HELP PLEASE

Hard to offer advice without a little more info about yourself and on what plan you are following.

Are you trying to lose weight? If so how much?

How many calories are you eating? Are you working out?

also hard to help when your diary isn't open to see what you've been eating ...

Jason, I just went through this last month. I don't know if my situation applies to your situation, but my sense of control is very much tied to my personality. I am an extremely high energy person (mentally), who can lack focus and gets easily sidetracked. I also have a lot of stress and time management challenges. If I had been born 20 years later, they probably would have medicated me.

I share that to make a point. Ultimately, you have to find out why you are not sticking to your diet. Is something else going on? Some people just don't enjoy the health benefits and the gym (like me) and I have to find other things to motivate me (like the fears of not keeping up with my friends and having to go on blood pressure medicine and diabetes).

I have triggers that make it harder for me to control my diet: boredom, emotional drama, not eating enough calories, not drinking enough water, being in the house too long, bad time management, bad planning, procrastinating on what I should be doing . . . and it all ties in to how I use food. Everyone is different, but most of my friends come off of their diets for a non-diet reason.

The consequences: I have been consistently losing 8 or more pounds per month. This past month I lost 3 because I allowed some emotional drama in my life, would eat instead of doing what I was supposed to do, and didn't keep up with my cooking routine (so I ran out of healthy food around the house).

I am only saying that IF falling off of your diet is a personal discipline issue, you need to deal with it as a personal discipline issue and not just as an appetite management issue. It took me 1 1/2 weeks to get back on track, but it was a battle, so guard your perimeter (from triggers) and treat it like a battle.

Wow, you just motivated me, JasonBrandt19! That is a very good and real world suggestion . . . if you are out of the house burning calories, then you don't have to worry so much about calorie counting because that problem is solved. Of course, you can't eat cake and doughnuts all day, either. I'm planning a 7-day hike in Yosemite with my brother next March, so I'm just beginning to work on the calf development and hamstring strength. My pack usually weighs between 22 and 32 pounds, depending on extra layers of clothing and I start using a weighted backpack in my training about 90 days out.

Lambchoplewis, I'm a big fan of NOT weighing every day and I usually weigh once a month, but lately I haven't been taking the corrective actions I need to quickly enough, so I'm moving my weigh-in date up to two weeks because I think you are right, you have to weigh-in at whatever level motivates you. If I find that two weeks doesn't do it, then I will be doing it once a week. Who knows, I may find that ultimately a quick, daily hop on the scale is where I end up.

Also, you are right about the portion control. I repackage everything I buy into serving sizes (whatever I decide is my serving size). Even when it comes to things like crackers and such. I grab a handful of baggies, portion the box out and shove the baggies back into the box . . . I don't need the manufacturer to sell me "100-calorie" packs, I can do that myself. Then, with whatever I eat, I grab a serving and I am immediately conscious of how much I am eating.

Having a very hard time losing weight. Don't know what am doing wrong. you can add me

You're under for the one day you've logged. What's the problem?

^this. the only other thing I can think to add is "way to go?" :ohwell:

Today is the only day you have logged. What's the trouble you're having? It looks like you had the bulk of your calories early in the day so I'm wondering whether you're hungry now.

If so I'd suggest trying to find food options that will keep you full longer. Play around with your protein and fiber. Try different spacing for your meals. Figure out what your preferences are.

I don't personally find boxed meals like hamburger helper to be as filling as meals that I cook myself, where I can control the ingredients. The recipe builder feature here is very helpful.


If you're still struggling after a few days maybe reconsider your calorie goal. If you're set on 2 lbs per week go back into goals and change it to 1 lb per week. That will give you additional calories. Your rate of loss might be slower but the best plan is the one you can stick to.

You are suppsed to eat to goal and not way below it so eat more. You'll do better long term.

The only thing I can say is relax. Accept, really accept, that you're in this for the long term. Once you do that then you can go through the inner dialogue to set your goals so that they are reasonable. Eat a little less and move a little more. Baby steps.

This is so true!!! Well said.