I think you mentioned that you count calories? I know when I was on a counting plan, either calories or WW points, I experienced a lot of that mental fatigue. I'd just get tired of thinking about it. I've been most successful on a plan that does not require counting (I do South Beach with little dabbles of intermittent fasting, which amounts to only eating between 8am and 6pm daily). I don't count calories, carbs, points or anything. I don't even do a food journal unless my weight loss stalls, then I'll journal for a day or so to identify any areas I'm slacking in (usually too few veggies and overdoing the nuts).
With SB certain foods are restricted, mostly for the 2 week induction and then you start adding back. For me, it is helpful to be able to choose from a wide variety of foods I enjoy, eat pretty much as much as I want, and lose weight. Having "rules" to follow works better for me than having to count and track. This is just a suggestion in general, it's not for everyone, but it might just be if your plan isn't working for you, it just isn't the right plan for you!
I TOTALLY understand how you feel! I tend to go off plan when other things just zap all my mental energy to "deal with". Once I'm having to deal with other things, I don't have any mental energy left to deal with good eating. I still enjoy all those good meals, I just add too many snacks on top of them.
The last few weeks, my partner and I have been actively cooking dinner. He and I both are not dinner people, but I know I will get home and snack ALL night because I never really fill up on anything. So we make an effort to cook. On his nights, it's awesome because I only have to wait a few minutes for dinner. On my nights, I'm forced to cook because I can't let him go hungry! And we always plan good, nutritious, easy meals, with enough for leftovers so we aren't cooking EVERY night.
My point with that is to figure out a way to navigate through the times you find the hardest. I also give myself small to-do lists at night (stuff I need to do anyways, like shower, walk the dog, etc, but having a list makes it more official in my mind!), so I have something to do besides eat. I even have "watch an episode of xyz" on there for my relax time!
Once you get into a routine, it will be habit and not so much of a drain on your mental energy.
There are some people who simply do not like routine or boundaries; I know because I'm one of them. For such personalities, it is difficult just to KNOW that we "should" eat A, B, & C rather than D, E, and F. My mind rebels. As I've gotten older, it has gotten better, though.
So, I agree with another poster who suggested that you just try to make it through "the next" choice. If you eat off plan, so what? Get right back on plan the next meal. The all-or-nothing thinking is something I believe most of us on this forum have had to deal with. Holding onto that mindset makes it almost impossible to lose and/or maintain.
However, here are two practical suggestion if you count calories (I'm not sure you do; I know some people hate it, but I have done it for more than two years now, and it doesn't bother me at all):
1) I have a weekly calorie total rather than a daily one. That way, if I do pig out, I can always cut back the next day. Caveat: I am an overeater, but not a binger, so if you have binge issues, that sort of plan may not be wise.
2) Also, I track my calories daily using a smartphone app (even though I go by a weekly total), and I start my "day's" calorie count with my most unpredictable meal, which is dinner for me.
Those two strategies allow for some spontaneity in my eating, which I believe has made it easier for me to stay on plan for two years than it ever was in the past. (Not saying it's easy; it isn't, but it's better now than before).
thewalrus0.....omg.....you sound exactly how I feel.....I couldnt have said it any better myself.....I do so well, I follow eating my ww points etc and I dont see any results (even with exercise, etc) so I fall off the wagon and its so hard to start again and I have to push myself. This week I have gone carb free so maybe that will finally get me jumpstarted. I feel for you girl and I hope both of us can make it over this hurdle sooner rather than later. Good luck to both of us
I've been mulling it over and I am starting to believe that overeating is a really heavy habit.
I overeat because it's automatic. It feels nice. It's almost like coming home from work, getting into comfy clothes and crawling into my bed or laying on the couch. It feels 'right', until I'm done and I feel overly full and have heartburn.
I used to be a smoker with a drug and binge drinking problem and I've managed to get those issues in line for the most part, except I still binge drink sometimes and I do it for the exact same reasons I overeat still. My friends drink. I get off work on the weekend, I have a few dollars and suddenly it's so easy to just say 'let's get drunk tonight!' even though I always regret it the next day.
I've obviously been overeating longer than I've been frequently binge drinking, but I feel like they come from the same place in my mind. They're essentially mindless. They're numbing activities. Playing music, exercising, drawing...these other hobbies of mine require considerable effort compared to staring at the television, overeating or drinking beer.
So I need to find a way to get past that incredible urge. I don't know if it's habit or if it's something else but right now it's seeming like habit.
Obviously I've broken bad habits before. I quit smoking. I smoked for seven years and I really liked it. I quit for my health. I want to quit binge drinking for my health, as well as overeating and binge eating. Right now it's just tough. I'm tired just thinking about those moments that lead up to overeating. It's such a disappointment once I've given in but I swear those few minutes before I decide to overeat...it's like I'm a different person. Suddenly my ideals shift and I couldn't care less about my goals and plans. Then, once the food is gone, I 'wake up' and I'm myself again.
It'd be really fascinating if it wasn't keeping me obese and unhappy.
Walrus nice to meet you! I read your posts and I completely get how you're feeling. I think the issue is mindful eating is not giving much attention these days. Rather than counting points or even calories, just being in tune with our bodies and KNOWING what our body needs at any time will send you leaps and bounds in your weight loss journey. Easier said that done, but I think TV/movies have a large part to play. I personally find I just keep eating and eating in front of the TV more than when I'm anywhere else. I got rid of the TV just to test my theory and surprise, surprise....I actually lost 2lb that week!! Amazing isn't it how the mind is tuned
