[txlawchic]

Hello all!

I wanted to share this and get some input if possible on my newly discovered self-sabotaging ways! I've have been on a perpetual diet for as long as I can remember and it hasn't been until recently that I have realized that I am a major self saboteur.

In this my 3rd and predictably successful journey down the WW road , I have discovered that when the numbers on the scale get smaller - I give myself license to eat off plan - way off, off and beyond points!

In my mind I'm thinking, "I'm down 2 lbs., so this cheeseburger isn't going to make a difference" and/or I reward myself with food for losing weight.

I don't how long I've been doing this, but it has definitely been going on for much longer than I've been on WW; which is probably one reason why I yo-yo like crazy. I mean come on, it's probably not a good idea to reward an alcoholic a celebratory glass of wine for being sober. Why is my go to reward - food? And I've just made the connection!!!! I'm asking myself, 'what the%#^ am I doing?'

Does anyone else do this or any other self-sabotage behavior? I am baffled why I am doing this, but I guess half the battle is realizing that I am doing it. My mindset really needs to change. Geez!

[boyzthree]

You sound just like me. I lost over 30 pounds last year on WW and had maintained it until July of this year where due to issues in my life I gained 5 pounds by emotional eating. Then because I had gained, I figured WHATEVER and really started overeating and eating all the bad foods. I gained another 2 pounds and I am BARELY fitting into the clothes that I worked so hard last year to get into.

You are right that half the battle is recognizing that you are doing it, the other things are recoginzing WHY???, what is going on in your life that you are using food as a crutch?

Try and go back to when you were following the program and how you felt. Did you feel better, did you have more energy, did it help you get past the bad behaviors? Remember it's a journey and a life style change and you have worked too hard to give into the "demons".

[ms.keq]

I do the exact same thing. I think part of the reason we do it, is that society traditionally celebrates with food. Think about it- Thanksgiving, Christmas, if someone gets a promotion we go out for dinner.

I have started rewarding myself with non-food treats. Every 5 pounds, I get a little treat like a new nail polish or an Instyle magazine. For 25 pounds my husband bought me a grab bag full of Chanel make-up!

I know it is really hard. Sometimes when I want to clebrate with food (for me it is usually a BIG glass of red wine! ) I try to remmeber my goal and how much I hate being fat. I hate being fat more than I want that red wine!

[Quest_2B_Thin]

Sometimes I feel like the queen of yo-yo dieters. I have lost 55 lbs, 65 lbs, 45 lbs, etc. only to end up weighing more than before I started. Part of it is old habits are VERY hard to get rid of, some we may never be able to completely defeat. That old saying that it takes 21 days to form new habits is BS as far as I'm concerned.

So the answer for me now is to be vigilant and to weigh in every day. I am not thrown by the vagaries of the scale as long as I know I'm doing the right things. The body is not a linear machine, but it will lose weight if less goes in and it gets physical activity. I know some of the psychological reasons that I eat (comfort being a huge one), but I'm sure there are some triggers I don't recognize. But it doesn't matter. I have to be stronger than my emotions at times and stick with what I know will make me happy, whether I want to or not. I know from experience I can get over the "poor me" hump and be happy again eating healthy and exercising. I just can't give into the brat anymore.