I have failed, Again - A Vent. =(

So, to my extreme disappointment in myself, I am once again having to start over in my weight loss journey. I'm posting this to somehow try to feel accountable. I feel like I need to get this out and with everyone here trying to be healthier in general, it's a good venue to do it in. And I pray and hope this is the last time I am starting from this place again in this journey. I don't want to have let myself slip like I have again, and have to do it all over again.
As of last September I had lost 140 lbs, I was 60 lbs from my first goal weight, doing great, feeling great. Then I really can't pinpoint it, but at the end of that month I started having one too many "treats" here and there. I know some of it was tied to my birthday. Anywho, over the next probably 6 months, I gained back about 25 lbs. I was still working out some, but I was NOT eating well. A lot of it went on during the holidays, my in laws are big get together with way too much food people and I let myself indulge too much, fact. I'd go and try to work it off and make things better, but there'd be a new plate of cookies or something like that the next day and I'd let myself go again.
This all went on until March, when things got much worse. I started stress eating (this and emotional eating are my issues) because we found out my MIL had cancer for the second time....then I hurt myself pretty good with a knife while chopping some food and ended up having a thumb stitched back up and ended up seeing a Dr. who put me on high BP meds because I was borderline Hypertensive and was having a high heart rate. She told me that it didn't matter how much weight I'd lost and she didn't care, I was still fat (her actual words). She put me on a beta blocker that I spent a whole two weeks on, all the while feeling like I was dying and just horrible until I got a second opinion and this Dr. told me yes, I was heavier than I should be, but I'd done so well losing weight and in his opinion the first way to try to deal with my BP being up a bit at my age was to work on stress and diet and try to lower it that way before putting me on something like such a high dose of Beta Blockers right off the bat, so he took me off them. I slowly began to feel "normal" again. Also in the middle of all this, I went to the ER because we thought I was having an allergic reaction to something I ate one night - turns out it wasn't that, but a very BAD throat muscle spasm. I got put on prednisone for that and promptly gained 15 lbs in two weeks. What made the spasm worse is the one thing that helped it, was eating. Something in swallowing helped with stretching the muscle and I was encouraged to snack to help with the discomfort. Sadly healthy snacking gave way to junk snacking.
None of those things are by any means excuses or anyones fault, just hurdles I was thrown and I as usual, failed to jump and let myself fall flat on my face at each one.
So here I find myself, 10 months later, 60 lbs gained back. I'm JUST now pulling myself out of a two week long binge it seems like because when I realized how much weight was back, I just hated myself so much I can't explain it. I felt like eating because I deserved to be fat and unhappy and all kinds of other horrible things. I keep thinking of where I'd have been had I stuck it out now. I keep thinking of how in my life so far, I've lost 300 lbs....300 POUNDS!! And I'm STILL FAT. I'm still useless. And I just hate myself for it. I'm ashamed.
I got so upset a couple weeks back when the low part started and the binging started and I started telling myself I was nothing, that I deleted about everyone off my MFP friend list (if you were there and are reading this, I am truly sorry! =( ) and started to delete my whole account because in my mind, it didn't matter because I didn't matter. I was made to fail, in my mind.
I'm writing this because I'm trying to pull myself up by my bootstraps again and try again.
I don't want to fail anymore, if I can. I don't want to worry about things like being hypertensive at 27 years old and stressed and unhealthy.
I just need to get it all out so I can tell myself it's okay and maybe I can do it this time, Finally.
Maybe this time I won't fail again and backslide the way I have. Maybe this will be the time I stick it out and reach HEALTH.

Thanks for reading....And if anyone wants to add me, please do. I would like to build up a support group again and try to take better advantage of it than I did last time.
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Replies

  • Esther50
    Esther50 Posts: 252
    Jen add me as a friend. I believe you have what it takes to do this. Don't give up, we all slip, we just need to get up, forget about what happened, just go forward.
  • carolemack
    carolemack Posts: 1,276 Member
    First of all...get the "may' "might" etc. out of your vocabulary! Replace that language with words that give you back the power; I can, I will, etc. Do not let negative language rule your life.

    You lost the weight before...you will lose it again! You do have what it takes to be a winner, you have already proven that. You are so young, the time to be successful is now...don't wait until you are in your senior years like me. You have your whole life in front of you...make the most of it! Be the beautiful, healthy, fit person you deserve to be. Use your experience of the past few months to make you stronger and more committed.

    You can do it! :flowerforyou:
  • ColleenAtherton
    ColleenAtherton Posts: 230 Member
    There is no failure except in no longer trying. -- Elbert Hubbard
  • raycmusic
    raycmusic Posts: 4
    Stop being sorry for your self and keep going .... You are not the only one who failed from time to time in this journey and if you are not aware of ...you lost already an amazing amount of weight so be proud of it and just focus in your goals not in your failures
    In this battle that we all have with. The over weight some of the soldiers will survive and some others don't and you my friend could teach most of us at least how to loose 80 pounds ... Just keep fighting forget about the past and everything is going to be ok

    Keep fighting .... No more excuses just go!!!!

    Ray
  • You are still 80lbs lighter than you were last year. And if you did it once, you can do it again!!!
  • farmerfee
    farmerfee Posts: 3
    Add me to. Story sounds familiar I have not had health problems but the beating myself up when I do silly things and gaining everything I had lost. U are here so that a positive sign
  • kmuree
    kmuree Posts: 283 Member
    Failure is a part of the journey, lovely! :flowerforyou: We're here for you! Add me as a friend if you need the encouragement. :heart:
  • JenCM
    JenCM Posts: 195
    Thank you all for the kind words and encouragement.
    It's been very hard for me to even get to this point to start again. I've been having just such a hard time with my "what if's" and thinking about how much weight I have lost overall, I mean to lose 300 lbs and still be near 300 lbs, is so ridiculous to me.
    I was so proud to have gotten rid of my "fatter" clothes as I got too small for them, so they weren't there for me to wear again....and right now I've got a whopping 4 shirts to wear and nothing but sweats, as NONE of my jeans fit at this point.
    I know this is also a vain, horrible thought....but I also got in a real bad funk thinking about how I'll look if I do get the weight off. I mean, I will have lost at least 200 lbs to get to my first goal weight, I'm going to have so much loose skin and it's stupid, but that scares me a bit. I have this terrible vain place in my mind where I feel like I'll have failed in a way again, Like even if I get "thin" - I still won't know what it's like to be beautiful because of that. =/ I know it's a bad way to think, and loose skin is better than fat, but it's still there in my mind.
  • Bobby_Clerici
    Bobby_Clerici Posts: 1,828 Member
    The road of success is paved with the stones of failure.
    Buck Up!
    You can do this :flowerforyou:
  • kstrunk1
    kstrunk1 Posts: 462 Member
    Friend request sent! You can do this!! :)
  • Kaddyshack21
    Kaddyshack21 Posts: 225 Member
    Thank you for being able to express what I find I am unable too. You are not the only one. Not even close. Feel free to add me.
  • CrysButcher3
    CrysButcher3 Posts: 322
    YOU are a child of GOD. Regardless of what Satan wants you to believe ... YOU are a beautiful person that has listened to the negativity far too long. You have not failed, because if you HAVE failed you wouldn't be here right now, in this very moment, spilling your heart out to everyone and pleading for some help.

    You have *stumbled* as we ALL have at one point in time on this weight loss journey. If it were easy every single one of us would be skinny and never have to worry about this weight loss journey. Listen...even if you don't believe in God and his MERCY....believe that this is just a stepping stone and you have WONDERFUL people on this site that could very well push you to success. It is a learning process....and emotional eating? Ooooooo Lord I have been there, and there are times when I'm under stress that I REALLY want to indulge.....but I'm learning new ways to cope. Takes time sweetheart....and please....please stop beating yourself up over this. :cry: Tomorrow is a NEW day. A day to right ALL your wrongs. One step at a time.....it takes a whole lot of baby steps to make a path up that mountain. You can't move that mountain either until you get to it....I've tried that too before I realized it can't be done.

    (*(*( HUGS )*)*) And from here on.....LOVE yourself. HUG yourself. PAT yourself on the shoulder. WRITE down on sticky notes how awesome YOU are....how WONDERFUL life is and how BLESSED you are to have another chance at this!!!! The past is gone...you can't get that back. But you CAN push forward and make a difference! Girl you got this.....no more self pity....you are a NEW woman starting a NEW journey. I will be praying for you....because you need to be free from this bondage.
  • DataBased
    DataBased Posts: 513 Member
    Failure is when you quit trying. Don't quit trying. Get back on that horse and ride!

    :flowerforyou:
  • paulagj
    paulagj Posts: 72 Member
    First of all...get the "may' "might" etc. out of your vocabulary! Replace that language with words that give you back the power; I can, I will, etc. Do not let negative language rule your life.

    You lost the weight before...you will lose it again! You do have what it takes to be a winner, you have already proven that. You are so young, the time to be successful is now...don't wait until you are in your senior years like me. You have your whole life in front of you...make the most of it! Be the beautiful, healthy, fit person you deserve to be. Use your experience of the past few months to make you stronger and more committed.

    You can do it! :flowerforyou:

    Ditto to this! You can absolutely lose the weight again. I applaud you for sharing & being so open, this is the first step in getting closer to your weight loss goals. Blessings.
  • AzhureSnow
    AzhureSnow Posts: 289 Member
    You are NOT a failure, Jen. You are a fighter because you lost a TON of weight, you survived multiple obstacles and struggles in your life, and you are still going. You're still trying. You're back here, looking for support and encouragement because you HAVEN'T given up. In my eyes, the only time you failed is when you stop trying to succeed!

    You may add me if you like - I'd love to watch you on your road to kicking *kitten* and being a healthy, strong, confident woman!
  • linda1243
    linda1243 Posts: 166
    Please quit hating yourself for "failing". We have all done it, many great people in the past have tried things and failed, life by design sets you up to fail the first time you try things... you have to crawl before you walk. The question is how do you handle a "set back". I see you handling it face on. You recognized the problem and even though you took a while to get back on track, you are doing it. That want to try again even though you fell down is perseverance... that is determination...that is what makes you stronger than you think.

    You could walk away and say screw it but it's not what you have decided to do, so please don't judge yourself so harshly. Pick yourself up, give yourself a reassuring hug and tell yourself that you glad you are ready to try again and you are proud of yourself for not letting it go any longer. I don't even know you and I am proud of you for just making the decision to try again.

    You can do this! You are strong (failure helps to build strength) and you can do this!
  • Lolli1986
    Lolli1986 Posts: 500 Member
    none of what you are saying is silly at all. i get what you mean about worrying about loose skin, and feeling like you've failed and deserve to be 'fat' and deserve all the bad things that come with it. you're 27 - i'm 26, i'm totally with you on this type of thinking! it is a hard thing to deal with. in fact, amongst all those other hurdles, this is probably the biggest one!

    i failed something once, and thought my career was over. i went into a deep depression for 3 months (i lose weight when depressed/anxious).

    this is just how a lot of us respond to what we perceive to be 'failure' at our age. you've got to think harder about your success and give that more precedence in your mind. some stressful, scary things happened in the past 6 months! but you are here, trying again!

    and no, you are not starting from the start again! you are still 80lbs down from where you started. that is AMAZING! that is a huge achievement. so you had a stressful time and gained some of what you lost back - doesn't matter! you're here and you're totally capable of losing that again, and more!

    my sister is also worried about loose skin, so she has decided to take the very long road of losing very slowly. we're still young, so i think our skin will cope reasonably well.

    take it steady, recognise that there are other stresses in life and that you need energy to be able to deal with them, so take it relatively easy with decreasing your cals. and be kind to yourself during times of stress - personally, i bump my cals up to maintenance if i know something stressful is happening, because my body is already unhappy in a deficit and it makes it harder to deal with it. it might be for a day, or it might be for a week (if i'm sick, or something). by setting that maintenance cap, on stressful days, it helps me to keep control, maintain hope, and deal with the other things that require my energy.

    good on you, and good luck!
  • ktdid626
    ktdid626 Posts: 185 Member
    Add me. I don't care that you are HUMAN because I had my share of junk today, too. We can do this!!!!
  • EDesq
    EDesq Posts: 1,527 Member
    Set backs are going to happen, the shame and regret will come. When you ACCEPT that you are on a Journey with NO Destination (it's Life Journey and Your Weight issues and all the "stuff" surrounding your weight are part and parcel of the vicissitudes of your Life, Striving and Evolution). You can not fail this Journey unless you give up; so get up, start eating RIGHT, forget all the numbers on the scale, if you eat and exercise right and focus on that, the scale WILL take care of itself.

    In this Journey, the number on the scale can not be your destination because it does not mean that you are Healthy, Happy, Thriving, a Sex Machine, got enough money or have the personality that will attract good friends in all walks of Life ...when the scales means that - then watch how slim the world becomes!
  • Robin_Bin
    Robin_Bin Posts: 1,046 Member
    It's discouraging. But you're in a much better position than you were in -- you've lost weight, and you've kept off most of it. You've been through a great deal and still managed to keep off 80+ pounds. You've learned from these experiences... you know part of what works and some triggers and difficulties you'll need to handle. And you're back, you haven't given up, so you haven't failed. You had a "learning experience" -- sucks, but you won't succeed until you've made some mistakes and overcome them. I've never heard of anyone who lost a significant amount of weight without a few major set-backs.
    Good luck!
  • JenCM
    JenCM Posts: 195
    *cyber hugs* to each of you.
    Thank you for the support. I get it from my brother, who is dealing with this issue of weight as well, but outside that I feel pretty alone.
    Considering I do tend to be such an emotional eater, I'm thinking that maybe with this new start I'll start blogging on here about my issues and stories and such. To get some of those emotions out, maybe it'll help me cope less with the food to write it all down and share it.
  • ginaquinn2
    ginaquinn2 Posts: 136 Member
    I am so glad that you are here. You have been wonderfully successful before and you can be that again. It is great that you have returned here 'cause in my opinion this is the best place to be. Just try to come back every day, log all of your food, drink your water and just let us care and support you. Welcome back :flowerforyou: ~~~Gina
  • JenCM
    JenCM Posts: 195
    Hope you guys don't mind...I think I sent all of you a friend request if you hadn't sent me one already. :)
  • graceinbreath
    graceinbreath Posts: 49 Member
    I sent you a personal note already but I wanted to add another note:
    Do you or Did you have a critical Parent or critical adults in your life when you were a kid? I ask this because it sounds like you are being a VERY critical parent to yourself. Unfortunately, what happens when this cycle goes full-tilt is that we internalize the voice of the critical parent and we BECOME our own CRITICAL PARENT and often this leads us to revolt and rebell against our own critical voice! I know because I have had to undo the critical voice of my mother. (who can also be loving and kind but seriously and intensely critical when she feels like it)... This is not to blame our parents - but just to say that they have human foibles and we do not need to OWN the crap they flung at us ....SO - what to do with this? Whenever you catch yourself speaking to yourself in CRITICAL PARENT voice, say STOP! (yes, say it out loud!) and then talk yourself through replacing the thoughts with what a good loving parent would say...
    here is an example...

    INTERNAL THOUGHT - Oh MY I messed up again! I am never going to get this weight off, I am so stupid!
    ....light bulb moment of realization...
    "STOP!"
    NEW THOUGHT - Okay, well I need to stop criticizing myself because that just makes me feel stupid and believe im really meant to be fat and im unworthy which makes me sad and makes me want to eat some brownies ... so I need to stop talking to myself like that!!!! I need to think new thoughts.... like, it's okay if i am frustrated and sad and angry! i am allowed to have feelings and i don't need to eat them!!! I can do better because I believe in myself! I am worthy of not getting stuck on all my past failures but instead focusing on my beautiful healthy future that I can have if I just start walking in the right direction! I can do this!!!!

    WE ARE ALL ROOTING FOR YOU ON MFP!!!! YOU CAN MAKE THE CHOICE TODAY TO MOVE IN A NEW DIRECTION!
    EVERY DAY YOU WORRY ABOUT THE PAST OR THE FUTURE IS A DAY YOU WASTED BY NOT FOCUSING ON WHAT YOU COULD DO TODAY. JUST LOOK AT TODAY AND ONLY TODAY - MAYBE JUST FOCUS ONE MEAL AT A TIME, ONE HOUR AT A TIME. DON't WASTE ANYMORE TIME STRESSING ABOUT THE PAST OR THE FUTURE. YOU ONLY HAVE TODAY.
  • odessablondie
    odessablondie Posts: 76 Member
    First of all, Thank you for posting this! You've made the first step.

    Second, please know you are not alone in this journey. I too, find myself starting back over. I had lost about 40 lbs and then fell off the wagon and am back at my starting weight again. This isn't the first time this has happened to me. We can do this!! We NEED to do this.

    ((Hugs))
  • graceinbreath
    graceinbreath Posts: 49 Member
    Also, I want you to buy two books: - both available on AMAZON
    Women Food and God - by Geneen Roth ~ UNBELIEVABLE! also a really good book to listen to on CD
    and Chi Walking - by Dreyer and Dreyer

    Then Join my Group called Chi-Walking (I just made the group today so don't expect much! LOL) and we can read the book together and share what we figure out. I just started reading it myself.:happy:
  • JenCM
    JenCM Posts: 195
    I sent you a personal note already but I wanted to add another note:
    Do you or Did you have a critical Parent or critical adults in your life when you were a kid? I ask this because it sounds like you are being a VERY critical parent to yourself.

    I don't know if I'd use the word critical, but my mother and I weren't close because of some issues and she when I was younger had a tendency to be not the nicest with me. But she was more or less out of my life when I was about 13-14 and I was just with my Dad from then on and he was nothing but loving and supportive and good to me - He passed away in 2008 though. I feel very angry with myself a lot because I promised him before he left that I'd get healthy and I wasted the first two years after he was gone, just gaining more and more weight.
  • stupidloser
    stupidloser Posts: 300 Member
    forget about it. you could be using your time to watch tv and ordering takeout.
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,329 Member
    dont give up!

    many of us have issues with emotional eating.

    what's been working for me has been not being in a rush to lose the weight. i eat at a slight deficit that way I still have room in my diet to allow for treats, even on a daily basis if i want.

    good luck! you can do this again and keep it off for good
  • zg_grl
    zg_grl Posts: 11
    Don't beat yourself up!

    You've lost a ton of weight and you are committed to continuing until you reach your goal. I think everybody struggles with gaining back the weigh they've lost. I just joined MFP because of gaining weight back. It totally sucks and it is hard to keep the weight off. The important thing is to not get too down on yourself. You can do it, keep going!!