Ways We Sabotage Our Success

mpkpbk2015

Lets talk about how we sabotage our success, I have identified 10 on my journey. I wrote about them in my blog and your welcome to read the details at the link but I will just list them here for discussion purposes.
1 - Good All day - but eat bad things at the end of the day
2 - Good all week but cheat on the weekends
3- Unable to delay food gratification
4- Not feeling Worthy of losing weight
5- Old habits of eating can't break
6- Fear of success
7- Not watching liquid calories
8-Snacking inappropriately
9-Skipping meals
10-not drinking enough water
How have these or others effected your ability to reach your goal or maintain your goal weight.

https://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/mpkpbk2015/view?id=ways-we-self-sabotage-our-success-989030

wunderkindking

Over-restriction and trying to change my entire diet was my biggest self-sabotage. I decided to toss everything I liked that was 'bad' and eat a bunch of 'good' food I didn't much like, instead.

Yeah, that didn't work.

At all.

Oh, and forcing myself to eat breakfast. If I eat breakfast I eat the same thing but I'm not hungry in the morning and solid food usually makes me feel vaguely ill. WHY was I wasting calories on it?

mpkpbk2015

wunderkindking wrote: »

Over-restriction and trying to change my entire diet was my biggest self-sabotage. I decided to toss everything I liked that was 'bad' and eat a bunch of 'good' food I didn't much like, instead.

Yeah, that didn't work.

At all.

Oh, and forcing myself to eat breakfast. If I eat breakfast I eat the same thing but I'm not hungry in the morning and solid food usually makes me feel vaguely ill. WHY was I wasting calories on it?

Yea I am not a breakfast eater either , so I drink a protein shake so I have a meal without eating a meal but getting my protein. And trying to change everything at once is a big one for a lot of people, me to but it wasn't in my top ten. I probably had enough to write a book. thanks for sharing. Hugs.

Sand_TIger

Oh this is an amazing topic. I have a few to add...

Not taking note of our issues in the past but still expecting them to just go away
Loosening up on logging
Getting in a "good, bad" mindset in the first place
Rewarding ourselves with food
When we hit a roadbump, quitting instead of starting again
Lowing weight for unhealthy reasons
Shorting ourselves on sleep
Not having a plan
Not setting new habits to replace the unhealthy ones

Nice thread!

Arralethe

Working really hard and losing a good chunk of weight, but instead of maintaining when the *kitten* hits the fan, throwing my hard work and progress away, eating poorly and gaining it all back with interest!

*sighs heavily*

Jacq_qui

Not getting enough sleep.
Not managing stress levels.
Still thinking of food as a way to manage emotions.

Two of those have been easier to fix than the other!

mpkpbk2015

Jacq_qui wrote: »

Not getting enough sleep.
Not managing stress levels.
Still thinking of food as a way to manage emotions.

Two of those have been easier to fix than the other!

Two out of three I say is a win in my book - congrats to you. I wish you much success with the one your still working on. Take care.

mpkpbk2015

Arralethe wrote: »

Working really hard and losing a good chunk of weight, but instead of maintaining when the *kitten* hits the fan, throwing my hard work and progress away, eating poorly and gaining it all back with interest!

*sighs heavily*

We are all on a journey my friend, so hang in there and do what you can when you can. and just keep moving forward. Take care and be kind to yourself.

tindavione

Self sabotage...I am new on here but not new to this subject! How about adding "using food as a emotion regulator" ..anger , fear frustration, they all look better after a coke and chocolate bar "fix" ( that doesn't end up fixing anything in the long run I know !) ..or how about "too tired to cook " so eat out ( or the newest one was Hello Fresh..thought it would help..nope! Anyone got suggestions for simple meal planning strategies..?? I am soooo done with with roller coaster ride!

mpkpbk2015

Sand_TIger wrote: »

Oh this is an amazing topic. I have a few to add...

Not taking note of our issues in the past but still expecting them to just go away
Loosening up on logging
Getting in a "good, bad" mindset in the first place
Rewarding ourselves with food
When we hit a roadbump, quitting instead of starting again
Lowing weight for unhealthy reasons
Shorting ourselves on sleep
Not having a plan
Not setting new habits to replace the unhealthy ones

Nice thread!

Wow Sand Tiger you are awesome, what insight thanks for sharing. Really appreciate the input. We are all on the journey together and the more we learn the easier we can make the journey for each other. Knowledge is power and power can move mountains. Have a great week my friend.

Sand_TIger

mpkpbk2015 wrote: »

Wow Sand Tiger you are awesome, what insight thanks for sharing. Really appreciate the input. We are all on the journey together and the more we learn the easier we can make the journey for each other. Knowledge is power and power can move mountains. Have a great week my friend.

Thank you! I started this journey with a lot of self reflection and due to the wisdom of lots of fellow MFPers, have learned a lot. Always happy to share. Have an amazing week too!

walk4today

Celebrating a weight loss with overeating.
Setting unrealistic deadlines for losing a certain number of pounds (eg. 50 lbs by May 1st)
Not recognizing that your body loses weight at a different pace than those of other people.

mpkpbk2015

walk4today wrote: »

Celebrating a weight loss with overeating.
Setting unrealistic deadlines for losing a certain number of pounds (eg. 50 lbs by May 1st)
Not recognizing that your body loses weight at a different pace than those of other people.

Your number one is a big one, it always struck me as ironic when I looked back at myself - I had a big lost and what do I do I go out and eat to celebrate and then gain some of it back. So I totally relate. Have a great week and thanks for sharing.

mpkpbk2015

Sand_TIger wrote: »

mpkpbk2015 wrote: »

Wow Sand Tiger you are awesome, what insight thanks for sharing. Really appreciate the input. We are all on the journey together and the more we learn the easier we can make the journey for each other. Knowledge is power and power can move mountains. Have a great week my friend.

Thank you! I started this journey with a lot of self reflection and due to the wisdom of lots of fellow MFPers, have learned a lot. Always happy to share. Have an amazing week too!

You are so welcome. take care.💖💖💖

mpkpbk2015

tindavione wrote: »

Self sabotage...I am new on here but not new to this subject! How about adding "using food as a emotion regulator" ..anger , fear frustration, they all look better after a coke and chocolate bar "fix" ( that doesn't end up fixing anything in the long run I know !) ..or how about "too tired to cook " so eat out ( or the newest one was Hello Fresh..thought it would help..nope! Anyone got suggestions for simple meal planning strategies..?? I am soooo done with with roller coaster ride!

You read my mind I plan my blogs out by the week and that's on the agenda for this week. I can't off the top of my head remember which day I am writing about it. But it's coming. Thanks for sharing and have a great week.

gionrogado

stopped counting calories and weighing the week i reached my goal weight. did not stop lifting, but ate anything and everything like before. started to notice my pants tightening again. i weighed myself after a month, was already 5kg heavier, and looked a little softer. went back to calorie counting, now back at my goal weight

TendaiMa

Awesome thread, thanks for sharing...great insights and I just needed to be reminded. We all know our "personal sabotage" tactics and we just need to remind ourselves about why we started the journey!

CameronWhittaker

I have done 5 months of really clean eating and regular exercise and my results have been amazing (50kg loss), but since hitting the 5-month park I have been struggling.

Not fully blowing up calorie-wise and I have been logging fairly accurately. But just giving into temptation, I set myself hard rules like No chocolate, No lollies, No chippies, and No takeaways. I have been bending these rules a lot, little bits of lollies, chocolate, and chippies. and I have had takeaways a few times.

It's stupid because the small amount of chocolate I have eaten isn't even an issue calorie-wise.. but breaking my rules feels like a huge defeat after going 5 months with none.

Even today I kept under my calories, and most of my food was fine. But I had a bacon & egg McMuffin, I shouldn't have had that and it feels like a defeat even though iv kept it under my goal.

I haven't fully broken and bought a block of chocolate or a bag of chips but I feel like that slide is coming.

spyro88

Emotional eating is the big one for me.

However I prefer to try not to see it as "sabotage" because that for me frames it in a very negative way and makes it feel like my behaviour is bad or lacking, which only increases my descent down the spiral to failure and depression. Sabotage also makes it sounds very deliberate, when in reality, it is anything but. Nobody means to destroy their efforts at becoming more healthy.

Emotional eating is a coping mechanism which isn't healthy, but it is a coping mechanism and, in the moment, it does make me feel better. That's why it's so powerful.

It will take a lifetime's work and persistence to keep on top of it and I think I will always struggle at least a little bit. But what is important to me is to simply say "whoops!" and then get straight back onto the wagon once it's happened. Being kind to myself.

And that is where the progress lies - not in beating myself up for doing it - but in immediately resuming my usual habits and not guilt-tripping myself about it, not even making a big deal out of it, but just accepting myself. It's hard work, but I hope I'll get closer to it eventually!

callsitlikeiseeit

Having been on here almost a decade at this point, I think the most common 'self-sabotage' I notice is the over-restriction of foods or food groups. This can be in the form of specific 'diets' - be it keto or low carb, or meal replacement shakes (or... whatever), or in the belief that (for example) all sweets are 'bad' and therefore off-limits. Or that carbs make you fat, or that 'whatever' is bad for you and will prevent you from losing weight.

We all have our demons and our battles, we all face different challenges, but if I had to narrow it down to a generic 'one item' that I see over and over again, that would be it. Oftentimes binging or even purposely 'cheating' (which is a term I hate) at night, on the weekends, whatever your vice is, is a product of over-restriction.

I know personally, that when I tried to eliminate foods that I perceived to be 'off limits' that I would inevitably binge on them and then feel guilt, and then give up, and then restart, and it can be a vicious cycle. One that far too many fall into. Once I gave up the idea of 'off limits' and instead focused on 'earning my food', my mindset changed. Yes, I can (and do) have cookies and sweets and eat out. Anyone can look at my diary and see that. I lost over 100 pounds eating them. I make room for them. If I am over a bit, its okay. not the end of the world. As long as I am under maintenance (for me, about 1800 before exercise), its all okay. And even when i have the random day or days where I am over a bit, its still okay. I dont have my deficit set so low that I can not fit in the foods I want, in an average day. I may lose at a lower rate at times, but life, and food, is so much more enjoyable, and I have developed good habits for life.

What I personally have to be careful about, is self-soothing with food (using food as a coping mechanism). For me, my 'bedtime cookies' can very quickly become a coping mechanism for my depression and anxiety. I will purposely go through periods where I do not buy (my favorites), to keep my mind in check, and prevent me from being ABLE to binge on 10 oreos instead of 3 (for example).

katie8032

tindavione wrote: »

Self sabotage...I am new on here but not new to this subject! How about adding "using food as a emotion regulator" ..anger , fear frustration, they all look better after a coke and chocolate bar "fix" ( that doesn't end up fixing anything in the long run I know !) ..or how about "too tired to cook " so eat out ( or the newest one was Hello Fresh..thought it would help..nope! Anyone got suggestions for simple meal planning strategies..?? I am soooo done with with roller coaster ride!

I made a binder with all the meals our family loves and print out a calendar for the month to put in the front. I pencil in meals throughout the month, knowing I can erase and rearrange as needed. But it helps take the guess work out of meal planning.
For breakfast, lunch, and snacks, I am trying something new and made a word document where I listed some of the snacks, breakfasts, and lunch that I like, with fat, calories,and protein listed for each. That way, I dont have to think about it, I just choose one of those.
Simplifying the decision process is important for me.
Obviously there will be days where I cant choose from my list, because I'm not eating at home, etc. But most days I think this will work.
Hope that helps!