Hi everyoen:

I re-started a diet AGAIN yesterday. I've dieted probably at least a half a dozen times during the last 15 years of my life. A couple of times I've lost 30+ lbs only to gain it back again.

My question is to those who have yo-yo dieted before and are now at or near their goal. I need something to make me think that I can not only do it this time but keep it off. Any tips on positive thinking?

I do like to read the inspirational stories on this site and because I've just re-started, I'm still in the "excited" stage but I'm worried what will happen a month from now..., two months from now...

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Mo

Hi, I felt the exact same way when I started. I thought "how will this time be any different". I had yo-yo dieted so many times, was quite good at losing wt. but could never keep it off. The biggest difference for me has been finding 3FC's and having the continued support with maintenance. I still have days that I struggle and I'm sure I always will. I think that is true of most if not all of us. Coming here and seeing everyone still in the battle encourages me to do the same. I'm not going to give up or quit posting. If I fail (which I sometimes do) I hop right back in with everyone else. Best wishes for your success and KNOW that you can do this too.

Hello. Congratulations on recommitting yourself.

Well, for starters, the word "diet" seems so temporary. If you think of this more as a "lifestyle change," that may help. Words might seem insignificant, but they really do help in the long run (at least for me).

I too have failed numerous times and lost/gained the same pounds. However, I learned a great deal from my failures about what it takes for me to succeed. I know there are only certain ways I can push myself before shutting down altogether (for example, what I'm willing to give up, how long/often I'm willing to work out, how I can react when I do slip up, etc.).

If you don't mind, I'd like to leave you with two quotes that really inspired me. "Success is never permanent and failure is never final" - Mike Ditka. Once you've truly accepted that what you're doing now you will have to continue doing for the rest of your life, it will help. And the other quote that helps me is in my signature. I wish you all the best.

I have never dieted for more than two weeks, but this time has been different. I started slow, expecting slow results. I count calories using fitday, I drink 80-100 oz of water perday and I workout everyday even if I only stretch for 10 minutes.

I started my exercise at 15 minutes for the first week then added 2 minutes to each week until I hit 30 minutes, then I added five, then ten. Right now I am at 50 minutes and I cant wait to do the 60 minutes.

I wouldn't try to forget about past diet "failures" but use them what worked for you and what didn't work for you. Did you watch fat, cut out carbs, count calories, there are so many "diets" to choose from.

You need to choose something that you can do in the long term. Because it truly is a lifestyle change.

Good luck and remember YOU CAN DO IT!! YOU ARE WORTH IT!

Like lilybelle, I have thought "how will this time be any different" because I too, have yo-yo'd at least 5 (6?) times in my adult life (the past 15-20 years) and managed to lose 25-35 pounds each time.... but have YET to "keep it off".

My highest weight was 178, and my lowest was 126. I am comfy at about 135 but really would LOVE to see 130 on that scale. I'm not 100% motivated right now, because I'm in a manic depressive state, and until I get THAT under control, any weight loss efforts will be futile. So I'm just trying to NOT GAIN ANY MORE at this point.

But the thing is: I KNOW I CAN DO THIS! I have done it before! I know what works! I can do it! - and knowing that helps keep me at least a little bit focused. Plus, the older I get, the more I realize that vanity takes a back seat to health, so no more of those "stupid" diets that you lose lbs quickly but they really don't work ITLR, & just make me miserable when THEY fail ME. Yes, that's the ticket. We don't fail at diets, they fail us! I'm coming more & more into my own; noticing what works & what doesn't work FOR MY BODY - and taking note that what works for SOME may not work for OTHERS, and vice versa.

I just realized something else JUST NOW:
The longer I live, the better I get at this thing called life!

Lilybelle:

It's so funny you responded to my post. I had just today been reading one of your posts and was amazed at your photos!!! Not only do you look great, you look much younger. Thanks to you and all the others on this board who continue to post, it's great inspiration for the rest of us.

Goodbye Chubby: Thanks for the quotes, they are words to live by. You're right about my past failures, I can at least learn from them. In thinking back I think when my water intake goes down my appetite and cheating go up. Also, I've never managed to diet and exercise together consistently.

Jcatron: send me some of your exercise initiative! I need it

Beach: thanks for the words of wisdom, I need to keep in mind my cholesterol was very high about two years ago and I was supposed to start taking pills, instead I just never went back to the doctor. I need to put health first, especially when I think of my kids.

Have a great night everyone. Surprisingly I'm not hungry going to bed tonight!

Mo

I don't. I want to remember every failed diet. I want to learn something from the 20 years I yo yo dieted, restricted, binged, hated myself, lost weight, gained back more weight, gained back weight so quickly I got stretch marks, lost hair by the handfull in the shower, felt like a no-will power loser.

I used my past diet failures to make me successful. I looked at what I did, why I failed and changed my life to keep the weight off forever. The crazy thing I did was keep doing the same thing over and over again and being surprised when it failed.

I gave up restriction. I gave up fake diet foods. I started eating whole foods. I lost 70+ lbs and have kept it off for nearly 2 years.

The best advice I can possibly share from my own long experience, is plan LONG TERM. Don't think of losing weight, think of keeping it off. Come up with a way of eating/exercise plan that you can stick to forever.

I had to accept that I ate terribly. I wasn't big boned, or destined to be fat, or the victim of genetics. I was a heavy person because I ate terribly and never exercised. What I wanted to do was diet for a short time and then go back to eating muffins and nachos and pizza and all the bad things I ate all day, every day. It was no wonder I could lose some weight eating nothing but ice berg lettuce with fat free dressing and a plain baked potato. I hated eating like that, dieting was painful. Dieting was deprivation. I just wanted it to END so I could eat the way I wanted to.

I had to find healthy foods I liked. That was key for me. I had to change everything, forever. I had to make healthy changes I could stick to.

Don't diet. Change how you live.

Like someone above, I forget the word diet. I take it out and forget about it.

Great posts jcatron and glory! Exactly what I was thinking. Don't forget about past diet failures, learn from them!

Diet failures? What diet failures? . They were very useful. I learned all the things that never work so now I only have to do what I know is going to work . Experience fights with me this time (not against me) .

Well I had to change my thinking and realized why I failed. I failed because I...dieted. This time, I decided not to "diet". Instead, I was going to change my lifestyle. I decided to make exercise a routine and to eat the right kinds of food as a staple, and junk only as ocassional treats. Rather than subsisting on lettuce and getting sick of it and splurging the moment I called an end to the "diet". I decided to make water my drink of choice and treat even "diet" soda as an ocassional treat, and not something I should take in daily...and especially several times a day.