Frustrated and Definitely Not Losing

The reality is that I haven't been able to get "back on the wagon".<br /><br />It's annoying, irritating, depressing and frustrating. <br /><br />Since giving birth, I've rejoined Weight Watchers, made a feeble attempt at Visalus Shakes, and almost started Plexus Slim (until I <a href="http://www.tga.gov.au/safety/alerts-medicine-plexus-slim-accelerator-capsules-130716.htm" target="_blank">read</a> about the dangers of certain ingredients that they use). <br /><br />The reality is that I'm still struggling with the same things I was before I got pregnant last year.  At first, it was the same old story - no planning/poor planning meant going over my daily points target every day.  But why am I doing this in the first place?  I simply hated planning my meals everyday.  I felt like I didn't have time because when I would plan the meals in advance (meaning not just the actual planning, but also pre-tracking), it would take me hours to do that.  I thought I had such few time then - ha!  Motherhood definitely nixed any free ounce of time I had!<br /><br />Then I thought if I had 2 less meals to plan each day, it'd be a lot easier (hence the Visalus approach).  And while those shakes are good, I was STARVING.<br /><br />I'm up.  I'm up in weight big time.  I'm still wearing some maternity pants.  It's depressing.<br /><br />But my motivation - it's no where to be found.  Why can't I get it together?  I don't like feeling like this - overweight.  So why can't I just face the music?<br /><br />I just don't know what to do anymore.  I'm so sick of the "tomorrow is a new day" or "I'll start tomorrow" - that whole concept - because it just doesn't happen.  I wake up expecting to feel energized, and I'm simply burned out on weight loss.<br /><br />I want to be healthy not only for myself, but for my daughter and husband.  I don't want the effects of obesity to kill me. <br /><br />I just don't know what to do or where to go from here.  I love the idea of Weight Watchers, but I'm almost burned out on it anymore. <br /><br />Gah!!!

Lacking Motivation Weight Loss Weight Loss Challenges Weight Watchers Frustrated and Definitely Not Losing

The reality is that I haven't been able to get "back on the wagon". It's annoying, irritating, depressing and frustrating....

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I'm Gonna Do This

It has been 5 days since I have counted a single Point.  <i>This </i>is a <b>terrible </b>idea!<br /><br />So, I'm clear on at least one thing in my journey: I need structure.  "Mindful eating" is not cutting it for me.   I need more guidelines.  I need more <i>rules</i>.  <br /><br />Truth be told - I miss Weight Watchers. <br /><br />But -<br /><br />I <i>need </i>to find a way to make it work for me. For the next week....<br /><br /><ul><li>I will review the materials, documenting my notes here.  <br /></li><li>I will come up with 5 go-to <u>simple</u> meals with ingredients that I will keep on hand at all times.<br /></li><li>I will build out a week long meal plan in it's entirety to get me back on track.  I have NEVER failed when I have a meal plan in place.<br /></li><li>I will challenge myself to eliminate eating out for next week - minus the already planned dinner with our friends.</li></ul><ul><li>I will practice saying 'No' to "food opportunities" (ex: being asked to go out to eat, being offered someone else's food to try, etc)</li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiII-PZDSLsiaxOuMYQiBaloG4VZO-Q6wb0X6ofc5t0t06fD17PkoahE3cMPXHAFctHY29sHfirxzL35GgyZ51M5isg2aP3rZuN603owtLdjZB_Wy_ANNMBjEusLlklUYoWbvPM9sRKyBk/s1600/tips+to+reduce+weight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiII-PZDSLsiaxOuMYQiBaloG4VZO-Q6wb0X6ofc5t0t06fD17PkoahE3cMPXHAFctHY29sHfirxzL35GgyZ51M5isg2aP3rZuN603owtLdjZB_Wy_ANNMBjEusLlklUYoWbvPM9sRKyBk/s320/tips+to+reduce+weight.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br />There is still a tiny bit of motivation in me to not give up, and I'm going to capitalize on that as much as I possibly can. <br /><br />I will not be fat for the rest of my life.  

Inspiration Lacking Motivation Random Weight Loss Thoughts Weight Loss Weight Loss Challenges Weight Watchers I'm Gonna Do This

It has been 5 days since I have counted a single Point.  This is a terrible idea! So, I'm clear on at least one thing in my journey: I n...

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Let Me Elaborate

Thank you to those who left great suggestions and words of encouragement on last week's <a href="http://the-big-weight.blogspot.com/2012/08/burned-out.html" target="_blank">post</a>!<br /><br />I do want to elaborate a little further after one reader said:<br /> <i> </i><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><i>"Reading your post, I wasn't sure if you're tired of the food planning itself, or the actual sticking to the plan part."</i></blockquote><br />That's a great observation, and it got me thinking. <br /><br />Right now, today, in this moment, I am burnt out of most everything related to healthy living.  I know this will pass, but I just need a short break from it all. <br /><br />It has all become rather overwhelming - the constant grind of trying to plan my meals each day/week, feeble attempts at living the Plan day in and day out (<i>not to mention the constant guilt each time I mess up</i>), getting in the exercise and <i>then </i>trying to blog about it all <i>(and more guilt when I fail at this too</i>).  I'm surprised (<i>and proud!</i>) to admit that the only thing that has remained consistent throughout the last year and a half is the rate at which I exercise.  I've maintained my average of 2-3 days per week for a year and a half.  Exercise is not something I'm giving up on because I don't want to.<br /><br />I'm also weary of having plans for every single scenario:  plans on how to eat when we travel out of town, or hang out with friends, or when I don't feel like cooking when I get home from work, or daily generic meal plans to get me through a "normal" week.  I'm tired of all the planning, especially when it just fails me in the end anyhow! (<i>Yes, Joel - even </i>I<i> hate planning after awhile :)</i>!). <br /><br />Life as a Weight Watcher (<i>or anyone trying to watch their weight</i>) is <i>filled </i>with spontaneity.  Some people thrive at the challenge of staying On Plan when dining out or being on vacation or visiting friends/family or whatever scenario you can think of.  You could argue that if I planned accordingly for each of these scenarios, I could set myself up for success.  I would argue back that I always have a plan, but apparently my plans suck or the execution of them is extremely poor! <br /><br />I despise spontaneity.  I don't like when life throws unexpected situations into my weight watching day.  I'm talking about little things, like when a coworker asks me if I want to join him/her at Chick Fil A for lunch, and I'm already starving/dreading what I brought and so I cave and go along for the fried food.  I have a real problem saying 'no' to stuff like that.<br /><br />But getting back to the reader's observation:  I am tired of food planning for sure.  It's also more that I'm tired/annoyed/frustrated with TRYING to stay On Plan - not so much of being on the Plan itself (<i>since, if I was following it perfectly, I wouldn't even be sitting here writing this - I'd probably be celebrating loss after loss instead!</i>).  While I don't like spontaneity, I do enjoy eating different foods week to week.  I cannot always eat oatmeal for breakfast and turkey sandwiches for lunch and salads for dinner.  I enjoy cooking and variety with my meals - and that's both a benefit and huge downfall of mine.  Years ago when I was most successful on WW, having lost 50 lbs, meal planning was no issue for me!  That's because I ate the same few things day in and day out for about a year - easy peezy.  Today, I cannot stand the sight of a Lean Cuisine/Healthy Choice frozen entree/Smart Ones meal.  But because I tout my love for meal variety, it also comes with a few consequences: time and planning.  <br /><br />I enjoy preparing my own food, but that takes time (<i>as a sidenote, if I can barely handle my own life plus Joel's, I would never be able to be a parent - I have no idea how they/you do it ALL!</i>).  I try to do as much as I can on the weekends, but again - I'm tired of spending my entire Sunday cooking for the upcoming week.  I want to have the luxury/joy of just having a weekend where I don't have a plan in place related to Weight Watchers!     <br /><br />As Ryan so assuredly stated: <i> </i><br /><i> </i><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><i>"No need to give up, just learn, shift, grow, and you can get what you want!"</i></blockquote>And that's exactly what I'm doing.<i><br /></i><br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /><br />

Lacking Motivation Weight Loss Weight Watchers Let Me Elaborate

Thank you to those who left great suggestions and words of encouragement on last week's post ! I do want to elaborate a little further a...

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Burned Out

It is true: I am officially burned out from this weight loss thing.<br /><br />I am now going on 7 months where I cannot get it together.  My problem is eating.  I suck at it.  I suck at planning.  I suck at sticking to my Daily PointsPlus Target. I suck at sticking to my Weekly PointsPlus Target.<br /><br />My motivation is rapidly depleting.  <i>I'm sick of "start-over-Friday"!!!!!  </i><br /><br />Why is it, that despite the fact that I <i>hate </i>being overweight, that that is <i>still </i><b>not enough</b> motivation to keep me on track?  Why?  Why is food more important?  Why does the focus always need to remain on <i>what </i>I'll eat at the next meal, or <i>when </i>I'll eat the next meal?   Why can't I just listen to the hunger signals my body gives out, instead of just eating to eat?<br /><br />Sometimes I think that I might be better off if I took a little break from WW.  Maybe the time away would allow me to erase all of the bad WW habits I've acquired, so that I can start up again soon with a fresh, clean slate. <br /><br />Sometimes I wonder if I tried just eating intuitively, how that would bode?  Perhaps that would take the pressure off of daily meal planning, where if I was just eating until I was satisfied, then I wouldn't have to worry so much about all the details. <br /><br />Yet, when I think about taking a break from WW, it scares me quite frankly.  I've counted Points in some fashion practically since I've been 17 years old (now 28).  It's all I've known.  And it has worked for me in the past.  I'm afraid if I take a week off and just try intuitive eating (i.e. not counting Points), then I might set myself back yet another week of not losing. <i> I'm tired of failure weeks!</i><br /><br />Right now, I just feel very overwhelmed.  And when I think about "start-over-Friday" tomorrow, it disgusts me.  Because I know I'm gonna fail yet again.  Because I know the immense amount of time and effort that goes into daily meal planning, and I cannot bring myself to find the motivation to do it.  Yet I don't know what other way to be successful.  Some planning needs to be involved, right? <br /><br />And when I fail at meal planning, then it all becomes a downward spiral.  Sort of like - work before play.  If I cannot meal plan and have On Plan (or even <i>near </i>On Plan) days, then I don't deserve to do the things I enjoy (i.e. blogging, photography, reading, etc). <br /><br />I don't even know a question to pose to you, but feel free to leave your advice and feedback. <br /><br /><i style="color: #999999;">Since I've been absent from my own blog, I've also been absent from reading yours!  This weekend I plan to blow through my Google Reader to get caught back up - oh, how I've missed you all so :). </i><br /><br /><br />

Lacking Motivation Weight Loss Weight Watchers Burned Out

It is true: I am officially burned out from this weight loss thing. I am now going on 7 months where I cannot get it together.  My problem i...

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