killing my progress..

bakergirl178
bakergirl178 Posts: 19
in Health and Weight Loss
every time the number on the scale decreases i mentally remind myself to persevere. but THAT SAME DAY i will be like "oh, you lost another pound. an extra handful of chips won't hurt." and then it turns into an excuse to eat a little bit more of everything that day, and the next day i weigh in and i've gained like 4 lbs. how do you stop from letting yourself go on days that you've made progress?! i'm so sick of being stuck at the weight i'm at and even gaining...

Replies

  • linsey0689
    linsey0689 Posts: 753 Member
    I am not sure this doesn't really happen to me that much. I don't eat everything as I should but that is not my thinking from it. I have lost 25 pounds so when I think about those chips or whatever it should be I just try to think about how easy it would be for me to gain it all back. Also the days when I gain I work really hard that day to see a lost the next day. This is why I weigh myself everyday or near to everyday but I don't put it on MFP everyday just a reminder for me on how I am doing. Not sure how much you have lost or if you have "before" pictures but I do and I have a side by side on my phone and when I am feeling down on myself I just look at the photo and think even though I still have a lot of weight to lose I have came so far. Best of luck to you! :)
  • artickb22
    artickb22 Posts: 411 Member
    I absolutely have this problem, it just takes willpower to overcome. You have to remind yourself that if you do indulge its gonna show in the following days. Refuse to let old thinking and habits destroy your progress! Good luck!
  • dixiewhiskey
    dixiewhiskey Posts: 3,333 Member
    I am not sure this doesn't really happen to me that much. I don't eat everything as I should but that is not my thinking from it. I have lost 25 pounds so when I think about those chips or whatever it should be I just try to think about how easy it would be for me to gain it all back. Also the days when I gain I work really hard that day to see a lost the next day. This is why I weigh myself everyday or near to everyday but I don't put it on MFP everyday just a reminder for me on how I am doing. Not sure how much you have lost or if you have "before" pictures but I do and I have a side by side on my phone and when I am feeling down on myself I just look at the photo and think even though I still have a lot of weight to lose I have came so far. Best of luck to you! :)

    Same here. In fact, I don't really find chips to be the first thing I want to grab anymore when I feel like having a 'treat'.
  • FoodandFitness
    FoodandFitness Posts: 502 Member
    Sorry to hear that. Have you considered weighing yourself less frequently?
  • LadyMustard
    LadyMustard Posts: 104 Member
    If I ever want anything "extra", I work out for it. Stick to the macros, and if you can fit it in, eat it. I also find it helps that if you're gonna have "snacks", get pre- portioned snacks (100 calorie snack packs are available at the store under the weight watchers brand and fit and active for example) and add them as soon as you eat them. Having them pre-portioned keeps it from going overboard. Limit it to one, small 100 calorie snack. As for the chips, we threw out the junk food months ago. No pop, no chips. I've lost 14 lbs so far ( I lost 5 before joining my fitness pal from switching to water alone) and a good chunk of that was from knowing just how many calories I was eating. Start making healthy substitutions, than work from there: AND ADD EVERYTHING at least for the first several months.

    If it goes in, ADD IT. It sounds harsh and a bit OCD, but when you see the damage that "little snacks" have glaring at the screen back at you in black and white it makes you much more conscious of what you're putting in your mouth.
  • astronomicals
    astronomicals Posts: 1,537 Member
    if you cant use a scale responsibly u need to throw it in the garbage.... basing you actions off a scale is tantamount to getting an eating disorder... if i do a carb refeed i wake up like 8 pounds heavier.. its not fta... it doesnt matter


    how long have u been dieting.. whats your weight age height and caloric intake? how much have you lost? when did you start?
  • astronomicals
    astronomicals Posts: 1,537 Member
    If I ever want anything "extra", I work out for it. Stick to the macros, and if you can fit it in, eat it. I also find it helps that if you're gonna have "snacks", get pre- portioned snacks (100 calorie snack packs are available at the store under the weight watchers brand and fit and active for example) and add them as soon as you eat them. Having them pre-portioned keeps it from going overboard. Limit it to one, small 100 calorie snack. As for the chips, we threw out the junk food months ago. No pop, no chips. I've lost 14 lbs so far ( I lost 5 before joining my fitness pal from switching to water alone) and a good chunk of that was from knowing just how many calories I was eating. Start making healthy substitutions, than work from there: AND ADD EVERYTHING at least for the first several months.

    If it goes in, ADD IT. It sounds harsh and a bit OCD, but when you see the damage that "little snacks" have glaring at the screen back at you in black and white it makes you much more conscious of what you're putting in your mouth.

    I like everything except the first thing yiou said..... working out to eat sacks is a bad habit... everything else you said can be very important since so many people underestimate their actual intake...
  • traceyjj
    traceyjj Posts: 406 Member
    Throw away the scales... or hide them somewhere you CANT use them regularly. My weight loss is appallingly slow, and I used to get disheartened so I'd go through the "why even bother" thoughts. Our home scale broke, so now I rely on using scales at someone elses house.
    Now I measure myself to see my progress, and that seems to have stopped the "why bother" or "oh yey I've lost a lb, so I deserve a treat" thing. Seeing those numbers get smaller, and heading towards the next size down in clothes is (to me) a much bigger thing... and something I dont want to sabotage by treating myself all the time.
  • remyaf
    remyaf Posts: 5
    Yeah, I totally killed my progress today. I'm home for spring break and the past two days I have just indulged. Granted, I haven't eaten a lot of junk food, I've just eaten WAY too much. My gym membership during the school year is in the city I go to college in so I don't have a gym membership at home or else I could exercise all these calories off! I know that I will get myself back on track this week and I will go for a run in the morning. My only concern is that I have midterms coming up so I won't be able to exercise much at all this week. Plus, I have been sick for a month so my exercise is already lagging. I haven't gained weight overall, only lost, but it is still frustrating. My weight loss has been very slow so far but consistent and I don't gain back. It's a lifestyle change for me which I why I don't worry that I will fall into a trap. Usually, I will do this like two-day overeating or bad eating kick and then be back to normal. So yeah, when I kill my progress, I just remember that it is a lifestyle and that the next day I will resume healthy living.
  • LadyMustard
    LadyMustard Posts: 104 Member
    If I ever want anything "extra", I work out for it. Stick to the macros, and if you can fit it in, eat it. I also find it helps that if you're gonna have "snacks", get pre- portioned snacks (100 calorie snack packs are available at the store under the weight watchers brand and fit and active for example) and add them as soon as you eat them. Having them pre-portioned keeps it from going overboard. Limit it to one, small 100 calorie snack. As for the chips, we threw out the junk food months ago. No pop, no chips. I've lost 14 lbs so far ( I lost 5 before joining my fitness pal from switching to water alone) and a good chunk of that was from knowing just how many calories I was eating. Start making healthy substitutions, than work from there: AND ADD EVERYTHING at least for the first several months.

    If it goes in, ADD IT. It sounds harsh and a bit OCD, but when you see the damage that "little snacks" have glaring at the screen back at you in black and white it makes you much more conscious of what you're putting in your mouth.

    I like everything except the first thing yiou said..... working out to eat sacks is a bad habit... everything else you said can be very important since so many people underestimate their actual intake...

    I know it's a bit late to add now, but eating snacks isn't my primary motivator for exercising, I just tend to save my little snacks for the days that I exercise: Monday, Wednesday, Friday since my deficit is much bigger those days. Guess I should've worded it differently... T.T Sorry
  • 89nunu
    89nunu Posts: 1,082 Member
    Someone very smart once posted a quote on here that became my mantra: I don't reward myself with food, I'm not a dog!
  • Fozzi43
    Fozzi43 Posts: 2,984 Member
    I can relate to that..but the trick is to tell yourself " hey I lost x weight..if I carry on I'll see a bigger difference"
    Also what the poster said earlier..don't weigh yourself so much.
    If you want extra food then do an extra workout.
  • Warchortle
    Warchortle Posts: 2,197 Member
    Weight loss isn't instant and because of its long process it's about averages.

    One bad day in 30 good days isn't really going to make a huge difference. Don't be anal and weigh yourself all the time.
  • sandi117
    sandi117 Posts: 445 Member
    Don't weigh yourself everyday! Doing so is only going to deflate your self esteem and make you want to give up. Weight fluctuations are normal, especially after you eat and if you have any heavy meals. My weight seriously fluctuates 10 POUNDS between 2 days if I eat a ton of food, even if I work my butt off at the gym. Put the scale away and weigh yourself no more than twice a week, but try for only once a week. Also, instead of rewarding yourself with food for any losses you have on the scale, go for a walk. If you really want to an edible reward, pick something healthy and keep it at a small proportion, like some almonds or peanuts if you're craving salt.
  • krissy_krossy
    krissy_krossy Posts: 307 Member
    1. Stop weighing yourself so often
    2. If you're unhappy about something that you do, you're the only one who can change it. A change in your actions isn't something you can order and wait 6-8 weeks for delivery.
    3. Rewarding yourself with food isn't healthy.
  • khall86790
    khall86790 Posts: 1,100 Member
    Because every time it goes down, I think "awesome, 1lb closer to my goal" and it pushes me to keep going. Because I still haven't hit my goal yet. You need to stop treating yourself with food.
  • initforlife_cc
    initforlife_cc Posts: 13
    Like that saying goes, "don't reward yourself with food, you're not a dog".....and throw your scale out! It seems like it's hindering your long-term goals rather than motivating you to reach them. Good luck!!

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