your mistakes made

245

Replies

  • mariececilia10
    mariececilia10 Posts: 77 Member
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    Kept eating at a deficit after laparoscopic gallbladder surgery. Should've gone to (or near) maintenance calories for a few weeks.

    Separate issue: Didn't initially realize MFP calorie goals could be quite far off for a very few people, and that I was one, so underate by accident and lost weight too fast at first, to my detriment.

    @AnnPT77 May I ask what happened when you ate at a deficit instead of maintenance following your surgery? I’m in a similar situation right now!
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,204 Member
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    Kept eating at a deficit after laparoscopic gallbladder surgery. Should've gone to (or near) maintenance calories for a few weeks.

    Separate issue: Didn't initially realize MFP calorie goals could be quite far off for a very few people, and that I was one, so underate by accident and lost weight too fast at first, to my detriment.

    @AnnPT77 May I ask what happened when you ate at a deficit instead of maintenance following your surgery? I’m in a similar situation right now!

    Fortunately, my body prioritized healing, so that went OK. But I gradually became more fatigued and weak than ideal - not instantly after the surgery, so I don't think it was a surgical effect - but over the next week or two. I think I was taking a risk on the healing side of things, and that taking a break would've been a better plan, and maybe have gotten me back to a full energetic schedule faster. None of this is guaranteed to be a problem for others, but I think going to or near maintenance for a while is a sensible, conservative health choice. YMMV. :)
  • kgeyser
    kgeyser Posts: 22,505 Member
    I'm not sure I really made mistakes, as I knew what needed to be done. I was just lazy.

    @derbygraham what are yours?
  • mariececilia10
    mariececilia10 Posts: 77 Member
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    Kept eating at a deficit after laparoscopic gallbladder surgery. Should've gone to (or near) maintenance calories for a few weeks.

    Separate issue: Didn't initially realize MFP calorie goals could be quite far off for a very few people, and that I was one, so underate by accident and lost weight too fast at first, to my detriment.

    @AnnPT77 May I ask what happened when you ate at a deficit instead of maintenance following your surgery? I’m in a similar situation right now!

    Fortunately, my body prioritized healing, so that went OK. But I gradually became more fatigued and weak than ideal - not instantly after the surgery, so I don't think it was a surgical effect - but over the next week or two. I think I was taking a risk on the healing side of things, and that taking a break would've been a better plan, and maybe have gotten me back to a full energetic schedule faster. None of this is guaranteed to be a problem for others, but I think going to or near maintenance for a while is a sensible, conservative health choice. YMMV. :)

    Thanks for sharing. I was okay in a deficit for about a week and a half and then suddenly I snapped and had a binge-y weekend. I’m trying to not let it mentally ruin me in my efforts and I’m trying now to stay as close to maintenance as possible!
  • texasredreb
    texasredreb Posts: 541 Member
    Another huge past mistake was paying for "program" foods (ie Medifast). I did lose a lot of weight, but eventually I quit buying the food. I was able to maintain for a few years, but then I quit eating modest amounts and gained it all back plus.
  • Yivs_87
    Yivs_87 Posts: 246 Member
    Jruzer wrote: »
    Danp wrote: »
    Lessons I've learned in previous failed attempts that have helped me to succeed this time.
    - Misery doesn't burn any extra calories and there are no prizes for doing things the hard way. It's not a punishment and it's counterproductive to view it as a battle.
    - It's about weight management, not weight loss. Weight loss has an end date, weight management is for life. Weight management is about being in control of your weight. Making conscious decisions about when you'll eat in a deficit to lose weight, eat at maintenance, or even eat in a surplus to splurge and enjoy life.
    - It's all about consistency. It's better to eat 'pretty well' forever than 'perfectly' for a month or two. It's better to eat in a sustainable calorie deficit than overstrict for a while then binge.
    - If it's not a 'forever' change then it's not worth making. Temporary changes yield temporary results and as soon as you stop you just end up back where you started. There a loads of different ways to achieve results so find the ones that you can honestly say are forever and make those changes and discard the others.
    - Motivation is a catalyst for change not a fuel. Motivation is what starts a change, not what keeps it going. Motivation is the temporary burst that overcomes inertia and gets things moving. But it's temporary and limited. Once motivation has set things in motion it's done it's job. You can't rely on motivation to keep you going and you certainly can't rely on someone else to motivate you.
    - Support is bonus but shouldn't be a necessity. In the end this is something you have to do yourself and while having supportive people can make things easier they can't do this for you. Support is nice, support is helpful but when all is said and done if you don't do this yourself all the support in the world isn't going to make a lick of difference.
    - Weight management is simple (but not necessarily easy) so don't overthink it. When it comes down to it weight management isn't complicated. For the most part it's a very simple energy equation so there's no point making things more difficult than it needs to be. Find what works, do what works and keep it simple.
    - The old saying you can't out run your fork. While there's a small degree of overlap, generally speaking weight management happens in the kitchen and fitness happens in the gym.
    - Weight management isn't worth compromising or missing out on the good things in life. There are 365 days in the year, a week here and a few day there of indulgence while celebrating or on vacation only accounts for about 8% of the year and no matter how much you indulge isn't going to undo the progress of the other 92% so live it up when you get the chance. Life's too short.
    - Denial and deprivation don't work. I want what I want and denying myself something isn't going to stop me wanting it. In the end that craving will be indulged and chances are I'm gonna make the most of the 'forbidden' and really go to town. A much better approach is to have nothing off limits. This takes away the lure of the forbidden, allows for 'controlled' indulgences, removes the feeling of deprivation and denial and the guilt associated with 'falling off the wagon'.

    This should be a sticky...

    Agreed. This is one of the best things I've read on these forums.

    I've already suggested the thread to be stickied :)