Lost motivation and healthy eating habits

samandtrevor7

In 2018 my highest weight was 225. I got tired of the way I looked and decided to do something about it. It seems that my body takes forever to lose weight. In November of 2019 I started trying extra hard to lose weight. At that point I weighed 197. In mid July of 2020 I had managed to lose 35lbs and was down to 161 lbs and wearing a size 12. I was so happy with myself! Then in December I had knee surgery and I could no longer go for my walks and I was in physical therapy for 3 months and within those 3 months I also lost my husband. All of my weight came back on. I now weight 198 and no matter what I do I can’t seem to lose the weight. I could really use some insightful feedback.

ahoy_m8

Oh wow. You have really been through a lot. ((hugs)) It seems like good self care that feels good might be a reasonable anchor for starting.

The basics are if you have stayed the same weight for several months you are, evidently, eating at maintenance. Not clear from OP, but maybe you have been steadily gaining not maintaining. In either case, one approach is to log everything that passes your lips as accurately as you can so that you have good visibility to your current intake. There are super helpful posts on how to improve logging accuracy through things like tips for picking the most accurate database entries to things as simple as weighing everything you plate.

Then, with a pretty accurate view in hand, start making really small, really doable changes that give you the biggest calorie bang for your effort buck. Are there things you can cut without cutting enjoyment? Are there low calorie things that give you lots of enjoyment you can eat more to replace higher calorie choices that are meh? The more enjoyable you make it for yourself, the greater your odds of long term success.

One other personal note that I realize does not apply universally to everyone: when I am going thorough a lot, stressed or distressed, the single piece of self care that helps my outlook the most is getting outside for long quiet walks. It is more for my head than my body (but obviously had body benefits, too.) Is your knee situation such that you can add gentle mind-clearing exercise that feels good? Can you PT provider help you with that?

mapleleafmom

I am so sorry for your loss How awful. Give yourself some grace. You have experienced extreme trauma.

I have been struggling for SEVERAL months losing weight. I joined Weight Watchers in May and got down 5 pounds but then it just stopped. And I fought tooth and nail for those five pounds. I was weak, exhausted and hungry all the time. I felt like garbage. Well I went on instagram and saw this girl Tiffany going through the same thing. SO much restriction and the scale DID NOT MOVE. I knew something was wrong even though my doctor says I am 100 percent healthy. I read Tiffany's story and it was me!!!!

Turns out I am insulin resistant!!!! I am NOT a diabetic and my blood sugars and all my numbers are healthy. BUT I have ALL the symptoms of insulin resistance. This explained EVERYTHING!!!!!! I started IF, low carbs max 50g a day, with an 8 hour eating window. I drink black tea and keto friendly electrolytes during my fast hours. And the weight is falling offf me. I could cry of happiness.

Anyway just an idea in case you are stuck like I was.

anhaab

So sorry to hear what you've been through - so sorry for your loss. I agree with what the other ladies here mentioned. When I learned to give myself grace, so many things changed for me - just little shifts in my self-talk became so freeing. This is something I now teach to all the women I work with (our Grace Plan).

There are so many factors that go into weight loss - so could be a number of things...how is your sleep, what about your water intake, stress level, timing of meals (and foods eaten at those meals), where we are in our cycle, etc. Journaling about these other factors can be helpful and super insightful as to trends as well as sticking points for us.