Okay, I've been trying out this new plan only for a couple days now. I planned to pack just veggies and dip for a lunch. I did that yesterday, but did I eat it? NO! Instead I let it rot and wasted $5 at the school caf to get a chick-fil-a chicken sandwich and fries with mountain dew! And I did the exact same thing today! It's like even if I have a healthy lunch packed, my mind just starts talking to me and saying "you DO have money, so you COULD go get a chicken sandwich basket at the caf." WHAT'S WRONG WITH ME?? Why the heck do I do this to myself. Now I'm already at 1300+ calories, which is right in my allotment for calories each day. I can't even eat dinner now without going over. Has anyone else had this type of problem?? How did you change yourself? I know I could stop bringing money to school, but even when I do that, sometimes I just go home and pig out on chips cuz I feel like I was deprived for lunch. Someone help please?

Well I think the first problem is that you need more that veggies and dip for lunch. That does not sound very appetizing. Thing of foods that you like that are healthier. Obviously you like chicken - try boneless, skinless grilled chickent breast instead of fried and baked potatoes; that will cut alot of calories but still satisfy you.

I know how you feel - I've done it before. You have to be mentally ready to lose weight. You can say a million times what you want to do but if your mind is not ready to do it - then it won't happen.

You need to re-evaluate your food plan. Get things that you like and just modify how it's prepared.

Good Luck!

The veggies and dip I'm just trying out for my first week. Also, it's really convenient since I live off-campus and don't have much to work with for food and heating things up (I also don't have a meal plan, so I have to pay for food in the caf).

I personally advocate slow modifications to create a diet plan that you can live with. I agree veggies and a dip for lunch doesn't sound like much. Try to avoid temptation as much as possible and tell yourself you don't need the fried food and sugary soda. Start by cutting out things slowly, replacing them with more healthy options.

I also agree that you have to be ready to lose weight mentally. If your heart really isn't in it and you rather eat the same foods you have been eating, then you may need to evaluate that portion of it.

So how do I get mentally ready for it? I've been trying and trying to lose weight the past 2 years now, and have started and stopped so many times. I'm just getting so frustrated. I feel like I should be mentally ready by now.

I agree with the others that veggies and dip aren't enough. What if you brought the veggies and dip, and bought a grilled chicken burger or a sandwich to go with it? Then you'd get to buy something, and it would still be healthy.

I used to do the same exact thing! Unfortunately, the only time I was really able to lose any weight during college was when I had no meal plan and no real income - I called it "the poverty diet." Other than that period, if I had money on me, I would spend it on food (and healthy options within the vicinity of my campus were few and far between). I tried not keeping money on me, but then there's that pesky atm card...

I've read suggestions about other people creating a cash jar. Every day, you can take the amount of money you would have spent on an unhealthy lunch and put it in the jar. So, later, when you're tempted, you know that money has already been "spent" for the day and you can rely on your healthy packed lunch. After a long enough time, you can reward yourself by taking the money in the jar and shopping for something special for yourself.

I really wish you luck in your endeavors. Try as I might, I could not get the weight off in a college environment. I've been out of school for almost a year now, and I've just about dropped all the weight that I spent 5 years putting on.

Are you getting any exercise? Speaking just for myself, I find it very difficult to eat right if I'm not exercising. I also find it difficult to eat badly if I am exercising. For me, the two things just reinforce each other. Could that be the missing part of the puzzle for you, too?

I have been trying to lose weight for 5 years now. And that is nothing compared to most people. You HAVE to be ready for it and there is nothing you can do to gear up, one day something just clicks and your ready.

But like the others said... I would rather have a buger and fries then veggies and dip. Bring something tastier!

Anything you plan to start and then stop isn't a very good idea for long term successful weight loss. What happens when you stop? You want to lose weight and keep the weight off - what kind of a healthy, tasty lunch can you see yourself eating every day?

I am also absolutely shameless about bribing myself. For example, if I didn't want to eat ChickFila for lunch anymore, I would tell myself that if I ate my healthy lunch for 5 days, I could have a pedicure. I also used to carry around a terrible picture of myself when I was heavy. Peeking at that before lunch was real incentive.

As far as the motivation, I can barely understand how it happened for me. One day, I weighed 200 lbs and endlessly fantasized about being thin, couldn't stick with any diet longer than a day, ate crap all day long. Wore the same old jeans every day, barely combed my hair, same old black loafers, no make up, feeling like the ugliest, fattest loser on the planet. Then one day...well, it was like I grabbed an electric fence.

But, unlike previous "diet" attempts where I just restricted calories without any real plan, this time I looked at how I ate and just made changes I could live with forever. I eat foods that taste good and that I look forward to eating - I would never be satisfied with just veggies/dip for lunch (although it's a fine snack).

I'd have bought something too if all I had was veggies and dip! i bring lunches to school every day (and sometimes dinner, too, when I have evening classes), and I really like finding new things to take with me. I like making different wraps and sandwiches, cans of flavoured tuna with crackers, salads with shaved turkey meat and chick peas, or a bit of whatever I had for dinner last night. The main thing is I always bring more food than I think I'll need, in the form of extra fruits and veggies, so that if I have a super-hungry day i have food to eat. And I do leave my money at home. It was really hard, at first, because the cafeteria on campus is run by the cooking school - no rubber burgers there! More like filet mignon and other REALLY good food! Now I'm in the habit of bringing my own lunch, and i'm amazed at how much money I've saved. And eat foods that don't feel like you're depriving yourself - I eat All Bran bars because they taste like cookies. Try bringing some baked tortilla chips or crispy minis in your lunch as a treat - just find healthier alternatives to what you like.
As for being mentally ready... I don't know that there's anything specific that you can do to bring that about. I knew I had to lose weight for years, and I "tried" to diet, but my heart really wasn't in it. Something in me just clicked this year, and it's been pretty easy - I can't get through my day now without exercise and carrot sticks! Keep trying - realizing you need to make changes is a big step, and those first few weeks on a plan are not easy, but you'll find a lot of supprt here - good luck!

Me too! I love them!

What if you compromise with yourself? Have the veggies and the chick-fil-a with a bottle of sparkling water or diet soda. Skip the fries, skip the Mountain Dew. Would that work?

I like the idea of bringing the veggies and dip and buying a Chick-Fil-A sandwich (And they do have grilled chicken sandwiches)...that way...you're getting something more filling...and you aren't letting the veggies go to waste. Instead of a Mountain Dew...get some water...or something with less sugar in it. Change little things...don't make it an "All or Nothing" deal.

You can do this!! And we're behind you.

I didn't read everything (on my way out the door to work) but I agree with the poster that advocated small changes. Even getting a kids meal would save tons of calories, or switching to a grilled sandwich and diet soda/diet lemonade. Find something you look forward to eating for lunch, or start with a modified chic - fil - a lunch. You can do it, ti just takes a little creativity.