I remember you from 2010...welcome back

Well after my 2 week holiday break in which I indulged in too much champagne (events, parties, trips) and did not eat packets but stayed low carb (did not count fat) so I ate fats, cheeses, indulgent meats, but I walked 10 miles each day and drank gallons of water...the results...down 1 pound (after six days of phase 1)!

I am very pleased. I have destroyed the "all or nothing" mentality that was destroying me and I am learning good choices and balance.

6.2 pounds back to goal weight and down 29

Darbs - that's awesome that you were able to get through the holidays and now are back down! You're so close to goal!

What I really like about this thread is that it seems many of us have found issue with the "all or nothing mentality" that lots of you have mentioned! I feel the same way. I am either all in or all out, but need to learn that if I have a handful of this or that, that is off plan, I don't need to blow the rest of the day.

I have read a few books - Brain over Binge and Frenchtoast for Breakfast and they both talk about once you've been on a diet that is super restrictive it's tough to find that level of healthy eating.

I did the same thing on Christmas eve. I too have the "all or nothing" mentality and am trying to change it so that this will work for me in the long run. I enjoy reading your posts and am happy to see that this is working for you and that I can make it work for me too.

Yes ladies, this will work. I have the bulk of what I gained back off now. I have 6 more pounds to get back to my goal weight, but then another 7 to get to my low weight. I want to lose those pounds but if they come off slowly over the next year...so be it. I will not be a slave to constant dieting that makes me over indulge after. I don't have to blow an entire weekend just because I have a function Saturday night!

Teamwork

I did four days of phase 3/4...and I was down .4. Then I had my first cheat day which turned into 1.5 days. Phase one today...just had my packet for breakfast. Anxious to see where I am at on Friday's weigh-in.

How is everyone doing?

Final tally...I lost 29 of the 34 I gained back. I plan to focus really hard on maintaining. I am joining a group personal training gym tomorrow.

I just keep coming and going. I have a good few days and then fall off track again. I leave for a vacation in a month, so wanna get in a few good weeks of on plan eating so I can enjoy some shopping while I'm down South.

I know if I commit to it I can lose 10 or more pounds, I just can't commit for some reason. It's like I don't have the urgency this time around that I did in the past.

Here's to day 1 yet again!

Getting started is the hardest thing -- once you get going you develop a rhythm and hanging in there seems to get easier.

The thing is.... that month will go by, and you will be departing for your vacation whether you get on program or not.
You can set forth on vacation feeling terrific about having followed the program and having dropped a nice hunk of pounds, or you can carry those pounds with you on vacation, accompanied by the self-chastising thoughts about how you failed to commit enough to rid of those extra pounds.

It's totally within your control to make that commitment and follow through. Just do it. You can do it you know.... :)

:dust:

Good morning all :carrot: I had great success on IP, lost 80 lbs. in 2012. Gained a little more than half back so here I am :D. I started back in Nov. but said I would enjoy Thanksgiving and Christmas...lost 10 then gained 3 back during the holidays and now I'm back on IP (actually alternatives). I don't post a lot but I do lurk lol, it's great seeing that 3FC is still the positive forum it was before :hug:keep up the good work everyone!

I forgot how helpful 3FC was when I was on IP and maintenance. I too had a tough year last year and managed to gain about 50 of the 95 lbs I had lost several years ago. I found excuse after excuse not to get back on program and finally got tired of feeling yucky and started worrying about health issues that had disappeared coming back. I also am going to be a grandma for the first time and want to have the energy back that I had when the weight was off.
I too felt embarrassed that friends and family watched the weight come back on after admiring me for the loss! I have often felt like I was the only one who struggles keeping weight off and going through this thread reminds me that others struggle too and it does help to have support. I know this program works and I already feel so much better that I know I can get myself back to where I need to be.

LoriT - Remember that feeling for having lost the weight on your first go around. This is a learning process. I, too, lost in 2012 and gained about 25 of the 50 I had originally lost. What helped me restart was thinking about myself and forgetting what other would think. It is life and things happen. So glad you found your way back and like you said, you know how this program works.

Welcome back ladies...I had gained about 35 of the 75 I lost..was feeling horrible. Started a phase 1/ phase 2 diet mid-October and just switched two phase 3 a week ago and now doing maintenance. I lost 29 of those pounds and feeling so much better. I also followed Atkins off and on for events (allowed higher fat and alcohol). I am going to follow maintenance until May 4th and then try to lose the rest. I have so many things over the next 2.5 months, I can't string more than 2 weeks of phase 1.

But with that said...so thrilled to be so close to my goal and my main focus now is on maintenance. I need to really focus hard on losing the "all or nothing" mentality and hoping the next few months teach me that.

Welcome back.:carrot:

Darbs7, I had/have the "all or nothing" mentality also and am really wanting to change that thought. I think many of us that struggle with weight issues get stuck into that mindset and it is a tough one to change. I am finishing up a stockpile of IP packets I have and am trying the alternatives route and hoping to do this on my own with motivation from ladies like you, knowing I can do this and take it one day at a time. Life throws us curves and we can't be so regimented as not to be able to live life. I'm not going to beat myself up any longer for my failures, but celebrate the accomplishments! Congratulations on your accomplishment and good luck with the rest of your journey!

oneuh2 - I thought I responded but don't see it, so maybe I forgot to click post!
Thank you so much for the encouraging words! You're exactly right! The world doesn't stop just because I'm eating crummy. I don't want to go on yet another holiday and be kicking myself because all my cute summer clothes I bought in the past are too tight. I need to get my confidence back that I lost over the last month while being a little piggy over the holidays! I planned to start after Christmas and three weeks have already come and gone and I'm still at square one. Time to get cracking!

I agree with what a lot of you are saying - the all or nothing mentality is what has always hounded me. I can't seem to wrap my mind around the fact that I can have one off plan snack or meal or drink, but that doesn't mean I need to let the rest of the day or all weekend go to waste!

Today is day 3. I made it to day 3 last week and then stumbled and ate off plan all weekend. I need to stay focused and just keep working towards my goal!

One thing that helped me this time around was seeing a picture of myself. I could tell in the picture that I had gained, even though my clothes were saying this all along :o

Or look at older pictures of when you had reached goal. This could be a motivational object on your fridge.