[brwneyes1]

Hello Everyone..and Happy Monday. I need help. I started doing this diet a few weeks back. I lost 10 lbs the first 2 weeks....once the 9 days was over, I was unable to keep it up. I keep going back to phase 1 and somehow I just keep falling off the wagon. Do you have any hints? What do you do to keep motivated and stay in line? I know there is not a secret. I have made a few buddies here online and it seems like they have the same problem. We email everyday for about 2 weeks and then the emails and progress seem to slow down. At least I don't feel bad that I am the only person in this boat… I am tired of the cycle though. I know nobody can solve this but me, but it helps to vent. I guess today is a new day and a way to start over. Happy Smashing….

[judyo]

I realize that all the rah rah in the world won't help motivate you as you need to be motivated on your own. I am at that motivation point in my life. I've been losing & gaining the same pounds for a while now, but FS gave me the click I needed to get to goal because I can live with this plan.

However, as I wrote today in another thread, I also know I can't eat everything that is acceptable in any Phase without keeping some lid on the calories consumed. I am petite & small boned (& big butted) so I can't eat unlimited amounts of any food that contains a certain amount of calories with the exception of veggies & maybe some fruits (of course, by unlimited I mean eating until I can't eat anymore).

Since detoxing I don't have some of the abdominal aches I had from overeating before (I'm a binge eater). I have more energy & feel so good. Woke up with a cold & was dragging for a bit but I feel pretty good right now.

I'm a light sleeper & with the exception of being up late because of a party on Sat. where we stayed in a hotel (didn't get good sleep that night), I am able to get by with less sleep than ever.

I just feel so much better since being on FS. I don't look forward to it as a task as I have with other diets since even though I need to keep calories in mind, I don't have to figure points or journal every thing I put in my mouth. This is easy for me.

I hope you can get & keep your motivation. You've already made progress and if you can just lose an average of 1 pound a week (or even less - it all adds up), you will reach your goal. Keep coming back to the plan when you stray. Don't give up!

[jenne1017]

I have to concur with Judy. You have to motivate YOU. Do you really want to be healthy? Like really? Because if you do, then that's 90% of it! It clicked with me on this diet too. While I haven't been 100%, I haven't binged as often or even as much as I have on other diets (once in 30 days is NOT bad!). It's restrictive enough without being too much so.

My main hurdle was MOVING ON. We kept going from 1 to 2 back to 1 when we messed up. We decided last night to move on to Phase 3.

I really am a firm believer in moderation. But I was never able to, nay, I never wanted to moderate. For the first time ever, I moderated what I ate on this diet. I even had a once trigger food or two but ate only ONE serving. And it satisfied me.

I've done South Beach and WW and never got through a full 30 days. Once I messed up, I called my goose cooked and went back to my old ways.

Not this time. I know I won't be perfect, and that's ok. I want to get to my goal and goal I shall! If you want it, you will too!

[Selkie]

I think that motivating yourself is the key to success, on this or any plan. I love this board, not just because everyone on it is so supportive of one another but also because everyone believes so strongly in themselves.

It was definitely a thrill after the first nine days to see a seven pound loss, but I know that I'm not going to see a seven pound loss every week (or I'd go running to the doctor!). What keeps me going is that I feel better. Like Judy, I'm sleeping better (in my case it's longer - I can't even remember the last time I slept more than 5 hours in a night before starting this plan). My skin has cleared up.

Shoot, my brain has cleared up - fat smash to me is a workable plan, something I can do. I can figure out what I'm going to eat, how much, and how often. I can fit the exercise in how best it suit my lifestyle. And I can be creative with what I eat - and put in ingredients that not only fit the plan but that I know will taste good. I like the combination of guidelines and personal choice.

I haven't done a lot of dieting (not by diet name, anyhow), but what keeps me motivated with fat smash is the fact that I'm in charge, I've already shown that I can do this (heck, I made it through the strictest part with flying colors) and if seven pounds feel good, how are 15 going to feel? 20? 30? 40, even?

Okay, getting down now.

[brwneyes1]

Ladies...you are great. Sometimes hearing someone say you can do it is all it takes. I had a great day yesterday. I stayed on plan. I hit the gym. There was a time in the evening when everyone went to bed that I thought to myself (WHO WILL SEE IF I CHEAT) well...DUH...My butt will You are right. I am my own motivator. Get off my lazy behind and do something to make myself smile. I have a lunch packed with healthy fruit/veggies snacks, had my oatmeal, have my gym clothes ready. I think the key is when I wanna snack I should go read a book, go for a walk, watch a movie. I will take it just one day at a time. After all, binge eating is an addiction and I can't let it rule my life. I will keep you updated on my progress. Good luck to all of you...you are truly wonderful...

[lem]

Congrats on motivating yourself. I have to get out of the house when I feel tempted. I go walk outside, at the gym or at the mall, go browse the bookstore/magazines, go do anything that keeps me from laying on the couch thinking about what I can eat. Plus when a hunger pang hits I grab a few grapes and full glass of water and it goes away. A big key to all of it for me is being prepared. Going to the grocery before I run out of food. Fixing my mini meals the night before work so I can just get up and go. I also squeeze a few days worth of fresh orange juice (for my breakfast fruit smoothies) and cut up my fruit the night before so all I have to do is pop it in the blender. I also have my sneakers, gym clothes in a bag next to the front door so I don't forget them or wake up too lazy to get it all together. I can't have any reason not to stay on track. Believe me, no clean socks, no clean workout pants etc was a reason for me not to go work out in the past. Now I am die-hard - I will spray them down with Febreeze if I have to and go anyway! If I am out of something as far as food goes, I don't even let myself in the door at home after the gym or work, I go straight to the grocery. I now feel crappy (not to mention guilty) when I don't go to the gym for a few days. It took me every bit of 2 months to get to that point, but you will too! Good luck and enjoy the way you will start feeling. Lem