HELP. Lost.

Posts: 1,200
10/10/11 10:33 A

Thanks everyone! This was all great advice. I will try to eat better, starting today (well, last night actually) and track everything and drink less wine (maybe better wine). I tried to start my stages over, but that hasn't helped It will help to have a goal, like losing a pant size.. One of my biggest issues is getting back on the scale. I am afraid to do that. But I just have to go ahead and do it. Thanks again.

SparkPoints: (58,777)
Fitness Minutes: (54,159)
Posts: 5,708
10/7/11 9:19 P

www.dailyspark.com/blog.asp?post=life_on_t
he_balance_beam Here's a Daily Spark Blog that I think may help.

I would encourage you to take some time to journal where you think you started letting go of the habits that were helping you maintain the loss. If you can see that in the big picture, it will help you next time those triggers appear.

I always encourage people to consider the difference between a life alter, and a lifestyle. It took me years of yo yo dieting before I figured out a lifestyle that I can maintain. Remember that if you do what you always did, you'll get what you always got...is that something you want?

Start fresh and figure out a lifestyle. Eating (and drinking) is 80% of the picture and you typically cannot workout enough to compensate for a bad eating routine. How can you eat better tomorrow?

Posts: 6,644
10/7/11 7:35 P

Make one change today. Let it become a habit. Make another...ditto.

JWELL, you've discovered (as so many of us have!) that you need a sustainable life, not one that depends on you being on top of the game 24/7. I aim for a 90% 'success' rate; that allows for the occasional 'oops' and still keeps me on track.

Little suggestions: you need to drink less wine? buy better wine; I find better quality things satisfy sooner (cheap chocolate? yucky). Good cheese? a small slice pleases.

Develop patterns you can maintain--this is LIFEstyle, not diet we are trying to learn.

SparkPoints: (14,756)
Fitness Minutes: (7,394)
Posts: 997
10/7/11 2:53 P

You have a couple of choices here.

One is to let it go until you gain all the weight back, and then to try again from wherever that puts you.

Another is to say OK - this is where I am today - I've caught myself before I put on too much, and now I'll start again.

What can you commit to doing? What can you commit to that doesn't require you being as disciplined as you were before, because it sounds like you don't want to go there?

Can you commit to weighing every day, or tracking everything? Perhaps some mild walking, or reducing the amount of working out that you're doing?

This is a learning experience for you - how to do things after weight loss. You have caught yourself after 15 pounds, which way better than some alternatives. You are still working out - again, great!

best wishes!

Posts: 782
10/7/11 2:02 P

Normally, I come here to encourage others, but I am finding myself in the same boat with you. I have lost about 30 pounds and was doing really well until the last couple of weeks. We had a major lifechange and it has thrown everything off. I am eating anything and everything and have no time to exercise (excuse, I know).

I think the advice of starting over is good. I am going to try and get in my water today and be honest about every bite that goes into my mouth and then take it from there.

How do you get in exercise when you have 5 children to care for in addition to a full time job???

Posts: 4,421
10/7/11 1:38 P

My first recommendation is to start back at the beginning - many of us have been here (myself included) and trying to jump back in with both feet is a good way to set yourself up to fail. If you can, start back at the First Spark Step, and work on tracking your food and getting your water. Set out your goals and make them personal and something that you are striving for... not just to lose weight by some ambiguous date - but what do you want to achieve? A size smaller, to be able to do more pushups, to run a 5K - something that is a goal FOR YOU.

HUGS - you can do this, and sometimes finding our motivation again can be hard... but it is there. Just take the time to bring it back to the surface, and start small.

Posts: 1,200
10/7/11 1:04 P

Okay, 2 years ago I lost almost 30 lbs on sparkpeople. I was dedicated and tracked my food religiously, every day, every meal. I worked out 6 days a week and I tracked that. I hit a long plateau and gave up. I drink more wine now. And NOW, I only track my exercise and have gained half of it back. I still work out 4-5 days a week, but I am gaining and I know it. I have less drive to work out and eat right. I am so down about my weight coming back and I feel no desire to work out. I was so disciplined and now I am not. HOW DO I GO BACK to being so disciplined? It feels impossible. I feel so lazy!