Starting to feel complacent

Kara,

I know your feelings. I am 8 months out now and last night I had potato chips. So bummed out! I do find now it is more difficult to stay on track. I have been walking or swimming everyday and that seems to help me. Thanks for the post and I understand where you are coming from. It's good to share here on OH it really helps.

Robin

I bought a "goal" cute little dress...and I hang that on my closet doors. so I have to look at it at least 2 time a day... in the  morning and at the evening...  I woudl wake up looking at it.

that reminded me to be motivated... once I got to the "dress" (outfit) goal size - I would get another - 2 sizes smaller.. until I got to size 6.. 

Yes -- complacency and (for me) a bit a smug satisfaction (my mother told me I'd never lose the weight -- hah!). All you have to do to snap out of it is to go to your favorite clothing shop and try on something that is one or two sizes below what you're wearing now. Look long and hard in the mirror. If that doesn't snap you out of it, I'll be very surprised!

psychoticparrot

I can completely relate to the feelings of "diet fatigue" and complacency and I think its a very normal feeling.  We do all this prep for surgery, go through the pre-op diet, have major surgery and then it takes several weeks to eat 'regular' food.  Our minds can reel at this after a while.  From personal experience, maintenance is more of a struggle than the weight loss so it's super important to make certain things a non-negotiable part of life in order to keep moving forward.  For me, that is using My Fitness Pal to track everything (even the crap that goes in my mouth) because once I start pretending I didn't eat something it's a slipper slope to being unaccountable.  The other thing is to get in some activity every day.  I use the treadmill at least 30 mins or walk outside for the same.  It's hard for me to get my butt onto that machine but once I do I feel pretty happy.  However, it's got to be non-negotiable.

Remember the things that led to past weight loss failures and determine if they are kicking in now.  Its mostly emotional and mind-set ways of thinking that defeat us and strive to do things differently this time.  If necessary, think of these things like a diabetic or hypertensive person would of their medications: requirements for survival.

I will tell you maintenance is much harder than the weight loss phase.  Its the place where you start to add in more food to stop the weight loss which can lead to bad choices and a bit of yoyo-ing.  If you've never been at a place in your life where you could say "I don't need to lose any more weight" and are there now its very confusing and scary.  I've always had weight to be lost. 10, 20, 100 lbs.  I never said "I'm at a happy weight" so I've never learned how to balance my food choices.  I'm finding it very difficult and miss the dedication and ease of the weight loss phase where you know the path and the path is to weigh less each week and eat accordingly. 

Set yourself up now with the tools and thinking to carry you through the long haul.  We may never be able to relax or be 'normal' in our eating and that's our path to walk so the emotional head work really comes into play here.

Good luck.  Stay strong and keep plugging towards your goal.  Think of the joy you'll feel at reaching 160.  No bread, chips, pasta, soda will make you feel as good as seeing that number on the scale.  Of succeeding.

I try not to think of this as a diet or phase.  I understand what your are saying but for me, I hit maintenance about three weeks ago....what changed...nothing really.  My portions are a little bigger but I still don't eat processed carbs.  I actually lost another three pounds which I'm happy with.  Leading up to maintenance, I really contemplated what will change.....and decided nothing really, this is my new life.  Good luck!