Kick Me Please... :-(

I am feeling very low and depressed and out of control with my eating!! I don't know exactly why. I was doing fine last week , tracking my food, getting my water in and beginning to get on the elliptical. But yesterday and today have been totally OUT of CONTROL. I have been eating too many carbs, splenda added too often, and even got a slice of lemon pie today!!! I am SO ashamed of myself!! If I don't get ahold of my eating and stick with the plan, I will gain a lot of weight here. Will someone PLEASE get me back on track here? Go ahead ... I'm ready to listen. :) I've worked too hard to get this weight off to mess myself up. Sorry for such a pity party story..... don't mean for it to sound that way. I just feel like I'm hanging on by ONE piece of thread here. Thanks for all your help and support. :) I wish I was as strong and dedicated as you all! God bless!

"Will someone PLEASE get me back on track here?"

I know you know this, but YOU are the only one that can get yourself back on track. Try looking at the reasons that you are feeling out of control and eating foods you know are not helpful in meeting your goals. Review your reasons for wanting to lose the weight in the first place. Review the positive benefits of sticking to the plan. Go back to basics! Record, record, record! We are here to support you and cheer you on! You CAN do this!

I concur with Paula's advice. In addition, you might consider "resetting" by going back to the protein forward measured / weighed plan that worked for you early out, for a week. Remove sugar and carbs, except for veggies. That may help you detox and get back in touch with your restriction.

The strategy that really helps me is physical activity. Find something you enjoy.... walking, swimming, raking, kayaking... moving. This helps me make the critical mental shift from eating as an activity to eating to fuel/nourish my body for what I want it to be able to do.

You can do this !

Thanks, Paula!! I needed that!! :) You are SO right!! I found myself being an emotional eater. When things are not going well,,, I found myself going to food again! I am the only one who can make myself happy,,, food can't! Like someone on here said... eating food is not an activity,,, it is fuel. I need to find a replacement here. Thanks again!!

Consider this practice at learning how to get back on track.  We all face these same feelings/behaviors! 

Have you gone back and read Kairk's old posts?  Lots of info in there on the subject. 

My advise would be to take action, any action today.  It doesn't have to be a full court press, unless that is what your respond best to.  Pick a cone or two doable behaviors that are a step in the right direction.  Personally, I find action helps turn my ailing brain around.

There is nothing unfixable here --- you can make this work!

take care,

Shel

Thank you for the words of encouragement. I am not tech savy on this site so how do I go back to read Kairek's old posts? Where do I click on? Yes, I agree.... I need to fix one thing at a time. I find tracking,,,, water,,,, exercise .... all in one swipe was overwhelming and set me up to TOTAL failure this week! Thanks again!! Yes, I can do this! Just got to get my head wrap around this and stay focussed! :) 

Oh, you need to be able to look at old posts!  Such a wealth of info there.  I have spent an embarrassing amount of time learning about how other people were successful!  I have found a lot of motivation in that info as well.  

To find Kairk's (or anyone else):  1st, find a current post WITHIN a thread.  (So, you have to go INTO a thread, not be looking at the list of discussion topics)  Kairk posts pretty much daily this group's  daily thread so that will be easy to find

Then, hover over his picture (which happens to be a picture of a dog)   A few options will pop up, choose "latest posts" which will give you a million Kairk posts to look at. 

Of note, the "lastest" posts are specific for the forum you are looking at.  So, if you are looking at a post in VSG maintenance group, it will just be the posts that were made on this forum.  If you chose latest posts in the main VSG board, you would get a totally different set. 

Get digging!

Everyone on here always says to go to therapy.  I take my son to therapy every two weeks but the focus has always been on helping him and making sure the family was functioning properly.  However, after my surgery, we always spend a few minutes or more if needed to go over any troubles I might be having.  It has been so helpful especially with both of my parents getting very sick and dying on me. 

I have found other outlets other than food.  I still give in sometimes, but I only allow it on the weekend unless it's irresistible and there's not much that is irresistible (crème brûlée, but not much else that is bad for me).

Moving is the best, but when I'm sad I want to curl up, so positive movies have been helpful to distract my mind.  Cleaning up and organizing has made me feel much better.  I start with something small, even if I have to move stuff into a hamper, I focus on just going through the stuff in the hamper.  The clutter is starting to vanish, which makes me happier.

yep, go through some of the older discussion topics in this group. you will find many that ask for help in getting back on track. lots of good advice.

put aside the past week and consider the here and now. Anytime you feel hungry ask yourself if some chicken or tuna sounds good. If it does, eat some. If it doesn't, you have head hunger and have some tea or coffee or ice water and find something else to do.  Its one day, even one hour at a time.  I find keeping my hands busy keeps me from eating.  Don't beat yourself up. does no good. check in here often. it helps.  diane s

Oh boy, do I read my own past thoughts in your post! I have felt exactly what you are feeling. I understand the desperation, anxiety, and despair that is underlying your post. 

Before you read the rest of my post, I want you to promise to keep an open mind, and to NOT react to what I write, but to consider it carefully. You may not be able to answer my questions right off the bat, and that's okay. I'm actually hoping you have to sit and think about the answers. So here goes:

1. Why are carbs, Splenda, and a slice of lemon pie indicative of being out of control? I eat carbs and Splenda every single day. I have had several pieces of lemon pie over the past months. (I found a new recipe for lemon pie and made it twice. I loved it and enjoyed every bite. I was also in Weight Loss mode.) 
2. Of what do you have to be ashamed? Seriously think about that. You ate. Perhaps you ate foods you think you should not eat? Are there foods you believe you should not eat?
3. What would happen if you stopped trying to diet?
4. What would happen if no food was ever off limits to you again? 
5. What would happen if you lived in a world where there were no "RULES" for eating, but rather choices? 

I would like you to humor me and try something new beginning tomorrow. I would like you to take Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday and eat without any plan. I want you to eat with no limits on any food. I want you to eat foods you enjoy and can relish and savor. I want you to eat "OFF PLAN" or "NON DIET" foods. If you like pie and ice cream, have some. If you have been craving pasta or pizza or a big juicy burger, have those. I want you to eat like that without concern and the only thing I want you to do during those four days is keep track of how you feel while you are eating. Notice the tastes and textures and how the foods affect your mood. Does the first bite taste the best? When you are done do you immediately want more? If so, note what food caused that reaction. How do you feel an hour after eating - energetic, depressed, apathetic, tired? 

That's all I want you to do. I want you to give yourself permission to eat. There is no food that will be off limit for the next four days. EVERYTHING YOU EAT SHOULD BE A CHOICE YOU MAKE - not one that is made for you. 

What I am proposing may be quite scary, but there is a reason I want you to do it. You won't be able to do much damage to your weight in 4 days. You might put on a ton of water weight, but unless you can eat 7,000 calories extra each day, you're looking at the most a 2-4 pound gain of any kind. So, don't let your weight be a concern either. 

So there you have it: I'm giving you permission to eat. Eat whatever you want. Go ahead. Just do it. BELIEVE ME YOU NEED THIS.