LOL ^^^ nancylmrn!!
too funny!
Kathy - I started WW April 8, 2008. When I started, I realized that this was going to be how I need to eat the rest of my life. Like many others, I have rollercoastered (<- is that a word? LOL ) up and down with my weight all of my life - since I was a teenager.
Keeping that in mind, I had to formulate a plan using WW Flex that would allow for me to keep eating favorite foods and not feel denied or restricted. I realized that I couldn't keep doing that for the long haul and be successful with any type of maintenance once I reached my goal.
I still go out to dinner at my favorite Mexican place, I still eat a candy bar every now and then and if I want to, I will still eat that piece of cheesecake. It took me a couple of months to incorporate those things into my plan, but I have done it successfully so far.
I am more AWARE now of how those foods effect my daily intake and compensate for those things with more activity. I don't stress about this at all this time around. Maybe that will change once I hit a plateau - but I don't think so. I will just adjust what I do and how I eat when that happens.
Nutrition is soooo very important for successful weight loss. I make sure that I stay with the healthy guidelines, eat fruits and veggies, proteins and whole grains. Educating yourself about healthy eating along the way is another way to keep on going without burning out. There are so many healthy foods out there and low fat/no fat, high fiber selection alternatives for what I ate on a regular basis. I just choose those foods rather than full fat, or processed foods. I am more mindful of portions sizes than I have ever been before. If I know that I am going to have steak, I do - keeping it in portion and then adding a lot of healthy foods to have along with it that are low in calories and points so I am satisfied. Keeping yourself satisfied is also very important.
Soon, this will become second nature to you. I truly believe that if this becomes a mindset for you, this won't be such a struggle to stay on plan.
I have charted my weight loss in excel. I have to charts, one keeping track of my weekly weight loss and another that projects how long it is going to take me to reach my goal. I started in April of '08 and it is going to take me until May of '09 to reach my goal - a little over a year losing approx 1.5 - 2 lbs a week. Slow and steady- and I am ok with that. It took me 7 years to get where I was at... I figure a little over a year to get back to that is an acceptable amount of time. Even if it takes me 2 years I will be ok with that. I am almost 1/2 way there now..
So many people who go on diets want the weight to come off in a hurry and then get discouraged when it doesn't. Most all of us didn't get to where we are at overnight, and it certainly won't come off overnight either..
Patience grasshopper...