[Rainy]

Alright, here's the story.
I started off about a month ago changing my diet, well when I noticed myself slipping back into old habits, I was okay with it. Then, I started to work out and went too low on calorie intake. (Not on purpose..) Well now, I eat more, and I haven't gotten myself to work out the past two days.

I feel like I'm slipping. I'm pretty sure I back tracked two pounds and I'm scared. What if things continue like this and I suddenly am bigger than when I started? I don't know how to uncover underlying problems that cause me to eat, or be unhealthy.

I need some serious help, or advice here... What was motivating me before... Just isn't cutting it now.

What should I do?

[lucysam77]

You should get back on calories diet and working out at least twice a week. Don't sit on the couch thinking what am I gonna do next...
Let me tell you something... last year around august I did the same to you and i gained 24 pounds that right now i need to lose a.s.a.p... but this is happened to me and i did say... tomorrow i start the diet again and guess what? i didn't and im overweight now....
motivation doesn't come to your door... you have to stand up and start working out and diet.
good luck...

[Cglasscock1]

Motivation, I've come to realize, is not a reliable emotion to call on. It waxes and wanes with the challenges that life gives everyone. So, in its place, you have to "fake it til you make it." Then, after making that trip to the gym, you will feel so good about it that you may just be motivated again.
To me, eating right and going to the gym positively reinforce each other. If I go the gym, it makes me determined not to blow my eating plan. And vice versa. So, don't sit around and wait for motivation, go out and find it. And you will!!

[steph15]

Is there something in the future you can plan for. or a reward of some sort (non food-related) that can get you back in gear? My motivation right now is knowing that I have to look semi-decent in a suit by October when we go to Hawaii. Maybe a new pair of jeans you have been eyeing, pedicure, etc. Just a thought. I always like to reward myself for a job well done and staying on track.

[rockinrobin]

Originally Posted by Rainy

Alright, here's the story.
I started off about a month ago changing my diet, well when I noticed myself slipping back into old habits, I was okay with it. Then, I started to work out and went too low on calorie intake. (Not on purpose..) Well now, I eat more, and I haven't gotten myself to work out the past two days.

I feel like I'm slipping. I'm pretty sure I back tracked two pounds and I'm scared. What if things continue like this and I suddenly am bigger than when I started? I don't know how to uncover underlying problems that cause me to eat, or be unhealthy.

I need some serious help, or advice here... What was motivating me before... Just isn't cutting it now.

What should I do?

I'd set up some roadblocks as to NOT slip back into old habits. In fact I'd work real hard on establishing some NEW ones, new HEALTHY ones that is.

Journal your foods - every bite, lick, taste, sip and crumb that goes down your throat. This is a GREAT tool. It will make you AWARE and mindful of what you're eating. It will also keep you FOCUSED. Focus is what's needed. When we lose focus, things start going awry.

Plan out your meals/snacks in ADVANCE. Know ahead of time EXACTLY what you will be eating. Make yourself a plan and stick to that sucker like glue, LIKE GLUE. No veering. You've got that plan in place, now stick to it.

Have the right foods on hand - always. ALWAYS. Get rid of the junk. You can't eat it if it's not there.

Make yourself some rules, set up some boundaries, create some new life laws for you to follow. Definite no's to what you will not touch - no matter what. For instance, no fast food, no chips, pretzels, soda, etc. Take the decision making process away - this way there's no - should I?/ shouldn't I to even contemplate. "Nope, I just don't do that any more. It's no longer an option TO eat like that."

Learn how to tell yourself no. You don't have to have something just because you want it. You're not a spoiled child after all. You must make mature, responsible decisions that have LASTING affects. Stop thinking of your two minute gratification (giving into temptation) and think of your long term satisfaction (living your life at your utmost optimal - at a healthy slim weight). Self discipline is a wonderful thing. It opens up doors and creates a wonderful life. But you must get used to doing so. It won't feel comfortable at first. You MUST get through the initial, temporary discomfort of breaking old habits and establishing new ones. Push yourself. Stretch. Push. Reach. Strive. Grow.

Losing weight and lots of it is a doable thing. It's not some crazy, hare-brained out of this world scheme. You just must DECIDE to do it. Decide to do it, commit to do it (screw the motivation, it comes and goes) and than be WILLING to do what's necessary to MAKE it happen. And rest assured, you CAN make it happen, you can. And you should.

Hold yourself up to a higher standard. Require more from yourself. Push yourself. Conquer something new. Discover who you were meant to be. Transform your life.

You don't have to be overweight if you don't want to. It is within your hands, you have the power to change this.

[Lewisempire]

Well put RockinRobin!
P.S. I am printing this out for my fridge!!!!

[Gold32]

Here's a key question: why were you okay with slipping back in to old habits?

I don't know about the motivation debated, but I do go a bit Harry Potter in my thinking: Constant Vigilance! You can never once be okay with slipping back in to old habits! You can never be okay with being over-weight and unhealthy. You can never settle for less than what you deserve. Period.

That said, looking at your stats and what you have told us, I think your problem may be the good old, "you haven't found your plan yet" problem. If you can't sustain it, it's not the plan for you. You went too low while exercising. You couldn't sustain that, so you gave up both. I would suggest finding the right calorie level and diet for you first, one that you can sustain, before trying exercise again. Get one thing under control first, and it makes the second more easy to integrate.

Good luck. You know you are slipping and in danger. That's a good thing. But only you can decide to get out of it.

[chnkymonkey]

When I struggle on the exercise, I start to bargain with myself. If I don't want to do something, I'll convince myself to try the "fake it till you make it" attitude and just go for a 5 mile bike ride or a one mile walk. Something small, but bettre than nothing.

Once I get out there, and away from my other environment that was sucking me in, I usually fell better and get the motivation to push harder.