Hi everyone! I'm new here, so I hope it's OK if I post here.

I've lost a lot of weight in the past three years and now... I gained 12lbs back before I even got to my goal-weight.

I've been plateauing for so long I don't even remember the last time I lost some actual weight.

I know I've been eating badly and not working out enough, but somehow I can't get my motivation back.

There's a little voice inside me that keeps telling me that I'll be stuck at this weight for the rest of my life, and that's just terrifying. I feel like a deer caught in the headlights!

I just returned from my sister's wedding yesterday and gained 2lbs in two days. Now I saw pictures of myself from the wedding and almost started crying.

I feel like I just can't stick with my diet anymore - not to mention drag myself to the gym. It frustrates me so much; I lost 80lbs, but those last 30 just won't come off.

Have you been there? How did you get past this? :/

I'm really stuck and it's killing me.

I've sooo been there I didn't lose as much as you, only 30 but I lost all motivation as well. I just started back up hhis week and it feels amazing too see the weight coming off again you should write a list of reasons why you want to lose these last 30lbs. Think of how amazing it's going to feel to reach your goal! You can do it!!! I sw once "no one ever said I wish I hadn't gone to the gym"

Have I been there? Um, YES! We have really similar stats and I got completely stuck at 165. So stuck that I gave up, and ended up back at 200 lbs. Maybe "gave up" is the wrong term- I feel like "gave up" implies some kind of decision to stop and I wasn't even being that conscious about it. I had some serious apathy and a lack of information going on. It took me like a year and a half of gaining weight before I did something about it! (subtext reads: don't end up like me!)

Thinking back, I honestly have no idea what made me start at it again, except that I hated being fat and doing nothing but sitting around getting fatter. Hated it! I also saw some pictures from my sister's wedding that were slightly horrifying. A couple of things really helped me though. One was finding exercise that was fun, empowering and that I could get excited about. I can't get that excited about getting on an elliptical, but I could get into doing 30 Day Shred and feeling like a bada$$ and that worked for me. I also really tried to connect to the reasons WHY I wanted to lose weight. Finally, I made an effort to really learn about weight loss and nutrition. Educating myself was the best thing I could have done and I've completely changed what I eat and the way I think about food.

You CAN restart, you CAN get to your goals. Now go do it! **high five**

when you plateu you should excercise differently, shake up your routine. Go back to eating healthy, you know how to, youve done it before. Motivation? When you look at those pictures feel pride, not disgust. You wont be stuck there forever youve got to give an extra push. Go out and but a new dress thats 2 sizes too small and make plans to wear it. You'll be shocked at how much that helps lol.

Let's look at this a different way.

You say you lost 80lb and regained 12. So that puts you at a net loss of 68lb. That's amazing! You've lost and maintained that 68lb loss for over 2 years! Most people can't maintain a 10lb loss, much less a 68lb one! So before you do anything else, please congratulate yourself on beating the odds and keeping off that 68lbs and look at your accomplishment for what it is - an accomplishment worth celebrating.

Now, you say you realize you're not eating well and you're lacking motivation to exercise. Maybe try shaking up your exercise routine and doing something you find really fun? If you normally go to the gym and walk on the treadmill, how about going to a state park for a hike instead? I don't know what you enjoy - that's just something I enjoy doing, so I threw it out there, but it can be anything you like doing.

As far as eating - maybe try focusing on food quality instead of calories? I know when I'm in a rut, if I make something really delicious (and not *too* outrageous), it can help me get back on track for spicing up my meals. Maybe a nice bowl of beef bourguignon, or chicken florentine and a caesar salad... rich and a tiny bit decadent while still being good for you and nourishing.

Good luck with whatever you do to get out of that rut!

I noticed you joined the 12 weeks challenge. That will help alot if you get into it. I was in a similar spot before I started the first one (low motivation) and the accountability got me going.

Motivation is over-rated. Don't feel like you need the motivation to do this for the rest of your life right now. You just need to get threw the next hour/rest of the day and then repeat. Once you get a few OP days strung together you'll devolop momentum.

Stay POSITIVE!! probably the most important concept in weight loss. You have alot to be happy about.

"Human motivation works best with small steps. It is most successful when you approach it one day at a time and in 5 pound increments." Dr. Stephen Gullo

Everyone, thank you so much for your kind words!!! They really really helped. Especially reading that you can go on to succeed after a setback is so encouraging.
Thank you!!