the vicious annual cycle of gaining weight over the holidays

[Anonymous]

Here we are again - up 5-7 pounds after the holidays. (For me, include January, as my job is very busy/stressful through January)

Early 40's, 2 kids, fulltime job. 5' 7-1/2 " and normal weight is 143-146 (would like it to be 140!). The weight I gain every winter hits my belly/waistline like a ton of bricks. I don't really gain anywhere else. It's not particularly noticeable, except to me.

When February hits, I vow to lose the weight asap. And I just CANNOT get going on it.

I exercise 3x week and am able to lose weight if I cut calories to 1200-1300/day. But I have terrible will power and it is a huge battle for me to do it. I'm a snacker. I like sweets. I have a fair amount of anxiety/stress in my life. I am not a good cook and I'm not creative about thinking of things to make. I have to truly work at getting in 2 fruits & 2 vegetables a day. I easily consume too many carbs. I have to drink prune juice every night to stay regular and it increases the calorie count every single day.

It's not particularly hard for me to maintain my weight when I am exercising regularly and eating somewhat carefully. But I hate, hate, hate dieting.

Why can't I just suck it up and start the diet? We are going on a trip for spring break to a warm climate - I will be so mad at myself if I haven't lost the weight. But I only have 5 weeks left and for some reason I just cannot get into gear. If I could just get it done in a week, I would do it. I wouldn't mind having a killer week of hard core dieting. But I don't know of anything and I'm stuck with the usual routine, which is counting calories on MyFitnessPal and agonizing over it every day.

Have I mentioned that I hate dieting? And yet I also hate the extra weight. Why do I get in this cycle of beating myself up about the weight and simultaneously not doing something about it?

[Anonymous]

Okay, reality check: 45 year old WOH mom of two. I'm 5'7" and weigh 158. I'm down 10lbs from Christmas. My goal weight is to be where you are right now at about 145.

I am super thrilled to be at 158 and feel sexy and strong. For me, I puttered around in the 160's for years and just couldn't get my act together with the eating. I have been a rock star in the gym--weights (real weights, not the Barbie ones), running, other cardio.

December always kills me. I am addicted to carbs. So this year I made a plan--cut out the grains. Nothing with flour, no rice and no potatoes as well. I decided just to do it for January. No bread, crackers, pasta, pretzels. But everything else, including sugar is fine.

Slowly but surely, the pounds have come off. For me, I need to know that I can still have the vanilla syrup in my coffee and have a small square of chocolate at night. The "no grain" means I have been filling up more quickly with protein. When February 1 came, I decided to keep going.

Don't beat yourself up. December is done. It happened. Pick one thing you want to do differently next week-maybe it's to pack your lunch for 4 out of 5 days. Or to make 2 "healthy" dishes this weekend. Or workout twice doing something you've never done. Just commit to one thing.

You can do something. Or not. Either way, you can still be happy with who you are.

[Anonymous]

OP you don't need a diet. You need an nutritional overhaul a lifestyle change that is absent your laundry list of poor excuses.. To have to use prune juice because your diet is so poor is horrible. Forget the weight, what kind of future struggles are you setting your kids up for?

[Anonymous]

I just started the whole30 and as far as a nutitional overhaul it is working for me. It is pretty much a very strick Paleo diet/nutrition plan. I'm eating a ton of veggies and protein. You commit to 30 days and if you stray you have to start over. Well I don't want to start over so I am motivated not to cheat.

It is a restrictive diet, but I feel like I need that right now. I need rules and limits. I don't do well with eating crap in moderation so i need to totally cut it out for a bit.

Check it out.

[Anonymous]

I feel the same, 'holiday' for me seems to be from Halloween thru New Years. I pack on the pounds, plus the cold and dreary weather -- makes me not want to exercise and I feel worse. No real advice.

But I think a big culprit for me is too much salt, which makes me feel hungry but really I am just thirsty. The past few days I've been really focused on drinking a lot more water and cutting the salt. I am feeling better, a least more motivated to work out.

[Anonymous]

Op here - thanks all (except 22:12! Really, criticism is fine as long as it comes with an attempt to offer some helpful advice!)

I am intrigued by the idea of cutting salt, b/c I feel like I have a lot of salt in my diet. And I'm with you, 12:19 - I need rules & limits. After DD#2, I did Jenny Craig to lose 20 pounds, b/c I just couldn't figure out how to do it on my own. I needed structure.

[Anonymous]

OP just know that you are not alone. I did so well with diet and exerciselast summer and it went to sh@t in the fall and winter. idk how I will get these last 10 lbs off. It is hard when you are juggling kids and work too.