Anyone else struggle with repeated restarts?

[ChubbyGroundhog]

I'm so tired of the "restart" this year. Since I started to eat real food last year, after doing VLCD for months, I have not stopped eating. I keep "restarting" my programme and then freak out on the weekend. So, I keep gaining a little and losing nothing.

I'm "restarting" again, today. 12 weeks of food left so I'm hoping to lose between 2-3 stone. I'm not sure I will be happy with that, so may need to do more, but will have to check towards the end of the programme.

The lack of sun made things hard and now the full sun is making things hard. Things always just seem "hard" when it comes to weight loss!

I'm not sure what to do differently since I'm my own worst enemy. I'm sick of me!

Download MyFitnessPal and track your calories. You don’t need to exclude any food, which is mostly what makes people fail! If you want a doughnut, then have it and work it into your calorie allowance. It really helps with seeing the calories written down.

Unfortunately the method you are choosing is not conducive to your weight loss. If you’re eating a VLCD Monday to Friday then on the weekend you eat your entire deficit, that’s not working for you except as maintenance (and it sounds like a really hard way to maintain). It wouldn’t work for me at all either and this isn’t a criticism of you, I just think maybe you need to look at your week overall and try to find something that works for you longer term. If you don’t want to waste your VLCD food (I presume this is shakes or bars or sachets?) then maybe do 5:2, have VLCD on 2 days and eat a normal diet at a deficit for the remaining 5?

Yes, me!

I lost 3 stone last year with low carbing, but then the pesky menopause caused me to have terrible joint pain, and exercise became very painful. Surprise, surprise, I put it all back on.

I'm now on HRT which has resolved the issue, and I'm exercising again, but my ability to connect with low carbing has vanished. It's been 3 months of start/stop and so I need to rethink and want a sensible, manageable and long term approach.

I'm going to try calorie counting from tomorrow.

Happy to buddy up for some moral support if you like?

If anyone wants to join me, I'm starting off today.

1500 calories a day and a bit of exercise.

Hoping for half a stoneish a month til Christmas, but embracing life events, not letting them derail me!

Will post here for my own accountability.

Your plan sounds great! Can't wait to see your updates! 😍

I'm on Day 2 of my 12 week VLCD. I've done okay today except I ate too many prunes (which aren't on the plan, anyway!) and already had an "optional snack".

Stomach issues are common, early doors, on this plan, though.

What is your excercise plan?

I am doing some light lifting and walk about 12-15k steps a day.

Thanks! I'm committed to this VLCD plan. It worked before but I think I have been fatigued from dieting for 20+ years. I've lost over 16 stone and never gained weight back apart from this past few months.

I'm a firm believer of quick and aggressive so, once this is done, I will come off it correctly this time and be ready to get back to my weight training!

Great to hear what you're doing: fingers crossed we can encourage each other to stick for the longer term.

One day at a time is my mantra.

Exercise: pretty similar to you but with the addition of swimming twice a week. I walk lots and try to do 2 at home weights sessions a week.

Looking forward to hearing your updates too!

@ChubbyGroundhog I get that, I do well with very strict rules and it’s actually easier than trying to moderate sometimes.

Morning all. Hope everyone is doing ok. @ChubbyGroundhog how was yesterday?

I stuck to my 1500 but didn't manage to exercise as too busy.

But I'm wfh today so will set asides 45 mins for a weights session.

I'm committed to this VLCD plan.

I ate too many prunes (which aren't on the plan, anyway!) and already had an "optional snack".

5 prunes are 100cals
A snack is 200 (more?)

I was also "committed" and successfully lost 3 stone... then 4 stone ... then 5 stone....

My metabolism is wrecked by my. ate 30s they are the devils work honestly.

Get on my fitness pal and move your body.
long term you are FAR better off losing 7lbs between now and christmas than 3 stone by end of summer which you regain and junking your metabolism in the process.

What makes you think I don't move my body? Why are you making strange assumptions? I appreciate you think slow and steady wins the race but there is a reason I'm doing what I'm doing in the time frame I'm doing it in and I think being snarky about my choices is silly.

It would be useful if MN had a bio for us to read about one another so I wouldn't have to be "educated" over and over about things people assume I don't already know and know more than they do, in most cases.

I use Cronometer. It's better than MFP, but thanks.

Okay. You do you....🤷🏻‍♀️

if I had my time over i would never have touched them...

Good luck with it

Good job on staying within your calorie range!

Yesterday was not a good day (the prunes attacked me, viciously) so I didn't get to bed until 5 am! Lesson learnt.......

I did a 5 mile walk with DH and hoping to do some lifting today including core work.

Hope today is just as successful for you!

I've had a late start so eating is not as much a focus for me as catching up!

Thank you. I am sorry if I came across exasperated. I haven't had a great time on another thread when asking about WLIs so some of that emotion made it's way on to this post.

I'm sorry you had a bad experience and thank you for trying to prevent it for me.

I do think the bio thing would work so people wouldn't have to repeat their life story each time they have a question.

Thanks, @ChubbyGroundhog! Managed to stick with the budget and do a 30 minute weights session.

Sorry to hear about the prunes! But a 5 mile walk is brilliant, well done!

@JuggedHare Good job on sticking to your budget and your lifting session!

I managed to stay on plan, walked 4.4 miles today and did some lifting as follows:

Dumbbell squat - 3 sets of 10
RDL - 3 sets of 10
Bent over row - 3 sets of 10
Bench press - 3 sets of 10
Lat raises - 2 sets of 8
Curls - 2 sets of 8
Tricep extension - 2 sets of 8

Tomorrow will be core day including planks (I hate planks so much) and another walk.

In the meantime, hoping to work on some sleep!!!

How much are you looking to lose and do you have a goal date?

Thanks for keeping me motivated and company - appreciate you!

@ChubbyGroundhog that's a really active day, well done!

I also hate planks, so sending you thoughts and prayers today!

I'm just waiting for the pool to open for my first swim of the week.

Ideally, 4 stone, but if I could just crack that first one, I know I'll be motivated to keep going. By Christmas would be nice, but I'm trying not to fixate.

How about you? Thanks for your company, too!