Restarters: What's different this time?

I have restarted twice.

My first time was a year after my Son was born. I was counting calories and exercising everyday I was eating veggies chicken and eggs everyday. I lost 10lbs and weight just stopped coming off. Yes I hit a platuea and yes I gave up because I deprived myself of the foods I loved.

The 2nd time I started was a little over a month ago. Started counting cals again and exercising all the time. But was stuck. Id fluctuate everyday. 185 then 183. Then 184. Then 185. Then 182. Then 181. So I stopped again. Felt like I was going nowhere. I was having the signs of hypothyroidism. So I went to a primary Dr to find out why I couldnt lose weight. All test came out normal. Other then my thyroid is enlarged and my T4 numbers were high not low. Which means it should be easier for me to lose weight. He also said I was vitamin d defecient. My hearr, lungs,kidneys. Everything was healthy.

6 days ago I restarted. Im pretty much eating the same thing for breakfast and lunch everyday. 3-4 Egg whites cheese wheat bread and a piece of cheese. A chicken salad sandwich on wheat bread and dinner I have whatever my family wants for dinner but I use portion control. I also got vitamin d supplements. Exercise 5 days a week. 1 day strength. The rest cardio. In 6 days I went from 185 to 183 to 182 to 181 to 180 to 179.

So what am I doing this time?

This time I am logging everything accurately. Drinking more water. Taking vitamin d supplements everyday. Exercising 5-6 times a week. I also have 1 cheat day where I eat what I want but stay in my calorie range. And the biggest thing I am not giving up. There was always an excuse. Oh its my birth control making me gain weight. Oh its my thyroid. But really in all honesty it was me. I do not need 5-6 cans of pepsi everyday. I do not need 4-5 pieces of pizza drizzled in ranch dressing everytime we eat out. I do not need 2 servings of whatever were having for dinner.

When I first started MFP I logged a typical day of what I would eat. Pop included. 4500 calories a day was approx what I was consuming. That number made me sick to my stomach.

No excuses this time. No giving up. Thats whats different.

Good question! I closed my diary in hopes that I can overcome the urge to stop logging entirely whenever I overeat significantly.

wiggawaggle wrote: »

1. What's different about the diet you're using this time?

2. What are you doing differently this time to make sure you can stick to it long term?

1. Nothing, just trying not to beat myself up if I have some days at maintenance. I try to remind myself that at least it's not a gain and I'm still doing better than the days of not logging at all.

2. I've started lifting weights this time after a lot of advice I've read on MFP. Last time I 'only' walked which actually resulted in Plantar Fasciitis in one foot which is still causing bother. I've had better results this time in that I've come down a trouser size within about a month although my weight loss is slower. Last time I was losing the weight but not the clothing sizes.

wiggawaggle wrote: »

If you're here because you're restarting, have previously tried losing weight, but didn't quite work out and so now you're trying again... then i have two questions about how you are ensuring success this time

1. What's different about the diet you're using this time?

2. What are you doing differently this time to make sure you can stick to it long term?

Guess, I can technically answer this twice. :laugh:

First Restart 2013:
1) My first attempt at losing weight was full of mistakes. I over restricted what I could eat and with as fast as I lost weight I'm pretty sure I wasn't eating near enough. I wasn't counting calories and only ate from a very small pool of foods. I am positive I wasn't eating enough because I lost 60 (possibly closer to 70, but I know I had lost at least 60 lbs) in a 6 month time frame. I was only able to do it for about 6 months before I couldn't stand the restriction any more (also happened to be around holidays in 2012). I ended up regaining about half of what I had lost before my restart on March 13, 2013.
So what changed, I started counting calories/using MFP in March 2013. My only restriction this time around was to try my best to stick to MFP's calorie goal. A few months later, I added in a food scale and a fitbit as well. I followed MFP's plan for weight loss (eat goal + eat exercise calories).
2) Following MFP's plan was easy and definitely something I could do long term. No other changes needed.

Second Restart 2014:
1) Nothing. I'm continuing where I left off in 2013.
2) Avoid getting pregnant. That's the reason for this "restart". I had to stop for 9 months due to pregnancy. That said, the plan I had started in 2013 was easy to jump back into. It's been 14 months since my restart this time around and I am down to my last couple lbs before switching to maintenance (working on a plan for that currently).

I'm trying not to have unrealistic goals and I don't eat under 1200 calories. I'm also looking at this as a long term process and I don't have an end date anymore

I finally dropped all my bullsh*t excuses.
Yes, I can make time to work out.
Yes, I can find the energy to cook healthy food after a long day at work.
No, I don't have to turn to food when I'm stressed, sad, angry, bored.
No, having a full time job and 2 small children is not an excuse to continue to be unhealthy.
And so on and so forth.

Doing it my way, not following a book. Instead of focusing on how much I hate my shape, started focusing on,the positive and realizing the strengths I still have. I have read so much on diet and nutrition since age 12 it is ridiculous lol. But what doesn't work for me is when it gets complicated. Don't get me wrong, love to cook, but needing 20 different ingredients for every meal is just not gonna happen. I am busy with two little children, nanny 3 days a week, bake from home, etc. So after a couple fails, I figured out I just needed to slash added sugars and simple carbs. I am on day 21. Even had two fall off the bandwagon days (childs bday and a daytrip with family)but the diffetence was I jumped back on. I keep it simple, take food with me, bfast is the same everyday, lunch is by week (for example, basic grilled chicken on vegetable salad, just switch up dressing), I put my energy into more creative dinners. I have goals, but this is a lifechange not a 'diet' as in for a little while. I learned the difference between simple and easy. So while it isn't easy, I made it simple. Got a rec center membership too, started going to classes. Started putting my fitness and nutrition goals BEFORE things like laundry, instead of after my to-do list was done (it is NEVERending lol).

So in short, made it a priority, made it simple, made it sustainable.

Hello. My name is Angie! I am also restarting this journey again. The diet I am using this time is portion control. Most other times I have placed heavy retest ructions on myself and I think that was my downfall. I think my answer to the second question is more of a why than what am I doing differently this time. I have severe osteoarthritis and degenerative disc disease and nothing has seemed to work. I a. Convinced that if I lose a lot of my excess weight I will decrease my pain tremendously. At this point I can barely move day to day and I am pretty much running my household from a chair. I am 36 and have four children......this is no way to live.

I'm not eliminating my favorite foods. Last time it drove me crazy to just eat "clean". I gave up. Also last time I didn't really use the support this community has to offer. I have added lots of friends and joined a few groups

This time, the guys on my friends list are the only real difference and the community support. Working well so far!