Diet fatigue creeping in

leelee_lani

I’m on the fourth month of logging in everyday and being committed to loosing weight. I’ve lost 22 lbs since January 27th and am kicking butt at working out, but I’m slipping in more calories and creeping towards a maintenance calorie count. I still have 40 lbs I’d like to lose so I can’t stop now. How the heck do I not over restrict and binge or fall back into my old habit of mindless eating? Ugh! I seem to never get over this 20lb weight loss mark and end up gaining it all back.
Have any of you found a way to eat some fun foods without going overboard? I know compete restriction back fires for me and doesn’t make sense for the long run. But I’m eating a little here and there and the calories are adding up. Getting discouraged. How about setting a day a week or month for fun foods?? Trying to find a way to not restrict and binge and keep myself in a deficit. Thanks!

Lietchi

I actually have fun foods (treats) every day. I 'make room' for them in my calorie budget beforehand. Sometimes a very small treat (one or two After Eight mints), sometimes medium (50gr of protein chips) or even large (half a tub of Ben and Jerry's), depending on my activity level and exercise that day.

That being said, all my main meals are foods I like too, just in more appropriate quantities than before my weight-loss.

goatg

I dont have the most experience with this (since logging for a full month seems unimaginable) however I do relate to feeling fatigued with logging. I used to play with 1-2 days logging, 1-2 days off. So, this is my idea—
In training I take a recovery week every 4 weeks. Maybe do the same? Give yourself maintenance calories for 5-7 days and be extra kind during that time: walk and stretch more, cook for joy and add a little more fat, self-care and find a peaceful headspace. Take your time and then return to deficit.

swimmchick87

Lietchi wrote: »

I actually have fun foods (treats) every day. I 'make room' for them in my calorie budget beforehand. Sometimes a very small treat (one or two After Eight mints), sometimes medium (50gr of protein chips) or even large (half a tub of Ben and Jerry's), depending on my activity level and exercise that day.

That being said, all my main meals are foods I like too, just in more appropriate quantities than before my weight-loss.

This is very similar to what I do. I stay within my calorie limits and try to be more conscientious of nutrition, but I eat a lot of food I like every day, including snacks and treats. The biggest thing that made the difference for me was also changing my goal to only lose 1 pound per week. I simply cannot stick to 1200 calories long term. With the one pound per week goal, I get a much more manageable 1550 calories per day. And if I stick with it, 1 pound per week over time is still a very good deal- that's a whole lot of weight lost over the course of a year, vs. losing 15-20 pounds, getting frustrated, gaining it all back plus more, starting over, etc. I also have a fitbit. Getting my 10,000 steps daily typically gives me another 100-150 calories daily. I don't eat those a lot of the time, but if I'm really craving a lot of food that day I'll walk even more and "eat back" those calories rather than just throwing in the towel for the day.

I actually did that today and was very proud of myself. I have struggled with "all or nothing" thinking for a very long time, where I feel like if I eat something "really bad" I might as well just eat all of the foods that day and start over tomorrow. Obviously starting over tomorrow doesn't typically happen...it turns into a few days, a week, a month, etc. I've been going pretty strong since January 1. Today I went to my favorite fast food place and had an almost 1100 calorie lunch- problematic because I typically prefer to save most of my calories for dinner. Those old thoughts of just having an "off" day crept in and I planned to eat whatever I wanted the rest of the day and "get back on track tomorrow."

Then I realized that I felt perfectly satisfied with the food I'd had and I didn't need to keep eating after that. I figured I could still have a big dinner and at minimum stay within my maintenance calories for the day. Then it seemed silly to not do my walking as well, so I went ahead and did that. And then realized if I walked just a little more, I could still have a 600 calorie dinner and stay within my calorie goal with "eating back" my exercise calories. It is so important for me to see that even having an 1100 calorie fast food lunch does not mean I've ruined the day. Now of course I don't want to do that every day, but it's 100x better than eating god knows how many extra calories because "I've already ruined it." If you're really craving something, try plugging it into MFP and see what you can work with. Can you fit it in if you eat lighter the rest of the day? Do more exercise? Even if you can't, can you still track and eat at maintenance for a day rather than going totally off the rails?

MaltedTea

Hmm, if you have not already then be sure to recalculate your BMI and activity levels every other month or so, at least.

At this point, you may need more food anyway in order to reach your goals.

I know it sounds crazy but you may get to a point where eating back your "exercise calories" will allow a lot more flexibility with food...and still make you lose weight, body fat, etc.

Terytha

I eat fast food for dinner every Friday and chocolate for dessert every day. I'm almost never over 1500 calories.

Calorie is king. Find a way to fit it in. There's no meaning in a diet where you feel fatigued after a few months because this is probably how you have to eat forever. Maintenance isn't a given. You have to work just as hard at it.

88olds

A couple of thoughts-

Butt kicking workouts are overrated as a weight loss strategy. I’ve tried it. There are a lot of benefits from working out. But intense workouts while losing weight can be very slow going and require spot on eating.

Have you considered a diet break? A week at maintenance for your current weight. Maybe 2 weeks. Then rework all you numbers and start over. But keep your food diary going. There’s no break from keeping control of the process.

When I started I did this fill in the blank- I can do this long term if_______. One of my answers was get a treat every day. So I researched treats. I found that I got the most satisfaction with a controlled portion of something frozen. If it’s a potentially plan friendly frozen treat I’ve probably tried it. Current favorite is no sugar added ice cream.,125 calories worth, about 7% of my budget. I’ve lost 40+ lbs and maintained for years eating ice cream nearly every day.

It’s my defense against feeling deprived. And this- give in to some other treat or indulgence- no ice cream. I like my current system, I don’t want it disrupted.

Consider yourself a scientist and conduct some experiments to find what works for you. I experimented with cookies but found I would scarf down 125 calories worth in a minute and just want more. But if I’m remembering right, @cmriverside on this board can eat cookies and stop a 2. Trial and error takes time but it’s really the only way.

Last- don’t kick yourself for struggling. You are at a place where the weight loss rubber meets the road. And the answer is not how well you beat yourself into submission. The answer is how well you solve problems. It does take some persistence but it also requires experimenting and adapting. Keep trying until you get over this hump. You’ll get to another hump soon enough. Never quit.

leelee_lani

MaltedTea wrote: »

Hmm, if you have not already then be sure to recalculate your BMI and activity levels every other month or so, at least.

At this point, you may need more food anyway in order to reach your goals.

I know it sounds crazy but you may get to a point where eating back your "exercise calories" will allow a lot more flexibility with food...and still make you lose weight, body fat, etc.

Thanks, I recently updated my goals which is 1310/day and I always eat back my exercise calories. I just have been going over my count more lately and am afraid of slipping down the slippery slope.

leelee_lani

Thanks everyone for the encouragement and insightfulness. I stayed under my count today (only by 4 calories) but was more careful about slipping up and enjoyed my food. I even made homemade bread and enjoyed a slice with butter. Trying to get rid of the years of beating myself up and feeling guilty for eating “bad foods”. The all or nothing mentality needs to go for success, I am realizing this more and more.

elisa123gal

Have you toyed with the idea of maintaining where you are for a month or two..even more? Then you can start reducing when you feel totally fine with the idea. At least you won't gain it all back...and in the meantime you can work on new healthy recipes and your workouts.

AnnPT77

Maybe think of this more as "maintenance practice" and less as "lose weight fast" (I know that you're not doing ultra-fast, but bear with me on the concept ).

Most of us want not only to lose down to a healthy weight, but then also maintain that healthy weight long term, right? In that context, weight loss is a time where we figure out how we're going to do that. Losing weight slowly is fine, and eating up to maintenance calories some but not all days is still going to result in weight loss. We can save up a few calories some days, to eat more calories other days, if we want to - as long as we can figure out how to do that without setting up a binge/restrict cycle.

Weight loss, in that sense, is sort of a science-fair experiment.

The key thing is figuring what to eat, and when to eat, so that we mostly stay full, get to eat the foods we most enjoy somewhat regularly (maybe not in the same portion size or frequency as we used to, but a satisfying amount), get decent nutrition, and achieve/maintain a desirable weight. Alongside that, we can figure out what kind of activity schedule - any kind of enjoyable body movement, not just official "exercise" - fits well into our life, so we want to keep doing it long term. (The idea that exercise has to be miserable and exhausting to be useful is a myth.)

It's a balancing act, to be figured out, then carried out long term, not a sprint to the finish line.

Ideally, we reach goal weight someday, but it isn't a huge transition: Maybe just eat a few more calories on an average day, permanently, and stay happy, active, and at a sustainable healthy weight.

kimny72

I wanted to add, if you've lost 22 lbs since Jan 27, you've been losing at a pace of 2 lbs per week. With 20 lbs left to go,that is a very aggressive rate of loss. As others have said, a diet break for a couple of weeks where you purposefully eat your maintenance calories might be a good idea. Then change your goal to 1 lb per week. Often when people try to lose quickly, they hit the wall and quit before they reach goal.

I'm another one who ate all the stuff I loved while losing weight. Learning how to eat in a way I enjoyed at the right calorie level was a huge eye opener for me, and it set me up for an easier time transitioning to maintenance too

cupcakesandproteinshakes

I also agree with taking maintenance periods for as long as you want or need to. I did this accidentally when I was losing but purposeful periods on the way down Are beneficial for hormonal and psychological reasons

leelee_lani

Ah, you guys are the best. Thank you. I feel so much better and ready to continue on my journey

MsCzar

Resurrecting this thread since I am going through a bad bout of diet fatigue just now. I've stayed more or less on track for 6 months now - losing 60 lbs. I need to lose 50 more, but suddenly it seems harder and harder to stay on track.

I am by no means giving up, but I do need some effective strategies for getting through this rough patch. I know I'd do better with a concrete plan than struggling daily and possibly facing failure.

So what has worked for you? Powering through with even stricter diet parameters for a week so that returning to 'regular dieting' feels luxurious? Setting short term mini-goals? Going into maintenance mode for a week? Moving your daily calorie load around?

Oliveciabatta

I try to keep under my calories 6 days out of 7. I let my hair down on a Saturday as I spend time with my partner and allow for a leisurely lunch out or a takeaway and a day off training. I still keep to near abouts my limit but I won't worry if I slip over by a little as I tend to train hard on a Sunday going horseriding or long bike rides so I figure the extra calories the night before are no great worry. Maybe it isn't the best idea for all but it certainly makes for better relationship with him if I'm not stressed about what I'm eating while we are making time for each other.

kimny72

MsCzar wrote: »

Resurrecting this thread since I am going through a bad bout of diet fatigue just now. I've stayed more or less on track for 6 months now - losing 60 lbs. I need to lose 50 more, but suddenly it seems harder and harder to stay on track.

I am by no means giving up, but I do need some effective strategies for getting through this rough patch. I know I'd do better with a concrete plan than struggling daily and possibly facing failure.

So what has worked for you? Powering through with even stricter diet parameters for a week so that returning to 'regular dieting' feels luxurious? Setting short term mini-goals? Going into maintenance mode for a week? Moving your daily calorie load around?

Have you taken a diet break? You have been losing at a very fast clip for a long time, and in addition to being psychologically hard it can take a toll on your energy level and hormonal balance.

Try eating at maintenance for a couple of weeks, then consider reducing your goal to 1.5 lbs per week. Your rate of loss should continue to slow down as you get closer to goal, and take a week or two at maintenance every few months as well.

Congrats on your success so far!

MsCzar

Thanks! I think of my weight loss as terribly slooooow. But I guess it's not been really.

I've been aiming for 1000 calories a day but usually end up overshooting that to 1200 3-4 days a week. I eat only two meals a day taken between 11AM and 6PM - calories pretty evenly split. Also doing 30 minutes of cardio every day. Until now, it's been surprisingly painless.

However, after six months of relatively clean eating, I am beginning to crave junk food and winter comfort foods. So far, I've fought it by adding most of my calories to my first meal to feel very full - but then it takes a will of steel to get through the rest of the day with only broth, plain hot tea and a little steamed veg.

I'm past the half-way point to my goal. It's frustrating since I think I should totally have this in hand by now.

kimny72

MsCzar wrote: »

Thanks! I think of my weight loss as terribly slooooow. But I guess it's not been really.

I've been aiming for 1000 calories a day but usually end up overshooting that to 1200 3-4 days a week. I eat only two meals a day taken between 11AM and 6PM - calories pretty evenly split. Also doing 30 minutes of cardio every day. Until now, it's been surprisingly painless.

However, after six months of relatively clean eating, I am beginning to crave junk food and winter comfort foods. So far, I've fought it by adding most of my calories to my first meal to feel very full - but then it takes a will of steel to get through the rest of the day with only broth, plain hot tea and a little steamed veg.

I'm past the half-way point to my goal. It's frustrating since I think I should totally have this in hand by now.

You are struggling because, if your calorie counting is accurate, you have been undereating. Consequences like hair loss, muscle fatigue, depression, and hormonal imbalance can take a while to present, but once they do it can take months to recover.

Except for people who are obese, losing an avg of one lb per week or so is realistic and healthy weight loss. Fast weight loss due to undereating will leave you with a lot of muscle loss along with possibly some of the above symptoms, making it way harder to keep the weight off. You will do yourself a world of good by eating at a healthier calorie goal and weight loss pace. Eat foods you like. Take breaks. Check out the Most Helpful Posts threads pinned to the top of each sub-forum, lots of great info there.

Weight loss might be a finite process, but maintaining a healthy weight is something you never get to stop doing. Try thinking about this as a process of figuring out how you are going to eat and be active for the rest of your life, not just an annoying process to rush thru until you hit some goal and then can forget about. I only had 20 lbs to lose and it took me over a year, and it's cool because that process made the years I've been maintaining now easier

MsCzar

kimny72 wrote: »

Except for people who are obese, losing an avg of one lb per week or so is realistic and healthy weight loss. Fast weight loss due to undereating will leave you with a lot of muscle loss along with possibly some of the above symptoms, making it way harder to keep the weight off.

Definitely obese here. Still am. I've lost 60 lbs. with 50 more to go and am terrified of backsliding. I'll check out the recommended threads for sure. Thanks!

angelexperiment

May eat it but learn to decrease the portion or you could calorie cycle like 1300 1300 1600 1300 1300 1600 2300. This works too with carb cycling

MidlifeCrisisFitness

Include a cheat day and enjoy it.

VeryKatie

I take maintenance breaks often. My only rule is dont gain anything but a bit of water weight. Then when I'm ready I go back to a deficit. I'm not racing anyone to the finish line. I also tend to eat maintenance during my tom just cuz im tired and angsty enough for that.

VeryKatie

MsCzar wrote: »

kimny72 wrote: »

Except for people who are obese, losing an avg of one lb per week or so is realistic and healthy weight loss. Fast weight loss due to undereating will leave you with a lot of muscle loss along with possibly some of the above symptoms, making it way harder to keep the weight off.

Definitely obese here. Still am. I've lost 60 lbs. with 50 more to go and am terrified of backsliding. I'll check out the recommended threads for sure. Thanks!

Even if you are obese it is not okay to aim for only 1000-1200 a day with that much to lose. You need to eat more or your body will not get the nutrition it needs.