Any suggestions how to quit yo-yo-ing??

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NurseAmj
NurseAmj Posts: 19 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I will be so careful and balanced for a few days, and will stick perfectly to my diet, hitting at or under my calories goals every day. But then I'll go out of control for a few days and just eat whatever I want. Then back to being super strict and motivated...and the cycle continues. You get the idea.

Has anyone else struggled with going back and forth between extremes like this? If so I would love some suggestions to break the cycle! Thank you!
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Replies

  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,868 Member
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    I've never been "super strict"
  • NurseAmj
    NurseAmj Posts: 19 Member
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    janejellyroll wrote: »
    If you find it difficult to stay on plan, your plan may be too restrictive. On the days when you are "super strict and motivated," are you eating foods that enjoy? Is your calorie goal reasonable?

    You make a good point, thank you for your insight! My calorie goal is 1200, that's what the app calculated for me.
  • jayjay_90
    jayjay_90 Posts: 83 Member
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    I agree it sounds as if your plan might be too restrictive.

    This might sound stupid but for me, one of the things that helped me stop yo-yoing is sort of setting restrictions on when I eat and less so on what I eat. I used to have a problem more so with snacking after dinner, so I told myself no more eating after 8pm, as I realized it had become habitual rather than an actual desire to eat.
  • NurseAmj
    NurseAmj Posts: 19 Member
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    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    I've never been "super strict"


    And you're still able to lose weight that way? I guess I'm just stuck in an all-or-nothing mindset.
  • GottaBurnEmAll
    GottaBurnEmAll Posts: 7,722 Member
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    Did you set your goal to lose 2 pounds a week?
  • NurseAmj
    NurseAmj Posts: 19 Member
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    jayjay_90 wrote: »
    I agree it sounds as if your plan might be too restrictive.

    This might sound stupid but for me, one of the things that helped me stop yo-yoing is sort of setting restrictions on when I eat and less so on what I eat. I used to have a problem more so with snacking after dinner, so I told myself no more eating after 8pm, as I realized it had become habitual rather than an actual desire to eat.

    I don't think that sounds stupid at all!! I think that's great idea, maybe I'll give that a go. I'm also bad for being hungry in the evenings and wanting to snack.
  • NurseAmj
    NurseAmj Posts: 19 Member
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    GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »
    Did you set your goal to lose 2 pounds a week?

    Yes I did

  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
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    NurseAmj wrote: »
    janejellyroll wrote: »
    If you find it difficult to stay on plan, your plan may be too restrictive. On the days when you are "super strict and motivated," are you eating foods that enjoy? Is your calorie goal reasonable?

    You make a good point, thank you for your insight! My calorie goal is 1200, that's what the app calculated for me.

    MFP is the best, but it's not perfect - this is a big flaw, unfortunately. It lets you set your weight loss goal to 2 pounds per week no matter if it's possible or not. If you don't have a lot to lose, you can't lose 2 pounds per week. And the lowest MFP will go, is 1200.
  • magster4isu
    magster4isu Posts: 632 Member
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    On the days you are going "out of control" is it because you are eating a high volume or are you eating "bad" foods? If it is the later, find a way to fit the foods you love into your calorie goals. If it is a volume thing, why do you feel that you need to eat that much? Are you hungry, bored, emotionally eating?
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
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    NurseAmj wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    I've never been "super strict"


    And you're still able to lose weight that way? I guess I'm just stuck in an all-or-nothing mindset.

    Actually, not being super strict (just be aware that "strict" can mean two quite different things - "restrictive" and "accurate"), and lose the all-or-nothing mindset, is the only way one can lose weight and keep it off for good.
  • HeidiCooksSupper
    HeidiCooksSupper Posts: 3,831 Member
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    Do something that is sustainable. That's the trick. I have over 100 pounds to lose but at a one-pound-a-week rate (TDEE-500), I can stick to it. I feel like I'm eating a "normal" amount not the amount of an obese person nor the amount of "someone on a diet." Find your new normal.
  • NurseAmj
    NurseAmj Posts: 19 Member
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    kommodevaran wrote: »

    MFP is the best, but it's not perfect - this is a big flaw, unfortunately. It lets you set your weight loss goal to 2 pounds per week no matter if it's possible or not. If you don't have a lot to lose, you can't lose 2 pounds per week. And the lowest MFP will go, is 1200.


    Hmmm. I'm technically only a few pounds overweight, so is 2 pounds unreasonable? Should it be 1, or 1.5 instead? I suppose I'm just impatient!!
  • NurseAmj
    NurseAmj Posts: 19 Member
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    magster4isu wrote: »
    On the days you are going "out of control" is it because you are eating a high volume or are you eating "bad" foods? If it is the later, find a way to fit the foods you love into your calorie goals. If it is a volume thing, why do you feel that you need to eat that much? Are you hungry, bored, emotionally eating?

    Kind of both, but mostly just overeating in a stressed out way.
  • NurseAmj
    NurseAmj Posts: 19 Member
    edited August 2017
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    cwolfman13 wrote: »

    I lost weight by maintaining a moderate deficit. I didn't do any 180* changes to my diet over night...my diet evolved to be more nutritionally sound over time...making life changes is a process, not an overnight thing. I set small daily/weekly goals...I knew I drank too much soda, so one of my first small goals was to ween down and eventually remove soda from my diet...I didn't eat enough fruits and veg, so another goals was to start eating at least 6 servings of veg a fruit...usually 4 servings of veg and 2 servings of fruit...

    When I started exercising, I didn't just jump off the couch and start doing all of the exercise...I started walking...after a couple of months I did a C25K program to run a 5K...a couple more months and I joined the gym to start lifting weights...a year later I was training for a sprint triathlon and almost 5 years later I'm an avid cycling enthusiast and rock climbing enthusiast...

    It's all process...you have to focus on the process...

    The all or nothing mentality will get you know where...it is unrealistic to think you're just going to have some perfect diet all of the time...you'll never miss a workout, etc...

    Wow, thank you for such a detailed reply. Everything you said makes sense. I do think you're right that my mentality is the problem. I'm impatient for change but I'm also a really black-and-white thinker in general.

    Something to work on, for sure.
  • NurseAmj
    NurseAmj Posts: 19 Member
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    HeidiCooksSupper wrote: »
    Do something that is sustainable. That's the trick. I have over 100 pounds to lose but at a one-pound-a-week rate (TDEE-500), I can stick to it. I feel like I'm eating a "normal" amount not the amount of an obese person nor the amount of "someone on a diet." Find your new normal.

    "Find your new normal". I really really like that. Thank you!!
  • Tacklewasher
    Tacklewasher Posts: 7,122 Member
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    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    When I started exercising, I didn't just jump off the couch and start doing all of the exercise...I started walking...after a couple of months I did a C25K program to run a 5K...a couple more months and I joined the gym to start lifting weights...a year later I was training for a sprint triathlon and almost 5 years later I'm an avid cycling enthusiast and rock climbing enthusiast...

    Huh.

    I started walking, did C25K, ran some 5K Park runs, joined a gym after 10 months, planning a 10K in Oct and a sprint tri in Aug 2018.

    So am I going to cycle everywhere and rock climb in 4 more years?

    :)
  • GottaBurnEmAll
    GottaBurnEmAll Posts: 7,722 Member
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    NurseAmj wrote: »
    kommodevaran wrote: »

    MFP is the best, but it's not perfect - this is a big flaw, unfortunately. It lets you set your weight loss goal to 2 pounds per week no matter if it's possible or not. If you don't have a lot to lose, you can't lose 2 pounds per week. And the lowest MFP will go, is 1200.


    Hmmm. I'm technically only a few pounds overweight, so is 2 pounds unreasonable? Should it be 1, or 1.5 instead? I suppose I'm just impatient!!

    Yeah, if you're only a few pounds overweight, trying to lose it any faster than .5 a pound a week is a recipe for going off the rails. Speaking from experience here.

    Cut back you rate of loss and EAT, but be accurate about your tracking. If you feel that your tracking isn't accurate, then go ahead and set the app to 1 pound a week, but eat back exercise calories, or at least a portion of them.

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