5 week plateu and a vent

Bexchubb

Im trying desperately to get back on track, I guess. I was doing very well and lost 48lb- almost half way to goal. Then I went on holiday 5 weeks ago and put on 7lb. Since then I havent fully committed to the diet, and have lost and put on the same 4lb- usually losing throughout the week, then putting back on over the weekend where I really over indulge. I know what I need to do- I need to stop having 2 whole days of 'treats' and just have one or two over the weekend, and I need to get back on the exercise, which is at the moment non-existent. Its just so damn hard when I feel like "Ive done so bloody well, why do I have to carry on punishing myself?" I know why, of course- because I wasnt happy and 19st, and I will be much happier at goal. But the lazy part of me is like "F**k it, Ive had enough, Id rather be fat." I feel very conflicted. :frown:

Murlin54

You would not rather be fat. Look at your banner. You will not let yourself down again. I am starting over after doing what you are ranting about. I lost half my goal weight and then gave up and slowly gained it all back. Now I am starting over again and only 1/4 of the way down to my first goal. Ughh. Look at this as a slight break and get back to business. You can do this. I know it is frustratingly slow sometimes. I can't believe how much work I have to do to lose a stinking pound a week on average and lately the scale is moving very slowly even though I'm still counting calories, hitting my macros and walking 4 miles a day, lifting weights twice a week. I can feel the difference though and my clothes are starting to fit well again. I am walking faster and I can see progress however slow. You will regret it if you give up because you have made fantastic progress. Look at how far you have come!! It's fine to rant, we need that sometimes. Now get that attitude back. You are doing this. Your hard work is obvious on your banner.

Bexchubb

Thankyou, thats a brilliant pep talk! You sound very motivated, well done you. Feeling a bit more motivated today myself, I just wish I could get back that real gung-ho feeling I had in the beginning.

HerbertNenenger

it's because you think taking care of yourself is "punishing yourself" that you're not on board with it again. Were you depriving yourself too much to feel that way? You've lost a significant amount and I'm sure you know by now that when you reach goal, it's not something that you just quit. . Being fat is hard, losing weight is hard, maintaining is hard. Choose your hard.

sweetpea03b

I've been where you are.. I'm there now, actually. Sometimes you just gotta fake it til' you make it. Just Keep at it.... You'll get there enventually. Remember, the most important part of what you learn here is how to take care of yourself and to be as healthy as you can. Maybe switch some things up in your routine.... try a new workout... try some new recipes... your body will get with it eventually. Good luck!

cebreisch

I can tell you I know how you feel! Or at least I feel like I do! I was totally on my game from mid 2011 to March 2013. Then complacency found me. Let's go on a trip and not log....oh well 4th of July is coming up....oh and the start of school....not to mention family birthdays....Thanksgiving....Christmas....New Years...

I went from having lost about 140 pounds to having lost about 75-78. Yes, I gained back about 60 pounds over the course of about 18 months. Ugh.

Getting "back on the wagon" this time was EXTREMELY hard for me because - like you - I wanted to just say, "F*** it!! I'm tired of all this logging and working so hard. I want to eat what I want to eat, just like everybody else does whenever they bloody well feel like it!!"

I've been back on it for about a month now, and actually feel like I'm starting to get my groove back. It does come back. Once you finally accept "This is the path that I'm on. I'm on it until...." and just like "don't say you'll start tomorrow because tomorrow never comes" - "until" never comes either.

Accept things for what they are. You are human. This will be a struggle. Anything that you do that's a struggle makes the prize more valuable. If it wasn't hard, everyone would do it. I'm not built like other people so quit comparing myself to other people.

You can do this. I've noticed that with my plateau's, it's usually brought on because I've become lax with my logging. SO - hunker down and log everything down to the condiments, and be meticulous for a week, and see what happens. Betcha it works!

GO GET 'EM!!

Francl27

You're not alone. I have a Sunday curse. I swear every Sunday I undo most of the good I've done all week.

Cortneyrenee04

You said it yourself - you know what to do! And you've proven you can do it, you've lost so much weight already. I would also wait to use the word "plateau" since you know you're not sticking to your food/exercise plan. Good luck!

kahulalui

This is what is happening to me right now. I gained everything I lost from not keeping up! Look at me starting over for the third time.

Liftng4Lis

You know, it takes what it takes. Sometimes, everyday you have to make a decision that this is what you want, and sometimes every hour. You have to decide and you're the one the has to put in the work....or not. Look at the success you've had, you so have this!

ana3067

Honestly, it sounds like your plateau is primarily emotional. You know what will work but you aren't committed to doing it... I'd guess because you've just not been happy with doing what has been working so far?

Can you outline what your exercise and eating habits were like before the vacation? How did they change while vacationing? In my opinion, the things you do NOW while working on losing weight need to be things you ENJOY and thus will continue doing when you've reached your goal. This is why I don't advocate/recommend elimination diets for fat loss (this includes "clean eating") nor doing excessive cardio/exercise.

I actually love working out, although I do know that sometimes I get to the point where I'd rather just not work out at all and be lazy, but then once I get to the gym I'm like a kid in a candy store. However, I enjoy my exercise regime (weight training and short cardio 4x a week, but I think I might start including a bit of very light cardio on my rest days so that I reduce my "i just want to be lazy" mentality). As for food, I eat what I want when it fits into my macros/calories for the day. I have had homemade protein cheesecake for like 4-5 days straight now, I had a donut yesterday, I've been eating kettle corn regularly, etc. Yet I'm still losing weight, so far no real plateau, no food frustration other than when I was not eating quite enough...

So my advice: evaluate yourself and your choices, try to understand exactly waht it is about your eating habits and exercise habits that is making you frustrated, and change that to something that feels comfortable, exciting, and that can be long-lasting. Find exercise you actually like doing. Create your deficit through food instead of exercise, or the other way around.

Bexchubb

These replies have been so helpful, thankyou guys for being so supportive. I feel so much more motivated than I have in weeks. I know what I need to do, I know how to do it, and I know I CAN do it- what ive lost already is proof. I just need to suck it up, stop whining and GET ON WITH IT. Roll on the next few months, Im gonna kick obesity's *kitten*!

Lets do it peeps :happy:

ewhip17

Yeah... been there for sure. It's the danger of having a little success. I can recall 2 or 3 really specific periods where I went through this, but honestly I have those thoughts a lot. Two things work for me: 1) taking it easy on myself emotionally - just taking a deep breath and reminding myself that I've done good work and I don't want to throw it away now, and 2) just keep moving - keep trying - even if it's not with the same fervor I've had in the past, just keep going both with trying to eat better and trying to move. Before I know it a little bit comes off the scale or my pants fit a bit better and I'm motivated again.

farmerpam1

You would NOT rather be fat. Don't be so hard on yourself, really. You had a good vacation, that's all. Don't quit because you're tired, quit because you're done. I know, we've all heard that one before, you're not done, so keep going, you can do it!:flowerforyou: