[Em Coconut]

Over the last couple of months, my good habits have been slipping away and my old, bad habits have caught up with me more and more. I haven't gained much back, like I would've before, but I feel like it's just a matter of time before it's going to get really bad.... I want to continue my journey, but I just can't seem to find my way out of this rut. At the end of the day, I just feel like eating junk food, even though it makes me feel horrible

Any advice on how to get out of this, and keep going?

[coffeeshopgirl]

What are you eating right now? Are you under-eating or eating delicious (it's true, I'll admit it, haha) fatty foods?

I've been off the wagon lately too, and I just got back on track by doing these three things:

1. Mentally prepare myself for getting back on track (i.e. Committing to re-committing)
2. Change up my diet - I usually switch back to chicken salads for lunch (changing up just ONE meal) and keep making gradual meal changes as I get used to the healthier eating (i.e. detoxing off the not-so-healthy stuff)
3. Work out ONE day a week

So, slow, manageable changes help me get back on track. Good luck and keep us posted!!

[spetty]

I caught my self back sliding earlier this summer. Too many vacations and then the vacation eating followed me home! I had a reset week (just the Monday through Friday really) where I decided to go vegetarian. I usually just calorie count, but focusing on not eating meat shook up my diet while getting me eating more fruits and veggies again. It required more thought then just "I'm going to get back on track" which helped me refocus on what I was eating. And then when I switched back to just calorie counting the week after it didn't seem as hard (I love bacon!).

I don't know what you're doing but shaking it up for a week or 5 days or even just 3 days may help you regain focus or get the ball rolling again. That may be going vegetarian or vegan or giving up chocolate or what ever new healthy change you can try for short period of time to jump start your progress again.

Good luck!

[fairandfree]

I don't know if this would work for you, but this is what I find works for me. I think it seems pretty simple, but hey, some things just are.

So when I feel like I might start slipping... I ask myself, is this work undoing all the hard work you've accomplished so far? I really hate wasting my time and that tends to get me back on track. This also helps when I wake up and feel generally "meh" about the day and want to avoid walking and working out. It'll take me long enough to meet my goal, I don't need to sabotage myself with junk food and laziness. :3

[Em Coconut]

Thanks for some good input!

I think maybe I need to shake things up a bit. Dinners have been on repeat for a long while now, and I guess it's getting boring...that makes it easier to not follow the plan and go for something else (take-out) instead. And it all turns into an evil circle...

Don't forget a good breakfast can set you up for a good day. For me it means adeguate protein. Egg and something called Amazing Grass meal. Less than 200 calories (which is not why I do it, it does fill me up until lunch).

I personally don't do well on high carbs that is when I want to eat junk food. So for me 'fatty' food is high carbs food. Food with fat is not in fact fattening to me. In moderation of course. But much easier to eat resonable amounts of food with fats in it for me than foods with high carbs.

Good breakfast and lots of water during the day might help cravings. And if carbs trigger wanting more carbs like they do in me, that might be something you want to watch for.

I've heard grilling veggies can change them up, as oppossed to steaming. And I forget this all the time. But just a little bit of lemon on veggies can really make a different to me.

[Mozzy]

Just take it one day at a time. It doesn't matter what you did yesterday, do better today. You can do this!