Messing up when I'm nearly at my goal
ashley_mullo155
Posts: 32 Member
Really starting to mess up a little bit these days I've lirutally only got a stone to go untill I've reached my goal but for some reason I'm so hungry everyday for junk food I just want chocolate, crisp, cookies, more food than my calorie intake a day I've been doing it a year and I think my body is feeling the stress of counting calories everyday that's taken over my life its just become hard it was so easy up untill now, what can I do to start getting myself back into it I still do an hour workout everyday but I just eat over my calories these days carnt seem to stick too my limit
3
Replies
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Indulge. If you've been doing it for a year that's a great accomplishment. Have a day, eat what you want. Yes you will gain some weight back but if it's a mental break for you to keep going then it helps. I'll have days like that where I just cant stop and its usually after I've been on strict calorie count for months. But after I get right back in track and usually lose the weight I gained back in a week or so.2
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ashley_mullo155 wrote: »Really starting to mess up a little bit these days I've lirutally only got a stone to go untill I've reached my goal but for some reason I'm so hungry everyday for junk food I just want chocolate, crisp, cookies, more food than my calorie intake a day I've been doing it a year and I think my body is feeling the stress of counting calories everyday that's taken over my life its just become hard it was so easy up untill now, what can I do to start getting myself back into it I still do an hour workout everyday but I just eat over my calories these days carnt seem to stick too my limit
How fast are you currently trying to lose weight? My tolerance for a calorie deficit is much smaller now that I have lost most of my weight. If I make a mistake and eat too little for a few days I am ravenous.
Have you taken a diet/deficit break?8 -
ashley_mullo155 wrote: »Really starting to mess up a little bit these days I've lirutally only got a stone to go untill I've reached my goal but for some reason I'm so hungry everyday for junk food I just want chocolate, crisp, cookies, more food than my calorie intake a day I've been doing it a year and I think my body is feeling the stress of counting calories everyday that's taken over my life its just become hard it was so easy up untill now, what can I do to start getting myself back into it I still do an hour workout everyday but I just eat over my calories these days carnt seem to stick too my limit
How fast are you currently trying to lose weight? My tolerance for a calorie deficit is much smaller now that I have lost most of my weight. If I make a mistake and eat too little for a few days I am ravenous.
Have you taken a diet/deficit break?
^^^ This.
OP, you may find some useful information in this thread, about what could be provoking your cravings, even if you don't want to take a maintenance break right now:
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10604863/of-refeeds-and-diet-breaks/p1
If you still have a stone (14lbs for the other ignorant murcans like me) to go, you should be losing at 0.5 pounds a week, or 1 pound a week *at most* now. If trying for faster, that may be part of the problem (doubly so if you've been trying for something like 2 pounds a week, and not eating back your exercise calories - though I don't know if you are, or not).
I think your first priority would be getting your cravings under control. A diet break at estimated maintenance calories for a couple of weeks could be a good thing to consider.
Depending on how you're doing nutritionally, sub-ideal nutrition could also be in the picture. Is your protein consistently close to or above your MFP protein goal? Fat goal? (They should be at/over, or at least close.) Are you eating plenty of varied, colorful veggies and fruits? Some people find weight loss at smaller portion sizes of their former way of eating to be a good formula for weight loss, but if cravings increase and that eating is relatively high in foods that are calorie-dense but not nutrition-dense, it helps some people to move toward more nutrient-dense calorie-sparse foods (like veggies, fruits, whole grains, etc.).
Consider other factors, too: Have you be telling yourself you can't have certain desirable-to-you foods while dieting? If so, that can create pent-up cravings that will come out, at some point. If you want to maintain a healthy weight long term, and haven't been doing this previously, those last few pounds are definitely the time to start figuring out how you are going to eat permanently *and happily* to stay at a healthy weight for life. Build a gradual on-ramp to successful weight maintenance.
How is your stress level? Hydration? Sleep? Any of those can increase the probability of cravings. Stress is cumulative, and any of those factors (and more) can ramp up physical and emotional stress. Calorie deficit itself (any size deficit) is a physical stress. At a certain point, cravings may be the expression of cumulative stress, as the body tries to fight stress with energy intake. So, consider the big picture, and what you might do to reduce stressors in your life, or manage them in non-food ways.
Best wishes!9 -
Elijah8468 wrote: »Indulge. If you've been doing it for a year that's a great accomplishment. Have a day, eat what you want. Yes you will gain some weight back but if it's a mental break for you to keep going then it helps. I'll have days like that where I just cant stop and its usually after I've been on strict calorie count for months. But after I get right back in track and usually lose the weight I gained back in a week or so.
Totally with this - a cheat day or cheat meal (robots don't like term cheat day
) can help break up that pressure. When you hit your goal you can celebrate and then enjoy maintenance. Will done though mate 1 -
Elijah8468 wrote: »Indulge. If you've been doing it for a year that's a great accomplishment. Have a day, eat what you want. Yes you will gain some weight back but if it's a mental break for you to keep going then it helps. I'll have days like that where I just cant stop and its usually after I've been on strict calorie count for months. But after I get right back in track and usually lose the weight I gained back in a week or so.
Thankyou, I'm feeling much better today and last night I read your comment and let myself have a treat and didn't stress about it so today I'm ready to start my journey back to loosing getting to my goal then maintaining it3 -
ashley_mullo155 wrote: »Really starting to mess up a little bit these days I've lirutally only got a stone to go untill I've reached my goal but for some reason I'm so hungry everyday for junk food I just want chocolate, crisp, cookies, more food than my calorie intake a day I've been doing it a year and I think my body is feeling the stress of counting calories everyday that's taken over my life its just become hard it was so easy up untill now, what can I do to start getting myself back into it I still do an hour workout everyday but I just eat over my calories these days carnt seem to stick too my limit
How fast are you currently trying to lose weight? My tolerance for a calorie deficit is much smaller now that I have lost most of my weight. If I make a mistake and eat too little for a few days I am ravenous.
Have you taken a diet/deficit break?
Yes I've had a few breaks here and there but every time I take a break I feel like I've failed or somthing but today I'm feeling more positive I let myself have a day off last night so I'm back and willing to loose that last stone now so I can be happier and start maintaining my weight I haven't been trying to loose weight too fast I started this September 12th 2019 and I've lost 2st 7pounds so I've definitely done it at a slow pace0 -
LockdownLoser23 wrote: »Elijah8468 wrote: »Indulge. If you've been doing it for a year that's a great accomplishment. Have a day, eat what you want. Yes you will gain some weight back but if it's a mental break for you to keep going then it helps. I'll have days like that where I just cant stop and its usually after I've been on strict calorie count for months. But after I get right back in track and usually lose the weight I gained back in a week or so.
Totally with this - a cheat day or cheat meal (robots don't like term cheat day ) can help break up that pressure. When you hit your goal you can celebrate and then enjoy maintenance. Will done though mate
Thankyou I won't stress about it I'm going to just get on with it now think positive and get rid of that last stone to definitely enjoy The maintenance1 -
LockdownLoser23 wrote: »Elijah8468 wrote: »Indulge. If you've been doing it for a year that's a great accomplishment. Have a day, eat what you want. Yes you will gain some weight back but if it's a mental break for you to keep going then it helps. I'll have days like that where I just cant stop and its usually after I've been on strict calorie count for months. But after I get right back in track and usually lose the weight I gained back in a week or so.
Totally with this - a cheat day or cheat meal (robots don't like term cheat day ) can help break up that pressure. When you hit your goal you can celebrate and then enjoy maintenance. Will done though mate
Why would it be cheating if it is part of an overall plan?
A 2 week maintenance break is a better idea anyway. According to the expert on this subject 24 hours isn't long enough to reset hormone levels. The single day may be long enough to drop stress levels but with so little left to lose a 6 week deficit followed by a 2 week break is the recommended course anyway.3 -
LockdownLoser23 wrote: »Elijah8468 wrote: »Indulge. If you've been doing it for a year that's a great accomplishment. Have a day, eat what you want. Yes you will gain some weight back but if it's a mental break for you to keep going then it helps. I'll have days like that where I just cant stop and its usually after I've been on strict calorie count for months. But after I get right back in track and usually lose the weight I gained back in a week or so.
Totally with this - a cheat day or cheat meal (robots don't like term cheat day ) can help break up that pressure. When you hit your goal you can celebrate and then enjoy maintenance. Will done though mate
Why would it be cheating if it is part of an overall plan?
A 2 week maintenance break is a better idea anyway. According to the expert on this subject 24 hours isn't long enough to reset hormone levels. The single day may be long enough to drop stress levels but with so little left to lose a 6 week deficit followed by a 2 week break is the recommended course anyway.
It is just what they call it - think the Rock gave it that name, go and ask him why he called it that? Can't the OP try it and see if it is for her or does she have to do what people here tell her she has to do? lol. Finding what works for you is what this is all about. No perfect way, just a way that works for you1 -
LockdownLoser23 wrote: »LockdownLoser23 wrote: »Elijah8468 wrote: »Indulge. If you've been doing it for a year that's a great accomplishment. Have a day, eat what you want. Yes you will gain some weight back but if it's a mental break for you to keep going then it helps. I'll have days like that where I just cant stop and its usually after I've been on strict calorie count for months. But after I get right back in track and usually lose the weight I gained back in a week or so.
Totally with this - a cheat day or cheat meal (robots don't like term cheat day ) can help break up that pressure. When you hit your goal you can celebrate and then enjoy maintenance. Will done though mate
Why would it be cheating if it is part of an overall plan?
A 2 week maintenance break is a better idea anyway. According to the expert on this subject 24 hours isn't long enough to reset hormone levels. The single day may be long enough to drop stress levels but with so little left to lose a 6 week deficit followed by a 2 week break is the recommended course anyway.
It is just what they call it - think the Rock gave it that name, go and ask him why he called it that? Can't the OP try it and see if it is for her or does she have to do what people here tell her she has to do? lol. Finding what works for you is what this is all about. No perfect way, just a way that works for you
I provide the most credible information I can. The OP will ultimately choose whether or not to use it. That is how it works.
I am not interested in what "they" do and I doubt the Rock coined the expression unless he went back in time to do it.3 -
ashley_mullo155 wrote: »ashley_mullo155 wrote: »Really starting to mess up a little bit these days I've lirutally only got a stone to go untill I've reached my goal but for some reason I'm so hungry everyday for junk food I just want chocolate, crisp, cookies, more food than my calorie intake a day I've been doing it a year and I think my body is feeling the stress of counting calories everyday that's taken over my life its just become hard it was so easy up untill now, what can I do to start getting myself back into it I still do an hour workout everyday but I just eat over my calories these days carnt seem to stick too my limit
How fast are you currently trying to lose weight? My tolerance for a calorie deficit is much smaller now that I have lost most of my weight. If I make a mistake and eat too little for a few days I am ravenous.
Have you taken a diet/deficit break?
Yes I've had a few breaks here and there but every time I take a break I feel like I've failed or somthing but today I'm feeling more positive I let myself have a day off last night so I'm back and willing to loose that last stone now so I can be happier and start maintaining my weight I haven't been trying to loose weight too fast I started this September 12th 2019 and I've lost 2st 7pounds so I've definitely done it at a slow pace
Some people feel that way. It might help the next time you do it not to think of it as a break but as practice for when you will be maintaining your weight full time. Also, the only way you actually fail is to absolutely quit.
One of the main differences for me this time is that I made everything part of my plan including my weak moments. I wanted to be more objective when I made mistakes instead of so hard on myself. I wanted to try and determine if there were lessons to learn instead of just chalking it up to a lack of willpower. When I wrapped my weight loss up in an education envelope it helped. I am studying self management with a minor in weight management theory.2 -
Do try to eat more. You want to keep the weight off, right? And you want to enjoy the food you eat and not deny yourself everything you enjoy for the rest of your life, right? Learn now how much to eat and how much space there is for yummy things once you start maintaining.0
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