I wake up every morning..

pavingnewpaths

and tell myself that today will be different - that I will eat right, walk more, do something that will get me closer to my goal. It's been nearly three months since I messed up the momentum I had going. I had gotten down to 161 lbs and now I'm up about 10 lbs again. I've been fluctuating between 179 and 161 for ages now and I just can't seem to find the motivation to stick to eating healthy. "out of sight, out of mind," has ALWAYS been very effective for me. Unfortunately, everyone in my household eats junk. I can't force them not to eat that - it's their own personal decision, but it hinders my efforts constantly. I understand that that is completely in my hands, but it feels like I have no self control when there's food around. Even if it's food I don't particularly like, I usually eat it simply because I'm craving something sweet or savory. I've tried the gum method, I've tried distracting myself - but I always end up in the same place. I can go three/four days without getting sucked back in. I know that all I need to do is establish momentum, but it's been getting more and more difficult as I get farther away from the days I was doing well. I've been feeling defeated lately and I don't know what to do. The worst part is the more upset I get, the more I find myself needing to be comforted with food. I've made so many of these threads and gained motivation for a few days before falling back again - i'm really tired of it! I just want to get rid of these last lbs and be done with it.

Sorry for the rant, just feeling really hopeless.

emAZn

Feel better.. when I get in a rut I have to shake things up. Maybe try a month of fitness classes you havent tried yet. They always have something on groupon for pretty cheap. Or maybe up your calories to maintenence and practice that for a while. I eat two seperate meals from my bf and there is always extra mac n'cheese, cheesy rice and pringles within arms reach but you just have to practice saying no. Not that you can't fit it into your daily goal but if it's the end of the day and you've eaten all your calories sometimes you just have to tell yourself no. And I say practice because self-dedication, self-control, and balance all take practice.

Don't think of that you've lost your momentum, think that you're just in practice mode for the rest of your life eating habits.

prettyface55

Have faith!! We are all here to help each other out! Please don't give up:flowerforyou:

karlospiklington

Do you tend to eat the same kinds of things? After a while I find the novelty of the healthier foods I'm eating can wear off it I eat the same things repeatedly. Try looking up new recipes or healthier version of the sort of junk food you like. That way you get the comfort of the food you like but with fewer calories.

At the end of the day you're not going to be perfect 100% of the time and there's always another day to start eating right. The odd blow out isn't the end of the world, it's just a temporary funk. You will get out of it eventually and be motivated like you were before.

MakePeasNotWar

Can you get your family members to keep their junk food in their private spaces instead of the kitchen? That way you won't be constantly confronted by it when you are looking for something to eat.

Also, do you think it might be more effective for you to ease back into it instead of extpecting yourself to just pick up where you left off? Maybe a less daunting goal would feel more achievable and you'd be more likely to try, because you will have a good chance of succeeding.

Spreyton22K

Dear Paving,

Just read your post about losing momentum and feeling hopeless. I'm sorry to hear that you have been .....for want of a better description stuck between your point of departure and your desired destination.

I do understand the difficulties that you speak of regarding "junk" food and the its temptation....What piqued my interest tho was your comment that you do well for 3-4 days, eat well...exercise etc etc and then lose your way with the food.....then become upset with yourself and it almost sounds like you implode in self disgust and go off the rails for a fairly lengthy peroid of time. Hence this yo-yoing back and forth between 161-179lbs?

Do this description ring true at all for you, honey???

If it does I was wondering whether you have considered that you are denying yourself the enjoyment of these "junk" (not keen on that wording ...could we call treat type foods/occasional indulgence?) foods and after 3-4 days of total deprivation and probably a real overhaul of your life surrounding weight issues, exercise etc you have just exhausted yourself.....then in this tired state it's easy to say "Oh to hell with it" and the cycle states over again.

I sympathise with your frustration.....losing/gaining/losing is just not fun and it is pretty soul destroying to boot. If anything of what I have written fits your situation perhaps some looking at threads such as "Guide to sexypants"...(or something like that), accurately figuring your BMR/TDEE too might be in order (as I've just had the thought that maybe you aren't eating as much as you could/should and you are getting hungry as well)...if this is possible check out "Eat More to Lose Weight", threads, along with threads that talk about successfully incorporating the above "junk" into your daily allowance.

Good Luck My friend. No matter what please, please be gentle with yourself.
If you would like a supportive friend from Tasmania please give me bell
Karen