SABOTAGE!!!!!!!!!!! New Folks, please read!!!

twopaulines
twopaulines Posts: 55 Member
Sabotage: to deliberately damage, destroy, or obstruct something. -Websters Dictionary

Confession: I am an infomercial junky. Yes there you have it. I think they're amazing, I'm instantly captivated by the enthusiastic host and I have my credit card in hand. Thankfully... I've grown up some :) BUT not until I've purchased an electric belly fat blaster belt that sends jolts through your body in just 15 minutes a day that blasts the fat instantly!, drinks and shakes that guarantee weight loss in just 30 days or your money back guaranteed!, videos by chiseled personal trainers that guarantee to lose 14 pounds in 1 week or your money back guaranteed!!!!!!!!
~Diets: Low carb, no carb, grapefruit, mustard diet, HCG diet, Ketosis, clear liquid, cleansers, diet pills, diet shakes, fasting. KNOW WHAT EACH OF THESE HAVE IN COMMON???? SABOTAGE!!!!!

REALity: It's bogus!!! All bogus!!! And for this at-one-time naive girl it was the answer to my prayers. Until it failed.

LESSON:
1.) Mentality: You prep, you plan, you cook, you pinterest recipes, you pre-portion, you pack, you set out your gym clothes, your ear buds are ready, your workout playlist is added. You have everything in place. You tell yourself, "Ok, tomorrow morning I am going to do this, I am going to workout 6 days this week for at least an hour. Yes an hour, anything less isn't worth my time. I'm going to eat all healthy food. Clean food, yes clean food is in, that's what I will do. I will take my vitamin, yes vitamins what the doctor says are good. I am going to eat no white bread, yes white bread is SO bad. I am going to cut out soda, yes soda is the absolute worst food product on this planet. Oh, I'm going to track all of my calories, yes that's what I need to do. When you journal you have better success. Yes this day is planned. I am ready for success!!!"
~ Every single thing in this sentence is correct. This person is prepared, has done all the right things, has planned, has researched. They are ready to conquer the World. And day 4, they are burrying their face in a tub of ice cream, hating themselves and saying Ok, I can't do this. Why????? Because we SABOTAGE ourselves.
~ This plan is great. HOWEVER, NOT all at once. Most can not take years of poor lifestyle choices and change everything all in one day, sustain this change, reach their goal, and sustain this goal for years to come. Our minds just do not work this way. We go into overload mode, survival mode, and to think we can successfully handle this intense change is as self-destructive as eating ourselves into nausea.
~REMEDY: Start with one or two changes. I am just not the most organized person. So my first decision was to join the gym. I knew I was going no matter what. I also knew I needed to log my food. But ONLY log it. I didn't necessarily pay attention to calories or "what" I was eating, I just logged it. I also worked out each day I was off. That was my goal, showing up each day I was off (which was 4 days). Week two, I bought a 64 oz water bottle (the recommended daily intake) and my goal was to finish one per day, in addition to logging and working out. I started feeling good...hey I like this water thing, hey my gym time is pretty valuable. I need to disect my nutrition and see what changes I can make. So I experimented with vegetables, recipes, spices, whole grains, fresh foods. And continued with water, continued with exercise. The next week, I added another day to the gym. Made healthy food choices, logged what I ate, drank water every day. And guess what???? The scale began to move! Give yourself, your mind time to catch up to your goals. You won't fail.

2.) ATTITUDE: There's no way I'm going to the gym with all those perfect people. There's no way I can do a push up. There's no way I can cut out white sugar. There's no way I can walk/run a mile. There's no I can do deadlifts. There's no way I'd like free weights. I can't do a triathlon. With this mentality, we limit ourselves to things that just aren't realistic. Yes, you absolutely can do each and every one of these things. We however have told ourselves these same things or something similar in the past.
~REMEDY: LOSE THE ATTITUDE!! That's right. Lose it. You can absolutely do a push up, you just have to try and try and try again. You can absolutely lift free weights, get a trainer to teach you, watch youtube, learn it. You can absolutely cut out white sugar, maybe not forever but maybe two days a week (if that's your goal). You can absolutely join and love a gym, maybe not today, but maybe when you feel more confident and want to add to your athletic training.

My point, you can absolutely do anything you want to do. Unless you have a medical condition that the doctor has specifically defined limits, then give yourself NONE! Just the attempt is rejuvenating! The result is life changing. Hang in there and give yourself time. You will and you CAN get there!
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Replies

  • loriemn
    loriemn Posts: 292 Member
    I like this!!!!!
  • cclair1974
    cclair1974 Posts: 16
    wonderful post.....so true. thank you
  • perseverance14
    perseverance14 Posts: 1,364 Member
    Good advice!
  • twopaulines
    twopaulines Posts: 55 Member
    Thank you :) And you're more than welcome. I certainly learned this lesson the hard way (apparently my most effective way to learn ha). Good luck!!!!!
  • sassynkp
    sassynkp Posts: 148 Member
    Totally agree! I said I could NEVER give up sodas. I have not had a soda in over 3 years now. So yes- small steps and positive attitude make a difference.
  • twopaulines
    twopaulines Posts: 55 Member
    Totally agree! I said I could NEVER give up sodas. I have not had a soda in over 3 years now. So yes- small steps and positive attitude make a difference.

    That's awesome!!!
  • celesteshively
    celesteshively Posts: 1 Member
    Well said! Everything you have mentioned in there I have done to myself at LEAST once. And yes, failed. I gave myself 2 weeks to go from 3-4 cups of coffee a day to one. I love my coffee. If any of my friends mention coffee they think of me. I did it. I gave it up (almost) I am down to one 12 oz cup a day. I enjoy that cup so much more than I did before. I used to walk into the kitchen within 5 minutesof bein awake and would be making my coffee. I know find myself waiting an hour or sometimes 2 hours, so I can actually sit down and enjoy it. I make a ritual out of smelling it brew, watching the cream as I stir it and then inhaling the vapors right before my sip. That one cup of coffee means so much more to me now!
  • twopaulines
    twopaulines Posts: 55 Member
    Everyone has their "favorite" thing! It sounds like you have been very disciplined and that's awesome!!!! Great job!
  • brghteyes135
    brghteyes135 Posts: 6 Member
    Thank you :)
  • codex213
    codex213 Posts: 3 Member
    I just started getting back on the whole "I need to eat healthier/be healthier" mentality that was missing for about 2 years and this is just what I needed to read. Thank you!
  • k8briseno
    k8briseno Posts: 7 Member
    This is great stuff. Don't try and change your lifestyle all at once, you can't. It will always be a challenge sometimes. I still want to eat crap and sit on my couch but not everyday. Some days I want to eat healthy and workout. You will learn to love this stuff, but in due time.
  • Bustergirl14
    Bustergirl14 Posts: 69 Member
    A good reminder that we strive for progress, not perfection.
  • Spreyton22K
    Spreyton22K Posts: 323 Member
    Awesome Post :flowerforyou:
  • Helsybels
    Helsybels Posts: 10 Member
    Great post, thank you!
  • This is great-you're absolutely right!!
  • clairetomkinson84
    clairetomkinson84 Posts: 66 Member
    Very true, there is no limit to what I can do. Yesterday I RAN up steep stairs. Sore today but worth it and that is something I'd never thought I'd do. It just takes time.
  • twopaulines
    twopaulines Posts: 55 Member
    That's awesome Claire! And thanks everyone I"m glad you could benefit from it! :)
  • CindyMarcuzAdams
    CindyMarcuzAdams Posts: 4,007 Member
    Thanks for the great post. We are our own worst enemy.
  • Butterfly_1
    Butterfly_1 Posts: 45 Member
    great advice - thanks!
  • iwanaca167
    iwanaca167 Posts: 1 Member
    I have never been on a regimented weight loss plan until now......so I have no experience with all the pitfalls you have described. I am now, however, on a mission....!! Since I have not participated in a serious weight loss attempt....and as a result my topped out at 295 pounds, and it was a revelation to realize I was just letting it go, and it shows.
    weeks
    My weight loss goal is an even 100 lbs...so I have a long way to go.... I'm down 10 pounds in 2 weeks. Thanks for your encouragement.
  • twopaulines
    twopaulines Posts: 55 Member
    I have never been on a regimented weight loss plan until now......so I have no experience with all the pitfalls you have described. I am now, however, on a mission....!! Since I have not participated in a serious weight loss attempt....and as a result my topped out at 295 pounds, and it was a revelation to realize I was just letting it go, and it shows.
    weeks
    My weight loss goal is an even 100 lbs...so I have a long way to go.... I'm down 10 pounds in 2 weeks. Thanks for your encouragement.

    That's awesome!! You are at a great advantage since you're a male and have that weight loss goal!!! You will actually do this before you know it. Trust the plan, trust the process, you will absolutely reach your goal!!!
  • JenD1066
    JenD1066 Posts: 298 Member
    What- you mean the electric belly fat blaster doesn't really work?
    3 easy payments of $19.95 down the drain.....
  • shayla0302
    shayla0302 Posts: 10 Member
    I love this post!
  • Jillian130
    Jillian130 Posts: 174 Member
    ******applause*****

    Well said!
  • auntsammy88
    auntsammy88 Posts: 401 Member
    Great post! Thankfully I've never ordered the electric belly band, but I definitely know what it's like to try and do too much at once until you just give up. This is something I still struggle with, but I'm fortunately getting better at pacing myself and having a couple of small goals at a time.
  • twopaulines
    twopaulines Posts: 55 Member
    What- you mean the electric belly fat blaster doesn't really work?
    3 easy payments of $19.95 down the drain.....

    Hahaha!! It's embarassing but it was true. I was 19 years old at the time... now I'm in my 30's. I did have enough sense to send it back before ever using it so it was about a $20 loss. lol
  • sinker59
    sinker59 Posts: 130
    Excellent post!
  • marleyskye05
    marleyskye05 Posts: 138
    Totally true! This is exactly how my first few tries went...doesn't help that I'm a perfectionist by nature and when I don't do everything perfect I tend to give up, but I've learned to take it one day at a time and "strive for progress, not perfection". Great post, thanks for sharing!
  • lmsky12
    lmsky12 Posts: 32
    Thank you for sharing this. I tend to have an "all or nothing" attitude, and consistently set myself up for failure by going too extreme too fast. I'm going to try a couple of small goals and only add something new once I've accomplished a goal. Thank you!!
  • Great post