I have gained back 25 lbs since April of this year and cannot get the motivation to get back on track.... however I know if I put in two months it will come off... what is wrong with me????? I need help I feel horrible...

fear? Where you are scares me to pieces. If I could help, I would but right now I'm very busy trying to help myself. You know how hard this is. You decide.

What is the one thing I could say to you, to make you change your mind about how you're treating yourself?

Consider the possibility that this Ideal Protein diet isn't right for you. I suggest talking to your doctor or a nutritionist to explore other options, and in the mean time there are a ton of diet reviews on 3FC where you could start looking for other plans that could work for you.

You're not alone, so don't worry - we're here to support you in any way we can!

One of the dangers of a PSMF type of plan like the IP diet is exactly what the OP is going through.

You know you can take the weight off quickly so you fall off the wagon and proscrastinate getting back on.

As others mentioned - I'd suggest a different diet plan. It's not that you haven't lose any weight - you've gained 25 lbs since April. Lets assume 20 of those lbs are fat. That's about 5lbs of fat per month. On average this means you're eating about 600-700 more calories a day than you should be. This is easy to do.

Why are you procrastinating?

IP is well known for being a very strict program. Are you fearful of going back on an incredibly strict plan? Are you figuring "oh it'll come off in 2 months, so it can wait"? Are you having too many "one last hurrah before I go back" days?

Something has got to give, even if you don't want to go back to IP right now... maybe you need to find a more flexible program that will allow you to at least maintain so that you don't end up gaining even more.

I was telling my coach yesterday that I had found a piece of paper where I recorded my weight as I was on the eat clean diet. I found that although I felt very good and also virtuous I hadn't been losing any weight. She said that's a great diet for maintaining but for getting where you want to go fast, nothing beats IP.

So I guess I'm suggesting you decide whether you want to STOP the downhill slide and maintain - in which case find something like eat clean. Or get back on IP for just a month and then something you can live with in the long term.

By the way, Eat Clean is very easy - you just eat a balanced meal - protein, carbs fat every 2 1/2 to 3 hours. You never get hungry and because you eat balanced every time - few cravings. But you also can't have sugar, white flour or any artificial stuff. I actually really liked it but I like the results of IP way better.

I had a very stressful and difficult few months myself and after 2 years of maintaining I quickly gained back 15 of the 42 lbs. I had lost. I had to nip that in the but before it got completely out of control. So I went back on IP for the mere fact that it works and I could regain my self-esteem. So here I am 5 weeks in on the program and not really sure why but the weight is not falling off like I remember it should, maybe its because I don't have that much to loose but this time its different. But that said I have lost 8lbs so far not as quick as I would have liked but it is working. I say just get back on and you'll feel better about yourself. Then work on staying in control. Try to figure out why you lost your way and how you will not get back on that path. Its 100 percent up to you and you alone! Yes, in 2 months you may have lost the weight you gained but if you don't figure out why you gained it back in the first place or get to the root of the problem you may just spiral out of control again. Best of luck to you, it is a difficult journey.

I would suggest getting back on plan and then when you lose it, start some type of weight watchers/calorie counting maintenance plan.

your fear is probably that this is strict and even though you say its two months, you know that to maintain it, some version of a strict diet will be with you the rest of your life...however you could do the strict diet, lose the weight, then do a diet plan that doesnt limit your food, just limits your calories....

or you could go straight to WW or something similar and lose slower but in a less painful way!

I've been worried about this myself because I've lost and gained the same 25 or so pounds 3 other times since having my 8 year old daughter. (I got pregnant in there one more time also.) I have never made it to goal yet and this time I WILL. I don't want to keep fighting this fight so I am planning on being the scale **** and if it goes up more than 5 pounds I will jump back to Phase 1.

I think you just need to do it. Weight loss is such a head game. Get your head in it and you can do it all over again.

Don't start a diet if you're not ready to start, physically and mentally. You will spend a bunch of money without results. You need to be 100% commited, if you are 95% commited it is going to be a waste. Get organized, get your fresh groceries and put yourself on a deadline. A lot of smart phone applications are available for you to track your food intake, calories, etc. You have to be ready to make sacrifices and give up and/or lower your intake of high fat/high sugar foods. Good luck!