Rough Patch

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I am having a really difficult time right now. In September, I began an intense diet in order to lose around thirty five pounds. Every thing was going great and I felt really good about myself. For the first time ever, I felt healthy and in control of my body. I was energetic and upbeat, two things that I typically was not. Between September and the beginning of December, I lost a lot of weight and was approaching my target weight. I was so happy. However, around the holidays I got very busy and made up excuses to not make time for the gym. Although I have not put all the weight I lost back on, I have gained a lot of it back. I am so disappointed in myself and I am not sure what to do. Lately, I have been really negative and think this is related to the fact I have been eating unhealthy foods and neglecting my gym membership. I was in much better place in the fall and now I am feeling really bad about how I look and feel. I am scared that if I do not make a change now, I will forever live an unhealthy life. I am looking for some tips/motivation/inspiration in order to help me get back on track. I want to feel good again and the stories on here inspire me to be better.

Replies

  • vaporhockey83
    vaporhockey83 Posts: 84 Member
    edited March 2015
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    Get back on the horse for sure. I think it's normal, especially during the holidays, to regress. There's a lot going on. As for me and some inspiration. Hard liquor was ruining my home life...so I straight up quit it (a couple beers now and then at most now). I'm clear from the hard stuff for 15 days now (truly nothing in my eyes...can't wait until I can say a whole year). 8 pounds has rolled off in that time. I'm getting to bed earlier, waking up earlier, and I have a lot more energy. I have more time for the five year-old in my life that I would never want to neglect (not that I was, but it was time to man up against bad habits). I'm running around my neighborhood where I wasn't, I'm doing HIIT at home when the kiddo is asleep, I'm lifting weights at my work's gym and at home. All of this has made me feel a lot better about myself. I was going down the wrong path even after a prior disengagement from my bad habit, but I found the right path again and I feel fantastic. It seems like you know the right path. Don't be scared. Get back on it and you'll see it feels good. Just take the first step by going to the gym, taking a walk, lifting some weights, or even weighing out your meals. Remember how great it felt. Don't dwell on failure, thrive on the positive outcomes. Best of luck...you can do it.
  • dragon_sla
    dragon_sla Posts: 42 Member
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    Don't be so hard on yourself. I know its hard but set things right again, You proved to yourself that you can do it. If you think about failure than you will. Tomorrow is a new day! It's the day you move forward and forget the past. Time to reach those goals. We all have bad days. Don't let them win!!
  • dreamer12151
    dreamer12151 Posts: 1,031 Member
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    Oh, I understand! I've been going back & forth, stalled out since about December myself, gaining & losing 5 pounds or so, not able to get my eating back on track, kinda of in a "eh, why bother?" mode. I'm working on changing my workouts, seeing if that helps. But you have to find out what motivates YOU. For me, it's not feeling happy, and knowing I can do better, because I've proved it to myself once before I could. I have to get pissed of with myself. But regroup and get back to it!
  • BrownSheep
    BrownSheep Posts: 30 Member
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    The best motivation I have found so far is something I read in a MFP blog: http://blog.myfitnesspal.com/how-to-ignore-the-quitter-in-your-head/ I learned one of my mantras from it, "keep the cadence, change the distance." This helps me not quit and to keep moving towards my goals. I may not be losing weight as fast as some others on here. However, I am making long term positive changes in my eating, exercise, and other areas of my life.
  • fostersu
    fostersu Posts: 327 Member
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    Breathe. We're here with you and know the struggle. for years now I would be all excited and working out in the late summer and fall....then the holidays would come and winter and a bad attitude. Its not over, it never is. You're posting and hoping and that's huge.
  • ulmer787
    ulmer787 Posts: 3
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    I've been going through so much. I have gained over forty pounds just worth the depression. I've never felt this way and it is making things so hard right now to just even get motivated. I have a ten year old son and am so scared that something will happen to need and he won't have a father. Him and his mom are my whole word but trying to overcome this depression feels like it is winning. I'm truly asking for some help or guidance.someone that may no what it is that I'm going through. Thank you all for listening.
  • ulmer787
    ulmer787 Posts: 3
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    ulmer787 wrote: »
    I've been going through so much. I have gained over forty pounds just worth the depression. I've never felt this way and it is making things so hard right now to just even get motivated. I have a ten year old son and am so scared that something will happen to need and he won't have a father. Him and his mom are my whole word but trying to overcome this depression feels like it is winning. I'm truly asking for some help or guidance.someone that may no what it is that I'm going through. Thank you all for listening.

  • ulmer787
    ulmer787 Posts: 3
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    ulmer787 wrote: »
    ulmer787 wrote: »
    I've been going through so much. I have gained over forty pounds just worth the depression. I've never felt this way and it is making things so hard right now to just even get motivated. I have a ten year old son and am so scared that something will happen to need and he won't have a father. Him and his mom are my whole word but trying to overcome this depression feels like it is winning. I'm truly asking for some help or guidance.someone that may no what it is that I'm going through. Thank you all for listening.

  • Nezz123
    Nezz123 Posts: 35 Member
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    Stop punishing yourself! Lesson learned--you've suffered enough! Now is time to get happy again. But, at the same time, getting started can be the hardest part. Especially if you're worried that it'll only result in more disappointment. That's one benefit to learning to forgive yourself--when you realize that getting knocked off the horse and jumping back on is part of the process, you end up spending less time on the ground :) .

    Also, reframe your timeline of success. Success is not "6 months from now" or "ten pounds from now". Success is every time you pack a healthy lunch instead of ordering takeout. It's every time you wake up early to exercise for 30 mins. Those victories count! There are no small victories. The little ones are ultimately the most powerful by far. So start giving yourself credit for them--because we all know they're a lot harder to do than they seem! Don't be scared. Look at your past progress as proof of success (thatit can be done) not as failure....
  • azulvioleta6
    azulvioleta6 Posts: 4,195 Member
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    All you can do is get back to work.