I thought I knew what I was doing

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  • Viddybear
    Viddybear Posts: 7 Member
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    I'm with you!! I blamed it on the cold weather and a new job, but the truth, is I lost my motivation and stopped keeping track of what I ate. I am back to get this 15 lbs. back off!
  • Siannah
    Siannah Posts: 456 Member
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    Be proud that you're getting onto it now and not in anither 20 pounds :) You know what you need to do.

    This. 10 lbs is fine, it's manageable, you can get rid of that in a relative short amount of time. Don't beat yourself up over it, just get back into the swing of it.
  • GretaGirl8
    GretaGirl8 Posts: 274 Member
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    yes, i, too, relate. i have gained a couple of pounds. at first i thought it was a temporary fluctuation...but it is sticking around, so i did end up accepting i had gained weight. you can't cry over spilled milk. as you said, you know what needs to be done. i have no doubt you will do it. good luck! and remember...you didn't undo all your hard work. you just had a temporary set back that is a pretty normal response to a big life change(s)-- a move and career.
  • DWBalboa
    DWBalboa Posts: 37,259 Member
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    Believe me we all know how you’re felling! We all have our setbacks; we just can’t allow ourselves to dwell on them. I’m in a rut right now myself and it’s a cause of a little depression; I recently sprained my knee and can’t do much of anything so I can’t burn the crazy amount of calories that I was so I really need to watch my intake. However, this is when I’m at my worse, I’m rather immobile and stuck around the house and I see all the snacks that are here for the kids and the wife and I slip.
    I fell like Fat *kitten* “I can't stop eating. I eat because I'm unhappy, and I'm unhappy because I eat. It's a vicious cycle. Now, if you'll excuse me, there's someone I'd like to get in touch with and forgive... myself.”
    And like FB we have to forgive ourselves and move on. When I slip up and eat something I know that I shouldn’t have I first off forgive myself but then I make myself do a few calisthenics to try and work it off a little.
    You can do this! I wish you the best of luck with your journey.
    V/r,
    DW
  • tlathen
    tlathen Posts: 5 Member
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    Luckily today is a new day and for once, I actually measured out my portions at breakfast. Turns out, I'm not as good at eyeballing a tablespoon of almond butter as I thought I was! Oops, haha.
  • ValeriePlz
    ValeriePlz Posts: 517 Member
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    Oh my gosh, I am with you there. I cannot be relied upon to measure nut butter. I think my brain thinks 1/4 cup is a tbsp.
  • sunshinelively
    sunshinelively Posts: 249 Member
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    So, I lost 66 pounds and easily maintained that for a year. I ran 3 half marathons last year and I ran daily, so I was pretty active. I ate healthy, but mostly ate the exact same foods day in and day out. (I know....).

    In August, I got a new job and moved 300 miles away. Suddenly, I didn't have time to run as often and I had an unlimited meal plan at the university where I work. I still made "healthy" food choices, but I realized far too late that nearly everything in the cafeteria was coated in butter and oil. I also got lax about "sometimes" foods, and suddenly, Oreos and sugary cereals became "I'm bored and want to snack" foods.

    I've gained back 10 pounds and I absolutely know what changes I need to make. I'm just having trouble doing it. I'm running another half marathon in June, so I've definitely upped my activity level, but now that I am living alone, it's too easy to wander into the kitchen and do regrettable things.

    I a super frustrated. Can anyone relate?

    can totally relate!!

    i didn't read through the whole thread, but bottom line, sugary fatty foods are highly addictive. when i eat mindlessly, i'm satisfying my reward system, which is to feel different RIGHT NOW. to quote the comedian Jim Gaffigan: "it sure does feel good going down!" cheating and temporary reward at the expense of anything i want long term.

    it's hard to commit to or even think a total sugar/unhealthy food abstinence program will work, hence the difficulty with maintenance of weight loss and fitness gains. there constant temptation all around.

    it all comes down to what are my goals and what am i willing to do to achieve them? at times i really heap a lot on to my future self. "i'll start tomorrow". what about starting something today that will begin to make an impact. behaving myself into a motivated state. because unless for some reason a magic window of motivation has opened in front of my, i usually have to behave my way into being motivated.

    anyway this is how i think about this journey - not sure if it helps or not, but it's how i get through. good luck!!
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
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    You did know what you were doing, you were doing it. Until you weren't. You lowered your activity level and raised your calorie level. So, you know what you have to do to fix it. Either eat less, or exercise more, or a combination of the both. The same thing we all have to do. ;) Get after it, you can do it!
  • DWBalboa
    DWBalboa Posts: 37,259 Member
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    Luckily today is a new day and for once, I actually measured out my portions at breakfast. Turns out, I'm not as good at eyeballing a tablespoon of almond butter as I thought I was! Oops, haha.

    Yeah, those little things will add up quickly. I try and measure out everything and account for everything too, especially condiments, I tend to use a lot of ketchup and mustard.
  • freemystery
    freemystery Posts: 184 Member
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    Oh I feel your pain. I don't know exactly how or when I went off track yet but I did... so a year ago I was down to a weight I was reasonably happy with- like my first goal weight. So I got lazy and slacked off.

    For like... 10 months.

    And the only surprise I had was that I'd ONLY gained back 7 or 8 of those lbs.

    So back on the wagon and for whatever reason it feels a lot harder going this time around. Feel free to add... have been logging and weighing and walking 5miles a day to work and back for... about 4 weeks now. No big change yet. In it for the long haul, sigh!
  • 5pmsomewherenow
    5pmsomewherenow Posts: 163 Member
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    Anyone who has been on a transformation to a healthy lifestyle for any period of time (years for some of us) will all relate and agree that if you STOP living the healthy components, the body changes and the pounds add back on & sometime multiply terribly.

    "Diet" = strategy to get back on track, over and over again.

    Responsible, educated, "eating" + consistent, efficient exercise & strength training = healthy lifestyle you can maintain

    MFP is a great resource tool to monitor success toward maintaining a healthy lifestyle, along with weekly weigh ins to stay honest.

    Sounds like you have the knowledge to get a plan to get back to doing the things that worked for you before -- we all fight boredom and changes in the amount of time (or money) we can spend on our lifestyle. Give yourself a pat on the back for learning a VERY valuable we all learn at some point in the journey.... If you stop doing it, you'll have to start again. So don't stop.
  • shapefitter
    shapefitter Posts: 900 Member
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    So, I lost 66 pounds and easily maintained that for a year. I ran 3 half marathons last year and I ran daily, so I was pretty active. I ate healthy, but mostly ate the exact same foods day in and day out. (I know....).

    In August, I got a new job and moved 300 miles away. Suddenly, I didn't have time to run as often and I had an unlimited meal plan at the university where I work. I still made "healthy" food choices, but I realized far too late that nearly everything in the cafeteria was coated in butter and oil. I also got lax about "sometimes" foods, and suddenly, Oreos and sugary cereals became "I'm bored and want to snack" foods.

    I've gained back 10 pounds and I absolutely know what changes I need to make. I'm just having trouble doing it. I'm running another half marathon in June, so I've definitely upped my activity level, but now that I am living alone, it's too easy to wander into the kitchen and do regrettable things.

    I a super frustrated. Can anyone relate?

    blog.myfitnesspal.com/2014/04/do-you-have-more-self-control-than-you-think/
  • JoMoMOMx3
    JoMoMOMx3 Posts: 77
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    story of my life. i know what to do. i know how to do it. actually doing it? its SO hard.
  • _HeartsOnFire_
    _HeartsOnFire_ Posts: 5,304 Member
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    You did know what you were doing, you were doing it. Until you weren't. You lowered your activity level and raised your calorie level. So, you know what you have to do to fix it. Either eat less, or exercise more, or a combination of the both. The same thing we all have to do. ;) Get after it, you can do it!

    Because this should be repeated.
  • yellowlemoned
    yellowlemoned Posts: 335 Member
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    i can absolutely relate! I was down 78 lbs at one point, then Christmas happened and my "vacation/holiday" eating became "I'll start again next week" eating lol. 15 lbs later I've added another 3 months onto my weight loss journey. I finally got back on the band wagon with only a few minor slips so far since the beginning of April. Whats worked for me is remember how hard and how long it took to get the weight off the first time. I never want to go through that again. I kept my "fat pants" and when I'm feeling discouraged I put those on to remind myself how far I've come. If you don't have any of your old pants anymore run to a goodwill and find some that size. It helps so much!
  • RabbitLost
    RabbitLost Posts: 333 Member
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    You did know what you were doing, you were doing it. Until you weren't. You lowered your activity level and raised your calorie level. So, you know what you have to do to fix it. Either eat less, or exercise more, or a combination of the both. The same thing we all have to do. ;) Get after it, you can do it!

    Because this should be repeated.

    +1 (or maybe +2)
  • pdhaas
    pdhaas Posts: 1
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    It's so easy to stop being careful. Especially if you like to eat. I lost 20lbs last year. It was not on purpose. It was a change of pills. But, you don't look a gift horse in the mouth. This year I must be used to the medicine because my weight is going up. The best I can do is step on the scale each day and count the calories. I discovered I am eating at my old level that took me to 250lbs. So, I am trying to hit my target goal and it is not easy. It is a year after two hip replacements and I haven't yet started on an active program of exercise. just stretching and that doesn't burn calories. I am going back to dbl check my handful sizes, my cup sizes so I know I am not overfilling and counting it as less.
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
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    You do know what you're doing. You didn't get that far off and you know you have to change and what to do. All good.

    The activity level is important but unlimited foods and snacks are killers (which is why I have to keep logging).

    Enjoy your training and stop buying oreos.
  • GatorUA
    GatorUA Posts: 38 Member
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    I think what a lot of people do is to have a goal for their weight loss. When they reach it, rather than adding in the appropriate amount of calories and still tracking, is they think "I'm here, I can do what I want" so they eat a lot more, and exercise a lot less. I've been down that road a couple of times over the years. I can lose weight when I want/need to but keeping it off is the difficult part for me. Even though I know what usually happens, I normally go nuts when I get to the goal, and every time I gain, I gain more than I lost. I'd really like to be finished with this cycle for good!
  • dblaacker
    dblaacker Posts: 153 Member
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    A tablespoon is about the size of 4 quarters stacked on top of each other. :) I hope that helps, for when the measuring spoons are dirty.

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