How have you all been able to 'get back on track?'

Options
xanem
xanem Posts: 11
in Motivation and Support
I'm devastated. Disgusted. Heartbroken. With myself. I spent eight weeks of flawless eating. Realistic, healthy weight loss, losing 8 kg in total. I felt so fantastic and on top of the world during those eight weeks. But for the past month, I have put three kilos back on, eating horribly and not working out.

I can't seem to get back on track. I have tried to completely repeat everything I did before that helped me succeed. I'm also just as - or even more motivated then before.

Personally I find that starting is the issue here, that once I've been going for a week I would be able to get my good habits back, and get back into the zone. But every 'new day' where I plan to 'get back on track' I end up thinking to myself "Hey, look at all that long, pain in the *kitten* time you have left in front of you. So much pain. Just give up" or "You're already off the track, why don't you just start tomorrow. You have time!". Of course, these thoughts always pop up and dominate my mind when I'm in the bakery section of my supermarket ;). In these situations, I am hopeless. I have no discipline.

I remember clearly, I began my successful 8 week weight loss journey last time by simply saying "NO" to temptations for a couple of days. I gradually gained self discipline quite quickly, and became stronger and stronger. But I just can't seem to say NO! What's the difference between back then and now!? Nothing.

Tips? Advice? I know I can do it, I've done it before. I'm sick and tired of continuing to fail. I want to be that soldier again that conquered these negative thoughts. All I want is another eight weeks of solid work so I can lose my final 8 kilos, before I'm at my DREAM WEIGHT (omg). I want it to happen :'(
«13

Replies

  • Zomoniac
    Zomoniac Posts: 1,169 Member
    Options
    You're sabotaging your own attempts in order to reinforce your negative image of yourself. Focus, will, and a good self kick up the *kitten*. Sorry to be blunt.
  • xanem
    xanem Posts: 11
    Options
    Wow.. that's actually so true. Thanks for being blunt. What if I'm truly struggling to get back on track though? It's not like I purposely fail? Or maybe subconsciously this is the case... Far out I'm so confused :(
  • Love_flowers
    Love_flowers Posts: 365 Member
    Options
    We have all been there dear. Several hundred times in my case


    my best advice to give you is take one day at a time. Time flies by and before you know it you will have been eating good for weeks or months

    you can do it :)
  • xanem
    xanem Posts: 11
    Options
    We have all been there dear. Several hundred times in my case


    my best advice to give you is take one day at a time. Time flies by and before you know it you will have been eating good for weeks or months

    you can do it :)

    Thank you so very much. Maybe I should try and engrave this into my mind; to take every day as an achievement, each day is separate as its own.
  • RoseThePenguin
    RoseThePenguin Posts: 100 Member
    Options
    I'm constantly getting 'back on track'.

    Weekend's are not my friend :L

    However, I never let myself eat badly for more than two days. If I don't allow myself some flexibility, I wouldn't stick to it at all.

    Go at your own pace and make your own rules :D
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    Options
    i suggest you read this, http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2012/08/16/get-over-it/ and get over it.

    Have you ever told yourself:

    “I’m an idiot. I ate like total crap today.”

    “Why am I so lazy? Why did I skip my workout this morning?”

    “I have no willpower, because I couldn’t stop myself from eating those M&M’s.”

    Every day, people trying to get healthy have tiny moments of weakness, and absolutely berate themselves for being “bad.” Then, they allow that one fleeting moment to absolutely derail any success they’ve had by making additional bad decisions because “it’s too late at this point.”

    I’m going to teach you a little trick today to instantly stop this behavior and allow you to continue down your path towards a leveled up life.

    It’s called the “Get the **** over it” rule, and it’s sweeping the nation.
  • suzieq08
    suzieq08 Posts: 2
    Options
    one thing i've learned...resistance never works. you don't resist brushing your teeth in the morning you just get up and do it. it has become a habbit and something you do automaticly. there does come a time when the love for yourself happens this way too. thats how i see what i do for my body everyday. please be kind to yourself while you continue your journey.:flowerforyou:
  • xanem
    xanem Posts: 11
    Options
    Yeah I've read this before, great article, but I don't understand how that applies to me in this situation. What am I meant to be getting over? I'm just trying to find enough internal power to get back on track for at least a week, and then hopefully, like last time, it'll becoming something more habitual and consistent.
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    Options
    Yeah I've read this before, great article, but I don't understand how that applies to me in this situation. What am I meant to be getting over? I'm just trying to find enough internal power to get back on track for at least a week, and then hopefully, like last time, it'll becoming something more habitual and consistent.

    well, you have to start chaning some habits. do you wake up in the morning and go work out? no? well, you should start, before you start coming up with excuses.

    i used to do that... wake up as late as possible, mess around for an hour or so, then i'd eat breakfast while watching tv, and then it would be 11am and i'd say things like "well, it's too hot/cold to go running now," or "the gym will be too crowded now." you get the idea.

    start developing some habits to combat your weaknesses. if buying junk food at the supermarket is a weakness, then don't go groccery shopping hungry. if getting a work out in is a problem, wake up early and go before you realize what is going on.
  • xanem
    xanem Posts: 11
    Options
    Yeah I've read this before, great article, but I don't understand how that applies to me in this situation. What am I meant to be getting over? I'm just trying to find enough internal power to get back on track for at least a week, and then hopefully, like last time, it'll becoming something more habitual and consistent.

    well, you have to start chaning some habits. do you wake up in the morning and go work out? no? well, you should start, before you start coming up with excuses.

    i used to do that... wake up as late as possible, mess around for an hour or so, then i'd eat breakfast while watching tv, and then it would be 11am and i'd say things like "well, it's too hot/cold to go running now," or "the gym will be too crowded now." you get the idea.

    start developing some habits to combat your weaknesses. if buying junk food at the supermarket is a weakness, then don't go groccery shopping hungry. if getting a work out in is a problem, wake up early and go before you realize what is going on.

    Going for workouts are never a problem for me. The only problem I have is giving into every temptation around me. No matter the situation - I need to find a good frame of mind that will defeat any temptations. I want to be able to say NO, so I can get on track. But as posted previously, I like the idea of "taking it day by day", conquering each day.
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    Options
    Going for workouts are never a problem for me. The only problem I have is giving into every temptation around me. No matter the situation - I need to find a good frame of mind that will defeat any temptations. I want to be able to say NO, so I can get on track. But as posted previously, I like the idea of "taking it day by day", conquering each day.

    sometimes it's hour by hour. sometimes i tell myself "okay, you can have that candy/chocolate in an hour." by the time i remember that i told myself that, the hour passed.
  • mathteacher2010
    mathteacher2010 Posts: 85 Member
    Options
    Take a good look at those nice clothes you're wearing after losing the weight you have already lost. Think about what you're going to wear when you reach your goal. I struggle every day to stay on track; I give in a little on the weekends. But when I look at those new jeans that are JUST fitting now, and remember the old ones that were much bigger, I go do that workout, or turn away from the candy, or whatever it is that's tempting me at the moment!
  • lublue
    lublue Posts: 123 Member
    Options
    Just keep trying - when you make a bad judgement and over eat or eat bad foods, don't leave it until the next day - get right back on track there and then :) I'm just getting back on track too, and I've fallen off it lots of times, but like you say I know that after a week or so of doing it right it will be habit and I'll be able to keep to it happily (and feel better about myself too!)
  • ChristineS_51
    ChristineS_51 Posts: 872 Member
    Options
    Just make sure what you eat is within your calorie allowance - by denying yourself things you really really want, you are just bound to "fall off the tracks". But by judicious juggling of your intake, and ensuring you get some exercise, you can have some things you really want.

    This is not for the short term, this is for "life" in all that means, so learn to live within your calorie "budget", spend your calories how you want, increase the budget by exercising more. Easy peasy!!
  • tinybry
    tinybry Posts: 71 Member
    Options
    the big thing for me is planning - plan what you are going to eat and what exercise you will do, write it down (better still on here so you can be acountable to others!), prepare (shopping, whatever you need to do) and then don't put yourself in the way of tempation whilst you carry out your plan.

    I am like you in that once I've been on the waggon a few days I am in the swing of it and it's generally ok, but as soon as I fall off for a day or two I have real trouble getting back on again - even though I want to and intend to, somehow I just can't focus.

    So if you don't allow yourself the opportunity to fall off then you are less likely to. At least that's what works for me!
  • melduf
    melduf Posts: 468 Member
    Options
    What works for me is to think this is a "new lifestyle". It's not a diet and it's not temporary. I'm developping better habits because I want to be healthy my whole life.
    That being said, if it's for ever, there are days I'm allowed to be lazy and eat "extras". But those days are the exception, not the rule. That way, when I cave in, I don't feel as guilty and I don't tend to do it as often as when I am on a "diet".
    You have to find a way to make your brain accept what you are trying to do. Good luck.
  • 50kgRussianBallerina
    50kgRussianBallerina Posts: 55 Member
    Options
    When this kind of thing happens, I often find that I need some change. A new start, feeling refreshed, clear-headed. I take some time to think things through and come to a solution. First you have to feel good, and confident - and not so scared. You have to trust yourself. You have to stop acting like you are powerless and start remembering that you are smart (you know what decisions to make), you are cool and collected (you won't let one less-than-ideal decision lead to more bad decisions but will take the mistakes as they come and LEARN from them instead), you have all the power in the world (every choice you make is YOURS and nothing or no one has any control over that, it all comes from you).

    But also, you have to not be fighting yourself. You have to be going with the flow of "You". It shouldn't be a fight every time.

    Also, I know what you mean about trying to do what you did last time, but I've never gotten back on track that way before. I've tried, but it just isn't the same as 'last time'. I think it's because you're different now than you were last time - I mean, every day, every hour, with each new experience, you become a "different" person. So the situation is different now and you need to arrive at an "at peace with yourself" mindset and do what will work for who you are now.

    My last piece of advice is not to "start" at all. I mean - this is your life. It goes on "forever". You gained back 3 kg after eating too much for a while. So? You're still alive, aren't you? You're breathing? Ok. You're ok, then. You didn't end anything, you are simply continuing living the timeline that is your life. So really, you don't have to make a deliberate effort to start anything over again ;)
  • lovingmethin
    lovingmethin Posts: 47 Member
    Options
    It does sound like you are sabotaging yourself. I understand because I do it to myself. Love yourself and start over.

    I've been reading a book about our relationship with food. The book has helped me to see that since I was young, I have always tried to be good and selfless. I never wanted to ask for anything and I have never wanted to take something that someone else might need. That includes time and affection from my parents, as well as the new toy that was bought. I have always tried to live a very controlled life. But, one thing that I have allowed myself to go out of control with is food. I've always taken more than I needed. I've eaten selfishly and without guilt that I was giving myself something. (I do end up feeling bad for being a glutton.) What I am now trying to give myself is love and acceptance.

    If you would like to add me as a friend, please feel free to do so. I understand the ups and downs of this journey.
  • liesevanlingen
    liesevanlingen Posts: 508 Member
    Options
    What works for me is saying to myself "I don't want/need it RIGHT NOW. I can always have it later if I really want it." That enables me to walk past the temptation much more easily. I've used this strategy in restaurants, in the chocolate or bakery sections of the grocery store, at fast food outlets--pretty much wherever there are food temptations. Then I distract myself by doing something like brushing my teeth or going for a walk--that sort of thing. Never say "I can't have that"--then you feel deprived. Say "I don't want that."(even if it's not true) That makes you feel more in control of the situation. It does work.
  • animatorswearbras
    animatorswearbras Posts: 1,001 Member
    Options
    Yep a few times, either because I've been on holiday or there's been a few blow out weekends of party and food in a row, crikey that's why it's taken me 6 months to lose 12 pounds, but still I'm 12 pounds down to where I was 6 months ago :) Just remember one day at a time if you have more good then bad you'll be less then where you started, which you are, the thing is don't give up!!! But stalling and falling off the wagon happens to the best of 'em on here (and the worst like me) but I can still lose, you just dust yourself off and start again. xx

    Oh and one last thing don't try and punish yourself by doing stupidly low calories or something to make up for the bad weeks, you'll crack and fall off the wagon again, just do it sensibly remember you shouldn't punish yourself for being good and restarting. x

Categories