FRUSTERED AND FAILURE!!!!!!

meganfoster12

I have gained back 25.4 LBS back in a month and a half; 25.4 LBS!!!!! I am super frustered and I feel like a HUGGGEE failure!!! I can't find my motivation and I still have 110 LBS to lose; which is a lot! I enjoy exercising; I like jogging, weight lifting and biking; I struggle with eating. I been told so man different things about eating I don't know who to believe! I am also am very good at starting and quitting a workout problem in a matter of days of starting it. I need some advice on eating or how to stay motivated; please help!

kaned_ferret

unless in that month you consumed nearly 89000 calories over your TDEE, this is not likely to be true. Have you consulted a doctor to rule out medical causes?

jdonato27

I hear ya. Everyone is different, and you have to find what works for you. Personally, I love to eat...and often, have a tough time getting myself to stop. I made a switch to a mostly vegetarian (with a smattering of vegan) diet about 2 months ago, only intending to give it a good try for a few weeks. I actually feel a lot better, and it has helped me to keep my calorie consumption in check. As a bonus, I did hop past a plateau that I have been unable to transcend for my entire workout lifetime, and lost some weight.

I'm really not advocating a switch to vegetarianism, here, but for me I think it worked well because it is a more...esoteric?...motivation to eat healthy foods. It's like...you're not avoiding the <insert amazing unhealthy food here> because of the calories (and hence restricting yourself), you're avoiding it because you are trying to <insert new small difference you want to make>. It can be incredibly small: "I want to take my protein:carb:fat ratio to _blank_" or "I want to try a new type of food", etc.

One other thing that might work well for you, since you enjoy working out, is to pick up a new activity. I started boxing about 2 years ago, and it still gets me going. When you focus on a new activity, you're learning a skill. There are professionals and experts, and it will take you a LONG time to be truly good at it. It motivates you to keep going, keep trying, and get your butt to the gym! Plus, you'll be expanding you horizons a little.

Above all else, don't get so down on yourself. You truly can be your own worst enemy - especially for something like this, because it is entirely dependent on you. Nobody else can make you not eat the donut, force you to run, or keep you in check. They may want to support you, but honestly, nobody cares as much as you do about your own well-being. Instead of ragging on yourself and making yourself feel worthless, use that to your advantage. Reward yourself for small achievements, and realize that it IS okay to slip every once in a while.

sarahrbraun

I have gained back 25.4 LBS back in a month and a half; 25.4 LBS!!!!! I am super frustered and I feel like a HUGGGEE failure!!! I can't find my motivation and I still have 110 LBS to lose; which is a lot! I enjoy exercising; I like jogging, weight lifting and biking; I struggle with eating. I been told so man different things about eating I don't know who to believe! I am also am very good at starting and quitting a workout problem in a matter of days of starting it. I need some advice on eating or how to stay motivated; please help!

do you go to a gym for your weightlifting? The best thing I ever did was scrape together the money to work with a trainer. I meant to only work with him for 2 months, just long enough to get a better idea of how to put a routine together...but ended up using him for 6 or 7 months. He kept me motivated and kept things fresh. By the time we stopped working together, I had a folder full of workouts to rotate through.

meganfoster12

I have a gym membership but at my gym you work with a trainer for one week and get a workout plan and then you have to do the work! I have actually changed my eating around; I don't eat red meat; I just eat chicken and fish; and I stick to green vegetables too

beachlover317

A few years ago, a person at work told me, "When you are ready to lose the weight, you will."
I thought that was the most asinine remark anyone had ever made to me. Didn't I already want this more than anything? Uh, no.

19 months ago, something changed. I realized that I needed to change. I realized that losing weight was not going to happen in the time frame I wanted. I realized it was going to be hard. I began changing my eating habits and developed some pretty amazing habits for working out. I began to really eat what my body needed - food and calorie wise. I weighed and measured everything. I started running and lifting heavy. It is hard work - every day. It takes a lot of patience - every day. It takes knowing you can have a bad day and not fall back on your old bad habits with food. It takes believing that you can - sometimes for the first time in your life.

So I now say to you, "When you are ready to lose your weight, you will."

alechua

be consistent and committed. don't weigh yourself every single day or thrice a day. weigh yourself at most once a month. exercise first thing in the morning, dedicate your 1 hour a day to a workout. eat in proper portion and make sure every calorie counts and everything if not most of the food you eat will be beneficial to you and in their organic form not processed. instead of ice cream, choose healthy yogurt, a small piece of chocolate will do, but still count the calories. you can do it, you'll get used to it by doing it regularly.

CaffeinatedConfectionist

What I've found most important to help me stay on track is just being consistent. I finally have a routine, and if something happens that messes with my routine (Travel, family visits, etc) I tend to go off the rails, eat too much, drink too much, smoke too much, and take a week or two to get back to being healthy. But because I have those habits established, each time I fall off the wagon, it takes me less and less time to get back to my routine, and I regain less and less weight each time.

For me, in order to keep doing what I need to do, I must get 20 or 30 minutes or cardio in the morning. This helps remind me of my goals, and keeps me in a healthy mindset all day. Another habit is to be consistent with my weightlifting. It took me a lot longer to establish this routine than the cardio, but I consider it to be even more important. Another vital habit is to eat most of my calories in the late afternoon and evening. I'm naturally not a big breakfast or lunch eater, and sticking to this helps me stay within my calorie goal. I also weight, track and log EVERYTHING. If I'm making oatmeal, and eat a slice of apple while I'm chopping it up to add, I weigh it, and log it. Each bite may seem trivial at the time, but it adds up.

So what works for me is to make a list of all the things that I need to do, and then do them, no matter how I feel about it: cardio, good eating, consist, accurate logging, and weightlifting (if it's that day). If I stick to this routine, then I do well. This is my "daily maintenance list", and if I stick to it, I can maintain. (I actually stole this from something called a WRAP plan, which is irrelevant, but I don't want to take credit for it).

I know you asked for advice about motivation, but the thing is... motivation comes and goes. You have to find a way to eat well and exercise even when you're not motivated. When you have those days where you'd rather do anything but work out. When you want to eat every piece of food in your house and then go down to the convenience store for more. For me, it's my routine, it's sticking with those established habits. Once you do something consistently for a long enough period of time, it gets easier. But it can take a long time, so don't give up.

I would also give this post a read, it's one of the most useful pieces of advice out there:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants?hl=sexypants

SyntonicGarden

Wait. You gained HOW much in HOW many days?? That's, what, almost a pound and a half every 2 days? You would have to have eaten at least an additional 2500 calories every day after you've eaten exercise calories to hit a pound and a half gain in two.

I agree with the other person who suggested going to get checked out. That just seems weird if you haven't changed your eating habits for the worse.

Are you really measuring your foods with a scale / eating the exact serving size on the package?
Have you started or stopped medications or supplements?
Have you switched generics for the stuff you might be taking?
Any other weird symptoms?
Have you changed any foods that might have additives you're reacting to?

I'm not a doctor, but that really does seem like a LOT of weight in a little amount of time...

aimeemarie150

A few years ago, a person at work told me, "When you are ready to lose the weight, you will."
I thought that was the most asinine remark anyone had ever made to me. Didn't I already want this more than anything? Uh, no.

19 months ago, something changed. I realized that I needed to change. I realized that losing weight was not going to happen in the time frame I wanted. I realized it was going to be hard. I began changing my eating habits and developed some pretty amazing habits for working out. I began to really eat what my body needed - food and calorie wise. I weighed and measured everything. I started running and lifting heavy. It is hard work - every day. It takes a lot of patience - every day. It takes knowing you can have a bad day and not fall back on your old bad habits with food. It takes believing that you can - sometimes for the first time in your life.

So I now say to you, "When you are ready to lose your weight, you will."

I agree 110%. I do the same thing. I eat for my body, and I do a lot of heavy lifting (heavy for me, lol)

I've lost 54 pounds, and I don't ever want to be where I was again. I was unhappy, and lost inside myself. I hit my halfway mark to my first BIG goal, which is to lose 105 pounds. So I'm already half there. Why would I sabotage myself now?

kowajenn

Do you have a massive binging problem? Get to the root of the psychological reasons behind that or you won't be successful. I say that as a reformed binger. All of the exercise in the world won't help someone eating thousands of extra calories a day.

You can do it, and I"m pulling for you!

stackhsc

likely a lot of it was water loss before or is water gain now or maybe a combination of it unless you have really bee hugely over eating for that time.

Next dont try to lose 110 lbs. take a realistic and manageable goal. Say to re lose the 25 lbs or 10 or 15 or what ever in 4 or 5 months, maybe even 6 months then reassess and set a new goal.

keep moving and tracking and you will get there

meganfoster12

The only that has changed is I moved back to college for a second year; I started taking raspberry ketoine and shakeology but I not sure if that is the problem. I stress eat so that could be it

CipherZero

Without a look at the food diary it's impossible to say, but I've had great success curbing hunger with a 40/30/30 split of protein, fat and carbs. It really does get me the nutrition without (usually) getting the hungry horrors.

kowajenn

I stress eat so that could be it

Yep!

stackhsc

stress for sure.
personally i dont have any faith in the supplements. if i was you id save the money and put it into new clothes as you lose weight or a gym membership etc. keytones and shakeology or anything like that are diets, diets dont normally work long term, life style change does. use the app, adjust your intake and learn portion sizes etc and exercise and you will be fine

MyJourney1960

I have gained back 25.4 LBS back in a month and a half; 25.4 LBS!!!!! I am super frustered and I feel like a HUGGGEE failure!!! I can't find my motivation and I still have 110 LBS to lose; which is a lot! I enjoy exercising; I like jogging, weight lifting and biking; I struggle with eating. I been told so man different things about eating I don't know who to believe! I am also am very good at starting and quitting a workout problem in a matter of days of starting it. I need some advice on eating or how to stay motivated; please help!

yes there is a lot of different advice out there, but there is only one truth - and that is that you need to eat at a calorie deficit in order to lose weight. the "different advice" is more about *what* you need to eat (no carbs!! just fruit!! no fruit!! drink coffee!! don't drink coffee!! eat back your exercise cals!! don't!! eat back half!!) and when, how much etc. but you can also use your common sense - you *did* lose weight already, so how did you do that? follow what you did before.

I have a gym membership but at my gym you work with a trainer for one week and get a workout plan and then you have to do the work! I have actually changed my eating around; I don't eat red meat; I just eat chicken and fish; and I stick to green vegetables too

And, ummm, yeah. you can get all the support in the world but then *you* actually have to do the work.

personally - stop calling yourself a failure (you're not). stop whining. undertand that you can do all the exercise in the world but you still have to control your food intake - there is no way around that.

lambchoplewis

I lost and maintained for 9 months. In May, started sitting outside having a glass of wine. This turned into two, three and a bottle. Starting doing this most nights and now find myself with 10 extra lbs. I got back into my routine. I weigh myself every day - very controversial as you must be able to mentally stand a 1-3 lbs increase overnight even when following your food and exercise. This keeps me from shoving things into my mouth. I log food and exercise and read these motivational posts. I am back on track making TODAY my friend and kicking tomorrow to the curb

meganfoster12

Thanks everyone for the help!