Fell off the wagon... please help!

cerenia · July 2013

I was doing quite well losing weight, and went from 16stone 4 (228lbs) down to 14 st 8 (204lbs), drifted off it in May, have had anniversary, and have been dealing with mental issues, and have finally gotton back into a motivated mindframe to get back into weight loss, got back on the scales just now to get an idea.... back to 15st 7

All caused by comfort eating rubbish! I was doing 1200 cals before, then went to 1600 cals, but need to figure out what is best today and best to get back onto a plan. Has anyone got any tips for getting back onto the wagon at all? I will re-measure myself tomorrow morning, and freshly weigh myself, and crossing fingers I can get back into it all
Thanks!

Idreamoflean · July 2013

No major tips, but I just wanted to say that you seem in a state of mind where you're ready to commit again to it. Like you say, have a total fresh start, don't guilt yourself about before. Take all your measurements and decide what cal limit will work best for you. Even if you start a little higher than MFP advises and work your way down a bit. Best of luck.

NonnyMary · July 2013

I think most of the power and success is your motivation that begins in your mind (your thinking and reacting to food). So just begin again.. Today is a new day of the rest of your life (so true).

Start with what you CAN do. And if you see a delicious fattening food, dont think about it and dont fantasize about how yummy it looks. Just look at food as nutrition, as nutral, as like you'd be looking at a piece of paper... if you have to, get away from the food that is tempting you.. dont even go there where you will be tempted. But do not make it drudgery, find what you can eat and choose those foods more. Enjoy yourself but eat within your limits.

I actually have NO motivation, just floundering. I started my diet by saying what CAN I do,, i said i could eliminate table salt, soda pop and desserts. I did that and had success. Then I found MFP so i can write down what i eat and keep track and know what i can eat or not eat during the day. and now those things that really tempted me at first are nothing to me now. So now each month I am tackling one more thing like now I will try walking more, which i could not do before.. so its one thing at a time.

These are a few things that have helped me.

suziepoo1984 · July 2013

Hi.. Great that you have decided to start at it again.. I also am emotional eater. The thing that works for me when under stress is to keep logging in mfp no matter how much I am eating. The numbers scare me a bit, so i mostly tend to stop eating at my maintenance calories or i end up doing some exercise to balance it off. Eating at maintenance is great once in a while.
Also please figure out your tdee-20 and eat at that. This would be a good number and should not feel like too much of dieting.
Also, the best thing i have realised after joining mfp is to eat what you love, but in limit! It's been working like a charm. I eat ice creams, cakes, cookies, my fav dishes, but all within the limit.
Good luck to you and yes, you can do this!!

markgd123 · July 2013

I also lost weight then regained it again, and for me it was the same, comfort eating. So I am starting again too. The difference is though that you have lost weight overalll - 23 pounds according to your ticker. So maybe just focus on that, and do the same as you did before when you successfully lost weight.

cerenia · July 2013

Thanks guys, my worst thing over the hot weather has been fizzy drinks, chocolate and ice cream... actually eaten it that much chocolate is getting boring to me... and thats a first! Cooking my last 'bad' meal - i'm a carb addict, and tidied my living room so can start excercise again, aiming for 2 - 3 stone by end of the year, 2 minimum, so crossing fingers!! Will get fresh measurements in the morning and hope for the best

NonnyMary · July 2013

Thanks guys, my worst thing over the hot weather has been fizzy drinks, chocolate and ice cream... actually eaten it that much chocolate is getting boring to me... and thats a first! Cooking my last 'bad' meal - i'm a carb addict, and tidied my living room so can start excercise again, aiming for 2 - 3 stone by end of the year, 2 minimum, so crossing fingers!! Will get fresh measurements in the morning and hope for the best

Hi - well one good thing - you know what effect that food has on you. so now you can work to change that. Do you wish to totally eliminate it from your diet? Can you substitute something else that will give you eating pleasure? OK you may feel like eliminating it, and yes you might miss it, and yes you might salivate when you see a tv commercial for it, but if you could learn how to say no to it, which starts in your thinking and reacting to food, which is what helped me, that could be a big victory.

some people include those food items in thier diet, but you might wish to not eat them at all.. to me, those foods are just a tease, cant stop at just one bite. so believe me, for me, its easier to not taste it, and not get the taste buds all craving it

you could try it for 2 weeks, cravings usually go away by 2-3 weeks, and then you dont want it anymore. but you have to substitute something else.. for me i do a granola bar.

guessrs · July 2013

Great thing about myfitnesspal is that you can leave what happened behind you and start fresh today. Have patience.

KANGOOJUMPS · July 2013

it depends on how bad you want it.
focus.
go kick some butt

cerenia · July 2013

Thanks guys, my worst thing over the hot weather has been fizzy drinks, chocolate and ice cream... actually eaten it that much chocolate is getting boring to me... and thats a first! Cooking my last 'bad' meal - i'm a carb addict, and tidied my living room so can start excercise again, aiming for 2 - 3 stone by end of the year, 2 minimum, so crossing fingers!! Will get fresh measurements in the morning and hope for the best

Hi - well one good thing - you know what effect that food has on you. so now you can work to change that. Do you wish to totally eliminate it from your diet? Can you substitute something else that will give you eating pleasure? OK you may feel like eliminating it, and yes you might miss it, and yes you might salivate when you see a tv commercial for it, but if you could learn how to say no to it, which starts in your thinking and reacting to food, which is what helped me, that could be a big victory.

some people include those food items in thier diet, but you might wish to not eat them at all.. to me, those foods are just a tease, cant stop at just one bite. so believe me, for me, its easier to not taste it, and not get the taste buds all craving it you could try it for 2 weeks, cravings usually go away by 2-3 weeks, and then you dont want it anymore. but you have to substitute something else.. for me i do a granola bar.

My pattern last time was toast for brekkie, only 1 slice, lunch usually a sandwich, french fries as low fat and low cal, and a weightwatchers choccy bar, get home, excercise for an hour, then a larger meal at night, and it seemed to work for me, on some high excercise days, I would give myself a little treat, like a couple of choc fingers, or a cup of tea, so will try that again, cut the sugar down

mandasalem · July 2013

My only real tip is not to beat yourself up! And one sub-optimal day won't change everything, so don't let one day turn into defeatism. (I'm so guilty of that!)

And don't think of things as "bad days" or "good days." Just days where you hit your goal or didn't-- so you don't stress yourself out and give up!

cardbucfan · July 2013

There are a bunch of us hopping back on that wagon with you so don't feel too badly. Like some of the previous posters said, you sound like you are ready to re-commit to this. I have found for me, when I log, it doesn't really matter WHAT I eat. Seeing it down in black and white kinda gives me that slap upside the head to eat better and then the calories take care of themselves. So, my goal for this week is to log everything. It's a process! Maybe take it one step at a time to get back into things. Good luck!

H_Factor · July 2013

I was rocking the "get healthy" journey from Jan. 2011 until Sept. 2012. I lost 75 pounds during that time. Then some nasty life events hit me in the gut and I spiraled out of control with bad health decisions. Sure, I needed some time to recover, but despite a few earlier efforts to restart, I wasn't able to successfully restart until the end of May. The mind has to be right to successfully restart. You have to know why you're doing this....why its important to get healthy....why you're going to start making some important sacrifices. Once your mind is right, then you do what worked for you previously. I knew what worked best for me from my successful months and, when my mind was ready, I re-implemented them. I'm down 20 pounds after the first 2 months of my restart and I'm happy with my progress so far. More repair work to be done...and it will get done.

trogalicious · July 2013

Make the wagon easier to stay on. Since you couldn't hang with the 1200, there's reason for that... it isn't easily sustainable.

Oddly, you'll see a lot of these exact posts.

"I came here, ate 1200 calories for a while.. lost some weight, decided to actually eat more food again and fell off of the wagon. Gained my weight back... came back again.. did 1200 again.. "

It's a rinse, lather, repeat cycle.

http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/

use that site. Figure out how many calories you need, don't just jump on the 1200 bandwagon again.. or you'll probably find yourself falling off again.

toscarthearmada · July 2013

I came across a saying the other day that said "I don't care if you ate Charlie's entire chocolate factory...NEVER STOP MOVING!"

If you expect to be on the straight and narrow your entire life, your setting yourself up for failure. Every time I found myself not giving into my cravings, I ended up binge eating instead. Just remember why you started this journey and learn to forgive yourself.

cerenia · July 2013

I admit, the 1200 worked for me day to day, it was when I started excercising as well on top of usual walking around that it made me ill, so I moved up to 1600, and it partly worked, partly didn't. Working out my TDEE and excercise plan now

Ready for this (again!)

trogalicious · July 2013

I admit, the 1200 worked for me day to day, it was when I started excercising as well on top of usual walking around that it made me ill, so I moved up to 1600, and it partly worked, partly didn't. Working out my TDEE and excercise plan now Ready for this (again!)

right, but that's my point.

rinse, lather, repeat. Make the wagon more tolerable and you won't have to make another "Well, I'm, here again.. looking for another fresh start" post.

best of luck with it.

beckaanne52 · July 2013

I do the math backwards... it takes 3500 cal to lose a lb OR gain a lb. So if I want something extra that I shouldn't have or if I have eaten all my calories already then I look at it as delaying my weight loss. I am working on 1000 cal defecit a day already, so I really want to have to increase that tomorrow or exercise more because I decided that cookie was worth it? If I say yes then I say yes and I do what I need to to burn the extra off, but for the most part I am already kind of hungry anyway and I really don't like to exercise so I would rather just not eat that food. I learned that lesson last week because I went to a party and ended up eating about 2000 calories over for the day.... I practically ate 1 whole lb that I spent the three days before working to lose... I don't want to waste my previous work. So thinking about that craving mathematically really helps me just not want it anymore. It isn't about guilt or pleasure then. Taking the feelings out of it have really helped because I do tend to be an emotional eater.

cerenia · July 2013

Well, crossing fingers, my TDEE -20% set as low excercise is 1641, started off the day with 2 small slices of homemade wholemeal bread and a glass of water, so happy ^^

NonnyMary · July 2013

My pattern last time was toast for brekkie, only 1 slice, lunch usually a sandwich, french fries as low fat and low cal, and a weightwatchers choccy bar, get home, excercise for an hour, then a larger meal at night, and it seemed to work for me, on some high excercise days, I would give myself a little treat, like a couple of choc fingers, or a cup of tea, so will try that again, cut the sugar down

NonnyMary · July 2013

Thanks guys, my worst thing over the hot weather has been fizzy drinks, chocolate and ice cream... actually eaten it that much chocolate is getting boring to me... and thats a first! Cooking my last 'bad' meal - i'm a carb addict, and tidied my living room so can start excercise again, aiming for 2 - 3 stone by end of the year, 2 minimum, so crossing fingers!! Will get fresh measurements in the morning and hope for the best

Hi - well one good thing - you know what effect that food has on you. so now you can work to change that. Do you wish to totally eliminate it from your diet? Can you substitute something else that will give you eating pleasure? OK you may feel like eliminating it, and yes you might miss it, and yes you might salivate when you see a tv commercial for it, but if you could learn how to say no to it, which starts in your thinking and reacting to food, which is what helped me, that could be a big victory.

some people include those food items in thier diet, but you might wish to not eat them at all.. to me, those foods are just a tease, cant stop at just one bite. so believe me, for me, its easier to not taste it, and not get the taste buds all craving it you could try it for 2 weeks, cravings usually go away by 2-3 weeks, and then you dont want it anymore. but you have to substitute something else.. for me i do a granola bar.

My pattern last time was toast for brekkie, only 1 slice, lunch usually a sandwich, french fries as low fat and low cal, and a weightwatchers choccy bar, get home, excercise for an hour, then a larger meal at night, and it seemed to work for me, on some high excercise days, I would give myself a little treat, like a couple of choc fingers, or a cup of tea, so will try that again, cut the sugar down

Hi -

Hope your day is going much better

May I say that if I had to eat what you just described as a typical meal, for sure I'd want to eat all the ice cream I could find. I am trying to say that you might be eating unattractive diet food, I bet you'd do great if you would find some really delicious recipes that you would love to eat that are not fattening. Like just go to a vegetarian website and see the delicious vegetable recipes, I'm not vegetarian, but those reciples are so yummy, they have salads made of grain and veggies that really look appetizing to any meat eater even!!!

then I'd like to kindly point out - that you do the exercise and then reward yourself with chocolate,, I think you might enjoy finding another reward. it could be a piece of yummy juicy fresh fruit, if you go with fresh fruit, and not the sugars/chocolate, that fruit after awhile turns out to be very sweet and yummy and just as delicious - or even MORE so than the chocolate biscuits!!!

I will even go so far as to say this - it is quite possible that if you do without chocolate sweets for 2-3 weeks, in that 3rd week or so, your taste buds will change. It would be fun as an experiment to see what could happen. A lot of people say this happens, would'n't it be fun for you to see if it can happen.. its like magic or something. Amazing!!!

In fact, I think its totally fun to see all the changes happening day by day or week by week as my tastebuds change and things like that, and to see the weight go down and being able to move better and things like that! totally worth it.

agggie550 · July 2013

Not Really any tips just food for thought...

What is it that you want, you want to happier, you want to be healthier, you want to live longer, and a million other reasons How do you plan on getting there? Eating right and exercising. So when you think about it, every time you don't feel like working out, or you feel like you need an extra piece of cake, you are only letting yourself down. But for every extra second you spend working out, for every Calories dense nutritionally void snack you skip you are bettering yourself. So all the work you do, is for you and only you, so why cheat yourself, why hold out on yourself, because everything you do is paying back to yourself. You work your butt off you reap the benefits, you push yourself a little harder you get the reward. So pay in big to yourself and you'll be happy with what you get out of it. Hope that helps and good luck.

kazhowe · July 2013

No real tips as such for you except eat the best way you can with foods that are healthy and filling. One of my MFP's put these two quotes onto his page and I think they just about sum the whole thing up ... the first is from an unknown source and simply says "Suffer the pain of discipline or suffer the pain of regret!” .. and the second is from Lance Armstrong who said “Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever.” ...... we all have choices every day - maybe with these thoughts in mind we can make better choices - I wish you well

healthygreek · July 2013

Make the wagon easier to stay on. Since you couldn't hang with the 1200, there's reason for that... it isn't easily sustainable.

Oddly, you'll see a lot of these exact posts.

"I came here, ate 1200 calories for a while.. lost some weight, decided to actually eat more food again and fell off of the wagon. Gained my weight back... came back again.. did 1200 again.. "

It's a rinse, lather, repeat cycle.

http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/

use that site. Figure out how many calories you need, don't just jump on the 1200 bandwagon again.. or you'll probably find yourself falling off again.

healthygreek · July 2013

Make the wagon easier to stay on. Since you couldn't hang with the 1200, there's reason for that... it isn't easily sustainable.

Oddly, you'll see a lot of these exact posts.

"I came here, ate 1200 calories for a while.. lost some weight, decided to actually eat more food again and fell off of the wagon. Gained my weight back... came back again.. did 1200 again.. "

It's a rinse, lather, repeat cycle.

http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/

use that site. Figure out how many calories you need, don't just jump on the 1200 bandwagon again.. or you'll probably find yourself falling off again.
I totally agree with this! If you are making a lifestyle change instead of a "diet", you need never "fall off the wagon" and lay there forever. It works much slower but much more sustainably if your deficit isn't impossible to maintain!

cerenia · July 2013

Thanks guys, my worst thing over the hot weather has been fizzy drinks, chocolate and ice cream... actually eaten it that much chocolate is getting boring to me... and thats a first! Cooking my last 'bad' meal - i'm a carb addict, and tidied my living room so can start excercise again, aiming for 2 - 3 stone by end of the year, 2 minimum, so crossing fingers!! Will get fresh measurements in the morning and hope for the best

Hi - well one good thing - you know what effect that food has on you. so now you can work to change that. Do you wish to totally eliminate it from your diet? Can you substitute something else that will give you eating pleasure? OK you may feel like eliminating it, and yes you might miss it, and yes you might salivate when you see a tv commercial for it, but if you could learn how to say no to it, which starts in your thinking and reacting to food, which is what helped me, that could be a big victory.

some people include those food items in thier diet, but you might wish to not eat them at all.. to me, those foods are just a tease, cant stop at just one bite. so believe me, for me, its easier to not taste it, and not get the taste buds all craving it you could try it for 2 weeks, cravings usually go away by 2-3 weeks, and then you dont want it anymore. but you have to substitute something else.. for me i do a granola bar.

My pattern last time was toast for brekkie, only 1 slice, lunch usually a sandwich, french fries as low fat and low cal, and a weightwatchers choccy bar, get home, excercise for an hour, then a larger meal at night, and it seemed to work for me, on some high excercise days, I would give myself a little treat, like a couple of choc fingers, or a cup of tea, so will try that again, cut the sugar down

Hi - Hope your day is going much better May I say that if I had to eat what you just described as a typical meal, for sure I'd want to eat all the ice cream I could find. I am trying to say that you might be eating unattractive diet food, I bet you'd do great if you would find some really delicious recipes that you would love to eat that are not fattening. Like just go to a vegetarian website and see the delicious vegetable recipes, I'm not vegetarian, but those reciples are so yummy, they have salads made of grain and veggies that really look appetizing to any meat eater even!!!

then I'd like to kindly point out - that you do the exercise and then reward yourself with chocolate,, I think you might enjoy finding another reward. it could be a piece of yummy juicy fresh fruit, if you go with fresh fruit, and not the sugars/chocolate, that fruit after awhile turns out to be very sweet and yummy and just as delicious - or even MORE so than the chocolate biscuits!!!

I will even go so far as to say this - it is quite possible that if you do without chocolate sweets for 2-3 weeks, in that 3rd week or so, your taste buds will change. It would be fun as an experiment to see what could happen. A lot of people say this happens, would'n't it be fun for you to see if it can happen.. its like magic or something. Amazing!!!

In fact, I think its totally fun to see all the changes happening day by day or week by week as my tastebuds change and things like that, and to see the weight go down and being able to move better and things like that! totally worth it.

The problem I have is that fruit and veg make me really ill - i've managed to build up to a little bit of real tomato juice mixed with food, orange juice, tomato soup and very fine bits of onions over the years - partly psychosymatic, partly physical owing to a childhood accident affecting my taste buds, i've tried several, and they just make me ill - and at the point i'm too busy to really try something that I know will make me ill, although do try other things where I can, going to enjoy grilled chicken and pasta later

I've gone to weightwatchers chocolate/cookies as a weaning crutch, I will get back to cutting chocolate and biscuits out 4 days a week, and make it as a treat.

Doing well so far, I know its only a day, but have thrown out my chocolate stash out of the fridge unless its under 107 cals (kitkats), and been sticking to water, even going to a gym for the first ever time tonight with a friend, its only for 2 weeks before she finishes at the gym, but if I can like it, i'll keep at it. Signed up for a squat challenge and a 40lbs loss by Christmas group, did 28lb in less than 5 months last time, so going for it!

skinnymalinkyscot · July 2013

Hi Cerenia,

Ive done the same as you before in losing weight and gaining it again. But im now in the right frame of mind to start dieting again, my comfort eating is also related to emotional/mental health issues. Dont beat yourself up over the past, the fact youre posting on here is a step in the right direction as it shows youre also thinking about becoming healthier also.

My suggestions if youre a carb lover is there is nothing wrong with carbs, think of all the nutritious carbs there are such as wholemal bread, wholemeal, pasta, wholemeal rice, tortillas and bagels.

I have a simple rule now to try and just eat my carbs at one meal only, so if I have toasted bread for breakfast i try to avoid a sandwich at lunchtime and pasta for dinner, if I had my way I would eat carbs at every single meal

My breakfast is usually 2 slices of hovis wholemeal bread (176 cals) and a boiled egg ( 70 cals) that fills me up so much sometimes I forget to eat lunch.

As for chocolate, around 9/10pm every night I make a hot chocolate drink with 4 teaspoons of hot chocolate (any brand) with a splash of skimmed milk and topped up with hot water, this clocks in at 80 calories, if im starving before bedtime I always make another slice of brown bread toast at 88 calories a slice. Even if it means I go over for the day, I still eat it and so far im still losing weight. Carbs will always be my addiction.

What has truly surprised me is how filling raspberries are. At 30 cals for 100g in a bowl with 50g of ordinary basics vanilla icecream /sainsburys supermarket (75 cals) a huge bowl of raspberries and ice cream come in around 100 calories, it doesnt even feel like a diet.

Im fortunate in that ive planted raspberry bushes in my back garden, the original 2 plants cost me £2 each from a garden centre, I planted them around 4 years ago and theyve now spread to around 12 feet across, 4 foot deep and around 6ft high.

Raspberries are so expensive in supermarkets and now I have so many raspberries ive had to give away huge bowlfuls daily to all my neighbours.

eek sorry to go off topic, but anyway you may find like my youngest daughter that the reason fruit makes you feel ill is that you have an oral fruit allergy, what you should do before eating any fruit is rub it on your lips and wait 10 minutes to see if they tingle, then chew fruit in mouth for around 5 minutes and spit out and wait to see if your mouth swells or tingles. My daughter had constant headaches and spent many months visiting hospitals ruling out migraines, sinus problems etc before they discovered she was multi allergenic. Raw fruit was the cause of her problems, when she ate raw fruit in particular apple it made the linings of her sinus cavities swell and inflame hence the headaches.

Howver she has no problem if the fruit is cooked as it changes the structure of the protein or something technical/medical cant recall the explanation they gave us now.

So if you find you cant each much fruitthen take your fruit as a glass of fruit juice and just increase your vegetable content instead, if both are impossible you could try vegetable soups if liquids are preferrable to solids. Best of luck anyway.

Fell off the wagon... please help!

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