Question for StarPrincess
 

Being what I think is our most successful loser :D What would you say is the single most important thing you did to make you lose and DON'T SAY EXERCISE EITHER! If it was just exercise then any plan would work.

I know that changing what and how we eat makes a difference but I have done that and don't lose like you do. Now, I know we are all different and have different bodies and all.........

Help me, I need your wisdom today.

Hey Jane :) I think the most important thing is actually 2 things and yes, exercise is one of them! Sorry, but it's true. We must exercise and there's just no way around it.

The other one, in my opinion, is getting the right nutrition. And this is where Atkins has been so good for me. I was living on fillers: bread, pasta, potatoes. While they may be filling, there's just not a lot of nutritional value there. So being 'forced' into cutting out those things as well as junk food (low carb or not) has made me look harder at what I do eat.

And here's what I learned: If I am getting the right nutrition, I do not overeat and I lose weight. This doesn't work as well if I'm trying to get my nutrition in pill, shake, or bar form. It works amazingly well if I get the majority of the vitamins and minerals I need from whole, real, food. Suddenly I'm not so hungry and I have the energy and motivation to do that exercise that I know I have to do AND I feel good!

And I have to throw in another thing here (you knew you'd get me rambling, huh? And this is in way directed at you). ATTITUDE is everything! If a person isn't happy and the whole thing (exercise, eating a certain way, life in general) is just torture, then it won't work. People who maintain a positive attitude about things have a tendency to be both healthier and more successful. Yes, we all have our bad days, but doing our best to keep focused on the positive makes a world of difference.

Thanks Star.......I will try to change my attitude and face this differently. I will not discount the fact that I have lost 24 pounds anymore. I will say it proudly instead of ONLY 24 when asked. I will be glad I am in a size 12 instead of mad that I am not a 10 yet.
I will TRY and look at exercise as something to help my health and not just a means to an end to lose weight.

Here's my best advice with exercise:

1. Find something fun to do that makes you move. I know a woman who locks herself in a room, cranks up the 80's music, and dances her butt off for an hour. She has a blast, and she's looking great.

AND/OR

2. Find something that creates endorphins. For me, this is bike riding, but I think I want to give running a try. If you get your heart rate up for a while and really push yourself, then these fantastic endorphins get released. Endorphins make you high. It's a wonderful and addicitive feeling - definitely a motivating factor.

Oh my....so attitude is my problem. Growing up my dad always DID tell me I needed an attitude adjustment. I need to work on that!!!