Failing to reach my goals

Hi everyone,

I am hoping your stories will help me. I have lost 80lbs and still have 30lbs to lose. Unfortunately I suffer from PCOS and hypothyroid and my sugar cravings are crazy. I have been trying for almost a year now to lose the last 30lbs but with no progress. I lose 10 and have something sweet and then eat like crap for a week and gain it back. My question is how did you finally get your mind right. It's mental space that isn't working. I workout 5-6 days a week and I know I am able to lose the weight if I kept at it. I need to get in the mental space as a professional body builder or personal trainer. Do you have any tricks. I am tired and exhausted. Thanks!!

Replies

  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Have you had a diet break since losing 80lbs?
  • cloe31
    cloe31 Posts: 75 Member
    I feel like I keep taking diet breaks with all those weeks of "cheating"
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    cloe31 wrote: »
    I feel like I keep taking diet breaks with all those weeks of "cheating"

    But cheating is different to giving yourself permission to eat at maintenance.
  • cloe31
    cloe31 Posts: 75 Member
    To be honest no I have never done that I just swing back and forth to my plan and then having full on cheats. How long should I be at maintenance for before going back?
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    cloe31 wrote: »
    To be honest no I have never done that I just swing back and forth to my plan and then having full on cheats. How long should I be at maintenance for before going back?

    I'd go for at least a week, see if after that you're mentally ready for a deficit after that?
  • cloe31
    cloe31 Posts: 75 Member
    ok thanks I will try it
  • 88olds
    88olds Posts: 4,538 Member
    Do you keep a food diary? Count calories? You mention the gym, how do control portions?
  • cloe31
    cloe31 Posts: 75 Member
    I have a trainer that does a meal and workout plan. Everything is measured with cups and weight. And I also write down what I eat everyday.
  • pinuplove
    pinuplove Posts: 12,871 Member
    Eating at maintenance is how you'll spend the rest of your life (hopefully, at least that's the goal!) So it's a good idea to get some practice in now. That's the only way to stop the yo-yo.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    edited April 2019
    cloe31 wrote: »
    I have a trainer that does a meal and workout plan. Everything is measured with cups and weight. And I also write down what I eat everyday.

    Have you told them about your feelings of burnout? What do they suggest?
  • cloe31
    cloe31 Posts: 75 Member
    I have talked about it but i think she just thinks i am not sticking to my plan. She never struggles with her eating so its hard to relate.
  • cloe31
    cloe31 Posts: 75 Member
    I also suffer with a bad relationship with food and binge eating
  • sindabeeson
    sindabeeson Posts: 5 Member
    I have PCOS and my doctor prescribed me Metformin. It helps with the cravings.
  • sindabeeson
    sindabeeson Posts: 5 Member
    I said helps. But what I meant to say is it took the cravings away completely.
  • eeanneli
    eeanneli Posts: 35 Member
    I would maybe also speak to yhem about building a few sweet things in. If you find sweet tooth takes you off plan try build in some and may feel less likely to go off plan for weeks
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    cloe31 wrote: »
    I have talked about it but i think she just thinks i am not sticking to my plan. She never struggles with her eating so its hard to relate.

    Will she do your plan for your diet break?
  • cloe31
    cloe31 Posts: 75 Member
    I have PCOS and my doctor prescribed me Metformin. It helps with the cravings.

    I can't take metformin it makes me throw up
  • cloe31
    cloe31 Posts: 75 Member
    eeanneli wrote: »
    I would maybe also speak to yhem about building a few sweet things in. If you find sweet tooth takes you off plan try build in some and may feel less likely to go off plan for weeks

    I think you are right I might need to add something sweet once a week or something like that
  • cloe31
    cloe31 Posts: 75 Member
    cloe31 wrote: »
    I have talked about it but i think she just thinks i am not sticking to my plan. She never struggles with her eating so its hard to relate.

    Will she do your plan for your diet break?

    No she won't. Like you said I might just need a brake from the constant dieting and trying to lose weight. This week I am concentrating on only eating when I am hungry and eating what I want.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    cloe31 wrote: »
    cloe31 wrote: »
    I have talked about it but i think she just thinks i am not sticking to my plan. She never struggles with her eating so its hard to relate.

    Will she do your plan for your diet break?

    No she won't. Like you said I might just need a brake from the constant dieting and trying to lose weight. This week I am concentrating on only eating when I am hungry and eating what I want.

    if intuitive eating works for you then that's great, a lot of people have to count calories because it doesn't.
  • cheryldumais
    cheryldumais Posts: 1,907 Member
    I went through the same thing. I lost 80 or so pounds and got stuck. Months went by. I finally took a diet break for a week and then got back on track. I upped my calories by about 100 when I went back to a deficit just because I couldn't face 1200 again. During the break I think I gained 2 or 3 pounds which came back off then I started losing slowly after that. It took me a year to lose the 20 pounds I had left. Be patient. It's worth it.
  • cheryldumais
    cheryldumais Posts: 1,907 Member
    BTW, I am also hypothyroid and was a sugar addict. I quit sugar and occasionally now indulge on a bite or two but sparingly. I do eat sugarless candy but it doesn't seem to set me off and I can't eat more than one or two daily because the sugar alcohols do bad stuff to my digestion, lol.
  • TanyaHooton
    TanyaHooton Posts: 249 Member
    It gets harder and takes longer to lose weight the closer you are to goal. With 30 pounds to lose, you'll have to be more precise than you were before you lost the 80 lbs. (Congrats on losing that much, by the way!)

    I agree with others to give yourself a diet break - literally permission to eat at maintenance for a week or two. Sounds like you need the mental reprieve for a bit. It's hard to be strict and go full throttle for long periods of time. Humans were always meant to have little breaks and treats.

    Then also give yourself permission to do two things: 1) to re-commit when you feel mentally and emotionally ready, and 2) to allow yourself to consider other plans than letting your trainer manage your food intake. Maybe that way worked before but isn't the best solution now that things have changed.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,557 Member
    cloe31 wrote: »
    I also suffer with a bad relationship with food and binge eating

    How fast have you been losing weight (during recent periods when you stuck to your plan, or close)?

    Is there any possibility that your plan is now too restrictive? With 30 pounds to go, it would be reasonable to be targeting around a pound a week loss now, and cutting that to half a pound in 10-15 pounds.

    But the diet break first, at maintenance, is a good idea to give you some time to consider things.

    Personally, I found that making it a point to get three servings of fruit daily helped reduce my cravings for less nutrition-dense sweets like cakes/cookies/candy. (I still eat those sometimes, but don't crave them like I used to). But maybe you're already eating plenty of fruit. And though it doesn't work for everyone, but I'm not the only person here who's found it helpful. (I'm hypothyroid, but no PCOS, BTW).

  • cloe31
    cloe31 Posts: 75 Member
    fh1951 wrote: »
    OP, “Failing to reach my goals” is a distorted statement. You have lost 80 pounds and you have 30 to go, so you are already nearly 3/4’s of the way to where you set out to be. That is not failure! Re-calibrate your thinking to focus on your success; make your goal more important than any distractions, no matter how strong, and you will reach it.

    Sugar fires off the same region of the brain as heroin, by the way. I would not expect to use heroin without becoming addicted, and I avoid sugar with the same amount of cautious respect; and for me, a 500 mg magnesium supplement daily helps suppress the cravings.

    You are so right my thinking is not right. Time to refocus. Thanks
  • cloe31
    cloe31 Posts: 75 Member
    BTW, I am also hypothyroid and was a sugar addict. I quit sugar and occasionally now indulge on a bite or two but sparingly. I do eat sugarless candy but it doesn't seem to set me off and I can't eat more than one or two daily because the sugar alcohols do bad stuff to my digestion, lol.

    Good idea!!
  • cloe31
    cloe31 Posts: 75 Member
    It gets harder and takes longer to lose weight the closer you are to goal. With 30 pounds to lose, you'll have to be more precise than you were before you lost the 80 lbs. (Congrats on losing that much, by the way!)

    I agree with others to give yourself a diet break - literally permission to eat at maintenance for a week or two. Sounds like you need the mental reprieve for a bit. It's hard to be strict and go full throttle for long periods of time. Humans were always meant to have little breaks and treats.

    Then also give yourself permission to do two things: 1) to re-commit when you feel mentally and emotionally ready, and 2) to allow yourself to consider other plans than letting your trainer manage your food intake. Maybe that way worked before but isn't the best solution now that things have changed.

    Thanks!!
  • cloe31
    cloe31 Posts: 75 Member
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    cloe31 wrote: »
    I also suffer with a bad relationship with food and binge eating

    How fast have you been losing weight (during recent periods when you stuck to your plan, or close)?

    Is there any possibility that your plan is now too restrictive? With 30 pounds to go, it would be reasonable to be targeting around a pound a week loss now, and cutting that to half a pound in 10-15 pounds.

    But the diet break first, at maintenance, is a good idea to give you some time to consider things.

    Personally, I found that making it a point to get three servings of fruit daily helped reduce my cravings for less nutrition-dense sweets like cakes/cookies/candy. (I still eat those sometimes, but don't crave them like I used to). But maybe you're already eating plenty of fruit. And though it doesn't work for everyone, but I'm not the only person here who's found it helpful. (I'm hypothyroid, but no PCOS, BTW).

    I lost around 30lbs before I met my trainer and it took me a year or so. Then I followed her plan and lost 30lbs in 3 months. Then it took me a year to lose the other 20lbs. I will try eating more fruit and see if that helps. This is my first week or being on a diet brake and I feel relieved already.