Does anyone have this problem?

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So Ill do really good for about 3 weeks or so, lose about seven or eight lbs because Ive eaten healthy and exercising and then I'll have one BAD day with eating and I guess it gets me down so that day will turn into 3 or 4 days and Ive gained of course half the weight I had lost before I get back to it. Anyways thats where Im at now overcoming the last few bad days and Ive gained 3 lbs. So I guess my question is how do I overcome this cycle? is it because Im still at the beginning stages of my weight loss journey ? Any advice...?has anyone else done this at first?

Replies

  • kklindsey
    kklindsey Posts: 382 Member
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    Just my opinion but usually when someone only makes it a week or so I always think that probably they went on a "diet" and were too restrictive with food choices. Eventually they cave to the desire to eat something "not allowed" and then feel bad and eat a few more "not allowed" items. Lather, rinse, repeat.

    Start out slowly making small changes that you can implement immediately. Say trade your morning donut for a healthy breakfast. Do that for one week, then add something else. Or if you are using MFP and counting calories then start out only worrying about making your calorie count for the day, don't try to police the type of food you are eating until you have some success meeting your calorie goal, then look back over your first week of food and see what you want to get rid of and what foods are worth it to you regardless of the calories. If you can eat less of those foods or exercise more to offset them then you can still have them. Build a plan you can live with for life.
  • spinurbuttoff
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    Just keep fighting! You can do it! The 34 lbs you've lost is a HUGE accomplishment!
  • stanvoodoo
    stanvoodoo Posts: 1,023 Member
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    I used to but I worked hard in a class at my Med Provider to learn that todays mistakes should not affect tomorrow. If you have a bad day, you log it and move on.

    The last thing you want to be is your own worst enemy. You are much too important for that.

    One bad day is easy to get over, extra water and exercise followed by good days and its no problem. I have had them and I will have them but they will not stop me from living a healthy life. Just keep telling yourself that and believing you are more important than one bad day.

    Be Strong!
  • debdptg
    debdptg Posts: 94 Member
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    I think any of us who have been fighting weight go thru this. I know it is hard to not be discouraged and frustrated with yourself when you fall down, but you MUST forgive yourself in order to go on. What I do is allow myself a 'bad' day every now and then. It is part of my plan, so it is not a failure. Maybe once every few weeks I will be at a party or out with friends, and I will eat the fried mac and cheese, or some other heart attack on a plate, and enjoy it. No guilt, no recriminations. Next day, back on track.

    So, plan for a high calorie day - maybe once every few weeks, and don't beat yourself up over it.
  • Elizabeth_C34
    Elizabeth_C34 Posts: 6,376 Member
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    I had that problem when I first strated. I would end up eating horribly for days on days if I started. The thing is to learn to forgive yourself if you screw up once or twice. It's alright. The trick is to get back on the wagon the next day. Take each day at a time, and eventually, it'll be much easier :)
  • MrsZMartin
    MrsZMartin Posts: 165 Member
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    I used to do the same thing. Then, I vowed to keep counting, even when I had bad days. Seeing the numbers somehow made it easier to forgive myself, because I could see exactly what I'd eaten and could decide whether it was worth it or not. This then also led me to be motivated to do well the next day, rather than feel defeated and continue to eat poorly. I still have bad days, I mean, sometimes I have really bad days. I'm ok with it though, because I focus on the fact that most days are great, so a bad day is just that... a bad DAY, not a failure. And sometimes, those bad days are really fun! i.e. Thanksgiving, birthdays, Christmas, etc.

    Just count it, and let it go.

    Good luck!
  • dls06
    dls06 Posts: 6,774 Member
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    Just my opinion but usually when someone only makes it a week or so I always think that probably they went on a "diet" and were too restrictive with food choices. Eventually they cave to the desire to eat something "not allowed" and then feel bad and eat a few more "not allowed" items. Lather, rinse, repeat.

    Start out slowly making small changes that you can implement immediately. Say trade your morning donut for a healthy breakfast. Do that for one week, then add something else. Or if you are using MFP and counting calories then start out only worrying about making your calorie count for the day, don't try to police the type of food you are eating until you have some success meeting your calorie goal, then look back over your first week of food and see what you want to get rid of and what foods are worth it to you regardless of the calories. If you can eat less of those foods or exercise more to offset them then you can still have them. Build a plan you can live with for life.
    Agree totally!!!!!! It took a while to gain the weight give yourself time to lose it right and keep it off forever.
  • Nosremis
    Nosremis Posts: 2
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    I know that every once in awhile I "cheat" and eat a meal that is "bad", but I don't beat myself up over it, and I just get back to my plan. You could even use a unhealthy meal or food as a treat for attaining a milestone; I'm planning to have a Krispy Kreme doughnut fresh off the line when I reach 165!! :wink:
  • debbiequack
    debbiequack Posts: 275 Member
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    This is actually a common problem with a lot of "bad habits"-- it's called a "thinking error". In other words, once an alcoholic takes that first drink, they think "Oh, I've really messed up now" so they drink more instead of forgiving themselves. If they forgave themselves, perhaps a "slip" wouldn't turn into a relapse.

    I'd work on your thinking, as much as your eating (or more!) :)

    Best,

    Debbie
  • Hollycat
    Hollycat Posts: 372
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    Funny how it's always 3 weeks them bam! Sound familiar? PM? Hormones? Temporary Insanity? I have been going through this for 38 years. I have just grown to accept it. Not that I plan to give myself permission to overindulge, but that sudden, ravenous monster that lurks inside is bound to come out every few weeks.

    Just make sure the conscious part of you is conscious and records EVERYTHING. Recording keeps it in check and helps keeps it from spiraling for days.

    Hollycat
    :flowerforyou:
  • ShrinkingNinja
    ShrinkingNinja Posts: 460 Member
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    Something I have done is if I have something off plan one day and it throws me off is I just make sure to exercise a bit harder the next day and eat a little less calories. That way... my something off plan ends up as if I was calorie cycling. Seems to help.
  • hemlock2010
    hemlock2010 Posts: 422 Member
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    I agree with Lindsay--baby steps. I started with a food goal of 1900 calories. Now that seems really high, but at the time it was very hard work. My only rule was that I had to log everything no matter what and to TRY to stay under 1900. I also added exercise, and I ate my exercise calories (although I estimated on the low side when I entered exercise cals).

    When I went off the rails, I exercised to make up the difference. That really helped a lot b/c I didn't have to beat myself up over a pint of ice cream; I just hit the gym. Very therapeutic!

    Then I started really working to hit my protein goal, so I had to change up my food choices to get more protein. That helped a lot b/c I wasn't as hungry.

    I eat very differently now than I did when I started, but it's been six months, and I made those changes gradually and only when I felt like I could do it without feeling deprived.
  • hazelnutflav
    hazelnutflav Posts: 391 Member
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    it sounds like you feel guilty about having a BAD day followed by 3-4 days of feeling depressed about it.

    WELCOME this has happened to all of us and i think all you need to do is see it for what it really is your just craving your favorite snacks or foods so why not just plan ahead include them in your meals and move on, without the guilt, no food is bad (all things in moderation) so go ahead and have that cookie or slice of pie just plan for it and only have 1 serving or whatever it is add it into your food dairy,do your excercise and move on, i guarantee you will stop feeling like a cheat and will stop beating yourself up b/c this is something we all do, its part of the process learning how to incorporate those foods along with a healthy diet all just takes careful planning and committment to this new lifestyle change.

    but please dont beat yourself up or get depressed just see it for what it is and KEEP IT MOVING , congratulations on how far you have come so far.
  • BethanyMasters
    BethanyMasters Posts: 519 Member
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    Sounds like the story of the past three years of my life.

    Still working on overcoming it but it has helped to be less restrictive with my food.

    Also when I have a bad day I log the food anyways and then compare it to my actual bmr instead of my set calorie goal. It helps me realize that even though I may have gone over my goal I am still within a reasonable distance of my bmr and that it wasn't as bad as I thought.

    Knowing that helps me get over it and move on the next day.
  • bmmadden
    bmmadden Posts: 499 Member
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    Thanks so much for the positive feedback and encouragement! I know one thing Ive really learned through reading your comments is to log even on the bad days and I think it would make me more accountable to my mfp friends as well as myself and make me think twice the next day and to take it slow....It really helps to read your responses!!
  • lggk01
    lggk01 Posts: 16 Member
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    I've felt like that in the past, especially when I was doing Weight Watchers, if I couldn't find the points, say for dinner, it would throw me off. I'm kinda in that spot now with the see-sawing which can make it tough to hang tight. The more consistent I stay the better choices I continue to make. I keep thinking all of this will pay off sooner or later. NOTHING TASTES AS GOOD AS SKINNY FEELS. You can do it. look at your success so far....hang in there girl.