I'm tired and I'm struggling.

I think you are in overload mode.You are trying to deal with everything at the same time. I will pass along some crazy and completely doable advice...deal with your diet and boyfriend. write all other issues on strips of paper and put in a bag. Everyday or once a week, its up to you, pull out an issue to deal with. Tell anyone that comes along with issues that its nt their turn!!!! My children thought i was crazy for a while and gave me space t think!!!

One thing about weight loss.....there is no law that says you can't start over. But you have to be ready. Are you REALLY ready?

I'm right there with you. I was doing so well with my workout and diet then my hubby switched jobs and now works 6pm to 6am 7 on 7 off. So when he is working nights I am at home with our 2 year old and the dog. I was in a grove of coming home making dinner watching an hour of tv or doing some chores then starting my workout around 7 and so on and so on. The first week he switched was so hard to adjust to. The baby doesn't go to bed till 8 or after and I'm someone that needs sleep and goes to bed around 9 9:30 and start my day around 4:30 or 5 cause I now also have to take the baby to the sitter. So now I know I can atleast get an hour workout in on the weeks he is working nights which means I cut back on my calories those weeks and then on the weeks he is off I up my calories and workout for atleast 2 hours or more. So far it has worked out good. Just sit down and make a plan of what will work for you!! Good luck!!

Go shopping for a bathing suit.
Then look at the success stories here.
Then look at your own profile page.
Then look back at the success stories.

I know it sounds like i'm joking, but my point is- remind yourself why you need to continue, what can be accomplished, and why you want it... then decide if you should keep going.

I think you already know, but it always helps to remind ourselves. You can do it- you've done a great job before and you'll do it again.
good luck.

Don't give up! Try to take things one choice at a time. If you have a rough day, don't beat yourself up about it (much easier said than done, I know).

You have been doing a great job. I don't have many friends here on MFP, but you are one of them. I have felt inspired seeing your progress and determination thus far. It sounds like you have a lot on your plate right now. Make time for yourself to reboot mentally. Don't try to take on too much at one time. Do what you can do, be proud of the progress you have made, and once you are ready to go back at it full force - keep pushing.

Hang in there!!

Focus on what you can you right, right now. You will develop a new routine that will allow you to get back to exercising like you want. Today take one step in the right direction.

Stop, refocus then start again. Do what you feel is right for you because you are the one who will benefit.:flowerforyou:

Wow this sounds familiar, I swear this is just like what I went though. I initially let it get the best of me and got off track, Congrats for catching the error of your ways and seeking help to change it!

While trying to get my groove back I found a couple things that helped me. One was setting a routine for working out and sticking to it, another was keeping healthy snacks handy at work. I actually go to trader joe's and get groceries just for work. When i have healthy food easily accessible it is easier to not eat out.

What really helped me was making up a mantra (yah CHEESY i know but it works)

Mine is "Pain is temporary pride is forever" when I feel like slacking and taking a nap instead I repeat this to myself. It's a great motivator. While I work out on the last mile on the treadmill you will catch me mumbling to myself, I am repeating this to myself to power through.

You can use anything that you feel works for you, i hope this helps you!

Good luck and don't give up.

You are getting some great advice. TOM is not the time to be doing self-evaluation. Emotions are real but not reliable. Sometimes you have to make the conscience choice to tell your lying emotions to shutup. The truth is you have lost 24lbs in 4 month! That is great! We fall down, make mistakes, and then we get back up. You can do it, you have been doing it. Keep on keepin on! Add me if you want. I am on here everyday and I try to support my friends. I will even kick you in the pants if you give me permission, lol.

Great advice!

I've been on MFP for 129 days. The first 70 or so were great! However, the past 59 or so have been more of a struggle. In September I traveled, I moved, and I celebrated three family birthdays. I'm adjusting to now living with my boyfriend and I have a longer commute. I'm dealing with some issues at work, the weather is changing here in IL and I'm currently dealing with TOM. I'm tired and I feel like I'm failing... I know these are all challenges and/or excuses. I also know I need to recommit to exercise...and I guess I need to get remotivated. I'm still going through the motion but I am disappointed in myself.

Any advice? I know the *best* advice is just do it, but I'm looking for more constructive answers for now...

This is a hard journey. For everyone.

There is no mystery to weight loss, everyone thinks something is wrong, their metabolism is broken, they have low thyroid, they have menopause or whatever issue, they are as unique as a snowflake, whatever. I thought a lot of these things once too but once the doctor helped resolve the health issues for me I learned there is still no magic pill. Most people eat more than they need to and are not at good at estimating calories as they think they are. Most people have a lower BMR than they think they do. The only way to know for sure is to go to a lab and have it tested. It doesn't seem fair to have to eat less and feel a little hunger. It's hard to face the truth of it, very hard. It's not fun. It's drudgery at times. But if you learn to enjoy your smaller amounts of food (necessary to lose weight, since the reason we got fat in the first place was eating too much whether we knew it or not), and rejoice in your victories it can be done.

All I can do is share what worked for me. I achieved my goal at age 50 after beating my head against the wall for 15 years. Yeah anyone can do it, but I can tell you that you are up against a lot when you are older and I believe females have some unique issue to face with hormones and such. The sooner you can get a handle on it the better. DO NOT GIVE UP. As I got older and the weight piled on (and I didn't feel I was eating too much!) everyone kept telling me to give up, this is what happens when you get older. I'm small, and I didn't realize how small I was until I lost the weight. Everyone said I had big bones. I looked hefty because I worked out. Once I lost the weight I realized how small I really was and that small people don't need to eat as much as big people. HINT: If you are short you are probably small.

Your body loses weight in chunks, not linear. I have found that you can do everything right and your weight loss seems to plateau but if you are patient and keep exercising and eating at a deficit (however slight) you will lose it, it will suddenly "whoosh". There are so many variables for the scale; water retention, digestion, hormones, allergies, sodium, carbs, water intake, DOMS, inflammation, the list goes on. People mistakenly think they lose or gain weight when they eat more or less because of these fluctuations.

Losing weight requires tremendous patience. You will not lose it when you want it or where you want it. The body does its thing. Some apparent plateaus can last a month or so. You cannot make it happen faster. You must focus on two things; calories and exercise. Nothing else matters. Scales and metrics don't matter. The day in and day out grind of exercise and calories are all that matters. It is not very exciting until things fall into place. You get your victories and you ride one victory to the next.

The scale is a trend tool. The scale is good but put it away and only check once a week and only use it as a trend tool. It will fluctuate, it does not matter. Take front side and back progress pictures at least once a month. You will see differences that the metrics won't tell you and it's that little bit of NSV that will keep you going until the next victory.

To say eat more is wrong.

To say eat less is wrong.

To find the exact calories needed for YOU to be in a healthy sustainable calorie deficit is the right answer. Wait, if you need to adjust by 100 do it, wait, adjust, wait, adjust, wait. The tortoise wins this race.

All that matters is calories. A healthy balanced diet within a calorie budget for a deficit that is right for YOU is all that matters for weight loss. Don't make it complicated.


Also people play mental accounting games with calories just like with finances. Make steps to make sure you are making accurate measurements. Packaged foods can have MORE than they say but not less (they get in trouble if less so they would rather error with MORE).

If you typically intake sodium at a certain rate your body adjusts, but if you make a sudden change then you will see a spike.

Exercise is for making your lean body mass pretty (especially lifting weights) for when the fat is gone. Losing fat with no muscle is ugly and cardio alone will not make you pretty. You cannot out exercise too many calories.

It really is about calories. I tell people this all the time and they say "Well if calories are all that matter why do you eat so clean???!!" Well, because it makes me feel better, sleep better, and perform better at my sports.

Too many changes at once can be hard on some people. I've always eaten healthy so it easy for me to simply eat less. Eating at a calorie deficit is hard on people; even a small deficit puts your body in a state of flux with hormones and such. Everyone is different. Some people can handle a deeper calorie deficit than others, this is not right or wrong, it just is. Stress in your life affects your hunger hormones; lack of sleep, fatigue, job stress, family stress, financial stress, etc. Add in emotional eating issues and it gets even more complicated. Most people can only handle so much change/stress at once, they try to do too much and fail. Sometimes it might be a better strategy to eat at maintenance and make some small changes first, it really depends on how much stress you are taking in at the moment.