Fallen off the wagon - Need all the support I can get!

zlottery

Hey everyone,

So I started my weight loss journey back around July (for the second time - first was last year and lasted until last october). Welp, up until about a month ago I'd been doing remarkably. Losing weight consistently, sticking with my diet and eating super clean even on days that I went over my calories. I'd been exercising a minimum of 3 times per week, and I'd even gotten on Insanity for about 3 weeks until I hurt my knee and had to stop. I don't know what happened, but beginning about a month ago I've started eating like ****. And it's not even that I've stopped screening the substance of my foods, but I've been going on crazy binges multiple times a week. I've already gained back 2-3 lbs, which isn't a lot, but this is unacceptable given how good I was doing. I'm still working out 1-2 times a week but I just can't find the motivation to do more. My knee is a lot better now and I was hoping to get back on Insanity because i'd been working out much more consistently and giving 110% when i was doing it but I NEED, NEED, NEEEED to get back to calorie restrictions. Part of it has been stress from finals, which are over. I have 6 weeks until the next semester, I don't start my new job until April, so I'm hoping to use these weeks to get back on track. Everyday I tell myself "I'll do better today! Food is only momentary pleasure!" and end up eating 3000-4000 calories and feeling ridiculously depressed. I'm afraid to step on the scale or look in the mirror but even though I knew I've only gained back a few lbs it feels like 10 and I've gotten back to loathing my body and grabbing my fat and putting myself down. It's all psychological, I know, but I hate it.

I don't know how I just stopped. Last year this same thing happened and I ended up just gaining back ALL the weight and then some and stopping working out, etc etc and I CANNOT let that happen again it makes me want to cry just thinking about it. Has anyone else been going through this? I know it's holiday season and a lot of people pack on a few around this time of year (that hasn't been my own issue - i've just been overeating on my own), so how have YOU gotten back on track?

Any advice is appreciated. Thanks!

bms34b

This: http://thinktraffic.net/motivation

Edit: It's harsh and a bit graphic, but hey, it's what works for me.

randilious

The biggest thing is you are mad at yourself!!! The wagon is right there waiting for you to hop back on!!!!! so do it. you got this, I know it isn't easy but you can do it!!!! Re focus and get re-energized, one good scale week can get you right back on track. there is no better motivator than success, so get after it!!!!

VogtAndrea

We all go through times when we're depressed or our bodies start screaming at us to eat. If you've been depriving yourself of things that you really do love, you're setting yourself up to fail. I should know. I've been there enough.
I've been consistent in my diet since February till about 4 weeks ago when my pain threshold suddenly dropped and everything hurt all the time. It got where I needed to let up on the cardio that I've been doing some (and that was only swimming and aquafit weekdays, walking weekends).
Of course, that led to depression which led to fighting to curb binge eating. I'm holding my own but it's hard, hard, hard work and it's taking having friends encourage me along the way. And they are doing that without any urging on my part too. Thank Goodness!
One of the things I can say that might help. Look at where your starting point was. Look at where you are now. Write down all the positives that have happened along the way and how you felt when you realised they had.
Find yourself something that you can do that isn't quite so intense, make realistic plans to work within the limitations that you have and get busy. Do things that keep you away from the fridge, the cupboards and work at doing positive things.

annepage

Looking at old pictures of myself before I lost weight helps. Honestly though, with injuries it's challenging not to want to quit. But that makes it more important to be mindful of what we eat because the injury rules out exercise (depending on the injury).

BarbWhite09

This: http://thinktraffic.net/motivation

Edit: It's harsh and a bit graphic, but hey, it's what works for me.

Ahaha, LOVE THIS!

runrockclimb

Fell off the wagon too... similar to you it was stress from the end of the quarter and illness... but I've decided to stop making excuses. I'm setting really small goals so they are easy to stick to. My first is just logging, I haven't been doing that. So that is what I suggest, just start with something small, something reachable, manageable, when you are successful at that, pick another small goal, and keep working your way back up onto the wagon, one baby step at a time. It'll make it easier to stick to it... and be careful to make sure that your end goal is something maintainable. You can do it!, You've done it before.

NordicAlien

All I can tell you is what I do, which is that when I want to eat something calorie-filled, I take a walk. A long, brisk one, varying my route so it can take me anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour and a half, depending on how cold it is outside.

A lot of the time, by the time I've walked, got home, taken a hot bath to warm up and put my jammies on, I've gotten over the idea of eating. And if I haven't, and still want pizza or chips or cake, I've burned off enough calories to eat it without too much harm.

Not sure how much help that can be if you're recovering from an injury, but maybe once you're recovered?

soldierzside

Dont keep thinking you fell off the wagon. I too kept saying why did I do that and kept gaining all the weight back that I lost. I was liek omg I was 200 now 230 then 240... so on. Its not worth it to wake up one day and realized you are back at the beginning and even if you are jump back on the wagon now! I started I havent gotten my eating down but I have been walking so I refuse to keep gaining. Its time for the weight to go down not up. You can do it!