Getting mentally tired...

Big hugs Sara! Sounds like you're having a tough time

Congratulations on your weight loss so far!

I'm no expert, but I didn't want to read and run so I'll share my thoughts on the issue. Full disclosure - back in 2013, I was successful at losing over 50lbs (25kg) and I kept it off for 2 years. I lapsed into bad habits, and then got pregnant, so in 2018 I was at my highest ever weight following the birth of my son. I'm now back at my pre pregnancy weight, but have around 50lbs to go until I get to a weight I am happy at.

So...

1. Try not to think of any change in eating habits as a diet. "Diet culture" has caused many of us to have deeply dysfunctional relationships with food, and we all face a mental stumbling block when we feel that we can't have a particular food that we like.

2. Unfortunately, nobody can eat junk food all the time without losing weight. It catches up with us all, eventually. The key is to change your habits slowly, over time, so that you crave the junk food less. It also helps to fill up on nutritious meals, so you are less hungry for snacks. Insulin resistance is really hard, but it doesn't have to be permanent. If you can focus on eating unprocessed foods, then as you lose weight and improve your diet, your insulin resistance will slowly go away.

3. You should absolutely NEVER feel guilty for eating your favourite foods. This is sabotage on behalf of the diet industry. When I lost my weight initially, I had chocolate EVERY SINGLE DAY, whilst I was maintaining too. It was a smaller bar than I would have had before, but that bar kept me sane. I never once felt deprived, or naughty, or guilty. I had ice cream, too.

4. Muscle soreness is a result of your muscles breaking down and rebuilding themselves. Don't overdo it. Soreness is a great indicator of a good workout, but there's no need to spend hours in the gym every day.


Ultimately, you need to work out WHY you want to lose weight. I don't just mean something superficial like wanting to look as good as the girls on Instagram that you see all the time (highly posed, well lit, fake images). You need a reason that comes from deep down in your core. My reason is to be healthy for my son, so I can keep up with him as he grows. Sure, I want to look good naked, but that's not the MAIN reason I'm doing this.

In time, you will get to a point where food is not constantly on your mind. However, this isn't a quick process and I can't tell you how long it will take. The real key is in finding a way to make your weight loss goals fit your daily life, not the other way around. If you want a pizza, fine - eat the pizza! But log it, account for it, see where you can make healthier swaps for the rest of the week so that you balance it out.

I wish you the best of luck on your weight loss journey, I believe in you