I have relapsed, after only a few short weeks. I feel like I need to confess but since I'm on this on my own in my life, I feel like this is the only place to really do it. I was doing ok, but on friday when I had plateued (sp????) AGAIN and nothing was making it change, then friday night was girls night so lots of snacks and drinks... I spent all weekend eating whatever whenever. I am back up from 176 to 180. A mere 5 lb loss from beginning several weeks ago, I was participating in the thread on losing 10lbs in august starting at 180, now I'm back to where I started... ugh.

I'm hoping this post will help me admit it and get back on track. I feel the need to confess and apologize and hope this time will be different. Every other time I tried to lose weight and this would happen... I would just say screw it and I'm destined to be this way.... but I know thats an excuse and I don't want to be this way. So... 8.17.10.... I'm starting over again (I hope).

It happens, we've all relapsed at one time or another.

"Don't lose your confidence if you slip,
Be grateful for a pleasant trip,
And pick yourself up,
Dust yourself off,
Start all over again."

From the Film: Swing Time 1936
Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers

You CAN do it!

I am sorry that you are feeling so defeated. We have definitely all been there at one point or another. I find that the best thing to do is forget about it, dust yourself off and start again. (It seems like you are planning on doing just that ). You don't owe this to anyone but yourself. I think it is awesome that you aren't letting this make you give up. It is just a bump in the road. I hope you have tons of success!!

This has happened to me this past week, too! I've been so stressed with finals, I've completely let go off my diet! =(

Hopefully we can get through this!! I'm going to be strictly on plan starting this Friday, since I have an exam Thursday still!!! Wooooo!

GET BACK ON THE WAGON

One weekend is a small setback... it is a lot easier to make up for those calories than it would be if you decided to stay off the wagon. I am sure you have put on water weight from sodium too... it is very difficult to eat 14,000 calories in a weekend so I would drink more water than usual and chalk this little incident up to your August Break.

YOU can do it!!!

4-5 days of no loss is not a plateau. Your body is not going to constantly be losing weight. There will be fluctuations due to water, the volume of food you ate, whether you went #2, etc. If you're not going to be able to handle those daily fluctuations without letting it throw you off plan, maybe you should start weighing yourself only once a week or every couple of weeks. Or, consider measuring yourself instead of weighing.

Excellent advice, FreeSpirit!

And it's great advice for any of us. There are people whose entire day rests on what the scale says that morning....whether it will be a good day or just doom the rest of the day. If anyone has those issues they are at high risk for relapses every time the scale fluctuates and the best thing they can do for themselves is to not weigh every single day. I know it's difficult to fight the compulsion to step on that scale every morning....but the risk is too high, IMO.
And measuring inches is indeed a good alternative.

If you have a pattern of: scale reading makes you unhappy...you get angry and frustrated....you go off plan which leads to an over-eating spiral for a period of time....followed by huge regret..........then it's better to not weigh every day.

But if you are a person who understands the physiology of scale fluctuations so they don't throw you off track....then this is not a problem for you and weighing daily would most likely not put you at any sort of huge risk.

deena

I think this has happened to anyone who has ever been on a diet. It's a rollercoaster really both in emotions and weight. Never EVER give up though.

Also, don't think so much about the scale. There is soooo many things that can influence your weight. How about you start meassuring yourself too? Around the stomach, hips etc.. last week after 4 days I had lost 3 pounds, but this monday I was up 1 and a half pounds again..what saved my day was that I took meassurments and I had lost some centimeters here and there. At that point I did not care that the weight was up because I could see in my meassurments that my body was changing for the better after my efforts. Try it. It's great!

Thanks everyone... I had a better day today and I think i'm going to try and lay off the scale some. I am looking forward to doing measurements but have a hard time doing them on myself. In a very short time my husband will be home from deployment and I will have him measure me. I think I will try and go with once a week weigh in's (If I can resist).

Thanks for all the support, I'm really hoping I can stay on track and forget about this past weekend.

Yep. I agree that we have all been there before. I haven't been here since Feb. and I have gained so much weight back. Starting all over isn't fun but it's nice to know we have a place to go.

Hang in there and keep at it.