How have *you* broken your weight loss streak?

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djsiry
djsiry Posts: 12 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I've been on a great streak in the last 6 weeks - very consistent with a low calorie goal and the weight is coming off (around 25 pounds). I've been eating nutritiously, cut out all alcohol, most meat, and no sweets. I'm not really craving anything or torturing myself. In fact, I feel like I can just keep on going indefinitely and get to my goal weight (although my weight loss has leveled off at a more normal/safe 2-3 pounds per week)

Which got me thinking...I've been here before and find it hard to point to why it's never held up in the past. I'd always lose 10-15 pounds and would be feeling great but then all of a sudden, without any clear reason or trigger, it all goes to heck again. It's hard to see myself not staying committed right now, but with history as a guide I might end up losing this momentum and snapping back.

I really son't want that to happen this time, so I thought I'd reach out to the MFP community and ask what your experience is with what makes you/us falter when everything is going great on the way to your goal, and of course how can we stop that from happening!
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Replies

  • markjacobs1987
    markjacobs1987 Posts: 162 Member
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    I think for me there are a couple factors. One was having a strong reason for why I was losing weight. Another was having accountability partners to keep me on track. Last I made sure to occasionally treat myself (but staying within my calories, not going overboard) so I didn't feel like I was depriving myself.
  • Meerataila
    Meerataila Posts: 1,885 Member
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    PMS. I guess you can't relate to that one.
  • djsiry
    djsiry Posts: 12 Member
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    Nope - but I do think that a particularly stressful time at work = more drinking, which has a lot of calories and throws discipline out the window. I am (was?) definitely a stress drinker and eater.
  • Meerataila
    Meerataila Posts: 1,885 Member
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    Nope - but I do think that a particularly stressful time at work = more drinking, which has a lot of calories and throws discipline out the window. I am (was?) definitely a stress drinker and eater.

    Drinking. Yep. That is one of my pitfalls, too. Although the last two times I overate before I drank, then said heck with it, I already broke into munchies territory, might as well have a drink, too.

    Edit: Oh yeah, and not getting enough sleep will often send me over into crazy calorie land, too. Speaking of, time for me to quit posting and start snoring.
  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
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    Well, I've had 2 "breaks" from my weight loss so far.

    1st time: My plan wasn't sustainable. It was actually before I started counting calories. I really over restricted and only let myself enjoy a very very limited selection of food (like maybe 10 different things total). While I did lose a decent amount of weight, when the holiday's hit I didn't have the self control to stick to my over restricted diet. I gained about 20lbs of what I had lost back (not to bad when I had almost lost 60lbs).

    2nd time: My plan was great. Easy to stick to. I'd probably be really close to my goal by now if I hadn't gotten pregnant. How am I planning to stop it from happening again? I am on birth control now (instead of trying to remember a condom when me and my husband have had 1 to many drinks :tongue: )

    I think what causes a person to slip up will vary. For some people, they aren't sure losing weight is what they really want. For some it's their own insecurities. I know some women who have said they don't want to lose weight because "only skinny girls get raped." :huh: :noway: Some think that losing weight means over restrictive diets and never eating some of their favorite foods again. For some, it's as simple as seeing the scale move up 1lb instead of down or even lose 2lbs a week instead of the 5lbs they wanted (yes I've actually seen posts like this). The list goes on and on.

    Things that help prevent slip ups:
    - Want: People have to truly want it. If they don't than they will give up easily.
    - Patience: People need to have patience. This is very hard for a lot of people. They expect the weight to drop like they see on the Biggest Loser.
    29gig5h.jpg
    - Support: Nothing beats having friends and family who support you. Now support doesn't mean agreeing with every decision a person makes. To me support is steering a person away from bad decisions (vlcd's, diet pills, etc) and cheering on the good ones (exercising, healthier food choices, etc).
    - Moderation : I fully believe that cutting calories while allowing yourself to eat your favorite foods in moderation makes this process so much easier. I'm not saying filling your calories with ice cream, cookies, pop tarts, and such, but just make room for a little bit every so often.
    - Scale Lies : People also need to remember that the scale isn't the best way to measure progress. The number it shows is a reflection of a lot of different factors. Measurements and pictures are not swayed by near as many factors as the scale. You never know, you may find your goal body weighs more than you thought it would.
  • shabaity
    shabaity Posts: 792 Member
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    Well this go round I've been doing good. I don't eat much when stressed and with exams and all this is actually helping me have eating habits which is always my downfall. I'm not paying attention to time etc really absent minded and then boom I'm starving and eating a ton in one sitting repeat cycle. So this helps with that quite a bit leaves me accountable. I'm amusing myself also by watching the scale go up and down on a daily basis. Its only idle curiosity its not gonna ruin my day either way if it goes up or make my day if it goes down. Plus once I'm cleared I plan to join the local fitness club and start lifting but that will be added once the logging and actual eating regularly becomes a habit.
  • BetterKimmer
    BetterKimmer Posts: 178 Member
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    Nope - but I do think that a particularly stressful time at work = more drinking, which has a lot of calories and throws discipline out the window. I am (was?) definitely a stress drinker and eater.


    Give me a few drinks and all discipline is outta the window. I'm eating everything. Does that come deep fried?? I also eat more and more carelessly when I am over tired. So if the social calendar is full for a stretch or life throws me a curve ball in lifestyle the leaves me wiped out too often, I can blow up like a house.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
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    I start to believe people when they tell me I look good, "wow you've lost weight", "what do you mean you're still losing, you so don't need to"

    I forget that social propriety demands these types of statements ...I believe them and I start to think "I've done well I can eat normally"

    Well this time the way I'm eating is normal, my focus is on getting fit not losing weight (although of course it's losing weight too but that's secondary) and I will remind myself that a BMI of 29 is not healthy, not "you look great" territory ...but I do look better, and I do carry the weight OK so I will walk with a spring in my step (for at least 10,000 steps a day :wink: )
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,150 Member
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    PMS. I guess you can't relate to that one.


    LMAO!
  • fitnessmum_uk
    fitnessmum_uk Posts: 23 Member
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    I think for me personally, I lost 28lbs and started looking great...people would comment on how much weight I had lost and some would say I'm too "skinny" this was the permission I needed to go eat when really I should have focussed not on weight loss but fat loss...Whats different this time? I don't know, everyone will always have an opinion, my motivation is different instead of loosing weight I want to loose and maintain so I guess thats another challenge right there...also understanding that one bad meal/ decision will not undo all my work and the opposite!!! Come on guys we can do it!!!
  • BigT555
    BigT555 Posts: 2,067 Member
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    booze

    spring hit and the beers came out
  • djsiry
    djsiry Posts: 12 Member
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    Yes - the scale watching can be a problem if you let yourself feel defeated or depressed every time you see it go up a little (or not down enough)
  • djsiry
    djsiry Posts: 12 Member
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    @rabbitjb I think this is an important factor. I've experienced this, and its nice for people to notice the weight loss and comment, but I know that I want to lose another 20 pounds (which gets me to 20% body fat, not at all "too skinny") and have to keep anchoring my mind and my expectations around that, and not what others say or how they see me. They are comparing what they see to their mental image of me 30-40 pounds heavier - my goals are comparing to what I want to see of how fit I was in my 20's.
  • djsiry
    djsiry Posts: 12 Member
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    @BigT I think I have come to accept that I can't have booze if I want to get fit/lose weight. Thats a big deal for me as I've been a big drinker all my life. I guess I'll have to see if vanity/health (both are motivators) are stronger than my other urges. So far so good.

    What makes it easier I guess is I'm married with a kid and don't need to be out on the social circuit too much. Happy to stay at home with family.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
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    cut out all alcohol, most meat, and no sweets. I'm not really craving anything or torturing myself. In fact, I feel like I can just keep on going indefinitely and get to my goal weight (although my weight loss has leveled off at a more normal/safe 2-3 pounds per week)

    This...

    making my "diet" too restrictive is what made me yo yo for 3 years before I got it.

    Moderation is the key and until I learned that I didn't have to give up my favorites while I was losing weight I yo yo'd.

    This time I ate what I wanted, I hit my protien goals and stayed in my deficit and now I am at maitenance and have been all summer long...even a bit below due to my activity.

    I still drink, I eat my chocolate, have my pasta and nosh on various snacks when they are out.

    Being too restrictive or cutting out foods/food groups for me is a recipe for disaster.
  • BigT555
    BigT555 Posts: 2,067 Member
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    @BigT I think I have come to accept that I can't have booze if I want to get fit/lose weight.Thats a big deal for me as I've been a big drinker all my life. I guess I'll have to see if vanity/health (both are motivators) are stronger than my other urges. So far so good.

    What makes it easier I guess is I'm married with a kid and don't need to be out on the social circuit too much. Happy to stay at home with family.
    likewise

    its a little tougher for me being a college student but after stalling for 3 months enough is enough. no drinking until i've hit my goal
  • Ninkyou
    Ninkyou Posts: 6,666 Member
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    In the past,
    1. Having a calorie goal/deficit that was too aggressive
    2. Cutting foods out.

    It's a sure way to failure for me.
    Now, I eat everything I want, in moderation.

    Currently,
    1. Pregnancy.

    Weight loss can come after baby. I still track my calories to make sure I don't go too overboard, but I'm in no way restricting calories or foods.
  • wyattj99
    wyattj99 Posts: 454 Member
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    My thoughts 80/10/10 - simple life style change...but decision I have ever made. Making it simple has kept me going for two years and I don't plan on going back, it's all a great habit now.

    80% - healthy food, pre plan your food weekly
    10% - bad food in moderation - portion control
    10% - working out!

    SIMPLE! :)
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
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    I get bored and want to snap my fingers and have the rest of the weight just come off. But I did NOT quit - I just kept plugging. And it did. This is my first weight loss attempt (I'm 55) and I wish I'd done it 15 years ago, when I put on the first 5 pounds. I've been maintaining now for over a year.

    P.S. You're much more aesthetic than I am. I do drink (singular) every once in a while. I have dessert every day (in small quantities). I LOVE to eat and both my husband and I are very good cooks, if I say so myself. What I learned is that SOME is good, but more is not necessarily BETTER. Didn't you learn that about drinking sometime in your late teens? It works for food too.
  • sloth3toes
    sloth3toes Posts: 2,212 Member
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    cut out all alcohol, most meat, and no sweets. I'm not really craving anything or torturing myself. In fact, I feel like I can just keep on going indefinitely and get to my goal weight (although my weight loss has leveled off at a more normal/safe 2-3 pounds per week)

    This...

    making my "diet" too restrictive is what made me yo yo for 3 years before I got it.

    Moderation is the key and until I learned that I didn't have to give up my favorites while I was losing weight I yo yo'd.

    This time I ate what I wanted, I hit my protien goals and stayed in my deficit and now I am at maitenance and have been all summer long...even a bit below due to my activity.

    I still drink, I eat my chocolate, have my pasta and nosh on various snacks when they are out.

    Being too restrictive or cutting out foods/food groups for me is a recipe for disaster.

    Yep, ^^^ This ^^^

    I should qualify this, with "I can be pretty extreme with food restrictions, and calorie restrictions, myself....'

    But.... if you've eliminated all that stuff just to lose weight, and are cruising at 2 -3 lbs per week loss, with only in the 30 lbs to go range.... I'd be pretty surprised if you can keep that up,right down to goal. What's your transition plan? IMHO, what derails a lot of people, is they 'diet,' until things stop working, or it just seems too hard. And then, instead of going into a carefully thought out Plan B... they just give up.

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