I GIVE UP!

tlschlp

I have continued to put myself through "this" and been in a plateau (for about 2 months) that is resulting in me gaining back weight.

I've stopped recording my food right now, but continue to eat as I have "trained" myself ... and I continue to workout rather intensely despite my recent gains.

Some things you might want to consider:

-Starvation Mode: I'm still trying to wrap my head around this concept, but it seems very solid. You need to make sure your body receives, AT LEAST, 1200 calories per day .... after exercise! So, yes, you might need to eat back your exercise calories. (I'm still working on that one, but I've got a few "tricks" I'm going to start trying.)

-"Diet" v "Lifestyle Change": Are you telling yourself that this is a "diet" and when you reach your goal you will no longer deprive yourself? If so, there is where your guilt lies - and where your defeat lies. This NEEDS to be a lifestyle change in order to work! Now, don't get me wrong, you don't have to deprive yourself to lose weight. (Some may argue with me on this.) I did lose weight ... for quite a few months ... and enjoyed a cup of (regular fat) ice cream every couple of nights (my treat). I haven't eaten 100% cleanly .... that would be depriving me and I would feel bad if I "cheated". I've learned portion control (which, admittedly, still sometimes gets out of control). But, early on, I did lose - close to 20 pounds!

So, you need to look at what you are doing - both eating and working out. Do you have a heart rate monitor? That would better tell you how many calories you are burning; and give you a better idea as to how to eat. You said you are working out intensely; what are you doing?

Now, to your question of do I think this is worth it, even though I am gaining again? Absolutely! My job requires me to travel to various buildings, and I always try to use the stairs whenever possible. I can go up to the 3rd and 4th floors of on building in particular, and still be able to talk when I reach the top! I might be a little out of breath, but I am now able to recover quickly. Oh, and I usually run/jog up the stairs - no walking for this old lady!

Best of luck to you! (Add me if you wish)

Trudy

Loko_Ino

Sounds like you might need a person close to you to hold you accountable for what you eat. Of course you have to have the mindset that you will attempt to rein in your eating habits also.
I just quit smoking 4 weeks ago. Been trying for years, took all kinds of prescriptions, hypnotism, friends bugging me, rubber bands on my wrists, everything you can think of for 15 years. Finally one day I decided I wanted to quit, and I did. It is hard, really hard but I made the commitment to myself to stop. I did slip and fall once a few days ago, but I am still quitting in my mind, no matter what.
basically, you have to make the choice for yourself. Maybe you are not ready to commit to eating well at this time. Maybe you need to see what another 50lbs on you looks like before you commit. Everyone hits their limit at different times. Don't lose weight because someone made you think you should, that won't work. I know this might come off wrong, but maybe you should give up for a bit. See how you feel in a few months. Bet you will notice being a lot more tired, run-down and grumpy.

just my thoughts..counter-intuitive to what everyone else is saying, but hey, that's me.

Bviera

I don't plan in advance, but I do eat mostly the same things. it will be if I'm around ANY kind of other food I just eat it. That's it. I just can't help it. I just eat whatevers around. Yesrday I had steak, 2 servings of froot loops, 2 granola bars, 1 and a hlaf cups of milk, and a chocolate pudding for lunch. The day before I had 4 flippin donuts after supper! I can't stop once I start.

I've been in the same boat for a few years now. I don't keep junk around my house, but at work people are constantly bringing junk food in and once I see it, I couldn't say no to it. I was working out 5 times a week every week for 2 years and all I could manage to do was maintain my weight. (On the bright side, I didn't gain much while I was working out!) Once I started logging my food and saw my bright red sugar and fat numbers, I slowly started gaining will power. It's still hard for me to turn down sweets, but I've managed. I don't deprive myself completely. For instance, today I had a spoonfull of rice pudding a coworker made and a spoonful of chocolate cake someone brought in. The rest of the day, I've eaten healthy meals and snacks and I've been watching my protein and carb numbers to make sure I have a good balance. I don't feel the need to pig out at all. But it took a few weeks of testing my will power and giving in a few times before getting better at it.

So don't quit working out! Keep logging your food and start making small changes. You don't seem like you have that much to lose (neither do I), so it'll be a slow process. But giving up completely will get you in an even worse position than you are now. Is that what you really want?

DJmom44

I hope you don't give up. Everyone has their weak moments, but you also need to be real with yourself about what the possible problems could be. Go back through your food diary and look for problems or trends. Are you eating fruits and vegetables? Are you planning your food ahead of time? Are you drinking enough water? Don't skip meals. Cut back on the Starbucks and processed foods. Vary your meals more...I don't know many people who would be satisfied with porridge, which may explain why you want to binge.

ican♥and♥iwill

If you really want to, then give up...

But first ask yourself, where will it get you? No where.

At least if you're TRYING you have a *chance* to improve and lose weight.

Nothing in life is easy. Especially weightloss.

If I gave up everytime I was frustrated, I'd probably be back where I started.

If you want this, you have to be 100% dedicated, even when it sucks. That doesn't mean you have to be perfect and eat perfect and work out perfectly - but it does mean that if you have a bad day or two that you have to get on board and do better the next time.

Giving up will only make you more frustrated.

elifefull

You have to ask yourself, are you eating to live or are you living just to eat. It is a mind thing, you have to think and meditate on what you are trying to accomplish health wise. It is a challenge and so is life, but we live it. You can do whatever you put your mind to. I know you can do it. No worries, No stress.

donicagalek

I looked at a handful of days in your food diary...

Um, are you going to the fast food places with anyone in particular or alone? If you need convenience foods, take some time every weekend to make some stuff you can throw in the freezer. Even if you aren't 100% careful about the ingredients you use, I can guarantee you that you'll be eating healthier things with less wasted calories. Fast food is something that should be done in EXTREME moderation. Most of the flavor in the food are from cheap ingredients that will kill you (mostly fats) in time.

And I see you're an ice cream lover. There's no shame in that. Dairy can be good for you. Ever consider getting an ice cream maker? You can make some pretty tasty frozen custards that are high in protein, nearly fat-free and sugar free if you use sugar substitutes. Adds up to not only lower cals, but an improved mood.

Yes, improved mood. You're frustrated right now. Even moreso than most people because your body is currently running on some pretty awful things. Lots-o-sugars, lots-o-bad-fats...makes you irritated. Not only that, but there were studies done that show that you can actually become addicted. Eat better, break the addiction, then focus on weight loss. :-)

I was there. Trust me, when you break the addiction you DON'T miss it. And when you do splurge you actually eat less of the bad stuff and wind up feeling sick afterward. When that happens you start to realize just what you were doing to your body when most of your diet was made up of "those foods".

Every bad food has a healthy alternative that tastes JUST as good. Want pizza? Make your own with a whole wheat crust. Put some canned tomatoes and Ital seasoning in a blender and top it with TONS of veggies and a little cheese. After a while you'll start craving these kinds of things.

calmmomw3minimeez

Just look at it this way...you are not the only one who does this, and maybe you're not starting off SLOW enough..when I started I HATED exercise of ANY type. It's not that I didn't try I just didn't like it so I didn't do it...my eating habits were really bad and I've improved lately, but my thing was that I had to tell myself that I was NOT on a diet and that I would no longer deprive myself of anything, I just make sure that it fits into my daily goal now. If it just so happens that I'm a total pig on a certain day, I'll either make up my mind to work it off the next day, but usually I'll do it that same day before bed. I don't want you to think that any of this is easy because it's not, but once your mind is made up, you'll see that no matter how you mess up one day, tomorrow is just a day away. Sometimes when you think that a gain or a non-loss is your fault, it's not. There's TOM, weight training, and just plain old being a woman or being a certain age that can screw things up a bit, but the main thing is to stick with it no matter what...even if you have to take a day or two break, as long as you are willing to get back to it sooner or later you can still succeed. It just boils down to work, patience, and taking it one day at a time....I wish you the best!!! You can do it!!!:sad: :grumble: :yawn: :smokin:

Gettinfit2

A few months ago I was working out really hard, about 4 to 5 times a week. I gained and not lost. I felt like giving up. I knew that I was not really watching what I ate. I decided to cut back on the exercise and increase healthy eating. I decided to put myself on a moderate exercise routine and a more regimented eating plan. For the past month, I’ve felt better about my weight lost efforts. I don't feel stressed about eating or exercise and I started losing weight.

brnsgrsbody

Please don't give up! You are worth so much more than that. If you truly do have an issue with portion control and eat ing a little bit of what you like when it comes to sweets you must get an appetite suppresant. You have to plan ahead and tell yourself that you have set goals you want to reach. I personally have been taking 5-HTP and it levels my mood, supresses my appetite, and helps me sleep. I hope things get better for you. If you add me as a friend you can look at my menus. I even log when I eat something bad and how I clean it up.

donicagalek

Quick frozen sweet to replace other stuffs (need a food processor):

Throw a bag of frozen mixed berries in the FP with a large container of plain yogurt and some sweetener. Process. Enjoy (some of it, and save the rest for later in the freezer).

missabeez

Instead of forcing yourself to do things, try thinking of it as a reward for your body. Instead of working out and eating healthy to lose weight, try thinking of it as a healthy lifestyle that will improve your well-being, improve your energy, stamina, mood, etc, and as an added benefit, make you look super hot!

Try making small little changes in your lifestyle to get you to a healthier place. Start out with 30 minutes of working out every other day, and slowly work your way up to more vigorous exercises. Only do things that you enjoy. Don't start an exercise regime that you don't think you can commit to for the long-term, otherwise you are going to stop doing it and just go back to the way you were before. Basically, you want to do things that won't drastically alter the way you are living your life now so that it is something that will come naturally for you and will become part of your routine.

Don't give up, just keep trying to find things that you like to do!

amuhlou

I don't plan in advance, but I do eat mostly the same things. it will be if I'm around ANY kind of other food I just eat it. That's it. I just can't help it. I just eat whatevers around. Yesrday I had steak, 2 servings of froot loops, 2 granola bars, 1 and a hlaf cups of milk, and a chocolate pudding for lunch. The day before I had 4 flippin donuts after supper! I can't stop once I start.

Do you space snacks throughout the day? Your lunch sounds like something someone might have had if they skipped breakfast or waited a long time between meals. between 8 and 6pm I eat approximately every 2-3 hours (breakfast, mid morning snack, lunch, mid afternoon snack, dinner) which helps me never feel ravenously hungry.

Also, I think of treats as minutes on the treadmill. Most of the time that's enough to talk me out of sweets like candy bars. I'd have to jog for 30 minutes just to burn off a Snickers.. eew!

brneydgrlie

I don't plan in advance, but I do eat mostly the same things. it will be if I'm around ANY kind of other food I just eat it. That's it. I just can't help it. I just eat whatevers around. Yesrday I had steak, 2 servings of froot loops, 2 granola bars, 1 and a hlaf cups of milk, and a chocolate pudding for lunch. The day before I had 4 flippin donuts after supper! I can't stop once I start.

From what you just said here, it sounds like you may have a sugar and/or carb addiction. The more you have, the more you want it? Food can be an addiction, just like drugs or alcohol; you can actually have withdrawal symptoms when you stop eating the foods that trigger you most. So take baby steps, and do it one piece at a time. For instance, try replacing the Froot Loops with real fruit. After a few days of doing that successfully, pick something else to tackle - maybe it will be using 12 grain bread instead of white, or cutting the amount of cream in your coffee in half. You get the idea?

Give yourself a binge day. One day a week, when you can have whatever you want, and not feel guilty about it. Keep a list of all your cravings during the week, and tell yourself "I am so gonna eat ___ on Saturday!". It helps - really!

Also, don't beat yourself up about it. Any step in the right direction is a positive move, even if there are no results yet. We are always our own worst critic.

And exercise is not just to help you lose weight - it improves blood pressure, breathing, cholesterol, brain function, and all those other things that improve the overall quality of your life.

brneydgrlie

I also just looked at the past week of your food diary. You are not eating anywhere near enough protein. That may have something to do with it. The more exercise you do, the more protein you need to eat. Protein can be found in:

Meat, fish, chicken
Eggs
*Beans
Nuts and nut butters
Yogurt

*Beans are actually really good to have, because besides the protein, they have "good" carbs and fiber that help you feel full longer.

keepsiejess

What you are trying to do is very hard. It is no small thing. It takes a long time, and lots of practice. You have some habits to change and you want to see results.
I'd say planning is smart. Especially if you are really busy.
Also! Try not to drink your calories.
Also! treat yourself, but make it a reasonable treat.
It is so hard to change habits and ingrained food practices. i noticed that a fair amount of stuff you eat comes from a box or is considered "processed". Start with simple, uncomplicated foods and build on what you like. You have to like it, else it wont be able to stick.

SheliaN1960

Okay, stop, take a deep breath and listen to me for a second. This happens to ALL of us once in a while. I had 4 very bad weeks, but I refuse to give up on me cause if I do there is no one else to help me. Give yourself some positive self talk, keep up your exercise and slow go the course. I promised myself everyday, and I mean everday that tomorrow I would get it back together and it took 40 or so of those tomorrows but i amsloe going the course and I WILL not quit! You hang in there and if you need someone to talk to that know EXACTLY what you are saying, friend me and we will do this together....get yourself a buddy that knows the stuff that you are feeling right now. Chin up, pat yourself on the back and smile! This is your time to shine and YOU can do this!! Best wishes!!! Shelia

noltes2

I can relate to you so much. I was at where your at for 4-5 years off and on. But THIS time I am ready to lose the weight for real and have lost 42 pounds over the past 9 months. During the 4-5 year period I would work out 5x a week with cardio and weights but could not stay strict on my eating. Some days I would eat super healthy, but many other days I would eat out like nobody's business. I would go to the gym for 60 minutes, then go to Starbucks afterwards and get a caramel machiatto and slice of lemon loaf. Then I'd go to Red Robin that night. I ended up gaining weight during this time, SO MUCH weight. However, my legs were completely firm and I had energy. I would get frustrated and stop working out because what's the point if you're not losing weight? Well, when I stopped working out I gained even MORE weight and the muscle that I built started deteriorating. And I got lazy, tired and ate whatever I wanted I was so frustrated. I thought going to the gym was supposed to make you thin? NOPE.

I had my aha moment when I came back from a vacation last May having eaten fast food every single day and stepped on the Wii Fit and it told me I was obese. Me, obese? at 22 (then) years old? I just freaked out internally and was so ashamed that I let my weight skyrocket that far. I knew all along what caused it, and that my diet was the real culprit. That was the day that cause me to change my ways to lose the weight for real. It was like a brick hit me in the head! I started off by eating less. Eating CRAPPY foods but cutting everything in half. Instead of eating my usual Gyros with fries for lunch, I would get a chicken gyros with no sauce. Instead of drinking diet soda I drank water. Instead of eating a whole plate of pasta, I would split it. That first month I lost 15 pounds, didn't even work out or record what I ate. The next month I stepped it up a notch and started working out 5x a week and making healthier choices. No plan, just moderation. 5 pounds off that month. Next month, amped up work outs and stayed pretty moderate on my diet, another 5 pounds. Next month I joined MFP and started recording everything I ate. In three months I have lost 17 pounds here! And still losing... And I know it's going to stay off because I am mentally ready for that to happen. I have no more excuses. But that's my story. Why do YOU want to lose the weight? Why are you finally ready this time? There has got to be something stopping you, because if you were ready to lose the weight for good you would be making well rounded choices, plan and simple.

You have to really want it, something needs to really click in your head that you are ready to make the change. It's not easy, and you will have to sacrifice alot of your old eating habits. If you're not there yet that is okay, everyone has their own journey. You KNOW what you need to do to lose weight (even if it's just 10 pounds), so if you are ready just go for it and do it! Kind of like quitting smoking, you need to be READY to quit!

DianaPowerUp

I can relate to you so much. I was at where your at for 4-5 years off and on. But THIS time I am ready to lose the weight for real and have lost 42 pounds over the past 9 months. During the 4-5 year period I would work out 5x a week with cardio and weights but could not stay strict on my eating. Some days I would eat super healthy, but many other days I would eat out like nobody's business. I would go to the gym for 60 minutes, then go to Starbucks afterwards and get a caramel machiatto and slice of lemon loaf. Then I'd go to Red Robin that night. I ended up gaining weight during this time, SO MUCH weight. However, my legs were completely firm and I had energy. I would get frustrated and stop working out because what's the point if you're not losing weight? Well, when I stopped working out I gained even MORE weight and the muscle that I built started deteriorating. And I got lazy, tired and ate whatever I wanted I was so frustrated. I thought going to the gym was supposed to make you thin? NOPE.

I had my aha moment when I came back from a vacation last May having eaten fast food every single day and stepped on the Wii Fit and it told me I was obese. Me, obese? at 22 (then) years old? I just freaked out internally and was so ashamed that I let my weight skyrocket that far. I knew all along what caused it, and that my diet was the real culprit. That was the day that cause me to change my ways to lose the weight for real. It was like a brick hit me in the head! I started off by eating less. Eating CRAPPY foods but cutting everything in half. Instead of eating my usual Gyros with fries for lunch, I would get a chicken gyros with no sauce. Instead of drinking diet soda I drank water. Instead of eating a whole plate of pasta, I would split it. That first month I lost 15 pounds, didn't even work out or record what I ate. The next month I stepped it up a notch and started working out 5x a week and making healthier choices. No plan, just moderation. 5 pounds off that month. Next month, amped up work outs and stayed pretty moderate on my diet, another 5 pounds. Next month I joined MFP and started recording everything I ate. In three months I have lost 17 pounds here! And still losing... And I know it's going to stay off because I am mentally ready for that to happen. I have no more excuses. But that's my story. Why do YOU want to lose the weight? Why are you finally ready this time? There has got to be something stopping you, because if you were ready to lose the weight for good you would be making well rounded choices, plan and simple.

You have to really want it, something needs to really click in your head that you are ready to make the change. It's not easy, and you will have to sacrifice alot of your old eating habits. If you're not there yet that is okay, everyone has their own journey. You KNOW what you need to do to lose weight (even if it's just 10 pounds), so if you are ready just go for it and do it! Kind of like quitting smoking, you need to be READY to quit!

Great post, noltes2. I was thinking the same thing. You have to be truly ready, mentally, for the challenge. Once you are, you will succeed. Don't give up hope!

auntiebabs

This helped me when I was stressing over hitting my target....
I've posted this so many times everyone must be sick of it BUT IT HELPED ME SO MUCH that I'm a bit of a zealot.

It dawned on me that it's not hitting a number exactly, but falling within a range consistently...
So, I went to the goals section and kept playing with the data I input. to get the following info
You can figure out yours, but here's the idea...


To lose 1lb/week I get 1240 cal (target)

To lose 1/2lb/week I get 1470 cal

To maintain my GOAL weight I get 1670 cal
....unless I consistently go over my target by 400 cal
I should still lose (maybe a little more slowly, but no reason to throw in the towel).

To maintain my CURRENT weight I get 1720 cal
....unless I consistently go over my target goal 500 cal
I should not gain. So I'm not losing any ground. (I can take a break and then pick-up where I left off)

So bottom of my range is 1200 cal and top of my range is my maintain goal weight cal (1670)
I'm usually between My low days are usually between 1200-1300, my high days are usually between 1400-1500.
I'm much less stress now that I've given myself some wiggle room. And the way I see it if I"m stress and unhappy I'll never stick with it.

Even if I am not hitting every goal dead on every day I'm still doing much than I was before MFP.
which, for me, is reason enough to stick with it.

Remember, it's not about being perfect it's about doing better.
No matter where you start from it's all about taking baby steps.
Later you look back and realize that all those baby steps add up to something substantial.

Also recently read a couple of articles, one said that one factor in successful weight loss is having measurable goals.
I think this site is great for that. The other said that the slower you lose weight the more likely you are to keep it off.

Good Luck! Keep at it!
and
BE KIND TO YOUR SELF

auntiebabs

3 pages of answers I'm sure you'e stopped reading by now.

But...

1)
CONGRATULATIONS OF STARTING OUT IN THE HEALTHY CATEGORY on the BMI scale.
You're only here to lose a few vanity pounds.


2)
Watch your sugar intake... Sugar increases your appetite and decreases the absorption on nutrients (esp calcium)
Watch out for sugars hidden in "REAL FOOD" I'm amazed at how much sugar (under many different names) I find in things sold as real foods. (I forgot to check sugar on a lean cuisine meal I picked up the other day it had 30g of sugar, I only get 25g per day, my favorite cookies are 9g for 15 cookies) I personally would rather cut sugar out of my "real food" and have a sweet snack once in a while.

Artificial sweeteners (aside from having nasty chemicals) also increase your appetite if I have a DIET COKE during the day odds are I'll be going over on my calories that day.

Getting thru the first two weeks without sugar is tough, but once you get past that it's much easier (not easy, just easier)

3)
Sometimes one is worse than none. Watch out for "trigger foods" (for lots of folks it's sugar) those are the foods that once you start you can't stop. When you do want to treat yourself, buy the individual serving size at the convenience store.

tabi26

Thank you everyone for the encouragement It really is amazing that so many people are here to support each other every day. I'm not going to quit, but I think I'm going to look into a few changes. Thanks everyone!

shelly650

I don't plan in advance, but I do eat mostly the same things. it will be if I'm around ANY kind of other food I just eat it. That's it. I just can't help it. I just eat whatevers around. Yesrday I had steak, 2 servings of froot loops, 2 granola bars, 1 and a hlaf cups of milk, and a chocolate pudding for lunch. The day before I had 4 flippin donuts after supper! I can't stop once I start.

Well i think you should plan your meals the night before on MFP and therefore....you shouldnt stray!! It works for me so hopefully it works for you!!

Good Luck! :flowerforyou:

utah_angel1971

dont EVER give up. Hon i have PCOS and low thyroid. Both condition that not only make it nearly impossible to lose weight, but PCOS makes you gain. I worked out 75 min a day at Golds, for 5 days a week for a year and lost 2 lbs in that year. I KNOW how frustrating it can be. and i DID give up. Every dr always told me watch what you eat, work out. No one ever thought maybe there was something else going on on. Until this last year.
I still struggle i have to work 5x's harder than most people to lose 1 lb while others are losing like 15 lbs. i got so frustrated i'd cry.
and my mom went through the same thing she really struggled losing weight, with low thyroid. I'll tell you like i told her, and yes i've been told but advice is always easier given than taken lol.
OK so you're exercising and NOT losing weight, you're increasing muscle strength, you're increasing lean body mass, you're improving your cardio-pulmonary strength. All in all, where i would look for the results are in your over all healthy.
Last october my friend went to put sandbags in the bag of my pickup. I could barely lift one iwthout getting out of breath.
Although i still havent lost much. Last weekend when i went to throw them out? i picked them all up threw them out of my truck with ease. So whil i may not be seeing results in the scale, THAT was a huge change for me.
So keep it up.
Also, people assume when they try to eat healthy they have to cut out all those treats. Then what happens is they then over-indulge. which makes them gain. Eat healthy, exercise your butt off. But everyonce in a while allow yourself a treat, and trying to lose weight wont seem like such a burden or a life sentence.

Lovemydounts

dont give up. i no its hard and your the only one that can help your self.i have not lost any weight for ove three weeks and its hard to keep going but in the back of my mind i do.

Nailrep

My question to you is WHAT IS YOUR ALTERNATIVE??? You don't want to feel out of control, gain weight, and be unhealthy. Please sit down and consider your options. You are having a rough patch, but you WILL do this. Anything I can do to help - just let me know.