Self Sabotage

Me three!! 🙋🏻‍♀️

Any possibility that that's a result of trying to adopt a routine that's too restrictive or unpleasant? That's kind of common: Trying to lose weight fast with restrictive eating rules; drop all supposedly bad foods; eat only supposedly healthy foods; do punitively intense, unpleasant and exhausting exercise to burn extra calories?

None of that is necessary, and any of it can be counterproductive (let alone all of it).

All it takes to lose weight is eating somewhat fewer calories than we burn (in all ways, from the basics of just being alive and breathing, to our daily job/home stuff, to intentional exercise if we do some). If a person does that on average over a period of time - not necessarily perfectly every day - they'll lose weight.

Sometimes a slow weight loss rate will get us to goal weight in less calendar time than an extreme approach that causes deprivation-triggered over-eating, breaks in the action, or giving up altogether.

What we need for successful weight loss, IMO, is relatively pleasant (at least practical & tolerable) new routine habits that reach a sensibly moderate calorie level. There can be over-goal days in the mix, and still succeed, as long as we average below our maintenance calories.

People have done stunt diets where they eat lots of Twinkies (yes, really) or eat only at McDonald's, and lose weight. Commonly, their health markers also improve, such as blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar control. I'm not advising that approach, but it can result in weight loss and health improvement. (An easy web search will bring up stories about these folks, from reliable sources.)

Exercise is good for a body in various ways, but it's optional for weight loss. Doing some just means we can eat a bit more while losing at the same sensibly moderate pace. Moderate exercise burns calories. Any fun activity that involves moving more than usual burns extra calories. It needn't be unpleasant: Being fat isn't a sin we need to expiate by suffering.

IMO, the real prize here isn't just reaching goal weight, it's staying at a healthy weight long term. (I'm in year 8 now, after around 30 previous years of overweight/obesity, saying that.)

When it comes to food choices, many people will find so-called "whole foods" more filling than highly processed, refined foods. Feeling full helps a person stick with a calorie goal. That needn't mean zero treats, it probably can be smaller portions of treats less frequently. (If there are certain foods a person can't eat in moderation, those may need to be cut out, at least initially.) Having a mini chocolate bar in the evening doesn't cancel out the salmon and broccoli (or whatever) from dinner.

IMO, there really aren't good/bad individual foods, there are better and worse overall ways of eating. The specifics of a "better overall way of eating" are going to vary individually, because we each have different preferences, strengths, challenges, and lifestyles. I predict you can figure out something that will work for you.

Think about how to make the weight loss process easier, not faster, not theoretically perfect. That can work.

If a hedonistic, severely hypothyroid, menopausal aging hippie flake like me (with a near-zero motivation/willpower budget) can make this work, I'm thinking most anyone can, if they commit to stick with it long enough to find a sustainable path.

Best wishes: The results are worth it.