I'm watching myself fall off the wagon...

TheBakerGirl

**reaches out and pulls you back on the wagon** :flowerforyou:


why not set a small goal for yourself? maybe try two weeks of being really good…focus on healthy foods, practice ignoring those cakes and things, and figure out a way to get more movement in at work…just for two weeks. It's only two weeks! It probably won't be a huge amount of progress, but when you see some results it will remind you why you jumped on the wagon in the first place!

I had a desk job too, and I got really good at figuring out ways to move around. I drank a lot of water and green tea…so not only was I constantly filling my bottle/mug, I was also going to the bathroom a lot! Sometimes I would take the stairs and use a restroom on a different floor. I'm sure other people at your job must be in the same boat…see if you can start a quick lunchtime walking group. Even 15 minutes of walking can make a difference.

You can do this!!

pumalama

I am in the same boat. I was really pumped when I first started on this site. I had lost 15 lbs. Then the holidays happened, and up to this day I've gained back around 8 lbs of that. I'm pretty bummed out. My downfall is the food. I know how to eat healthy. I know what works for me, gives me energy, but I just can't seem to muster up the self-discipline to limit myself.

I started seeing a personal trainer, hoping that I could get a little more motivation... but now I'm discouraged because I'm not getting motivated!

most books I read on the topic state that motivation comes after we start any given task. Only on very rare occasions we are motivated before starting something. The trick is to commit to 2 or 5 minutes of any tasks and then re-assess how we feel about it. Sometimes we will still feel bad and there are methods to deal with this too.

another trick is to predict what can go wrong and come up with plans. For instance let's say I want to eat breakfast tomorrow morning. What could go wrong? I wake up late, an ingredient could be missing, etc. Solutions: prepare food ahead, plan 2 food choices in case one is out, etc. When you have a map of options, it is much easier to stick to the plan and sticking to the plan bring motivation to continue with it.

If you are overeating, ask yourself when this happens and what you could do to remove yourself from these situations. if you eat at night at home, you can go for a walk, take a shower, read a book with a cup of tea, play computer games, etc. Keep it in written, it helps a lot, and good luck!

AthenaErr

Stop being scared, its just food. Log it, book some time somewhere in the week ahead to analyse what you are doing and to work out a strategy to deal with it. Your life has had this massive change. So you need to figure out how to adapt your eating and exercising to cope with that. Change is stressful, probably you are a stress eater, maybe also you are a social eater so having all these new people means you turn toi food as a way of being social.. or however you work...you know how you work. Give your brain a chance to get in the mix and help you sort this out.

Dont panic, just plan.

CookieCrumble

Go to the success story threads on here and look at them. Say to yourself, "that will be me some day! I will post my before and after and be so proud!

Take a picture of yourself, front, side and back. This way, in a month when you feel yourself slipping again, you can take another picture and study them side by side and see a real visual of your success the past month.

Take your measurements. Retake them every week. Do not worry as much about the scale, as it fluctuates and can be very frustrating. Just take measurements and photos.

This one is the most important. Get a gym membership. Catch them when they have a good deal going on for new members. Go early in the morning, before dawn. I know, you are not a morning person, but force yourself. Because I PROMISE that if you do, you will get used to going in the mornings and you will cherish this time as your "me" time. At least, that's what happened to me. A few months ago, I was fat and lazy and hated myself and ate too much. I forced myself to the gym and after a few weeks, I started to feel amazing, to the point where if I didn't get my early morning workout, I felt like crap all day. It is addictive and it will help with your food cravings and you will look leaner sooner.

Get out of your funk. I know starting a new job is hard and stressful, but don't fall into those old habits because you will feel so terrible if you gain your weight back. I may be just a random internet person with no face, but remember that all of us random internet people are real humans going through the same thing you are. We are real.

Don't ignore my advice. It will work. It really will. Good luck, I know you can do this!

This post really resonates with me. It's so easy to let thing slip a little - and then a lot - and then to finally give up because you lie to yourself that this 'just happened', neatly blocking out all of the bad habits you've allowed to encroach on your goals. It's not worth it - instead of finding reasons not to do somethng positive find reasons not to do the negative, if that's how your mind works best. Do what's good for your body, you know what that is.

People who say they are 'all or nothing' kind of people,, can very, very easily set the bar to such a condition that it's easier to give up. Don't be one of those people - not unless you're going to use it positively.

Thank you to every poster on this thread, there's not one thing posted that I don't agree with and I'm as concerned about falling off the wagon as anybody else - I just won't let myself, I can't.

I would wish you luck, OP, but it's not luck you need - it's strength of purpose - and I wish you that in spades. xx

fergie2812

HI
I am exactly the same. I have been doing 2 peoples jobs for 3 weeks and I have fell back into old ways. I am ok in the day but when I get home I just eat crap and feel sorry for myself.
It is really hard to get going again as you've lost the momentum.

Guess you have to remember what oyu want and why you want it and basically start again. I'm planning on baby steps again. I have stopped logging everything as I'm too ashamed so like you am lying to myself.
Keep going you've done so well you CAN do this
xx

Julie2402

Hi, the same has happened to me, i gained 5lbs and like you stopped being honest with myself! The past couple of days i have been ok, i told myself that if i carried on i would be back to where i started last september! Please don't give up, you CAN do this. Please feel free to add me, maybe we could help each other!

Masterchef2000

I think the first great step is that you are recognizing what is going on and you care! Now, you just have to want this again! I did the same thing in November and didn't start up again until this month when I started to hate the way I was looking again. So here I am. :-) You can do this!

AmandaCaswell1982

Everyone trying to lose weight wants it--- it's just HOW BAD you want it.... Let your stubborn side come out... look at some of the success stories on here. That's always helped me. I'd be like "Damn, if that person can lose X lbs, I can surely do this"....

I've heard it takes up to 7 times trying to quit smoking to finally do it. I'm sure eating is worse because it's something we need to do. Hopefully your "failures" will teach you alot and will lead you to success. Switch up your routine, join a new gym, do something different.

Good luck, hope you find your motivation back!

tevez032

Try some AVRT (Addictive Voice Recognition Technique).

Worked for me so far...My beast actually has a form I can relate to. It's sort of weird but as long as you keep the conversation between you and your beast, who's gonna know, right? (Damn I just told everyone!)

moniem77

i hear ya! i have done it. I really looked at myself and hated what i was seeing so i told myself i am important i am the only one who ia going to take care of me! so start thinking that way and hopefully you can find your skinny girl inside!

BazAbroad

Hi there,
you were going so well, so now you need to bounce back,
your new employer obviously saw something in you to make them hire you.
Try chopping up your routines, even changing your training, walking, swimming anything to clear your mind and focus.
U may of slipped because of being too hard on yourself with your training and diet.
Look at where your interest dwindled and try to fix it.
Remember what your doing, your doing for yourself, no one else. be selfish and make this about you.
Treat yourself to your Gym time, your training time, enjoy it, if its really not enjoyable at all, look at other ways of burning cals.
As for the job, know what u mean, I was a trucker, only way I could train was to ride to work and back on my bike.
That lost me loads of cals,,,,,,that was the 1st time I lost the weight,,, car hit me,,, am now training again,,,

LATeagno

Thanks to every for the posts. i really need them. You know, it's funny: in the office where I work, my coworkers are largely overweight and eat like crap all the time. I seriously think that's part of the problem. Being "normal" is somehow becoming OK with me. It's seriously NOT though. I just find myself back in that awful motivated--eat bad food--feel super guilty--say i'll start tomorrow cycle. I haven't done my start tomorrow in two weeks. I'm scared!

I know the power is within me. I know it is. I CAN do this. I know I can.

Thanks so much for all your support. I need to make my food diary public again so i can have some accountability. Step one!

Elizabeth_C34

I fell off the wagon twice along the way, bigtime. Like 10-15 lbs gains....

The only thing I can say is that you really gotta want this more than you want to eat junk and sit on your *kitten*. Just dust yourself off, make a goal for today to hit your workout and your calorie goal. Take it one day at a time and remember every day why you want it.

jdancer369

the fact that you are aware you are falling off the wagon, and had the guts to post about it rather than just let it happen is a huge step, believe me!

agreed! at least some part of you is motivated. find that part dont let go!
I just started a job where I am literally tried to the phone all day and dont have the option to walk either.
Do squats, calf raises and knee lifts. anything in the vertical position while you work will help you be a little active and hold on to that motivation. Dont allow yourself to make excuses! You can do this!

Pkiddy

bump.

Byrdsong1920

It's so easy to fall off...vacations, even a nite out w/the girls and send you into a downward spiral!

What's helped me in the past to clear my mind and get back focused is to do a fast...a spiritual cleanse. In January my church does a 21 day fast each year. This helps me clear my mind, body and soul and get my flesh in check. Just ask God for help and even have a prayer partner that can help you refocus.

The good thing is , you are aware of whats going on...its when you look up and you've gained 10 lbs that is horrifying!

Maybe at work, you can take your sneakers and walk during lunch. Before you know it, you may have a few people on board and will look for you for guidance. Once you are accountable at work, you will do even better.

Keep it up! Bless u

Balance27

The first thing I can think of doing is giving yourself a break. Take a few days and make a new plan. Give yourself a new start date and begin over again. (but try to not go overboard on the bad habits in the meantime). You know what your new road blocks are now so make a new map to get around them. No one got to their goal in one day, and many of us have slipped up at some point. You need to find a way to make your new job fit into your changed lifestyle.
Can you get a yoga ball to sit on instead of a chair? Hand weights or resistance tubes in a drawer? You do at least need to get up from your desk every once in a while to use the bathroom so go the long way or to a bathroom on another floor. Park your car away from the building so you can walk a little on your way into the office and out of it.

Good luck to you!

Pkiddy

Thanks to every for the posts. i really need them. You know, it's funny: in the office where I work, my coworkers are largely overweight and eat like crap all the time. I seriously think that's part of the problem. Being "normal" is somehow becoming OK with me. It's seriously NOT though. I just find myself back in that awful motivated--eat bad food--feel super guilty--say i'll start tomorrow cycle. I haven't done my start tomorrow in two weeks. I'm scared!

I know the power is within me. I know it is. I CAN do this. I know I can.

Thanks so much for all your support. I need to make my food diary public again so i can have some accountability. Step one!

My work was that way, all the skinny chicks would bring in cookies, donuts, etc, have a bite and leave the rest for everyone else to eat.... Well, i joined MFP, realized that just did not work for me and now... most of the people at work now realize that fresh fruit is a better choice for goodies to leave in the break room... just this last week, the skinny person wanted to go get yogurt, the kind where you go and get your own, frozen.. you fill up your cup with all the flavors you want, add the goodies (chocolate chips, sprinkles, pnut butter cup pieces, etc...) and then pay by the weight... well, no one wanted to go with her. You can do it, you HAVE done it, make yourself the example and watch the pack follow!!.. Standing at your desk Does burn more calories than sitting, do it as much as possible. I myself got to slipping and i made a vow to log EVERYTHING... good, bad or ugly... just reading my diary has made me realize i've slipped into old habits... So next weeks personal challenge is not only log everything, but now i' ll add, 'and stay within 100 calories over/under on my diary... one day at a time! You have recognized that you need to get back, now get the rest of you to follow. You Can Do It.

kprangernix07

Girl, I agree. You need to take yourself to dairy queen, and get a small, sensible blizzard, and enjoy evvery bite. Allow yourself to relax, so you wont be tempted when you are choosing not to. It's pure psychology.

Willpower is a muscle. It has to be worked - just like anything else! We grew up in a world that replaced will and empowerment, with "have a good attitude and it wil come to you" slogans. You just have to re-cage your willpower, and while being positive helps, it takes PRACTICE. And I've learned that sometimes that muscle gets fatigued.. and you will fall off. But the point is, that you get up, and work it even harder the next day!

Maybe a personal trainer would help!? I wish you luck, and strength! You can do it!

katrinaloveslunar

Set a measurable goal (something that you can prove & can't fake). Then find someone in your life that is truthful with you that will hold you accountable (a softy won't cut it). Bet them that you will meet that goal (and be date specific). Make the consequence of losing the bet something harsh that you would hate, but do-able (like $200 or cleaning their bathroom for a month).

When I did it, my goal was to exercise 5 times a week. It was an on-going bet with my friend who lives far away. She is the only person in the world I won't lie to. She had to call me once a week to check in or she'd owe me $50. I had to have exercised 5 times a week or I'd owe her $50. After 3 months, she paid $0. I paid $50 - twice. However, I lost 75 lbs. She then had some medical issues & couldn't continue. My weight loss stalled. However, it really got me motivated on those days when I found it hard to find the time to exercise (or whatever other excuse I told myself).

Whatever you do, don't give up! You've got people you don't even know routing for you!! Good luck!!!