I was doing so well! I had lost 65 pounds, you know?

But then...ugh. I went away for two weeks in July, and it was so easy to slip off the wagon. And to make a long story short: I have gained twenty pounds.



There are a couple of things that are contributing to this in a major way. Number one: I *never* was the type to eat three meals a day. Not that I was starving myself, but the thing is, I just never ate "lunch". It just wasn't something that I or my family ever did, really (well, not since high school for me, anyway.) Now I'm working a 9-5 job and it just seems like the day is regimented, you know? I get an hour-long lunch break and it just seems like, "Oh, it's lunch time, so I have to eat." So those are calories that, before, I wasn't consuming, and that has to be causing a difference.

And then there's the fact that I work in a mall, where there's a damn McDonalds. I wish I could say that I have the willpower to resist it, but I often don't. I don't eat it every day, but I usually have it twice a week.

I just wish I knew how to curb this! It's really hard for me to come up with healthy lunch options. We don't have a fridge in our lunchroom (well, it's not a lunchroom anyway; we just eat lunch in our back room where we keep all our stock) so it's pretty impossible to bring something that needs to be refrigerated. I get sick of the same thing over and over, but it's so hard to think of things to make/buy!

And then there's the fact that it's difficult to get to the gym when I'm working from 9-5. By the time I get home from work in the evenings, I'm usually so tired that I just can't work up the get-up-and-go to get my butt over there. I walk back and forth to work every day (it's a twenty-minute walk) but that just doesn't seem like much.

I am so disgusted with myself. I don't want to give up because I worked so hard to get where I am...but I just feel like I can't get started again.

HELP!

PB&J for lunch? It sounds lamesauce, but it's filling, delicious, doesn't need refrigeration, and isn't messy to eat. Also, pack some fruit or crackers to nom on? Basically, I think you need an alternative for McDonald's. That's definitely a no-no, tho I'm sure you don't need reminding lol.

You can totalllllllyyy do this, you lost 65lb for goodness sake. You got this

I looooooooove peanut butter, OMG. It's what I usually have for lunch when I bring lunch to work. I'm definitely going to have to stock up on fruit too (I love apples and pineapple, especially). I think I'm going to have to make a "healthy foods" shopping list and stick to it.

Thanks so much for the encouragement. I CAN do this. I just need support -- and sometimes to have others remind me that I can.

READY AIM!!! BUTT KICKING COMMENCING!!!
(after I give a butt kicking...I give a hug to let the person know...it's not personal. It's to help)

Maybe invest in an insulated lunch bag or small lunch box? I've seen inexpensive ones in a few chain stores or online. One of those should keep your foods cold long enough, especially if you take them out of the fridge right before you leave. Or look for one with an "ice pack".
I buy larger bags baby carrots & put a handful in a zippy bag, grab an apple, & I even have a small zippy bag of soy nuts. Instead of soda, I have a fruit flavored sparkling water. I have something sweet, something salty/crunchy & all of it's healthy.
Not only will this be healthier & better for you, but cheaper also! Good luck! Let us know how it goes!!

If you must go to McDonald's get a side salad or get something off the dollar menu, they are much smaller than the regular items. That's what I do when I give in to fast food temptation. Don't feel bad if you do end up eating there, just try and make it "healthier". I usually take things like fruit and granola bars to work or those little baggies of instant oatmeal. Good luck girl, you've done it before and I hope I can one day say I've lost as much as you

You don't even need to necessarily take a "lunch" if that's not what you're used to doing - you can, like some people have said, just take a few healthy snacks with you and munch on them over your lunch break!

Snoofie, I can totally relate. It is so easy to fall off the rails, and so hard sometimes to get back on. But you can do it!

First of all, you don't have to be at work until 9:00 (I wish). That is plenty of time in the morning to get up and do an exercise video or some weights or something. Or do some mall walking on your lunch break. You said you walk to work, so that is actually a very good start.

I take an insulated lunch bag with an ice pack. I usually take sandwiches, but sometimes I take a salad with chicken or tuna on it for protein. I also take Greek yogurt and fruit for snacks. If you are really wanting to get off the McDonald's habit (and I strongly suggest it), just mentally put an "Off Limits" sign on it. That's what I had to do with a Tim Horton's that is near my work. I even changed my routine so that I don't drive past it and be tempted. Maybe you could make McDonald's a once a month treat?

Start fresh today. Sit down and make a plan for the upcoming week. We are all here for you. You can do it!

First, take a deep breath. Just the fact that you came here looking for help is an important step!

If you're in a mall, I'm guessing there are other food options available? Maybe if you let us know what places are in the food court we can help offer suggestions about what to order there? Also, I really like the salads at McDonalds. I'm a vegetarian and I order them without chicken and they're usually big enough where it's filling even without the protein.

I've worked places, too, where we didn't have a fridge or anything so, like Judy Lynn suggested, I'd use an insulated lunch bag with an ice pack. Helps keep it cold. And if lunch isn't your thing, then do the small snack ideas. Like maybe celery and peanut butter, carrots and dip, apple and cheese, etc. Something to help keep you satisfied so you don't feel like McDonalds is your only option.

Grab a couple pieces of toast, some Peanut butter to go cups and a banana and have a peanut butter banana sandwich. SO freaking good and will curb your carb and sweet tooth craving. Take some apples and dip them into the PB.. or grab some caramel to go cups and dip your apples into the caramel.

Take some nuts or some Granola bars and yogurt (Dip those bars into the yogurt. SO good too)

You do have a lot of options to go with for lunch. Make your sandwich and walk around the mall. Window shop. Go outside and find a curb to sit on and eat and enjoy the fresh air. Avoid the food court.

Also, you don't have to eat lunch. Go for a walk instead. Go to the bookstore (if there is one) and browse the books. Bring a book and an easy snack and read and snack. If you aren't a lunch eater, don't eat lunch, use your lunch for something else.

Thanks for the advice, everyone! There's no food court in the mall (VERY small town) so McDonalds is really the only fast-food place for me to avoid. *L*

I'm going to take some of your ideas and implement them. First things first, I'm going to invest in a good, insulated lunch bag (which is something I should have done a while ago, anyway.) And then, on Wednesday (my day off) I'm going to go shopping for some healthy options for lunch, for days when I really don't feel like eating "lunch", you know?

Thanks again for the tips.

Some great ideas here, I would also throw out the idea of low sodium V8 if you like it. I have that sometimes with and apple or with a snack bag of peanuts, it fills a craving I guess.

I would also say maybe watch Supersize Me if you want to get off the McD's cravings, there's really not too much that's good for you there, the other thing you could do is designate a "treat day" and that's the only day you could go to McD's or have whatever treat, maybe something else will be worth more to you for a treat. At least that would get you to once a week instead of twice and put you in control rather than McD in control.

Congrats on your 65 lb. loss, get that 20 off now before it becomes more, you did the big job, you only have to lose less than a third of what you did before - easy peasy...

good luck