Hi everyone,
I'm feeling discouraged and don't really know what to do. I am on the Gold plan and losing weight pretty slowly (a little less than 1 lb per week) and just can't seem to stay on track this week. I am getting sick of not being able to go out and eat what I want and not being able to eat what everyone else is eating. I also think the LA lites make me crave more sugar. Any suggestions? I just need to get back into a good frame of mind and enjoy the healthy food on the plan, but I feel like I have no motivation.

Get some motivation! What do you want to see out your weight loss? Smaller clothes, better body image? Go buy an outfit that you love in the size you want to be in. Hang it on the wall where you can see it every day and let that motivate you. Make a list of reasons you want to lose weight, hang it on the fridge, and read it often. Sometimes we have to play the "Brain Game" with ourselves a little bit. Good luck!!!

This is a very common problem with everyone who is trying to lose weight-not just those on LAWL.
It basically is the reason why we all usually have some "failed attempts" before we actually lose the weight, and keep it off. You have to get to a point where how you feel about yourself, your body, and your health becomes more important than not eating all the food that you want...and your motivation to be fit becomes more important than sitting on the couch.
For some of us, there is a "trigger" that makes this happen-an embarassing moment, seeing a photo of ourselves that makes us realize exactly how out of control that we have become, an episode in the fitting room when we realize we can't fit even into those size 18/22/24/whatever our largest size jeans...something happens that makes it "different" than the times before.
What made you decide to lose weight? What was your defining moment? Thinking back on this might get you back on track.
In Oprah's video "Make The Connection" she talked about one of her moments...basically walking into a room at an event with her handsome longtime beau, and hearing two women talking cattily about her-saying basically that she had "everything", but she still had a fat " " .
Everyone has something different that has affected and motivated them...and when you lose motivation-sometimes you have to draw on that again to get back on track.
Good luck to you,
Aphil

Thank you, Aphil, for the pep talk. We could all use a reminder of why and for whom we are doing this. I will frame that "trigger" photo on the fridge. And thank you again, for the encouragement, and support!

I think back to one of the posters on the 100lb Club forum (Meg, my inspiration). I am paraphrasing here, but basically the gist of one of her posts was, "what price are you willing to pay?" If you want to eat that McDonalds Hamburger with extra large fries (my Waterloo), are you willing to pay the price of having to buy bigger clothes? If you want those chips and dips, are you willing to look youself in the mirror and see youself in bathing suit. As Aphil so succintly put, we all have those moments, where enough is enough. I can;t even begint to count the times I have started over. It really boiled down to embracing a lifestyle that I can live with, because once the honeymoon phase is over, there is nothing left but hard work, and weight loss is hard work. Keep at it, and you will get there. This forum is great for support and encouragement.

My moment was in a beauty pageant for my daughter, who was then 1 year old. She won a gorgeous trophy and placed very highly in the contest-and I was thrilled, until I received the video that my stepfather had taped for me of the event. I saw how "I" looked after having had a baby and being so involved with her that first year that I never bothered to lose the baby weght-and I actually saw myself how everyone else must have seen me. I was HUGE...I'll never forget watching the video and holding it all in-and then bursting int tears when my mom and stepdad left our house.
It made a happy day turn into a horrible one, for sure. About month later I had already lost about 10 pounds...

Snowbunny2 - Discouragement is a real feeling and I don't want to discount that... But with our feelings comes a decision of our actions... I can be upset but CHOOSE not to cry in front of someone. I can be ANGRY but choose not to strike out at some one... In your case you're FEELING discouraged - now let's figure out your REACTION to it!
1st - You can give up and go back to your old way of eating. Did that work for you? Were you healthy? Were you full of energy? How was your skin? Blood pressure? Cholesterol? Heart?
2nd - You can go on a hiatus. Will that stack of pancakes, brownies, bag of chips, mexican food, chinese food, or alcoholi drink be worth a major set back in your weight loss? If you take a break, are you sure you will come back?
3rd - You can decide YOU are WORTH the effort to stay with this! Take a look in the mirror... (full length if you have one) Look at that gorgeous face and figure out what made you go to LAWL in the first place. Now be real with yourself - look in that mirror and be truthful. Was it your health? Was it your looks? Was it a healthy future with your family? Now is the time to PASS THE TEST!!!! YOU deserve to be healthier. YOU deserve to be happy with your appearance. YOU deserve to eat HEALTHIER!!!
Let's face it. Eating what we want is what got us in the fix in the first place. And eating what everyone else has contributed to that! So find something amazing on that menu that is POP or as close to it as you can and ENJOY it! Your friends aren't eating properly and we know it! After you lose your weight (or AS you lose it), they will be coming to you for the "secrets" as to how you did it!!!
Empower yourself girlfriend!!! No on else can do this particular thing for you! It has to be YOU!!! How bad do you want it?!?
I know that snowbunny in your avatar with you thinks you're worth it! So do I!!! In fact, I don't think it, I know it!!!
So get out that book, plan those meals, get a picture in your mind of what you want to accomplish and take it one day at a time, one meal at a time, and sometimes - it's one calorie at a time.
YOU CAN DO THIS!!!
We're all here for you - you gorgeous Snowbunny you!

I'm on the Pearl train. I know how hard it is to not have what everyone else is having. I was on my 3 day when we had Thanksgiving here. Every family member beside me had mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing and all the extras. I sat there with my 7 oz of white turkey meat and 2 boiled new potatoes with Mrs. Dash. I also measured out my 3 ozs of wine and had no dessert. It was BRUTAL!!! But the reason I joined LAWL is that for every meal, weekend, special occaision, holiday etc for the last several years I have reached for and put in my mouth any and everything I want!
I got very tired of going out with girlfriends that were slim (out of my group I am the largest) and gave no thought to throwing on a pair of jeans and a Thsirt. I looked for a slimming black top and searched for the jeans that didnt' show any roll. And heaven forbid anyone have a camera. I have a 3 year old and a 21 month old and I said I would not have a formal family shot done until I felt comfortable. Well I got tired of waiting and I plan to get a shot done soon while they are still small and gorgeous. A real motivator for me with having two young girls is an overwhelming wish that they grow up never having to worry about being too chubby, or left out and will instead embrace a healthy and active lifestyle. If their mommy looks and feels great so will they.
Hang in there and just remember that the 5 minutes that the food tastes good isn't worth the 24 hours you feel in a funk when the scale tips up or your jeans are snug.
We're all here for you so GO GET EM GIRL!!!!

You gals are amazing and extremely motivating. You said exactly what I needed to hear, and I know I can choose to make the best decisions for my body even if they aren't always as "fun" as other choices (doing a victory dance around my room is a lot more fun than extra time on the treadmill). And Pearl, I went with choice #3 Thanks ladies.

Snowbunny - Gorgeous AND brains!!!

Wow....You ladies are just awesome. I just posted on the friends thread about my lack of motivation.
Pearl.. Thanks for your words of wisdom, as I read them I cried a little because they struck home. Thanks so much.

I am going into the kitchen and throwing out those Doritos right now.

Wow Pearl that was great advice and very motivating something that I needed too!!!

I could have signed this post!!This is exactly how I am feeling. I did TO then tried to do the modified plan after it. I suffered through such hunger pain I was sure I had to have dropped significantly.I could only do it for 1 more day. I think the loss might be 2 pounds. I feel the center is what actually shows an accurate loss and I can't get there till Tuesday. I really know 1 pound another pound all adds up, but it seems if I look at what I was eating 3 months ago and what I eat now, the weight should be falling off at record rate. I am not excercising.Now that it is a tad cooler here, I want to walk, just have to get 1 foot in front of the other and do it. Irene

This is also what I needed to read yesterday (but glad I found it today). It was exactly what I was looking for when I started the motivational tips thread. Thanks to Pearl, Katie, Aphil, KrispieD, and to Snowbunny for starting the dialog.

This was exactly what I was looking I need some ALL of these motivational tips. I JUST LOVE THIS GROUP. It just what my mind need thank you.