struggling a little

[LilMissDiva Irene 3,282]

I'll never doubt any of you, so please never doubt yourselves. I personally have struggled a lot but nothing can keep me down, except myself. I agree with you Kim, it does feel good sometimes to decompress and not be so obsessive over "I can't have this, oh I shouldn't eat that!" For me it leads me down a path of bingeing. Then self-loathing.

Taking one sultry bite of anything just really isn't a bad thing. It's when you take too many bites it is. Higher Power help us all!

[BellaHugz 331]

When I was obese, I would go through these emotional rollercoasters.... like I would work so hard to get to say....240# and feel wonderful and then suddenly I was 250# again. It would often make me just give up, that feeling of despair and that feeling like the effort it took to lose/maintain was beyond what I could sustain.

During this weight loss journey I have been pretty good about not letting a number on a scale give me a good or bad day, we all have normal little stalls, weight fluctuations etc. However, for some reason, this time it just felt discouraging.

The day I posted this thread I weighed 154, still 4# under my goal. However, that old feeling was there - like, wtf??? How did this happen so quickly? I am glad i wrote about it instead of trying to deny my feelings and I really appreciate all the feedback and comiseration!!

So guess what, this morning I am back down to 148 - within my current "bounce range". A number on a scale doesn't give me a good or bad day, but knowing that the process WORKS, that following good eating and fitness habits works is reassuring and bolsters my confidence.

good thing because next week I am going to a big business meeting where there will be much eating and drinking. Last year I maintained during that weeklong trip and I am gonna do it again!

Cowgirl Jane you set your mind to anything and you will succeed! Knowing the process works paired with your new habits your life will be long and healthy one.

Doing the Happy dance for ya!!

[7 Bites_Jen 479]

So far January and February have NOT been my eating friends either!! I've been eating a lot of carbs and a lot of just plain JUNK. It's been really hard to get back on track with the weather though (for me - anyone else dealing with that?). When I'm eating "clean" I love to load up on fresh veggies, salads, and grilled meats. When it's cold, however ... Yeah. Notsomuch.

Has anyone past the year two mark gained a significant amount of weight (over 5lbs)?
I am well into my second year and bounced between the same 15 lbs for the past year.

[feedyoureye 3,087]

So far January and February have NOT been my eating friends either!! I've been eating a lot of carbs and a lot of just plain JUNK. It's been really hard to get back on track with the weather though (for me - anyone else dealing with that?). When I'm eating "clean" I love to load up on fresh veggies, salads, and grilled meats. When it's cold, however ... Yeah. Notsomuch.

Has anyone past the year two mark gained a significant amount of weight (over 5lbs)?

I am well into my second year and bounced between the same 15 lbs for the past year.

1 1/2 year through 2 1/2 year I was struggling, and gained 22 pounds before I got it turned around and finally got it off and got to goal just before the third year. I have been holding on to maintenance/ 3-4 pound bounce range from that time.

[Georgia 2,908]

Yep, I'm struggling some too. I have allowed carby items to really get to me. I think I, seriously, could eat all the time if I allowed myself to which I've pretty much done the last two weeks and I'm at the Top Of my bounce (four pounds) which could become 6, 8 quickly. Just can't seem to be able to drop the stuff like I did earlier. I do think it has to do, for me, with Winter, snuggling, comfort food, enjoying the cold (because I DO love Winter) and along with that a hint of depression right now over some family issues with kids.

I will carry on but... Need to stay connected to stay honest and buoyed by others.

[M2G 1,836]

So far January and February have NOT been my eating friends either!! I've been eating a lot of carbs and a lot of just plain JUNK. It's been really hard to get back on track with the weather though (for me - anyone else dealing with that?). When I'm eating "clean" I love to load up on fresh veggies, salads, and grilled meats. When it's cold, however ... Yeah. Notsomuch.

Has anyone past the year two mark gained a significant amount of weight (over 5lbs)?

I am well into my second year and bounced between the same 15 lbs for the past year.

Yep! There are a lot of us REGAINERS over the 2 year mark. I'm one of them. Unfortunately diligence has served me well in the area of STOPPING the regain (it was much like FYE's about 22+ ...it's always give or take a few right?) but as far as totally shedding the regain, well, that is a work in progress. I will continue to fight my regain (I'm 3+ years post-op now) but I've upped my goal from it's original state to accommodate the fact that I just am never going to get a perfect BMI. And I'm actually OK with that!

CGJane...glad you are feeling better!

Edited February 13, 2014 by M2G

[Ballermom 803]

I think January has been harder to eat clean and low carb than December was. You'd think the holidays would be worse. !

I totally agree. I'm in the Midwest and the holidays was easier than January.

[CowgirlJane 14,259]

I am feeling really positive. I came back from a week at a business event that involved lots of food drinks and dinners out....and salty food on the plane too. But returned at 148 so confidence is good right now!!!

[Escape_Pod 358]

Just had to say I LOVE your new profile pic - you look fabulous!

[CrazyJaney 775]

Just had to say I LOVE your new profile pic - you look fabulous!

You do look Fab! You're my Sleeve hero!

[Ballermom 803]

Fantastic congrats on your weights loss. Your words are motivation.

[2bfit 62]

I am feeling you CGJ. I haven't been on this site in forever. I have gained 10lbs since the holidays which I attribute to stress and even more stress. I also had plastics in July. By far, the hardest thing I have had to recover from. After plastics I got down to 148 and right now I am at about 160. I felt so good and invincible before I had the plastics done. I have not been able to get my groove back. I had a thighplasty and a breast lift. The thighplasty was by far the worst surgery I have ever had. I feel like a Raggedy Ann doll with scars everywhere. My dreams of a bikini will never be a reality. A trade off for the scars. I am six months post op and I still have stitches coming to the surface. Mentally I am taking a huge beating. I really thought I had this all under control. I stopped exercising as much after the surgery because my legs hurt and I would swell a lot. I was only able to get up to about two days a week running. I used to be active 5 days a week prior to the surgery. After this last weekend when my work out clothes started to get tight, I started up myfitnesspal account again. I was shocked to see I hadn't been on there in two years!!! Where did the time go?!

Somewhere in the past six months I lost that eye of the tiger and I am trying to get it back. The majority of my family and friends still do not know I had this surgery and it's been a couple of years. So only the people here can understand me.

Thanks for letting me vent. Your stories are helping me up my game again. <3

[CowgirlJane 14,259]

Thank you all for your words of support. Most days this is all very do-able, but every once in awhile...we all struggle a little.

2bFit - plastics are hard. I had mine in October (lower body lift, breast lift and aug, arm lift and small thigh lift) and while I am recovered, I still get a bit of low belly swelling after intense exercise or ironically, after alot of sitting. It isn't too bad, but it is uncomfortable and i hate it. Luckily no leg swelling. I am told this could last a year because the lymphatic system is still rebuilding the drainage paths! I am sorry that your scars are so disappointing. I didn't have the long thigh lift (the one most people get). I have mixed feelings about that decision. On the one hand, the work I had done got rid of the absolutely unreal ugly upper inner thigh skin/saggy pockets i had going on with very minimal scarring. Flip side, that my thighs still have some loose skin. I would have that whole skinny legs thing going on had I done a more extensive procedure there, but it is all tradeoffs. I think all in all I made the right choice. I do have scars on my arms, my lower body lift (breast ones you can't even see) but they are improving week by week. The funny thing is I hardly notice them. I thought i would be weirded out by the scars but I feel so much better about my body without the skin that the scars just seem irrelevant to me.

I know you can get back on the program. We all have setbacks - and that is the difficulty of maintenance... the "carrying on" even when we don't feel like it. One of the reasons I got plastics was that I wanted that "feeling" of having a normal body and hoping that helps me with maintenance.

This week, I came home from a great business trip to some real "issues" in my private and work life. I am feeling the stress and I am feeling lonely and at times overwhelmed. I am tempted at times to comfort myself with food. food doesn't make a very good friend though so I am reminding myself to pet my doggies and talk to my real friends instead.

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

3 years was right when I gained my 15 lbs that were so hard to take off. It just got to where I would gain after some function, and previously, if I ate right, it would come right back off. All of a sudden, it would not come off, and more kept coming.

I am thankful I've gotten that under control and I'm back to goal, It's always going to be a struggle. I have a very slow metabolism. the only thing that keeps me sane is that my hunger has not returned.