Why is it so hard to hang around 3FC when you're down?
Anyone else find this?
I weighed in this evening (randomnly, out of curiosity; I normally do it in the morning before I've eaten anything.) and was at 139.8. This is only the third time in 4 years or so that I've been under 140 lbs, and it makes me GLOW. (I haven't stayed there permanently yet tho..) But immediately I thought, "3FC!" wanting to shout it from the rooftops to people who don't think you're completely crazy for obsessing over things like "being back in the 130s."
But... two and a half weeks ago, when I was eating pasta, avoiding the gym, and pushing 144 lbs, feeling down about my gain, and totally disgusted with my lack of willpower... why wasn't I on 3FC? Maybe it would have pushed me back on track more quickly. Maybe seeing other peoples' successes, and giving other people encouragement would've coerced me to start eating better and working out THEN, instead of me using all my will-power to DRAG myself back on track weeks later, and only after the scale and the steady gaining scared the crap out of me. (I have gotten back on track, for the past 4 days I haven't eaten more than 1,300 calories a day, and I've been to the gym 3 times!)
Why is it so hard to report to 3FC when you've fallen off the wagon?
Guilt & Avoidance. I usually can judge how well I'm doing based on how often I post/visit this site...the more I post/visit, the better I'm doing, when I'm avoiding 3FC I'm usually struggling. If I'm not on plan I want to avoid this forum like the plague because: 1. feel guilty that I'm being bad, and 2. I want to avoid acknowledging my bad behavior, lol.
Goodness, I know what you mean. People on this site are here to support, not to criticize. There are times when I stopped posting for also being ashamed of myself and how I was doing. I should have kept posting my struggles instead of hiding them, that is what this site is for. I was thinking about it the other day, and when I reach my mini-goals, this is the first place I want to come and say it, because I know I will be encouraged to keep at it.I guess I feel I am letting others down when I am not doing well, even though the only person I am letting down is myself.
BTW, Congrats on making it into the 130s again! That must be an exciting accomplishment for you! Here is to hoping it is permanent! If you feel you have a lack of willpower again, post. We are here to support you, as you very well know!
Its the guilt. When I weigh in heavy or am not doing as well as I know I should I avoid here because I don't want everyone to know that I am cheating or slacking.
The great thing about 3fc is you're always welcome back
What helps keep me coming even when I'm not doing so well weight-wise is the exercise challenge thread. Going to the gym is one thing I feel like I have control over, so I can always come here and add to my monthly exercise log. Because I definitely have those times too when I'm not eating how I want to be and feel like a failure, and would rather not come shout that from the rooftops :/
I don't avoid because of guilt so much as I don't want to litter the forums with negativity. I come here for advice and good examples, not to repeatedly bemoan my slip-ups. Honestly, though I've found the threads very useful, just reading sympathetic responses does not cheer me up. I need real-life hugs, not animated-GIF-ones, so there's no reason to spread the black clouds.
Plus, nobody will ever be able to solve my problems as well as me, because I'm the only one in my head! In the past, when I've expected strangers in cyber-space to help, I've been disappointed or even irrationally angry that they don't magically divine aspects of the situation that I didn't tell them! So I prefer to take some time off and straighten myself out before coming back; it keeps my relationship with the 3F Chicks positive
I agree with tkm, it's not always guilt. For me, I'm just not the type that is helped by all the enthusiasm or being told I just *have* to get back on it, etc., And that's what you get when you post you're having trouble. It just does a big reverse psychology number on me. And I'm not saying anyone does anything wrong. It seems to be immensely helpful to lots and lots of people. Me, it just makes things worse. Now, *if* I'm already on board and gung ho, it all sounds great. But I can't take it unless I'm already there.
Oh gosh, I dont know. But I know that's true! If I'm off track I guess I just feel embarrassed, when really I should be coming here for support, cuz that's what we're all so good at!
But this site is so helpful and helps me stay on plan. So sometimes I wonder, am I avoiding 3FC because I'm not doing so hot? Or am I not doing so hot because I'm avoiding 3FC?
Last edited by Latchkey Princess; 02-12-2010 at 03:07 PM.
I'm embarrassed by my failure, especially when I see all the other girls logging in how much they exercised and how well they're doing. It makes me feel like I'm such a slacker. On the flip side, when I have been good 3fc inspires me to keep going (:
For me it is because those few I am off in "Candyland" I am not acknowledging exactly what I have going on. But when I post it brings it to front street that I am not couinting my points the way I should or running as much as i'd liek to. I know that by coming on here and talking with my "cyber-buddies" that I will get back in gear. But I still don't do it until I am ready to stop playing around. I guess it is the same as how if I know I have been doing well I will skip a WW's WI so I am not faced with the reality of what I have been doing.
Everyone has already said it. Guilt and avoidance. It's fun to talk about our success...not so fun to talk about our failures. I've had a few not so great weeks where I don't even want to get near 3FC. I had a bad night last night (I was making Valentines Day treats for my boyfriend...rice crispy treats, M&Ms, and melted chocolate chips are NOT good for my diet, lol). But I force myself to try to post at least once a day. For accountability. I even made a thread a couple weeks ago that said "Hey, I'm still here, I screwed up this week, but I'm back on track and staying accountable." I didn't even expect people to reply to it, but people did because we've all been there
I do the same thing. I just get in a mode where I know what I should be doing, bu I'm too lazy to do anything- eat right, workout or post on here. I'm happy there are so many people willing to be so nice no matter how many times I'm "starting fresh"
Definitely all about the guilt and embarrassment... I know we shouldn't feel embarrassed because we all slip up now and then, but when you see that everyone else is still on plan you feel a bit crappy!
But I guess the good thing is we all come back at some point, we know we're always welcome back and that's special
Why is it so hard to hang around 3FC when you're down?
Now, *if* I'm already on board and gung ho, it all sounds great. But I can't take it unless I'm already there.
