Trying not to give up

Pucks_and_Balls
Pucks_and_Balls Posts: 95 Member
in Motivation and Support
I am a little frustrated. Before this past Christmas, I had gotten my weight down to a point where I was under 200 and had lost 23 overall pounds in about 10 months. I was happy...until I gained five pounds over the holidays. I figured it was just temporary gain from all the extra food, plus my time of the month, and I could lose it in no time.

However, my body has been very stubborn. I started at MFP in February 2013 at almost 219 pounds. I got to 196 before Christmas, which is when I felt great, and now I am at 205. I have gained almost 10 pounds back. I am on my second attempt at the 30 Day Shred. I started at 201 and have since put on four more pounds. I am trying to go by my clothes as indicator, but the sizing at my favorite store (Old Navy) is all over the place. I have several pairs of size 16 jeans from there. The pair I am wearing now is comfortable, but when I put in another size 16 pair this morning, they felt so tight I had to take them off! It's hard to go by your clothes when sizing at stores varies so widely from one place to another, and even within the same brand and different styles!

I am always going through something that makes it hard to stay disciplined. I've been working six days a week for several months and am finally going to start getting a reprieve. (That is, until someone needs off or we have a big event at work that requires more staffing.) In my family, food is big on birthdays, visits from out-of-town relatives and even in everyday life. My job is demanding and I admit it's easier some days to grab a junk food snack or a soda because I don't have time to stand in the kitchen and prep a full healthy meal. I have tried disciplining myself but I can only see two extremes: that I have to stop with junk food entirely (so no soda, ice cream, fries, etc. ever, even though I enjoy that stuff) or I will just gain back all the weight that's left to put back on. I have been injured a few times doing the 30DS (strained muscles) so I have to stop and do lower impact until I can recover.

In some ways, I do feel better about myself. I'm glad that I can do some things more easily, like carry my laundry basket up to my third-floor bedroom without getting overly winded. I was away a few weeks ago and had to walk up a hill to our bus and didn't get out of breath like I did before I got into shape. I like to ice skate and my friend noticed how good I had gotten at it, and I skated for over an hour before I had to stop.

But then, other days, I don't feel as good about myself. I feel like I can't even look at myself in the mirror or that I'll never measure up to the society standard of being slim and in perfect shape. I hate that when I do the 30DS, I still get out of breath and have to drop to my knees for a few seconds during things like plank jacks or plank twists. I'm doing the best I can. People tell me I look great and that I look thinner, but sometimes I feel like they're just saying that to be nice and they don't really mean it. I also need a new doctor and a physical soon, and I don't even want to go because I know the doctor will rag on me about the number on the scale. However, I've never had high blood pressure, and I had to get blood work for a problem related to my eye, and all of that came back with no problems. So I don't really know what to think.

Any help?

Replies

  • jennycjenny
    jennycjenny Posts: 15 Member
    Pucks- I sent you a friend request. Hang in there- people will certainly chime in about being more strict in weighing your food and holding yourself accountable. If you can maintain a deficit you can get the momentum swinging in the right direction. We all have good and bad days, and hopefully friends on this site can help you stay focused on the positive during the hard days!

    Don't beat yourself up if circumstances (work schedule, etc) get in the way of your goals occasionally- but you have to empower yourself to work around life's challenges so that you can put yourself and your health first. You have to have a plan of attack and start believing that you can actually follow it and succeed :)

    You're worth the effort! Good luck :)
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    Don't give up. As long as you are doing something to improve your health you are a work in progress. Giving up is the only failure.

    I would suggest setting smaller, more realistic goals. If 30DS is too tough, then do something else and work up to that. You don't have to give up everything you like to eat and go with the hardest workout you can find.

    Just make small adjustments to your diet and exercise at your fitness level. And keep doing it. As your fitness level increases, up the intensity. Always make it a challenge, but not to the point of causing injury. Keep making tweaks in your diet until you get to your happy place. That place where you can control weight and enjoy your food.

    When you go off plan, as you probably will occasionally, shake it off and keep going. Just keep going. Never give up.
  • bobbijodmb
    bobbijodmb Posts: 463 Member
    Feel free to add me. We all go through the same things that you are going through. The key is to make some small changes. I have lost 167 lbs and I still eat ice cream, pizza, etc. I just do it less often and in smaller doses. MY family loves to eat, so I let them eat. I take small portions of what they have to offer and think next holiday, i will enjoy that again. I used to think that it took a lot of time to prepare my food to eat healthy, and after I started, it probably takes me more time, aggravation and money to stand in a fast food line or drive through window. Change is possible, you just need to start to think of how you can overcome your barriers. That's how people get successful at this.

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