Fell off the wagon..

jessackerman21

I’ve fallen off the wagon, bad. I’ve been really stressed and not caring about my food choices. I’m fully aware of what I’m eating when I do it.. but I’m too emotionally weak/ tired to care. I was doing good for awhile but then stalled.. so I’m assuming that had something to do with it too and got discouraged. I’ve been avoiding the scale for a few weeks and just stepped on it this morning.. up 5 pounds. I feel like that just made my stress level go up. I have so many different things going on in my life and I can’t fully commit to ANYTHING. It feels like self sabotage. Zero motivation.

I need a reset.. any suggestions? Sorry for rambling.. I have no one to talk to..

LivingtheLeanDream

You're not the first, and you wont be the last so don't be hard on yourself.
Recommit to logging everything, even when you know you've gone over - it'll help keep you accountable.
Also keep stepping on the scales, that will also keep you accountable.
Your motivation is that you can make a difference, bit by bit you can lose or get fitter, whatever your goal may be but you have to keep going.

And as for having noone to talk to, that's the great thing about this app, ramble here - it helps

All the best.

tinkerbellang83

One weigh in over a few weeks doesn't necessarily mean you've gained 5lbs of fat.

There are a lot of factors that affect bodyweight outside of fat loss/gain - how much food/fluid you're currently digesting, how often you're going to the bathroom and the body adjusting it's water balance.

You may have just had a particularly high sodium/carb intake the day before, you may be at a particular point in your menstrual cycle, etc.

One weigh in is meaningless and cannot indicate if you've sabotaged yourself. You need about 4-6 weeks of data (weigh ins) to establish a trend to see what is happening in terms of fat loss/gain.

It's a vicious cycle to get into - I struggle myself with stress eating and it often goes something like this



Improving my knowledge of the science/maths behind weight loss has been a crucial part of helping to break the cycle.

I still struggle, but I am getting better at not punishing myself.

If it seems like it might be difficult to make better choices, take it a step at a time. Instead of trying to change everything at once again, make it a goal to make better choices for one meal a day.

Keeping some meals in the freezer that can be reheated on days that you're feeling emotionally exhausted and finding other methods of dealing with stress (activity or exercise, meditation, colouring books, writing, etc) can be useful too.

NovusDies

I suggest asking less of yourself at the moment. Set MFP to maintain weight and try to stay in that goal instead of a goal that included a deficit. You know that ultimately you need to be caring about A calorie goal even if it is relaxed for a short time. It keeps you in the habit of logging, it keeps you "on the wagon", and it helps prevent adding additional burden to yourself when you are ready to lose again.

I don't know what a "few weeks" is but as mentioned above it may not all be fat gain. It could even be that you have gained no fat weight.

COGypsy

I’d also point out that you don’t need special food to lose weight. You mentioned not caring about your food choices. I don’t know if you were thinking of what or how much (or both), but as long as your calories are in check, you’ll still lose weight. For me, food is where I save time and effort first when things get hectic. I’ve lost about 60 pounds and maintained that for almost 4 years now. When things get busy, I am first in line for frozen dinners, takeout and delivery! Just watch your choices and your portions and you’ll get through your crazy time. Then when things calm down, you can get back to a better routine.

apullum

There’s no wagon.

Sometimes we can prioritize weight loss; sometimes we have other mental or physical health needs that have to take priority for a while. That’s what has been going on for you lately. You have other needs that you should look after before focusing on weight loss.

I would recommend considering whether a counselor might be able to help, and eating at maintenance until you’ve addressed your other needs and can focus on weight loss.

ellie117

OP you're definitely not alone! I fell off this year and gained back 20lbs - at least you caught it at 5lbs!

What is keeping me motivated this time is the upset feeling I have at myself right now for waiting so long to get back on track. 6 months from now you will be so glad and proud of yourself for getting back into it rather than spending those 6 months hating yourself.

You can do it!

amy19355

The older I get , the more easily I can see how overweight and out of shape is a recipe for a really crappy retirement plan.

Look around at the general population. The world is increasing in general obesity; it's written about all the time; our kids are at risk before they ever reach adulthood.

Losing weight by Eating smart is not hard to do, it just takes some attention and planning, and commitment. MFP logging really helps me with this.

Getting in shape is harder when it hasn't been regular practice, but, it is possible.

My best buddy once said to me " practice sitting alot of the time, and you'll get so good at it that you'll never walk again".
I threw out my couch the next day. (seriously, I do not own a couch, just a few straight back chairs.)

I get all the practice sitting that I need while at the office 40 hours a week.

good luck to you, and good fitness to us all!

jessackerman21

Thanks everyone

AnnPT77

Yup, no wagon.

A healthy weight and a healthy diet are mostly about many small changes of habit and routine, over a long period of time, not about an exceptional day or even few weeks when real life gets stressful and disrupts those good habits.

Your scale weight is just a piece of neutral quantitative data about the relationship between your body and gravity. It's not in any way a measure of your worth as a human being.

Give yourself a little kindness and sympathy, just as you'd do with any other close friend who was going through a rough patch. Give yourself some breathing room, maybe think about those suggestions for eating at maintenance for a bit, or seeing a counselor. Do some simple things that make you happy (spa day, even a nice indulgent bubble bath; an easy walk at someplace beautiful on a nice day; listen to some enjoyable music; whatever floats your personal boat).

If weight loss is your goal, take that route in a way that's sympathetic and kind to yourself, too: It's not necessary to eat at a punitively low calorie level to lose weight. A little below maintenance, slow and steady, will do the trick, and will be much easier. It's fine to have the occasional day at or over maintenance calories for a special occasion: Social connection and celebration are important to a happy life, too. It need not be 100% "clean foods" (whatever that means! ), during weight loss or ever, just gradually try to work toward getting overall decent nutrition, plus some reasonable portions of treat foods.

You don't have to adopt some kind of miserably intense exercise schedule you don't enjoy; just gradually work at moving a little more in daily life, and maybe longer term start thinking about adding some fun, more movement-oriented hobbies you enjoy.

Small, gradual changes in habit and routine. Self-care, self-kindness. You can do those things, just keep chipping away at it! :flowerforyou:

psychod787

apullum wrote: »

There’s no wagon.

Sometimes we can prioritize weight loss; sometimes we have other mental or physical health needs that have to take priority for a while. That’s what has been going on for you lately. You have other needs that you should look after before focusing on weight loss.

I would recommend considering whether a counselor might be able to help, and eating at maintenance until you’ve addressed your other needs and can focus on weight loss.

Yes, what wagon? I see people talk about it a lot, i have just never seen it. Pick up where you left off and move. Never stop moving. Idle minds and hands can be destructive.

kristen8000

Can I suggest some YouTube Vlogs I think you'd get some benefit out of?

I started watching a fitness trainer named Jordan Syatt recently. I love the way he "puts things". I like his videos on nutrition more than fitness, but he's a coach and had various clients with exactly these worries.

He always says "You can't "kitten" this up". Yes, you can over eat, but you also have the power to get on track again. I recommend you find him and watch. He's helped me wrap my brain around scale fluctuations and calorie counting and it's ok to "mess up" but what's most important is that you get back in the game.

slbbw

I with the no wagon crew. Weight loss is stressful, literally on your body. Acute stress coming from other areas can be the proverbial camel. Your mental health is taking priority right now. Are there any small habits you can focus on to keep things stable until you are ready to recommit to weightloss. Setting strict goals in the midst of life stress is difficult. But maybe movement helps you with stress overall,so commit to getting some movement in per day. Commit yourself to one positive self-care thing per day. Focus on just increasing your positive self talk, and when you are ready to re-prioritize weight loss it will be there. Weight gain is not a moral failing and weight loss is not a moral success. It is also not a black or white scario. health is on a continuum, with baby steps still counting.

jessackerman21

Thank you guys so much. I really appreciate all the input and support. ❤️ I will definitely take each and every suggestion.