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Old 02-19-2007, 12:29 PM   #1  
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Default The Secret to Weight Loss

I was reading the post on people who have "tried everything" to lose weight and make excuses while they eat terrible things for their bodies.

And I have been thinking about this a lot because I always put off my diet. Had I started earlier, I would be 200 by now...but I'm not.

Why? Because I was making excuses. I said, "Today is Sunday and I'm hunrgy. I'll start tomorrow."

"Well...I binged...so I'll just wait until later to start my diet."

"I'll wait until my sleep in on track. I mean, it's only rational."

I never complain about not losing weight because I know why I'm not losing. I could lose weight in a number of ways...but I know the two things you need TO lose weight: The WANT to lose weight and the ability to stick to your own rules.

You need the ability to say, "I'm going to do this TODAY!" and the ability to say no to yourself when you make up excuses for yourself.

"Just do it. Follow your own rules."

And the number one way to NOT follow your own rules? To ceaselessly plan your diet day after day instead of sticking to the simple rules.

My biggest problem is to stop thinking about food. I truely think I am a better person on a diet. I am lazy when I can eat anything I like. But on a diet I do many things to keep from thinking about food.

Anywho...what things help all of you...or what is your own "secret to weight loss"?

Mine is simply self discipline.
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Old 02-19-2007, 12:39 PM   #2  
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Default My secret

My "secret" to weight loss is forgiving myself. I find that if I go off plan, its easier to get back on plan if I can forgive myself for having a moment of weakness, and not making the best choice. The more I beat myself up over it, the less I feel like I want to get back on the horse. Weight loss isn't punishment, but I can sure turn it into punishment if I don't forgive and forget, but learn something from my slip up.
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Old 02-19-2007, 12:43 PM   #3  
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Mine is consistancy. I find it easier to keep plugging along day after day, if it's routine. If I vary, even if it's going out to eat, it can take me a few days to get back on track. Yeah I know, eventually I'm going to have to start eating in the "real world", but I'm not in that mental space yet. I have a road trip coming up in April, a 9 hour trip with a 3 yr old, an 19 mos old and my hubby in a moving van while I'm in the car. Oh and the puppy. I'll have to make good choices, I'll have to seriously plan ahead, and I guess thats my test. So, my secret is consistancy, consistancy, consistancy.
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Old 02-19-2007, 01:06 PM   #4  
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Gamerchick View Post
And the number one way to NOT follow your own rules? To ceaselessly plan your diet day after day instead of sticking to the simple rules.
Heh, my big secret is to ceaselessly plan
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Old 02-19-2007, 01:15 PM   #5  
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Gamerchick,

I'm with you. I think something that holds people back -- not just from weight loss, but from anything -- is searching for the perfect way to go about doing it.

There is no perfect way. Just pick something and stick to it.
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Old 02-19-2007, 01:45 PM   #6  
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Thumbs up I agree with you all ...

Gamer, Glory, Charles ...

For me the key is ... perserverance; forgiving myself when I slip up; not being a perfectionist; and reminding myself every day that this is about good health and enjoying my life to the fullest!

In the past, I was angry, cuz I did what all the docs/experts/books said, BUT ... Oh yes, I lost weight, but I just couldn't find the (secret) way to keep it off over the long haul. So this time, my major motivator is good health and quality of life, for the rest of my life!!!

I have created my own plan with ideas and tips from others and what I already know works for me. I love to share with others and try their ideas too; and I'm tweaking the plan as I go along. But this time, my goal is longevity; like Gamer, I do not ever want to ever look back again.

So, I'm taking a real good look at those on this site, who have already reached their goals, and how they are keeping it off. There's a saying I really like, "Slow and steady wins the race!" I hope that will be the key for me. Thanks for sharing ... Rosebud
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Old 02-19-2007, 02:18 PM   #7  
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I should have worded it better when I said to "ceaselessly plan". My version of that is to worry about how I'll do something 24/7...then when it comes to doing it I just binge or overeat instead from the stress.
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Old 02-19-2007, 02:24 PM   #8  
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Your post is very motivating and honest. I'm going to look at it often. Thank you.
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Old 02-19-2007, 03:02 PM   #9  
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n_n I'm glad I could help.
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Old 02-19-2007, 03:50 PM   #10  
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My "secret" is that there is no other option. This is how I'm going to live for the rest of my life, and this weight has to come off. If I eat something that's a little high in calories, I try to not think about it so much... because that's life. Sometimes you will go out to dinner with your family, and sometimes you will be just too tired after a stressful day at work to cook, there's no groceries, and all you can muster up is a pb&j sandwhich. It's OKAY. I know for breakfast tomorrow I'm going to eat good, and I know that I almost always have a healthful dinner. This pb&j sandwhich will be okay for tonight. While I am going to make my weightloss and exercise a priority, I'm allowing slip-ups, and I'm not going to stop living my life because I'm losing weight.

Also, when I go down the cereal isle (for example), I give no thought whatsoever to what I'm going to get. I know what I'm there to get, I know what to eat, so I just get it. I don't allow that inner food devil to start bickering with my inner food angel about lucky charms. It's not worth it, and it only makes my journey that much harder. The same with exercise. I don't give myself the option. I don't think about it, I just put my shoes on, and do it.

Kind of like the Nike shoes commercial, "Just do it!"
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Old 02-19-2007, 05:11 PM   #11  
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I agree with the forgiving yourself for slip-ups, 'cause I slipped a lot! But somehow, I always manage to get myself back up and on the track -- and am now 20 pounds lighter than I was in Thanksgiving (yep, I was one of those folks who actually lost over the holidays season).

My other big secret is that I being much more mindful about the way I eat and my cravings. Instead of just giving into my pangs and head to some greasy spoon, I think about what it'll do to my calories and also my budget - and nowadays I'd much rather save up for eating at a nice and more healthful restaurant then blowing it all on fast food.

I'm also mindful to make sure my diet is manageable and something I could do over the long-haul. As much as I would like to cut all things yummy-but-bad out of my plate, I know that depriving myself like that is just a set up for a giant binging failure - so I budget my diet so that I can "treat/cheat" myself (in my case, room for a small piece of chocolate/candy.)

Finally, I learned to embrace exercise rather than dread it -- esp. now that I switched my workouts to evenings on weekdays. It's a great post-work stress reliever!

Last edited by AquaWarlock; 02-19-2007 at 05:17 PM.
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Old 02-19-2007, 06:31 PM   #12  
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It took me a long time to get there, but mentally you just have to want it, and be willing to change your own life. You need to get the mindset that this is the process you go through to become a healthy person, for life. When you stop eating well you feel bad, when you stop working out you weeze.. it's all part of the process to keep this body machine running well
For me understanding that it is a life long process is tough. Food will always be my biggest challenge
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Old 02-19-2007, 06:44 PM   #13  
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I just had to want it this time. I've tried many times before. I just never wanted it as much then. Wasn't ready to do what it took. Now I use a bunch of little things to keep me on track because of my stronger desire this time. I use motivation in keeping exercise entertaining, I keep healthy foods in plain sight and unhealthy ones tucked away...or out of the house completely to the extent that I can without hubby starving.
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Old 02-19-2007, 06:56 PM   #14  
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My "secret" goes against almost everything I've read on here... I DON'T set goals. Sounds outrageously stupid for someone who is seriously trying to lose weight but for me it works. In the past I used to set myself goals all the time. I'd set a goal for a certain weight, I'd set a goal for a certain date in which my weight would be lost, I'd set a goal on how much exercise I could do, how much water I could drink.. etc. And you know what? I sabatoged EVERY one of them. The harder I'd strive for my goal, the more I'd set myself up for failure. So... I decided to rethink how I went about losing weight. If I didnt' set a goal, then I couldn't be disappointed if I didn't reach it. I'd take things ONE day at a time. I've messed up along the way, and I still have bad days but I have lost almost forty pounds since last February. I'm not advocating what I do, and I have nothing personal against goals or people who set them.. and achieve them. I just know what works for me.
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Old 02-19-2007, 08:44 PM   #15  
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So many of my secrets already listed. I don't put deadlines on weight loss, try to find places other than the scale to turn to.... Consistency, forgiveness, planning -- all of it.

Another big one for me is commitment. It keeps my eating more or less on track and gets me to exercise. Motivation can be helpful, sure, but commitment keeps me on track.

Who knew I had so many secrets!
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