to feel disgusted with myself after gaining weight back and needing advice on staying on track?

[OnlyHerefortheBiscuits]

After regaining half the weight I lost since May, I’m lying in bed feeling frustrated with how big my body feels again. I want to stop this slide before I’m back to square one.

Things that could help me:

1. Tracking in lbs. The Americans are right on this one. Seeing each change in a single smaller unit of measurement somehow is more tangeable.

2. Shopping for and trying on clothes regularly to keep myself motivated (weekly Zara trips might be a new thing!).

3. Using jars with beads to track my weight loss, moving a bead for each lb lost (and back if I gain).

Share your odd little quirky things you do to stay on track I'm all ears* so they say!

*actually I'm mostly hips, thighs and love handles 🙄

OP I might use more gentle and loving language towards yourself! Lose the "disgusted with myself" and maybe switch to "looking forward to getting back in shape". Your other ideas sound good as well. Good luck.

Definitely weigh daily in lbs - you see the small changes upwards and can make adjustments on a daily basis if needs be

I hear what you're saying but the disgust is reserved for my behaviour [of how I have allowed this to happen]... rather than the body itself if you see what I mean!

Hi OP. I know how you feel, I felt disgusted with myself when I regained weight I’d worked so hard to lose….but I lost it again!

I did all the things you mentioned and I also set myself ‘mini goals’. I’d aim to lose say 7lbs in November and promise myself something like a new top I wanted or some new earrings if I reached my goal. Definitely easier breaking it in to smaller, more achievable goals.
I lost 7 stone and this time, I’ve kept it off because I just feel so much better in myself. Good luck!

I know exactly how you feel I lost loads of weight a few years ago and now it’s all back.

i weigh daily, log on nutrachrck, and I bought a notch bracelet with a charm for each 7 lbs lost. If I’m going off track looking at the bracelet helps remind me especially if I’m close to buying my next charm

In same position but can’t seem to stop myself, I’m going to try your tips. Would so love to be trim again for Christmas, otherwise if I don’t, Christmas will come and I will be back where I started, if I can reign it in before it will encourage me not to go mad at Christmas.

To be honest I find losing weight requires a massive level of self care and is almost impossible to do if I can't give myself a lot of self care. 3/4 of our kids are now away at uni and it's only now I can find the time to exercise like I need to to achieve a healthier body.

I have lost 14kg since May on a combo of swimming, strength training, low carb and Mounjaro but would like to loose another 40kg so the journey will be a couple of years despite being on Mounjaro.

But I know in another 10kg I'll be so much happier and healthier and find life so much easier. And so on.

Put £1 (or £10 or however much you choose) in a jar for every pound you lose and save up for a treat!

I find that a focus on ADDING in the good stuff in… so ensuring I incorporate good habits (you decide on these)…rather than REMOVING the bad is the way to get started and make sustainable change.

It feels less like punishment, more like self care, and plus adding in things that help you feel better mentally and physically and that will help you resist the things that have been unhelpful to you.

For me… low carb, higher fat and protein work really well. Don’t want to debate it. some people love it, some people don’t …It’s all that work in my case as a food/carb/sugar addict.

So…when I slip up and find myself back in a cycle of craving sugar and carbs (and eating those make me depressed and ratty after) then I commit to adding in: a daily 45’ min walk plus 15’ mins of random internet exercise sessions. Drinking 3L water. Mindful reading (book not phone) for 30’ mins. Eating 10 portions of lower carb veg over two meals with a decent portion of protein and fat because that is what my body needs and craves.
Actually focusing on protein goals is a really good one… we all need so much more than the guidelines - they are the rock bottom amounts. To thrive we need so much more. Do research it.

I also use BPC (bullet proof coffee) when things have got bad. I chuck a tbsp each of coconut oil (or MCT oil) plus same amount of butter and a dash of double cream (to help it bind and maybe a teaspoon of vanillla essence) into nutribullet with black coffee. Have one at 8am and one at 11. Another at 1/2pm if really needed for the first day or two. Then nice big fatty steak (or other fatty cuts of meat… chicken thighs - I add mayo) plus massive salad or veg and bit of Greek yog with stirred in grated 85%dark choc for pudding later. Do this a few days in a row. Drop weight with no hunger and get of the carb roller coaster.

BPC is like a nicotine patch for my appetite when I’m feeling like I’m sugar seeking.

Finally, as first poster said to you… being kind to yourself and using kind language helps. I spent years demonising and denigrating myself. It makes you feel worse.
Add in the things you know work. Until you feel better metabolically. But remember that 1000 calories of carbs over a day will leave you scrabbling around for more pretty much after every meal. 1000 calories of fat and protein will be super appreciated by your body and your brain will register that and you won’t get pangs/cravings.

Here endeth the lecture

Good luck OP

You've regained the weight because you haven't addressed the underlying problems that resulted in you becoming overweight in the first place and you've made unsustainable changes. You need to be really honest with yourself and unpack exactly what has happened. That's the only way - being disgusted with yourself is just wasted energy.

I think that people here can give you more accurate advice if you tell us more about your daily diet (as it was when you were losing weight AND what it looks like now that you're regaining) and exercise regime.

@Wallywobbles that is a wicked achievement! Steam on ahead and get the rest that you want! 💪

Current BMI is 23.6 and I'd like something around 20 or 21. That's about 25-30lbs to lose.

I know exactly what I need to do, I've never struggled losing weight when I get into it. Losing weight is dead easy when I simply eat unprocessed food, no sugar or "dirty" carbs (replaced with clean fats instead @Etcetcetcetcetc you're preaching to the choir here), sleep 8hrs a night, don't eat after 6pm, drink enough water, no alcohol, pay attention to omega 3/6 balance and eat fish 3-4 times a week.

It's just at some point, I get derailed and cannot get back. Staying on track is the problem. These aren't meant to be whingey excuses but just thinking out loud here:

• Lack of routine... my life and job requires me to be flexible.
• Social events - I don't want to be the only one drinking sparkling water (soft drinks are full of crap and sugar and no better), or standing in the corner not joining in the food. Or ordering in a restaurant but asking for loads of changes to the dish. I want to join in like everyone else. I live alone so am therefore very sociable outside the home. Even where I live is very sociable, you can't so much as put your bin out without it turning into a get together with the neighbours..which is lovely but...You join in, but you're pulled back in the carb/sugar/junk food grip again. Manufacturer's dream!
• The above social events derailing me long after they have ended.....
• I hate cooking. I can cook, obviously, I just hate it. So often the temptation of crackers and cheese for dinner is just too much. It must be easier if one actually enjoys the process of cooking but I absolutely loathe it.
• My menstrual cycles - hormones do an absolute number on you don't they. I 'gain' silly amounts over night and bloat like mad which makes you feel awful so then you comfort eat... driven and encouraged by raging hormones and cravings.

Counting calories for me personally is dangerous - I ended up underweight around 2019 doing this. (BMI 17 ish) I've steered clear of fitnesspal ever since. I don't even think it's about calories anyway - it's quality of (unprocessed) food in my experience.

Definitely biting off smaller chunks so to speak is a good idea. I'm not going to lose 20-25lbs, I'm just going to lose the first 10lbs and see...don't even think about the other 15 yet sort of thing.

Does anyone want to join a 10lb thread with me?!