I find that when I'm steady with my eating & exercise, and I see the scale creep down, I think to myself "Wow, this feeling is way better than ice cream or cookies or etc..." And I try to burry that feeling into my head so I dont ever go back...

I lost 25lbs from August-the beginning of November & my total weight loss from November & December is 3.2lbs (!!!) Ever since I booked my trip to Europe for March & wanted to look super cute, I feel I've been sabotaging myself. That & the holidays man I really did horribly there too..
I didnt want to write this post so badly, I've written many then got back on track, I just wish I could have that click, and DO this, and never go back!
I think my problem is that I dont have a concrete plan- I dont know if that would actually help?, but I could eat 1500-1600 cals a day loose about 2lbs a week, but I feel so "behind" and I want to look totally different for Europe, (& for the rest of my life of course, but I cant go back & redo the pictures when Im skinny too easily!), so I aim for 1200-1300, but then give into temptations all the time!!!
I live with my dad & sister while I'm in school & they love to eat really yummy horrible for you foods- so they are always around!
I just need to get back on my roll & when I remember how good it feels I wont want to go back to the ice cream or going out to eat every night, but I just dont know how to get back to that!
PS a ginormous thank you in advance to all of you that encourage & reply- you see tons of posts like this every day yet you still give of your time to encourage! & thats awesome...

DotK ~ As I was reading your post, I thought that maybe the reason you are getting off track or binging is that you are trying to go too low in your calories -- what about going half way? Say 1400-1500 calories a day and lose 1.5 lbs a week? Your body would not panic so much if it feels that it has enuff nutrients to sustain your body well. Do you also take a daily multi-vitamin? That can assure that you get enuff of your basic nutrients too.

The other thing is to fill up on low-cal foods like lots of veggies and salads; see what foods you can eat more of or are more filling like a good whole grain cereal or oatmeal for breakfast; soup or salad & wg lean meat sandwich for lunch; fruit for snacks; lean meat and lots of steamed or roasted veggies for dinner, etc.

The other thing is BE PREPARED ... or be sure to PLAN AHEAD so that you won't be tempted to eat out every night. If your family wants to do that, let them; but you don't have to go with them. You could allow yourself to have lunch out one day on the weekend but just choose what you have so that it stays within your daily calorie allotment and/or save the calories for it.

When they indulge in junkies around you, go to your room or another part of the house where you can't see them doing that. Be sure to have some healthy snacks in your home so you can grab one of them and go somewhere else, if needs be (ie yogurt, raisins, fruit, fiber bar, a cheese bell/stick, etc).

Try to stick to plan about 90% and you will still lose weight; perserverance is better than perfection. Aim for your goal, but realize that extremes are not working for you. Too much or too little causes many people to give up; so aim for the middle -- balance ... hope this helps you a bit ...

First off, you're doing great, and you CAN do this. So keep that in mind to start.

Second, it may be that by eating so little, you're actually sabotaging yourself. When you eat too little, your hormones that control hunger get sort of out of control. If your body thinks it is starving, it'll start cranking out the hormones that make you feel hungry, so you overeat. That means you try to eat 1200 calories, but give in so much easier to temptation that you end up overeating. It might be better, long-term, to set a more modest calorie goal (like the 1500 you mentioned) that you can stick to, instead of an extreme one that leaves you more vulnerable to temptation.

If you do want to stick with that lower calorie level, what are you eating? With 1200 calories, you have no room for error in terms of nutrition. Eating foods that aren't filling or nutritious are going to make it hard to stick to that 1200 calorie level, again because your hunger hormones will get out of whack. So can you give us a sample day's menu?

Thank you both! I do plan ahead, make my meals before work or type in what Im going to eat today on myplate for tomorrow & I do take a vitamin daily... But then at work I'll see the cookies or donuts out or my favorite kind of ice cream my dad just bought or the pizzas/pastas they get nearly every night & I give in! Its 90% of the time toward the end of the day when I get so weak & give in if that means anything...
Honestly Manda, I dont have a sample menu cause what I plan to eat is so much different than what I do eat!
Heres what I planned to eat today:
breakfast- fiber bar, (140 calories)
before work out- 1/2 banana (50 calories)
lunch- 70calorie bacon, 1 egg, 2 egg whites, smart balance margarine, 1/2 cup cheese and 1 slice 100cal toast (370 calories)
dinner- edemame & one sushi roll (have plans to go out to dinner) (600 calories)
desert- half a dark chocolate bar (which i already ate!)

but then I had like 6 hershey's kisses cause they're sitting out & left over from Christmas- gonna go throw them out right now!!
& I had about 1.5 servings of the ice cream my dad got, so theres an extra 350ish calories!
SO annoying! & what worries me is once I get the sugary taste I just want more, & the days not over.. guess thats why I posted on here!
Thank you two again so much!

I'll be honest and say I think you are trying to eat way too little. I mean, 140 calories for breakfast? It's so so difficult to resist things like chocolate and ice cream, it's going to be even more difficult if you are barely eating. You've done great and you can keep at it!!! But it doesn't sound like the lower calorie end is working for you and that is perfectly okay.

TO YOU ~ I feel your frustration and have/am living it right along with you ... I gave away and/or tossed a lot of junkies this Christmas; and just today, I crushed some crackers and gave them to our birdies.

OK, the half chocolate bar for dessert ... hmmm ... needs to be replaced with a fruit or diet chocolate pudding (only 60 calories). Same for the ice cream, sub it with the pudding or yogurt since ice cream is a problem for you.

The planned dinner out ... why? Dieticians say that you should plan to eat at home most of the time. If you do eat out, pick a place where you can have a nice dinner like grilled chicken or steak and a salad for instance. Even with the dinner you did plan, the snacking is getting to you.

YOU NEED TO GET ALL THAT JUNK OUT OF THE HOUSE PRONTO!!!

Can you ask your Dad to please not buy your favorite ice cream? And get something else instead? As for the junk at work ~ can you not avoid the food that is there? Who put the food there? Is it there all the time? Why I ask is that maybe you could go for a walk or have your break in another place. That is what I did. I went searching and found other places to have my break and went for walks too.

Also I think your breakfast is a bit skimpy which may be causing a problem. If you don't eat enuff earlier in the day, you are ravenous by lunch or dinner and eat all the wrong things. I had that same problem, so now I have a heartier breakfast. How about Instant Oatmeal? Do you like it? That would be so fast to make and with a banana would be a better breakfast.

Actually your lunch was OK. That dinner seemed high in calories for the little you got to eat. You need volume and high-nutrient foods like Amanda said. They help fill you up and fool your body into thinking you've had lots to eat.

You may need to be a bit ruthless with yourself for a few days -- meaning take measures to avoid and get rid of the things that are derailing you. BTW, I agree with Amanda completely ...

A suggestion ~ write out your menu according to what foods you have on hand in your home (after getting rid of the junk). Then go one meal at a time; pick things you like and can stick to. Pick foods/meals that are quick and easy so you don't have any excuse to change the plan.

True! I like the 10cal Jello's too, but when I see that ice cream he got & theres a whole tub staring at me... That wins over some plain ol jello lol...
I have asked him & my sister to try to eat healthier with me since they are both overweight as well, but that lasted about a week & they prefer the way they are eating... and I cant ask much more than that seeing as I moved back in here nearly rent free to finish school... so I'll have to find a way to withstand all my weakness inducing foods here...
& I work at a nursing home so the administration or patients families bring in treats & thats why they are always around... As far as breaks, thats a chuckle, I work 13 hour days & rarely if ever get my 30 minute break, let alone time to pee! I think thats why I eat the donuts, quick & easy energy! But of course guilt & a sugar crash 30 minutes later

Yay I just wanted to share with you all that my dinner out was canceled & I went shopping for healthy stuff I'll actually want to eat, & ate a dinner keeping me within 1500 calories !! Here's to hoping today is day 1 for the rest of forever!

Hey there! I always plan to lose weight for overseas holidays too and go on diet but I usually set my calories too low, keep on the diet for a week then binge, then get stressed out by the looming date and eat more and by the time my travel dates arrive, I've actually gained more weight!! This time around however, I stayed on my eating plan, with realistic goals and kept motivated by thinking about the pretty clothes i was going to buy. It actually worked! My advise, dont starve yourself because you'll end up giving to temptation esp with your dad and sister's way of eating. Snack on protein rich food, esp low fat yogurt (check the ones that dont have added sugar or thickner), flavoured tuna (not in oil), handful of nuts (walnuts are great but remember nuts are fairly high calorie so not too much) and low fat cheese. They keep you full and stable your blood sugar so you are less likely to get hungry and binge. Good luck!!

Thank you!!

Of course you need a plan... it doesn't have to be a plan with a name. It needs to be the plan you make for yourself.

If you really want to lose weight you will stay away from the foods that are not on your program. You have a goal that isn't too far off. Figure out a meal plan that will satisfy you and keep you between 1200-1800 calories and you can lose 2 pounds a week. Start at 1800 and if needed go less.

DRINK WATER or Crystal Light.

i must say the ladies here have covered really everything i was going to say to you as any advice! lol.

heres a hug so you remember that you have come SO FAR! and you're doing a wonderful job!!

and remember enjoy europe and don't let your weight stress you out to the point of where you cant enjoy yourself!!

I definitely relate to the "OMG, get this off before the trip!" thing, then going all crazy and totally gaining everything back because I try to over-restrict. I'm not ever going to do that again, even though it is so tempting to try at times. If you get yourself back on a sensible plan (I agree with ~1500 calories) and stick to it, you will lose a decent amount by the time your trip rolls around. You won't necessarily be close to goal, but I bet you will be feeling really good about yourself and feeling really good in general!

From the menu you described, it definitely looks like you could be eating MORE for your calories, stuff that might fill you up better. AND I think it's a detox thing, too. I think the first 3 days to a week are the very hardest in terms of cravings and hungries, and by indulging in the little treats here and there, I feel like you are keeping yourself in the hardest phase of any plan indefinitely. I know moderation works really well for a lot of people, but I'm discovering for me, if I indulge (as I definitely did over Christmas), then a really good 3 days of eating great/clean will get me back to my new normal -- of being satisfied with my calorie range and not climbing the walls for snacks -- even when they are right in front of me. That 3 days can be uncomfortable and squirmy, but then it's smooth sailing. That's how it is for me, anyway!

Congrats on what sounds like an AWESOME trip!

Thank you all for the tips!!! & maybe I will do a 3 day detoxification thing to get back to being satisfied with what I get if today isnt as successful as yesterday...
& I do have a plan now!!
Thank you all

Get rid of fake foods like Fiber One Bars and switch to whole foods like oatmeal with pumpkin, same calories but actual food that your body can use.

I see a lack of lean protein and whole grains. Try chicken breast with brown rice and a mess of veggies at lunch.
Fruit snacks, lots more veggies throughout the day.
Dairy?

You definitely need a plan. I like WW because of the Good Health Guidelines, so I know that I need to get my dairy, healthy oils, veggies, fruits, whole grains, lean protein in every day - it helps guide my meals.

And if I notice the scale creep, I have my plan to return to to guide me.

Figure out a plan that works for you, but really the more whole, unprocessed foods you can eat, the happier your body will be and the more efficiently it will use the food.