So, I have been off plan for over 6-7 weeks. I no longer count calories or watch what I eat. I cannot shake this funk. The strange thing is that I am still going down at about 1.5 lbs a month. I do have a general idea of what I eat, and I do try to drink 0 calorie/low calorie drinks. I do watch my portions, but my desire for high calories, high fat food is out of control
I do have a connective disease issue and am on meds, but my craving for sweets and carbs are ridiculous. I am not sleeping well becuz of med side effects, and this morning after less than 2 hrs sleep, I was up at 5.30am eating a slice of red velvet cake. Hello, 2 years ago, I did not eat cake nor ice cream. Now, my carb craving is ridiculous. Additionally, because of back/butt pain, I no longer exercise; haven't for over 2 months, so I am not burning over excess calories.
Each morning I weigh with dread in my heart, but the scale seems to be staying the same/moving down. I have resorted to putting my scale 2lbs up to try to trick my mind into thinking I am gaining weight, but then like this morning I came straight off the scale and had some more red velvet cake. Did I mention that I had some more tonight ..sigh. If it is not in the house, I drive out to buy some cheesecake (something I thoroughly detested until recently)
Last year, I was 37lbs heavier and the rheumatologist wanted me to lose weight, but now, he is saying for my body type, he thinks I should stop at 135, and not lower than 130. I tried to tell him that I am not trying to lose weight, and from blood tests, there is nothing apparently wrong with me (diabetes, thyroid etc) to explain what is happening. For geez sakes, I had KFC twice in one day! that from someone who never even liked KFC!
I keep waiting on the weight ball to drop. Is it possible to just wake up one morning and see that I have put on like 5lbs (barring water weight etc)? May be I if I gain it will be a quick in the butt! I dunno, I am sooo frustrated as I know better but cannot shake this junk funk....I have given good eating advice to everyone and my friends are seeing the results and following the advice, so why can't I stick to my own advice.
Sometimes, your body craves certain nutrients that you may not have realized you cut out. Maybe that is what is happening? And while it sounds like you're eating a lot of stuff that is "bad for you", perhaps, it is good for you in the short run. Maybe once you're body has registered this, you will stave off the cakes and KFC?
The persistent weightloss could be because of stress caused by sleep deprivation.
I have a suggestion. When you cut yourself a piece of cake, cut it into half, further. Maybe all you need to do is curb the craving. Are you drinking 64 oz. of water? Sometimes thirst can trigger carb-cravings and give you the illusion you are "hungry".
Whose hand is putting that red velvet cake into your mouth?
Do you feel as though your body has been hijacked by aliens?
Your behavior is like that of an alcoholic who has to run out to the corner store to get a bottle. YOU are choosing to do this, and you CAN choose not to!
Shift away from the refined sugar and processed foods. They are literally addictive. Try going for more vegetables and lean protein instead of crappy junk food. Limit the carbs, and choose whole grain carbs.
Remove from your house, if you can, the foods that you are going to overeat. Like that red velvet cake. Frankly, I have never seen a piece of red velvet cake that I couldn't skip and be happy. :P Don't go out looking for bad food to eat. Don't get off the scale and go eat food. I am not telling you anything you don't know, but maybe you needed to see it spelled out.
Are there any relatively healthy foods which you regard as a treat which you could start to put into your diet? Chinese food, for instance, can be pretty healthy, but still tastes fun enough that you don't feel deprived.
It seems to me that you're subconsciously testing your limits. You're on a high and perhaps your mind is doing what my own has done so many times in the past when I've lost the weight: going into fantasy land and thinking "Wow--I really can eat all that I want and stay thin!" But let me tell you from experience: Reality WILL catch up. You will gain if you continue doing what you've described (eating 2-3 pieces of red velvet cake a day in addition to your usual meals).
Maybe it will take a gain to "stop the insanity." Just be sure to stop with that small gain, though. If you are a regular scale user, don't start avoiding the scale because you know you gained. That will only exacerbate the problem.
Okay, I'm kind of concerned that you're eating a lot of junk and still losing weight. I think you need to be clearer with your doctor about this - unexplained weight loss can be a symptom of something serious.
I think it would also be a good idea to start tracking your caloric intake again, even if you don't cut down, both to show your doctor, and to get a realistic view of what you're eating. Once you know that, you can start thinking about ways to cut down/out problem foods.
I do have a connective disease issue and am on meds,
When you say connective disease, do you mean connective tissue disease? Like Lupus or RA? If so, and you say you are eating these high sugar/gluten containing junk foods and "getting away with it", you could be no father from the truth. While there is no cure for these dreadful diseases, one proven way to go into a prolonged remission is to eat a healthful diet. So the scale might show a pound lost, but on the inside the junk you are eating is damaging an already fragile immune system.
I agree with the advice to track everything that you are eating. If you are taking prednisone or some of the other typical meds, carb and sugar cravings are common.
Are you taking good supplements? Even with the meds, I have found relief from the irrational cravings with good supplements and a healthy diet. Good luck
You might be like me. I, too, have gone off the wagon and not gained for a long time. I, too, thought that I was getting away with it. But, of course, I wasn't. The weight caught up, seemingly all at once. 10 lbs came on seemingly overnight.
My body just seems to do that, and with weight loss as well. When I get back into control, eating better and exercising, nothing happens for awhile, but then, it seems to fall off all at once too.
So, it is possible (probable?) that your weight will catch up to you, and you might wake up one day and find that the scale is suddenly 7 lbs higher. Unless you are one of those people who can eat like that and not gain, but, if that were true, you would have never had a weight problem in the first place.
But, if you are like me, it will take a gain to get back into control. The good news is, if you did it before, you can do it again!
Is this sleeping problem a regular problem? If so, that is probably why you are craving sugar/high carbs. When your body isn't getting enough sleep it tries to get energy from somewhere else and where else? Sugary foods - like that cake. it gives you that boost to make it through the day.
The problem, of course, is that you are perpetuating the problem, the more carbs you eat, the worse you feel, the worse sleep you get.
My suggestion is to find filling foods that satisfy the sweet tooth, but give you better nutrition. Now, I'm not saying FOREVER to eat these, but while you are trying to get away from the cake, it's a good place to start to give things back in control.
Get Low carb protein shakes = premade or powder. Like Atkins or Muscle Milk.
Then find some low carb protein bars like Think Thin (only some are low carb) and Atkins.
Now, I'm not on Atkins, but they have some great low carb, high protein products.
Also, try to steer away from caffeine, caffeine revs up the appetite too.
Let me weigh in with my .02.
But, if you are like me, it will take a gain to get back into control. The good
news is, if you did it before, you can do it again!
It is defininitely possible to do it again if it was done the first time. All I can say is BE CAREFUL! I went from 168 to 117 on weight watchers 2004. I kept it off by still watching what I was eating even though I wasn't counting anymore for about 4 years. Then I quit smoking and started eating all the time. After a couple of months of that I saw a 5 lb gain. I kept thinking I'd just start eating better next week and lose it again. After all it was so easy the first time. 5 lbs turned to 60 lbs and I am still struggling with my motivation to do this again. I am now heavier than when I started WW's the first time. The first gain took awhile to show up on the scale but once it does it happens quickly. Even knowing how fast it came off the first time I am having a hard time with it. I just wish I had stopped it when I saw my good eating habits changing to bad ones.
When you say connective disease, do you mean connective tissue disease? Like Lupus or RA? If so, and you say you are eating these high sugar/gluten containing junk foods and "getting away with it", you could be no father from the truth. While there is no cure for these dreadful diseases, one proven way to go into a prolonged remission is to eat a healthful diet. So the scale might show a pound lost, but on the inside the junk you are eating is damaging an already fragile immune system.
I was JUST going to say all of this! My Mom had lupus and had the same thing happen. She had to keep "good" things around the house to eat, at all times... The damage all that is doing to your insides is not a pretty thing.
Please talk to your doctor about this. You may be craving certain things that your diet is not providing, and your body is confusing those cravings with 'gee, i want kfc!'
I am leaning towards my body lacking something, but I am on such high potency vitamin B, D and other supplements including calcium..I just don not know...maybe I need to pay my GP a visit to rule out anything else, becuz it is not like me to have these sustained cravings
I believe a lot of the responses are fairly accurate in providing a kick to the butt, so why can't I put in the switch to go back to a year of healthy eating? I fought a long battle today and so far, have not indulged, but honestly it is killing me, I have never in my life had such an urge for sweets. To be honest, I am not eating a hunk, but I know each cupcake/slice is 220 calories, calories I would normally use for my fruits...
I am going shopping tommorrow and will substitute some lower calorie junk (this is how I phased out bad foods last year). I think it is important that I do not stop eating certain foods (cravings always return stronger than before), but severe restriction is in order. Ah..if I get thru today without transgressions, then maybe tommorrow will be better...sigh
Getting away with eating junk..can't stop!
