The last 10 days it’s been a bit of a bumpy road and I’ve fallen from the wagon. I’m kind of sabotaging myself weight wise. The weight loss journey seemed to be so easy the first few weeks. And although I absolutely knew and told everyone that the day will come where I would struggle to maintain what I’ve achieved I couldn’t prevent it. I could blame the world and that crises comes after crises but it wouldn’t be fair towards all the people who are REALLY suffering at the moment. And somehow it isn’t really important whether I lose weight or not. It’s true that I feel kind of ashamed that I can afford to have that kind of “problem”.
I still love my Huel twice or 3 times a day. But I’m just not in the mood to worry about myself. Maybe it’s time to worry about people who deserve being helped.
Hey, sounds like a realy hard part of your journey but I really believe you can reach your goals. A few weeks is a really short time for weight loss. It takes months and years.
I did this post in January. I think it’s really important here. Your weight is going to go up, it’s going to go down more than it goes up with consistency and patience. Those are both so difficult to find, I’m not suggesting for a moment it is easy, only that what you’re experiencing is normal and you can get through it (if that is still what you want)
I think this is a really interesting perspective. You should definitely reconsider your motivation to lose weight, ultimately it should come down to your own happiness. Taking your point of view a little further, I think you could get pretty nihilistic if you start to think of all your own problems this way - that they don’t matter compared to other problems in the world. It is so important to be aware of what is happening in our world right now. It is important to be angry about it because it pushes us to action. However I think we should also work on stuff which is within our circle of influence, the stuff that we can control.
Your weight loss is one of those (if you still truly want to lose weight, ask yourself that question first).
You can also do little things to support those in need in the world too, they aren’t mutually exclusive.
Hope that makes sense, and comes across that I’m not trying to belittle either your personal challenges or global travesties, quite the opposite - they are both important but you can impact one more than the other.
I love that chart!
Hey kassandra, don’t feel bad, we all need a break from time to time. It’s not a failure to fall off the wagon, it’s just what you needed to do at the time. It happens, and getting back on gets easier and easier each time, if you wait til the time’s right. This is what I tell myself when it happens. Good luck, there’s a lot to feel good about.
I never would have expected to get such a thought-provoking and comforting support on a forum, thank you so much @Tim_Huel. Somehow I know that you’re absolutely right. I even had to shed some tears as you wrote:
You pretty nail it here and I really need to think that through. I’m an emotional eater. And when I lose my motivation to do (whatever) is good for me the circle kind of closes itself. The other point is getting back the feeling to be in control. You’re right here too. Maybe I only hide behind the following concern: imo a lot of eating disorders start exactly with the need of being in control (what kind of scars me). When you get the feeling that you have no control anymore about anything than only your body is left. I’m luckily far away from having an ED but still I don’t like it that so many of my thoughts turn around food and weight.
You’re words touched me and that’s a good start to think about what’s going on. @Tim_Huel, you know I’ve read a lot of threads and posts here and I’m really impressed by your patience, thoughtfulness and ability to “read” people. I wish you a really nice day.
You’re right it felt as a failure. And your thought that I at that point kind of needed to go for something other than the weight loss thing and that it was ok helps actually. Thanks 
You have no idea how much this means to me. You’re so welcome.
I’m back! Literally, mentally and as in “on the Huel-wagon” again. I‘ve just arrived at home after twelve days on a wonderful island. I’ve brought not only nice memories but also 2 of the 6 lost kilos back with me (due to delicious food and wine; some of the weight hopefully just water….I gonna see in the next 2 days) 
. But I’m actually quite ok with it and convinced I can lose those 2kg again in the next few weeks (at the rate of 1/2 kg per week depending on my workouts). I really wanted to enjoy my holidays without me thinking all the time of my weight. And it makes me really happy that with the exception of wine I could mostly make healthy decisions. So I’m realizing that my new eating habits are kind of sustainable. I’ve now already had my Huel-lunch what felt really good. So still (respectively again) about 5-6 kg to go. But somehow it feels as if I’ve already accomplished a major goal by eating healthier and in a more controlled manner.
Which island? I could use a holiday and was thinking of island hopping around Greece soon
It sounds great that you went away and really enjoyed your food & Drink not worrying about the gained weight.
I’m sure you can get back on track and reach your goals with a good routine and dedication 
Ah it is so great to have you back! Holiday sounds exceptional and definitely needed! Glad you enjoyed it and enjoyed your food - balance is key! Look forward to your updates!
It was in the Indian Ocean. But a few years ago I spent a holiday on Crete: at first a few lazy days on the beach in the North and then with a rental car crisscross through the island. A very nice mix of relaxing at the sea and experiencing the wonderful greek nature and a very interesting culture as well (the antique and especially the Minoan culture).
Thank you so much for your supportive words. It means a lot to me !
Lovely - I’m envious, one of my favourite ever holidays was Sri Lanka. I just got flights and then travelled around which is my preferred thing to do.
Some thoughts about what I experienced in the last 13 weeks:
Sometimes you’re kind of trapped in bad habits. You know it. You’re able to think about it. You’re playing the exhausting game: should I or shouldn’t I eat or drink this and that… ? … and you just keep going repeating your bad routine. You’re stuck in your emotions, in your thoughts… you just don’t have the energy to break the wheel!
Huel is no magic for sure but it did magic to me. Maybe I was just ready, I don’t know. Everything that’s new gives you some kick, gives you energy and hope and allows you to step out of your routine. You just have to take the chance given to you!
It was no magic because it had also a lot to do with me personally. Of course there were all the obvious reasons as for example the convenience that I didn’t have to think about what to buy, what to cook, how much to eat, how many calories etcetcetc. So it was very easy to “develop” a new routine because it was all already laid out. But additionally for me personally and emotionally it was the vegan aspect that made me FEEL good. I know you can question that point. I’m aware of it. But it made and makes me feel good. To know that I’m taking care of myself and don’t have to hurt animals was and is motivating me. It just is. That’s me. I’m btw not a 100%-vegan. I would love to but sometimes it’s difficult or I’m being weak or the social situation is difficult and I’m avoiding a discussion and so on.
But back to the point. Huel allowed me to step out of old patterns and get - so to speak - new wires in my brain. That at least is my maybe unprofessional and naïve interpretation of what happened. I also realized that’s for me not that much about weight loss anymore. It’s more about doing the right thing. In the beginning I was really impatient and wanted to lose as much weight as possible and as fast as possible. But that kind of changed. The priorities changed. Now the main points to me are my health of course and doing the right thing (in relation to the environment and the animals which are mostly treated very badly in the meat industry all over the world).
Sorry that maybe my words make no sense. But what I try to say is that the following has changed since I’m a Hueler :
I lose weight (slowly but steadily) because
- I’m able to live in a caloric deficit because I KNOW that I make good choices nutritionally wise and don’t have to worry whether I should eat this and that and more of whatever…
- I have (mostly) no cravings (I think because of the nutritionally complete meals)
- I drink a lot less alcohol maybe because I’m mentally speaking at a better place (kind of happy with myself)
- and less alcohol triggers less cravings
- And what I’m really thrilled about it now is that I obviously developed new eating habits. I still love Huel: white and black and the bars (chocolate orange OMG
) and I could just go on 100% Huel but I’m also totally fine now with cooking dinner for my husband or friends, going on holiday and eat in restaurants. I have to admit that I found it difficult in the beginning of my Huel-journey to NOT have Huel. It felt almost wrong 
. It made me insecure and even unhappy. But I now had the experience of my last holiday. And I was able to enjoy and still do the right thing.
Nonetheless reading my post makes me a bit ashamed: how far have we moved away from nature! We’re really alienated in a way that makes me sad. We’re all struggling with problems which could easily been put away as luxury problems except that they cause so many health problems - physically and mentally. So we have to address those problems even when we’re ashamed of them.
In many ways it’s a cycle of good. If you are someone who is suffering low moods because you think you are overweight, undervalued, low self-esteem, when you find yourself getting on track, losing weight, developing new eating habits etc. it can all go towards making you feel better about yourself, and when you feel better about yourself you are more likely to make positive changes and the more positive changes the better you feel about yourself etc.
Losing weight slowly and steadily is better for you. It doesn’t cause a shock to your system and it also makes it more manageable, and also helps to change your mindset and in the long term keep off excess weight… As long as you realise that some weeks you many not lose any weight and that’s not a bad thing and keep focus on the longer term that’s great.
It’s now about 14 weeks since I’ve started my Huel journey. Time to look back and draw a balance:
Starting weight: 67kg plus
Weight loss: 5kg
That’s okish… I actually aimed for 0.5kg per week but I’m kind of stuck weight wise since 6 or 7 weeks. I’m really trying, following my workout routine… but in the end I must admit it’s all about “having a social life” that makes it difficult. It’s always something: holidays, a birthday, family gatherings or some other special occasion. It’s not the peer pressure and it’s not about cravings (title of my thread). I cannot blame other people. It’s not that easy to explain. It’s more that there are 2 egos fighting against each other: one would like to fit again into the clothes I used to wear 10 years ago and the other one finds that point a tad superficial and prefers to be with people, have fun and yeah kind of fit in…. so it IS peer pressure? What ever. For my age the BMI is ok what takes a main motivation away, I feel fit, make healthy choices most of the time and I’ve established a new routine to my diet. I still love Huel for breakfast and most lunches and will stick to that routine. I like the bars as a snack. And I was able to stop the unhealthy craving and (sometimes) binging due to cravings (binging was what disturbed me the most). I’ll still be trying to lose 3 or 4 kg. But my main goal now is to be able to stop counting calories, be able to feel what and how much my body needs nutrition wise. And I can do all that with a safety net: should I fall in old habits again and totally fail I can go back to a 80% or even 100% Huel regimen. That’s it.
That means my thread has come to an end. There’s not much more to say regarding that issue. Thanks you all for reading and supporting.
(Of course I’m not going to leave the forum 
)
This has been a great thread, thanks for it.
and I know what you mean about a safety net, having Huel on standby takes the pressure off in so many ways. This morning I had a hangover, first one in about a year. Social life, like you say. 
Huel for the morning-after is just the thing, all those nutrients, hydration and no prep. A kitchen ‘essential’. .
This, by the way, is huge! You’ve won, you’ve done it! I think you’ve come through a real journey of changing the way you think about your health and your body. A positive change, and that in the end is what we want. Well done!
Thank you so much. You’re absolutely right 
. I really wasn’t in a good place when I started in January. I only knew that I needed to change how I treated myself. Now I’ve got my confidence back and that is huge. And still no cravings!!
At the moment a mix of coffee WE and chocolate WE for breakfast and the cinnamon swirl for lunch are my favorites (although I also love the strawberries & cream). I still have some bags (I always order quite a pile 
in order to have the variety). But I’m looking forward to my next order: the reviews of the newly launched cookies & cream make me really curious.
Have a good day everybody 