I failed miserably

I decided that I needed to write this because many people are afraid to admit that they failed. I want you to know that you are not alone.

September last year, I decided to lose the extra weight.  I went from 242, down to 205.

Needless to say, I'm back into the 230's, and very depressed. This is a battle that I think I'll face for the rest of my life.

I'm writing this post to remind myself that I did it before, and I'll do it again.

I feel like such a failure.

On the bright side you have less to lose now, you know what it involves because you have done it before..

I agree with bmfan77, this time you will be starting off weighing less than you did before, so that's a triumph in itself! I would suggest making an effort to let the people close to you know what you are trying to do, that way you will have their support. Also, maybe finding a buddy here on CC would help, that way you could have someone to check up with every week and try to help motivate each other.

Good luck!

You aren't alone.

This time last year i weighed 139.  I started again 4 weeks ago at 151.  I've lost 5lbs so far and i just keep in mind that i've done it before so i can do it BUT this time i need to make changes for life, not just until i reach my goal weight and give up like i did last time!

Good luck.  I hope you do well and manage to maintain at a weight that you're happy with.

Nope, you're definitely not alone.  2 years ago I started at 235 and got down to 170.  Back up to 210 over the winter.  Last summer got back down to 175.  Back up to 205 over the winter again.  I'm back hoping the 3rd time is the charm!  I seem to have difficulty maintaining in the winter time so I'm going to work on that.  As long as you're trying . . . you're not a failure!

You are not a failure. In a couple of months when you are back down to 205, remind yourself what it felt like when you gained the weight back. Then you're more likely to maintain it this time around. :)

Good luck. You can do it. Stay strong & stay positive.

You only fail if you dont try, you succeeded in losing 10 over the period and keeping it off. Keep your eye on the goal not on what you dont want and you will get there. You seem to be saying a mixture of positive and negative so just focus on the positive and work out why you didnt get to your goal and go for it again with the new insight.

I failed miserably too. I gained 10 pounds.

You had a setback. Failure would be to lay there and take it, but you're not - you're getting right back up. ^5!

I try not to think of it as a failure, just a bump in the road. 

2.5 years ago I was at 172, last summer I was at 153, this January it was 162, then down to 157, now back to 162. 

You also have to remember that the scale is not the only indicator of how the journey is going.

For instance is I have built *some* good habits.  I exercise regularly, eat healthier, and I know what to do to get rid of it.  I am much stronger, healthier and have less body fat now than I have had in a long time.  My clothes fit better and I have energy to do things. 

Aw! Don't think about it like that. Your post sounds so sad... It's okay! We learn from an early age that we get back up when we fall down. The failing isn't falling, you only fail when you don't get back up again. That being said, falling does hurt. Sometimes a lot. I've struggled with my weight too, and there are pictures in the family photo albums to prove it. Up, down, way up, down. Sometimes I get a bit depressed too, you're definitely not alone... but try to keep positive and stick with it. You can do it! :)

Part of the problem was leaving this site. Coming here every day, and logging my foods helped me tremendously. I just printed my food history, and I can see it's no accident that I gained so much weight back.

It's so easy to gain, so difficult to lose, and keep it off.

I eat less than most people around me, and that's also part of the problem. I have skinny, big eaters everywhere I look. I look at a cookie, and gain a pound.

i failed omce..and gained all hr weight i lost omce..

in feb 08 i was 77 kg..lost 12 kgs ..then gain it back in dec/jan.

feb 09 start again..and now iam 75 kg..13 kgs down ..

everyone fail..but we should never give up..

So with you there.  By December I was down to 160 down from 199.  I am right back to 184.  I am depressed and I can't seem to get back with it.  I know what I need to do but I can't seem to make myself get there.  Every night I tell myself that tomorrow is the day and I will start again but I talk myself out of it every morning.

In all honesty if you continue to log your food and maintain an exercise plan the weight will come off-its not too hard.  You just have to start again.  So every day can be a new start.  That is what you need to do. 

You can do this-you have already proved you can-just keep at it!!!!!!!

Well, it seems that coming back here was the first step. looking at my old menu was the second step.

Talking about it will only inspire me to go forward.

I NEED to be here, and see others like me. It's the only way I'll get back on track..

I know how you're feeling! I lost 25 pounds last year and felt great about it. I needed to lose more, but life wasn't allowing me to go any further (just yet). Every time I saw my mom (my life couch ), she would ask how I was doing on my weight. I'd say I wasn't losing, but I hadn't gained any and she'd be happy for me. Recently I gained 10 pounds. I felt horrible, like all the work I did last year was for nothing. Now I'm hacking away at them again, but this time I'm confident because I know what I did last time. I'm changing my lifestyle and joined a gym again. You're not alone! Good luck!

I think it is good to recognize that you have failed.  No great leader, successful businessman, outstanding student, pro athlete, successful lifestyle changer etc. etc. can possibly say that they have not failed. 

We learn from our failures, we improve ourselves in light of our failures.  It takes a failure for us to start learning what works.  For you, you realized that you need some form of support, perhaps in the form of this website, in order to succeed.  Nothing wrong with that! 

The imporant thing is to, like everyone else has said, get right back up there and have at it again. 

So, instead of starting tomorrow, go for a walk RIGHT NOW.  If you have to take a ten minute break from your office and go run hand deliver something or tell someone in person instead of through an email. 

Good luck!! We are all here to help!

Well you know I promised myself that this time would be different.  I promised myself that I wouldn't obsess and beat myself up every time I stumble like I did in the past.  I promised myself that if I messed up and fell off the wagon, all I'd do is pick myself up, dust myself off, and begin again.  So far I've managed to keep that promise this time, and I suggest you do the sam.  You didn't fail.  You fell off the wagon.  At least this time you know what to do when you climb back on.  That's more than you can say when you began your journey.  Give yourself a break.  You'll be ok.

If no one died as a result of you gaining some weight back, then it's okay.  Chin up, Mr!! Don't be so hard on yourself.  You just have to figure out what to do and what not to do.  Those skinny people w/ the big appetites don't matter to your personal battle so don't compare yourself to them. 

Peace and Love, Anthony!!

This post reminds me of my favorite quotes, I think of it on good days and my not so good days......." If you don't quit, you can not fail."

Regret shouldn't even be an option. Telling yourself that you're a failure is going to do the reverse of what you're trying to become.

Depression is anger turned inwards and just like getting angry at people it does nothing to move the situation forward. Dust yourself off and move on. Accepting, saying "it's okay that I crave these things and I'd like to change this" will take you far and make you feel so very at peace. Living in the moment is the answer! And consider this another success at finding the wrong way of going about things.

Read these:

The four agreements by Don Miguel and

A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle

Watch this woman:

Christine Breese

I don't know your belief system but I can relate- I was in dark places like you are and it's not you- it's something living through you that wants that negativity. I urge you and anyone reading that to check those things above out. Please keep an open mind- for me these things plus therapy have been vital for my transformation inside and out.