When you start to free fall and don't know how to stop

[chinadoll]

Last week I woke up on the 4th in a crummy mood. I wasn't motivated to stick to plan, I didn't feel like exercising, and didn't take my vitamins. It has started out earlier in the week with bad weather. I couldn't get my daily walking in. I was away from my home so I couldn't lift weights. I was visiting my elderly parents and, although my mom is great about having things I can eat, she doesn't cook like me. On top of this TOM arrived so my hormones were loopy. I stopped drinking my water. Everything was falling apart for no reason--no traumatic event, no trigger food, no logical reason.

I knew I was slipping. This is how those big lapses start every time- a day here, then two, then the eating slips a little, and pretty soon you are totally off plan.

I was apathetic about stopping it. It lasted 3-4 days. But I did stop and I turned it around. And I thought about what I did to get back on target. Maybe it can help someone else, so here it is...

First, I ate more. I didn't go off plan, but I ate a lot of extra calories the next few days. Like 500 more a day. This was important because then I was too full to want carb laden stuff. It was calling to me, big time.

I didn't beat myself up about the water. I just didn't feel like drinking it, so I drank when I felt like it and drank more iced tea, decaf, and even diet soda (which I had been trying to stay away from) to keep fluids up.

I readjusted my goals. Instead of insisting I go back out for a 7 mile walk to make up for my lapse, I decided to walk two miles the other night, at a slow pace. Just to get out and do something again.

I looked up some new recipes to try. I started rereading THE BOOK again.

One of the biggest helps was to enlist a drill sargent. I knew I was screwing up. During a strong moment, I told my son that I knew I would blow off exercise that day so I needed him to make sure I got out and walked that night. If I hadn't had him reminding me of my commitment (and walking with me) I know I wouldn't have done it that night. We did five slow miles, but we did them.

I usually work out in the morning so I laid out my workout clothes before going to bed. I figured if I was dressed to exercise it put me halfway there.

When I got up the next day, I felt a little better but still not as strong willed as usual. It was a weights day, so I told myself I had to do at least one set of chest and back weights. I knew if I just got started I would follow through. I did. It was one of the best weight workouts I have had in weeks.

All of these things helped turn around an almost guaranteed derailment. I really, truly don't know why I suddenly lost my motivation and I really truly wasn't very committed to getting it back, but taking these baby steps to work through it helped. I am back, back on WOE, water, exercise, and most importantly, my head is back in the game.

One last note. I was smart enough not to weigh in last week and will not do so this week either. Seems like a dumb idea to make myself more frustrated by seeing a gain. I will just wait awhile and go by the feel of the clothes.

Hope this helps someone else.

[Alexa]

Good post - I've been there a few times. Sometimes by reading the book and coming to ADBB to look at the losers lounge and the before/after pictures I can halt a fall from the wagon. Sometimes not, but doing the same can also make it easier to climb back on.

Thanks for sharing

[Lisa]

Good for you picking yourself back up instead of continueing the slide!

I like how you put yourself ahead and planned out your course to get back on the Atkins bus, and even enlisted your son to help.

I wish you continued success!

[chinadoll]

Thanks, Lisa.

Alexa, you are right. I didn't even mention the board but that was also a key. I couldn't bring myself to go three or four days without keeping up on my challenges--knew I had to get going. They make me accountable.

[carbless_in_seattle]

ahaha, i made my boyfriend the drill seargent once. I texted him and said "i don't feel like riding the exercise bike, make me" and he texted me back with some tough love, and sure enough...i rode the bike.

[Elsie150]

Great job!!

[studyinscarlet]

Nice post. And congrats on getting back on track. I think (and I have been guilty of this in the past) that when people start to slip up they often get a case of what I call the "might as wells." You know, "I didn't exercise so I might as well eat whole pizza, and I ate a whole pizza so I might as well wash it down with some ice cream..." and so on into a downward spiral. Its so important to take a step back and recognize whats going on and then figure out how to correct it.

[Adena]

Jill, this is a great post. If I had taking proactive action to fight the signs of apathy like you did, it would have saved me months of aggravation (and gain...). Thanks for sharing!

[eclectikat]

Its all about the baby steps isn't it... for me getting out of the duldrums is to simply put on my runningshoes... I bought these shoes for walking/hiking and just having them on makes me want to hit the trails... You did help me... cause I have clean socks on and those very shoes and am heading out soon... CHEERS!

[ValidRouge]

Jill, those are all great ways to keep your focus. I know how hard it is to stick to the plan. Trust me. I KNOW! But, it is SO WORTH IT. Not to say that I don't have days that I get depressed about not being able to "go back" to my old ways, or to "relax" about things. But, then I think to myself that if I do relax, or go back, that means I'm going to go back to being fat. To UNDO all I've DONE. I don't EVER want to do that. EVER. And you don't either. So, finding that motivation has to come from deep within us, and we have to find whatever it takes to get us through the moment.

I'm proud of you, and you should be very proud of yourself. Good for you for making your commitment to yourself a higher priority than the food.