Tell Me About That Time You....

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lagatta16
lagatta16 Posts: 6 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
... fell off the wagon, then got right back on and achieved your goal.

I'd been doing great for 50+ days, losing steadily, working out well, feeling good...

Then, this week, I just lost all of my motivation. There have been a few stressors (sick family member, a stolen wallet, crazy overscheduling with the kids), but mostly I just lost my will to work. I ate & drank & skipped my workouts and generally just gave up. I stopped logging, losing my 50+ day streak. I've likely gained some weight, but I'm too annoyed with myself to step on a scale.

Anyway, I think I'm ready to get back to work. I could sure use some motivation, though. Please tell me about that time you gave up on yourself, then came back and reached your goal. Thanks.

Replies

  • LegalMom0928
    LegalMom0928 Posts: 46 Member
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    Just a few weeks ago. I was almost 60 days logged, 10lbs down, and doing really well. But stress, kid birthdays, and general laziness put an end to that. I was spent. Tired of logging, tired of counting calories, just tired. It was really disappointing.

    But, I decided that being fat is hard, and losing weight is hard. I was going to pick my hard and do what I had to to push through. It is so mental sometimes; you really have just psyche yourself up and do it. Its worth it! YOU are worth it!!

    Best of luck!! I know you can do it!!
  • Bshmerlie
    Bshmerlie Posts: 1,026 Member
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    The second month seems to be the hardest for some reason. I think when you first start you're all excited, you're dropping weight really quickly and then it slows down and becomes a chore. You just need to find new ways to reinvent yourself. Find a way to get on a routine that's easy.
  • MarcyKirkton
    MarcyKirkton Posts: 507 Member
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    Oh, I shared my snickerdoodle cookie story. I don't enjoy dieting. I really don't. So what helps me a lot to get back on track is to NOT drag this out. I don't mind eating celery and salsa for awhile, but I cannot stand gaining 2, losing 2, gaining 2, losing 2. That drives me bonkers.

    So the snickerdoodle escapade reminded me that unless I want to get into that pattern, I really need to stick close to the plan.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,150 Member
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    THIS, is why I take a "diet break" every 6 months (in my case logging break).
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 24,905 Member
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    Liftng4Lis wrote: »
    THIS, is why I take a "diet break" every 6 months (in my case logging break).

    Yes ... I took one at the 4-month point.

    I had reached my first goal, and I was going on holidays for 3 weeks, so I quit logging, went on holidays, and ate whatever I wanted to eat (which strangely ended up being a lot of salads and steamed veggies!! :lol: )

    I took a week when I returned to eat at maintenance and decide if I wanted to shoot for a second goal, and then I lowered my max calories again ... and continued.

    I'm just debating when my next diet/logging break should be. I'm pushing through to the end of October, and then I'll decide.

  • dramaqueen45
    dramaqueen45 Posts: 1,009 Member
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    If there's a particularly stressful day sometimes I just don't log and don't worry about it for that day. Usually I can get right back to it the next day and no harm is done. I try not to let stress derail me for long or exercise it off. I think I gained weight over the years due to developing bad habits, eating when bored and being generally inactive and too busy. Things are easier now that kids have all moved out and I'm no longer a taxi service. As for the holiday season I usually don't log but just try to make good choices and maintain through the month of December. There are too many holiday parties and food brought into work to try to accurately log. It worked okay last year. I'm down to the last ten now so hoping to make that goal before the holidays hit but if not that's okay too.
  • cafeaulait7
    cafeaulait7 Posts: 2,459 Member
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    Oh, lots of times! I usually only do it for about 3-4 days and then get back on track, and I'm not a binger. I don't quite know why I do it, but I really do just jump back on track.

    The exercise can be harder to get back to for me. Sometimes I do have to do a little less for the first couple of days back so it doesn't feel so hard. I have a bad back, so I can avoid exercise sometimes legitimately when it acts up too much and then stretch that break out too far. If I start back with something that feels good, like yoga, then I will inevitably feel like doing more within a short time :)

    Good luck! Just jump back in! Don't make your plan so hard that that's hard to do on its own. Lose weight more slowly if that's the problem, imho.
  • amwoidyla
    amwoidyla Posts: 257 Member
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    Got back on today in fact after a rough 4-5 days "off." I was pretty sick with a fever, chills, headaches, stomach pains, etc and still had to work. Basically I felt super sorry for myself and didn't eat according to plan at all.
    Back at it today and hopefully I haven't lost too much progress.
  • lagatta16
    lagatta16 Posts: 6 Member
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    bump
  • yummypotroast
    yummypotroast Posts: 31 Member
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    After living off farmer's markets and shady little convenience stores for groceries this past year, my boyfriend finally took me to a legit grocery store over the weekend. I bought a giant box of chocolate cereal, two boxes of cookies, tons of chocolate, cheap fresh milk... and ate them all before Sunday. @_@

    It made me realize I have an issue with portion control when I'm living alone. I'm still trying to get over the bloat and the subsequent sugar cravings. Good times, though!
  • NobodyPutsAmyInTheCorner
    NobodyPutsAmyInTheCorner Posts: 1,018 Member
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    I'm 10 months in. Still feeling really strong. I've had 4 or 5 major wobbles but you know what, I logged them. Looked at them and realised I'm human and we make mistakes.

    It's so easy to over indulge but this time I think I've grasped the concept.

    In the past I've always told myself I'm on a "diet". Now I don't. Now I'm just on a "become a healthier me" route and it's working. I still have treats but I make sure I log them and remain accountable instead of pretending it didn't happen.
  • angelexperiment
    angelexperiment Posts: 1,917 Member
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    Lets see in my beginning about 2 months in I had a pretty devastating news. I was off the everything for 3 months. It was a miracle I didn't gain in that time! But I cam back full force and lost 30 lbs. And about 2 mo ago I start having phone charger issues so my logging got real erratic and diet not so well for a month but Igot back into it which was a bit hard! But here I am about 1 year into my journey. Still logg, struggling, but also successful!
  • soontobeslim87
    soontobeslim87 Posts: 22 Member
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    I fell off the wagon at the weekend. I was away in Italy for my cousins wedding and decided that I would pass on logging and enjoy the time with my family. Only 2lbs gained so given how much food and drink I consumed over the days I was away really not too bad.

    I'm hitting the supermarket tonight to get in some supplies to get me back on the wagon for tomorrow. I keep myself going with the mantra that it didn't go on overnight so it won't be coming off that way either. Loving my NSV's though wore a jumpsuit to the Wedding I haven't been able to fit into for a least a year! I must be getting something right!!
  • norafinnland
    norafinnland Posts: 14 Member
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    Jump on again deary... We all fall off from time to time cause we're human! One week is nothin', now you still can
  • farmerpam1
    farmerpam1 Posts: 402 Member
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    I was maintaining just fine, until vacation. I ate with reckless abandon, came home and avoided the scale. Kept eating as if I were in vacation mode. Clothes started to get tight. It wasn't until I got on the scale that reality sunk in, 15 pounds in 5 weeks! My advice is to get on the scale and that will jolt you back. Happy to say the first 10 pounds were gone in 2 weeks, and no , I'm not starving myself either, it's the remaining muffin top that has really taught me a lesson. Jump back into the game and never, ever let yourself start buying larger size clothes, let that be the final wake up call. Good luck,be kind to yourself and keep going forward. You're worth it!
  • lagatta16
    lagatta16 Posts: 6 Member
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    Update:
    Thank you all for your stories and insight. I got back on track as of Monday last week. It was a little sad to see that my weight had climbed up 2-3 lbs during my break, but I just got back to my logging and moved forward.

    I did make one tweak to the plan: I decreased my deficit. When I restarted, I was grouchy, anxious and sleeping poorly for days. I decided to listen to that, and dropped my goal from 1 lb per week to 1/2 lb per week. I'm about 12lbs from goal, so I figured my body was telling me the deficit was too much.

    And today! I hit a new low weight, and I don't feel deprived anymore. This MFP thing works! I'll just keep on trucking.... Slow and (hopefully) steady.
  • lagatta16
    lagatta16 Posts: 6 Member
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    LegalMom0928 wrote: »
    Just a few weeks ago. I was almost 60 days logged, 10lbs down, and doing really well. But stress, kid birthdays, and general laziness put an end to that. I was spent. Tired of logging, tired of counting calories, just tired. It was really disappointing.

    But, I decided that being fat is hard, and losing weight is hard. I was going to pick my hard and do what I had to to push through. It is so mental sometimes; you really have just psyche yourself up and do it. Its worth it! YOU are worth it!!

    Best of luck!! I know you can do it!!

    Legalmom0928, I really want to thank you for this. It sounds like you and I are in similar places, and this comment really resonated with me.
  • Artemiris
    Artemiris Posts: 189 Member
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    It's nice to read that you were able to go back on track. Great motivation for us all.

    Stopping (once again) to use MFP is my greatest fear while dieting.

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