I've lost my dieting mojo.

[Booze Raccoon]

I've gained back 5lbs this summer.  Anyone have any tips to get my head back in the game?

Thanks!

[pantsoffdanceoff]

I just joined the Fitness Magazine diet bet. It already started but there are a ton you can join. For some reason, having $30 on the line has greatly increased my willpower.

But I know that it is hard. I have no problem working out and do so probably 5 times a week, but I just really love fast food.

[no0b]

Honestly, it's tough. For me it's about will-power and I have to do what I enjoy otherwise I will never stick with a routine. I have found that mixing things up (spin, running, cardio, weightlifting) has greatly increased the likelihood that I will work out.

As far as diet, MFP has been helpful. I think MFP works best when you have people on there that you are close to that you are accountable to. I've fallen off of the grid a bit with it but I used it for so long that I'm very aware of serving size/calories for just about anything I typically eat.

[mrsukyankee]

When you eat at a caloric deficit, the glycogen stores (and the water molecules they must bind to in the cells) are shed first. That's why you get a big loss the first week of any diet. You just depleted your glycogen stores and now the body has no choice but to resort to fat in a continued caloric deficit.

So you keep up your deficit and your body is burning both glucose from the food you're eating and fat from your body (and some lean mass because you're in a deficit and that will just happen anyway) and then you had your holiday from the diet & you put on 5 lb.

All that has happened is your body has restored its glycogen stores and the water that glycogen must be stored with. In fact, trained endurance athletes will deliberately store extra glycogen by carb-loading before major events in order to have more energy for sustained effort. The body will, under perfect conditions, store this energy for use. It's part of being human.

[kayakjenn]

It's so great that you're stopping the gain back at 5 lbs and getting back on track! I didn't stop the gain and regained 33 pounds

Now I'm refocused- the first step I took was to promise myself I would write down everything I ate, even if it meant I was eating totally outside my plan or allotted points (I lost with WW.) Seeing the changes in my diet from weight loss mode to my current situation was a wake up call. I started making smart choices a little at a time (feel like having cookies? Instead of eating the bag I defrosted enough cookie dough to only make 2 delicious cookies and realized they were enough. I started taking my lunch again.)

Slowly I'm getting back into the habits that helped me lose and was rewarded last week with a 2 1/2 lb loss. I need to work exercise into the plan.

Good luck, recognizing you need to make changes again is a great step. I wish I had actively read and talked about stopping the regain when I saw what I was doing to myself.

[Booze Raccoon]

Thank you kayakjenn and mrsukyankee. That actually makes me feel better.

So basically the rest of you are telling me to exercise. Ugh.

[no0b]

No, exercise isn't always necessary... for me it's mostly diet. However, when I am exercising I notice that I care more about what I put into my body KWIM?

[Booze Raccoon]

Sept 16, 2014 7:33:29 GMT -5 no0b said:

No, exercise isn't always necessary... for me it's mostly diet. However, when I am exercising I notice that I care more about what I put into my body KWIM?

Gotcha.  I like this answer.  lol

Signed,
Hates Exercise

[joenali]

Dare I say it?

Whole 30.

[pantsoffdanceoff]

Sept 16, 2014 7:31:26 GMT -5 Booze Raccoon said:

Thank you kayakjenn and mrsukyankee. That actually makes me feel better.

So basically the rest of you are telling me to exercise. Ugh.

Actually, I think the first thing that needs to be in order is eating. I think I read somewhere that you "lose weight in the kitchen". At least that has been my experience. I work out a ton. But burning 350 calories at the gym means nothing if I order a pizza for dinner.

[Booze Raccoon]

Sept 16, 2014 7:43:39 GMT -5 joenali said:

Dare I say it?

Whole 30.

grumble grumble

[whitemerlot]

I've gained 8-9 lbs since May. I'm struggling to get back on track. It has really impacted my self esteem.

[Booze Raccoon]

Sept 16, 2014 8:24:43 GMT -5 whitemerlot said:

I've gained 8-9 lbs since May. I'm struggling to get back on track. It has really impacted my self esteem.

I'd say let's be dieting buddies and hold each other accountable but my head just isn't there.  I'm starting to get hungry and the tile guy is here doing our back splash.  I can't really make a healthy lunch with him here so I'm going to wind up grabbing something easy - which isn't at all healthy.

Excuses, excuses.

[mrsukyankee]

Here are the websites I would suggest checking out:

eatmore2weighless.com/
Scooby workshop calculator

As you have less than 30lb to go, you'll want to slow down the weight loss to around 1 lb per week, which means you can eat quite a lot more than I bet you think you can.   Exercise gives you more calories, but if you hate doing everything than it's not worth doing.  Exercise really is more for your heart and muscles than anything else - I LOVE weight lifting as it means I'm keeping my muscles (mainly) and losing my fat versus losing both.

[mrsukyankee]

Sept 16, 2014 9:20:10 GMT -5 Booze Raccoon said:

Sept 16, 2014 8:24:43 GMT -5 whitemerlot said:

I've gained 8-9 lbs since May. I'm struggling to get back on track. It has really impacted my self esteem.

I'd say let's be dieting buddies and hold each other accountable but my head just isn't there.  I'm starting to get hungry and the tile guy is here doing our back splash.  I can't really make a healthy lunch with him here so I'm going to wind up grabbing something easy - which isn't at all healthy.

Excuses, excuses.

This is why I buy stuff ahead of time - always have tuna fish in the cabinets as they are the best high protein not so many calories sort of thing to eat (along with mayo & veg).

[Deleted]

I've also put on about 5lbs this summer, despite exercising and tracking calories. I've started the Eat More to Weigh Less strategy a few weeks ago because I do have a decent amount of muscle, and kept getting tired/sick after a few weeks of exercise. So I went from 1700 (recommended by Beach Body's calculator) back up to 2200, which is just a bit under TDEE. After 2 wks no loss, but no gain either and I feel much better overall, and I know it will take time to see results.

I'm also considering doing Fresh 20 because I think I've gotten lazier (all the cheese, yum!) with my cooking and want to just try some new recipes and food options.

[lauralala]

Sept 16, 2014 7:43:39 GMT -5 joenali said:

Dare I say it?

Whole 30.

This is what I'm trying. I started yesterday.

I'm back up to my highest weight ever. It took me 10 years, but I slowly gained back the 50+ pounds I had lost, a few at a time. I'm hoping Whole 30 helps me kick the sugar habit. I also need to start working out again; it's been a long time since I did so regularly.

[bbaggins]

Diet continues to be a huge factor and it always shocks me. For me, it comes down to diet-exercise is great for your heart and for toning and blah blah but cutting out all the tasty sugars and breads helps me lose right away.

[indianchica]

My loss only occurs through diet changes. Exercise makes me less jiggly but no decrease in numbers. And the ONLY thing that has worked for me is cutting out carbs.

[8675309]

Water water water! For real.

I too gained back around 8lbs since may after I had lost 40lbs. That's 20% yikes! But I'm back on track and working out at least 4x a week. Summer is by far the hardest time to maintain for me. Beer and backyard BBQs by the pool? Yeah. I made bad bad choices.

Look at the bright side, it's only 5lbs. You can get that off pretty quick I bet.