Pushing Through the Mental Plateau?

JTick
JTick Posts: 2,131 Member
edited January 27 in Motivation and Support
I have logged in for just over 320 days in a row. This isn't my first try at this, but it is the last! :)

I have lost a total of 71 lbs, but still have about 50 to go. The last month I have plateaued...but not exactly physically. I'm convinced that if I would stick to my calories, I'd still be losing weight at a steady pace. But, I haven't lost any weight.

Why? Because I'm tired. I'm tired of counting calories. I'm tired of being in a deficit. I have only kinda sorta been logging the last month. Normally, I'll log my 1800 calories and tell myself I'll stop eating, but then I keep eating and just hope I stop around my maintenance level (2600 ish). This attitude has also led to multiple binges in the last month, in each of which I consumed thousands of calories over maintenance. I couldn't even bring myself to log it.

The last two days I have not counted calories at all. I logged in each morning (because hello! 320 days!), but have made no effort to log or even eat well. I have eaten a LOT of junk the last two days. For example, I ate TWO packs of cookie dough in the last 36 hours. And that's just a fraction of what I ate.

My question is this: how do you deal with a "plateau" that's not exactly my body just staying steady? Again, I'd still be losing weight if I'd just stay within my calories. Mentally though, I'm SO tired of this, and I still have 50 pounds to go!

P.S. Thankfully, I have managed to stay within 2 lbs of my lowest weight over this last month. Not sure how, but I am glad about this. I am ready to dig back in and get going though!

ETA: I DID make myself stay within calories today. Not exactly great choices, but I have had my 1800 and am done for the day! I will keep improving each day until I get my macros back under control.

Replies

  • jennagoogles13
    jennagoogles13 Posts: 266
    I'm going through the exact same thing right now. My weight fluctuates about 3 pounds, and I just can't seem to lose anymore. I started increasing my calories, but I know I'm probably eating too much now (before I wasn't eating enough). I totally sympathize with you, because I'm really close to my goal, and sometimes I just wanna say heck with it!! We just have to remind ourselves why we started this in the first place, and keep all of our goals in mind, and know that we really can do anything we set our minds to!
  • jessiekanga
    jessiekanga Posts: 564 Member
    I'm not sure if I have anything useful to share, as I think we're in pretty similar spots. It fascinates me though, and so my biggest shout out is that you're not alone. I've lost 72 pounds. I have somewhere around 40 left. I have come SO far, and yet I feel like there is such a long road ahead of me. I'm tired. I've been "hungry" eating at a deficit for what feels like forever. I'm running, doing 30DS, walking, swimming, sneaking in pushups when I have my kids at the playground...

    I'm tired, hungry, and cranky.

    I've never made it this far. I've been fat since I've been 12, and I haven't been this weight since about 17 years old. I'm disappointed by how the weight looks on me now vs 17. I'm struggling with the comments (you look so great) that are relentless about my weight. With all the attention I am more in touch with our society's "body shaming" now then when I was pretending indifference at 250 pounds. I'm scared to fail, and I also wonder if I'm scared to succeed.

    This whole process is stressful, and if we pretend it's simple I think we're not giving ourselves enough credit. So I guess that's where I'd start. Forget, for a spell. about the last 50 pounds, and celebrate and allow yourself to feel truly amazingly proud of 71. If you never lost another pound, wouldn't 71 still be an amazing accomplishment worth honoring and giving yourself props for?

    After being kind, gentle, and forgiving, then you can remember that what got you here is what'll keep you here, the calorie tracking, the honest logging, the one choice at a time, but not because your angry with yourself, or punishing yourself, or ashamed, but because you deserve to be taken care of that well.

    Hang in there, cry your eyes out if you need to (I have at times), curse, grind your teeth, and then keep on. In the little I've seen of you, I totally believe in you.
  • JTick
    JTick Posts: 2,131 Member
    bump for more opinions
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