I have been on and off the diet since the end of October 2011. My first three weeks on the diet were great, but now I am finding it hard to be so discipline. What suggestions do you all have to offer? Because I know the diet works.
GG
I have been on and off the diet since the end of October 2011. My first three weeks on the diet were great, but now I am finding it hard to be so discipline. What suggestions do you all have to offer? Because I know the diet works.
GG
My tips even though I'm only on 2 weeks as of tomorrow.
01. Avoid any & all temptation if at all possible.
02. Don't beat yourself up!!
03. Keep yourself surrounded by as much support as possible!
04. Look around the recipe forums for awesome ideas!
05. Know that we're ALWAYS here for you!!
06. Most important: Only YOU can make YOU stick to it!
I have been on and off the diet since the end of October 2011. My first three weeks on the diet were great, but now I am finding it hard to be so discipline. What suggestions do you all have to offer? Because I know the diet works.
GG
Gsterling,
Others will have additional awesome suggestions, here's mine:
1. Read posts on this site daily. I find inspiration here every time I catch up on posts.
2. Make a list of all the reasons you are doing this and post a copy at home and keep one with you. Read the list on tough days. Reflect on how far you have come and give yorself a hug! If suggestions 1 and 2 do not help you, see number 3.
3. Make a list of what you commit to doing before you cheat. The list may include drinking water, having tea, calling a supporter who will try to talk you off the ledge, having an extra packet (better than OP), etc.
You will find what works best for you. You have already shown that you love yourself by starting a restrictive plan, you will continue to demonstrate that you are willing to put yourself first by having a plan in place for harder days and following the plan. You got this!
Good Morning! It is sunday and day 10 for me. I realized this morning as I stepped on my scale that I have to STOP doing this every morning! It has been going down (which is good) but I think I am being obsessive. It can't be good to sit around and wait to lose weight! My official first weigh in is Tuesday so no more scale until then. I have a long way to go!
I went for my WI yesterday and lost two more lbs and four inches off my hips. So in two weeks I'm down 8 lbs 22"! I have not put a crumb in my mouth that should not be there LOL I'm good actually and it is getting easier without bread or a cookie once in a while in my life!
Good Morning! It is sunday and day 10 for me. I realized this morning as I stepped on my scale that I have to STOP doing this every morning! It has been going down (which is good) but I think I am being obsessive. It can't be good to sit around and wait to lose weight! My official first weigh in is Tuesday so no more scale until then. I have a long way to go!
Have a great day be inspired!
My advice is to stop. There will be a day where for no apparent reason the scale will turn on you and show an up. This can be enough to derail a person!
Bask in your good weigh ins and stay off the scale at home!
Dr Tien recommends staying away from social events in whick food is involved until you reach goal. If you know these dinners are a problem for you I would really suggest following his advice. I have passed on many "dinner" invites which seems sad but trying to look at the big picture and the final goal. This diet is like being in recovery, would an alcoholic go to a bar during their first few weeks in recovery? Be kind to yourself and don`t put yourself in the path of temptation.
This is very good advice.
I think many people may have the same problem as I have in the work place. It seems that over the years they have increased the number of meetings that go into times that used to be free time for lunch etc and they bring in lunch or supper and also stuff for break time. At my job they do this so no one leaves the building and they don't have people straggling in late after each break in the long meetings. The meals and snacks they prvide are total carb fests.
So I have taken the mind set that this is work time , not party time and bring my own food- just what I would eat any other day. I don't go near the spread they set out and have the extra bonus of not having to stand in the long lines. I have also discovered that the food looks much more tempting when displayed on the serving table than when put on everyones' individual plates so I am not tempted at all when sitting with my co-workers who are eating what is provided.
What is puzzling to me is why everyone doesn't weigh 500 pounds. Many people must be quite physically active.
I've never in my life been an athlete, so I struggle with my mindset or fear of exercise - I suppose since I'm uninformed of what my body is actually capable of doing. We had four children in a five-year span of time, and I've been overweight and obese since then.... Gaining lbs with each pregnancy.... Except for a time where I lost with WW. Exercise for me consisted of walking, and I enjoyed it if I did it with friends, but I never really pushed myself. I found when I walked on a treadmill I got shin splints. My journey is a bit different than yours, as I've lost 90+ lbs in all.
I know WW works extremely well for many, but for me it didn't teach me how to maintain, so I was excited when I found IP that it had four phases. I began walking in the first few weeks while on the plan. I committed every lunch hour to me (to walk), and before I knew it, had progressed from walking two miles to walking four miles per hour.... And no shin splints! (losing 40+ lbs by that time sure helped!). I walk at the local Y, and each lunch hour I'd watch friends take a butts and guts class and wonder if I could ever work my way up to that.
I tried a Zumba class this past fall when I was down over 70 lbs and had the time of my life! It totally felt like more fun and dancing than exercise, and you work up quite a sweat!
I was OP without cheats for over seven months and the losses really slowed down for me. I started jogging.... (i added a 4th packet) Actually, I would jog a lap, walk a lap, repeat... for the four miles. I was so proud as it was the first time in my life where I felt like my body wasn't working against me when I ran. I also met with a trainer to learn a bit more about the weight lifting equipment.
I wound up phasing off ten stubborn pounds shy of my goal (a BMI of 25 ; 26 is so close!).
My wonderful coach sat me down as I was transitioning to maintenance and directed me to hit the weight room! Building muscle would help my metabolism as well as firm things up.
Fear kicked in again and I was looking for something I could do at home in the morning, so I could avoid getting all sweaty midday. Itsabouttime was chatting about the DVD so she inspired me to give it a try. You simply need hand weights and a yoga mat. Suddenly I found my self doing push ups and amazed at how much using three pound weights can ache! "it hurt to drive" became quite the giggle with my coworkers. In level two I find myself doing planks, squats and lunges and new places ached, and "it hurts to type" is the new giggle. Looking forward to learning what aches in level three!
Jennydoodle exercised throughout her journey and reviewing her posts will be very inspiring.
Exercise as much as what feels good to you (adding protein as needed) and get out there and find out what you enjoy! Don't let fear hold you back. You got this! Jo.
Thank you, JoLoMN I love this whole post. So inspirational. You are a true IP success.
The rest of this turned into a Sunday Morning rant.
My tips even though I'm only on 2 weeks as of tomorrow.
01. Avoid any & all temptation if at all possible.
02. Don't beat yourself up!!
03. Keep yourself surrounded by as much support as possible!
04. Look around the recipe forums for awesome ideas!
05. Know that we're ALWAYS here for you!!
06. Most important: Only YOU can make YOU stick to it!
Others will have additional awesome suggestions, here's mine:
1. Read posts on this site daily. I find inspiration here every time I catch up on posts.
2. Make a list of all the reasons you are doing this and post a copy at home and keep one with you. Read the list on tough days. Reflect on how far you have come and give yorself a hug! If suggestions 1 and 2 do not help you, see number 3.
3. Make a list of what you commit to doing before you cheat. The list may include drinking water, having tea, calling a supporter who will try to talk you off the ledge, having an extra packet (better than OP), etc.
You will find what works best for you. You have already shown that you love yourself by starting a restrictive plan, you will continue to demonstrate that you are willing to put yourself first by having a plan in place for harder days and following the plan. You got this!
That's a great idea to type of a list and place it in placed to remind myself of "why"......
This "diet" is not just about weight loss, it's about lifestyle change and your story proves that. A few days into this diet I realized that this was more or less how I would be eating in my future. Over these few short weeks my tastes and cravings for foods that poofed me out greately dimiished. But figuring out how I might transition back into "normal" life kinda stumped me. It's not something I need to think about now so I was not actively doing it. But, for the first time in my life I actually feel like exercising. I feel like moving. I want to do something. EVERYONE and I mean EVERYONE was always telling me "well why don't you just exercise?" I can't tell you how hard that is when you don't have an ounce of energy and you just don't feel quite right. People would take me for walks or walk me as if I was some kind of pet or something. They were convinced they knew what was best for me. But, I knew that if I could just get a smidge of energy back (which has happened over the years but never long enough to do something) I could start and that diet would improve, etc. etc. But, I just could not start and I could not get motivated. Not until IP. This program is the whole picture, the whole package and apprently that is what I needed. I needed the diet products and the protocol and the coach and the center nearby and this online forum and Dr. Tran's knowledge and experience and the years behind this. And more. Lifestyle changes don't occur from one single act or change, they have to be significant and large to be sustaining. I am a little suprised that I am writing this today and maybe I should wait till I am further along in the program. But, I chose this program specifically because it works. I came online and did my research and saw a lot of successes and very little failure and not too many horrible side effects. When you are dieting or making significant lifestyle changes you need support, you need encouragement and perhaps a sense of life at the end of the tunnel. Not criticism or doubt or other suggestions that are contrary to the protocol you are currently following. I can't tell you how many people suggested I do WW. It's not me. It really isn't. It doesn't talk to me but for some reason people needed to suggest it. And don't like my response. One diet does not fit all. It's so hard to commit to a diet or program, whatever it is, that when the few people you choose to share it with are discouraged and downright confusing (why send you in a different direction when you tell them what you want to do?).
Whoa, I am not sure where this is coming from this morning but I think I may still post this. People mean well and try to help it's just that they are not in your body. They are not in your head or heart and can't possibly know what to suggest to you for you. I love this site and fellow IPers, you make so much sense. As it has been stated before, this is not an easy diet but it is not a hard diet. I hope I never become someone who walks people.
But, more than that I hope I am not doing this to shut up those "walkers," "advisors" and "well-meaners." I hope I am not doing this to stop those initial looks of (oh my, you are so big) or those who watch what I eat.
I hope I am doing this because I am tired of being tired. And I just want to look and feel like me again regardless of what others think. Honestly, I have no idea where this Sunday Morning Rant is coming from today. Thoughts just pop into my head sometimes and nest.
Location: Pine Mountain, Georgia & on a little lake in NE Michigan
Posts: 1,179
S/C/G: 291/171.4/175
Height: 5'6"
Hi,
This is my first post here. I have been on IP now for a week and have my first WI tomorrow after work. I have spent all weekend reading this forum and have learned so much. I have compiled a 33 page recipe Word document after going through all the recipes (2 archives and 1 active).
I am not really a social person and in the past, group meetings at WW just intimidated me, but I think this forum situation will work much better as support. I appreciate reading all that everyone has to share.
I have been overweight all my life and have tried a "gazillion" diets, but am now at my highest weight ever. I have a very stressful job and am a stress eater and time at work is very hard. Also, being over 60, I have found losing weight gets harder and harder each day. I look forward to reading the posts and the encouragement you have to share and stay OP.
this is a very sensitive question so hope it's not out of line, but does anyone know of a good "mover" when things aren't moving along as they should. I am attempting to ask this question politely but I'm "backed up" and haven't moved for two days now. thanks for any help in this area.
Last edited by happy2bme1; 01-22-2012 at 01:23 PM.
