A day at a time

I haven't posted on CC for awhile, but I've been lurking the whole time. I've recently gained 5 lbs and am about 10 up from where I'd like to be (5'5", 135) even though I admit they are just vanity pounds. I have a really bad habit of not being consistent with my diet/exercise effort. I believe that's how I gained weight because I would have a deficit on one day, and then a surplus on the next. I get really hungry at night and sometimes binge.

I've managed to be more consistent about my exercise, but I'm still having trouble with the food part. I'll go 3-4 days, then have a day where I binge at night. It only ever happens when I have a deficit and I exercise, but I can see that it's counterproductive. 

I've read on here people saying that they take it one day at a time, and try to do well for just that day. I tend to think about the big picture - how long it will take to lose the 10 pounds, and how one day isn't going to make much of a difference, and I get discouraged. Clearly this is not working for me.

I guess what I'm asking is has anyone had this problem and managed to change their thinking, so they only focus on that day? Thanks in advance for any replies :)

It sounds really trite, but it wasn't until I focussed on achiecing good health that I had any success.

That being said, I'm back to CC after gaining back 18 pounds. My focus was all wrong-I got caught up in the calories and pounds. Took me a long time to get my head back in the right place. Now my focus is on the health aspects of diet and exercise. I'm looking at the weight loss as more of a side effect.

Again, this has all been said before. Focus on quality of life, and don't let counting get you down. Good health, regardless of weight, is what's truly attractive.

Simply put, what good is it to lose those 10 pounds if you're unhappy and regimented?

Original Post by allnaturalgirl02:

I've read on here people saying that they take it one day at a time, and try to do well for just that day. I tend to think about the big picture - how long it will take to lose the 10 pounds, and how one day isn't going to make much of a difference, and I get discouraged. Clearly this is not working for me.

I guess what I'm asking is has anyone had this problem and managed to change their thinking, so they only focus on that day? Thanks in advance for any replies :)

You need to think both ways.  Long term goals are important, but so are short term ones.  You're not going to lose 10 pounds until you lose the first one.  And just think, when you lose that first pound you only have nine more to go instead of 10.

Everything is easier when you break it down into smaller parts.  How do you get through an entire week of work or school?  You really don't have a choice, but it's one day at a time.  You'd go nuts if you tried to do everything for that week at once.  I mean there's multi-tasking and then there's insanity.

Have one good day, be proud of yourself for that accomplishment and the second day will be a lot easier.  Then have a good third day and suddenly you have some solid momentum on your side.

hmm.. I also think I may start needing to look at one day at a time.  Maybe trying to do the whole picture thing is overwhelming me.  If I think 'let's get through today' it will probably be easier on me. I'm going to try this.

Totally agree with above posters. I prefer the big picture and to think about how I'm making myself a healthier person, and how awesome that is. But I also make myself smaller goals, like running a 5k by August. In your case, with trying to lose the last few/maintaining, focusing on being an overall healthy person might help a lot.

I have struggled with my weight and issues of guilt and self esteem for the whole of my adult life.  I somehow got into a vicious cycle of bingeing then feeling disgusted with myself, then in deep despair and feeling hopeless, then bingeing all over again.  To attempt to start a programme of diet and excersise in order to lose weight seemed like an attempt to climb Mount Everest.  I thought I would never, ever get there. 

The only way I managed to change things around was to concentrate on getting healthy, not on getting thin.  Getting thin, or rather slim, is a secondary bonus to the main goal of improving my health and fitness.  Instead of regarding myself as a useless, fat, greedy, failure I started to look at myself as someone with an illness who needs to be taken care of.  This illness which affects my physical mobility and mental health, can be cured by sensible healthy eating and moderate exersise. 

I have always taken a pride in looking after my family and my pets; I make sure they get all the nutrients they need in the right quantities to keep them healthy.  Now I am looking after myself in the same way.  I don't weigh myself weekly as I used to. Occasionally I get on the scales to see where I'm at but it's no longer an obsession.  I know that by sticking to good foods, keeping active and keeping my calorie count below 1800 a day I will inevitably lose fat as sure as the sun will rise every morning.  It may take a year, or two years, or more to reach an ideal weight for me but that doesn't matter anymore.  What's the hurry?  I just take each day at a time giving my body the best I can. 

Previously when I went shopping at the supermarket I used to buy myself 'treats' to eat in the car; things like doughnuts and cream buns or McDonalds or hot steak pies or bacon butties or cheese or huge bars of chocolate.  Now if I feel the urge to eat I buy myself fruits like strawberries or cherries or low fat protein like chicken breast or peeled prawns  and I sit in the car and really savour them instead of furtively stuffing them in and then feeling sick and depressed.  At last I  feel like I am in control again and yet I'm not deprived. 

Calorie Count has helped me enormously as I aim for an A or A- for nutrition every day and to keep the burn meter higher than the calorie intake meter.  It's educational and fun.  And you stay focused on the day ahead rather than on the weeks and months ahead.  Try to do that and I'm sure you will succeed.

I really appreciate the replies! I had hesitated to post asking for help because I was ashamed that I had gained weight back. I definitely think it will help to try to focus on being a healthier person. I'm sure my body will function best and be the healthiest when I take care of it by eating right and exercising. I guess I do need to look at the big picture, as well as all the day-to-day stuff. I just don't want to always dwell on how far I have to go, but I am really going to try and make an effort not to.