Failure Points

anapestic
anapestic Posts: 169 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
This isn't the first time I've started MFP and had good initial results, but I'm hoping it'll be the last time. I think that to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past, it's important to figure out what went wrong and to do things differently. So I'm working on identifying what things have thrown me off plan in the past. If I start by identifying likely failure points, I can start to plan for how to deal with them.

So, in past weight loss attempts, I've had trouble:

During the first few days, before any new habits have had a chance to even start, when it seems easier just to forget about it.

About three or four weeks in, when -- after losing lots of weight as always happens in the first weeks -- I hit my first small plateau week.

After the first time I go over my calorie goal for the day. It feels like a bigger failure than it is. Sometimes I'm over my goal but still in deficit, and I feel worse than I should.

After my first cheat day. I don't think I'm ever going to be able to stay within my calorie goal on, say, Thanksgiving, and sometimes things just happen. It feels tough to get back on the horse sometimes.

Over the holidays. So. Much. Food. Everywhere. People are always sending food to the office. People bring lots of food to events where there wouldn't normally be food.

Tax season. This one's particularly hard for me because I'm working 65-80 hours a week AND people are always sending food to the office. It's tough to stay organized enough to keep bringing my lunch in.

Those are the ones I've identified so far. I've successfully navigated a few of those already this time, but I can see more on the horizon, so I should probably start planning now.

Replies

  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    If you're determined, nothing can stop you.

    If you aren't, anything is a good reason to quit.

    Make up your mind to succeed and you'll handle whatever is thrown at you, even if it's Ho-Hos. :)
  • yellowlemoned
    yellowlemoned Posts: 335 Member
    If you're determined, nothing can stop you.

    If you aren't, anything is a good reason to quit.

    Make up your mind to succeed and you'll handle whatever is thrown at you, even if it's Ho-Hos. :)

    This... a million times this. Everybody has things that they could easily use as an excuse to quit. It's finding the motivation to success in spite of them that's both the hard and important part.

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