[WeightLossWarrior]

I can't believe I did this! I was doing so well, reading the boards for inspiration, logging my calories on my LoseIt! app, exercising, doing all the right things, and I lost 11 pounds. I was doing so well! Then I went out of town for a weekend and thought "I'm seeing my best friend who I never get to see, I'll watch what I eat but not track it so much this weekend." Granted, what I had that weekend wasn't necessarily that bad, but I never really got back on track. Then my food choices just kept getting worse. After losing 11 pounds, I put it all right back on. All that work down the drain. Ugh. I feel like such a statistic. I know this happens to a lot of people, but that doesn't make it suck any less! Also, I refuse to change my ticker to a higher number. I will get back down, and get to goal.

I feel a little better getting that all out, and being accountable for it.

So, how do you ladies keep yourself on track? Input would really be appreciated.

[pockets]

I was really bad over the holidays. I kept telling myself that once it was January I'd be able to flip the switch back into weight-loss. No dice. The first week was hard, then we all got sick for 2 weeks. I'm just now back into it. Today is day 2 after like 2 months off. It does happen to everyone. You aren't perfect, things will get in the way. Failure is not falling, failure is staying down. Get up and push on. All that work was not down the drain. You did it once, you can do it again and then some.


ETA: Shoot, look at my join date. I've been trying to get this weight off for 5 years. Giving up for years at a time, getting bigger and bigger each time. I don't know how/why this time is different. It is though. I've never lost this much. I suffer from depression. My biggest fear is hitting another depression wall and stopping again; and getting bigger again. I can't let fear stop me from trying though. My kids deserve better than a 'fat', depressed mom.

[LuciMarie]

Keep in mind I haven't been actively paying attention to my actual weight too long, only since the New Year. However, like everyone else I face those days. I have meetings on Monday nights and one of my bosses always makes treats. This week they were chocolate cupcakes with chocolate chips and homemade frosting. I think part of the appeal was that they were so nicely put together.
More than anything I think what helps is knowing the motivation for my goal. I have a whiteboard in my room (I live alone I should add), that has my weight loss goal, my mini goal, and my current loss. Seeing that everyday backs up my motivation to lose my weight, especially when graduation coming up. I'm not saying that I will ever slip up, but I think I'll plan on saving it for a special occasion My birthday probably, I think this year I'll need it since I'll be spending it alone.
Just have some visual representation of your goal that's simple, but not so extreme as to get you down if you have a bad day.

Hope that helps! Good luck

[bargoo]

I have done it, too. I just pick myself up and start all over again. The sooner you get started again, the sooner you will see results.

[djs06]

The biggest thing, for me anyway, was getting rid of the all or nothing attitude. I cannot count how many times I have gone absolutely hog wild because I woke up cranky, had more calories than I'd intended or eaten something "bad," and then said "screw it, I'm going to eat whatever I want for this ENTIRE DAY." What I realized is every time I think something like that, I'm making an excuse when really, I'm doing it because I WANT to. There isn't really an excuse.

So recognize that you don't have to listen to the angel on your shoulder 100% of the time, but you do have to reign in that devil on your other shoulder!

So many of us thing of weight loss as an all or nothing thing. But really, what it has to be is sustainable for the long term. The way I'm eating now is a way I can eat for the rest of my life, and that is absolutely key. If I go out to dinner and make a bad decision, that's one dinner. It doesn't murder every bit of progress and every other struggle. (And I do have that one dinner. Probably about once a week.)

Just keep your sights on the outcome you want! Also keep in mind the longer your diet hiatus, the harder it is to get back on the wagon. But at the same time, the longer you're on plan, the easier it gets. So it's worth it.

What you really need to do is find methods that work for you. Believe me, I've done this more times than I can count, and I feel that this time will stick because:

1. I exercise in the morning. Only one day has been terrible eating-wise because I don't want to backpedal on the progress I've made. It centers me.

2. Protein with every snack and meal. It makes a huge difference.

3. Limiting the carbs. I am a carboholic. When I have more, I want even more, and I'm hungrier. I'm not saying this is for everyone, but knowing your body and your patterns of hunger is a HUGE help.

4. Getting an idea of how much I'm eating without obsessing. I absolutely loathe logging calories etc. But every few days I'll do it to make sure I'm on track (for the most part, I eat very similar meals/snacks for a few days in a row, I'm big on leftovers, so I find that it's accurate without being overwhelming.)

Good luck!

[krampus]

I'm more or less maintaining with a "boy I'd sure like to lose 5-10 more" in the back of my mind, which is simultaneously easier and harder than just losing.

I lost about 30 lbs from spring to winter 2010 and GORGED myself just about every weekend throughout. I was very strict during the week and let loose on the weekends. For me, I felt bad enough after eating terribly on weekends to rein it in.

This isn't the approach for everyone, but I sincerely believe that a maintainable system of eating includes times when you just want to eat a lot and indulge that craving. Obviously saying "yes" every time you see cake or a cookie is not going to cut it, but occasional and controlled instances are not going to kill you or make you gain 20 lbs overnight. Yesterday I ate 600 calories' worth of cookies and bumped up my daily intake to probably over 2000. It was a lot of cookies and I had a stomachache and felt gross this morning, but now I don't want cookies.

[WeightLossWarrior]

Thank you ladies. I feel so much better after reading all these replies. I can't express how great it is to be part of a community that just understands these things.

[Veela]

I did the same thing. I lost 10lbs in Dec/2010 and had gained it all back by March by August I had gained another 10lbs. I am now worse off then when I started but I know I just have to get back on the weightloss wagon. Don't beat yourself up over a gain just take control. If you let it get to you it will only get worse.

[124chicksinger]

You kick your own A$$ and stop the nonsense. Seriously. You tell yourself this is the last time you want to lose weight and the first time you want to learn how to maintain your ideal/healthy weight. You learn that dieting is forever...you get bound and determined to take the weight off and maintain...or you're bound to rinse/repeat the insanity of losing/gaining and never getting off the merry go round.

Certainly, life happens and we're going to give a little and gain a little but we have to tighten up and get serious about losing and reaching our goals again. We hurt only ourselves when we aren't true to the process.

So, forgive yourself. Examine your plan and begin again, or start a different plan in earnest. I know for me personally, it is much easier to be in great control during the work week....so if that can ring true for you as well, put your best effort into your work week.....and do as well as you can during the weekend. My work week efforts outshine my weekend efforts and I believe make all the difference in my results.

Get back to serious, and good luck.

Edited to add....being honest with yourself and others helps too.... P.S. Your stats are great by the way. Get back to it and you'll feel awesome.

[elleohelle]

Hey! I am in the same boat as you and I just wanted to say hang in there!

[jessica2231]

i know how you feel. i was up and down from nov-dec. through the holidays. i was on and then off. and losing then gaining then losing. i m pretty sure it toook a toll on my body to. i have been back on plan since the second week of january and i have been up and down even though im on plan. so i think my body was used to me abusing it for those two months. so here i am retraining my body all over again. its ok though cuz i choose to learn from my mistakes. sure i get upset at first, who doesnt? but in the end i choose to learn from them. : )