Help!!

We're friends and I know you've seen the many restarts I've done in the past year so I can totally relate to what you're feeling. Not giving, forgiving myself and letting go of the "failures" works for me.

I know it's hard but eating as cleanly as possible helps me to feel better. That means restricting the processed foods and eating out. Binging is bad, but its better to binge on strawberries instead of Stacy's pita chips.

I am here with you. :flowerforyou:

Well I've been on and off Myfitnesspal for almost 2 years. I was doing really well last summer and come fall I totally fell off the wagon. I feel very lost. I just can't seem to find a plan that I can stick to. I need structure but can't seem to muster the determination I had a year ago to plan and pack what I need for the day so I end up eating whatever is around. I have gained so much weight in the last 6 months and feel like a complete failure.

What has worked for you? Any suggestions?

The suggestion I would offer is one you seem aware of ~ the value of *planning*, so that you're not ending up just eating whatever is around. Go do a good grocery shopping and fill your fridge with handy, tasty, healthy foods so that you can easily prep meals.

Good luck! It's great you're back and wanting help ~ that's the first step .

Good luck with your restarting of primal. I hope you'll find it sustainable.

I've been a member at MFP for awhile (and a couple of other fitness sites before that), and also went through the stopping and starting of staying focused and on track. Life happens, we get lazy, we get busy, whatever. It happens.

Yesterday I logged my 645th consecutive day on MFP. I finally got to the point about 650 days ago, that I was done with the stopping and starting, with the frustration of regaining weight that I'd lost, of the incredibly sore muscles from starting from scratch, and trying to clean up my eating habits yet again. It was a new mind set for me - this was it, I was going to stick with it this time, and roll with the punches that life threw at me.

I started with logging all my food, good or bad, under or over, I tracked it all. Not every day was a home run, but I've always found that seeing the actual numbers of the calories, proteins, fats, carbs, sodium, etc, and where I did well, and where I could have done better, was a big help. I set short term goals and planned out my exercise, what I was going to do on what day, and made it reasonable - no more than an hour.

I stuck with this through illness, a miscarriage, the holidays, vacations, crazy schedules, and so on. The habits were being formed, and I was making progress - always a good motivator! Another thing that helped me was changing my calorie goal - I switched to the TDEE method using the info in this topic: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/974889-in-place-of-a-road-map-short-n-sweet I had more knowledge of my calorie limits, the high and low end, and aimed to hit in between BMR and TDEE. This gave me more freedom with foods, especially during the holidays, and busy schedules with unplanned dinners out or whatever.

And I kept making progress, losing the fat, buying new jeans, and have now pretty much changed my lifestyle for the better - there is no stopping, this is life! I still exercise 5-6 days a week, about an hour or so each session. I run three days, and do strength at home with my dumbbells the other three. I always take at least one rest day, and have found over the past year that a full rest WEEK every so often does me good (I still log food though, of course! :bigsmile: ).

If you want it, resolve to go get it and stay with it. Find what works for you. Read topics of those who've been successful, who have the body you're aiming for, read their stories, diaries, see what they do, and adapt some of it to your life. That has been the key for me - making it a lifestyle change, not a diet, nothing temporary - a way to live that keeps me healthy and fit, but still enjoying the goodies in life!

My dairy is open (and I was on vacation last week - burgers galore! LOL), feel free to have a look. You can do this! Set your mind to it and GO!