Recommiting-long

Melissasm77

Hello all-

I'm new and wanted to introduce myself.  I have been morbidly obese from the age of 5 (I'm now 33), but last January I hit rock bottom and decided to make some major life changes.  Over the next 18 months I lost 146 pounds and was about 20-25 pounds from my goal weight.  Over the past 6 weeks, however, I have fallen off the wagon big time.  I am definitely a compulsive overeater with binge eating habits that are triggered in particular when I eat sweets/junk food.  Lately I've been eating junk food, fast food, and even larger than appropriate servings of healthy foods.  I am not exercising and I have rapidly gained about 12 pounds.  My clothes are getting tight and I'm feeling pretty miserable.  I had been doing so well and feeling so healthy and happy-I know I need to put the breaks on before it spirals entirely out of control.

One of my biggest struggles right now is that I feel so much better now than I did at 334 pounds.  It is no longer a huge challenge to do everyday tasks.  When I hit rock bottom last January, it was simply too painful to continue the way I had been, so I had to change.  Now, I am feeling happy and have gotten very complacent.  Once I started to veer off my strict eating plan, my compulsive overeating/binge eating reared its ugly head.  It has definitey shown me that I will have to be on my guard for the rest of my life-my food demons have not been vanquished.  I think this has been an important lesson for me, but now it is time to pick myself up and get back into gear.  I want to be as healthy as I can be, but I can admit that as the time to go dress shopping looms near, my vanity is also speaking to me.  Frankly, after all the hard work I've put in, I'd like to look as good as possible on my wedding day. 

I'd like to start posting here for accountability with both my diet and exercise.  If anyone would like to share tips on how you maintain your motivation, I'd love to hear it!

Melissa

hmulvey

You know how good it feels to see and feel a differnce in yourself and you like it. We all fall off the diet wagon, its going to happen, keep telling yourself that you can do it and even if theres a slip up your still going to keep going strong! Does your groom give postive feedback? Thats key, I fell off and mine said that I was looking good and that was enough for me to put down the cookie! Keep going you can do it, YOU ARE STRONGER THEN THE GOODIES!!!

amybear21

Just want to say I sympathize!!! Or empathize actually!!! And I'm also working on getting back on tract!!!! I just started the "Triple Challenge" and created an event for it on FB so I have other people doling it with me and holding me accountable as well as encouraging and supporting each other!!!! 

BTW, the "Triple Challenge" is from the 100 push up challenge site.... they also have sit up and squat challenges so I decided to do all three and call it the Triple challenge! If you're on FB look for the challenge and join!  I did the assessment today and am starting the challenge officially on Monday!

cukimerrydoll

I agree with amybear21.  Set some health goals in conjunction with weight goals.  If you feel good, it's easier to stick with it or to go back to old habits.  But if you set other goals as well, it makes the whole thing easier.

The triple challenge is a good one.  I'm a runner, so I constantly set running goals - 5K, 10K, or other distance goals (first 1/2 marathon on July 4th!).  You can also focus on time - I like to beat myself in races.

Customize goals for what you like to do regularly.  It helps with motivation, boredom, and generally feeling good!

With overeating, try to keep as much healthy stuff around as possible.  As soon as you buy food, separate it into individual servings and even write when you plan to eat it "Lunch, Tuesday 6/15" for example.  That way you can see your diet plan in the face when you reach for a snack.

If you need a binge-eating snack... Try ice water.  The ice gives something to chew and snack on a bit, and since your body has to heat it, it burns a few calories as well (about 4 calories per ounce).

mzkynd

congratulations on your major weight loss, and change of habits. just remember how hard you worked to get where you are, is a very good thing you are able to see  yourself falling into old habits, sounds like maybe you are getting bored and need something new to challenge yourself?

mczo

I think that everyone on this board can relate to everything you've written in some way.  When we really commit ourselves to a diet, work hard and lose weight, often we say to ourselves--I would never go back to my old habits, or my old weight.  But time passes, the commitment fades, old habits creep back, and before you know it, the pounds come back.  It's human nature, and beating ourselves up over it doesn't do much good. 

What's great is that you've recognized it, and you're re-commiting.  You can't change the past, but can definitely shape your future!  Whatever new habits you're going to adopt to lose weight, don't think of it as a "diet" ( as in, I'm going to do this, this and this before my wedding to lose weight).  Because then, after the wedding, the weight may come back.  Try to think of it as adjusting your lifestyle, and adopting new, healthy habits that you want to last your whole life.  And try to get your fiance to stick to a healthy plan too.  Good luck!!

msange727

congratulations on your big loss! i think it is important for you to focus on the fact that you've come so far, as opposed to beating yourself up over the recent backsliding - we've all been there, we're all human! i don't know if you'd be opposed, but perhaps some therapy to get to the core issues of your overeating may help... i used to visit a shrink pretty regularly when i was going through some family issues, and she helped me tremendously with my diet (i was an angry undereater), just by letting me vent; i could talk to her and not withhold food.

just like previous posters said, keep your head up, and know that you are so much better than your bad habits!

good luck - hope to hear from you! :]

Melissasm77

Thank you all for your words of encouragement.  I had a good weekend, so I'm regaining my focus.  I need to remind myself that the temporary high I get from high carb/fatty foods is nothing compared to the happiness I feel when I am living a healthy lifestyle.

I will plan to check in on a regular basis to report my progress.

Thanks again,
Melissa