Thoughts and Feelings after falling off the wagon for a week or so

aarcos893
aarcos893 Posts: 2 Member
in Motivation and Support
Hey you guys. I recently started my journey and have 100 lbs to lose. I started tracking my food about 4 weeks ago. One of those weeks I had three exams and I put all my time and energy into studying. I wasn't sleeping well, I wasn't feeling very energetic throughout the day, and of course I wasn't eating right. The point is that I failed to track my calorie intake for 8 days and now I feel defeated and hopeless. I'm 4 weeks into my journey and now only 3 of those count since for a week I went nuts on food. I want to know how some of you feel after falling off the wagon, especially if you fell of the wagon early in your journey as i did, and how you regain the motivation to keep going. I've continued tracking after my exams, but I still feel defeat. Please help.

Replies

  • sunnyside1213
    sunnyside1213 Posts: 1,205 Member
    edited November 2015
    It happens. Just get up, dust yourself off, and continue on with it. I have been traveling and also fell o the wagon, but I am never going to give up. I am on here almost everyday. Friend me if you like.
  • Four_Leaf_Clover
    Four_Leaf_Clover Posts: 332 Member
    Look at the long-term vs. the short-term. I have faltered many times, but you have to forgive yourself and keep going forward. No one is perfect. And when you can, learn from your triggers and mistakes. Notice what pushes the wrong buttons, think of ways to stay on track next time. And keep tracking - even when you go nuts - just write it down, keep yourself accountable.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,219 Member
    I fell off the wagon for a few months. Getting back into it isn't the easiest, just do what you can and the motivation will come back to you.
  • fiddletime
    fiddletime Posts: 1,868 Member
    We all fall off the wagon. Many of us are on here for a second or third time It takes awhile to develop good eating habits after years of bad ones. A week is nothing. Compare it to your other "bad" weeks and it's a drop in the bucket. It's time for you to learn how to not make excuses and make a commitment to succeed in the long run. This is a marathon, not a sprint. You just crossed the starting line for the rest of your life. Pick yourself up and get back into this because the alternative could have you gaining a whole bunch more.
  • tomatoey
    tomatoey Posts: 5,446 Member
    If you "fell off the wagon" because you needed more brainpower and time to study for exams, and to not have to think about being hungry so you could do well, that was a *smart* decision. One week (and another at the end of the term, it's coming, just get ready for it) is not going to derail your progress.

    I know it feels not great because you just started, but that was just unlucky timing for your motivation. Won't affect things if you're consistent when you can be. (I mean try to be, but exams are a free pass to eat whatever you have to to get through, in my opinion. Temporarily delaying losing 1-2 lbs is not worth a permanently (possibly) less good grade than you'd have gotten otherwise.

    Get on track tomorrow, it'll be fine. Two days of meeting targets and you'll feel set again.
  • RoseTheWarrior
    RoseTheWarrior Posts: 2,035 Member
    Fall down 7 times, get up 8!! Too many of us have the "all or nothing" mindset, and that is something we must work on. Not being perfect doesn't mean you should give up. Get back on track and try to think of ways to avoid doing the same thing next time you have exams. You can do this :smiley:
  • aarcos893
    aarcos893 Posts: 2 Member
    I'm completely surprised with the responses you guys. I've felt alone in this for a long time and just having this support is amazing. I'm getting back up as we speak and I'm gonna tackle this challenge with the best I've got.
  • dearmrsowl
    dearmrsowl Posts: 151 Member
    Same thing happened to me last week. I had to write an article for college which was more difficult than I thought it would be. I slept for 3 hours max each night and either ate nothing because I didn't have the time or the appetite or ate junk food and stuff I usually wouldn't in the quantities I did. That's life and life happens. Yesterday I started over again, tracking everything and moving more. There is one bad week and three good ones for you. One vs. three. No need to feel bad at all, just don't throw in the towel. You can do this!
  • Soopatt
    Soopatt Posts: 563 Member
    I agree with those who recommend you track everything after you go off track, no matter how hard it is to look at. You need to acknowledge that it happened (without beating yourself up). Force yourself to think about it - every bite happened.

    I have a few high peaks in my diary as I have logged all the excess on those days. There have been days that are three or four times over what I should have eaten, but since April I have lost 12kg, despite this. It evens out, if you are consistent.

    You have to think of it as sticking to plan 90% of the time. If you do that, you have a good month and if ten out of twelve months are good ones, you had a good year. Stop thinking about it in absolute terms.

    Good Luck.
  • lemonychild
    lemonychild Posts: 654 Member
    happens to me all the time.. i let myself live... and then when that day is over i just go on with my life eating smarter
  • susb
    susb Posts: 90 Member
    Try to go six weeks straight. Forget about falling off wagon. It is what it is and yesterday is over! it is never too late to begin again.

    Make a mental note that you will write down and stick to your lifestyle change for six weeks straight, no matter what. I have read that it takes around six weeks to form new habits. From that point on, stick to your changes until you lose every single pound you want to lose!

    I did this myself and it works, long term! Forget about yesterday, today is a new day and you possess the power to change most anything you want regarding your life.

    ❤️ Susan
  • susb
    susb Posts: 90 Member
    Don't look at your weight loss goal as 100 pounds. It is better to chip away towards your ultimate goal by shooting for 5 pound mini goals! Reward yourself with bath bubbles, new songs added from ITunes, rent a movie, new workout clothes, a new Pilates or yoga DVD, etc., along the way instead of food.

    ❤️ Susan
  • goldthistime
    goldthistime Posts: 3,213 Member
    tomatoey wrote: »
    If you "fell off the wagon" because you needed more brainpower and time to study for exams, and to not have to think about being hungry so you could do well, that was a *smart* decision. One week (and another at the end of the term, it's coming, just get ready for it) is not going to derail your progress.

    I know it feels not great because you just started, but that was just unlucky timing for your motivation. Won't affect things if you're consistent when you can be. (I mean try to be, but exams are a free pass to eat whatever you have to to get through, in my opinion. Temporarily delaying losing 1-2 lbs is not worth a permanently (possibly) less good grade than you'd have gotten otherwise.

    Get on track tomorrow, it'll be fine. Two days of meeting targets and you'll feel set again.

    I agree. Taking a diet break during exams was not necessarily a bad thing. Next time you might consider purposely upping your calories to maintenance. Being hungry is tough enough on its own, without adding the other conditions of human misery (cold, tired, stressed, sick etc).

  • prettygirlstorm1
    prettygirlstorm1 Posts: 721 Member
    I feel like that everyday Monday. I do so well during the week and the weekend comes and I lose everything I worked for. I changed my weigh in day to Monday so that I won't overeat during the weekend. Like everyone else said everyday is a new day. Staying consistent is hard!!! Good luck feel free to add me as a friend!!
  • RubyLee85
    RubyLee85 Posts: 1 Member
    Forgive yourself. Say "I don't like this but oh well, I'm going to move forward and learn from my mistake.
  • girlwithcurls2
    girlwithcurls2 Posts: 2,281 Member
    If you fell off the wagon, it's still there. Get back on it. What's a week over the course of the rest of your life? You're going to let 8 days derail your efforts?
  • paulandrachelk
    paulandrachelk Posts: 280 Member
    I set up a "meal" on my site. Measure in cups with calories set at 2500. Could set up nutrition but didn't. I use it when I miss a day or 10 to keep in the habit. I can estimate calories (always being generous-I did slip) to keep on track a bit. After all, I know if I slipped at Subway or Dunkin Donuts. By adjusting the serving size it shows if a BIG slip or moderate one.
  • susb
    susb Posts: 90 Member
    Paula, what do you mean when you said that you set calories at 2,500.

    Susan

  • susb
    susb Posts: 90 Member
    I meant paulandrachelk
  • natyack
    natyack Posts: 56 Member
    So.... you're 4 weeks into your progress and you were successful for 3 of those weeks- that's a 75% success rate. That's AMAZING, and it's really difficult. Be proud of the changes you've been able to make, and strive for progress, not perfection. You're only human. You can do this.
  • constancenj
    constancenj Posts: 26 Member
    After a week of starting my grandma died and I ate like total crap and didn't exercise up til the funeral yesterday.... so I'm back to day 1 again today. I feel your pain... I could've been a few pounds lighter. Instead I probably gained a few back.
  • tulips_and_tea
    tulips_and_tea Posts: 5,741 Member
    In order to be successful at weight loss you have to make a lifestyle change and that requires changing your mindset. First of all, I think "falling off the wagon" is a phrase we need to stop using. It infers that you've failed. NO, OP you haven't. As @tomatoey said, choosing good grades on your exam over one week of over eating was a SMART choice! Your degree will get you where you want to be in your life and career, hopefully. Making healthy food choices is a life-long learning experience. You're doing great - stick with it!

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