Those last 10 pounds...

Lzbth73

I quit smoking 17 months ago and put on a bit of weight. I've lost 7lbs so far and want to lose 5-10 more. The last part is always the hardest!! I'm eating clean and working out as often as possible ~ usually 5 times a week at least. Weekend food is my downfall. I need motivation!

klunkee

Way to go!! Quitting smoking is so hard.

I quit smoking 9 years ago, and slowly gained 35 lbs. I lost it 2 years later, but recently gained it back.

I feel like trying to control appetite is just as hard, if not harder than quitting smoking because everyone knows smoking is bad for you and also a disgusting habit that people are becoming less and less tolerant of. But food isn't like that, even though some choices can be just as harmful to your body- like bad cholesterol, added refined sugar and weird over processed ingredients with chemical sounding names. If you're eating clean, you're already doing good for your body! Hi fives all around!!

What's worked for me in the past is trying to think of these things I WANT to eat (French fries, ice cream, cheeseburgers) and putting them in that place in my head where I store my "cigarettes are deadly" feelings. I'm avoiding those foods because I'm addicted to them and they'll kill me. Might seem drastic, but it's working for me. I never view these foods as a reward for doing well on my diet because I don't want to feel good for eating these things - just like while I was quitting smoking, I didn't reward myself at the end of the week by smoking a cig. (Even though I wanted to so so so bad.)

Also, another thing that works for me is keeping myself from associating those unhealthy choices with a "cheat" day, which is just another way to look at a "reward". Sorry I wrote so much.

Will power is the hardest kind of mental workout!