Lost 57 lbs. I fell of the wagon. Need encouragement.

HavenIryxia

Since February 2011 I was able to get my weight into control with diet and exercise. I lost 57 lbs doing this. Then two weeks ago my parents went on vacation and left me to watch the house. During the two weeks they were gone the on weekdays I kept my eating habits under control, and then on the weekends is when I let lose and ate all the wrong things imaginable.
After the weekend was over I went back to clean good eating, but then the cycle continued the following weekend. Since they have been back I have been struggling trying to get the weight I gained off (so far I lost 9 of the 12 lbs I gained while they were away). Which puts me back to being about 3.5 lbs away from my goal of being 130. But I feel so lost. I tell myself you know what you have to do to succeed, what is holding you back?

I was on maintenance calories for 3 months getting to eat 1800-2200 calories a day (including my workout calories) and now I am trying to stick to 1200 calorie diet and it seems impossible. I know it won't take me terribly long to get the last 3.5 lbs off but I feel so down because I have slipped back into old habits. I originally wanted to get down to 125 lbs and I had at one point made it to 127 but then all I could really do is stay around 129 the weeks following that. So i changed my goal weight to 130 and told myself to be happy there.

I don't know why I have let myself slip and stumble. I just wanted to help inspire people and encourage others that are trying to lose weight. I feel like I can't be a good role model for my friends on myfitnesspal because of my recent slip. This week I intend on some awesome clean eating but I am scared I will falter. If anyone else is struggling, or if anyone reading this thinks they can help encourage me I would love to have more friends on here. To keep me accountable. I want to thank you for reading this and taking the time to offer any advice you have. If you feel like you can give me a good kick in the pants or just offer some extra support I would love more friends and I am very open to friend requests. Again, thank you for your time.

-Ashley

Ralphrabbit

The reasons why are many but the way forward is the same......just get back doing what you know works! Don't beat yourself up about it, it is what it is! Tomorrow is another day!!

FearTheFool

I would suggest upping your calories. You're pretty much HALVING your calories going down that low. Maybe try 1,600 or so- you want to be eating at at least your BMR, whatever that may be.

I'm at the start of my journey for real this time, and I've found that if I track EVERYTHING, the good the bad *and* the ugly that thing are normally not as bad as I think they are. I slip up and have a cupcake, well okay that's fine but if I log it and stay sensible for the rest of the day I can be okay. When I was on a 1,200 calorie diet eating something like a cupcake signaled that the day was over and I might as well not try. Do I have days when I go over horribly? Yes I do, but y'know it's fine. Life is full of ups and downs.

Someone else suggested to me once that if I knew I wanted to go out and eat or get takeaway at the weekend I can bank the calories from earlier in the week. Even eating 100 under target (obviously as long as my target is above my BMR!) a day means I have 500 spare for the weekend.

lussya

Hey,cheer up. Everyone has its ups and downs and it doesn't mean that you're not good role model to your friends. So many people would give up and you're still fighting so you're already a winner. If you need some friends, I'm here

selig0730

do the same stuff you did to lose the 57 ibs and since you know why u gained weight then eat less of what you eat thats not healty. go back to the basics. and you should see results.

primrosehill

Oh my god, 57lbs! Please stop focussing on those last few pounds and congratulatre yourself on how far you've come. We all tend to focus on the negatives when it comes to ourselves. Treat yourself as you'd treat a good friend and say 'well done you!' You're a star and an inspiration. I have 23lbs to lose and am very scared I won't do it - your success makes me realise it's all in my hands and is achievable.

All the best xxx

HavenIryxia

I would suggest upping your calories. You're pretty much HALVING your calories going down that low. Maybe try 1,600 or so- you want to be eating at at least your BMR, whatever that may be.

I'm at the start of my journey for real this time, and I've found that if I track EVERYTHING, the good the bad *and* the ugly that thing are normally not as bad as I think they are. I slip up and have a cupcake, well okay that's fine but if I log it and stay sensible for the rest of the day I can be okay. When I was on a 1,200 calorie diet eating something like a cupcake signaled that the day was over and I might as well not try. Do I have days when I go over horribly? Yes I do, but y'know it's fine. Life is full of ups and downs.

Someone else suggested to me once that if I knew I wanted to go out and eat or get takeaway at the weekend I can bank the calories from earlier in the week. Even eating 100 under target (obviously as long as my target is above my BMR!) a day means I have 500 spare for the weekend.

That makes a lot of sense. However I am nervous about allowing myself 1600 again because I was nervous that I wouldn't lose at that weight. Now I feel like I need to be unbearably strict to get back to what I was. One thing could be my problem is jumping back to 1200, which could be subconsciously sycing myself out, making me think I am being greatly deprived. However, I am definitely thinking of upping my calories atleast to 1350 (my BMR is 1339) so that I can eat a little more and not get nervous.

HavenIryxia

Oh my god, 57lbs! Please stop focussing on those last few pounds and congratulatre yourself on how far you've come. We all tend to focus on the negatives when it comes to ourselves. Treat yourself as you'd treat a good friend and say 'well done you!' You're a star and an inspiration. I have 23lbs to lose and am very scared I won't do it - your success makes me realise it's all in my hands and is achievable.

All the best xxx

Thank you for your kind words. I know I have come far, but what scares me is that I fell off the wagon. I think I need to look inside myself to see why I did that to realize how to keep from doing that again. I have my entire life to keep this weight off, but I don't want to fall off the wagon anymore, I want to enjoy life but not eat uncontrollably like I have been a few days a week for the past three weeks.

cloud2011

Congratulations...you say you fell off the wagon,but wow, you really did a great job of picking yourself right back up! Fantastic!

The last 3.5 lbs. -- cut your sodium,if you haven't already. (under 2000 or under 1500, depending on where it is now).

Good luck and you are an inspiration!

LifeinDC

Since February 2011 I was able to get my weight into control with diet and exercise. I lost 57 lbs doing this. Then two weeks ago my parents went on vacation and left me to watch the house. During the two weeks they were gone the on weekdays I kept my eating habits under control, and then on the weekends is when I let lose and ate all the wrong things imaginable. ....
-Ashley

If it happened particularly on the weekends while you were in a empty house (based on your description), perhaps you were lonely and that's why it was harder to keep on your plan. You mention you want to look at the reasons for these two weekends and that's what I first thought of. So perhaps you can reflect on that. And, of course, if it doesn't ring true, maybe something else emotional is the reason. It sounds like you have already learned so much about yourself and your body, I'm sure you'll find some coping strategy for similar situations.

HavenIryxia

If it happened particularly on the weekends while you were in a empty house (based on your description), perhaps you were lonely and that's why it was harder to keep on your plan. You mention you want to look at the reasons for these two weekends and that's what I first thought of. So perhaps you can reflect on that. And, of course, if it doesn't ring true, maybe something else emotional is the reason. It sounds like you have already learned so much about yourself and your body, I'm sure you'll find some coping strategy for similar situations.

I also have been struggling with a large amount of un-needed stress, but losing 57 lbs last year (which I am sure had a lot of stress in it at some point.) shows me that I didn't let my stress rule my eating habits then. So I am not sure exactly why I fell off, and why it is so hard to stick to it again.

pinkita

I agree about eating more. Please check out the MFP group "Eat More to Weigh Less."

HavenIryxia

Well, I changed my calories. I bumped them up to 1350 which is slightly above my BMR. I am hoping upping it slightly, will help me keep things under control (while not feeling deprived).

zaithyr

I would suggest upping your calories. You're pretty much HALVING your calories going down that low. Maybe try 1,600 or so- you want to be eating at at least your BMR, whatever that may be.

I'm at the start of my journey for real this time, and I've found that if I track EVERYTHING, the good the bad *and* the ugly that thing are normally not as bad as I think they are. I slip up and have a cupcake, well okay that's fine but if I log it and stay sensible for the rest of the day I can be okay. When I was on a 1,200 calorie diet eating something like a cupcake signaled that the day was over and I might as well not try. Do I have days when I go over horribly? Yes I do, but y'know it's fine. Life is full of ups and downs.

Someone else suggested to me once that if I knew I wanted to go out and eat or get takeaway at the weekend I can bank the calories from earlier in the week. Even eating 100 under target (obviously as long as my target is above my BMR!) a day means I have 500 spare for the weekend.

That makes a lot of sense. However I am nervous about allowing myself 1600 again because I was nervous that I wouldn't lose at that weight. Now I feel like I need to be unbearably strict to get back to what I was. One thing could be my problem is jumping back to 1200, which could be subconsciously sycing myself out, making me think I am being greatly deprived. However, I am definitely thinking of upping my calories atleast to 1350 (my BMR is 1339) so that I can eat a little more and not get nervous.

I would also recommend upping your calories. Eat your TDEE- 15% or 20% (as in just enough below maintanence to where you will lose). When you drop that low, you are going to be really sensitive to weight gain if you eat more or when you try to go back to your old maintenance level because your metabolism may be out of whack. Since you only have 3 lbs to go, just let it come off easily over the course of a month or so instead of letting yourself go hungry and zapping your energy. Good job on losing the 9 lbs already!