I fell off the wagon--for FOUR MONTHS

I just have to vent--at myself--but maybe I can get some support to get myself back on track.  Life has been over the top crazy and insane and I just haven't paid attention to me or my diet.  As a result, I've gained back 21 pounds of the 40 I lost!  What a waste!  Today, for the first time since July, I added to my food log.  I ate 3000 calories, and this is what it's been like for months.  Of course, Halloween didn't help!

I'm hoping to get the discipline to at least write down what I eat in the hopes that seeing it in black and white will stop me from eating one more piece of candy.  Actually, I'm sick of chocolate, so I don't even know why I'm eating it!  What can I say?  It's my drug of choice!  Help Calorie Counters!  I need some cyberfriends to encourage me!!

Lol! You can do it! If you lost 40, half that should be a walk in the park. =P

I definitely find that writing everything down keeps me on track. I fight with it because I want to just "know" how many cals I should eat, but going back to a few weeks of strictly counting really opens my eyes to what calories come from what again.

Good luck!! =)

doc_c, dont feel bad. I fell off the wagon for a good four months but I am trying to get back on track. I realize that it just takes time and patience to lose those pounds again. 

I have gained 40 pounds back and I know how you feel. But we can do it again. Time will pass by very quickly and you will not notice it. Maybe by Jan 1st, 09 , you will lose those 20 pounds and be very proud of your self. so why dont you start now? set goals... email me if you like.

All the best.

Don't feel bad, I fell off the wagon for 2 months and it was so hard for me to get back.  I was super ashamed to come back to calorie count because I felt I wasn't worthy! I couldn't count calories, and whenever I messed up I had the all or nothing mentality.  Then, I realized that I couldn't keep living like that.  I gained back about 15lbs that I lost.  I went from 113lbs up to 128lbs, I believe.  I still am working it off, but it feel so much better to be back.

Take baby steps is my advice.  We all fall off the wagon, and it's good that you know you did and that you want to work on it.  Take your time, remember it won't come off overnight, it's going to take hard work, commitment, and sweat.  You already know what to do and how to do it! You got it, you can do it.

Welcome back ON the wagon. Stay for the ride and in four more months, that 20lbs will be long gone. 

Hi! I'll add you as a friend. I started in the summer, but fell of the wagon for 3 months before climbing back on. I've lost 10 pounds since then, giving me a total of 25. I know you can do it too!

Doc_c, it happens to all of us.  I'm recently back "on the wagon" as well.   So please don't think you're alone in this viscious cycle. 

The important thing is that you came back (GOOD FOR YOU!) and that you're logging your foods again.  That's always what helps me get back on the wagon.

I could go on for pages with all my losses and gains.  But my most recent yo-yo was losing 30 lbs on CC, then from Sept 30 to Oct 25 I gained 10 POUNDS! I've been back about a week an a half and I'm at 27lbs down now.

Good luck and welcome back!  

wow . You guys are amazing.

Oh boy! Do I know wagon jumping! I've been a member of CC since 2005... yeah, three years! This is not a dig on CC, it works, the problem is it depends on me working it. 

My typical pattern, get super motivated, flog myself for awhile, design huge 'cannot fail, plan, will beat myself into compliance'..... follow plan for 1 - 3 months, struggle with plan for another 1-3 months, quit plan, blame on busy life, life changes, new priorities, eat like crap for 6-8 months, wonder why I gained back all the weight plus some, get down, get back on wagon, get super motivated, flog myself for awhile.... so on and so forth. 

I've been using CC steadily since February 2008 now, I've lost 6 dress sizes. My scale is locked in the closet so I don't know how many pounds that is.

What I've learned? 

Forgiveness.

I will fall off the wagon, that does not matter, how often and quickly I get back on, that will now matter. 

Also, I've learned to stop beating myself up for falling off the wagon and ask why... why did I fall off the wagon. Not in the pity sense but really...

Why was I too busy, why did I think I didn't have time, why was it hard, why did it not fit into my lifestyle. 

A plan that does not work for me, that does not fit when life gets busy, that doesn't work when I don't have the time is a plan for failure. So maybe I need to take it slower, set smaller goals, limit my expectations to what I know is achievable, and thereby set myself up for success. 

So, you feel off the wagon, for a long time, we all do. What are you going to learn from it?

I'm so there with you!  Everyone has had good advice. I'm adding you to my friends.  Take it one day at a time and baby steps.  I fell off when I didn't do calorie count either.  I think it's a life-long battle.  Fight the good fight!

Thanks to all of you for your great encouragement.  Like many of you, this is a lifetime thing for me.  Started my first diet at Weight Watchers at the grand old age of EIGHT!  Lost 100 pounds once upon a time only to see it creep back on.  Then I was down 40, now up again, and I'll go down.  There is no option!  I am going to be normal sized again for me, know what I mean?  I appreciate all of the support!

supersized, thanks for sharing.  i also went to your profile and read it through.  you're quite an inspiration.

So many good responses to your post, doc-c! Thanks to everyone for sharing. It does help to see that we all struggle (and from time to time, fail) but it's never to late to make today a better day.

I'm right where you are. I lost a bunch of weight on CC last year and have gained half of it back. So I'm right there with you. Join me on my "Getting in Gear for the New Year" thread, if you like!

PS: I'm tagging this thread under the heading "encouragement". On a bad day, it really helps to reread all this great advice!!!