I’m Struggling...

Jubee13 · February 2020

I reached my goal weight in March 2019. I went on to maintain with ease, even losing more weight. I really thought I had the weight loss/maintainance thing down this time (I have a history of losing and gaining the same 10 pounds over and over). In December with the holidays, it all fell apart. I tried to stay “on track” if I wasn’t going to a special event, but I ended up gaining about 6 pounds. I planned to take it off as soon as the holidays were over. However, I can’t seem to stick to my plan. I’m not sure why. I do fine for a few days, then eat way too much for a few days. Back and forth. I suppose I don’t have a question, I just need some encouragement. I really, really don’t want to gain all my weight back. I feel like I’m definitely headed in that direction.

gothchiq · February 2020

Is the "just for today do it right" mind set any use to you? Taking it one day at a time, making a commitment for that day?

fdlewenstein · February 2020

Sometimes its a struggle to get back on track. Decide you are going to do it and then do it! If you've done it before you can do this again. Take one day at a time. Each day you stay consistent is another day closer to achieving your goal. Forget about about not sticking to your plan during the holidays and recommit to your journey. There are no easy answers...but have confidence that you can overcome any obstacle.

SummerSkier · February 2020

In maintenance you need to think longer term. If you put yourself back in a 1 or 2 pound deficit per week you are probably struggling because you are creating a restrict/binge cycle for yourself. 6 pounds is not the end of the world. Not sure how much you lost, but take a month and just eat at maintenance and don't worry about it. Don't weigh, don't stress. Focus on something else. After a month weigh and see what your base line is? Do you still want to lose a few pounds? Don't go into a huge deficit to try to "get er done!", just make some small changes to what you were doing in maintenance. Instead of 2 tablespoons of salad dressing use 1. Instead of putting cheese on your salad, use half or none. Very tiny tweaks so you don't feel like you are punishing yourself.

Enjoy the accomplishments you have already made and don't keep berating yourself for the holiday gain. It happens to a lot of folks. Change the mindset to long term...

Hope this helps. It's quite normal in maintenance for your weight to fluctuate 5 pounds or so. You have caught yourself already before you gained it ALL back.

ReenieHJ · February 2020

Re-enter all your stats again, log in everything(that's been the best thing of all for me) re-create your exercise routine, if you had one. Or institute a new activity. Treat it like you're starting all over and maybe it'll feel new to you again. I have a hard time sometimes, knowing it's the 'same old' KWIM? Maybe if you reinvent your routine, find new foods to try, new cardio, something to spice it up and make it feel like new again? I know lots of people are on the fence about rewards but in an instance like this, it might be just the thing to light your spark and get you thinking more positively? Good luck to you!!!!

hookandy · February 2020

Did goals work for you while losing? If so take the pressure off yourself and set some health/fitness goals. This week I am going to walk 30mins every day, run faster, lift more, whatever fits with you.

Jubee13 · February 2020

fdlewenstein wrote: »

Sometimes its a struggle to get back on track. Decide you are going to do it and then do it! If you've done it before you can do this again. Take one day at a time. Each day you stay consistent is another day closer to achieving your goal. Forget about about not sticking to your plan during the holidays and recommit to your journey. There are no easy answers...but have confidence that you can overcome any obstacle.

Thank you. This is very helpful. I appreciate everyone’s suggestions and encouragement. I really needed it today.

PAV8888 · February 2020

I echo @SummerSkier about easier incremental direction changes with no time limit.

A -125 actual deficit over six months will get you there, right?

And as long as you're not heading in the wrong direction, you're automatically heading in the right direction!

This small direction changes view may be easier to implement.

What happened to get you to need the direction change is of no concern other than to get some insight on how to mitigate the issue next time it happens

cheryldumais · February 2020

I have been going through this myself. I was maintaining well the first year then quit vaping and it all started to fall apart. I regained about 15 pounds of 108 that I had lost. The one thing we don't realize is that just 250 extra calories a day will put 2 pounds a month back on us. That's 24 pounds a year! What I realized was it was little things that caused it. Listed below are some things to check:

Are you feeling that you can have it "just this once", and this happens often?
Have you reduced exercise?
Do you have a bite or taste here and there?
Are you eating enough protein?
Are you leaving out veggies?
Are you eating alot of refined carbs?
Did you think once you arrived at goal weight you could go back to "normal" eating?
Have you gotten lazy about weighing food or logging everything?

Many of these things had slipped into my life. I am now 5 pounds down (10 to go) and back on track. I realize that I can never, never go back to the way things were before I lost weight. I had to remove carbs from my plate in the form of pasta, rice, potatoes and any sugary desserts. Not everyone has this issue but it was causing extreme cravings for me. The two allowances are my birthday and Christmas day.

wwwtheselion11 · February 2020

If you only put on 6 pounds. You can loose it in a week by working out every day, before, an after work, but once you start dont give up. Treat it like it part of your job.

elisa123gal · February 2020

I can only share with you what I do.. I try on my jeans that have gotten too tight to wear. I can still zip them..but they're so uncomfortable I can't wear them out. When I do that in the morning.. it is like a bucket of cold water over the head. I can't hide from that. Last thing I want is to go up a size.. I too have your same "after the holidays ..can't get my act totally together". syndrome. Trying those jeans on have kept me slowly losing.. now, it is not as fast as when I first lost....but at least I'm headed back down... and I do feel by Spring I'll be back to goal.

ahoy_m8 · February 2020

I can identify with this, OP. So much good advice here. I’m going to try some of these things, so thanks everyone. And thanks OP for starting the discussion.

OP, sometimes when I’m in this situation (6 pounds up but can’t get my head in the game), I just cut myself some slack and eat at maintenance for a while. Usually it is related to emotional stuff going on (always true during holidays and post-holidays for me). And often I have a hard time getting myself on track in other ways, too. E.g. I had Christmas ribbon/gift bags stacked around my living room for weeks after Christmas, until approximately an hour before I hosted the January meeting of my book club.

I just couldn’t get myself to focus on cleaning it. So I take it slow. One day at a time. One small task at a time. Give myself permission to delay other tasks. And give myself permission to eat at maintenance. I try to summon a little extra self awareness to identify the feelings that are consuming cognitive energy. Eventually I find my focus and can get back to it. I will add, this is where having a maintenance range rather than a single GW makes it easier to be self-accepting when my focus is on other things.

Hope you’re back to yourself soon.

jeagogo · February 2020

Ditto what @cheryldumais said.

Whenever I have time away spent traveling, even if I don't actually fall off the wagon, I can have a hard time getting back to all my healthy habits. I may get calories back under goal, but if I'm not also eating a satiating, balanced diet I'll be more prone to overeating or eating junk food. Just recently I got back from a trip and I felt like I was starving everyday because I just wasn't eating the right foods. It took a good grocery store trip and an afternoon meal prepping to get back to eating foods that make me feel good.

VioletRojo · February 2020

wwwtheselion11 wrote: »

If you only put on 6 pounds. You can loose it in a week by working out every day, before, an after work, but once you start dont give up. Treat it like it part of your job.

It would not be healthy to try to lose 6lbs of fat in one week. Please don't do this.

whmscll · February 2020

I'm struggling, too, after being so ecstatic at not just reaching goal but losing two more pounds afterwards (last September). I'm up 5 pounds from that (which puts me at the limit of my maintenance range) and I'm having the hardest time getting my head back in the game. I even have a goal! (Lose 2 pounds by the end of next month, when I'm doing a girls' weekend for my birthday). I think reading this will help me. Thanks, all.

mysteps2beauty · February 2020

[quote=":

[*] Did you think once you arrived at goal weight you could go back to "normal" eating?
[*] Have you gotten lazy about weighing food or logging everything?
[/quote]

THIS.

I lost 40 lbs on WW 15 years ago. Once I got to maintenance, I thought I could just coast and eat what I wanted because I denied myself comfort food during WW. All I would eat would be frozen food, salads, oatmeal, yogurt. Really boring food. I didn't learn to incorporate fun and comfort food in my allowance of calories.

fiddletime · February 2020

I gained 14 pounds back after reaching maintenance. I am a goal oriented person so once I’ve reached my goal, I’m onto the next thing, which usually means I let myself have a piece of pizza or cake “just this once” without recording it. And since I slid off the tracks I might as well “just for this one day” eat whatever I want. Well, we all know where that can lead.

I read a book called “Atomic Habits”. Those are little habits you change. 1% little habits. But they start adding up and compounding. That got me back on track this time and I’ve lost 7 of the 14 pounds and can fit into my jeans again.

This habit change isn’t about changing your goal, but rather your method for handling a trigger or cue. Little by little, you start creating healthy habits for the long haul, for life. In the process, you’ll start the habit of logging again, every bite, then staying under goal, every day. Just like brushing your teeth.... It’s a rare day that I don’t brush my teeth twice a day, whether I want to or not.

MadisonMolly2017 · February 2020

jeagogo wrote: »

Ditto what @cheryldumais said.

Whenever I have time away spent traveling, even if I don't actually fall off the wagon, I can have a hard time getting back to all my healthy habits. I may get calories back under goal, but if I'm not also eating a satiating, balanced diet I'll be more prone to overeating or eating junk food. Just recently I got back from a trip and I felt like I was starving everyday because I just wasn't eating the right foods. It took a good grocery store trip and an afternoon meal prepping to get back to eating foods that make me feel good.

@jeagogo
This was a very helpful post for me! Describes the times I have gained back some to a T.
And yes, eating the right foods DOES make me feel better!
Thank you!

amybrown1228 · February 2020

Except for losing/gaining *more* than the same 10 pounds, and hitting my goal weight in Feb. 2019 instead of March, this is my current situation! I appreciate all of the advice, too.

whmscll · February 2020

Okay, I am back to eating at a deficit, for a week now. Can’t tell if I’ve lost any actual weight yet (scale fluctuations/water, etc.) but I’m not worried, now that I’m back to a consistent deficit, I know it will come off. I just want to say how thankful I am for these forums and everyone who supports everyone else as we all struggle through this journey! I don’t know if I could do it without MFP.

geltner1 · February 2020

For me, the trouble starts when I stop logging my meals. I've stopped logging for a few months and I just started back to it today. Feels good to have a fresh start.

fdlewenstein · February 2020

geltner1 wrote: »

For me, the trouble starts when I stop logging my meals. I've stopped logging for a few months and I just started back to it today. Feels good to have a fresh start.

I feel like that is what I will need to for awhile. Maybe one day I will have the confidence to stop logging, but I'm okay with that. If measuring, weighing, and logging allows me to stay consistent I am willing to do that. It's a habit now.

The one thing that I have learned is that there are no easy answers. A strategy that works for me may not work for others. I am open to exploring other strategies, but if I gain weight then I know they don't work. Take one day at a time! There are no mistakes (or regrets), just learning what you need to do to be successful.

brenn24179 · February 2020

I gained 6 lbs after Xmas also, some people told me I was obsessive about my weight but I dont want that 40 lbs back on! I read the beck diet solution book which helped. Teaches you how thin people think. Also they mentioned response cards, writing down reminders. I took my phone and wrote me notes and I read them twice a day such as You cant have it both ways, you will be sorry tomorrow if you eat that, you want to fit in your clothes, eat slow, do you want to gain that weight back? It really helped. I got the weight off again!!

fdlewenstein · February 2020

brenn24179 wrote: »

I gained 6 lbs after Xmas also, some people told me I was obsessive about my weight but I dont want that 40 lbs back on! I read the beck diet solution book which helped. Teaches you how thin people think. Also they mentioned response cards, writing down reminders. I took my phone and wrote me notes and I read them twice a day such as You cant have it both ways, you will be sorry tomorrow if you eat that, you want to fit in your clothes, eat slow, do you want to gain that weight back? It really helped. I got the weight off again!!

I am not at my goal weight, but I have lost 56 pounds and 20+ inches. I have a history of the weight roller coaster, but I am determined that this is the life style change I need to maintain a healthy body. However, I can relate to people thinking I am being obsessive about my weight. Usually people that have never had weight issues. I am so scared about gaining any weight or even meeting my goal weight. I am so delighted about my progress! I have a little more than 30 pounds to go, but I am fearful that I won't make it (or I will gain back weight). I'm curious about the book you mentioned. It seems to have helped you. Changing my mindset is a constant battle (and being patient).

Lolinloggen · February 2020

This too shall pass *hugs*
We all go through phases like that when in maintenance. I have been in maintenance for 2.5 years now and struggled a while back after my summer break. I concur with keep logging, I tightened mine, was more honest and challenged myself to go without any additional snacks for 2 weeks. It is a little more than a week, but I could oversee it. Also looked at what I was doing really and ended up drinking more tea and upping my stepcount more.
I also took a break from the scales (1 month) as long as i was being honest. Took a while (3months) but I am back where I want to be and feeling great again.

slossia · March 2020

Body weight set point!! Look it up!

psychod787 · March 2020

slossia wrote: »

Body weight set point!! Look it up!

I dont believe in a "set" point per say. More of a settling "range". Where lifestyle, diet, previous weight history, genetics, all kind of line up. I think one can lose weight, but we must temper expectations when we do. There are just some places that many of us will never get back to. Though, we can improve.

I’m Struggling...

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