Weight Loss Support Give and get support here!

Reply
 
Thread Tools
Old 07-13-2010, 11:18 AM   #1  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Shifterred's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 112

S/C/G: 175/ticker/130

Height: 5'6

Default What Was It I Had, and Where Did It Go?

I started my journey way back last October and, quite frankly, I kicked some serious behind. From October to about January, I was doing fantastically. February through April was a bit tougher but I still saw some results. I managed to lose 30lbs and maintain it through that timespan. And then came May. Graduation, Spring Break, all sorts of stressful situations and 'breaks' from the norm suddenly hit at once. I dropped the ball. I stopped working out, I picked up my old habits. I even stopped plugging in my intake to Dailyplate. Unsurprisingly, I gained.

Now I'm at 150lbs. I gained five pounds from April to June. It's amazing, to me, how much easier it is to gain than lose. Gaining is so mindless, so easy! If it weren't for the emotional/mental/physical strain it all causes, it'd almost be fun to be such a hedonist!

My point, though, is...what did I have before that I've lost now? I am still unhappy with my weight and would like to change it. However, the driving force, that real concrete WILL seems to have left me. And as I'm not really sure where or why it came about in the first place, I've no idea how to regain it. Most nights I go to bed thinking "tomorrow is the day!" and in the morning I do well, planning my intake, fully intending to workout after I get home from work, etc. And by noon-time my mind is going "well, one cookie wouldn't hurt. Or two. Or, here, have more sandwich. Buy that potato salad for supper! Oh, Chinese food!" And by evening my body is going "are you kidding me? I've been on my feet for ten hours! I'm not doin' anything remotely exercise related. Psh!"

Whereas, back when I was losing, my mind and body had the same complaints. But there seemed to be this third force which said "Shut up, lame-face! Go get your workout clothes on!" and "Cookie? COOKIE? What's a cookie when you could be thin and healthy? Put that down and go walk!"

So, will. Where didja go? Can I have you back, please?
Shifterred is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-13-2010, 11:34 AM   #2  
Joie de Vivre!!
 
TheBunneh's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Utah
Posts: 1,139

S/C/G: 230/ticker/130

Height: 5'7"

Default

It sounds to me like the excitement of weight loss and changing your lifestyle just kind of fizzled out, and since you've broken the habit of being on plan it's a struggle to pull yourself back on track. Last time when you started you were all pumped up and looking forward to the weight loss, and now it's more of a commonplace thing. At least that's what my problem as been!

Maybe if you try to find something new to rev up your enthusiasm it would get you back in that zone. Like a new (and fun) workout routine. Or an outfit that almost fits that you really want to get into. Search for new and interesting healthy foods that you really like, so you'll want to eat them instead of the cookies.

You just have to jump back into it and grab onto your motivation. Don't wait for it to come to you. Actively seek something that will get you fired up again. =)
TheBunneh is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-13-2010, 11:51 AM   #3  
Senior Member
 
winning the war's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Maine
Posts: 296

S/C/G: 156/150/130

Height: 5'4

Default

I've gone through that before too. It totally sucks. I've found that after I repeatedly tell myself "I'll start tomorrow", eventually I start making changes that make a difference. After the first couple pounds come off, I'm ready to be focused again. It is really tough, but you'll get through it. Good luck!!
winning the war is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-13-2010, 12:02 PM   #4  
Senior Member
 
Shmead's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Texas
Posts: 1,294

S/C/G: HW:300 Pregnancy: 160/167/185

Height: 5'5"

Default

To me, that is a sign that your old plan wasn't sustainable: not only could you not stay on it (and if you can't stay on it through stress and change, you can't stay on it) but the thought of returning to it is depressing you and seems terrible: you want to lose weight, but you are dreading the lifestyle that allowed you to.

So you don't need to change you, you need to change your plan. What was the old plan? My instinct is that it was too restrictive somehow. I used to go on VLC plans (900ish) and it finally got to where I couldn't stand to diet---the thought made me queasy--because I thought dieting meant "starving". This time, I finally figured out I could lose just fine on LOTS more calories (the number has varied, but always at least 1500) and suddenly weight loss isn't something I dread.

Another thing I see is that people want to return to their old plan where they stopped it, not where they started it. So if they started out eating 1800 calories and working out 30 minutes 3x a week, but after six months they were eating 1500 calories and working out 45 minutes 5 times a week, then after they've relapsed they try to go back to the 1500 calories/45 minutes five times a week plan, and they find it impossible and so give up completely.

So, what were you doing before? What sounds so terrible when you think back on it--the hunger? the time commitment? the working out? Which parts did you really really hate? Because it's quite possible to find a new plan that won't be nearly as stressful to stay on and which will let you lose the weight you want to lose.
Shmead is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-13-2010, 12:23 PM   #5  
I'm Just a Little Crazy
 
SCraver's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Willington, CT
Posts: 1,404

S/C/G: 250/215/170

Height: 5'9"

Default

OMG. I totally hear ya on this one. I was doing so well when I started losing weight in Jan 2008. I was losing an average of 0.8 lbs a week... I was rolling along slow and steady and I was happy about it. Then *poof* I got PG and it has been VERY hard to get back on track. I keep trying to figure out what it was that I had then that is gone now.

It has really been about making one small change at a time for me. And when I am going through a stressful time, I try to get back to my "basics".
- Eating veggies (If I focus on eating my veggies, then I am *usually* less likely to eat other stuff)
- Drinking water (I have been having a lot of the Lipton on the go packs)
- Exercise (even if it is just a walk around the block or weeding in my garden)

These are changes I have made that are changes I can stick with. Shmead is right about having a plan that you can stick with even when things are hard. Make a list of two or three things that you can do. And then practice doing them every day.

Like I have heard on here over and over: Fake it 'til you make it.
SCraver is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-13-2010, 11:47 PM   #6  
Muscle Memory
 
skygirl's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: ChangingMyMind
Posts: 500

S/C/G: 188/179/128

Height: 5'2"

Default

i know what you mean on this. that "thing" can be so elusive sometimes. at least you're hard at work trying to figure out how to get back into the groove. would it be possible for you to do your workouts in the mornings so that you're not faced with having to motivate yourself to do them after such long days (the 10 hour days schedule you mentioned). that might get your blood flowing and get you jump started again. hang in there and good luck! and congrats on all of the hard work you have done to get where you are!

Last edited by skygirl; 07-13-2010 at 11:48 PM.
skygirl is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-14-2010, 12:40 AM   #7  
Carol
 
Cglasscock1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Sunny Florida
Posts: 615

S/C/G: 172/159/140

Height: 5'6"

Default

My situation was very similar to yours. Last year I lost 19 pounds (from 172 to 153). Then I had two planned foot surgeries during which I maintained but did not lose weight for 3 months. Then in January, disaster in my family: a death plus a serious accident....both of which completely changed my life.
Still, I maintained, but did not gain.
Starting in June, I knew I could finally resume my losing plan. But it was hard. At first, I did not have my former committment. But I am now back on track. Here are some of the things I did to get going again:
I asked myself: am I content to stay partially to my goal or not? (No).
I reminded myself of the reasons that I want to lose weight.
I read books on weight loss. I highly reccommend The Beck Diet for Life books. I followed the steps in these books.
I cleared my house of the wrong foods and added the right foods. I made finding the right foods a game at the grocery store. (and I hate grocery shopping).
I paid for a year at my gym and started strength training this time.
I started taking better care of my overall health (vitamins, supplements,etc)
I got rid of my old size 12-14s clothing.
I got back on 3FatChicks every day. (I can't say enough about how motivating this site is to me.
I remembered that the first step to making a change is not THINKING ABOUT
change, but TAKING ACTION. (So I set my gym clothes out the night before)

All of these things got me going again. I'm working on the last 10 pounds
which are SO slow to go. But I will persevere. And you can too!

Good luck! I'll be watching for your posts.
Cglasscock1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-14-2010, 01:02 PM   #8  
Senior Member
 
mthrgoos68's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Southern California
Posts: 758

Default

I know exactly what you mean. If someone could bottle "IT", they would make a fortune! I don't know what "IT" is, or why it's so easy to hold on to sometimes, and so elusive other times, but it really is. Sometimes it's so easy to stay focused and on track, and other times it seems like you're fighting your own body every step of the way.
I don't have any great words of wisdom, I really just wanted you to know that it's not just you, we've all been there. Try to push through it and keep going. You don't want to stop now! Let us know how you're doing.
mthrgoos68 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off



All times are GMT -4. The time now is 10:21 AM.


We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.