I've been failing.

Molly_234
Molly_234 Posts: 89 Member
edited November 16 in Health and Weight Loss
The past 3 weeks I've been eating at maintenance or above maintenance. To tell you the truth I really don't even know because after I get above my calories even if it's just a few hundred calories I stop logging because It makes me so ashamed. I don't want to see it even though it should be there. I'll do good during the day but when I get home from work I just eat and eat. It's my release from stress and It results in me feel overly stuffed and just bloated and fat. I feel very hungry even though my bodys stuffed. I was losing very well for 3 months I went from 146 to 135. I have not lost motivation but I've lost the control to say no more and listen to my body. Every day I say it's okay I over ate today I'll make up for it tomorrow, then the next say it's okay I'll just eat at 1lb loss goal and then .5lb loss goal and then I just up thinking we'll I already over ate I might as well not log and try again tomorrow. This is a horrible cycle and It's so hard for me to get out of it. I'm scared I'm losing all of the hard work I did and I just really want to get back into my normal eating routine. Has this happened to anyone and is there any way to "reset" your hunger. I've been trying to fast during the day to save more calories for later but I work in a small office and people are constantly eating, constantly having snacks and cookies laying around and I just don't know why I don't have the will power any more to hold back like I used to!! Ever since the one weekend of letting lose and enjoying myself (not counting calories) it's been a downward spiral. I was so motivated, sticking to my calories every day, steadily losing, feeling great and satisfied after meals but just one weekend (birthday weekend) has ruined it all! Just need to vent, all the people around me don't have the same goals as I do.

Replies

  • Heather4448
    Heather4448 Posts: 908 Member
    You're stressed out after work. That's understandable. Try going to the gym for just a little while after work; get on the treadmill, listen to your favorite music, take a hot shower and go home. Just try it for a few days. See how you feel.
  • Duchy82
    Duchy82 Posts: 560 Member
    Oh yes, I have made this same mistake, I hit my goal weight for the year in Nov 2015 and decided to take a break from counting starting back in January, as a result I basically maintained all the way through 2016 trying to get back on the wagon but falling off repeatedly (at least I maintained so I now know I can do that once I hit goal).

    Now I'm trying to get back on that weight loss horse to lose the last 5kg or so and its hard, I'm having to be pretty tough with myself and not always succeeding.

    I've found though that if I skip breakfast I tend to eat more later in the day so for the last couple of weeks I've been making a point of eating it and it helps most of the time, if I'm tired I munch more too. I've lost 0.5kg (a lb roughly) in the last 2 weeks

    So try and find those patterns, force yourself to log even if it's ugly, it's the only way you'll face those splurges and find those patterns. Bring some lower calorie snacks to work to stay the temptation of office snack foods, and keep trying you will get going again.
  • prattiger65
    prattiger65 Posts: 1,657 Member
    edited February 2017
    When I had that problem I found that prelogging my entire day helped. It put some boundaries up, but also gave me something to look forward to. Another thing that "may" help is looking at your calories more long term. What I mean is, instead of 1500 calories per day, it's 9500 per week. If you spend 2000 one day, that means you have to trim about 80 per day off the others, or whatever works for you. Good luck.

    ETA: Always log accurately, you are only trying to lie to yourself and you already know the truth. Accurate data is important.
  • pinuplove
    pinuplove Posts: 12,871 Member
    I'm also a big fan of pre-logging my day. It gives me a road map to follow rather than wandering aimlessly through the wilderness. I adjust through the day as needed and it's easy to tell if I'm on track. No nasty surprises like realizing at 4pm I only have 200 calories left for the rest of the day.
  • spiriteagle99
    spiriteagle99 Posts: 3,748 Member
    I second the idea of finding something different to do after work. Go for a walk, take a class, join a club, hit the gym. All will help relieve the stress and give you something to do besides eat and feel depressed about your eating. Also, if you are doing something physical, you'll have more calories to play with.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    Deal with the root cause. Find another way to manage stress besides eating. Try different methods until you find one that work best for you. Yoga, meditation, breathing exercises, prayer, reading, writing, walking ... whatever works for you.

    It may take some time but you can learn to deal with stress with something other than food. And it's such an important step. Just read through these forums at all the posts saying I lost X pounds but then put it back on when <insert stressful situation here>. Learning to manage stress without food is vital if you are now an emotional eater.

    Best of luck to you!
  • Loug1983
    Loug1983 Posts: 89 Member
    Molly_234 wrote: »
    I was losing very well for 3 months I went from 146 to 135. I have not lost motivation but I've lost the control to say no more and listen to my body. Every day I say it's okay I over ate today I'll make up for it tomorrow, then the next say it's okay I'll just eat at 1lb loss goal and then .5lb loss goal and then I just up thinking we'll I already over ate I might as well not log and try again tomorrow.

    It sounds like your target might be too severe, my advice would be to draw a line under the last few weeks and start again, aiming for a smaller loss and allowing yourself more calories.

  • Running_and_Coffee
    Running_and_Coffee Posts: 811 Member
    I can relate to this...I think when you are close to goal, you might say, "I'm going to lose weight," but then there's a little voice inside of you that says, "You're fine the way you are and you should loosen up and enjoy life a little." These two voices get into constant arguments. At a certain point, you just have to tell one of them to shut up and either go for it (the lower weight) or agree that you're fine right now and can either stop or take a break from weight loss.
  • mrsbower22
    mrsbower22 Posts: 6 Member
    I am having this same problem....I too deal with stress with eating....Like the other says....prelogging your calories has worked for me...I have also had success with having my dinner already made so it only has to be warmed up....That is when I had the most success...I didn't need to think about dinner it was already there. I hope to find ways to deal with my stress other than eating...I have come so far and don't want to go back to where I started.
  • lightenup2016
    lightenup2016 Posts: 1,055 Member
    pinuplove wrote: »
    I'm also a big fan of pre-logging my day. It gives me a road map to follow rather than wandering aimlessly through the wilderness. I adjust through the day as needed and it's easy to tell if I'm on track. No nasty surprises like realizing at 4pm I only have 200 calories left for the rest of the day.

    ^^This! I was in the same place you are, and then I started prelogging and it's really helped! Sort of like balancing the books with your finances. I also feel like I know what's waiting for me, and I can plan ahead and schedule eating what I know I like.
  • BoxerBrawler
    BoxerBrawler Posts: 2,032 Member
    Once you lose that fire or that motivation it's very hard to get it back. Just keep working at it. Even if you fail every single day, keep working at it every single day and sooner or later it'll come back to you. I don't have a lot of good advice to give you about this and it seems like others have already said what I'd echo. But I'll tell you this... if you look at any, and I mean any successful person out there whether they're successful with weight loss, or a successful athlete, business person, etc. The one thing that they all have in common is that they've all "failed" dozens of times before finding their success. You will get there too. Just don't give up for good.
  • cross2bear
    cross2bear Posts: 1,106 Member
    I hate to hear anyone say they are failing - you're not, really. You are learning a lot of things that DONT work for you! You only really fail when you give up for good. Since you are asking for advice, and you are hoping to get your mojo back, as long as you keep picking yourself up and trying, you are ok. You are human. We humans tend to stumble and fall - a lot. And I share this struggle with you, as do so many others.

    I second (or third) the advice about pre logging, with an emphasis on having something ready for immediate consumption when you get home that will fit into your calorie budget and ward off the over eating. Or if you can find something to do other than eat to decompress after work, that will be a huge help. Go for a walk. Take a bath. Go to the gym. Have a hobby. Take a nap - something to keep you occupied while your mind relaxes. As it is, you dont get that relaxation because of the overeating - you just feel worse, and even MORE stressed.

    I hope you find your groove again, and soon - you know what to do, you just have to do it. I'm cheering for you!
  • ibemtb
    ibemtb Posts: 8 Member
    A Goal without a Plan is only a wish.....
    if your goal is to lose,weight, you need a plan. WRITE it down! make it concrete
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