Emotional plateau

sidhe · 05-03-2009, 04:52 PM

Mentioned by Kiramira in another thread, this phrase has caught my attention. I've been thinking about it for a couple of days, and I think this is an issue it would help me to explore. And discuss!

The journey some of us have--some of us over 100 pounds--requires a great bit of fortitude. I've done my best to set things up in my house so that the "bad" choices aren't so easy and the "good" choices are reflexive. I keep gym bags packed with clean gym clothes in my car so that I can go straight to the gym--or I have my bike on the back of my car so I can go straight out to ride. I've invested in all sorts of lunch bags/boxes so I always have something clean to pack in, and I do my grocery shopping intentionally to fill those lunch boxes. I have everything set up for the "mechanics" of weight loss.

What I wonder about is the emotional component. Do you ever feel like you hit an "emotional plateau", where you just can't seem to get yourself in gear emotionally for a time? Sometimes I just don't CARE that much. I look at my lists, my pictures, my goals for the future, all the things that are usually motivating, and it's like I just don't have the emotional energy for it. Emotionally, I'm tapped out. What do YOU do to get yourself in gear again? There's all sorts of tricks to try to break a physical plateau. What things do you do to give yourself an emotional jolt?

CountingDown · 05-03-2009, 05:13 PM

What is important to you? I think the answer to your question is an individual as the answer to mine.

For me, spending quality time with my family is what drives me emotionally. The smaller, cuter clothes are nice. The compliments are nice. Even better is the improved health that I have - my knees rejoice every morning now that I put 380lbs less pressure on them and I no longer need to worry about becoming diabetic.

But, what really drives me is that I can be active with my family, that I won't cut our fun together short because of my choice to abuse food.

So, what is important to you - what quality of life issue is affected by your weight?

Mikayla · 05-03-2009, 05:14 PM

I am so there today, my head is just not in it. Today at lunch I gave my last two pieces of broccoli to the dog because I couldn't stand to eat another bite( I had NO problem finishing my chicken and rice) and the thought of working out is exhausting to me. i'm chaulking my emotional plateau to PMS. I get SERIOUSLY bad PMS every few months or so and it's typically harder for me to stay on plan during PMS anyway, but man this month is bad.

Anyway when my "heart" is not in the game. I just try to do my very best and forge ahead. I try to push myself to eat the right things and exercise, but I don't beat myself up if i slip up a little.
Also when I feel too drained to workout(like I did today) I go and take a short walk, walking helps to clear my head and the little bit of activity helps me feel better and I remember that feeling better is why I want to lose weight in the first place.

I find that continuing to do small things and working towards goal( even if it's not a full out effort) helps me to stay on track and when the emotional set back subsides and I can hot the ground running.

LittleMoonRabbit · 05-03-2009, 05:39 PM

when our hearts aren't in it, we rely on those good habits to keep us going. Motivation waxes and wanes depending on the day. It's important to just keep going, regardless of how you feel that day, because in the future, the motivation will be back, and if you stuck with it, you'll be happy about the progress you made. If you don't, then you'll have the motivation back, but you'll be re-losing that 10 lbs or so that came back when you decided you didn't care. That is definitely how I became a yo-yo dieter. Now, I have learned that I gotta just keep going even on days when I am not motivated, on days when the scale isn't moving, or on days where I feel like I "deserve" to cheat. Those are the days that are the most challenging... but down the road I'll look back at them, and I would rather feel pride in pushing through, rather than regret in giving up and throwing in the towel. I felt that regret too many times in the past... I am sick of that feeling, lol.

anmitche · 05-03-2009, 06:08 PM

This is totally how I feel right now!!! I posted something earlier today about my motivation flagging, and how I have fallen off the wagon all week. Losing weight feels great. I've lost a bit over twenty pounds since January, and I absolutely love how I feel and look. But, my heart hasn't been in it this week. I'm uncertain of where I'll be living in two months and if I'll have a job. Dealing with that and working on my weight loss has made me snap.

At this point, I've decided I need to fake it until I make it. I know what I need to put in my mouth to succeed, and I will continue to do that until I am certain of where I'll be living and working next year. If I can lose .5 lbs a week until I know this info, then I will feel successful!