You just do.

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About 9 months ago, I started my quest to lose about 260 or so pounds. I started at 478. In 5 months, I peeled off 95 pounds down to 383. Then "life" happened. The "what" is not important. The result is. Over the past 4 months, I have hutz-putzed around, sometimes logging food, sometimes not. Sometimes exercising, sometimes not. Re-establishing old, familiar, detrimental pathways. Allowing a piece of dutch apple crumb pie with warm caramel ganache and homemade vanilla bean ice cream to comfort and soothe my jangled nerves instead of dealing with the problems that caused the anxiety in the first place. The result was a gain of 10 pounds.

I am not writing this for sympathy or support. I am writing this because I know that one of you needs to read what I am about to say. One of you has fought the good fight for hours, days, weeks, months or years, and has lost 1, 2, 5, 10, 25, 50, 100 or more pounds. One of you has slipped in recent days or weeks for reasons known only to you. One of you has either faced, or will face a scale that screams a number at you that you promised yourself you would never see again. You feel like a failure. You feel like you have let your fellow MFPers, your friends, your loved ones, and yourself down. You feel your clothes fitting a little tighter, and are paralyzed by the thought of having to buy new "fat clothes." You know you need to "start again," but you don't know how. This post, my friend, is written for YOU.

Why am *I* writing this post? I do not write as a PhD in nutrition or dietetics. I do not write this post as a psychiatrist, psychologist, counselor or physician. I am none of those things. I write this post solely as a fellow traveler who has sometimes faced, sometimes ignored a lifelong problem with excess fat. I am merely one who walks the same path as you do. Toward the same goal that you seek. With the same thoughts, fears, shames, anxieties and desires for a better life that you experience. I do not know if I will reach that promised land. Or whether you will. But I know that we will walk that path together, trying as best possible to keep one another pointed toward the land of Goal, off on the distant horizon.

So, what's the plan, Stan? I don't know about yours, but mine is simple:

1. Forgive myself for gaining back the pounds that I have. Guilt is like a sack of rocks. You can choose to carry it with you and it will make your task more difficult. Or you can set it down by the side of the road and continue your journey without it. I choose the latter.

2. Eat filling foods with fiber, complex carbohydrates, lean proteins, healthy fats, vitamins and minerals. Wean myself down from 80% processed foods to about 20%. Most of time, weight loss is not about the foods you deprive yourself of. It results from the foods you do eat not providing enough vitamins and nutrition your body needs. That's why your body keeps asking for more food.

3. Drink water. Drink water. Drink water. Drink water. And lots of it. Did I mention drink water?

4. Schedule exercise and treat that block of time like a business appointment. No excuses. Plan it. Execute it.

5. Don't have the same expectations of being able to exercise as long or as fast as I did when I was exercising every day. Just accept that every step I take or climb, is another step away from sedentary and another step toward fit.

6. When I exercise, I will not look miles down the road and say, "I can't do it." I will focus on the next several steps and say, "I can do this." And if I do that enough times, I will have made it miles down the road.

7. When I eat, I will start each meal with water and a filling, low calorie food. I will eat slowly so that my brain has a chance to catch up with my stomach and realize that, "yes, I did get enough to eat."

8. I will not give up desserts or "fattening foods." I will continue to eat them, but in much smaller portions.

9. I will not look at my allotment of calories for the day and panic as it dwindles. I will be a mature adult. When my calories are gone for the day, I will either "man up" and stop eating, or I will exercise more to earn more calories.

10. I will get enough rest each day so that my body does not try to replace energy from rest with energy from food.

11. If I have a "cheat day" or "cheat meal" I will record it, accept the consequences and move on. You know what you eventually call someone who stays on track eating wise 90% of the time? Really good looking!

That's it. No magic. No potions. No easy way. When you're in your car and you have a flat tire, do you get out and flatten the other three? No. You replace it and go on. You just do.

Scott R. in Houston, Tx.
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Replies

  • likitisplit
    likitisplit Posts: 9,420 Member
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    I am not writing this for sympathy or support. I am writing this because I know that one of you needs to read what I am about to say. One of you has fought the good fight for hours, days, weeks, months or years, and has lost 1, 2, 5, 10, 25, 50, 100 or more pounds. One of you has slipped in recent days or weeks for reasons known only to you. One of you has either faced, or will face a scale that screams a number at you that you promised yourself you would never see again. You feel like a failure. You feel like you have let your fellow MFPers, your friends, your loved ones, and yourself down. You feel your clothes fitting a little tighter, and are paralyzed by the thought of having to buy new "fat clothes." You know you need to "start again," but you don't know how. This post, my friend, is written for YOU.

    I think you're wrong. I don't think this post is for that person. I think it's for all of us. Every day, every meal, every bit of free time that we need to use wisely requires a recommitment. It becomes habitual, but we need the reminder that anybody can slip out of that habit. The occasional indulgence can easily become the new habit. We can easily go on vacation and simply never come back. Every one of us needs a regular reminder to be mindful of the choices we are making right now.
  • wendyjane75
    wendyjane75 Posts: 45 Member
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    I started MFP the same week you did and lost 50 lbs. Unfortunately I "hutz-putzed" around since January-ish as well and gained some back. Your post expressed exactly how I am feeling.

    Starting the first of this week, I have been back on plan and feel so much better physically and emotionally than I have been the last little while and the scale is moving in the right direction because of those good choices.

    Good for you for getting back on the wagon. Keep up your great work!
  • bethany598
    bethany598 Posts: 12 Member
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    You have such a way with words, Scott!! I always love reading your posts. And this one was written for me, so thank you! I am in agreement with everything you said, and you just gave me the boost I needed to keep plugging along. Still praying for you and your family! Keep your head up, my friend.
  • KodAkuraMacKyen
    KodAkuraMacKyen Posts: 737 Member
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    Thank you sir.
  • mariposa224
    mariposa224 Posts: 1,269 Member
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    I think that everyone should read this post & will be putting it on my wall. Very inspiring! Keep at it, you've definitely got your attitude right! :flowerforyou:
  • marciebrian
    marciebrian Posts: 853 Member
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    You have such a way with words, Scott!! I always love reading your posts. And this one was written for me, so thank you! I am in agreement with everything you said, and you just gave me the boost I needed to keep plugging along. Still praying for you and your family! Keep your head up, my friend.

    I echo the sentiment! You write beautifully, your prose flows like a river and I too enjoy reading your posts whenever you share your thoughts with us. Best wishes to you on your journey, reach out if we can help and special prayers as well for you and your family.:flowerforyou:
  • JRadd14
    JRadd14 Posts: 206 Member
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    Inspiring and motivating. Great analogy about the car. We all need a "reality check" sometimes. Our attitude and mindset are instrumental in our success and dictates our actions.

    Along those line - I highly recommned The Beck Diet and the Workbook. I've recently started reading it, so I'm no expert, but it is not a "diet" but a way of viewing the concept of dieting and how we look at ourselves. The book is designed to get you in a better, more positive, more effective mindset to have help us lose weight.

    I think if I can corral my demons and think more like a "thin" person, that will be they key to better choices and more productive and fruitful behaviors.

    All the best on your journey -
    ~j
  • Marcia661
    Marcia661 Posts: 183 Member
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    Thank-you for sharing Scott :) I think you touched a nerve in many of us and I think one of the MOST important things you said was.....forgive yourself. Man that's a tough one eh?
  • alphabetsoup2013
    alphabetsoup2013 Posts: 208 Member
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    This is a brilliant post. So happy to be sharing my journey with you.
  • ShelleyWoodward
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    This is brilliantly written. Thank you for putting the words that so many of us have jumbled around in our heads into such an eloquent post.
  • CountryStrongNicole
    CountryStrongNicole Posts: 46 Member
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    Nicely Put!! This applies to so many of us! I needed to see this reminder today! Thank you!
  • Zampa13
    Zampa13 Posts: 75 Member
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    Im feeling pretty similar at the moment. I have regained a lot of which I lost in January but today is a new day. New day new start!
  • Donnaakamagmid
    Donnaakamagmid Posts: 198 Member
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    Thank you for this. :flowerforyou:

    As someone who is having a week from hell, I find myself wanting to grab some cookies, a pizza, some beers or crawl under my desk and hide to get through it.

    MFP will get me through it and I will be better for it. Your post touched me. I will succeed.
  • autumny70
    autumny70 Posts: 127 Member
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    Perfectly written, thank you!
  • kethry70
    kethry70 Posts: 404 Member
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    Great post!
    No sense punishing or paralyzing yourself with guilt. Much better to pick up the pieces and move forward :)

    One of my favorite quotes that I remind myself of is that no matter how slow, clumsy, or awkward I feel exercising in whatever way, I am lapping everybody still sitting on the couch :D
  • cebreisch
    cebreisch Posts: 1,340 Member
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    Nicely put!! Especially the parts about allowing yourself to be human. Humans are imperfect beings by nature, and we're going to stumble, but we can schluf off the guilt, dust ourselves off and start again anytime we want.
  • Shim2013
    Shim2013 Posts: 48
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    Thank you, for sharing and just giving me a boost so get a move on. I started this journey for a reason and that reason still stands even if i get a flat tire, I still want to get to that place! I will take the motivation where I can!
  • _chiaroscuro
    _chiaroscuro Posts: 1,340 Member
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    YES!! Awesome post.
    Wow I keep seeing some brave mofos on MFP today. People are on fire!
  • yetieddie
    yetieddie Posts: 28 Member
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    Great post. Great post.
  • lklkl5
    lklkl5 Posts: 113 Member
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    Great post. I think everyone who reads it will find part of themselves in it. Keep on keeping on, I will as well.