Off and on every day-struggling to stay consistent

kib113356

So here is how my day will usually go:
1. I wake up feeling motivated. I exercise, drink plenty of water, and eat a healthy breakfast
2. I go to lunch and start craving other food, but the food I crave is loaded with calories
3. Someone offers me a candy bar or I pass a vending machine and I give up. I bulge for the rest of the day and say "I will start again tommorow
4. Repeat
Does anyone have any tips to get me off of this cycle? It's frustrating and miserable. Thanks!

88olds

Well, what's a "healthy breakfast" and what's for lunch? And what's your calorie target? Are your numbers too tight to live with?

When losing I planed 3 meals, 3 snacks. About 30% of my intake was breakfast. Had an apple late morning about 30 min before lunch. Helped.

Also, do you keep a food diary? Don't stop tracking just because you eat more than planned. Everyone wants to track their good days. Vow to track no matter what. A candy bar is likely in the 200-220 cal range. Not the end of the world. And no reason to quit.

Machka9

kib113356 wrote: »

So here is how my day will usually go:
1. I wake up feeling motivated. I exercise, drink plenty of water, and eat a healthy breakfast
2. I go to lunch and start craving other food, but the food I crave is loaded with calories
3. Someone offers me a candy bar or I pass a vending machine and I give up. I bulge for the rest of the day and say "I will start again tommorow
4. Repeat
Does anyone have any tips to get me off of this cycle? It's frustrating and miserable. Thanks!

Maybe ... change your pattern. Perhaps skip breakfast, and just have a light mid-morning snack instead. Perhaps walk or cycle as part of your commute to work in addition to your "exercise". Perhaps plan for a decent mid-afternoon snack. Maybe go for a quick brisk walk after lunch followed by another tall glass of water or cup of tea. Prelog everything including 1 "candy bar". There are lots of different things you could try.

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tinkerbellang83

Fit some of the higher calorie stuff and a candy bar into your day, it can be done and makes losing weight a lot less miserable, you are less likely to crave something if you're already having it in moderation.

LivingtheLeanDream

When we want to lose weight we have to want to lose badly enough to make changes. The good news is small changes make all the difference.
If you plan ahead, prepare your lunch ahead of time e.g. and there's nothing wrong with having a candy bar if it fits into your calorie allowance.

doonied

Everyday is a new day to try again...
You can always improve,
You can always try again,
Consistency is the most important thing...

kommodevaran

That is such a familiar pattern! It kept me yoyoing (sorta), and miserable and worried, for decades.

Now I do this instead:

1. I wake up feeling hungry. I'm looking forward to the simple but delicious breakfast that I have planned. I go to the bathroom, drink two cups of water, weigh myself, make coffee, mess around on the net a bit, and eat my breakfast.
2. I start to become hungry for lunch. When I feel "I want food NOW", or when I have time, I prepare the lunch I had planned, eat and enjoy.
3. If I'm offered anything, I consider if I want it and how much I want it up against my weight trend and what other foods I've eaten or planned that day.
4. Repeat.

I don't struggle with food or body weight anymore.

sksk1026

I'd add more protein and fat to breakfast. And have a plan for lunch - take it with you or know exactly what you're going to order. If you're uncontrollably hungry before lunch and it makes it difficult to stay on track then have some nuts 20 mins before lunchtime. 16 smokehouse almonds are delicious and will take the edge off your appetite. Also, take a look at your macros and see if there is a pattern to your cravings. What was the macro split on the days you did better. It's also worth looking at the macros of the night before a good day. And carry a water bottle. 500ml of water 20 min before lunch will help. Good for you, for persisting!!!

ckauszler

Let the people around you.know your in a healthy diet and you would appreciate if they didn't offer you sweets or anything that may Sabatoge your goals. That helped me a lot. And I drink water constantly all day long. When I get snack cravings. Feel free to add me as I love to support others and give ideas.

sksk1026

Saw an unusual tip on the mfp blog that I'm going to try too. Have a small tasteless snack to help you last to next meal e.g. a teaspoon of olive oil. Nothing to eat for an hour either side of snack. It does something good to the hunger hormone grehlin.

elisa123gal

gosh.. i can relate.. the yo yo.- not diet--..but motivation yo yo. I will add that if you pay attention to the foods you're eating.. you'll find some of them leave you hungry or experiencing cravings later. if you can identify those and switch to foods that don't lead to craving..it does help.
it could be what you're eating for your healthy breakfast.. ..because you're derailed by lunch

i know if i eat a cup of high fiber healthy cereal with low fat milk .. i crave other foods all day long, like a big macs. insane things i'd never normally want. Same with canned soups. so strange...

debradugas9

I have these days. I try to stick to my diary and if I can squeeze something in then great bu5 if not then I try to put it in for the next day if I'm craving it. I hope this helps...