why do I keep messing this up? Help!

hasinan

Hi everyone...well I started this in January, lost weight and guess what, surprise surprise - I'm back to where I was in January. I know, I havent been exercising and logging my food so there is no excuse but I just always lose motivation and this is why I am at 182 lbs! How do you do this?? it is so demoralizing!

britachu

For me, logging exercise and food, even when I'm feeling lazy, has been a great motivation. Before I was using MFP I wasn't really aware of what I was putting in my body, but now that I can "see" it, I know why I was gaining weight! I've only been at this for about 2 or so weeks, but that's longer than I've stuck with most things! Just force yourself to enter everything -- if you skip one day, it's easier to skip the next, so don't let yourself get in that position!

TS65

Hi everyone...well I started this in January, lost weight and guess what, surprise surprise - I'm back to where I was in January. I know, I havent been exercising and logging my food so there is no excuse but I just always lose motivation and this is why I am at 182 lbs! How do you do this?? it is so demoralizing!

My first question would be are you going about this as a diet or a lifestyle change? diets always fail. But... if you're just logging your food and exercise while allowing yourself foods you love, it's much more do-able.

I eat ANYTHING I want. I just make sure to measure it, log it and make sure it fits into my daily routine. By doing this, I don't feel deprived. Could I lose weight quicker on a "diet" (cabbage soup, 5 day, 7 day, 17 day, whatever). Of course I could... but it's not going to stay off because I'm either going to quit or I'm going to start eating all the stuff I love once I get off. I may only be losing a lb a week, but I feel great. I feel like I'm just living my life AND losing weight at the same time. You can't ask for much more than that, IMO.

TiggerLady

"If you do what you always did, you'll get what you always got"

Don't think of it as you messing up. Think of it as your body working as it was designed.

If you've been at a certain weight for a long time, your body is set to maintain that weight and will fight to do so.
To change that, you must change something - how much you exercise, what kind of exercise, what kind of diet you eat, how much you eat....and SUSTAIN at least part of the change.

If it's hard to keep motivation, perhaps you're doing something that's not sustainable for you - too low calorie diet, exercise you don't enjoy, etcetera?

Don't be so hard on yourself, just try something else.

annebuta

I just gained three pounds. I was doing SO well. I know exactly what you mean. But this time I really don't want to give up because that is what I've done for four years! And surprise, surprise, I'm still fat.

I know the logging works, but I just ease back into my old habits. I'm so mad at myself now, though, and that doesn't feel good either. We CAN do this (we've proven that)....we just need to find a way to stick to it!!!

Add me as a friend and maybe we can help each other! I really do know what you're going through and wish I had an answer. I think it is just keeping up with logging and sticking to the calories. I just set my goal from 1 and 1/2 pounds a week to 1 pound a week. Maybe with more calories to "play" with, I'll be more likely to stick to it. Plus, I am trying to let go of wanting to meet my goal super fast. Of course I'd love to lose 50 pounds in 5 months, but for me, not gonna happen. If it takes a year, it takes a year, but at least then I will have done it, and hopefully made better habits along the way....I'm struggling with that timeline but better than battling this weight for another 4 or 5 years (or life!).

KeriA

To me the most important thing is to commit to logging your food whether or not you eat perfectly and logging you exercise whatever it is. Dont stop. You do not have to make it public to friends. If that will keep you from logging what you are really eating then don't make it public. Do this your way the way that works for you. If you are too strict you typically wont continue for long enough and it will come back. 2nd stop the weight gain. lose when you can and keep it off when you can't. If you need a little break take a little break. Make sure you don't go over your maintainance calories. It frankly takes commitment. Some progress will be hard won but some will just happen naturally by the fact you committed to being healthier.

KJ7777

Hi,

I agree with Brit, iv found as long as still long, (good or bad) then i know exactly where i am.
I dont feel guilty about what i have of any day as i know this is know how its going to be in future so that i can become healthier.
You can then look at the last week to see what you did that would have given you a weight gain.
Iv noticed for me the days i dont drink enough water im more hungry & to be honest i was never a big water drinker.

Do you have much support on here?

angelworm

Yes, this *must* be a lifestyle change and not just a diet.
It's not a quick fix, it's a lifetime committment.

Make a list of your indulgences - whatever they may be (chocolate, video games, sleeping, shopping) - look at whatever it is that you do to pacify your feelings and/or avoid them altogether. Make a list and then ask yourself for each one "Is this a temporary solution?"

More times than not, temporary solutions are really long term problems.

In order to "cut out the fat" from your body you must first "cut out the fat" from your life. Stop doing the unecessary or potentially damaging things and replace them with things that are better.

Just like swapping Chocolate Cake for Angelfood Cake, swap out shopping online with budgeting your income to put money back, or swap out zoning out to a movie or tv show with writing down your thoughts and feelings in a daily journal.

And just like in a workout, you'll get to a point where you'll "feel the burn" and you'll want to quit because you don't like the discomfort - but if you discipline yourself to build up your strength and fight through to the finish (even with how you may be really feeling) the bad stuff in your life will start to change because *you* are changing.

You shouldn't allow yourself to tollerate being only "fine." Strive for happiness and peace within yourself. Ask yourself "do I really need this?"

Just some advice, ... hope it helps.

hasinan

wow! i cant believe how quickly everyone has responded! Thank you! I have never blogged anything before so i was feeling quite down about the weight gain to put it down in words! I have been on this site since January but just plodded along, losing the weight, but today I felt terrible that I was back to square 1. I have totally changed our diet at home to a healthy one but, I havent been logging, no exercise and have also been snacking! I think with the support here I should be able to do this again...I enjoyed being lighter, I was much happier so...here we go!

angelworm

Also - don't get upset with yourself if one day you color outside the lines that you've established for yourself. Take every day as it comes, take every meal, every workout as it comes. And just know that even if you get a little sloppy that you'll do better tomorrow.

It's not an all or nothing situation.

There will come a day when some freshly baked chocolate chip cookies are going to stare me in the face and say "You know you want to eat five of us with a tall glass of whole milk!" But instead, I'll only eat two with a cup and 1/2 of 2% milk. I'll log my cookies and go right back to eating well for the rest of the day.

Moderate, moderate, moderate.

hasinan

colouring outside the lines - I like that!

KeriA

Also if you need support - MFP friends just ask. If you include a note why you want to be a friend most wont' say no. Many who are committed want that in their friends here. If you friend people you need to support back. That is one thing that has made logging in here a pleasure for me. However for others it isn't. I found a group on the boards that had similar weight loss goals and that got me my first friends.

hasinan

thank you to everyone who has taken the time to comment - I am going to have another go at this and will try and get some support regularly from this site..