This is soooo weird really...

Woodmangler

I am in day 4 now... doing fine, tweaking my "program" as I go along. No real hunger issues... a little between 5pm and dinner... but nothing to worry about.

It looks like I have already lost about 7 pounds... but the best part is; I am really feeling better. I bought larger pants so I could stop the Twister Game every morning trying to put my pants on... and now I am right back in the pants I was wearing before. They are still tight, but I am such a chick magnet that... hey, you know.. :bigsmile:

... what the hell was I saying???

Oh yeah, weirdness....

The mental part... what the hell was I waiting for?... I was sooooo afraid to start... so many failed diets... so many boomerang diets that get me all my weight back and and additional 10% as a bonus....

I don't wanna go blah, blah, blah... and jinx this.... but really, I actually feel better!

The "really weird" of all this... I can't think of what would sabotage this! ... looking back, and knowing my previous record.... what do I need to be on high alert for??

RuthSweetTooth

The water is fine, ain't it !!!!! Yes, you feel better already, your body is thanking you, and it's just the beginning !!!! You can track your weight loss under "Progress"

Have a great night!

Gr8ChangesAhead

It is one day at atime, one change at a time. You are gonna screw up here and there just make sure you start again the next day

slappymcgee

Life is really like one big math equation. Calories in and calories out. When we start to record everything, and see it in black and white, it is easier for us to see what we are doing.

Kudos to you! Keep up the good work!

kikilorain

I feel the same. It's been 3 months now and still trucking. It's weird because fitness and researching health & fitness has become an enjoyable hobby for me.

marie_cressman

Awesome work! Not sure what to look out for... I guess I would say look out for days that you think "damn it i don't want to count!"... but i usually only have those once a month... and i don't think you get THAT every month. LOL Keep up the great work!

adbohls

Watch out for the cravings. They are coming. Just stay strong, but most of all don't give up. Make lots of friends as they are a huge support for those times when you feel like you really screwed up. I'm on day 48 or 49 and have only lost 11 lbs because I have trouble not over eating when my tummy growls so much, but my friends are the ones who really keep me motivated to keep trying and not give up all together. It takes real dedication to stick with it.

Hezzietiger1

Glad ur on board!! Keep it up!

lmelangley

Look out for those "I just won't log today" days. Log all of your food, no matter how good or bad or if you're going to be over. It'll keep you honest and will be a fabulous resource if you really want to analyze what you're eating further. For example, I've learned that if I eat a lot of carbs for a couple days in a row, I'll start weighing in about 3 lbs heavier. If I cut back on the carbs, the three lbs comes off. That's just me- everyone's different - but it's a good example of how you can start really using your diary to help your weight loss over time.

yustick

I know what your talking about. I don't understand why I could't do this sooner. For 22 years losing weight seemed impossible. Now, I feel like it is just a matter of time. It is weird.

EvilMomma

Remember that if you fall off the wagon, the next morning you get yourself up and back on it again. No whining, no excuses, no time off for weight lost. You get up and get on...that's the only way we're going to get this thing done. Oh yeah, and log, baby, log.

I'm on a plateau right at the moment; I'm not quitting and I'm logging everything that goes in my mouth. It took me 20 years to get lumpy and fat, it'll take more than a few months to turn back into a man magnet.

512cheangela

I'm looking for the day I'm not on "high alert" too. I'm on day 26 and I'm just now starting to feel like the good behaviors are officially habits and the bad things I used to do just things I USED to do. My trigger is stress. Every time I had a bad day I would get this "deer in headlights" feeling and have to tell myself repeatedly that nachos and lagers are not going to make the bad man go away. I was so scared of slipping up even just once because once I fall off the wagon it's borderline impossible to hop back on.

It's important that you made this realization so early in the game. Right now, it's new, you're seeing results... but what happens when you stop getting the instant gratification and one of your personal triggers come up? Emotional response sucks, but you are totally going to be the man with a plan.

I'm a huge fan of making lists. Something that I think will help me stick to this without going astray is my "triggers" list. I made a column to list everything that used to make me do things that hurt my health, another column to be SPECIFIC about what I do when I encounter that situation, and how I can healthfully replace those behaviors.

My favorite emotional replacements:

Alcohol = Sparkling Water
Stress/Anger = demolish bin of chopped vegetables (can't yell whilst chewing)
Boredom = Exercise and post really long crap on message boards (har har)

Planning, the anti-jinx! I believe we can all do this. Feel free to add me if I a.) haven't bored you to tears and/or b.) don't sound like a ridiculous OCD dieter person :-)

jarrettd

Be careful of the "all or nothing" mentality. If you do slip and indulge in something that isn't part of your plan, it can be very easy to use it as an excuse to go on an all-out food bender. "I've already went over; might as well do it right..." then stuffing yourself with everything in sight.

Don't completely deny yourself anything. Too many limitations can sabatoge you. If you really want something decadent, earn it with exercise or eat really wisely the rest of the day to fit it in. The exception is: things you find you have little or no self-control around. (Mmmm...brownies!) Your "danger foods" may need to stay off the menu indefinitely, until you really feel in control.

rudy7020

The two hardest parts for me are - 1. starting the weight loss process and 2. keeping the weight off. Losing it is the easy part. I eat well and feel good while I'm doing it.

Maintenance is another thing.

What always gets me is after I lose the weight. I keep it off for 6 months or so and stop paying attention to what I eat. For a lifestyle change I have to commit to tracking my calories and watching what I eat for the rest of my life. And I believe I am ready to do that.