Getting back 'on the wagon' - tips and help welcome!!

I managed to get down to 161lbs now am 173lbs n in january i was 166.

I totally blame Christmas but I know in my heart of hearts that it was my fault!

I did the classic all or nothing thing n didn't make a proper change to my lifestyle and now I'm paying the price! :(

I kept a picture diary of my body as it changed shape over the months and I found a picture of me in October 08 and I look fabulous! I can't believe I let that slide, now I feel more like a whale than ever.

Not as big as when I started thank goodness but I really could do with some advice from people.
Maybe the same kinda thing happened to you?

It's so easy to give in to temptation n I have such a sweet tooth n I try not to think about food too much but that makes me think about it more.

Aaaargh, what's a girl to do???

xxx

I must admit that my biggest failures come from being too restrictive or from guilt at having a bad day.  I have found that since I am less strict on having to be exactly on target for my calories, allowed myself a little bit of chocolate every day I am enjoying it more, still getting the same results and not having the shocker days that I did have once or twice a month.

I think that its so easy to go overboard and then try and throw ourselves into it full force and then end up getting frustrated from lack of eating what we want and then we have a little slip and end up hitting ourselves over the head.

Ease back into it, do the right behaviours and it will happen but don't be tough on yourself.   Learn from Christmas, have a plan for Christmas this year and just resume your healthier eating ways you were doing pre Christmas.

I think getting back into a regular exercise routine is the most important thing for me if I ever slip up. Let the food issues take care of themselves for a while, but just really really focus on starting up regular exercise. The feeling of achievement and happy exhaustion after a work out is such a motivator to carry on and do good things for your body. I find that when I exercise, I instinctually want to eat healthy food and find it easier to say no to the junk.

So contact your gym and find out when the aerobics classes are on, or write a chart for yourself with a jog pencilled in every evening and stick to it. Your motivation will come flying back, I promise!

Very good points so far. Being too strict IS setting yourself up for failure in the future - it happened to me, too. HOWEVER you can look at this as a good thing. Now you have motivation for remembering to eat right (portion control, calorie counting, etc): you KNOW what will happen if you let go. But if you do slip up, well, it happens! Nothing a little exercise and planning for the next time won't fix.

Don't despair! You'll get back where you want to be. Just remember those lessons you learned when you were losing the weight the first time. Another thing that really helps is to find a group of people, online or in real life, who have the same goals (to be healthy, lose weight, etc) and keep accountable with them... DAILY. It sure has helped me remembering when I pick up a cookie that I was going to have to 'fess up to my group.

Good advice all around.  Just get started again and take it one day at a time.  I think the most important thing to remember when you get back to where you want to be is to weigh yourself regularly and take steps to correct it when you see a few pounds creeping back on.  That way, it doesn't get out of control.

The first great move you made was to speak up on the forum! Cool! That keeps you in the game, you're just down a little in the sixth inning. You can still win the game. Just keep playing.

A few years ago I lost about 30. Went to get a physical and my evil cholesterol was very high, (Atkins at the time). I very quietly used that as an excuse to quit that diet, ignore dieting and eventually just didn't even think about it...until I noticed the fat was back to the tune of 50 pounds. Hell, I never even noticed it.

Keep your eye on the prize, stay in the game and play to win. You will.

Thanks so much everyone for your pearls of wisdom! I'd forgotten how great this site is and how friendly everyone is.

Lisajb74: that is exactly what i'm like, going over board and getting frustrated when i slip up! A plan for christmas is a good idea then I will be prepared and not let it take over this time round.

Dondons: I've got to admit I dont exercise! I used to walk to work for about 30mins but now I'm unemployed so I can't even do that. I think it's fair to say I've become quite de-motivated since I don't have a job to keep me going and I kinda turned to food as a comfort.
I live at the seaside now so in theory I should make the most of the active feel around here but it's hard to launch into it...

Peppermynthe: That's true actually, use what happened as experience to prevent it happening again. I did have a weigh in group which was each week but the people changed n I didn't feel quite so involved anymore n after a while I kinda slipped away n I think I've been deleted now! So much for a support gropu hey lol. I will look for another group tho, they are very helpful as you say you have to fess up all your sins to them!

Okiewoman: Yeah I'm taking it one day at a time, all you can do really isn't it. Makes it so much easier to cope with too. Gotta get to where I want to be first but yeah that's a good idea, I don't even know how I didn't notice the lbs slipping on.. must've been avoiding the scales lol.

Sasquatch27: I don't quuiiiiite follow the game analogies there but I think I get the general idea lol. Same here I didn't notice the weight had creeped back on either! Thank you, I'll keep my eye on the prize n I WILL win :)

Thanks again everyone! Hope your all doing ok with your weight loss if you need any help I am in your debt now I think! lol xx

I'm in the same boat as you.  I used CC two years ago and had almost reached my goal weight.  Then I decided that I had changed my eating habits enough that I didn't need to count calories anymore.  Now I've gained back over 10 lbs.  I keep up hope by knowing that I lost the weight once before so I can lose it again.  I just have to remember when I get back to my goal that I have to still keep track of what I eat.  I am a member of a friday weigh in group (I just joined last week).  You should join me.  You can do it!