Have you ever had to start all over again?

DaisyJane82
DaisyJane82 Posts: 32 Member
edited October 2 in Health and Weight Loss
I first joined Myfitnesspal in February. I had set a goal to lose 20 lbs and tone up before my honeymoon vacation with my husband in April.

I managed to lose 15 lbs in 2 months and I felt really good about myself! I was beginning to fit into my old clothes again, I was becoming comfortable with my body again and feeling healthy! We had an amazing vacation!

But when I returned from my vacation, It was REALLY hard getting back to the daily grind. I felt kind of lethargic and unmotivated. I stopped using MFP. I found myself eating.. A LOT. More than ever before. It's like a switch turned off and I stopped caring. The more weight I gained back, the less clothing options I had. The less I wanted to go out... I had nothing to wear anyway but sweatpants and a part of baggy work pants. I would just go home and pig out in front of the tv in the evenings.

Fast forward to TODAY and I've gained back all the weight I lost... plus an extra 5 lbs on top of that! I felt so crushed when I went on the scale. I feel like such a huge embarrassing failure when I signed into MFP again and adjusted my weight, adding it all back and watching my ticker revert to 0.

Am I the only one that's fallen off the wagon and gained it all back? If you've been through a similar experience, How did you regain your motivation and get back on track again? Any helpful advice? I really want to get over my discouragement and get back in gear.

Replies

  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,990 Member
    That's part of the journey.
  • fitby2012
    fitby2012 Posts: 167 Member
    This is my 5th time here on MFP, but this time is VERY different. This is the first time I have consistently logged my food, made friends, and exercised several times per week. The first 4 times, I was trying to lose it for 1 reason or another - an event, an outfit, etc. Now I am losing it because it is the best thing for me. I have about 150 total lbs to lose, and I have lost just 15 so far. I have changed my calorie intake, macronutrients, plan, etc. I am saying this all to say that this time, I am in it to win it even if it is slow. If you get back on MFP with the intent to be patient and see it through, you will hit your goal and stay here forever. It won't be a diet, or a dress, or a vacation anymore.

    HTH and best of luck to you!
  • Armygirl67
    Armygirl67 Posts: 177 Member
    I started on Calorie Count from 168-lb. Lost over 40-lb.
    But then i didn`t continued and gained the weight back very fast.
    And now i started here on MFP 153-lb..
  • albayin
    albayin Posts: 2,524 Member
    Almost every monday. LOL.
  • JaydeSkye
    JaydeSkye Posts: 282 Member
    I've had three kids, so yep. I've started OVER plenty. My husband wants another one. I told him to impregnante someone else LOL

    I always consider myself to just be "starting" that way I always stay in that mindset and never get "comfortable" if that helps.

    You can add me if you'd like, I'm usually around :)
  • quara
    quara Posts: 255 Member
    You just described my summer! I gained back all the weight I lost + 5 lbs. When the cooler weather started arriving and I couldn't fit into a single pair of jeans, I panicked... and here I am again! Good luck!
  • nigeparkin
    nigeparkin Posts: 3 Member
    The thing to remember is that the only time you fail is when you give up. The fact that you are continuing to chip away means you haven't given up.
  • thedeegan4
    thedeegan4 Posts: 422 Member
    I don't think I know one single person who this hasn't happened to, myself included. I've majorly slacked the last few months and have gained around 25 pounds back and it came back on a lot faster than it went off. The main thing is, you are back here and starting again which means that you haven't given up. You can do it!
  • meerkat70
    meerkat70 Posts: 4,605 Member
    Lost a lot, gained back a fair bit. I haven't had to start over, but I'm covering ground I've been over before right now. It's hard. But I do think it's how you succeed in the end. I'm annoyed I'm having to work for that '100lb lost' thing again, and that I'm once again only half way through.

    But hey. We'll get there. Keep on keeping on.
  • daybehavior
    daybehavior Posts: 1,319 Member
    Lost 40 pounds, life got crazy...stopped visiting the site....gained back 30 pounds. Extremely disheartening and frustrating but I can't fix the past, only the future.
  • reddcat
    reddcat Posts: 314 Member
    Third time for me honey!
  • vanessaclarkgbr
    vanessaclarkgbr Posts: 731 Member
    Yup. Down to a UK size 14 in April, went to New York for my Birthday, came back and forgot all about it. 2 1/2 stone gained later, here I am looking to shift that plus what I didn't shift before! Lessons learnt for both of us, let's make the most of the support and really give it some this time, bah humbug to what's in the past! :-)
  • mistylnc
    mistylnc Posts: 44 Member
    I First joined a year ago, but you won't see most of that year on here. This time around I am not losing to lose, but rather changing my life. I will not be doing anything I can't continue to do forever out of habit. (No workout craziness or what have you). It has kept me motivated because that is much more attainable then a fast loss and no realy direction afterward.
  • sdwelk11
    sdwelk11 Posts: 825
    it happens! What makes the difference is the fact that you pick yourself up and brush yourself off and keep pushing thru! I lost 35 lbs and then gained most of it back but I am back now with a new weight loss of 45 lbs. Its not just motivation but the ability to admit your faults and move on. The past is the past and we can't rewrite it.
  • DaisyJane82
    DaisyJane82 Posts: 32 Member
    Thank you so much everyone for your encouragment!

    It's good to know I'm not the only one that has been down this road. You're right, the key is to look forward.
    I feel more motivated to get back on track and keep it going. If you guys can do it, so can I.

    Thanks guys:)
  • Mixmode
    Mixmode Posts: 332
    This is my first time on MFP but about the 10th time losing and gaining weight back. I am DONE with that *kitten*. This time is for good. Good luck! I sent you a FR BWT. =)
  • bluegirl10
    bluegirl10 Posts: 695 Member
    No, you are not alone... I have fallen off the wagon several times too! This is my third time using MFP! Keep pushing forward and don't give up!
  • Jojo2k11
    Jojo2k11 Posts: 48
    Almost every monday. LOL.


    Lol!! That's for sure! You can do it though.
  • pinkgigi
    pinkgigi Posts: 693 Member
    Most people have ups and downs along the weight loss road.

    I lost 22 kgs a couple of years ago, slowly, sustainably and then my son got really sick, took me a very short amount of time to put 13 kgs back on.

    I've now lost 1/2 of that gain, and have new goals and enthusiasm. Don't be disheartened. My mantra at the moment is: accept, acknowlege and move on, that's all we can do.

    GG
  • ncwingnut71
    ncwingnut71 Posts: 292 Member
    Yep, it's happened to me. Going on 8 years of yoyoing. This time is different. This time I am focussed and I am not going to let stuff get in the way. If I goof up a meal, will get back on track the next one.

    I think it happens to everyone at some point.
  • evansproudmama
    evansproudmama Posts: 493 Member
    I can relate here in a BIG way.. Last year in September I decided that I was tired of feeling and in my opinon looking way older than I am. I was tired of sitting on the bench while my son played at the park instead of chasing him and playing with him and most of all I was tired of feeling like the me inside was not the me that was outside so I did something about it- I joined the gym, I joined a diet web site and I tracked everything I ate and in May of 2011 I was down 50lbs and only 20lbs shy of being at my goal (and lowest weight ever). Than my bday came, I let myself cheat, I drank alcohol and all of a sudden I was back on an unhealthy past.. Fast Forward August 2011 and Im now 40lbs away from my goal weight and a few weeks ago I was down on myself! I was so depressed and disguisted that I let myself gtet here again and I just didnt know what to do. So I woke up and decided I had to get back to the basics- to the begining of my weight loss and get it done! So here we are :-) both of us starting over and ready to be happy and healthy in our lives :-) lets do this girl!! You can do it! For you!
  • momof2osaurus
    momof2osaurus Posts: 477 Member
    A few years ago, I lost 90 lbs on NutriSystem. I went from 240 to 150. As soon as I stopped eating their food, I started gaining weight. :ohwell:

    So...yes. I managed to gain back 80 of the 90 lbs that I lost. And here I am, kicking @ss and taking names and down 14 lbs in 6 weeks or so - you can't dwell on the fact that you gained it back. Just figure out where you went wrong before. Huge good luck to you!!
  • krevelle65
    krevelle65 Posts: 189
    Hi. I am 46 years old. I have done that a few times in my life. Don't beat yourself up about it, just get back on the wagon. You lost the weight once you can do it again.
  • jmistove
    jmistove Posts: 1
    I am running into the same problem. I lost about 40 lbs about 5 years ago and kept if off, but this last six months I just go out eat, have wine,order dessert and then have the nerve to skip the gym. I just started feeling tired and not myself. Then I decided to try going back to my trainer and joining this web and I started falling off the wagon less. I remember a friend told me "Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels" So I keep thinking of how great I felt when I did the right thing. The great news is you have it in you to do it. Try ANYTHING new that will get you out of the funk. Best of luck.
  • mamax5
    mamax5 Posts: 414 Member
    I have started over with weight loss about 5 times....I lost 20lbs on slimfast, gained it back plus some after a pregnancy, Lost 40lbs...gained back 30 now I've lost 17lbs....those aren't all the stops and start overs though. I hit a plateau when I lost the 40lbs and wasn't prepared for it and got really discouraged. This time it's coming off, I have more support and it's going to come off. I signed up for MFP back in March....I just now started using it consistently. I love it, it's so much better than sparkpeople.com! I fell off the wagon twice using sparkpeople.com from lack of support.

    You can loose the weight, just get back on the wagon and start working!
  • fiberartist219
    fiberartist219 Posts: 1,865 Member
    I have fallen off the wagon, but I haven't gotten back on yet. I put forth a lot of work to only lose a few pounds, and I know I want to lose more, but I don't know if I'm ready for it.

    I have to emotionally commit to it, as well as do the food and working out. I did work out tonight, and I tried to eat nutritious foods, but I still ate a lot of calories. I haven't tracked them, but I just know I ate a lot.

    I think this time I'm going to ease into it by making slow, small changes. For example, I might wean myself off coffee (since I add a lot of creamer) and slowly switch to unsweetened tea, or maybe just plain water if the caffeine withdrawal isn't too bad. Then, maybe I'll slowly start making other healthy changes, one at a time.

    I think I got burnt out last time, because I ate only the 1200 calories, and then I'd work out until I was sore, and one time I even puked. I did eat back my exercise calories, and I did have rest days, but still... I overloaded my body with changes that it wasn't ready for, and honestly, I just ended up feeling tired and weak.

    Next time around, I'm going to take it easy. There is no deadline for this. It's just a slow process.
  • Nailrep
    Nailrep Posts: 966 Member
    Nope, me too. It's hard to get started again, but at least we are here! We just need to learn to keep it off once we have lost it. I know for me, exercise is key. Until I get serious about exercising, I will continue this cycle.
  • Nailrep
    Nailrep Posts: 966 Member
    The thing to remember is that the only time you fail is when you give up. The fact that you are continuing to chip away means you haven't given up.

    That's an awesome way to look at it!!
  • athiri12
    athiri12 Posts: 1
    Doing it now...after about ten years of maintaining in the lower 200's, I've crept back up to 244. Don't want to go back to my highest (278). Time to get to work!
  • walkdmc
    walkdmc Posts: 529 Member
    Have I felt like a failure and gained it all back? Only a dozen times. Each time I lose then gain I learn something new. So far I've learned many things that are helping me stay the course longer than I have in the past. It's true that you learn from your failures you just have to open your mind to that concept instead of beating yourself up. You've probably learned you need to stick to a routine and re-commit to that routine when you return from a vacation. Maybe missing more than 2 days of exercise is a slippery slope for you. Or, when you feel weak, you may need to keep sweets or chips out of the house. Figure out what you learned from your mistake before you start a new journey.
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