Become naughty again without realising!

I've been counting my calories and its been going great! Lost about 12lbs so far.

Been noticing the difference in how i look and also am feeling better about myself.

But as of recently i've been getting a bit lazy with it all, thinking oh this once wont hurt or forgetting to count calories for the day!!

I havent put on the lbs... yet! Am so dissapointed to let myself get back in to my old ways well not quite as bad as before but its going that way.

Any body been in the same situation? Needing some real pick me ups and tips please guys?

Lucydawn -- Get back on the program! Last May, I met a guy and started, slowly but surely, missing my gym workouts, then started eating out more often, then started buying more goodies for the cupboards. Well....take it from me....all these little slip-ups made me TWENTY to TWENTY-FIVE POUNDS HEAVIER in less than NINE MONTHS....It happens so quickly!

What I have learned: For the rest of my life, I vow never to ignore that mean little thing on the floor in my bathroom (called the scale). He never lies to me! Once it creeps beyond 5 pounds, I vow to bring it back down. Dealing with 20-25 pounds stinks!

Good luck!

 

It is so easy to slip up and go back to old eating habits.     You constantly have to say "Yes, this WILL make a difference.  If I have this, I cannot have...(whatever)"

Sit down and decide that you DO need days when you are going to have that "something extra".  If you don't, you are going to mess up and feel bad about it.  Can you plan something once every two weeks?  One day when you have something you really want, but "shouldn't" have?  Or maybe once a week?  Or try cutting it in half.  Instead of a whole slice of pie, have 1/2 a slice and eat it VERY slowly.  Instead of a whole cupcake, cut it in 1/4s and plan your meals so that you can have 1/4 of a cupcake, also.

I am no expert, but I have found that if I plan on having something, I need to fit it into my plan for the day.  Like yesterday I was very careful on calories because there has been a poptart on the cupboard calling my name for over a week.  I finally took the time to plan my calories so that I could eat it without going over...and you know, I won't be doing that again in a hurry..for 200 calories, I can find a lot of other good foods that taste better than the poptarts do!

I am resigned to thinking about food a LOT for the next few months.  If I am serious about weight loss, it will be something that is at the forefront of my mind.

Having occasional days where you don't count calories is normal. Everyone gets too busy/lazy sometimes.

I get myself back on track by exercising. If I get lazy & dont work out for more than 1-2 days I get MUCH lazier. I have to throw myself into a workout & the motivation returns.

My mantra is "there is one thing I can control in this world & that's what goes in my mouth & how I treat my body."

Thanks ladies,

Its so difficult though but i will try because its so rewarding when its working and the weight is going.

I'm loosing 22lbs and have lost 12lbs so far so i see where you're coming from sjklov.

Anf 1kkatt, i like the idea of having a day where i am allowed a little naughty something.
The only trouble is i dont know what to do when i am invited out somewhere on spur of the moment and so i haven't left enough calories for a meal or drinks or something- thats when i find myself thinking ohh well theres not a lot i can do so just have it but then i regret it after!!

Thanks again!

Carleyrapp, thats a fab mantra! Might have to borrow that

I dont really do any exercise and i wish i did because i know how good it makes me feel afterwards.

I enjoy swimming and yoga and have a little treadmill and a mini trampoline but dont know how to actual do a 'workout'.

What exactly is a 'workout', whats the difference between a workout and exercise?

Maybe come up with a new menu.  We all seem to be creatures of habit.  Makes me think your not satisfied.  Like your dieting. 
My food is satisfying.

breakfast:  soy milk (it's actually good) with Nature Paths slim cereal that has a lot of fiber and protein.  Agave nectar as a sweetener and then berry.  I switch from raspberries/blueberries/blackberries/strawber ries.  I tell ya it's like eating cobbler no wonder I don't crave sweets.  It's too good.  It's healthy.  And I'm satisfied. 

Lunch:  Romaine lettuce leaves with some baby carrots with about 1/4 cup of hummus and 9-10 sesame blue chips.  Lots of crunch and satifying.  Hummus is a great protein.

dinner:  whatever I'm making.  Veggies and a protein for sure. 
I love onions and chicken mixed together in olive oil. 

Anyway, I think you should regroup and be sure your eating healthy that way you don't think about straying.  I think your body is hungry and is looking for satisfaction.  Give it nutrition that taste good and you can't help but want it.  

lucy, if you are invited out at the spur of the moment and know you have eaten pretty well your "allotted calories" for the day, eat carefully.  Or choose not to eat anything.  I did that the other night and yeah, for a few minutes I looked at a bag of chips and dip and thought "YUM"...but I didn't allow myself to have even one and the craving went away!  Have a cup of tea, or a salad or a glass of water or even a diet drink. 

Just because everyone else is eating doesn't mean you HAVE to.   You can go and just enjoy the company.  If anyone mentions it, just say "I am not really hungry, but wanted to hang with you guys anyway!"

Lucy -- Judging from your picture, you look like you are younger than me.  I know you want to lose weight and as long as you keep heading in the overall right direction and not backwards (like I did), it will come off. Please keep going out and having your fun (within reason). If you eat or drink a little too much, force yourself to go for a walk/jog the next day. Don't stay home because of this diet....that would really stink!

You asked about exercise -vs- workout.  It doesn't really matter as long as you move. Break a sweat and I would call that a workout whether it is aerobics at a gym, going for a run outdoors, or scrubbing the bathtub. 

Oh - when I'm trying to lose, I only drink white wine and I alternate it between that and water.  And...speak up when they order food to be shared....If you're dieting seems like you can't be super easy-going. Saying 'I don't care' 'whatever you want for appetizer is good' will be torturous for you. LOL Best of Luck and congrats on your twelve pound weight loss. That is awesome!

 

It happens to me all the time! I start losing weight, and then I get a bit complacent. I find that being at work and having a structured day helps, and sometimes it's just a matter of saying to myself "get with the program!". It's just remembering that eating healthy isn't that hard. Also I try to think of this as a long term change, which it has finally started to become, so sometimes that kind of thinking helps. Remembering that the treat days, or extra foods, are just that  - treats, things that I don't usually have. It also helps me to enjoy them a bit more

I'd just like to add that 5 years ago I got down to 119 lbs.  It took so long!  Since then, I stopped counting calories.  At first it was just a pound or 2 that went on.  But I have just joined the forum today, weighing 186 lbs.

I feel so sad to think that over the past 5 years I've got so much bigger.  I feel like I wasted 5 years of my life and now I have to waste some more losing weight again. 

So, guys, please think of me when you reach for the cookies!  Don't waste the opportunity to be slim for the sake of a few seconds worth of pleasure. 

You are only suppose to count calories to learn the proper portions of what you should eat.

Its like step one of learning to live in healthier choices.

Idealy in the end you should be able to eyeball proper portions without gaining. (i.e. meat the size of a deck of cards etc)

As i'm vegetarian and the rest of my family isnt i find i've been finding it difficult to eat properly and then give up and have something fairly naughty.

As you said Dancewithforks i think i have been eating food thats not been satisfying and so my body has been desperate for something good!

Jakinkale I go to college so have structured days too so am going to use that to help like you do.

1kkatt I like the idea of having a cup of tea of something or saying i'm not hungry so will be doing that, thanku!

sjklov Today I vacuumed my bedroom, something i havent done in a LONG time- not properly anyway- and I did work up a sweat. Im going to do more chores around the house and vacuum my room more!

Lea_uk If you've done it once you will be able to do it again! Dont think of it as a waste of time think of it as a challenge =) Will be thinking of you next time i'm tempted so thanku.

Thanks everyone, such great advice I feel so much more motivated now!! Gd luck to you all as well!!

I suggest finding a motivation beyond just feeling better about yourself...as an example, buy a super expensive bathing suit in the size you want to stay.  You'll spend so much on it you'll want to wear it for AT LEAST a year or two- and that way you'll have to stick to your program!