It's time I became accountable again. I have gained and I need to stop it right now.

I am so embarrased to admit I am no longer at maintainence and have gained 15 lbs. I told myself I would never allow myself to gain more than 5 lbs. before I did something about it. I did well for about 3 months then quickly slid into my old habits.

I am having the most outrageous cravings that I can't control. I see junk food and I have not been stopping myself from indulging. This has been so upsetting that I have let my cravings take control. It is disturbing how giving into a craving here and there quickly snow balled . I went from an occasional {brownie, cake, pop} to eating many of this junk in the evening. Then to replacing dinner with chocolate and junk. I feel like I don't have any self-restraint any more. I know this thinking is so stupid. I have the brains not to put the food in my mouth I just have to do it.

Chocolate does not belong in my life if I want to stay at maintainence

So I'm here making the commitment to get these 15 lbs off and to get back to maintainence.

I need help and advice

Clean out the house. Put junk food on a strict "no" list for awhile. Make a plan for a week of healthy eating, choose recipes for healthy meals, go to the store, buy everything you need to follow your plan for a week. Reward yourself for sticking to it and do it again the next week.

For me, maintenance can not include junk food because I am terrified of the very thing you describe. Eating sweet things just makes me want to eat MORE sweet things, makes me binge. For me, what has saved me since July 2004 is NO JUNK FOOD.

Thanks Glory

I got rid of the junk in the house last night. I'm going to avoid going to the mall for awhile until I build up some resistance. It had become a bad habit of going to the mall and getting a junk dinner. Like you, I know for me, I can't have junk or it leads to my downfall.

I'm going to do what you suggested about planning my meals for a week and shopping for it.

Thanks so much

You're already succeeding because you are doing something NOW. You are being accountable, you aren't being blind to what's happening, you aren't in denial. You are taking positive steps right now to get back on track.

Good for you for coming back here now and making a commitment that this is the end of gaining. Much, much better to stop here than in another 15 or more pounds! You can handle 15 pounds, no sweat.

No one ever said that maintenance is easy, you know. We all have slips and lapses and sometimes they even turn into relapses. TFL Key #5: Nip It In The Bud: Break The Relapse Cycle But at least you stopped yourself before you reached total collapse!!

Let me echo Glory's 'no junk food'. You're going to have to go cold turkey and de-tox. Get it all out of the house NOW (OK, I see that you did - good!) and be sure you can't retrieve it. A lot of us are just like you ... one cookie is too many and a dozen aren't enough.

Then think about what worked for you to lose the weight. What were your strategies and tools? It's time to go back to basics, back to Weight Loss 101. If you counted calories or journaled or whatever, you need to get right back to the things that worked for you when you lost the weight.

More good advice from Glory on the planning and having food prepared. If you know in advance exactly what you're eating the next day and it's all prepared and ready to go, how can you fail?

Keya, you've come too far to go back. Think about how you felt when you were 216 pounds - is any food worth feeling that way again? I absolutely believe that you have the strength and the power to say 'no' to junk food and 'yes' to energy and health (and little clothes ) You did this once and you can do it again. Just take it one day at a time ... it gets easier and easier as each day goes by and you're reminded again just how GOOD your body feels with healthy food and exercise.

If you think it might help, post your plan for tomorrow and use this thread as your own little place for personal accountability. We're all cheering you on and will help in any way that we can.

Keya,

Good for you to see the path and come back to maintenance. We are here to help you back on the wagon. I'm shifting so there is a space for you. Keep at the advice of meg and Glory, and remember that you do not actually have to have strenght and motivation, just sticking to it, hanging on and recognising that you have moments of choice, to take the right choice, is enough. You only have to make one correct choice at a time.

Keep Posting! we want to hear how you are doing.

rabbit

Good for you, keya, for putting your foot down NOW. We're all pulling for you!

You did the hardest part, coming here.



One foot in front of the other...

Thanks everyone, it's good to have support while I'm going through this

I have two good days under my belt now
Rabbit I will remember I have to make only one good choice at a time.

wndranne It was the hard part admitting I have gained weight but I will get it off. I'm feeling so determined today.

Idest thanks for pulling for me. I can use all the help

Meg I do remember how terrible I felt at 216 lbs and I never want to be there again. I can and will take this 15 lbs off. I was weighing and measuring my food before and have gone back to it.

Glory I have come out of denial and I'm taking action and getting control back.

I have cut up veggies in the fridge and fruit, and have been eating them. I replaced the pop with water. I measured and weighed my food and made up meals to put in the freezer. They each have 1 1/2 cups of veggies, 3 oz of protein and 1/2 cup rice. I made a chili which is mostly beans and mushrooms, divided in to portions.

Exercise yesterday was 76 min walking
Today was 30 min exercise bike and 30 min upper body weights.

Yesterday was a dextox day. I find this helps get me back on track.

Today I had

64 oz water.

Breakfast: 1 cup shredded wheat, 1 cup skim milk, 1 banana

Lunch: 2 celery, stalks, 20 baby carrots, 1/2 cup chili, appple

Dinner: 1/2 cup rice, 1 1/2 cups mixed veggies, 3 oz. salsa chicken, 1 cup skim milk

Snack 10 baby carrots

June 10 food will be

Breakfast: 1 cup shredded wheat, 1 cup skim milk, banana

Lunch: 1 multi grain bread, 1 LL cheese, 10 baby carrots, 5 medium mushrooms, 1 stalk celery

Dinner: 2 cups salad, 1/2 cup rice, 1 1/2 cups mixed veggies, 3 oz salsa chicken

Exercise will either be walking or aerobics

I can and will do it

Keya, you are doing great.

Keep it up. I read somewhere that it takes 3 weeks to gain a new habit, so my guess is you have had the hard start. Now keep it up for the rest of the three weeks, and it will be routine again. 3 weeks is no sweat, anyone can do 3 weeks. Just keep on hanging in here, and keep up the good work!.

Rabbit

Thanks Rabbit for your encouragement.

Just getting the junk out of my system I have lost 5 lbs. My husband is out of town so I've had a chance to really focus on myself. Plan, shop and prepared lots of meals in proper portions. I have been able to eat all my meals at home which makes it easier. I have also been watching old tapes of Oprah and Dr. Phil for motivation. Exercise is one of the main keys for me. When I do my exercise I feel so good and motivated to stay on track.

Saturday was a good day. Ate my planned food and nothing else.
Exercise was 45 min aerobics & 30 min lower body weights
Water: 72 oz.

Sunday dinner will be a challenge as it is my Mom's birthday and she wants Chinese. There is some healthy choices there so I have no excuse not to stay on track. My challenge is not to let the smell get to me and be tempted to over indulge. I will do my exercise just before we go because it curbs my appetite.

Breakfast, 1 cup shredded wheat, 8 oz skim milk, 1/2 cup strawberries

Lunch:1 mulit grain bread, 3 oz tuna, 1 skim milk slice, 10 baby carrots, 2 stalks celery, nectarine.

Dinner: Chinese Smorg: lots of lettuce, celery slices, a few baby carrots, 10 grapes, 1/2 cup plain rice, 1/2 cup pork.

For Chinese, I would suggest P. F. Chang's (if you have one near you). All of the nutritional information is posted online and it's easy to eat something that tastes great and is still healthy. Usually I get the Cantonese scallops and the spinach side dish and an order of brown rice. I eat half and take the rest home for another meal. The seared Ahi tuna makes a good appetizer choice.

http://www.pfchangs.com/cuisine/menu_main.html

You can use the menu at P.F. Chang to get an idea what the caloric value would be for similar dishes at other Chinese restaurants (an estimate).

Thanks Glory,

We do not have a Changs but I checked out their menu for estimates. Yikes the fat content Wish our Chinese place had the Seared Tuna and Spinach side dish. Most everything in a some sort of sacue. If I stick more to the small salad bar, rice and one small portion of meat, I should do not to bad

Sunday Results:
Exercise 45 min aerobics
Water: 64 oz.
Stuck to my food plan. It was hard tonight because the chinese tempted me so much but I stuck to plan. I want this weight off and I intend to learn to stick to my plan no matter what. To be able to eat out and not go off track. At the end of the day I don't want to be dissapointed in myself. I want this super feeling I get when I have accomplished all of my goals. Yes I want that for the rest of my life.

Monday:

Breakfast:1 mulit grain bread, 1 T. peanut butter, 8 oz skim milk, 1/2 cup strawberries

Lunch: 2 oz lean ham, 1 cup broccoli, 10 baby carrots, 2 stalks celery

Dinner: 3 oz salsa chicken, 1/2 cup rice, 1 /2 cups mixed veggies

Exercise walking if it isn't pouring rain.