Hey folks. I am faltering a little - overeating a bit and struggling to drag myself to the gym. I had a few days of disrupted sleep. It is so interesting how being well-rested is the key to my well-being in so many ways. My mood, my ability to staunch depressive thoughts before they become overwhelming, my discipline, my focus, all become weaker when I haven't slept enough.

I slept better last night and I'm resolved to get back on plan this very moment.

Good luck and good strength to everyone, today.

Carter: You can do it! Get back to the gym and back on track with your food. You've done so well that I know you can get this back together. Hopefully getting some good sleep will help. I agree so much with you on that! I know that when I'm not sleeping well, everything seems more difficult and problems/feelings/anxiety are amplified. Keep strong!

Nothing new with me today. I went to Body Pump and increased some of my weights. I feel a little stiff and sore now, but hopefully it helps!

I had a really long weekend. I had exams and damn, I need to study more. Gave myself a cheat day yesterday and it was wonderful. I am happy to say that I'm back in the 190s. I hope that the 180s won't be too far away. I'd really like to be able to wear the summer clothes I had for last year.

I hope everyone is doing well

triptriptrip: Good job on the loss! You'll be sailing right down to the 180's in no time!

Carter: How's it going today?

So, a little unexpected angst for me on this weight loss competition here at work. I thought it would be way more fun than it is. I'm losing, so that's good, but I really don't want to hear from anyone else about it anymore. The one gal asked me for all kinds of advice, assuming that all I eat all day, every day are salads. No.... I just like salads for lunch. They're good, and I can put it together the night before. And then, why do you ask for ideas if you are going to tell me what is wrong with my plan?? Oh, and then there is the other person who has been sick with some kind of stomach virus, so hasn't been able to keep real food down, so she's eating jello and quinoa. And oh the weight she has lost! This has really helped her with the competition. Seriously? And that is sustainable.... how? I just don't care to hear about it.

Must be a little crabby this morning.

slashnl I feel you. I hate office "diet talk". Nobody in my office knows about this because of how much I hate it. I won't be able to keep it a secret long, but still. Everybody has an opinion on how you're doing it wrong. And people think they are the food police. Its bad enough dealing with friends who do that.

carter I never get enough sleep. 4 or 5 hours a night usually. But when I do get enough sleep, every single aspect of my life improves.

Good morning folks.

Slashnl, what you describe about the office chit-chat is part of the reason I avoided Weight Watchers at work and other similar scenarios. It sounds like a pain! Try to focus on the progress you are making thanks to the challenge, and just nod and smile when folks around you make asinine remarks.

As for how I'm doing - folks, I have to admit that I slid from "faltering" to full-on binge behavior the last two days - my first binges since that breakup (and, interestingly, we have started talking about possibly getting back together and trying again, hm). But whatever the underlying reason for those binges, I'm going to pull myself together. Yesterday I made a post on another thread about my "one choice at a time" tactic and how helpful that is when I am struggling to stay on plan. I'm taking my own advice today.

So I have a plan of action. One choice at a time, "not today," and stay off the scale for about a week (I don't really want to know how much short-term damage I've done).

Good luck and good strength to all.

Thanks for the support, all. I need to just ignore the office diet chat. This competition only goes through the end of March, so it won't be that much longer. If there wasn't such good money involved, I probably wouldn't ever do this again. But.... I could use the money!!! So, I'll keep focused and in my own little diet/exercise world.

Went to Body Pump today. It was good. I'm on a good roll with exercise. It feels good to be on track! Now, JUST NEED TO STAY THERE!!

Diane, the one time I took part in an office weight loss competition it was a similar headache. But hey, you're still losing! That will hopefully make it a little easier to ignore everyone else's issues.

Carter, good for you for getting the backslide under control. All we can do is keep trying, right?

TOM is finally over for me and I'm down a pound. Not much, but I'm hoping for more tomorrow. I've also started job hunting again, which adds its own stresses to my life, but it also (hopefully) means having to get into interview clothes and feeling confident eventually, so all the more reason to stick with it. I was really down on myself the last time I looked for a new job, so it didn't go well. This time I'm determined to be more comfortable with myself.

I had a bit of a falter last Saturday, at 11pm after a day of struggling SO HARD against the urge to binge. I finally gave in. The next day, however, I went right back to eating well and barely gained from it. Yesterday, the same thing happened...restricted to one meal. So I've decided to give myself one meal a week for a cheat, on the times that I just feel like I'm going to explode from the cravings. That way, during milder cravings, I can give myself that assurance.

Tonight, I'm having a drink or two, but keeping the snacks low carb/paleo friendly while DP and I are watching the season premiere of Hannibal. Great show, albeit a bit dark.

Carter - I'm proud of you for acknowledging what was going on and making strides to correcting it. I know it's not always that easy and you might slide again, but you WILL get this back under control. You've done it before, so you have it in you...you just have to access it again, some how, some way.

thistoo and triptriptrip - congrats on your losses! keep it up!

I was down to 230.2 this morning. Almost back into the 220's. Very happy about that. 23 lbs til my lowest and 25 til 100 lbs lost. Great things to look forward to.

I'm also a regainer. Though I lost 65 lbs. 11 years ago I didn't do bad keeping most of it off until about 1 year ago. Last year was when most of the damage was done. Though I'm being more realistic about losing this time and not expecting to lose as much as I did the last, this board really helps. I'm glad to be here. I know exactly what size clothes I want to wear and therefore that's my goal. Gonna do it!

Good morning

Thanks for the kind words, folks. I did stick to my plan yesterday, despite unexpected lunch out and planned dinner out. I also exercised. So: one day binge-free. I am focusing on one choice at a time. Right now I am trying to decide whether I need breakfast now or should delay eating until after an appointment I have this morning. Just sitting here trying to listen to what my body is saying about what it needs.

Welcome to the thread, Waterbunny!

Good luck and good strength everyone.

Good morning folks.

Following up on myself here - I hope that means everyone was out having too much fun this weekend to bother with posting on the board.

I had a pretty good weekend - foodwise, not flawless, but not awful either. I accomplished a great deal, though I didn't exercise very much. And now it's Monday and I am about to get up and get myself to the gym although I am already running a little late.

Good luck and good strength to all today.

Hi all. Welcome to Monday!

I had a great weigh-in this morning. I lost 2.8 last week, which puts me down in the 270's now. I'm very happy about that. I had decided last week that I'm going all out for this stupid weight loss challenge. There's just some good money at stake, so I'm going to work extra hard for the next month. I told my family that I will be obsessive about it until 4/1/14, and then I'll quit talking about it all the time. If I don't win, that's ok, but I don't want to look back and regret not trying harder. It's all based on percentage, so I have to get lots of pounds off to get my percentage up, where someone who weighs less now, doesn't have to lose as many pounds to get the same percentage. I realize that they may have as much trouble losing a lower number of pounds, but sometimes it feels like I have the added burden. But, I am giving it my all. I am working out, going to spin class 3 times per week, body pump 2 times per week, and then working on weight machines with my daughter on Saturdays, just trying to help her learn them so that she can keep her trim, fit little 19 year old body. And, of course, my favorite.... I'm tracking calories obsessively.

Hey Carter, it sounds like you're definitely moving in the right direction! Good for you! Hope you enjoy the gym today!

Waterbunny: Welcome! I love, love, love your avatar!!!

Ello, joining in, I lost 70lbs but I've put back on 28, ready to lose that and then some. I put it all on in 7 months that's hard for me now I must get back on the horse

Hello.

Glad you joined us, Thedollylala. Your post in the introductions area got me thinking about how regains often happen when life stresses take energy away from the effort of weight loss.

We can't keep life stresses from happening so we have to figure out a way to keep our weight loss or maintenance on track when they do. What are some strategies and tactics we can use to help?

I'm really not sure; I haven't figured this one out yet. The more we can make our on-plan behaviors into habits, automatic parts of our day, the easier it will be to stick to them when other things get hairy. But despite what the diet books and TV personalities tell you, it takes a lot longer than a month or two to make this happen. I can easily slip back into some of my old patterns after years of mindful eating, planning, and exercising.

What do you all think?