Starting to fall off the wagon....

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Dponta
Dponta Posts: 13 Member
in Motivation and Support
I had a bad weekend, and I mean a bad weekend! I was eating things I had no business even having in my house and I didn't exercise. I woke up this morning feeling very bad about myself. I told myself, Self (cause that is what I call me) I said Self, you just had a bad few days and you need to get back into the routine. Don't let a few bad choices ruin what you have already accomplished. Then I look outside and it is snowing, cold and blah. I again made 2 bad choices in what I have eaten today and it is only 10:15!! I hope this isn't the beginning of me falling off of the wagon, I have so far to go and this horse can't afford to quit now. Maybe instead of being ON the wagon I should be PULLING it? How do you get yourself motivated after you fall so hard?
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  • redheadedgal
    redheadedgal Posts: 149 Member
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    I have fallen off th wagon millions of times. I fall off from one bad food choice, and I can never seem to find my way back on until I'm about 30 pounds heavier. When I look in the mirror, I don't feel like I look that bad, even though I know what size I wear and what the number says on the scale. I always, ALWAYS hate my pictures, because I feel like I look bigger than I really am. This weekend, to help with motivation, I had my husband take pictures of me in my underwear(I don't own a bikini for obvious reasons) I have the camera in my beside table and I take it out and look at them. Its disheartening, but it always makes me realize that is how other people see me, so it gives me drive everyday, so far. Good luck with climbing back up on the wagon. I know its hard, but once you get on there, it feels oh so good!!
  • johloz
    johloz Posts: 176 Member
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    I have been the same way lately! I found out about 2 weeks ago that my work will be closing in 3 months, and I won't have a job! I'm devastated, and have been having a difficult time staying focused on fitness or healthy eating. I haven't even been tracking everything like I usually do.

    I've just been telling myself to do as well as I can. Have as many good days as possible, and not sweat the bad ones. Just keep pushing forward, and eventually I'll get back on track. It's extra difficult to make the right decisions when you are feeling bad about the bad ones you already made, so let's try not to feel defeted and keep going!
  • Danni1585
    Danni1585 Posts: 250 Member
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    Get ON it and don't wallow, we all have times when stuff happens, today is a new day x
  • devrinator
    devrinator Posts: 79 Member
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    Look at it as a good thing!! You enjoyed yourself. Thin people have days and weekends like that. It will only slow you down minimally for one week. It's really no big deal in the long run, and it may even rev up your metabolism a bit in the midst of calorie restriction and exercise. It was a beautiful, yummy break.

    I don't think we can allow ourselves to say, "Okay, I'm gonna take a break," but there will always be times when the "break" just sort of happens. I mean, did you overeat enough to gain weight? Did you eat 3500 calories more than you need to maintain your weight? Probably not, and if you've been doing well all week, the worst case scenario is that you'll just maintain your weight for one little week.

    Be proud that you enjoyed yourself and move back onto dieting! Just think how cool it is to still lose weight and have occasional free-for all weekends that you didn't plan.
  • NatsukoG
    NatsukoG Posts: 104
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    I fall off the wagon and get back on the wagon over and over again and look at my little ticker thingy below, I've still, somehow managed to lose weight. I think the reason is that instead of falling off and not getting back on, I just somehow drag myself back on. Give yourself a talking to. Look at the success stories on the forum. there's no difference between me, them and you. We all have it in us to do this.

    Don't fall into the trap of thinking you can only get back on that wagon once per day. You don't need to wait until tomorrow to try again. Get on it NOW. Go burn some calories and make good choices for the rest of the day and already be on that wagon again tomorrow. go on, you can do it :flowerforyou:
  • kbeech06
    kbeech06 Posts: 328 Member
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    Just hop right back on! No one is stopping you but you! Go for a walk....bundle up, put on your boots, and WALK. You'll warm up fast! I ate a few things this past weekend I probably shouldn't have, and I didn't work out ( I was sore from working out 5 days straight)...but I was right back at it this morning. Just make up your mind and do it!
  • Momma258
    Momma258 Posts: 8
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    Don't dwell on what you did wrong; give yourself credit for what you do right. People don't do that for themselves enough. And if you don't give yourself credit, who will? I agree that you could go to the message boards to get some motivation back. Do you have a MYFITNESSPAL to connect with? That is helpful also.
  • FITnFIRM4LIFE
    FITnFIRM4LIFE Posts: 818 Member
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    We all fall ! We are human, This is a wagon ride for life, there will be bumps in the road, flat tires etc...Dwelling keeps you stuck..Move on,and keep going. That's all you can do..80-20, just look at the big picture, not the little frames. a few days is nothing in the big picture..Stop the guilt, it's over and move forward..YOU CAN DO IT...;-)
  • annepage
    annepage Posts: 585 Member
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    Definitely needed to read this after this weekend. All the previous posts have a good point. Think about what you've already accomplished and use that to push yourself forward. You're not where you were before and that's progress that you can continue making. Looking at old pictures when I was heavier definitely helps me make better decisions because I won't go back to that.
  • Dponta
    Dponta Posts: 13 Member
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    Wow, you guys are awesome! Thanks for all of the support. When I get home from work tonight I will be working out. I have to just do it and make myself do it. :smile:
  • mjterp
    mjterp Posts: 655 Member
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    One habit at a time. I have built several GREAT habits, so that when I fell into depressed eating around the holidays, it wasn't a total lost cause. Did I slip? Yeah. Everyday? no. Many days for a while...but I kept trying and FINALLY pulled myself out of my funk and was able to get back into the game. The cool thing? Some of my habits, even though I "fell off the wagon" STUCK! And the longer I do a habit, teh more natural and "automatic" it becomes and the less thought and effort it requires to do it. I could never have done a total overhaul like many people do. I needed to do this in baby steps. I'm not losing fast, but I AM losing. I am making progess. Each habit makes me healthier and stronger than before. Each habit helps me get to where I need to be.

    Get back up. The Batman movie has a really cool quote that I like. "Why do we fall? So we can learn to pick ourselves back up." And what people are saying about making your NEXT choice a better choice is right. Just because you overdid breakfast, maybe you can lighten up on lunch and dinner and snacks and add a little bit of dancing to your cleaning or whatever you do for movement to get back in the green zone by the end of the day...and still have a great day! This isn't a race. It is about doing better than you did before. Now, get your bearings, and get back up. We are here to help you, but you have to find your own feet! ;-)
  • pmar6757
    pmar6757 Posts: 14
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    First, go easy on yourself! I swear, we are all so ruthless on ourselves if we are overweight! Even if you are a great parent, a super employee, a loving son/daughter, all of that goes out the window when we step on the scale! I totally sympathise. Sonetimes I think being overweight is a lot more of a stigma than some stuff that I see in our society: drugs, adultery, etc. Yikes!

    Have you considered a Kitchen Clean Out?? I know there are some foods that I just can't have in the house, like ice cream. It just helps keep my on track if they aren't within easy reach.

    Remember that the only thing you can control is what you do NEXT...not what you did 5 minutes ago!!!!
  • jodyhepp
    jodyhepp Posts: 4
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    Last weekend was my daughter's 20th birthday. I wasn't as bad as I've been in past years, but I was bad compared to what I've been doing with MFP. Yeah, I put on some weight and it took me a week to get back to where I had been, but I'm losing again. Life happens! 80/20, back on track!
  • sgv0918
    sgv0918 Posts: 851 Member
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    somedays I am hanging on by the fingers of one hand while using the other hand to stuff myself full. Hang on to the wagon. Even if your letting it drag u. ur still on it.
  • LikeNoOneElse84
    LikeNoOneElse84 Posts: 475 Member
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    I've been where you are. You just have to make the conscience decision to stop right in your tracks and get right from that point on. We all go through that period where we have moments of weakness that we give in to. It's called life.
  • MorbidMander
    MorbidMander Posts: 349 Member
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    You just pick yourself and keep going. Everyone makes less then great food choices,I know I have a lot of times. The difference is when you recognize you don't want to ruin what you've accomplished so you get back on track. Happens to the best of us. Best of luck to keeping to it.
  • simplehijinks
    simplehijinks Posts: 10
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    It's OKAY to fall off the wagon.

    Here's why: Now you have to chase that wagon to get back on it!

    Okay, bad joke, I apologize. But I think having a few bad days is allowable, just remember we're all rooting for you. So the next time you're grabbing something not-so-good-for-you, imagine twenty plus people standing over your shoulder.
  • Phoenixchichima
    Phoenixchichima Posts: 416
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    one good decision at a time.
    log everything
    when tempted throw a shout out to your homies
    stop & do 3 sets of 15 ea. desk/wall push ups
    or squats
    or say... YES< I am going to have that bad thing.... later.... and hopefully later doesnt happen
    delay bad decisions

    develop a mantra.
    decide what CAN you do in the snow? can you go for a walk?

    do you have cabin fever? that kills me.
  • WaterBunnie
    WaterBunnie Posts: 1,370 Member
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    Don't think of it as falling off the wagon (sounds too final doesn't it) but as a diet holiday which is now OVER. Weigh, plan the next couple of day's food, get in some exercise and get on with it! :-)
  • EstiloPanama
    EstiloPanama Posts: 245
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    I've fallen off the wagon and even got trampled by it a few times. LOL. The main thing is this: Dont give up! Keep going. That sounds simple but the truth is, giving up is giving in, and there's no turning back when you give up. Just resolve to have a better week, to keep working out. A lot of days I am over my calorie allowance, but I'm eating a LOT better than I used to. I used to not work out at all and now I do almost daily. Take note of the small accomplishments along the way. I know in the past, I used to eat maybe about 3000 calories a day! That's kind of awful. So don't worry. I think you're awesome for being brave enough post something like this. You may feel it is weakness, but really it's a strength. Hopefully you can get your motivation back and continue forward.

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