I’ve just spent a few hours reading through all of the dieting / exercise / health / fitness blogs I follow… and there seems to be a bit of a theme peeking through.
So many of you / us seem to be exhausted; just OVER it all! And by that I mean dieting, exercise, weight loss… the general focus on our bodies and how we look and feel.
I know a few of us on my weight loss program have been having these discussions for a while. While it would be easy for me to blame my recent difficulties; father’s illness etc, I started struggling a week or so before he was hospitalised. Despite being SO SO SO motivated on this weight loss program first time around I felt stale. I hung in there for a while and my weight yo-yoed a bit and – quite frankly – has continued to do so. In fact I gained more weight in the last fortnight than I lost in the first six weeks of this round of my program.
But… never fear (for I am sure you were going to!), I’m not criticising the program I’m on and I’m not throwing in the towel. I’m not binge-eating chocolate and corn chips (okay, well, I may have done that yesterday!), I’m still committed to losing weight. I’m still dreaming of continued weight loss, getting into double digits and eventually to my goal or ideal weight. But… I’m tired of stressing about it. Quite frankly.
I have no answers (and this surprises you?!), but what I wanted to say to those reading this who are going through the same thing is that…. I hear ya! I’ve left numerous comments on bloggers’ posts over the last few days. Words of encouragement, I hope. I’ve told people to ‘hang in there’. Keep plodding along. Or Shufflin’ as LMFAO would suggest. I’ve had Twitter and Facebook conversations pondering whether we are all just tired – as one often is when the end of the year rolls around. We’ve wondered if we’re disillusioned, frustrated, or just stale. Perhaps we just need a break from a life when every waking moment is spent focussed on calories, exercise and numbers on the scale, tape measure or clothes’ tags (or is that just me?). I do like to think that tomorrow, or next week will roll around and I’ll suddenly not want to bury myself in comfort food, but rather exercise when I’m feeling sad or angry. Or happy for that matter.
Like I said, I don’t have any answers… and believe it or not, I’m actually not feeling overly angsty about my own state of affairs. For a change, I’m not worried about my blah-ness. I’m just going to go with the flow and not worry that I’m not feeling 100% committed to dieting and weight loss at this very point in time (perhaps yesterday’s karma post helped). In fact today from me there will be no whining or playing the victim and no pep talk. Rather, I just wanted anyone out there, going through this same crisis of confidence or lack of motivation to know, that you aren’t alone. There are more of us in the same boat, paddling along with tired yet functioning oars.
November 4, 2011
Yes, definitely jettison the angst – good for you. Angst never got anyone anywhere. I mean, it probably burns more calories than zen, but (and maybe I’m just talking for myself here), zen never sent anyone rumaging through the fridge.
Actually, who am I kidding – I have no idea what zen does to a person :P.
Let’s just all hang together, we’ll ride this out.
November 4, 2011
I will endeavour to channel the zen Sasha. Surely it burns SOME calories… (All of that ‘ommming’!) xxx
November 4, 2011
I have to admit I’m tired too. I’ve been counting calories still but not as regimented as I was earlier in the year. It has been hard and to put the nail in the coffin with more bad personal / family news. I’m over the food side of things at the moment. I’m sure once this round is over, I can take stock and relax and decide what to do from here. I know what I want and hoping that a new environment will help get me through it. Also doesn’t help packing is such a mind-numbing task.
But yes….. As your first commenter said, “let’s just all hang together.” I’m hanging on for dear life!
November 4, 2011
You have a heap of stuff on at the moment, with the move etc and sorry to hear about the personal/family news. I still think 12WBT is a good program but then again I don’t follow it faithfully – really just focus on the calorie limit and exercise guidelines. Perhaps next time I won’t enrol and just do my own thing… love the camaraderie of the program but get that from the twitter and FB gang etc…
November 4, 2011
Hi Deb – surprise…surprise…I’m one of those that is tired too. This hasn’t been a successful round for me, what with various health issues and loads of other stuff going on. I’m not beating myself up anymore. Ce la vie! It’s just as important at this point to learn from our mistakes and to learn to love, listen, support, forgive and understand ourselves. This will all help with fitness & weight loss goals in the long run.
I have a long holiday coming up over the Dec/Jan period. During this same period last year I lost a LOT of weight and have kept it off (plus lost some more) mind you ;-). I know I will do the same this time also. In fact I have 2 weeks away at a beautiful coastal area up north and am already really looking forward to many long walk/runs. I do so much better during holidays where the stress of daily working/family life is alleviated and more time is freed up where I can focus on ME. It is not easy, and is an ongoing learning curve to manage it all and successfully lose weight consistently……….but we’ll get there 😉
November 4, 2011
Min I have to say I have actually done okay on the program this time around when I’ve been at my mum’s and doing long walks etc… it’s when I’m home that it’s been more problematic, so I can understand how you’ve had success on your hols! There’s something pleasant about ‘choosing’ when to walk / exercise and not having to fit it in amongst other things. Sounds like the break will do you good as well.
November 4, 2011
It hasnt been all bad for me this round either Deb. Strong Points: I haven’t gained. I have been a good maintainer 😉 and even lost a weeny bit more. I have attended ALL but one of my monday night pilates classes. I love my pilates classes! I only missed the one due to a high temp. And…YES….the break will do me the world of good – can’t wait!
November 4, 2011
I reckon the key is to try and square nutrition and exercise away, then focus on the rest of your life. For me this means, prepping a day’s worth of meals ahead of time (when I’m being really awesome – this doesn’t always happen) and getting my training in first thing. I don’t have to think about it then.
There is way more to life than perpetually calorie counting and dieting – however, if the goal is important you will need to naturally devote more of your focus towards that initially xx
November 4, 2011
Liz, I know that losing weight is kinda central to everything else but it frustrates me that I’m so ‘all or nothing’ about it!!!! Am hoping I get back on track soon.
November 4, 2011
Remember – its just a phase! : )
November 4, 2011
Thanks Julia. I certainly hope so!
November 4, 2011
Hi Deb! Oh, I’m one of the tired ones, but that’s because I’m going to work early right now and staying late. I literally am very tired. I don’t read anything into it. I’ve done these big projects before. I’ll live. My big thing is to get enough sleep, or I really do get more depressed feelings. So all I do is work and sleep right now–with some t.v. mixed in.
🙂 Marion
November 4, 2011
I think that’s the sort of thing I’ve been saying with my posts of late. I feel like I SHOULD be doing certain things with my life (there were two jobs I meant to apply for which closed today) and I didn’t apply for either… But like you, I’m just too tired to find the energy. Perhaps I just have to muddle through at the moment and hope I re-energise soon. (I hope work gets less busy for you soon!)
Deb
November 4, 2011
I’m there too! Maybe I feel just worn down that my life is too much about this whole journey thing. Maybe I’m feeling the pressure of the coming holiday season and another trip on my horizon. Who knows.
November 4, 2011
I really get that. The first round of this program (May – August) my life was ALL about this weight loss program. It became more of a focus than even my job. But… it was too all-consuming. I know part of that is my own obsessive nature – it meant that I was tired of it and just exhausted. Hopefully we both make it out the other end of the tunnel (lighter!).
November 6, 2011
I’m also feeling tired. Tired of work, tired of family commitments and tired of dieting. I found a pile of my old diaries on the weekend dating back as far as 10 years. They aren’t really private diaries, more like work commitments, appointments, kids sport commitments etc etc. BUT every week, without fail (and still do) have weighed myself and recorded my weight in the front of my diary. I looked through them (they are a record of my last 10 years of weight going up and up) and noted to myself the date I started Jenny Craig, the days (Saturday mornings mainly) that I would attend Weight Watchers, the days I ordered Lite and Easy and also any times in between where I have counted calories etc. It makes me now think “no wonder I’m tired, I’ve been dieting for almost my whole life” – so why wouldn’t I be tired? Sorry I don’t have any answers, but I sure can relate.
Leanne
November 7, 2011
Thanks for dropping by Leanne… I worry that BECAUSE I’ve been doing this so long I’m really stale. I have friends whose husbands or partners ‘go on a diet’ and lose masses of weight quickly because it’s all new to them and they haven’t screwed up their metabolisms! I’m hoping to restart today (though having a shocker at work, so it’s off to a bad start!!!).
Hopefully we can both hang in there.
Deb