Help I've fallen.... I'm not so sure I want to go back. I don't know what it is, I was doing so well on SBD I was working the plan - or at least my version of it - for four months, the longest I've ever stuck to anything. And then I just threw it all away. I haven't gained much of the weight back, only a couple pounds and I had lost 20, but now that I've gone back to eating like I used to.... I'm dragging my heels to go back.

How do you stay with it? What is it that you successful people have that I am lacking? I am going back to phase one and starting over next week when we go grocery shopping. I just am dragging my heels because I just stopped losing weight almost altogther on Phase two.

Basically I'm whining and want someone to tell me what keeps them going on the program. I need some motivation because apparently losing all the weight last time wasn't enough. I guess I'm really just worried that I won't be able to stick to it again and am hoping for some pointers.

You're not lacking anything. It was hard for most of us. I think the reason you don't want to re-start is the same reason none of the rest of us wanted to have to do this in the first place -- we liked our old eating habits, and don't want to have to stop eating what we want. It's simple, if you ask me.

I had to try a couple of times over the past year before I fully got on board and committed myself to doing this. And I see now that I couldn't have succeeded the last time, because I wasn't prepared to do so.

This time, I did all of the necessary grocery shopping -- I stocked up with ONLY SBD friendly foods, I printed out pages of recipes of things I could cook to take to work for lunches and snacks. I warned my family and friends not to try to trip me up. I took my own food to two bridal showers. And I said to myself, over and over and over, "It's ONLY TWO WEEKS until PH2."

You stay with it by committing to yourself that you're going to do this, and do it right. And reminding yourself that cheating undoes all the hard work that you've done in Ph1. (Once you get into Ph2, it seems a lot more liberal.) But for two weeks, you have to promise yourself to be good.

Find what you like, eat that for every meal if you have to (I have had grilled chicken w/Montreal Steak seasoning, and bell peppers, for dinner every night for 2 weeks), and just know that you're doing something good for yourself. ANd remember how bad you felt before you lost your 20 lbs.

Good luck - it's not easy, but it's WORTH it.

Don't think of it as fallen, think of it as an unplanned side trip . I've been on the program for 6 months now. The way I stay on it is to eat what I want basically. I know what is good and I know how I feel when I don't eat the good foods. Sometimes, I allow myself a piece of pizza or a serving of ice cream or a special dinner with friends. If I've had pizza for lunch, I'll have a salad and more vegetables and less fat for dinner. I still eat the foods I've enjoyed, I've also learned to enjoy a lot more different types of foods.

I went to a wedding on Sat. They had bowls of chocolate sitting on every table. I chose a york peppermint patty, sat it by my plate and told myself I could have it and I didn't want the all the kisses and hugs left in the bowl. After dinner when everyone else was raiding the cookie bar and having a huge piece of wedding cake, I sat and ate my chocolate and it was so good. I took about 10 minutes to eat my piece, then a had a forkful of wedding cake that I stole from my husband. I've been doing that a lot, eat a spoon full of what ever dessert he's eating.

For me it's still hard not to turn to food when I'm upset or bored. I tend to be an emotional eater and not using food as that cruch is very hard. I try to moderate what I do eat that is not on the approved food list so that I'm eating only 1 serving and not the entire thing.

I've found that I've lost my taste for certain types of foods that I used to eat with wild abandon-donuts, poptarts, mac and cheese don't taste as good as they used to. The last time I had some mac and cheese it tasted greasy and artificial. Yeah, my taste buds are growing up!

I don't have the foods in my house that might lead to a splurge-Jif Peanut butter, cookies, chocolate candy, potato chips, poptarts. I went through all my cabinets during phase 1 and donated a lot of my "bad" stuff to the food bank so I wouldn't be tempted to eat.

I allow myself to eat things that are not on the plan in moderation occasionally, less then once a month. I find that if I give myself permission to eat something, the compulsion to actually eat it isn't as strong.

I'm practicing a little self control. I steal a lot from my hubby when we go out to eat, instead of getting an order of onion rings for myself. I eat one of his. Usually all I need is a taste and I'm happy.

Don't get me wrong, I'm a slow looser. I know it's because I'm allowing myself to do this. I'm happy losing 1-3 pounds a month, because I know I'm content with this way of eating and don't feel deprived. I will stick with it and really make it a lifetlye change so I won't go back to eating the way I did before...yes, I still have small side trips where a handful of jelly beans somehow wind up in my mouth along with that big scoop of really good ice cream on the same day....hmmm well, jump back on the beach and keep on trucking no biggy, not much you can do about something already in your tummy.
Good luck!
Sarah

I totally agree with everything sarah just said!!!!

Lizziness, welcome back on the wagon...we're all putting our hands down to help you back on up!

I totally agree with what Kim said. It makes perfect sense! I didn't want to control my eating and was so bitter that I had to and others didn't that I ate out of control for over 5 years. I gained over 100 pounds and just made it that much harder for me to lose the weight now. That's a motivator for me. However, I wasn't really ready to commit until it became intolerable not to. My fat was so bad that I was about to run out of sizes at Lane Bryant. My stomach got in the way and cut off my circulation and my breathing. I developed tons of health issues: asthma, IBS, hugely swollen ankles, depression, etc. I felt awful and the food was not helping anymore. I was becoming bored with the food and had nowhere else to go. And I really, really wanted a baby. I knew that all that stood between us and that child (as far as we know) is my weight. And that was what did it.

Combine what Kim said about all the hard work on Phase 1 and knowing that I don't want to have to do it again with the great health I am currently enjoying, and you have another great motivator. So all of those things are helping. Exercise makes me feel strong and powerful. The people around me know that I am dieting, and I refuse to give in to anyone's cajoling that I just try a little. I think it's great that others can have tiny cheats and still lose the weight, but I know that even a tiny bite will make this so much harder for me. I ended up having a sugary sauce on chicken last week by mistake, and I had a terrible headache, weak knees, plummeting blood sugar, and felt like immediately after my first bite or two. Sugar just does me in.

Does that suck? Yes! Would I love to be eating tons of yummy things right now? Yes! But am I going to do that? No...I want this too badly to give in. And I think once you feel that way, any plan is going to work for you, because you will make it work. I never thought that I, the girl who could live on bread for life, would be eating one small starch a day. But here I am, and actually loving it! Go figure.

Okay, off the !

Hope that helps and that you'll be up here on the wagon enjoying a nice glass of cold water sometime soon!

Thank you so much everyone for your support. A lot of things that you said were things I knew but needed someone to tell me anyway, you know how that goes... and a lot of it was stuff that never even occurred to me.
Like the fact that I am a perfectionist. And I always think if I can't do it right then I should just not do it at all. I don't even think of it as giving up, I just think if it as - this isn't for me because I'm not good at it. Hrmm... something to reflect on.
I am ready to get back on it. I think one of the things that was really missing was support. And I get it here when I need it, but always secretly thought I didn't need it. Certainly it isn't going to come from my husband *LOL* Sometimes I think he doesn't want me to lose weight. But then again, most of the time I don't really see a point myself. seeing my parents age and the health problems they are having though has been proof enough for me that it's time for a change.
Perhaps SBD isn't exactly right for me, but it's the closest I've come to what is and I think once I get my weight to a managable level I can be a little more free.
Thanks for the inspiration and encouragement!! It means more than you know.

Lizzi, I have nothing to add... the girls have given you great advice. Just sending you an understanding hug...

I really don't have anything to add, but know you are NOT alone. I am sitting here with one foot back on the wagon, but I have not climbed in just yet. In my case, when I only lose 1 lb a week I start asking myself if it worth it. And lately, the answer has been no.

And that is a bad thing.

So let's jump back on together. We can do this.