Took 2 weeks off and fell into an abyss for a month!

kyubeans
kyubeans Posts: 135 Member
edited November 21 in Health and Weight Loss
So, I guess what I've learned from this experience is.... Don't do that again. I thought I had made a good strong habit of eating mindfully and it would make it through the off-period (relatives in town for two weeks, which then got extended to my vacation, which then got extended for no good reason at all). But I was wrong. Very wrong. It became an excuse to indulge in everything at any and all times.

I was able to hold on for about a week. So I guess I'm learning my limits, and if this is to be a lifelong effort, then it's good to learn those.

Getting back into the spirit again. Here I go!

Replies

  • kyubeans
    kyubeans Posts: 135 Member
    cmriverside wrote: »
    The good thing is that I don't feel that great when I'm doing it. I feel like I *need* to eat XXXXX food. It's never as delicious as I think it will be. The first bite is, but that's it.

    This is the thing that's worked for me a little bit. It's never as good as I'm imagining it will be, and you're right. Beyond the first bite or two, I don't really want it anymore. Also I feel like physical crap after a month of free-for-all! This is what I need to keep in mind for myself.

    Ten years into maintenance! Amazing! I'm inspired by that and hope to be able to say something similar in the future!
  • kellyfeb78
    kellyfeb78 Posts: 65 Member
    Stress caused me take a month break plus had a week abroad weighed myself today and gained a stone so not a happy bunny! Time to start again...good luck
  • midlomel1971
    midlomel1971 Posts: 1,283 Member
    I can so totally relate! I'm just getting back on track since mid-August when I went on vacation. Then it was Labor Day and back-so-school for my kids..one thing after another. But I'm back on track this week and honestly, I don't think the damage was that bad.
  • Cbean08
    Cbean08 Posts: 1,092 Member
    The good thing is that you caught yourself before it became a big problem. Any damage you did in a month should be pretty easy to take back off and some of that is water weight.

    Re-assess how you were eating before you took time off and see if maybe it was too restrictive or if you didn't allow yourself to eat things you actually enjoy. If there is something in particular that you avoid, see if you can find a way to incorporate it into your eating plan. If food isn't forbidden, then you won't have a reason to overeat it when it is available.
  • kyubeans
    kyubeans Posts: 135 Member
    Cbean08 wrote: »
    The good thing is that you caught yourself before it became a big problem. Any damage you did in a month should be pretty easy to take back off and some of that is water weight.

    Re-assess how you were eating before you took time off and see if maybe it was too restrictive or if you didn't allow yourself to eat things you actually enjoy. If there is something in particular that you avoid, see if you can find a way to incorporate it into your eating plan. If food isn't forbidden, then you won't have a reason to overeat it when it is available.

    Good advice! In past efforts, years ago, this would've applied to me. But this time around I was actually really happy with myself. I was allowing myself indulgences as long as they were pre-planned, I didn't feel deprived at all. I just decided to take a break because my out of town relatives wanted to eat Chipotle, Five Guys, chinese food... all the american highlights lol. But I don't need to eat that all the time, I was perfectly happy doing my thing.

    So I'm going back!!
  • hesn92
    hesn92 Posts: 5,966 Member
    edited September 2017
    Yep I can totally relate. I stopped logging at the end of July because we were headed out of town for my friends wedding. I didn't log on my trip and wasn't planning to, and then when I came back to town I just never went back to logging. It was just so nice to sit there with a bag of chips or whatever and eat as much as I wanted. So sad to think how many lbs I would have lost had I been on track since then :( 6 weeks lost
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    hesn92 wrote: »
    Yep I can totally relate. I stopped logging at the end of July because we were headed out of town for my friends wedding. I didn't log on my trip and wasn't planning to, and then when I came back to town I just never went back to logging. It was just so nice to sit there with a bag of chips or whatever and eat as much as I wanted. So sad to think how many lbs I would have lost had I been on track since then :( 6 weeks lost
    I used to do the same, and thought I was thinking the same, but in reality, I didn't want to do it - I always tried to restrict myself, but I felt compelled to eat and eat. Now I think it's a sad and strange thing to do, so it's just something I don't do anymore.
  • kyubeans
    kyubeans Posts: 135 Member
    hesn92 wrote: »
    It was just so nice to sit there with a bag of chips or whatever and eat as much as I wanted. So sad to think how many lbs I would have lost had I been on track since then :( 6 weeks lost

    Oh my god, yes. It did feel sort of nice to sit there and not worry about counting, weighing, and mindlessly dipping into the bag and munching away. But it wasn't totally free of guilt like it used to be, before I KNEW all these facts about nutrition! Now, even if it feels nice and unrestricted, it's like... I know too much to enjoy it. lol

    The counting and the weighing actually feels nice too though, now that I think about it. When I do it, I feel like I'm taking care of myself, so it's rewarding in that way. And when I eat those chips, knowing it's 1 portion, it is totally guilt-free.
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