Hitting a Rut and Unhappy

adxlunam
adxlunam Posts: 2
in Health and Weight Loss
I know this may sound a bit of a complaint post, and I don't mean in that way.

I was always pretty active and had a decent weight as a child and teen. In the past three years, especially in the last year, I have gained a considerable amount of weight and am extremely unhappy with my body.
Part of the weight loss came from my now ex-relationship. We would continually go out to eat, barely eating home. We would sit in front of the TV for hours on end because of one excuse or another. The other part of the weight came from an emergency surgery done to my intestinal track area, which left me out of the gym and any type of exercise for a month, and then still unable to do many exercises now. I also still have no answers as to what happened to me, which causes a problem.

Since then, I have been making efforts to change my diet and lifestyle. In the past few months, I have cut out soda from my diet completely. I have been trying to eat healthier snacks- carrots, apples, cheese, reduced fat ice cream. I've been increasing my water intake. Trying to move around more during the day (I have an office job, so a lot of sitting) and exercising more.

But I don't feel like it's enough. And I get into funks, where I slip back into eating poorly. Like right now.

I went camping last weekend where we hiked all day, and then essentially worked all weekend upon returning, shooting (photographer) so there wasn't much time for eating. Then Monday hit and I couldn't stop eating. Then I got upset with myself for eating so much and being too sore to go to the gym. I get angry with myself for going over my calorie count, which MFP has set for 1200.

I don't know what to do. I'm not at my goal weight yet- I have about 7 more pounds to go- but I'm back in a funk and eating poorly and not sure how to get out it. I pushed too hard at the gym yesterday and ended up hurting myself again. I don't even actually know what I can and can't do exercise wise, because of the surgery. I'm still sorely unhappy with the way I look, even though I know I've lost weight and people told me it shows. I can't see it, and my measurements have not changed.

Has anyone else felt like this, or have suggestions on what to do?

Replies

  • albayin
    albayin Posts: 2,524 Member
    I feel like in a rut for long time...I am angry, bitter, and feel like giving up...not sure how to get out of it either. :(
  • Oscarinmiami
    Oscarinmiami Posts: 326 Member
    I've been stuck at the same weight for 3 months...just keep trying, don't give up, maybe you need more calories...never give up!
  • SuperDeckerII
    SuperDeckerII Posts: 2
    Whenever I get into those slumps, I just look in the mirror and remember what made me start in the first place. It isn't easy, and you just have to brush off the bad meals/days/weekends/etc. and keep going. Dont be in a rush to lose the weight, because those are the people who lose it and then put it back on. Remind yourself that it isn't a race, but youre changing how you eat for life... So you dont have to go through the weight issues again.

    Suggestions:
    1.) Drink more water. I always notice that drinking more water speeds my weight loss. It may make you a bit heavier for a few hours or a day, but over the course of a week or two of drinking 1 gal/day (im 5'11'' 225 lb male - you likely dont need 1 gal) my weight loss usually stays on track.

    2.) Bad eating happens.. whether it's a meal, day, or weekend. DO NOT get mad at yourself. Just think of why you did it and move on. Those things are speed bumps, not cliffs you're driving off of. Once you realize that a bad day or weekend isnt going to put back 15 lbs. on you, you can learn to move past them.

    3.) 1200 cals. is not much. Make sure you eat your cals. If you're under eating on certain days, your body is going to be depleting ts sources pretty quickly, qhich can lead to the binge days or weekends. I notice that my cheat days/weekends are less damaging if im hitting my cal count each day, since my body is not so deprived.

    4.) stop looking in the mirror or measuring too often.. weigh in/measure once every other week, and in the meantime, win the battle each day. Just make sure youre hitting your calorie goal each day and the rest will fall into place. Measuring and weighing each day can be depressing because of water weight.
  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
    If you have 7 pounds to lose and have a 1200 calorie target: your goals are wrong. You should not be aiming for a 2 pound per week loss. Trying to do that is part of the problem. Trying to eat lower than you should, so you feel deprived, so your binge and feel guilty.

    Set it for .5 pounds per week. The calorie target will be doable, and have room for a wider variety of foods.
  • adxlunam
    adxlunam Posts: 2
    If you have 7 pounds to lose and have a 1200 calorie target: your goals are wrong. You should not be aiming for a 2 pound per week loss. Trying to do that is part of the problem. Trying to eat lower than you should, so you feel deprived, so your binge and feel guilty.

    Set it for .5 pounds per week. The calorie target will be doable, and have room for a wider variety of foods.

    I just checked into my settings, because you made me wonder what it was set at (Because I honestly didn't remember) and it's set at 1 pound a week, not two, yet has me at 1200 calories. I think it may be because my job is sedentary.

    I started this at having to loose about 20 lbs. My goal weight is 125, because I feel if I went lower I would look sickly.

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