Well, its been while since I've posted here for support. To be honest with you, I've been actually avoiding this site for the past few weeks. I've been doing horrible ever since getting sick. My workouts were on and off, and eating habits are horrible. So, reading the posts made me feel one big fat failure, so I just avoided this site. Well, I am back, because I don't want to get back to where I was before, and give up all of my hard work. For instance like today was going great until I end up eating 3 piece of brownies and bunch of food that I did not needed at the first place. Its getting hard for me to get back on track now days. Before I had one or two cheat days and I would be right back on track the next day. Its not the case anymore, it seems like I'm keep giving myself a excuses to overeat. How do I get back on the track, and lose the last few pounds. Any advice and support will be deeply appreciated. I feel like just giving up, but I realize that I can do it since I came this far. I just need to break the cycle, and get back on track. Please, please, help!!!!

If cheat days are causing issues at the moment, stop them. Toss everything in your house that isn't on plan. Go to the internet, look up recipes for healthy meals for the week - breakfast, lunch, snacks, dinner. Plan exactly what you will eat every day. Go to the store, buy the stuff on your list. Bag up veggies for snacks, make sandwiches, pack lunches in advance. Make a big pot of soup that you can eat all week.

Eat only what is on your plan.

<-- radical, but that's what I do. It's much easier for me to plan my eating in detail. It keeps me on track.

I am pretty much like Glory. I do not have cheat days as I found that my body just didn't like them and it blew all my hard work from the rest of the week. I am happy to do without them until I am at goal, then I'll see how I go. I keep telling myself that being thinner tastes SO much better than any treat ever could. I still treat myself, but it is with low-fat icecream or dried fruit or nuts.

I also work out most of my eating for the week ahead. I don't actually have it written down, but I know basically what my meals and snacks will be. That way, I actually don't have extra food around to snack on. I only buy enough stuff for the week. We don't have cookies or cake (except my dietitian friend's fruit cake, which I'm allowed) in the house, so no temptation.

Oh... and don't forget to take healthy snacks with you wherever you go, just in case you get an attack of the 'munchies' and you are tempted to buy something.

I hope you manage to get over this funk. It will probably be hard for you to consider not having cheat days for a while, but it may be the best move until you can cope with them a little better. I truly feel SO powerful when I pass up something that I know isn't good for me.

Good luck!

Zelma

First of all, you need to stop looking at the days you allow yourself treats as "cheat" days. Who or what are you cheating? Do you see it as cheating yourself? I allow myself treats now and then as well, but when I do, I just count them in with my calories and forget about it. But I also agree with Glory, if these foods are causing you problems, then get rid of them.

Is eating all this stuff really worth putting your weight back on?

I'll bet the answer is no.

I remember how I felt about myself when I was heavy. And think about that when I feel like diving into something I shouldn't. And that usually stops me. Because to me, no food is worth that.

It takes sooooo much effort to do this, and we get really tired! I think that's what does a lot of people in when it comes to weight loss plans. Sure, if you have ten pounds to lose, you can do it in a couple of months. But when you look at how many months of vigilance lie ahead if you are over by 30, 40, 50, etc.--well, it's just tiring!

You have been taking a "rest" from the effort. Are you rested enough now? Do you really ever want to have to start all over again?

Try getting one thing back on track at a time. Like, your workouts. Get back to going regularly, to moving/exercising every day in some way. I don't mean go nuts with food during that time--try to maintain a normal food intake, get your workouts going, and then get more strict with the food once you're back working out.

I hope you succeed! We are rooting for you!

Jay

I wish! lol

I've been trying to get this last 10 pounds off for months now.

But I keep plugging away, I'm sure it will come off eventually. I think one of the reasons it's so hard to get off the last few pounds is you slip into a mindset. Like with tsots's post, we're both 'this close' to goal. And sometimes you find yourself thinking hmmm, I've only got a few more pounds to lose, it won't kill me to eat this pizza.

That might be part of her problem as well because I know I catch myself thinking that same thing now and then. So it's possible she's slipping into that mindset without really realizing it. I have to literally catch myself from thinking that way sometimes. It's like I'm 'bargaining' with myself over my weight. Sometimes I'll even catch myself thinking well heck, go ahead and eat, if you gain a pound, no big deal, you'll just have to take it back off.

It's real easy to start thinking like that. And that's my new battle now. I've got to STOP thinking like that or I WILL put the weight back on.

First of all thanks ladies for your advices. And LLV, you just read my mind and how I think. That is my problem for the last few weeks. I just get into thinking well, if I gain I am going to lose it again, so go ahead and enjoy it. I really hate giving into that trick, but thats exactly what kept me going at the foods that I really don't need. It would be hard to lose the cheat day, but you know what I will take all of your advices and do that. After all I had cheat weeks, so its time for me to put stop to that. I was looking at my pictures from when I was heavier, and felt sick in my stomach. I am going to think about how I felt when I was that heavy and stop myself eating that last piece of pizza or brownie... etc. Thanks again ladies for support. I hope I can get behind this big hurdle and go on with my weight loss.

LLV you might want to check out the "almost there" thread over in Support Groups. We are all trying to get our last 20-10lbs off! Easier said than done!!

I keep buying magazines that promise 10lbs in 10 days and like that! It'd never work!

tsots. I'm giving up "free days" for lent. It meant that last weekend I didn't have a free weekend, just a free day. Which is a vast improvement Next week I'm trying to get it down to a "free meal", so just one treat meal a week.

We can do it

I have a problem with eating too much on the weekends...I wouldn't call them "cheat" days but that's what they become sometimes. I've discovered if I want to lose weight (and consequently maintain that weight) I can never allow myself another "cheat day." There is no real purpose or mental satisfaction from it anyways. A cheat meal is fine but it doesn't have to be the whole day.

As far as planning, I think that is the key to everything, and it's not so weird as you'd think. Do you keep a calendar at work of your appointments? Or do you at least know in your head what your plans are? You are probably planning your week ahead in your mind all the time. You are thinking, "I have an appt. with my boss on Tuesday, doctor's appt on Wednesday, need to pick up Billy from soccer at 4 on thursday..." and you are running that through your mind all week. So why not food? Some of it (like what time you get to work/leave work) becomes second natures. But dinners and weekends you need to PLAN PLAN PLAN. Just stick around here and it will become second nature.

I agree- planning is the key. Every morning I pretty much plan what I will eat all day. That way, I make sure I stick to my calorie alloment for the day. If I know I'm going out to eat (I'll only go to resteraunts I know have something I can eat) I fingure that into the total calories for the day.

Exercise is a great way to get back on track as well. Do something everyday- start with something you like- or at least tolerate (walking maybe) and increase your efforts every couple days.

okay, i know this is a support board, so please don't throw me out of the club...but do you need to lose this last 10 pounds??? i mean, will it help you fit better into the size you are wearing, or are you hoping to drop down into a smaller size?? do you need to fit into a particular size?? maybe your body is happy at the weight you are currently at. maybe it is a very healthy weight for you. my goal is 130 but i really want to drop to 120. but if i reach 130 and am really happy there, i may or may not try to drop that 10 pounds. even if i get to 140 and can't drop to 130, i may decide that i just need to weight lift more to finish toning up the slightly flabby areas. as long as you are healthy at your current weight, don't put too much emphasise on the number on the scale. **i swear i keep hearing this on this very website***

don't get me wrong...i AM being supportive. don't fall back into the same old rut of eating a whole pizza by yourself instead of just 2 slices, but don't let the numbers on the scale tell you who you are and what you are worth.

continue eating healthy. this is a lifestyle change. not just a diet. enjoy life and focus less on the numbers.

***i really hope you understand what i'm say*** good luck to you!!

Thanks guys for your supports. It feels great to hear from you all. I am back on track with my exercises. I used to workout everyday for about 2 hours of cardio and some weights. But now I am working out 6 days a week for 1 hour of cardio and some weights. Its just that my eating is out of order.
Lumifan4ever, I know what you're mean. Thats what I tell myself sometimes that I don't need to be smaller than size 2/4. It depends on the store and I am between sizes 2 and 4. I feel happy with that, coming from size 14 to 2/4 is enough for me. Its just that I have this belly that I would like to lose. I know its impossible to lose all of it, but at least I would like to make it smaller. My stomach got really streched and saggy after having my son. I am thinking may be I need to work on toning rather than trying to lose. I am not sure, its just that 125 is my goal that I set before I started, and even I am happy the way I am now, I feel like reaching my goal. Well, anyways, thanks so much for the supports.

Wow I am just blown away at how much you have lost, and that you went from a 14 to a 2/4 Make sure you are staying healthy and I am SURE you will be at your goal in no time at all ... sometimes all we need is someone who says 'you can do it'

i'm glad you understood what i was trying to say. if you are in a size 2/4, i wouldn't try to lose anymore weight. maybe just tone up. one of the lovely ladies put up a link to a great article about losing tummy fat. i believe it was in the excersize section. i remember back when i was 100 pounds and 5 foot 6, i still had a bit of a tummy. of course, i didn't let it bother me. i think some of us are just prone to have little tummy. since you can't spot reduce, my thoughts are even if you lose that 10 pounds, it won't make much difference in your tummy. your real bet may be looking into a tummy tuck.

good luck on thatthe tummy loss. I hope i'll see a size 2 or 4 again. but not 100 pounds. that is just too thin on my frame.

It's soooo easy to slip into that. I've caught myself thinking that way on more than one occasion in recent weeks. And I've gotta stop doing that or I'll never get the rest of my weight off, lol.