I started making serious efforts to lose weight last July and have lost 4st 12lbs since then. I'm using the Weight Loss Resources website to aid with calorie counting and I've been exercising more too. I was consistently losing 2lbs a week until November last year and had also got to week 7 on the couch to 5k programme so was running for 28 continuous minutes 3 times a week as well as swimming 2 or 3 times a week. I was super proud of myself and really feeling the benefit and improvement to my health.
Then at the end of November I had surgery for endometriosis and since then I've never really managed to get my mojo back. I was told I'd be able to return to running and swimming after 2 weeks but I then got a nasty infection which made me quite ill and it was a good month before I attempted another run. That didn't go well and after a few frustrating attempts to restart the c25k programme at various points I ended up going right back to the beginning. But I'd totally lost enthusiasm and have been a bit stop/start since February. Still haven't really got back into the swimming either. Additionally I've not been doing so well with the eating. I've had more takeaways etc than is healthy and the odd cheat has become the norm rather than the exception.
Happily I've managed not to gain weight but I've only lost 1st 8lbs since the end of November when I had surgery and I've been juggling the same 2 or 3lbs up and down over the last month. I still have 2st 9lbs to lose to get to my goal weight and I need to find a way to regain the motivation I had before surgery. I have started running again (again!) and am currently at the end of week 2 of c25k (again!) and I'm going to go for a swim after work today. I feel like right now, in this moment, my head's in the right place to work on this properly again but I'm worried that it'll be temporary. Any tips on staying motivated and sticking with it this time?
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racheles78
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Hello racheles78 and welcome back to the Weight Loss Forum 😊. Well done for sticking with the healthier eating inspire of several set backs . . . You are doing really well and in my opinion, should focus on and feel proud of your achievements rather than chasing a magic “goal” weight, which is just a number on the scales. The most successful people on here look at the big picture of overall health and well-being as well as scale weight.
We've found regular and active forum participation to be key to success, especially with our weigh-ins and Daily Diary. The latter might be especially useful as maybe your diet needs a small tweak to get the scales moving again. Follow this link to our chat thread and a list of all the activities we run. healthunlocked.com/nhsweigh...
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Thanks Indigo. To be honest, I'm not really super focused on the number on the scales - the 2st 9lbs remaining loss would take me just within my healthy BMI range. I'm more concerned that it's part of a broader loss of enthusiasm. I wish I could have bottled whatever it was I had before November which stopped me from craving rubbish food and propelled me out of bed at silly o'clock in the morning to run or whatever!
Since the beginning of the year, badges are being awarded to members who are regular and supportive members of a weigh in, so I do hope you'll join in. Further information here healthunlocked.com/nhsweigh....
Yeah, I'm very pleased that I've managed not to gain. I'm just frustrated at feeling stuck. And, to be honest, a little bit worried that I've lost my enthusiasm. Before surgery I was full of energy and genuinely found it all, not exactly easy, but not difficult either. Recently it all feels like much more of a slog. I guess I want that enthusiasm back. If I can sort that out then the weight will look after itself!
hello Racheles, if I may say, since I am not an expert, you have forced yourself to be back to normal as you were told within two weeks ???? A body is not a machine, and please be kind to yourself, and built up very carefully. What are a few weeks, in a lifetime. And you will get there.
Not at all. I gave it a month before I attempted to run again and also increased my calorie allowance to maintenance levels during that time. I'm now almost 6 months post surgery and still am not properly back in the game!
Your body has been through a lot, it has needed time to heal. So has your mind.
You are obviously feeling like it's been enough time now, and you clearly are getting back into the action you need to be your "best" you. It might take your mind a bit of time to get used to it again but you will get there.
Do you contribute to the Daily Diary at all on this forum? I find it helps me to stick to my good intentions (such as they are, lol).
You can do this again and C25K... the big positives I see is you haven’t gone off the rails nutritionally, as you’ve not been gaining... and the fact that you’re here again ready to complete the journeys. For me this bodes well for maintaining that goal weight when you do hit it. You’ve been through a lot and here you are, undefeated, just looking to get back on things again. You’ll get there in both parts of the journey, we are right behind you on both forums.
I understand that you have lost your enthusiasm I also had surgery for Endometriosis ages ago. I guess I have an excellent therapist who helps me tons. I have infertility issues as well and therefore i gained tons of weight but now i am determined to get back on the wagon. I fell into a deep depression but all thanks to my therapist who has shown me there is another purpose and I managed to get back into full swing.Personally I feel if you have someone who listens to you that will make you want to really live. Find something that you enjoy doing and that will help your weight go off. If you do something that you will enjoy like sewing or knitting even if you don't feel like it you will than will want to do it. Or go back to swimming, or running whatever it is. Just do it and than you will like it. I hope I have helped you.
Thanks for the message and for sharing your experience. Sorry you suffer with endo too and all it brings with it. I think, on reflection, I'd also hit a bit of a slump. I had high hopes for the surgery but it's actually not helped much at all and I've been feeling quite despondant since. That coupled with the usual seasonal drop I tend to have over the winter I think probably is responsible for my loss of enthusiasm. I'm very lucky in that I work in a lovely team with understanding women who are genuine friends as well as work colleagues so I have good support daily which really helps.
Try to find like-minded friends or acquaintances to run with, so you support each other. I gave up all three exercise classes at Christmas because I had lost my mojo and it’s really hard to encourage myself to run during the week on my own. (I’m currently in my kit but have found another excuse not to run. However I’m managing to go to my local Parkrun each week as I love the encouragement I get and the community spirit. Do you do Parkrun? Is there a Parkrun near you, as it’s definitely worth it? There may also be a community running group worth joining too.
If you haven’t already, then please read the Welcome post here which has lots of useful information about all the things we have on offer healthunlocked.com/nhsweigh...
We've found active participation to be key to success, especially with our weigh-ins and Daily Diary. Follow this link to our chat thread and a list of all the activities we run. healthunlocked.com/nhsweigh...
Have a good read and please just ask if you have any questions
I'm very much a solitary runner to be honest. My job is quite emotionally intensive and I really value that time on my own when I run without having to speak to or think about others so I'm quite protective of it!
I am aiming to do a parkrun when I get to the end of the c25k programme but I don't feel ready yet.
I generally run first thing in the morning before work but on occasions I struggle to get going that early. Previously on those days I'd end up not running at all but I've now started taking my kit to work with me if I miss my morning run and going at the end of the day instead.
I know what you mean about running alone. I agree I find that time helpful. One note on the Park Runs... you might try them sooner and don’t worry about not feeling “ready.” In my area, the Run is very casual and with lots of abilities. Some people are walking. If you don’t want your time recorded, you don’t have to turn in your slip at the end. But it’s also motivating to see how much you improve! I recommend you go check it out.
I know they have a park run in the place I normally run. I'll work towards having a go in the next couple of weeks maybe. I think part of my reluctance is that I still have a "fat girl" mindset. I ran past a group of teenagers the other day and was bracing myself for the taunts and jeers and then was surprised when they didn't come. Although I look in the mirror and see someone who is a bit chubby but a perfectly normal size I still have that thing in my head that makes me feel like the morbidly obese woman who doesn't belong in fit peoples spaces. Hoping it doesn't take too long for my mind to catch up with my body!
The whole point of Park Runs is fitness for everyone so I’d always encourage everyone to try them. And it sounds like you are already a good athlete even if your mind isn’t there yet! I like my Park Run because it is full of people of all shapes and sizes (and ages). They are also in various stages of fitness. The fastest runner is usually really fast (18 minutes!) The slowest is usually about 50 minutes ( sometimes more than an hour). And nobody is really paying attention to either the fastest or the slowest because they’re just focused on a day out for fitness. I don’t know if they are all like that. But if you have several within driving distance you can choose your favourite.
Great job on the weight loss and maintenance! Sometimes when I lose my motivation I need something easy that just makes me maintain while I give my body and mind a rest from the rigour of a diet and exercise plan. And focusing on self-care like meditation, long baths, and naps. Then sometimes to get energised I have to try a whole new “plan.” I find it hard to go back to the same thing that got me excited before, although it worked so well. (Although a different personality will do better going back to the tried-and-true, I seem to need something new.). I tend to get jazzed up about a new book or plan. So for me, that has recently meant switching from running to a rowing machine (with four 2-minute all-out bursts). I got a fitness tracker and am just trying to get steps in rather than running. And I’m switching from calorie counting to low-carb with lots of new recipes. And joining this forum! Anyway, best wishes to you and do keep it going... you’ve done so well!
I feel like I say this a lot on this forum, but I really do think that we all forget about the mental/emotional side of weight loss. I was really struggling with motivation before Christmas, which I'm fairly certain was mostly to do with just generic stress - job dissatisfaction, loneliness, frustration that I felt like I was doing things right, but not seeing the weight loss (if I'm really honest, I probably wasn't doing quite as well as I thought I was, and may have been having the same problem with cheats becoming the norm that you've been having). I knew I wasn't going to be able to get on track properly until I sorted out my head, so I gave myself a break and stepped away for a bit. I've definitely been able to tackle this a lot better for taking that step back. I don't know if you feel you've already had a break (maybe too much of one? I think that's how I'd feel in your situation...), but for me, that would be my first move - assessing the state of my mental health.
Yes! I think, on reflection, I've been suffering with a bout of mild depression following my surgery. At the same time my partner had a serious breakdown in February and admitted that he was planning to end his life so all of my energy has been focused on supporting him with his recovery which has meant that I haven't really prioritised my own.
Exercise is something that significantly helps me to tackle my low mood and I've really noticed a difference in how I feel over the last few days while I've been either running or swimming daily.
In my experience, that'll definitely do it! And I'm absolutely with you on the exercise helping with low mood. Does for me, too, but it also means that when I'm in a low mood I have to force myself to get that exercise. Which is kind of the problem, I know, but doing so, plus giving yourself time to readjust and do what's necessary to get back to a better mental state makes a world of difference. Really hope things turn around for you and your partner soon! It's not easy taking care of yourself while also trying to help a loved one in need. If you're not seeing one already, I always recommend trying to find a therapist or even just a trusted friend/family member you can vent to now and again, even if you're pretty sure you can cope.
Hi racheles78 you have done so well to come as far as you have 😊💜. & done brilliantly not to have over indulged yourself with everything you have been through.
You should think of this period as being a time of investment in yourself, a bit of a pause while you get everything sorted, your body rested after your operation & your head in the right place. 💗 Get yourself to peak mindset! 😊 Look after yourself.
Your motivation will come back, mine has 😊 & I am a true serial dieter - but sometimes you have to force motivation a bit - I definitely used to sometimes sit around waiting for my motivation to return! 😳 I've learned from experience that just doesn't work! You have to put the effort in first, maybe trying a differerent approach to your healthier lifestyle - they can be really small changes - just different to what you did before, ring the changes a bit, and before you know it you will be back there & hooked! 😊
Thanks everybody for your advice, support and encouragement. I've had a really good week and feel like I'm getting back to the old me a bit. I've either run or swim every day this week, stayed within my calorie allowance and it's really paid off because I've weighed in this morning and lost another 3lbs taking me to 5st loss overall. I'll take some of what you've all said on board and participate in some of the stuff on here. I need to keep up this momentum!
Wow, Rachel, you've lost 5 stone? That is absolutely fantastic. I have a friend who lost 3 stone and her self esteem has improved so much. Be proud of yourself, lady, and tell people about your achievement and you'll find that people will be in awe and hopefully help you to feel more confident being seen running. I used to run at 6am so no one could see me, as I was overweight and nearly 60 I thought people were laughing at me. I now proudly wear my Parkrun 50 tee shirt and I am very close to getting my 100 one. I understand about running alone as I prefer to do so too, I had anxiety and depression due to losing parents and daughter having multiple miscarriages and solitary running really helped and I got off my meds. Now I'm struggling to get myself out in the week as hubby's health has taken a turn, I know if I can push myself it will help but I just can't seem to motivate myself at the mo. At least I'm still doing parkrun, I guess. Good luck.
Hi Racheles78 - Wow! You have come so far! Well done you - not only have you lost 5 stone which is amazing, but you've not put weight back on through a tough few months. You may not feel like you are winning but you are doing great (and my goodness, you've turned into a runner/swimmer while you weren't looking - I can tell that by the way you're talking about and actually trying to go running and swimming even when you've stopped loving it for a while).
In my experience surgery is a funny old thing. I had a relatively minor op a while back and was told that I'd be right as rain after 5 days....well...I felt like I'd been hit by a bus...and it took weeks to recover during which I felt exhausted and down. I put it down to my body's healing response and eventually I bounced back. My advice would be to be kind to yourself - your body is an amazing thing and it's probably just doing its healing thing which takes energy and time and you will probably find your head and your heart will get back to the right place again before long.
On the exercise front I've also found it's quite common to lose my mojo for a bit. Back in the day (pre-baby) I was pretty active (I'm here now trying to get back to being more active and a bit less big post-baby) and most of the time I took exercise and the wonderful endorphins it provided for granted but then I might get ill or over-tired and find that for a few days or weeks I could barely wiggle a finger despite my head saying 'but you should be out running through the streets now - that is what you do'. It usually passes and I'm sure it will for you. Oh and if you are a reader/audio-booker maybe check out 'Born to Run' by Christopher McDougall. It's just about the joy of running and it's my go to when I need to get my mojo back.
Good luck - you can do it, you've come so far already!
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