Took 2 weeks off and fell into an abyss for a month!

kyubeans

So, I guess what I've learned from this experience is.... Don't do that again. I thought I had made a good strong habit of eating mindfully and it would make it through the off-period (relatives in town for two weeks, which then got extended to my vacation, which then got extended for no good reason at all). But I was wrong. Very wrong. It became an excuse to indulge in everything at any and all times.

I was able to hold on for about a week. So I guess I'm learning my limits, and if this is to be a lifelong effort, then it's good to learn those.

Getting back into the spirit again. Here I go!

MegaMooseEsq

Life is just a big learning process - the problem isn't when you decide to take some time away from losing weight/tracking calories/whatever and go more overboard than you hoped, the problem is when you decide that means you've failed and give up. I say you've got a great attitude going.

LynnBBQ72

Don't feel too bad. I decided to take a week off for vacation back in April. I logged most of what I ate but not all of the snacks. Then a week turned into a month.... and now it is September and I just can't get myself back on track. I gained back around 5 lbs of the 70 total I had lost. This morning I tried on one of the new nice blouses I had bought in the spring and all I see are the gaps where my belly is straining the buttons! Wake-up call !!!

cmriverside

It becomes a big ole "Ugh" trying to get back to a calorie deficit. I used to do that every Thanksgiving through New Years. Finally learned that lesson.

I think.

I have weeks where I eat 3000 calories on four out of five days - still - even ten years into maintenance. My goal should be around 1900. Then I reel it back in for a couple weeks and the world is as it should be again. The good thing is that I don't feel that great when I'm doing it. I feel like I *need* to eat XXXXX food. It's never as delicious as I think it will be. The first bite is, but that's it.

kommodevaran

I always did that because my "diet" was too sad/restrictive. Now that I'm eating whatever I want in the amounts I need, I'm not on a plan, so I don't feel any need to go off, and there is nothing to fall off.

kyubeans

cmriverside wrote: »

The good thing is that I don't feel that great when I'm doing it. I feel like I *need* to eat XXXXX food. It's never as delicious as I think it will be. The first bite is, but that's it.

This is the thing that's worked for me a little bit. It's never as good as I'm imagining it will be, and you're right. Beyond the first bite or two, I don't really want it anymore. Also I feel like physical crap after a month of free-for-all! This is what I need to keep in mind for myself.

Ten years into maintenance! Amazing! I'm inspired by that and hope to be able to say something similar in the future!

kellyfeb78

Stress caused me take a month break plus had a week abroad weighed myself today and gained a stone so not a happy bunny! Time to start again...good luck

midlomel1971

I can so totally relate! I'm just getting back on track since mid-August when I went on vacation. Then it was Labor Day and back-so-school for my kids..one thing after another. But I'm back on track this week and honestly, I don't think the damage was that bad.

Cbean08

The good thing is that you caught yourself before it became a big problem. Any damage you did in a month should be pretty easy to take back off and some of that is water weight.

Re-assess how you were eating before you took time off and see if maybe it was too restrictive or if you didn't allow yourself to eat things you actually enjoy. If there is something in particular that you avoid, see if you can find a way to incorporate it into your eating plan. If food isn't forbidden, then you won't have a reason to overeat it when it is available.

kyubeans

Cbean08 wrote: »

The good thing is that you caught yourself before it became a big problem. Any damage you did in a month should be pretty easy to take back off and some of that is water weight.

Re-assess how you were eating before you took time off and see if maybe it was too restrictive or if you didn't allow yourself to eat things you actually enjoy. If there is something in particular that you avoid, see if you can find a way to incorporate it into your eating plan. If food isn't forbidden, then you won't have a reason to overeat it when it is available.

Good advice! In past efforts, years ago, this would've applied to me. But this time around I was actually really happy with myself. I was allowing myself indulgences as long as they were pre-planned, I didn't feel deprived at all. I just decided to take a break because my out of town relatives wanted to eat Chipotle, Five Guys, chinese food... all the american highlights lol. But I don't need to eat that all the time, I was perfectly happy doing my thing.

So I'm going back!!

hesn92

Yep I can totally relate. I stopped logging at the end of July because we were headed out of town for my friends wedding. I didn't log on my trip and wasn't planning to, and then when I came back to town I just never went back to logging. It was just so nice to sit there with a bag of chips or whatever and eat as much as I wanted. So sad to think how many lbs I would have lost had I been on track since then 6 weeks lost

kommodevaran

hesn92 wrote: »

Yep I can totally relate. I stopped logging at the end of July because we were headed out of town for my friends wedding. I didn't log on my trip and wasn't planning to, and then when I came back to town I just never went back to logging. It was just so nice to sit there with a bag of chips or whatever and eat as much as I wanted. So sad to think how many lbs I would have lost had I been on track since then 6 weeks lost

I used to do the same, and thought I was thinking the same, but in reality, I didn't want to do it - I always tried to restrict myself, but I felt compelled to eat and eat. Now I think it's a sad and strange thing to do, so it's just something I don't do anymore.

kyubeans

hesn92 wrote: »

It was just so nice to sit there with a bag of chips or whatever and eat as much as I wanted. So sad to think how many lbs I would have lost had I been on track since then 6 weeks lost

Oh my god, yes. It did feel sort of nice to sit there and not worry about counting, weighing, and mindlessly dipping into the bag and munching away. But it wasn't totally free of guilt like it used to be, before I KNEW all these facts about nutrition! Now, even if it feels nice and unrestricted, it's like... I know too much to enjoy it. lol

The counting and the weighing actually feels nice too though, now that I think about it. When I do it, I feel like I'm taking care of myself, so it's rewarding in that way. And when I eat those chips, knowing it's 1 portion, it is totally guilt-free.