I've been a yo-yo with my weight since high school. I've noticed a certain pattern that I almost always follow when I get on a diet.

2-3 weeks to get settled into the new routine, followed by a few months of being totally into it. Eating right, exercising like crazy, feeling awesome... then I get into the third month...

All of a sudden all of my binge urges are back, I don't feel like exercising anymore - and if I do, I half-a$$ it. Pretty soon I'm back to where I started.

I'm actually rounding the corner on 4 months now...but I'm still in my 3rd month. (I started up again at the beginning of June... ) I'm starting to get those feelings again. Not that I've fallen off yet, but I feel my will starting to give out again. I used to be excited to do my exercise DVDs...now I have to force myself to. Don't get me wrong, I still enjoy them...but actually getting the motivation to get up and do them is becoming more and more difficult. And I've been suppressing major binge urges, too.

It's not like I'm depriving myself of anything. I still eat fast and junk food when I crave it... It's just so weird how I can be going so strong all this time and then one day I just wake up and it's like - okay time to go back to binge eating and 5 days a week of McDonalds.

I'm more determined than ever, though. I've lost more weight and am more toned than I ever was in my previous "3 month" attempts. I'm gonna do this... I didn't come all this way to give up now. (Haha, Jillian...) it's just that the past few weeks haven't been easy, and it's frustrating and annoying.

So I guess I just needed to vent. I'll be okay... I have to be. I can't let myself slide again. I don't want to have to start over... I really don't.

Okay. Got that off my chest. Haha. Encouragement/Advice appreciated, thanks. xoxo

Take a deep breath and just keep moving forward even if you have to pause to catch your breath or reassess.

It took me 4 or 5 xmas holidays to figure out how to get through them WITHOUT a gain.

But now that I know. I never gain any more from that. Yay.

A.

You can do this! I must say, you've been a huge encouragement to me with Jillian. I got three of her DVDs. And seeing your pictures and progress, I'm finally talking myself into them.
I think everyone here has experienced yo-yo dieting. I haven't pinned it down to a time line, but in the past if I went off plan just once, I would give up. The longest I lasted was 4 months. No cheating for four months. and then I had one off plan meal that turned into two years. So I'm doing it differently.
Perhaps you can just maintain until you have the motivation to give it full force. And maybe reminding yourself about how hard the DVDs will be if you take a break and have to start over. Something that I'm keeping in mind this go around, is that if a plan isn't working anymore or I'm bored, I'm going to switch it up. I started on WW, then incorporated eating clean, now I'm back to "normal" WW, and I plan to do South Beach if I get bored or hit a plateau. I know you are lacking motivation, not so much falling off track (yet). I think it's good that you got this out there and recognize it. Write down all of the reasons you are doing what you are doing, and if you find yourself in a downward spiral (or week long binge), read that. Also write down what you have accomplished. Your pictures speak for themselves! I am so proud of you!!

I know EXACTLY what you mean! And this week has been **** for me...and it's right about on time with previous weight loss attempts....about 8 weeks in. I'm forcing myself to work out and resist eating everything in sight. But, it's HARD and I'm not sure I'll hold out!

And I'm the same as you: I'm on WW, so there's nothing I'm completely deprived of. I choose to deprive myself of certain things because I know I won't be able to stop.

I'm just SO frustrated because I WANT this. I WANT to be healthy, I WANT to feel good, and I WANT to live a long life! WHY is this so hard?!

I'm in the same boat. I did A Biggest Loser comp. for work from April-July and since then it's been more of a hassle than anything. I workout less and have an extra cheat meal each week. The only thing that has kept me somewhat motivated is having a fat pic and a skinny(er) pic side by side and I look at it everyday. I never want to go back to being miserable. Good luck and you can do it!!

We've all been there. I'm in that place myself. I'd never want to go back to eating the way I was, but I do find myself wanting to cheat more often and just eat more in general, and being a bit lazy. I force myself to exercise and stay as on plan as possible with my eating, but it feels just that, forced, rather than something I want to be doing. I'm rolling with it, eating more if I really feel I need to but still eating healthy (better than grabbing burgers and giving up right?) and switching up my exercises a little more.

We just need to get over the hump The most important thing is that you're recognizing it and that you're keeping control this time, rather than falling back into old habits. Nobody said we had to be perfect at this, or be gung ho about it 100% of the time. We just need to keep working at it!

Do you have a face-to-face workout buddy or could you hire a trainer for a few appointments. For some people, it helps to have a pep squad, or someone to be accountable to -- and a trainer might also give you some new ideas to break up the routine and make it more like fun.

singforthedayx,
I know how you feel! I don't necessarily have a time frame that this feeling comes, but rather a look (like when I start to get compliments or I feel skinny walking past a mirror) and I just don't want to work out anymore. But you have to remember what the outcome of that behavior is: going back to the body and feelings about that body that you don't want. I have been doing WW for just shy of 3 weeks and what is keeping me motivated it looking at other posters stats and weight loss stories and knowing that this is not something that happens overnight. It might take a year to see the results you want, but it is worth it.

As far as motivation, have you considered focusing on other goals, such as fitness goals, rather than just eating and weight loss goals? This time around, along with wanting to drop pounds and eat better, I have also challenged myself to run a certain number of miles, do a certain number of pushups, etc. This way, I am working toward a goal that is always moving in the right direction and is helping my other goals. I think that something like that would keep you at least still working out and seeing positive changes in your body and physical strength.

Don't fall victim to this minor obstacle on your journey. This is just a test to show your commitment to a new lifestyle and you will pass. You deserve this!

Aww, thanks for the encouragement, guys... it really helps loads.

crimsons - Yeah, my friend and I are sort of doing this together. Well, we were supposed to. The problem is, I think she's becoming more accountable to me than I am to her. She's not really keeping up with it, even though I try to encourage her. And I think she gets tired of me talking about it honestly... so, it doesn't really work too well lol.

ade omg - Between this post and the one you wrote in the 30DS thread, you've really made my life! lol. Seriously, you have no idea how much that helps me. Knowing that someone is inspired by my own progress *really* motivates me to continue with this and not screw up. THANK YOU. Maybe we should chat off the boards? If you have aim, PM me your screename?

to everyone xoxo