Starting over: Losing and Maintaining with the Carrot and the Stick

Posted on April 25, 2017

Hi, I'm Becky and I'm a yo-yo dieter. I am now in my 3rd transformer and one millionth kickstarter. I am basically starting over and relosing the same 20 lbs once again. I know I can do it because I've done it before. The thing I have been pondering and hoping to finally learn is: How do I stop this craziness and just stay at or around my goal weight once and for all!?!? Last time I did this, I hung all my hopes on joinging a Maintainer game after the loss and that, that motivation would magically change me. I wouldn't want to lose my monthly rounds right? So I would stick with it and weigh regulary and it would just work. It worked for a while, I loved the commeraderie and tips and help from my fellow maintainers, but, just like always, life got super stressful and hectic. (Happens to all of us so I will spare you the boring details.) And just like with kickstarters that I had lost in the past, I began to let months/rounds slip by where I wouldnt even weigh in and would lose by default, telling myself I would start back dieting soon and would be back on track next round. The thing that finally motivated me to get back on track? Just like every time in the past, I hit what I consider rock bottom, when I look and feel terrible in my clothes (and can't even fit into most of them anymore) and usually a big event comes up where I need to look nice and cannot fit into my nice outfits. That is the final straw, and because I find going to special evens in bulging outfits super embarrasing, this is the "stick" that finally motivates me and puts me back on track. So that explains why the maintainer didn't work for me. It is a "carrot". Maintaining your nice weight, looking great in your clothes, winning prizes and money...those are all carrots. What really motivates me is the stick. So now to figure out how to use this knowledge to stop the insanity and finally keep off the weight. Please let me know if you have any ideas. My current plan is this: Follow last time's formula: Transformer and kickstarters, then follow up by joining a Maintainer BUT this time, make DAILY weighting as unquestionly part of my routine as brushing my teeth and feeding my cats. Then when my weight goes up 4%, as life has proven is probably inevitable, I will immediately join a kickstarter and if my motivation level is low I will join a high stakes kickstarter. (losing $100 is a real "stick" in my mind.) Too bad the stick works better than the carrot for me but at least I know myself right? Here goes....

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Christin A.

05/03/2017 5:14AM

Wow, your story is the exact same as mine, but I gained and lost way more than 20 pounds. It is so frustrating to work so hard and just have the weight come back. I am working on having new relationships with food. I am trying not to dwell on it so much. I haven't done a maintainer yet, but that was my plan after I get back down to my goal weight. I love the idea of daily weights. I think that is where I slipped up last time and I just kept gaining and gaining and kept saying "I'll start back on my diet tomorrow..." I wish you the best!!

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Beckys-Getting-Fit

Good luck to you also, Christin! I think we learn something new about ourselves each time we yo-yo so we can put those bits of knowledge to use to help us stop doing it. I think the daily weighing is gonna help us both because the weight sneaks up so slowly. I literally put a note on my scale that says: "IF" (I put that just before the scale readout) Then after the scale readout I put:"IS GREATER THAN" (the # of lbs that is 4% higher than my ideal weight) "THEN JOIN A KICKSTARTER". If that makes any sense! I need to take a pic of it to show. but I think since weight creeps up over time, and life gets hectic, and I have a short attention span, and limited motivation to maintain / lose until things get way out of hand, that this will be a helpful reminder and may help me maintain once and for all.

Pirwaki

04/26/2017 8:13AM

Becky!!! Welcome back! You can do this. Work that booty. xo

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Beth C.

04/25/2017 5:02PM

Wow! I've never heard of the analogy of the stick and carrot but it makes so much sense. Like you, a stick is what seems to be the catalyst for focus and determination, however short it may be. Suggestions? Hmmm...how to get more sticks in your life. Perhaps when you do weigh ins, wear one of your nice outfits? Or at least take a picture in or try one weekly. Have an accountability partner that you are somewhat competitive with? I truly appreciate the insight. This is definitely my current situation of sticks vs carrots. Keep us updated.

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Beckys-Getting-Fit

I am going to implement some of these ideas. For example, I think if I scheduled more events where I need to where my nice clothes (and then don't back out of them, ha that's the key) it will help me keep focus and on track. I've already written a note on my scale for when the # is 4% above a certain weight to join a kickstarter. And I think when I join my next maintainer I will try to find a fellow maintainer in the group to be accountable with again so I don't just disappear and stop participating. Thanks for the good ideas!

Beckys-Getting-Fit

*wear* not *where*

Lori M.

04/25/2017 2:50PM

This is so me!

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