Ever have the feeling of utter frustration and confusion that what worked for us before is NO longer working? Yep, I get that.
Example: Say we were on a menu plan that worked really well for us a few years ago, we lost some weight, felt pretty good and could maintain that weight for a bit. We ate what was recommended to us, exercised the amount that was needed and really felt stable in our weight loss journey. Boom. Success.
Then, over time life circumstances crept in, we slowwwwlyyy resorted back to our old behaviors of eating late at night, unmindful of our portions and our stress management tactics went out the window. Our weight inched up a few pounds a month and before we know it, we’re heavier than when we started the dang program. We see a recent picture of us and notice it’s definitely time for a change. “Yep, I’m bloated.”
So, we go back to what we did before the weight came back on. We follow the protocol that worked for us before but for some reason it’s not working like it once did. The weight is harder to get off, the foods we were once eating are now causing upset stomachs and we feel like we’re having to exercise MORE and eat LESS than before to even notice a slight change.
We get pissed and frustrated right? “Why can I not lose the weight as quickly?” “What is holding me back this time and why is my body working against me?” All totally normal and legit questions to ask ourselves, right?
What typically happens? We say, “F it, this isn’t working.” We continue to eat in a stressful environment, stop working out and taking care of ourselves and decide we might as well live in our sweat pants and t-shirts. We feel blah and discouraged. Quitting seems like a better option.
We don’t know what to do, we get anxious and stressed because what worked before is no longer working. Why?
Take a look:
- Our lives have changed. Maybe we have more stress in our lives (i.e: kids, work is more intense, we can’t move as often, our sleep patterns are off and our hormones turn us into a monster)
- We only focus on the negative. We get so caught up in it NOT working in such a short period of time, we quit early and never really wait it out to see if it actually DOES work.
- We’ve dieted so many times it’s harder to lose the weight. Of course the first time we diet the weight might come off quicker, right? Think about the times we’ve restricted in high school for the first time and lived off cookies and crackers and lost some weight? Those were the days. Now we’re in our 30’s or 40’s and our bodies are burned out and basically know the drill we’re about to put it through. Our body’s are giving us the middle finger saying, “Nope. You’ve done this a million times before, why would I let you lose weight again? I know you’re about to starve me so I’m holding on to everything you’ve got missy.”
- We’re eating the wrong foods that no serve us. Maybe the greek yogurts or the pita bread slices once served their purpose, but now our tummies don’t like them. Gas, bloating, breakouts, indigestion, no thanks.
- We don’t stay consistent and expect quick results. We quit after a few weeks when we don’t see changes and think nothing is ever going to work for us so we stay status quo, mope around and continue the cycle of looking for the next best thing. Typical.
- We haven’t had our hormones or blood test done in forever. As we get older, especially for women, it’s uber important to make sure our thyroid, testosterone, estrogen, progesterone levels are functioning optimally. Make sure to get a full blood panel by someone who will dive deeper into your symptoms and not prescribe a synthetic drug or mood stabilizer to coat the problem. Think a alternative medicine doctor.
- Our food choices suck. Aside from eating foods that we might have sensitivities to, we’re making the wrong choices period. We’re choosing low fat ice cream bars over whole dense foods like sweet potatoes or gluten free oatmeal. Or we eat out all the time ingesting hormone based meats rather than cooking at home with free range goodies.
Bottom line? Let’s be honest with ourselves and ask the following questions.
a) has our lives changed since the last time we tried to eat well and balance our lives?
b) are we only focusing on the desired outcome vs. staying mindful in the moment and making slow, consistent and steady progress over time?
c) how’s are sleep patterns and eating patterns? Are we eating crappy foods and eating more and moving less than we think?
d) have we had blood work done since 1999?
All important questions to ask ourselves when we get frustrated that the plan that once worked is now ineffective. The question to ask is, is it really?
I’m super pumped as I’m about to do a really fun and excited IG challenge where you can head over —>here<— and join in! Starting August 10th I’ll be doing #17daysofsalads where I’ll be posting different salad options (think NON-boring!) and I want you to do the same! Details coming soon!
Get on my email list too! www.kimschaper.com for LOTS more on food, fitness and fun!