So, I started the SBD on June 6th and by June 20th, the end of my first 2 very strict weeks, I had lost 8 pounds. Not bad, not the 14 that SBD claims, but that's the max, and I wasn't ever doing everything right.
But, at the beginning I was excited and loving every new meal I was trying. NOW, I have TOTALLY BLOWN IT! In about 2 days, I've put half the weight back on, ate ALL the wrong stuff, and I feel like CRAP. The "good" food made me feel good, but I went straight back to fries and breaded chicked sandwiches. The only thing I can say for myself is that I still haven't had any soda, which is my BIGGEST weakness!
Someone tell me that this is going to be HARD, but possible! I'm so... right now!
I am not on the SBD but I can relate to what you have said all the same.
What was it that made you stray? You were feeling great, were excited and loving what you were doing, so the key to dealing with this in a more productive way in the future is to determine WHY you stopped the "good thing" to begin with.
Sometimes losing weight isn't just hard.....it feels impossible. I have been following the slim fast plan, and last week felt I was doing very well. And when I weighed in wednesday, i had lost nothing. NOTHING! I had followed everything. It was such a discouraging moment. It's hard not to give up. My goal seems so far away...unreachable. But all I can do is keep trying.
It can be so discouraging, especially when you go on a "diet" that can be extremely limiting. If you are feeling cheated because of what you can or can't have then maybe try and find something else that can work for you. I don't think of this as a diet but rather a diet modification. Everyone "diets" (your diet is what you are eating). Some just eat healthier than others. I'm trying to be one of those healthier eaters. I also know that what I do will have to be for the rest of my life so I want to make sure what I'm doing to lose the weight will be something I can do to maintain my weight loss. It is really a trial and error process. If it's not working for you then try something else. If it is working, keep doing what you are doing. The key is to not give up.
Heather: You're right - it's going to be hard, but it is possible!
I've been on Atkins for 11 days now - I lost 11 lbs in the first 6 days, and then nothing. I WI this mornng and finally was down 1lb.
I'm trying not to concentrate so hard on the weight loss results, but instead I'm focussing on how this new style of eating makes me feel. That way I get less discouraged by the scale, and it is so much easier to not give up when I am noticing the results in nonfood ways. Get right back on your diet - you don't fail until you give up completely.
You can do it. Do your two weeks of induction again. After 10 days, sit down with yourself and evaluate where you are. Give yourself a pep talk, and get ready to do the next phase of the diet.
Hi Heather ,
I understand what you are saying that it seems impossible, but nothing is impossible as long as we are able to walk and do things.
This is my third time here. My first time was when 3FC just began and I had about 60 lbs to loose, then I came back and had 90 lbs to loose 2 yrs ago and now I returned with over 100 lbs to loose. Do you see where I am going ? If you put this off, you will keep gaining and when does it stop?
Maybe this diet you mentioned isn't the one for you, there has to be somethoing out there that works for you , but please don't give up, because I believe if you start again today you can do it, I believe in you !!
cheryl
I won't lie to you - it IS hard. But it does get easier and more enjoyable as you go on.
My first 3 weeks or so of my new "lifestyle" were H - E - double hockey sticks. But without a doubt it gets easier. I vowed THAT NO MATTER WHAT I would stick to my plan. About 3 weeks into it, you start seeing a nice drop in the scale, the clothing gets a little looser, you feel better, the cravings die down. It's all good. This propels you to keep on going. You lose more weight, people start noticing, you get more and more used to the new life. It's a wonderful cycle.
I didn't go with a specific plan, just my own. And although I wasn't following anyone else's plan, I most certainly had to set up some strict restrictions for myself. There is no way around it. Losing weight means giving up certain foods and in certain quantities. Maybe not forever, but in the beginning I knew that in order to get a grip on my out of control eating I just had to say no to certain foods. Period. But I didn't look at it as deprivation, I looked at it as hey, it's about time. It's time to stop abusing food and MYSELF. So instead of feeling bad about doing without the high calorie/high quantity of food I was thrilled with the healthy foods that I was ADDING into my diet. Every time I passed up on the "bad" stuff I was one step closer to ending my misery that stemmed from me being morbidly obese. It was EXCITING in fact.
It's all perspective. It's about trade-offs. You do without some chocolate, cake, pasta or whatever it is - and you get back a healthier, fitter, more active and HAPPIER YOU.
You certainly CAN do this. I know it for sure. I was the worst out of control eater there is. For close to 20 years. And then one day I made the DECISION that I didn't want to be fat anymore. I was sick and tired of it. I was missing out on soooo much. It was enough. It was the very best decision I've ever made. Yup, it's hard sometimes, but less and less often. But it is so very worthwhile. I'll tell you this though - it's way, way, way, WAY harder being morbidly obese. WITHOUT A DOUBT. I never, ever want to go back to the way I was. Nothing, absolutely nothing tastes as good as being thin feels. Tell yourself this often, cause it's the truth. I want you to know this firsthand. And you can.
hi. i'm on SBD. I have been since May 1, 2006. I've lost over 50 pounds. I have over 50 to go. I was 293 at my highest and 286 when i got on the beach.
it's not the easiest thing in the world but it's not that hard once you get the hang of it.
the 8-13 they talk about in the first two weeks is water weight. it's going to come back if you go back to eating the way you did before the beach
phase 1 is NOT about weight loss anyway it's about getting the cravings under control.
you have not totally blown it. what you need to do is go ONE day at a time.
I get up EVERY MORNING and start fresh EVERY DAY! even if the day before was a GREAT day and i drank my water, got in some exercise and ate cleanly... it's over it's done and i can't do it again... the best I can do is live in the here and now...
SBD is not about PERFECTION. It's not about being ON THE BEACH 100% of the time. after you get past the first 2 weeks (and come on you can do anything for two weeks can't you)... and you transition to phase 2 (about 4-6 more weeks) then you can start once in a while for special occasions, falling off the beach because by then you will feel SO GOOD when you stay on the beach you won't want to go off... but you have to do it long enough to make it a habit before you can slip up...
I love this place because I so often feel like you do, especially with all of the studies, etc. reinforcing how hard it is. I am reading a book that describes the biology of obesity. We tend to be obese because our bodies are so efficient - great at burning calories, great at preserving energy when we exercise, etc. In case of famine, we are so set to go!
When I feel particularly discouraged, though, I look at the progress pictures in the sticky at the top of the page. Mrs. Quadcrew is looking great! Robin's pictures are amazing! Lily has her after picture as her avatar, and I find it extremely motivating. These are people who understand the struggle of weight loss - far better than my "never had to struggle" in-laws, and they have done it successfully and continue to do it successfully.
It's also good to recognize that the scale is not an accurate indicator of progress on a day-to-day basis. Not too many days ago, I had a day when I consumed nothing but water and gained four pounds. (Not a diet tip, by the way - it was an off-plan day because of my reaction to stress, and something I need to learn to do better with.) It's a great tool to keep you on track, but it needs to be used with caution and some awareness of its faults, or it can be extremely discouraging.
It is so courageous to admit that things aren't going like you want them to on a forum that features so much success. Congratulations on dealing with your frustration in such a productive way. We look forward to celebrating additional successes (and supporting you through setbacks) on this lifelong journey!
LaurieDawn, I'm glad you mentioned pics. And thank you by the way. I must tell you, it took me close to 20 years to get it together. 20 years. Over those years I must have watched every single Oprah show ever on weightloss. And any other show with a similar topic. I'd read every magazine that had it as a topic as well. I couldn't get enough of those before and afters. It gave me hope when I really didn't think that I could lose the weight. When I thought that I'd be in stuck in my nightmare forever. I would marvel at the afters, just marvel. Although I thought that it would never be me, somewhere deep, deep, DEEP down I thought, maybe, just maybe it could be me. And then one day it was - Well hello, why the HECK not ME?
It's possible. It's so very possible. I wish I could get that across to everyone. I can't say it enough. It's possible. Weightloss is possible.
Don't forget the numbers on the scale are just that. Numbers. Yes, it's very exciting and oh-so-motivating to see them go down, but that's not the only thing that counts. Are you measuring your body? Somedays you'll gain or maintain, but guess what? You're smaller. Yay for muscle weighing more than fat!
And please, please don't forget to let yourself have naughties every now and again. I allow myself one day a week (Fridays) where I can have that soda with dinner (just one!) or I can order an appetizer. And you know what? At first, you will be like, "Oh YES! It's splurge day!" But after just few weeks of dieting and getting used to the healthier way of living, you won't even want the naughties, because (A) you know they're bad for you and (B) they don't taste as delicious as they used to.
You can do it hun! Stay on the train and like RockinRobin said, people will notice and compliment you...and what's more important is you'll notice and feel oh-so-good about yourself.
I may cause trouble on this one! (I tend to do that!!! lol).
I have been on SB since the beginning of Feb 07. My cardiologist said "do it or else!". I have to admit, I feel sooooo much better!
SB is about getting your blood sugar and cravings under control. You said that during your phase 1 you were not "perfect". I'd really encourage you to go all out. You can be "perfect" on the beach. It is possible. Harder than heck the first month, but possible. Somewhere in the first or second month though, for me something "magical" happened. The cravings were gone.
Not too long ago my favorite food in the world was Ruffles potato chips. I was in a restaurant recently and ordered a whole wheat wrap that was on plan. It came with chips. I asked for them to leave off the chips but they forgot. Guess what? They were Ruffles. I found the smallest chip in the pile and tasted it. YUK. Almost spit it in my napkin. Those things don't taste good anymore.
I think by really staying strictly on plan, my taste have really changed. I've retrained myself. This is of more value to me than the weightloss (although I really love that too!).
My advice would be this. Give it a shot. An all out shot. That gives you a fair and realistic view. After you've been at it a couple of months, re-evaluate. Maybe it's not for you. Take what you've learned from the experience and find what works. But.... really give it a fair shot.
Good for you for posting and stick around here. It's a great place!
Hi, I've been on Atkins since May 12, and as of today I've lost 15 lbs. I went up several, back down, lost a couple more, went up again, down again, now am 2 lbs. over my lowest weight since I started. I have not gone off olan since May 12, and the rollercoaster, while frustrating, is definitely trending downward. I'm fine tuning: I find my body reacts to sodium by hanging onto every molecule of water it gets! I personally have not given up my coffee, as it does not seem to cause any cravings for me. The jury is out on artififial sweeteners: I'm having diet sodas, trying now to limit to 1-2 a day instead of half a dozen, and I put splena in my coffee. I'm planning on weaning myself off sode eventually, onto iced tea, and I'm now drinking all but my first cup of coffee, black. I feel much better, and my clothes are looser, and I find I'm a bit more flexible with a bit less fat in the way. Nothing big yet, mind you, but noticeable: my shoes are easier to tie, I'm going down stairs left-right-left-right instead of step down one step, move the other foot to the same step, step down to the next one, etc. I'm using these things to keep me motivated, instead of numbers on a machine, which may go up as much as 6 pounds on any given day. My body is changing. Already. Now, if I'd done this at 27 instead of 57, how would my life have been? No telling, but I know I'm wiser in many ways than I would have been if life had been easier. And I'm kinder, because of the way I've been treated. Just do it for today. Tell yourself, like I do, yeah, I really want to eat that. I'll have it tomorrow, just not right now. Tomorrow. And somehow tomorrow, it doesn't seem as important. And if it does, it's a new day, and I'm putting it off until toorrow. And I didn't think I could make procrastination work FOR me...
Not Lasing Very Long
right now!
