Help PLEASE!! I've lost over 40lbs and I'm slipping...

I have done so well. I've been eating clean, working out on a regular basis for over 5  month and lost over 40 lbs.  I have recently taken on a pretty demanding job.  I've been eating more in the evening, super tired, but what gets me the most, is that my motivation is quickly slipping away.  Does anyone have any ideas on how to mentally get back into things. I don't want to waste all the hard work. Please help, I'm getting depressed daily.  HELP!

Are you still trying to lose?  If so, maybe you should just give that a rest for a little while and eat to maintenance in the interim.  Maybe just ease up on yourself for a bit while you're dealing with the stress of the new job.  It sounds like you might need the extra energy.  Just a thought.

It's totally okay to take a break :) no point in adding even MORE stress!

Suzy...  great job on the 40lbs. so far!!  That should be your motivation right there.  Think about how you felt with the extra 40 lbs. and think about how you feel now!!  Life is full of stress, don't let that be your excuse.  Get yourself a new dress for the Holidays, something sexy to show off the lost weight, and let that be another motivation to make sure it still fits in a couple months.

Good luck and be strong!!

I started in the middle of May, and have lost almost 30lbs!!  Long way to go, but getting easier each day as I completely changed my lifestyle.(Your words!)  I found it's just as much mental as it is physical.  Just can't give up or be too hard on ourselves!!! Let get moving!!!!

YOU CAN DO IT LOOK HOW FAR YOU HAVE COME ! WELL DONE SO FAR STAY ON TRACK

I am also a big believer in taking a break and maintaining for a while. Losing weight is not just something your body goes through...it affects your mind too. Changing too fast can cause you to not adjust to the new body. Maintaining a loss is BIGGER than losing weight...and something we all need to learn how to do....for times when life gets busy, or for the rest of our journey when we are at a healthy weight. I went from 208 to 178 in a few months, then I stayed in the 170's for 7 months.....SLOWLY losing or maintaining. I think it was good for me, because now I feel confident that I will be able to keep weight off and now I feel ready to get back to losing. Now it feels so good to be working hard at it again.

For what its worth, try to study your new routine.  When I started, I would go to the gym after getting the kids to bed around 8pm.  When I started a my new assignment, I could go to the company gym at lunch.  Before I brough almost all of my food.  Now I have found out good food choices are available at around the office.

In short, use the same planning you did to lose your first 40 to plan around your new schedule.

Good Luck

Suzy,

about 3 yrs ago i did weight watchers and i was lacing off after loosing 25 lbs than i could go down but still over weight and felt very stress especially after starting school anyhow. I decided i needed to take a break and prove myself i could maintain that current weigth for a while and i did so when i decided to loose more weight it motivate me to know i removed weight and was alble to keep it off and was ready to remove more. So focus on maintaining your current weight in this stress moment stay focus in that and than refocus on loosing more you lost 40lb you can loose more give it time.

In the evening when you want food, do what I do ... I make me some popcorn. You can have a bunch without alot of calories. Or have a bunch of fresh fruit available. If you have healthy snacks in reach, you will grab that before you dig  around in the pantry & find bad stuff.

I made my goal at Weight Watchers & was maintaining & was 3 lbs under my goal..... but I started feeling like you, lost my motivation & then my brother passed away & I just gave up for awile. I gained like 12 lbs & I would of gained more if I didn't snap out of it. You have done so great losing 40 lbs. don't give up now. You need to get back in your sane mind & see all the hard work you did to lose what you did. Serious, it won't take long to gain those 40 lbs back & you have to start all over again. I know you don't want that. Don't let depression control you ... control it. Good Luck !

Please take a deep breath & get back on track, you CAN do it !!!

~Sue~

The only thing I can offer you is that you will physically feel miserable if you put the weight back on - trust me.  I lost 25 pounds in about a 3 or 4 month period over a year ago, and I've gained 15 of it back, and I feel terrible, both physically and mentally.

I don't think I've ever felt worse, and I'm slowly gaining the momentum back, but I wish I would have never fell back into old habits! 

So, do the best you can to stay at maintenance calories if you're too busy to work out.  Or, eat 1/2 the portions you normally would if you're grabbing food on the go.

Best wishes, and congrats on your accomplishment so far!