Thread: Excuses

I SOOOOOOOOOOOO know how you feel! I have been struggling with this as well. I am constantly patting myself on the back for being "so busy," but using that as an excuse to grab McDonald's for dinner. Or I am looking at other people eating carbs and saying, "Well, if they can, why can't I?" Or I am telling myself that I will have French fries JUST THIS ONCE, and then I will jump right back on the wagon. Well, here are my new responses to myself...for the first, "McDonald's sells salads too, and the world won't end if you don't eat the bun;" for the second, "You can't eat it because you know it won't be good for you, and you have control over what you eat, not what they eat;" and for the third, "You know that just once will turn into just twice and just three times, etc., and that's not what you want." It's HARD! I went out to lunch at Bob Evans today and got the Cobb Salad...completely legal and yummy. And when they asked what bread choice I wanted, I said none of them. But the little evil voice in my head was saying that I wanted something good and fried. It's a struggle each step of the way, but talk to yourself and remind yourself why you are doing this! I have been using a lot of self-talk to keep myself on track. There is no magic formula...I wish you the best!

Every meal is a choice and you can go just about anywhere and have a low carb meal these days. Being busy makes it a bit harder but Advance preparation is the key to succeeding on This WOE. Cook 5 pounds of chicken legs or thighs or drumsticks and keep them handy for quick meals or snacks on the run. Same with boiling a dozen HB eggs at a time. Cleaning salad stuff and having it to grab in a hurry will keep you satisfied more easily. Don't let yourself go too long between meals. That only makes you so hungry that your will power is almost zero.

Finally - have you researched other plans besides Atkins? There are a dozen plans out there that are low carb. Check out the other forums and other websites for plans like south beach or The Zone.
But Please Don't give up.

i was thinking just what rob said. if atkins feels too restrictive for you, there are several other lc plans, most not quite as restrictive as atkins from what i understand.

i tell you christina, i know it's hard sometimes. to me, keeping a positive attitude is actually harder than making good food choices, but it IS what is making the difference for me between giving up and being successful.

and you know what else? you are saying EXACTLY the same things i said last summer. that's when i went on atkins two weeks, did induction, lost 12 pounds, and then said, to heck with this! i want to eat the same things everybody else does. so i dropped it and gained the weight back, of course. and all those crummy, self-defeating, helpless feelings stayed right there. had i stayed lc from them, i'd probably be very close to goal right now, but it doesn't matter, 'cause here i am.

i didn't get back on track until november 15. and you know what? you couldn't PAY me to leave lc eating now! there's no way. in the last six months, i've lost 60 pounds, slow and steady. and it's literally changed my life.

some things that i found helpful: modifying the diet to suit my lifestyle as i learned more the carb content of various foods, experimenting to see what my body responds to and what stalls the weight loss, making sure i always have lc snacks and food on hand. while some folks have problems with the lc treats, for me, it helps a lot to have the occassional lc sweets to keep from feeling deprived.

i also do everything within my power to make this as easy as possible. i believe in giving myself every advantage, y'kno? i have the right food on hand i keep stuff that's especially difficult to pass up out of the house. i got a lc cookbook and several lc books that i read from when i'm feeling a bit iffy.

i have a little weightloss tracking program where i keep my measurements, weight and progress recorded (and sometimes track food/carbs and exercise, too). i can also track my bmi, and see that it's gone down ten points. i am looking forward to when it goes from high health risk to moderate in the chart...lol.

i get new exercise videos and equipment all the time to try and make it as fun as possible. i buy the lc stuff i like best, even if it does cost a bit more.

i take supplements and herbal fatburners and carb blockers. (i also get wellbutrin from my doc, which helps with food cravings and my mood--a big success factor!) i spend time here and journal regularly about my weightloss efforts on my personal blog. i frequently refer to my before and during pix to remind myself of my progress. i try on clothes that have been too small at least every week to get a better idea of my progress and my changing body.

and i reward myself regularly with new exercise stuff or a new outfit or two. it's important to feel like you are looking good to keep your spirits up.

i guess what i'm saying isn't that these things are right for you necessarily or anybody else, but that you can look for your own "helper" ideas. instead of thinking how hard it is, why not go into problem solving mode and make it a challenge to find new ways to support yourself?

changing habits IS a challenge. and for most overweight folks (with myself RIGHT at the front of this list), food has so much more significance that just alleviating hunger. my experience is that we're talking about the difference between feeling in control of your life and feeling out of control. the difference between feeling healthy, energetic, and good about yourself versus feeling depressed and frustrated with yourself.

i sure hope you stay and work on finding the mix that works for you. you know why? because YOU ARE worth it!

Check with your local library and if it's not on the shelf the librarian will gladly put it on reserve for you. In fact in my city you can get online to the library and check which branch has a copy on the shelf or reserve a copy. Then they call me when it's in.

definetly stick with it, giving in should not be an option. the temporary satisfaction that you will think you get from eating the wrong foods is absolutely nothing compared to the satisfaction of losing lots and lots pounds and getting control of your health and life.

So think about it, in one hand you have to power to lose another pound and in the other hand you have the power to gain another pound, which hand do you really want to choose.

Yes those urges are very strong and your will power will be tested daily, but you have to hang in there, at least until this woe becomes more of a habit for you, rather than such a struggle.

Everyone is right! Don't give up...just do a little deep-breathing to lessen the tension and THINK before you eat. I was in a rush to meet my walking buddy Monday afternoon, so I told my hubby he could heat himself some leftovers, then made my daughter and I a quick meal before we left. I grabbed a lowcarb tortilla (I like the La Tortilla Factory kind) threw some leftover chicken and some pre-cooked bacon and cheese on it. I zapped it for a few seconds, sprinkled some bagged salad and CarbOrtions Ranch dressing on, and it was wonderful. There is a quick meal that had fiber, protien, veggies, and dairy in it! I told you all that to tell you this: we don't plan to fail, we fail to plan! I have gotten to the point now of carrying a bag and a cold pack around with me so I can have cold water, l/c yogurt, veggies & dip, berries, or whatever with me because I am weaning myself from all the l/c bars. Take a few minutes at night, before bed and fill some water bottles, make a couple of wraps, pack up some leftover meat & veggies, or whatever you can find on plan to make the next day a "planned" one. My biggest downfall has been not having something to eat when I am hungry, and like Rob pointed out, out willpower bottoms out when we are overly hungry. Everyone here is very supportive, so post whenever you need a boost!