Feel like falling off the wagon

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capriqueen
capriqueen Posts: 974 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I lost 20 pounds since I started my weight loss journey 3 months ago. I was initially working out just 2-3 days a week, then the last 3 weeks, I started going to the gym more regularly, about 5 times a week.

Since Thursday, however, I noticed my food intake go up, although it doesn't resemble the binges I used to have, but I didn't go to the gym. My cravings have definitely gotten better, but I just feel like I've undone the last few weeks of progress.

I don't know why I am posting, I mean I know I can dust this off and get back on the wagon, but I just felt like getting this off my chest. I am going on vacation in July and was trying to lose another 10 pounds before that. :/

Replies

  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,898 Member
    edited May 2018
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    1. What percentage of your exercise calories are you eating back?
    2. How many more pounds do you need to lose before you hit goal? If I did the math right, you're averaging 1.67 per week, and if you have less than 75 more pounds to lose, you're probably hungry because your deficit is too large for the amount of weight you need to lose.
    3. I see you're female - if you have a menstrual cycle and are premenstrual you might want to up your calories to maintenance for a few days. Some of us also get a little hungrier when we ovulate. At ovulation, I exercise more so I have more exercise calories to play with.
  • capriqueen
    capriqueen Posts: 974 Member
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    1. I don't really calculate it that way, but I stay at a 1000 calorie deficit per day. I typically burn about 300-400 calories per workout, and my sedentary TDEE is 1900 calories, so I eat between 1200-1400.
    2. I am currently 5'6, 173 pounds, and I am targeting 130 pounds. Right now I am trying to average 2 pounds a week but it's surely less than that- about 1.7 or so like you said.
    3. My menstrual cycle was last week, I still exercised but I went for lighter workouts but I upped my calories afterwards-part cravings and part hunger.
  • Tq43
    Tq43 Posts: 85 Member
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    Don't give up. You probably need to eat more of your exercise calories back. Then the cravings should be less. You're probably hungry .
  • danae16
    danae16 Posts: 62 Member
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    I'm not sure who posted this, but I thought it was kind of funny and fitting. "There is no wagon." You ate more for a while. That's ok. What is important is that you continue to make progress. Perhaps it is easier to keep going if you reduce the deficit a bit. Maybe by 25% or something like that. Even an extra 100 calories of veggies could help you feel less hungry.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,372 Member
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    Just look in the mirror and make your decision. We all have our days when we want to give up, but even if you have a few bad days, you can still move forward from there.
  • capriqueen
    capriqueen Posts: 974 Member
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    janejellyroll wrote: »
    capriqueen wrote: »
    1. I don't really calculate it that way, but I stay at a 1000 calorie deficit per day. I typically burn about 300-400 calories per workout, and my sedentary TDEE is 1900 calories, so I eat between 1200-1400.
    2. I am currently 5'6, 173 pounds, and I am targeting 130 pounds. Right now I am trying to average 2 pounds a week but it's surely less than that- about 1.7 or so like you said.
    3. My menstrual cycle was last week, I still exercised but I went for lighter workouts but I upped my calories afterwards-part cravings and part hunger.

    Your rate of loss is really aggressive. I think what you're experiencing is that it's completely normal to be able to sustain a deficit like that for a while, but then the hunger becomes an issue. It's what I experienced when I started (I wasn't eating back enough exercise calories). I felt great, the weight was flying off, and then I hit the wall. Once I adjusted for a more reasonable rate of loss, it was much easier to stay on track.

    @janejellyroll I am starting to think that too. Although I am happy that my cravings are nowhere close to how terrible they used to be before I started losing weight, my worst offender is midnight eating. I usually eat a piece of string cheese or a few nuts if I feel really hungry, but the last few days I have been eating a whole meal in the middle of the night-a sandwich/a quinoa pilaf, stuff like that. I guess I have to adjust my deficit-probably focus on weight training a little more.
  • CSARdiver
    CSARdiver Posts: 6,252 Member
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    Someone posted a brilliant bit of advice "There is no wagon"

    Thinking in terms of temporary vs. permanence - if this is a temporary plan then quite honestly you should stop now. If this is something you plan on doing for the rest of your life, then you're on the right path. One day or one week of indulgence isn't going to hurt long term, just as one day or one week of beneficial activity is not going to help. What matters is progress in the desired direction.

    Ask why your intake has gone up. Then ask why again, and again, until you get to the root cause.

    This plan is very aggressive. You need to slow down and address this long term - identify "bad" habits that led you to an undesired point and replace these with "good" habits that help you meet your goals. Only tackle one habit at a time though. Go slowly, be patient, and move deliberately.
  • nooshi713
    nooshi713 Posts: 4,877 Member
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    Sometimes you just need to vent and want moral support. You can do it. Maybe give yourself a break, eat at maintenance for a while, then try again.
  • GOT_Obsessed
    GOT_Obsessed Posts: 817 Member
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    nooshi713 wrote: »
    Sometimes you just need to vent and want moral support. You can do it. Maybe give yourself a break, eat at maintenance for a while, then try again.

    Yes great advice. Every 12 weeks a refeed is recommended.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,372 Member
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    kshama2001 wrote: »
    capriqueen wrote: »
    1. I don't really calculate it that way, but I stay at a 1000 calorie deficit per day. I typically burn about 300-400 calories per workout, and my sedentary TDEE is 1900 calories, so I eat between 1200-1400.
    2. I am currently 5'6, 173 pounds, and I am targeting 130 pounds. Right now I am trying to average 2 pounds a week but it's surely less than that- about 1.7 or so like you said.
    3. My menstrual cycle was last week, I still exercised but I went for lighter workouts but I upped my calories afterwards-part cravings and part hunger.

    With only 40 pounds to lose, a target of 2 pounds per week is too aggressive and the most likely culprit for you to want to fall off the wagon. Slow and steady wins the race.

    This. I never even considered aiming for 2 lbs a week. How are you going to stick to it if it makes you feel completely miserable and you can't eat anything you like because your goal is too low?
  • jennifer_417
    jennifer_417 Posts: 12,344 Member
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    We all have moments where we feel like quitting. There's no trick to it...just don't.
  • capriqueen
    capriqueen Posts: 974 Member
    edited May 2018
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    Francl27 wrote: »
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    capriqueen wrote: »
    1. I don't really calculate it that way, but I stay at a 1000 calorie deficit per day. I typically burn about 300-400 calories per workout, and my sedentary TDEE is 1900 calories, so I eat between 1200-1400.
    2. I am currently 5'6, 173 pounds, and I am targeting 130 pounds. Right now I am trying to average 2 pounds a week but it's surely less than that- about 1.7 or so like you said.
    3. My menstrual cycle was last week, I still exercised but I went for lighter workouts but I upped my calories afterwards-part cravings and part hunger.

    With only 40 pounds to lose, a target of 2 pounds per week is too aggressive and the most likely culprit for you to want to fall off the wagon. Slow and steady wins the race.

    This. I never even considered aiming for 2 lbs a week. How are you going to stick to it if it makes you feel completely miserable and you can't eat anything you like because your goal is too low?

    Hi @Francl27 ,
    I admit the 2 pound loss a week is aggressive, but to be honest I wasn't feeling deprived. If I had a craving, I would eat it, but in moderation. Before I started losing weight my cravings were off the chart, and it took me about 2 months to take care of those binges, without depriving myself in the process.

    I will definitely work on the calorie target. I think I owe it wanting to be a certain weight before my vacation, because of which I was putting a lot of pressure on myself. I thought I would take it slow this time and eat about 25% more, and target 1-1.5 pounds per week instead.

    Another thing is there's just a lot of stress on the home front. I really feel like I am falling apart and it's getting hard to balance that with exercise.
  • briscogun
    briscogun Posts: 1,135 Member
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    capriqueen wrote: »
    Francl27 wrote: »
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    capriqueen wrote: »
    1. I don't really calculate it that way, but I stay at a 1000 calorie deficit per day. I typically burn about 300-400 calories per workout, and my sedentary TDEE is 1900 calories, so I eat between 1200-1400.
    2. I am currently 5'6, 173 pounds, and I am targeting 130 pounds. Right now I am trying to average 2 pounds a week but it's surely less than that- about 1.7 or so like you said.
    3. My menstrual cycle was last week, I still exercised but I went for lighter workouts but I upped my calories afterwards-part cravings and part hunger.

    With only 40 pounds to lose, a target of 2 pounds per week is too aggressive and the most likely culprit for you to want to fall off the wagon. Slow and steady wins the race.

    This. I never even considered aiming for 2 lbs a week. How are you going to stick to it if it makes you feel completely miserable and you can't eat anything you like because your goal is too low?

    Hi @Francl27 ,
    I admit the 2 pound loss a week is aggressive, but to be honest I wasn't feeling deprived. If I had a craving, I would eat it, but in moderation. Before I started losing weight my cravings were off the chart, and it took me about 2 months to take care of those binges, without depriving myself in the process.

    I will definitely work on the calorie target. I think I owe it wanting to be a certain weight before my vacation, because of which I was putting a lot of pressure on myself. I thought I would take it slow this time and eat about 25% more, and target 1-1.5 pounds per week instead.

    Another thing is there's just a lot of stress on the home front. I really feel like I am falling apart and it's getting hard to balance that with exercise.

    I think a lot of us use the "lots going on" line of reasoning to justify our mishaps, but I've come to look at it the other way: when things are going goofy and I feel like I'm maybe not exactly in control of the ship, at least I can control my calories/diet/intake and make sure that part of my life is on point.

    As far as the weight loss prior to the vacation, you don't want to lose too much too fast. You have a good 2 months (give or take) so losing another 6-8 pounds is not out of the question. You will hardly notice the fact that you lost 8 versus 10 when you are out and about on your vacation, and no one else would be the wiser, either!

    Good luck!
  • try2again
    try2again Posts: 3,562 Member
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    capriqueen wrote: »
    Francl27 wrote: »
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    capriqueen wrote: »
    1. I don't really calculate it that way, but I stay at a 1000 calorie deficit per day. I typically burn about 300-400 calories per workout, and my sedentary TDEE is 1900 calories, so I eat between 1200-1400.
    2. I am currently 5'6, 173 pounds, and I am targeting 130 pounds. Right now I am trying to average 2 pounds a week but it's surely less than that- about 1.7 or so like you said.
    3. My menstrual cycle was last week, I still exercised but I went for lighter workouts but I upped my calories afterwards-part cravings and part hunger.

    With only 40 pounds to lose, a target of 2 pounds per week is too aggressive and the most likely culprit for you to want to fall off the wagon. Slow and steady wins the race.

    This. I never even considered aiming for 2 lbs a week. How are you going to stick to it if it makes you feel completely miserable and you can't eat anything you like because your goal is too low?

    Hi @Francl27 ,
    I admit the 2 pound loss a week is aggressive, but to be honest I wasn't feeling deprived. If I had a craving, I would eat it, but in moderation. Before I started losing weight my cravings were off the chart, and it took me about 2 months to take care of those binges, without depriving myself in the process.

    I will definitely work on the calorie target. I think I owe it wanting to be a certain weight before my vacation, because of which I was putting a lot of pressure on myself. I thought I would take it slow this time and eat about 25% more, and target 1-1.5 pounds per week instead.

    Another thing is there's just a lot of stress on the home front. I really feel like I am falling apart and it's getting hard to balance that with exercise.

    Your body can be deprived without you necessarily *feeling* deprived. Too steep of a calorie deficit very often leads to nose-dives off the wagon as your body seeks the fuel it needs. And steep deficits are a particularly bad idea when we are under stress. Sustainability is the key, and the fact that you are feeling the way you do indicates it's not sustainable.

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