OK guys--has anyone been to Europe? You know how they have those hop-on hop-off bus tours where you spend all day looking at the sites, and end up where you started? That's how I feel. I've been breastfeeding and my milk supply is really finicky so I've not been putting forth any effort at limiting what I ate. Then I decided that ds was old enough and I needed to work on my eating habits. I did PhI a month ago, felt great like nothing could stop me, but then ... it did. So I started again on Monday. Had a great day, but got busy yesterday, forgot to eat, was famished, ate two granola bars, and then some chicken and rice soup. Got up too late today, late for work, and used that as an excuse to munch more. AAAGGGHHHH. It's so frustrating. This is how it was before I got pregnant. On, off, on, off, on, off. I really thought this time was going to be different. Any tips? How can I get the willpower, and keep it ALLLLLL day? All week? All month?

Make a plan.

Plan a menu for the week, go to the store with a list, get only the things on your list, pre-prepare meals so they're ready to go when you need them or are easy to prepare when you have limited time, and stick to your guns. It's your decision. Only you can decide whether to eat healthily or not.

How old is your son? Phase one isn't recommended for moms with young nurslings. I was able to do it fine when my youngest was about a year old and not notice any difference in supply. Make sure you get a good amount of water, load up on the veggies, and get lots of protein so you can maintain your energy.

Good luck!

Kara

I second the plan.... for me a menu is VITAL to my success!!!!! Without it I gain! Make sure you are getting enough veggies and water. And plenty of rest!

The plan is a great idea. Having things cut up and ready to go is also a great idea. I do love water (although it's harder to remember now that I'm running around at home rather than sitting at a desk all day).

My baby is almost 11 months old, and I'm in the process of weaning him, so I'm making sure that he's getting all that he needs through formula for the next month. I've struggled with this with my 3 year old (when he was little) and with this one. It's just the way my body is made. I seriously have to eat 2700-3000 calories to keep my milk supply up, but at that level, I gain weight. I went to a breastfeeding clinic with a physician and lactation consultants and they did all sorts of experiments, etc. So I had planned to exclusively breastfeed until 12 months, but some things changed and I was having a hard time getting those calories anyway. So I decided to wean and start PhI.

Welcome aboard, Fireballgirl!
Kara and Loriann have given you excellent advice. Planning ahead is the key to success on this plan. I like to make up meals in advance and stash them in the fridge or freezer. That way when I'm short on time, I can just pull one out and reheat it. It helps enormously to know ahead of time exactly what you're going to have for a meal. Clean out your cabinets and refrigerator and get rid of all the junk, then re-stock them with healthier options that are SBD friendly.
Remember on Phase 1 to eat until you're satisfied at every meal, and include your snacks. After just a few days on Phase 1, you'll find that your cravings have disappeared!

Hi fireballgirl,

Besides having a plan A (and a plan B for unexpected events), and the ladies before me have said it well, I would suggest some soul-searching and getting as emotionally and mentally prepared as you can be for the road ahead. Think about why this change in your life is important, what your goals (both short-term and long-term) are, why you sabotage your efforts (why do you eat the way you do, what are the early signs that preceede mindless eating, how you're going to deal with those situations), etc. I find that if I am able to see the pit ahead of me, I won't fall into it, so to speak. Also, try not to dwell on "hopping off" (I am from Europe, so I know what you mean , just evaluate why it happened, try to figure out when you'd seen it coming, learn from it, and hop back on. The reality is, hopping on and off happens. The thing is though, to try to stay on and enjoy the ride as much and as long as you can.

You're not alone. Good luck!

I second everyones advice. Plan ahead, clean out the kitchen. If it's not there (ie granola bars, rice soup) you can't eat it.

The one advice I would add that really helped me during P1 is to try to get excited about your new food choices. If you think of it as 'limiting' it will only seem like a chore. What foods can you pick out on the P1 list that you really love? For example, I really got exited about the ricotta deserts. That was my treat, something special to look forward to everyday. Focus on those foods you love and don't force yourself to 'cut back' or only eat foods you hate. I found that my appetite decreased and I was eating less without even knowing it. Don't be too hard on yourself. It takes a little trial and error but you will find what works for you.

Fireball, figure out what's getting you off track (like a lack of planning) and then make changes. But you also need to be gentle with yourself. If you're just not able to do a full Phase 2 right now, figure out what kind of modifcations you can make. For instance, if granola bars are handy, try the SBD ones (which are approved for Phase 2, but are full of stuff that's not on the "Foods to Enjoy" list, so aren't really that kosher, if you get my drift. Still, they're better than regular granola bars!). Or maybe you can make some Nessa bars ahead of time and freeze them for those times when you need something.

Be creative, think outside the nine dots, and be gentle with yourself. You'll figure it out!

I'm really bad at planning so I always have food in the house that I can throw on the Foreman Grill, steam up or eat raw. Just keep healthy foods around. Planning is always better, but if you're like me buy your proteins, season them and portion them up into Zip Loc bags and freeze them. You can do this with soup too. So that way you can defrost your proteins in the microwave, do the same for soup if you want that and cup up a salad. Have bread on the side or anything else you want. I find it easy to have the the food in the house already.