failing

I have been on a DIET for approx 6yrs now. It is a diet for me rather than a "lifestyle" as I don't love the food et it restricts me from eating the foods I ENJOY which are unhealthy.... I have peaks and valleys in my eating et have done reasonably well losing a total of 76lbs at my best weigh in. I find myself in a hole now though that I can't seem to dig myself out of after gaining back 22lbs. I have lost 5 of it now but Idk what to do to get me excited about my diet et exercise anymore........

Maybe you don't have to be excited. Maybe you look at it as a necessary evil to preserve your health and find ways to make it as painless/ pleasant as possible. What did you do to lose 76 lb. What did you not mind that much, what drove you bonkers.

Anyhow it might be a good time to focus on maintaining and finding activity you enjoy.

Maybe try something new to reignite the spark. Sometimes we think giving up certain foods is impossible when in fact you could discover a new love of something healtier.

I noticed you don't have any excercise and some of your diet consists of refined carbs/sugars. I don't know how old you are but I'm in my upper 40's and women of that age start losing a lot of muscle if you don't maintain it. That added with sugar/refined carbs which up your insulin levels you might as well tape pastries to your thighs I could not lose any weight despite long workouts at the gym. I was consuming way more food than I needed and too much of the wrong kind of food. I made 2 small changes, I incorporated quick daily workouts (15 minutes--a program called Maxworkouts) and changed my meals to contain a lot more fruits and vegetables and less breads/pastas, etc. I still eat pizza, cake and drink wine but just not as often. I actually enjoy the foods I eat now and feel so much better then when I was eating 225-275 grams of carbs a day and feeling bloated and sluggish.

I've read a lot of articles that the low-fat, low-calorie diet is making us fat so try something new and it may just be the key you are looking for.

I agree with mrspackrat. Sometimes you can discover tiny tweaks to your way of eating that are even more effective than vast sweeping changes that don't really do much, other than irritate us that we're living that way!

For me it was learning to keep my carbs in a reasonable range (100-150 net carbs per day, mostly aiming for the 100) and choosing to use a Spike day (search forums, there have been endless discussions on the concept) within my calorie counting. I don't by any means live a fully organic, paleo or Atkins-friendly life...but it's more real foods than not, and I choose my carbs more thoughtfully. That's it, 55lb gone without feeling pissy about being deprived of...well, anything, really.

This sounds like a great time to re-evaluate and decide what you can and cannot live with to make your best life. Your answer is out there!

I often forget to log the exercise. I was tired and burned out of the gym so I've been running outside now since the weather is nice. I do enjoy my fruits and most veggies it's battling the sweet tooth that kills me. I just turned 33 yesterday.

I think you hit the nail on the head with your first 2 statements - you look at it as a diet and not a lifestyle change. That's just asking to yo-yo for the rest of your life. You need to find a way to make it fit your lifestyle or you'll never maintain. What about making small changes one at a time? Cut something unhealthy out, or add something healthy in, and do it for a week, two weeks, whatever. Then change something else. As you go, you'll make each of these things part of your lifestyle and then you'll have an easier time keeping on it. Find exercise you enjoy - options are endless! When you enjoy it, it'll feel less like a chore and more like a regular part of your life.

You dont have to give up the foods you love; just start practicing portion control and moderation. Also, maybe finding a challenge on this web site will motivate you a little more to get in a little extra exercise.

I have to parrot what mrspackrat and lisakp71 are saying. It's important to include fat and protein in your diet and you should try to eat fiber rich carbs -- vegetables, beans, whole grains. That will help you minimize cravings and feel more full and satisfied. It'll even help your performance with your exercise.

If you feel like your diet is a punishment, then you have to change something. You may not intend for it to be a lifestyle choice, but you are choosing to suffer. It's OK to acknowledge that you tried something, it didn't work, and now you're going to try something else. No matter how much any of us think we know about diet or mutrition or whatever else, when it comes time to put it into practice, we all experiment, succeed or fail, and, if necessary, try again.