How to keep things going

claytondineen

I have lost over 110lbs, and now struggling more than ever. I can't stop eating out and over-eating. I have gained over 10lbs back and it kills me. Hoping to get back on track but any advice would be appreciated.

quiksylver296

Have you taken a diet break at any point during your weight loss? Sounds like it might be time, if not.

88olds

Are you keeping a food diary? What are your goals?

pinuplove

Seconding the diet break suggestion. It's good practice for maintenance and sometimes giving yourself permission to eat a little more all the time stops the cycle of overeating and guilt.

What are your current goals? Would you still like to lose more or are you focused on body composition?

MDBeanCounter

I lost 35 lbs by walking an hour each day and staying near 1200 calories. I was starting to get a bit burned out so I took a break for a week. I ate nothing but cheese - something that I didnt eat very often - and I didnt work out at all. I felt so crappy by the end of the week I was ready to get back to the gym. lol. I lost another 25 lbs after the break.

smolmaus

What's changed? Stress levels? Sleeping patterns? Upset routine?

I agree that a diet break might not be the worst idea. If you're eating at a deficit for a long time your brain can react weirdly to temporarily "losing control." This is from personal experience but it seemed like as soon as I decided I was "allowed" to eat more, that quickly became "eat everything". I remind myself of a dog that's stolen a plate of sausages, I'm eating like someone is going to come take it off me.

10lb is barely noticeable, I wouldn't worry about losing it right now. Concentrate on upsetting these new habits asap before you get settled into them. Find something else to focus on like a new meal plan or a new activity and work on maintenance for a bit! Shake things up so you don't get caught in a cycle of over-eating and guilt (you have nothing to feel guilty about, this is extremely normal) and remind yourself that all the food you want is always going to be there. You don't need to eat it all at once!

pinuplove

Don't let the fact that it's 214 pages scare you - there's some really great info in the first few pages of this thread for anyone who has lost a significant amount of weight and is struggling. https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10604863/of-refeeds-and-diet-breaks/p1

Iamnotasenior

I am right there with you. I lost a little over 50 pounds and then MyFitnessPal updated their App and my old phone would no longer let me log in. I lost my logging streak of almost a year without missing a day and I found it harder and harder to log food without the App. I began to allow myself to eat more because "I deserved it" after losing 50 pounds right? Well, I bought a new phone, downloaded the app again, but just couldn't get back in the logging groove. So in protest, I ate more! I was practically addicted to sugar and candy and would go home and binge eat ice cream instead of having dinner. Well, I've now regained 20 pounds of the 50 I lost and I am feeling really dumb. So today, I'm declaring that my little pity party/toddler tantrum is officially over and I am logging again and will be losing again until I reach my goal weight.

I find that almost anything can be an excuse to over-eat whether it's a comment from a loved one, a stressful day at work or just the fact that I have been on this journey for almost two years now and am just TIRED of it. Today, is day one. I'll get through today and then I'll think about tomorrow. Hang in there.

anl90

For me personally, when I got back into my healthier routine, I started out small and grew to the point I had gotten to. I didn't jump back in where I left off because I knew that would just set me up for failure. I have to be eased into things, so maybe that is the case for? Also, just keep in mind even if you gained some of it back you are still down a significant amount, so embrace that.