Sabotage!

sekhmet13

I believe I've figured out why I always weigh about the same. Here's my vicious cycle... I get sick of the fatness, so I eat better and exercise more. The eating part is tough, but the exercise is kinda fun & addictive. Anyway, I start to lose some weight, people comment on how I look better, and I stop being good. So I gain the weight back, and I start all over again. That explains why I've been on MFP for a few months now and my ticker still says 0 lbs lost. I've gone back & forth between 240 and 250 quite a few times.

I'm curious to know if anyone else has been subconsciously sabotaging themselves (or used to), why I do it, and what can I do to stop it? Surely I can't be the only one who's dealt with this.

Have a great day everyone, gotta start losing again, off to the bike!

MichelleB69

Historically, I have done the same thing...I lose about 10 lbs, start feeling great and get lazy/sloppy with my food tracking and exercise so I'll be interested in hearing the responses. Just know that you aren't alone.

momma3sweetgirls

After working really hard for a week and only losing half a pound, I would find myself saying "why bother". At the other end of the spectrum, eating crap and losing 2 pounds makes me say "well, I can still eat crap and lose weight". It's the long term loss that I focus on now. I may go up and down, but having stuck with it for a few months, I see the downward trend. I had to buy smaller clothes and I refuse to wear the bigger clothes...this keeps me motivated.

foxxybrown

That's the cycle of a yo-yo dieter. I do it all the time. I think that's why it's so important to have actual goals rather than the generic goal of "I wanna lose weight". Cause obviously once you've lost even 1 pound, you have already reached that goal. I've now changed my goal to lose at least 1 lb a week. This hopefully will keep me on track and makes it a little easier than saying I wanna be such and such weight.

syates83

I completely feel your pain...I do the same thing to myself. I think making smaller goals is best and give yourself a reward for acheiving...like for the first goal...treat yourself to a pedicure, second goal a day of pampering, third goal...shopping for clothes because you'll need em! and final goal something really big that you want...like a cruise or something of that nature. Never reward yourself with food! I've done that and it just gets you back to where you didn't want to be.

You can do it!

mamafoofer

I sabotage myself like it's my job! Everytime I start to tone up, or feel the clothes are a bit loose, or someone mentions that I look good, I eat somthing bad and whatever I lost comes back. I don't have a lot to lose, so I think I play some mind game with myself. Like, oh, well it's only 12lbs, it really won't take that long once I really set my mind to it, so I can eat this whatever and it will be fine, tomorrow is another day. I also exercise every day, so I think I justify eating candy or cookies because,well, at least I exercised. I know it's crazy and not doing me any good...I wish I knew how to stop it too!

thefreemans28

I went through this all the time in the past. So what has made me stick to it for the past 3 months? MFP! I loaded myself up with supportive, motivational friends on here who give me encouragement every little step (and step backwards) along the way! I also have MFP post my weight loss and food diary every day to my Facebook page. That way everyone in my life knows how I am doing, so it REALLY holds me accountable, and makes me want to reach my goal, because I can't let everyone see me fail!!!

BrodiesMom2008

i've done it! and i'll probably do it again. i get on "kicks" where i go totally healthy and active and then i'll fall off the wagon so to speak (usually staying with the active part) but completely losing my healthy eating and it usually starts by feeling better/looking better and treating myself with something i LOVE to eat but that isn't too great for me. then i convince myself if i exercise enough i can eat absolutely whatever i want...then i stop tracking what i eat because i don't want to know how many calories are in an entire bag of chocolate covered raisins or chips and dip or how bad it is to eat cake for breakfast and it continues like that, because hey i still look great so what is it hurting?? then time passes and all of a sudden clothing starts to fit a bit more snug and i realize i have undone everything i worked so hard to lose in the first place. it's a cycle that i am hoping i have broken this time...i am counting all calories and i don't have "cheat days" but i do allow myself to have chocolate and other things that i crave sometimes, but in moderation, that way i don't feel like i am missing out and i am still staying within my calories! AND the biggest thing i am trying to avoid is the pig out, like if i happen to go over calories for 1 day then i go over a little but but i don't let myself say "well since i'm over i may as well eat everything i want to but shouldn't eat"...

basically it's a life long challenge...and i think if you let yourself eat ice cream and chocolate and things that you really like but aren't great for you in moderation you will be able to stick to your weight loss goals alittle better than cutting everything and then binging on them later...

beckajw

Yes, that's what I do. I get sick of how I look and feel, so I watch what I eat and I workout. Then, I look good, I am happy with myself. So, I stop watching what I am eating, decrease the working out and gain the weight back.

AresxDeimos

I do that sometimes too, I think we just have to mentally trick ourselves to keep going when we get compliments about how much weight we lost. Like I have a pair jeans in my closet that are a size smaller than what I usually wear, and I try them on from time to time to see how they fit and if they're snug it makes me want to keep working out if that makes any sense lol.

EDesq

You are NOT alone. This is the Viscous Cycle that I dare say All Obese people go through. What makes one STOP this Cycle and STOP Dieting and CREATE A NEW Lifestyle/Way of Living, For Addicts (Most Obese People) This Change Is Spiritual and Physical:
(1) You finally get IT and Put what You KNOW into ACTION.
(2) FEAR>>>Of Death, Illness, Years Lost, Being Lonely, Losing Loved One (s), Not Getting Work, Settling; Any or All of These and more.
(3) Life Altering Disease (s): Cancer, Arthritis, Diabetes...
(4) Don't CHANGE = Miserable Life/No Life, Die Young, Living with Physical/Emotional/Psychological Pain and Disease...

When Obesity/Food Addiction is Your Great Challenge in Life, Controlling it is Not Mental, It is Spiritual, Emotional, Psychological and Physical...In That Order. It's NOT like the person who has to lose 10 lbs. every year. Food Addicts can Easily gain 10 lbs. in a Week, some a couple of days.

tpersky

You will go up and down, especially if you weigh yourself every day as I do. But I have dieted long enough to realize that as long as I keep a downward spirel I am ok. You will gain and lose WATER, based on sodium content etc etc. Plus as you diet, it seems you release waste at a slower pace.

Your metabolisim gets use to the restricted calories and slows down to accomodate. So it may be beneficial to add exerise, or change up your eating habits a bit to throw off your body.

Don't get sloppy with your diary! Keep track of every calorie, or you will add in calories that will stop your weight loss. To make adding to your diary easier, use the "save meal" option. Keeping this diary is helping me to make good tasting, proper sized, healthier meals so that in the future I can contnue this LIFESTYLE!

We can't ever go back to our old ways. All diets work...but if you never change your eating lifestyle, you will go back to your old ways and gain it all back.

Good luck!

sekhmet13

Thanks for all the insight! What I've learned is...

Overeating is an addiction, like alcohol, smoking, etc. I've beaten alcohol (now I can have just a beer or two, not a case) and I've quit smoking recently, so there's no reason I can't do this too.

Just like quitting smoking, which is really hard, weight loss is really hard. And I need to use the same strategy... just be good for today. One day at a time. Don't think about the future me, think about the today me and what good things I can do right now.

Thanks again guys, I'm so glad I found MFP!