A helpful way to look at things..

shortie_sarah

So I posted this in a group for people who take Adipex but decided to post here as well because I hope to reach more people. This is just my new way of looking at things and because this is now how I see things, I KNOW I will succeed because there is no falling once you have truly seen things in this sort of light. If this way of thinking can truly help just ONE other person, then I would be extremely happy with that.

Here is my whole post:

hello there! I'm so glad I found this group. I started taking Phentermine 37.5 (Adipex) 5/24. I've lost 2.8 pounds so far. I am sticking to 1200 calories or less a day and have been walking over 1.5 miles a day as well. This is a lifestyle change for me though, not just a fad diet or a short term thing. I make all my calories count. I'm eating very healthy foods and staying away from any sorts of junk foods. Yes, even those 100 cal packs of doritos or high fat crackers and such. I want to train myself to dislike all those foods that are bad for you. I want to learn how to crave the healthy food and despise all the bad ones.

My mind is already in the right place. All I have to think about is all the damage that bad food has done to me and it's easy to say no to it. Yes, maybe all that bad food tasted really good for the short time that it took to chew and swallow...but look at how detrimental it is to you afterwards. First comes the weight gain, then comes the negative emotional effect from the weight gain. Then, quite possibly some really bad feelings about your self-image, and finally, your whole self-confidence is out the window. Not to mention all the damage it does on a health level. I know all of this because this is exactly what being overweight has done to me. I am done allowing it to control me. So therefore, I am removing all of those things out of my life. Do pizza, chips, and cheeseburgers taste good? Yes, they do. Is tasting that food worth the damage it has done to me? NO!

The reason I am taking phentermine is to aide me in starting my lifestyle change. I am using it to help me get used to smaller portions since the pill makes me full so quickly. I have done a lot of research on this medication. What I have learned is that people can lose a ton of weight while using it, but they also must eat properly and exercise. A huge downside is that when most people go off of the medication they end up gaining it all back or even more because they did not continue to eat and exercise the way they should. This medication is intended to be an aide to you. To help you learn how to properly eat and exercise (bc it gives you energy) so that way when you get off of it, that will now be what comes natural to you. This medicine is not intended to be taken long term. The usual allowance is 3-4 months as it can be a habit forming medicine.

The best way to succeed in weight loss is to have your mind in the right place like I have explained above. At least that's my opinion. What could be better than actually knowing the harm that bad food can do to you and then using that negative result to say NO to those foods? You have to train yourself to no longer want those foods and in time, I am sure those foods will no longer taste good to you anymore. I'm sure they will all taste too sweet, too salty, and too greasy to you. You will eventually learn to crave healthy foods. Of course, as with most life changing things, this all takes time. We won't be on this medication forever so make the most of your time on it and learn how to properly care for yourself with the right nutrition and exercise. From what I've read, the best kind of fat burning exercise is low-impact cardio for at least 30 minutes a day, 4-6 days a week.

We can do this!! I know we can!! We just all have to have to be in the right frame of mind to succeed. KNOWING you're going to succeed before you actually do, ensures that you WILL succeed!


p.s. Just a little side note about cheat days... Everyone has their own opinions about them and they can usually be harmless, but sometimes they can be the exact thing that brings you down. If you are trying for they type of mindset that I now have (that bad foods are now forbidden), then I advise against a cheat day. Only because this could undo any work that your body has put towards forgetting about that food. If you keep the taste familiar to you, you will never learn to dislike it. However, if you go a long time with eating nothing but healthy foods, then later try your old favorite, you may find that you no longer like it. (I am not trying to put down on anyone that has a cheat day, I promise).

Donald_Dozier_50

Very good post. I also believe "cheat days" are a bad idea, for me at least. It is like the alcoholic who has stopped drinking and wants a "cheat day" each week and only plans to drink on Saturdays. Just like alcohol and drugs are addictive, food can be as well.

I stick to my strict diet too. The exercise I can do is limited severely because of permanent disabling injuries which has left me with only being able to walk short distances. I have done this and have been walking short distances many times a day to add up to a significant distance (9 to 20 miles a day) 7 days a week for a couple of months (since I started this journey). Now that is being threatened with what the doctors believe to be a severe and permanent foot condition that I have yet to fully understand.

So far I have lost half of my goal on my journey to reach 180 lbs at 6'0" from the original 287

shortie_sarah

Very good post. I also believe "cheat days" are a bad idea, for me at least. It is like the alcoholic who has stopped drinking and wants a "cheat day" each week and only plans to drink on Saturdays. Just like alcohol and drugs are addictive, food can be as well.

I stick to my strict diet too. The exercise I can do is limited severely because of permanent disabling injuries which has left me with only being able to walk short distances. I have done this and have been walking short distances many times a day to add up to a significant distance (9 to 20 miles a day) 7 days a week for a couple of months (since I started this journey). Now that is being threatened with what the doctors believe to be a severe and permanent foot condition that I have yet to fully understand.

So far I have lost half of my goal on my journey to reach 180 lbs at 6'0" from the original 287

Your story inspires me! Even with the obstacles you have to go through you are still pushing through. There are some people that I know that will use every excuse in the book as to why they can't loose weight, but yet they always complain about it. It's very refreshing to see someone not use excuses for a change! Thank you for showing me that there are still people who don't let things get in thier way, no matter how many obstacles they may have.

And I completely agree with the anonlogy you use when it comes to comparing alcohol and food. That's very true. People are addicted to food. I used to be one of them. (Well working on it anyways). If you find yourself thinking about food even when you truly aren't hungry, isn't that a tell-tale sign that you are addicted to it?

Donald_Dozier_50

Sarah,
That is very true of addiction. I heard it said by a Weight Loss Professional recently that food is the most addictive thing there is. I would disagree with that comment but agree that food is very addictive, it is available (legally) everywhere and most social activities and events revolve around food and eating,

shortie_sarah

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