Noticed a pattern....now what can I do about it?
 

I haven't lost a single pound since the first week of January. I made some positive changes this week by starting to exercise a minimum of 30 minutes per day. I hope that will get me moving. While doing the weekly weigh-in thread I realized something.

Weekly weigh-in:

December 2, 2011 - 174
December 9, 2011 - 172
December 16, 2011 - 171
December 23, 2011 - 170
January 6, 2012 - 169
January 13, 2012 - 169
January 19, 2012 - 169
January 27, 2012 - 169
February 3, 2012 - 169

January 7th I was at an event where I saw someone who had hurt me very badly in the past. Although we didn't speak, seeing them brought back a lot of bad memories, and I have been in a funk since then. I also have felt like binging since then and caved a few times. I knew I was kind of depressed, but it didn't click what set it off until I just saw the dates. I also haven't lost any weight since that time. Now that I know the probable cause of my funk and weight loss stall....maybe I can move forward.

Has this ever happened to anyone else and what have you done to move past the roadblock?

Did it stress you out hun? I saw something very interesting on Dr. Oz and just the other day on the Doctors regarding stress, anxiety and cortisol levels. When our body feels stressed cortisol goes up and holds onto fat especially in our tummy area, it's a natural survival mechanism we have built in. I find when I'm stressed I don't lose. How about trying some yoga, or medtation and some self nurturing techniques to bring you back into yourself. have you tried that?

Huh, that's interesting! Wonder if maybe that's why the scale has been creeping back up the past few days. I'm not overeating. I thought maybe ovulation had hit, but not yet (still a day or two away, I think).... but stress has been high. Like sky high with dealing with my ADHD son and having his 504Plan re-evaluated, dealing with the school's idiotic policies and a DH who wants to fight which is outside my comfort zone of being more "let's work with them and not fight them."

It's a good observation on your part. Of course, it could be a fluke, but you know your body better than anyone else = and if it has thrown your eating off a bit too, that can explain some of it too. Though what InsideMe had to say is also interesting!

Hope you get out of your funk soon.

It did totally stress me out. It made me think back to that time and how I used food for comfort. I became afraid that I was losing control again. I sometimes listen to "white noise" hypnosis/meditation tapes. Maybe I will try that or some yoga.

I totally think stress makes me hold onto fat. I only started losing weight after making lifestyle changes that eased the stress a bit from my life.

Berry - sounds like you and your husband are good advocates for your son.

Was it an old flame that you saw? If so, that's something pretty powerful. Even when you've finally found the love of your life, every doubt you have in your relationship can probably be traced back to someone you loved who hurt you. After my first love left me without so much as an I'll-miss-you, I dropped to 116lb at 5'7", which was downright skeletal for someone with a frame as large as mine. I physically lost all appetite for about a month. These days when I start feeling down, when self-doubts rooted in that breakup start to creep into my marriage, I go for a run or a swim. It clears my head somehow. Maybe forego the yoga/meditation and try some cardio that challenges you? Then you will still have the endorphins you'd get from yoga/meditation, but you will also have a sense of achievement for pushing yourself to new exercise levels.

You know, it's funny because both of my over month long stalls coincided with a lot of stress. Hmm...

Also, this Jan I was significantly less stressed and I ended up losing 5lbs, which never happens to me! I never really thought about it but maybe there is a connection there. ;)

guacamole :hug: I really hope that now that almost a month has passed since seeing that person that you've had a chance to get past it and move on. It's always hard to see people from our past that have hurt us. :(

heya guac- it's 100 % stress related. please please please find an ACTIVITY. (for me, it's yoga)- that you 1. enjoy. 2. reach a "mindless" state in 3. you find relaxing/ you like the type of endorphins it gives you. aka something you like doing, then you get the endorphin rush, as opposed to something you hate, that gives you an endorphin rush.

start using that activity as a de-stressor. keep this particular activity as your "place". just as InsideMe stated, stress creates tension, and raises cortisone levels which lead to fat gain (Supposedly).

but from a personal experience- when i was a stressed out, busy, person- with things such as this happening- i gained, or i didn't lose.

since taking up yoga (and you really don't have to have yoga as your activity for this) - everytime i freak out, i stress, i need to think about something- instead of binging, or feeling stress - i walk into the room, and the motto is "your body, my mind" this sequence essentially erases through processes in your mind, and you are unable to think due to exhaustion because i think that our biggest issue is over thinking. so this 90 minute meditation is what prevents stressors from creeping back in especially since this is what i have replaced binge eating/eating emotions with for the most part.

don't worry!! be happy!

I've definitely experienced the same problem in the past myself. When I am upset, I'm more likely to eat unhealthy, even when I'm not actually hungry. Sometimes I don't notice I'm doing it until after I've already finished eating, it's like my mind is somewhere else - usually focused on whatever upset me in the first place.

I don't do it as much anymore because I think the changes I'm making to my life take up too much space in my head. I think about my food choices so much that the pain can't take up quite as much room as before...thankfully. =/

Stress is a huge roadblock on the road to weight loss and maintenance. You gotta find a way to get that under control before you can be 100% successful. My trainer told me this when I finally confessed that I have GAD and he's right - when I'm anxious and can't control it, I'm more likely to mess up.

This is exactly what happens to me sometimes. It's a good reminder that keeping track of the foods I eat can help me to control emotional overeating.