Self sabotage....WHY?????

I've been on MFP for about a month, was doing great, down 8 lbs. Then came Easter, I ate my way through Easter weekend like locusts through a field. I'm scared to get on the scale!! My goal is to lose about 15 lbs, would love some help getting back on track and staying there. I'm very impressed with the program....when I stay on it.
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Replies

  • raedient61
    raedient61 Posts: 40 Member
    I know exactly what you mean but not only was Easter weekend Easter weekend for me I also had my daughter's wedding on Saturday! Needless to say I'm terrified to get on the scale and see the damage I've done. However, today is a new day and a new beginning. I'm not going to let this stop me. Let's pick ourselves up and dust ourselves off and get right back on track. I have taken a challenge to lose 10 pounds in April and I'm GOING to DO it! You can too!

    Tammie
  • ElHombre23
    ElHombre23 Posts: 126 Member
    Step on the scale with no fear. Let the number refocus you and begin to execute on your goals...the time is now there is no time to beat yourself or hang your head...
  • AmyEm3
    AmyEm3 Posts: 784 Member
    I'm guilty of this too. I'm down to my last 15lbs as well. I'll add you...

    ate my way through Easter weekend like locusts through a field...LOL
  • randilynn113
    randilynn113 Posts: 227 Member
    Step on the scale with no fear. Let the number refocus you and begin to execute on your goals...the time is now there is no time to beat yourself or hang your head...

    ^^ This. You can do this!!
  • eklopez14
    eklopez14 Posts: 23 Member
    Step on the scale with no fear. Let the number refocus you and begin to execute on your goals...the time is now there is no time to beat yourself or hang your head...

    What he said
  • CharityEaton
    CharityEaton Posts: 499 Member
    drink lots of water and get back on track.....try not to worry about the scale....it is not a true reading of your work. Most of the weight shown will be water weight from not -so-good food choices. In a few days it will all come off and you will be right back where you were.
    Trust me, I did my fair share of eating bad this weekend too and I am not one bit worried. By Friday I will be right back where I was last Friday. The only thing is instead of moving further forward this week you will spend the week just getting back to where you were. That is the part that really stinks when you get off track but taking a break is nice every now and then. Take a deep breath and step on the scale, then don't worry about it again for a few days!
  • msmith2020
    msmith2020 Posts: 365 Member
    Unless you ate 3500 calories a day for a week straight.. (as it takes 3500 calories consistently to gain a pound) Any "weight" you see on the scale is only water weight and retention from all the heavy foods you ate. Don't be discouraged or fear the scale. You didn't gain anything you cant drop again in a week!!

    Best of luck for your last 15!
  • tlschlp
    tlschlp Posts: 54
    I can understand why people call it "sabotage" ... but, personally, I don't like the meaning. I mean, we are human, are we not? By being human, we are prone to falling down ... it just matters how long we stay down and our attitude toward the falling down & getting up.

    I think also referring it to "sabotage" helps to defeat the human spirit and promote the "failure" mentality during your journey.

    "Sabotage" to me (in the weight-loss journey) indicates that I ate something "forbidden", or in forbidden quantities. And, if some food is forbidden, that makes this a "diet" not a lifestyle change. And, let's face it, diets are short-term changes that, when finished (or stopped), allow you to go back to all your old habits; it is temporary.

    If you enjoyed yourself over the holidays (or, during the wedding for raedient61), what's the problem? It was a temporary "vacation" in which you allowed yourself to be human and indulge in those foods (and quantities) that you no longer indulge in on a regular basis.

    I've stopped beating myself up over everything that I eat that I "shouldn't". I still have a sweet tooth (although it doesn't happen near as often as it used to), and I'm still a dairy-aholic (milk, ice cream, cheese ... I love it all!).

    I'm not going to deny myself because, in the end, the denying is the true self-sabotage! I will get so resentful that I will no longer be able to enjoy ice cream that I will end up binging and *really* falling off of my lifestyle change.

    Sorry for getting on my soap box, I promise to get down now. :blushing:

    Step on the scale, or don't; but don't worry either way! You are human and you enjoyed yourself in a way that you will not do on a regular basis!

    Enjoy!
  • darcie81
    darcie81 Posts: 69 Member
    I've been on MFP for about a month, was doing great, down 8 lbs. Then came Easter, I ate my way through Easter weekend like locusts through a field. I'm scared to get on the scale!! My goal is to lose about 15 lbs, would love some help getting back on track and staying there. I'm very impressed with the program....when I stay on it.


    i was also scared but i put on 4lbs and this morning the scaled said i lost two so i didn't do toooooo much damage i'm sure you didn't do that bad and most is probably just water weight gain!!
  • lg3703
    lg3703 Posts: 190
    You're human. You love to eat. We ALL DO. Lol I cheated for FOUR days this weekend! But guess what? Its ok. Get back on track and don't be too hard on yourself. As long as you KNOW it was because of the holiday and NOT your lifestyle.:drinker:
  • MassiveDelta
    MassiveDelta Posts: 3,271 Member
    Self Sabotage comes for many reasons. Namely because you lack some purpose for loving yourself. Its an emotional and psychological reaction to your outward self wanting to change your inward self and and your Inner self saying why do you want to change me aren't I good enough.

    Once you recognize that your appearance does not make up who you are mentally and you understand that your body is something you control and manipulate and you make sure others realize that your outward appearance is not who you are on the inside....then you can work around those problems.
  • Lesa_Sass
    Lesa_Sass Posts: 2,213 Member
    Well I say do not step on the scale! Put it away for 3 weeks, THEN weigh yourself.

    You ate your way through a big holiday weekend, so what? It would be an issue if you ate your way through every weekend.

    Dont beat yourself up, and do not weigh yourself, it could only depress you. The scale is not your friend. :)

    Lesa
  • I think part of this experience is to learn that sometimes we will have weddings, holidays, birthdays, etc., and that we can eat more on those days and then be better following that. It's not just that one day that was the battle -- it's the overall war that we are fighting with overeating, not exercising enough, etc. Don't let one day make you think you lost. It's one day -- and there will be other holidays in the future. Have the day, put it behind you, and be better all the next days in between until the next holiday comes around!
  • luvmy2babies
    luvmy2babies Posts: 94 Member
    Don't let it get you down. Holidays are hard. I gained 3 pounds from Easter weekend, but just lost 2. I went into the weekend knowing I wasn't going to do great, but that I would try. Now I am back and focused. I weigh myself daily, and knew what to expect. I learned from it, and will try even harder next holiday that rolls around. Good Luck to you.
  • Effy826
    Effy826 Posts: 33 Member
    I have a saying that I have posted on my dream board to remind me of those days that I didn't stick to the plan. It goes like this: A lapse or two won't sabotage your whole plan or cancel what you have achieved. The important thing is to forgive yourself and get back on your plan. Every day is a new opportunity!!
  • VanessaGS
    VanessaGS Posts: 514 Member
    Just work out some more during the week. That will make you feel better and maybe balance you out.
  • lindalee0315
    lindalee0315 Posts: 527 Member
    I do the exact same thing. The important thing is how you react to it now. Easter is over. If you let not-so-good choices over one tiny period of time determine your success or failure, you'll always be beating yourself up. Two other posters said things that I completely agree with: (1) there will always be holidays, birthdays and other celebrations--everything in moderation; (2) put away the scale for a little bit--unless it motivates you and doesn't discourage you. Pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and get back into the race. How we deal with our "failures" and not-so-good choices is what will determine whether we are ultimately successful or not! Good luck to you.
  • samlankford
    samlankford Posts: 334
    yeah I think i ate about the entire bag of those EVIL Hershey bunnies over the course of 2 days! I get into kicks like that maybe 2 times a year (christmas and easter).. one weekend of crappy eating is not going to halt your progress, just cut back on the carbs a bit (excess salt and attach to carbs), drink lots of water and try to stay away from sweets... sweat your butt off as well... no worries :-)
  • Eleisabelle
    Eleisabelle Posts: 365
    Unless you ate 3500 calories a day for a week straight.. (as it takes 3500 calories consistently to gain a pound) Any "weight" you see on the scale is only water weight and retention from all the heavy foods you ate. Don't be discouraged or fear the scale. You didn't gain anything you cant drop again in a week!!

    Best of luck for your last 15!

    ^^^ This, definitely!
  • SouthernCountryGirl
    SouthernCountryGirl Posts: 195 Member
    Today is a new day, time to get your mind back in a good place and forget what you ate :) What doesn't kill you makes you stronger. And this is no different. I'm just now starting on my path to weight loss and I'd like to think (almost positive in fact) that I'll flub up at some point. But I'd like to think that I'd stay strong and wake up the next day with a plan. Good Luck!!!!! I hope you have a great day (in other words, don't beat yourself up:)
  • cici1028
    cici1028 Posts: 799 Member
    Definitely one of the most irritating side effects of changing your lifestyle... the sabotage. I do it to myself all the time. I'll see a number on the scale that I've never seen before and then just decide that I can totally have some ice cream. And then something else.. and something else... until... well, I'm up 5 pounds. So frustrating.

    It's human nature. I find it very helpful to stop rewarding myself with food or treats. An interesting comparison... a lot of my friends on antidepressants or other medication will just stop taking them eventually because they 'feel fine", forgetting that they "feel fine" because of the pills. Weight loss, sadly, is the same damned thing. You see results because you put in the work. Just because you're doing great doesn't mean you stop taking the pill!

    I remind myself of this daily. Remembering that this is how I'm going to eat for the rest of my life rather than a day helps too. : ) But good for you getting your Easter on. No worries, back on track today.
  • MrsBraxton08
    MrsBraxton08 Posts: 27 Member
    I am so glad I saw this post this morning. I have been so down and hard on myself because I have had a few very stressful weeks lately and haven't been eating the healthiest or even watching what I was eating for that matter. I am so ready to get back on track and I needed this. I have put on almost 3 lbs and I am ready to get this weight off of me!!
  • natalieg0307
    natalieg0307 Posts: 237 Member
    I've been on MFP for about a month, was doing great, down 8 lbs. Then came Easter, I ate my way through Easter weekend like locusts through a field. I'm scared to get on the scale!! My goal is to lose about 15 lbs, would love some help getting back on track and staying there. I'm very impressed with the program....when I stay on it.

    Congrat's on the loss so far. Keep going. One weekend of eating "like locusts through a field" (ROFLMAO!!!!)......who cares. Put the scale away....get back on track. Don't beat yourself up about it. It happens. You are human.
  • mccarol1956
    mccarol1956 Posts: 422 Member
    Step on the scale with no fear. Let the number refocus you and begin to execute on your goals...the time is now there is no time to beat yourself or hang your head...

    Agree 100%
  • CooljulRN
    CooljulRN Posts: 7 Member
    Thank you all SO much for the comments. You are all right....one weekend does not a failure make. Off to the gym....!
  • rides4sanity
    rides4sanity Posts: 1,269 Member
    Step on the scale with no fear. Let the number refocus you and begin to execute on your goals...the time is now there is no time to beat yourself or hang your head...

    Defintiely this^^^^

    Remember it wasn't a weekend that got us here, it was a whole bunch of them.
  • Daydreams406
    Daydreams406 Posts: 249 Member
    great advice here. You can do this!
  • jessica1901
    jessica1901 Posts: 5 Member
    And remember...it's over six months until Halloween! It's not self-sabotage. It's evil, evil candy. It calls your name from the other room. It waits until you are tired and weak and then starts whispering "I'm out here....I'm waiting....I know you want me....don't resist...resistance is futile".

    When yesterday morning rolled around, I thought "Today is a new day". And I have six more months before mass amounts of candy roll into my house again.
  • Fairleighfit
    Fairleighfit Posts: 13 Member
    Hello, i've just come back to this site, starting over, determined to stick to it this time. Last 15 pounds just wont come off...
    twice as busy with 2nd baby now, and excercise seems to be just chasing them around. i get stuck on using unhealthy foods as
    snacks cuz i just dont have enuf time...Help!
  • CooljulRN
    CooljulRN Posts: 7 Member
    @Jessica1901....You are so right! The pantry calls me...."just one, just one".... then it ends up being just one bag!