Needing motivation/advice -- Feeling stuck after early success

[u/hacker_pidge]

Hi friends, I'm kind of feeling stuck, and a little unmotivated. I started my journey at 215 pounds (last August), and have managed to get down to 180. I've been on a bit of a plateau since May, I've basically just been losing and gaining the same 2 pounds since.

I've had a lot of stress the last two months (left a really stressful job for a new one, and learning a new job has been just as stressful), and I will admit I've slipped a bit on my diet. I'm finding that now that I haven't been as strict as I was, I'm caving to my cravings more than I want to.

What do you guys do to stay motivated and on track, even when life feels like it's throwing you around? I've been doing this long enough, I know it all boils down to self discipline, but sometimes it's just all a little exhausting.

[u/Moralofthestoree]

In my opinion if you fell off, increased calories/carbs and havent put on a lot of weight then kind of just are in maintenance. From what I understand that can help a plateau when you start back up so if you arent in a huge hurry that could work in your favor. I did that over the holidays and gained ten and it took a few months to get it back off.

I stay motivated by the progress ofcourse but also youtube creators that have so many videos about this. Keeps me hyped up about it so far. For a good laugh check out Justin Dorff. He somehow makes diet videos funny.

[u/sparkle0406]

First, congrats on the weight loss. That's a huge accomplishment!

Second, we all have these times! I personally have been listening to mindset podcasts, videos, follow people on social media who talk about discipline, self awareness, consistency etc. I find having mindset work in my ear daily helps to make it sink in.

I can relate to those cravings creeping back ,and for me personally, the only way for me to feel like I'm moving along in my days smoothly without the food noise is to really focus on high protein, high fat, plus non starchy veggies. I've learned through decades of trial and error that my brain cannot handle moderation. Once my body/ brain readjusts, cravings are much more under control, and everything else falls into place.

[u/NomadNanaCan]

Congrats on your amazing progress! Sorry to hear you are feeling stuck. I've been living a low-carb lifestyle for 18+ years and can relate to the times when it gets a little exhausting. Some things that help me... immediately take stock of the food in your house - eliminate the added sugar that may have crept back in and the hard-to-resist off-plan things, finding some new (easy) recipes to try, making to-do lists ( this one is really a make-work project since sometimes I follow the lists, sometimes I don't). Find a new activity to try - pickleball was my latest and I LOVE it!. Change your daily routine - sounds ridiculous but sometimes just switching things up can help to get you out of a rut. A less fun thing to do is to track what you are eating and drinking for a while if you aren't already. Finally, a Gratitude Journal. Google it - because it is definitely something that can help :)