I need input on getting back on track

terri092990

hi! Since last August I have lost 60 pounds. I feel great; went on a shopping spree; love the positive feedback from family, friends and co workers. My problem is the past week I want to indulge. I want to work out in the morning bright n early but have a hard time getting up. If you’ve walked in these shoes before, please let me know what helped you get back on track. I do t want all this hard work to go out the window. Thanks in advance for any ideas😄💕

Lietchi

So, this might not be the advice you're expecting, but... perhaps don't work out in the morning? And perhaps indulge?

I say 'perhaps' because you don't give a lot of context. If the context is: I've been white-knuckling it since August to lose weight (or maintain the weight loss), forcing myself to work out in the morning and depriving myself of my favorite foods, relying on tons of willpower. Then I think a change of strategy might be in order? I mean, I'm not a morning person, if I forced myself to work out in the morning before work, I'd probably give up after a few weeks already. But in the afternoon or evening is a lot easier for me, so that has become my habit. As for food, I still eat my favorite foods, just in more appropriate quantities (and lower frequency). It's about finding a happy place - good habits that aren't unpleasant.

If the context above doesn't apply (you're not being overly restrictive):

• Are you simply 'in a funk'? We all have periods where it gets a bit harder - you can give yourself some grace and - if you're currently still losing weight - eat at maintenance for a few days to give yourself a bit of leeway. And where exercise is concerned, you could just give yourself permission to make them easier or shorter? What works for me when feeling tired or unwilling to work out, is that I tell myself that I only need to work out 10 minutes and if I'm still not into it at the end of those 10 minutes, I can stop. Most of the time, once I get going I'm fine to continue - occasionally I still feel 'blah' and I stop and consider it a recovery day.
• Another possibility is that you've been losing weight non stop since August and your body is simply tired. Losing weight is a stressor and being in a deficit for a long period of time can mess up your appetite. In that case I would recommend eating at maintenance for a few weeks (refeed) to give your body a rest.

mkculs

Is it burnout, as Lietchi discussed above, or more like boredom with the day-to-day routine?

Burnout can require a more focused re-assessment—are you trying to lose too fast, and making it too hard, putting yourself at risk of binging and falling back in to old ways?

Boredom is b/c we are human and day-to-day anything gets boring. That's why we take vacations (if we are lucky enough) from our regular jobs. We need them. Sometimes some of us need a week at the beach; sometimes some of us need 3 weeks of wilderness camping. Or a long weekend at Disney with our kids. Whatever it is, we need it to break the routine and help us reset so we can get back to the business of day-to-day life.

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is day-to-day life, a routine of healthy eating, sleeping, exercise, and mental/emotional "check ins" with ourselves. If you need a break, take it. You decide how long. Plan it—don't wing it (that was always my downfall). Put the dates on the calendar and TAKE THE VACATION, whether it's an actual vacation or just a vacation from your "healthy lifestyle routine."

I tend to let mine coincide with actual vacations, [but then I'm really bad about planning actual vacations and I go too long between "lifestyle" vacations; that is a problem trying to help you has reminded me I need to address, so thanks!]. When I take a vacation, all weight loss goes out the window. I eat what I want and enjoy all of it. I don't care one bit if I weigh more when I get home. I get back to my home routines just fine.

Take a vacation from your routines if you need to. Then get back to them, no recriminations. No guilt.

csplatt

Good questions above! I find that eating at maintenance for a week here and there is helpful so I don’t feel so restricted. There’s great value in practicing maintaining a consistent weight if you need a break from trying to lose.