you eating "bad" foods? If it is the later, find a way to fit the foods you love into your calorie goals. If it is a volume thing, why do you feel that you need to eat that much? Are you hungry, bored, emotionally eating?
Kind of both, but mostly just overeating in a stressed out way.
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cwolfman13 wrote: »
I lost weight by maintaining a moderate deficit. I didn't do any 180* changes to my diet over night...my diet evolved to be more nutritionally sound over time...making life changes is a process, not an overnight thing. I set small daily/weekly goals...I knew I drank too much soda, so one of my first small goals was to ween down and eventually remove soda from my diet...I didn't eat enough fruits and veg, so another goals was to start eating at least 6 servings of veg a fruit...usually 4 servings of veg and 2 servings of fruit...
When I started exercising, I didn't just jump off the couch and start doing all of the exercise...I started walking...after a couple of months I did a C25K program to run a 5K...a couple more months and I joined the gym to start lifting weights...a year later I was training for a sprint triathlon and almost 5 years later I'm an avid cycling enthusiast and rock climbing enthusiast...
It's all process...you have to focus on the process...
The all or nothing mentality will get you know where...it is unrealistic to think you're just going to have some perfect diet all of the time...you'll never miss a workout, etc...
Wow, thank you for such a detailed reply. Everything you said makes sense. I do think you're right that my mentality is the problem. I'm impatient for change but I'm also a really black-and-white thinker in general.
Something to work on, for sure.1 -
HeidiCooksSupper wrote: »Do something that is sustainable. That's the trick. I have over 100 pounds to lose but at a one-pound-a-week rate (TDEE-500), I can stick to it. I feel like I'm eating a "normal" amount not the amount of an obese person nor the amount of "someone on a diet." Find your new normal.
"Find your new normal". I really really like that. Thank you!!0 -
kommodevaran wrote: »
MFP is the best, but it's not perfect - this is a big flaw, unfortunately. It lets you set your weight loss goal to 2 pounds per week no matter if it's possible or not. If you don't have a lot to lose, you can't lose 2 pounds per week. And the lowest MFP will go, is 1200.
Hmmm. I'm technically only a few pounds overweight, so is 2 pounds unreasonable? Should it be 1, or 1.5 instead? I suppose I'm just impatient!!
If you've only got a few pounds to lose, .5 a week is probably your best bet, and you can expect that it's going to take a while (even if you tried to stick to 1200 it probably wouldn't be enough to get you two pounds a week). I've been doing almost exactly what @cwolfman13 described above, I'm just earlier in the process than him, and it absolutely 100% works. Yo-yo-ing happens when you treat your diet as something to get over and done with as quickly as possible. Instead, try and think of your diet as literally just the food you eat every day. Don't make any changes you can't live with. It might feel like you're not going anywhere at all, especially if you don't have much to lose, so try and find other goals to focus on - maybe something fitness related, maybe cutting back on a bad habit, whatever makes sense to you. But don't let losing weight become a break from your life - this IS your life, you only get the one, and you should enjoy it.5 -
cwolfman13 wrote: »When I started exercising, I didn't just jump off the couch and start doing all of the exercise...I started walking...after a couple of months I did a C25K program to run a 5K...a couple more months and I joined the gym to start lifting weights...a year later I was training for a sprint triathlon and almost 5 years later I'm an avid cycling enthusiast and rock climbing enthusiast...
Huh.
I started walking, did C25K, ran some 5K Park runs, joined a gym after 10 months, planning a 10K in Oct and a sprint tri in Aug 2018.
So am I going to cycle everywhere and rock climb in 4 more years?
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kommodevaran wrote: »
MFP is the best, but it's not perfect - this is a big flaw, unfortunately. It lets you set your weight loss goal to 2 pounds per week no matter if it's possible or not. If you don't have a lot to lose, you can't lose 2 pounds per week. And the lowest MFP will go, is 1200.
Hmmm. I'm technically only a few pounds overweight, so is 2 pounds unreasonable? Should it be 1, or 1.5 instead? I suppose I'm just impatient!!
Yeah, if you're only a few pounds overweight, trying to lose it any faster than .5 a pound a week is a recipe for going off the rails. Speaking from experience here.
Cut back you rate of loss and EAT, but be accurate about your tracking. If you feel that your tracking isn't accurate, then go ahead and set the app to 1 pound a week, but eat back exercise calories, or at least a portion of them.2 -
kommodevaran wrote: »
MFP is the best, but it's not perfect - this is a big flaw, unfortunately. It lets you set your weight loss goal to 2 pounds per week no matter if it's possible or not. If you don't have a lot to lose, you can't lose 2 pounds per week. And the lowest MFP will go, is 1200.
Hmmm. I'm technically only a few pounds overweight, so is 2 pounds unreasonable? Should it be 1, or 1.5 instead? I suppose I'm just impatient!!
Yeah, for people without much weight to loose, 2 pounds isn't a realistic goal. If you choose something more reasonable, you'll get more calories each day. This might be easier for you to stick to -- so it will actually be faster than trying to lose 2 pounds a week but yo-yoing because you go off plan too much.1 -
kommodevaran wrote: »
MFP is the best, but it's not perfect - this is a big flaw, unfortunately. It lets you set your weight loss goal to 2 pounds per week no matter if it's possible or not. If you don't have a lot to lose, you can't lose 2 pounds per week. And the lowest MFP will go, is 1200.
Hmmm. I'm technically only a few pounds overweight, so is 2 pounds unreasonable? Should it be 1, or 1.5 instead? I suppose I'm just impatient!!
The thing is, which is faster? Consistently losing half a pound a week and keeping it off, or starving yourself until you freak out and eat all the food and never losing the weight?
Any rate of speed is faster than never.
All or nothing cannot work. You can't "be on a diet" and then stop being on a diet and keep the weight off. You will return to your previous habits and regain the weight unless you make permanent changes in how you relate to food.6 -
MegaMooseEsq wrote: »
If you've only got a few pounds to lose, .5 a week is probably your best bet, and you can expect that it's going to take a while (even if you tried to stick to 1200 it probably wouldn't be enough to get you two pounds a week). I've been doing almost exactly what @cwolfman13 described above, I'm just earlier in the process than him, and it absolutely 100% works. Yo-yo-ing happens when you treat your diet as something to get over and done with as quickly as possible. Instead, try and think of your diet as literally just the food you eat every day. Don't make any changes you can't live with. It might feel like you're not going anywhere at all, especially if you don't have much to lose, so try and find other goals to focus on - maybe something fitness related, maybe cutting back on a bad habit, whatever makes sense to you. But don't let losing weight become a break from your life - this IS your life, you only get the one, and you should enjoy it.
This is wonderful advice. Thanks so much for your reply!1 -
GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »
Yeah, if you're only a few pounds overweight, trying to lose it any faster than .5 a pound a week is a recipe for going off the rails. Speaking from experience here.
Cut back you rate of loss and EAT, but be accurate about your tracking. If you feel that your tracking isn't accurate, then go ahead and set the app to 1 pound a week, but eat back exercise calories, or at least a portion of them.
Yeah? Okay that's good to know, thank you! I would like to lose more, but technically I only have to lose 6 or 8 pounds to be back in tbe "normal" BMI range.0 -
janejellyroll wrote: »Yeah, for people without much weight to loose, 2 pounds isn't a realistic goal. If you choose something more reasonable, you'll get more calories each day. This might be easier for you to stick to -- so it will actually be faster than trying to lose 2 pounds a week but yo-yoing because you go off plan too much.
That actually makes so much sense!! Thank you for this.
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rheddmobile wrote: »
The thing is, which is faster? Consistently losing half a pound a week and keeping it off, or starving yourself until you freak out and eat all the food and never losing the weight?
Any rate of speed is faster than never.
All or nothing cannot work. You can't "be on a diet" and then stop being on a diet and keep the weight off. You will return to your previous habits and regain the weight unless you make permanent changes in how you relate to food.
You're 100% right. I need to adjust this mindset. Thank you for your wisdom! I'll work to remember it.
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Tacklewasher wrote: »cwolfman13 wrote: »When I started exercising, I didn't just jump off the couch and start doing all of the exercise...I started walking...after a couple of months I did a C25K program to run a 5K...a couple more months and I joined the gym to start lifting weights...a year later I was training for a sprint triathlon and almost 5 years later I'm an avid cycling enthusiast and rock climbing enthusiast...
Huh.
I started walking, did C25K, ran some 5K Park runs, joined a gym after 10 months, planning a 10K in Oct and a sprint tri in Aug 2018.
So am I going to cycle everywhere and rock climb in 4 more years?
Could happen...my sprint tri training is when I fell in love with my bike. I actually hated running, but I did it because that's what everyone who is fit does right?
I actually never did the sprint...nasty injury about 2 weeks before the race.
The rock climbing thing is fairly new...several months ago my wife thought it would be a fun thing to do as a date...we were immediately hooked...we got top rope certified in June so we could get off the auto belays and I have my first outside climb coming up in October in Red Rocks in Colorado Springs. Our kiddos love it too...my oldest in particular has a lot of potential and zero fear...3 -
I think you need to change your mindset. I say this because I've been there. It's not a "diet". It's a lifestyle. I've recently told myself this and I feel like I"m on the path to success. You can do it.1
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I agree it sounds as if your plan might be too restrictive.
This might sound stupid but for me, one of the things that helped me stop yo-yoing is sort of setting restrictions on when I eat and less so on what I eat. I used to have a problem more so with snacking after dinner, so I told myself no more eating after 8pm, as I realized it had become habitual rather than an actual desire to eat.
Same with me, I was a bad late night snacker. I would evenwake out of sleep to go eat! I try not to eat after 6:30 or 7. But especially never after 8. But im in bed by 9:30. It definitely helps.1 -
I'm so glad I read this. You are all so inspiring!2
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