Self Sabotage...... what the hell is that about??

ReginaM49
ReginaM49 Posts: 65 Member
in Motivation and Support
I know HOW to do it. I know that I CAN do it. But I go through periods where I just shoot myself in the foot and I don't know why. There is a lot of talk on this site about calories and exercise and I LOVE the info. But one thing I haven't seen much talk about is the mental part. I worked hard and lost 26 pounds (with the hope to lose 30 more). I was doing great. Felt happier, healthier, stronger. Then I started to slip. Skipping workouts.... eating crap - just eating more, even when not hungry. I gained 6 back and really got depressed about it. Once that cycle sets in, its like climbing out of a ditch. I seem to need some time to wallow in the ditch before I get the strength to pull myself out. I'm pulling myself back out. Working out again and down a couple of pounds. My question is WHY?? I know what I want. I feel great when I do it. So why do I constantly self sabotage myself? Don't mean to throw out psycho babble, but this whole weight loss process is so much more than caloies and exercise, its psychological as well.

Replies

  • crodrigu73
    crodrigu73 Posts: 134 Member
    I can't say I have an answer for you but I completely understand. I guess the way I deal with it is to try to reduce the damage I do when I get in one of these ruts. If I eat something or skip working out a day or two, I don't say well what difference does it make I have already blown it. I say to myself today I will do better for me. I know it is lame but it seems to help me.
  • OSUalum
    OSUalum Posts: 449 Member
    I totally understand! When you figure out why we do this please let me know!!!
    I have found that if I think about eating healthier and not about calories or losing weight I do better.
  • sryan8408
    sryan8408 Posts: 244
    Scared of change. Scared of what the weight loss would mean. And I read one time that after a while of losing weight, your body will try to sabbotage you by sending cravings like never before etc etc. Kind of like "after all my hard work of saving up that weight for a famine, you deliberately take away my storage?!?!?" Your body's pissed but what you need to do, is be more pissed. Tell your body what its going to do. Tell yourself why you're doing it. Look in the mirror when you are working out and remember what the point was in the first place. Always helps me. When I was starting to get a bit of a double chin, I took a pocket mirror with me to the gym while I was on the treadmill, so everytime I thought about quitting I would look in the mirror and be more determined than ever lol. And when I lost weight before I took around a notebook and wrote each day why I was working out that day. (Ex. to be in a size 3, to see definition in my arms etc)
    Hope all this helps! Good luck!
  • NiciS72
    NiciS72 Posts: 1,043 Member
    It's because it's EASIER to eat like crap. It's REALLY HARD work to eat healthy and exercise. Don't beat yourself up, just pick yourself up and get back on the bike! I'm there with you! I plan to get serious with my food this weekend and preplan EVERYTHING so I can't stray.

    Good luck!
  • magdamccraven
    magdamccraven Posts: 75 Member
    When I blow it, I make myself log it into my public diary for every one to see.
    It has actually made me stop before I embarrassed myself by overeating.

    I have a tendency to eat something forbidden and then think, "might as well make a day of it." With logging, I have a deterrent.
  • janeitg
    janeitg Posts: 33 Member
    I don't know the answer but I sure understand. Just keep climbing back on the bandwagon. Eventually you will figure it out and be successful. You can do it.
  • Debbe2
    Debbe2 Posts: 2,071 Member
    We tend to look at food as an all or none concept. For instance "today was a terrible day, I ate blah, blah... " or "I was great on my diet today". I think it sets us up for failure.

    Personally preferring to live with much smaller servings, healthier, cleaner (not processed or refined) foods. Lots of exercise and activity. I really like to be in control of my life. Recommend that you try to find positive influences and educate yourself on food and exercise and especially on what YOU like and want out of this. Then go towards it, forgiving and forgetting discrepancies along the way. :flowerforyou:
  • skpresley20
    skpresley20 Posts: 177 Member
    Scared of change. Scared of what the weight loss would mean. And I read one time that after a while of losing weight, your body will try to sabbotage you by sending cravings like never before etc etc. Kind of like "after all my hard work of saving up that weight for a famine, you deliberately take away my storage?!?!?"

    That's soo...odd! i was wondering why every time I get serious about weight loss and lose a few pounds, I start getting these weird cravings. Like sweets., I don't even like sweets, but lately I've been wanting chocolate chip cookies and all kinds of stuff I don't even like. smh.

    OP I'm in the same boat, I sabotage myself, and don't really even know why.
  • dcjackson50
    dcjackson50 Posts: 196
    I can relate to your post,......and YES,.......weight gain and the struggle to lose is hugely tied to our minds, not just our stomachs.

    Im not an expert, but Ive thought about his often, and other new initiatives or habits that people start and don't stick with. I think that when people get down or stressed they lose focus and are 'mindless' about what they do,....or fail to do.

    Think about it, we don't pick up pizza or cake and say to ourselves, Im about to wreck my diet ,...or......"hmmmm what can I eat right now that will make me feel like a failure afterwards ? "
    Point is,....we don't think,......we just wallow in whatever gets us down or upset ......whatever starts distracting us from our goals takes over our thoughts and before you know it we are not thinking about excercise, or how many calories we've got left for the day, or any of the other positive things we should be.
    The key is to not let the mindless, blackouts accur,......I find personally that writing things down, tracking with MFP is PURPOSEFUL, and forces me to be in the "now" and honest about what Im doing. :o) Remember that eve4ry day is a new start and a chance to be better than you were the day before
  • RNMDFF
    RNMDFF Posts: 153 Member
    I think it is so much more mental then anything else. For me me personally, i had to be in the right mindset to lose weight. It's not just as easy as eat healthy and exercise,if it was that easy no one would be over weight. I don't know why we sabotage our selves. I bought candy at the store the other day. I don't know why I even did that. i think food is a comfort for me. Why do any of us bring bad things in our house. Or go to a restaurant that is unhealthy or you know what you are going to order is unhealthy

    It is so much more mental then anyone thinks
  • Debbe2
    Debbe2 Posts: 2,071 Member
    To skpresley20- Can you think of a suitable substitute that would have less guilt associated with it and more satisfaction? For me it's vanilla yogurt with a spoonful of chunky peanut butter. Or have the cookie and be happy with a smaller serving?
  • MermaidFaith
    MermaidFaith Posts: 495 Member
    I'm really glad that i came across this post today, because this is exactly what i am going through right now, yesterday was one such "sabatoge" day. Ive lost ten pounds and feel better and super motivated one day, then suddenly im like whatever and binge eat. So today i gained 1.1 pounds. I have had a cold so have not exercised the past three days due to feeling like garbage, and that may be why the gain also i dont know. i just know i spent the whole morning feeling like giving up (even though i know i shouldnt). Thankfully i saw this post. I often wonder the exact same thing. Why dont i just accomplish something i want without ruining it myself?
  • jmxxiiii
    jmxxiiii Posts: 231 Member
    When I blow it, I make myself log it into my public diary for every one to see.
    It has actually made me stop before I embarrassed myself by overeating.

    I have a tendency to eat something forbidden and then think, "might as well make a day of it." With logging, I have a deterrent.

    I NEED to do this, but I am SO embarassed to do so lol

    guess thats why it works so well huh?
  • teagin2002
    teagin2002 Posts: 1,900 Member
    I know what your talking about, I ended up developing rules for my self just so I stay on track.
    These rules were like sugar is just not an option for me at this time, it will be there when I am done, and now that I am done and I do eat sugar I eat very little and mix it with splenda or stevia that way I don't over do it. I always remember that food will be there later.

    We are very lucky to live in this era, where foods from all over the world is readily available, hot water is just a matter of turning the tap and we have so many warm blankets and beautiful clothes that are not too expensive; Any of our ancestors would be so jealous if they knew the life we live today. Also I don't believe we will be able to keep this Life style of luxuries that are so easily accessible for much more than 100 to 200 years. So I say Enjoy what we have today, it wasn't available before us and wont be available for much longer after us.

    all in all remember it will all be there latter, so leave something to look forward to latter, you don't have to eat everything now. That makes eating much more pleasurable
  • crodrigu73
    crodrigu73 Posts: 134 Member
    Do you ever find yourself thinking about food and how much you would like to eat something even if you are full?

    Any ideas how to turn off or control those thoughts?
  • teagin2002
    teagin2002 Posts: 1,900 Member
    When I was dieting, I would find something else useful to do. If that didn't work then I would look up pictures of foods online and cooking shows, it would satisfy my obsession with food. It just depends, if you think that would work for you.
  • teagin2002
    teagin2002 Posts: 1,900 Member
    I just read my post and it sounds terrible, but at the beginning when I was depriving my self of foods I was used to and loved I was obsessed with them.
    After a few months their hold on me lessened. So even though it sounds terrible, it is what worked for me till my body didn't crave them any more.

    Good luck!
  • ReginaM49
    ReginaM49 Posts: 65 Member
    Thank you EVERYONE! Your comments helped a lot. I will keep at it. I definitely agree with the stress contributing to my eating mindlessly. I guess its a work in progress for all of us. :)
  • sryan8408
    sryan8408 Posts: 244
    For those foods you crave when you arent hungry I have a bit of a helpful hint. One day I was craving pizza hard core. Well I went to a local place that I love, ordered, and waited for my pizza. Well the place was full of the smell of pizza and by the time my pizza was ready, I honestly didn't want it. It felt like I drank up a whole pizza just by smelling it. So say you're craving chocolate or something sweet, what about those candles that smell like cookies or something like that? I read an article that just smelling a food can ease your craving and it worked for me!

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