Almost sad I hit goal....

[Pie4me]

Hey friends...

I am almost sad I hit my goal so soon....sometimes I
subconsciously wish I had more weight to loose.

I only had 20 pounds to loose and I loose fairly fast
because once I get to exercising I go "full guns"
and I still am and I am enjoying it too.

But now since I am below my goal I find myself
eating foods I shouldn't...(like cookies and chips etc.)
and now I have an "excuse" to eat them since I am
"below my goal weight..."

This always happens to me...and then something will
come along (like the holidays) with a lot of stress
to it and I will gain from all the no-no foods and
then I am back trying to loose those 20 pounds again!

Maybe subconsciously I like to play the "diet game.."
I never get over 20 pounds too heavy...but sure wish
I could break this bad habit.

It is soooo hard to maintain after you have lost
the weight--that's where all the REAL work comes
into play--and most of it is mental.


Thanks for listening.....
Today is my anniversary (19 years!)


Pie4me-f
5'9
47 yoa
sw 163
cw 141
goal 145

[2big4mysize]

Who said Atkins ends when goal weight it hit?????
repeat after me We eat Atkins for life for better health not just to lose X pounds.


and last time I looked thosebad for you foods you mentioned didn't appear any where in the book section on what to do in Maintenance section. Nope nowhere does it say so now you are a goalie and can chuck the rules out the window and eat the refined flour and sugars again causeyou are a weight loss success.

[Elizellen]

Firstly congratulations on your 19th anniversary

Secondly congratulations on reaching goal

Thirdly - maybe you need to set a new goal? Not a weight-related one but a 'Atkins Way of Eating for Life' goal.

Have you discovered your maintenance carb level yet? Maybe you need to do that and then follow a Maintenance regime?

[Every1LuvzAngie]

Congrats on ur Anniversary and hitting your goal!!! Double whammy right thurr!!!

[Kent]

Congratulations on hitting goal. I can relate to the excuse making (mine is in quanity not what to eat), but it is infectious thinking to start. Trying to exercise when the goal is past is also much harder than it was before, but for myself, I always knew the way down was easy part. It's the lifetime part that is the brand spanking new territory.

You've conquered the weight loss phase and proved to yourself you can do it. Now there is a new unknown - the maintenance phase. Can you do that phase? I question myself on that same topic, so if it sounds like I am talking more to myself, I am. One tool or aid that I found helpful is to start recording my food and exercise again like I did in the weight loss phases. Just the fact of having to write down my failures or perceived ones, cleaned up my act a little bit. I plan on continuing that practice until I feel back in control again.

I think that really is what maintenace phase is all about. As an Atkineer, you demonstrate control within strict limits, and now you in maintenance, you need to exhibit the same control with no limits other than loose and self-imposed ones. I hope this helps... Here's to you getting the mental game back.

[LOWCARBINCLEVELANDOH]

AND... you can still stay here and be an example and encouragement to us!

[Nutri_Nut]

I have lost a lot of weight twice now. Both times I gained it back because I went back to my old ways of eating. I think subconsciously I thought "I had arrived," and it was time to loosen up a little. But I loosened up a lot, and gained back all the weight I worked so hard to lose.

This time I'm motivated by how I feel when I eat right. While I could accept my weight as it is, I felt miserable after I ate high carb meals. I also don't think I learned enough about the maintenance phase. Knowledge is power! I hope you'll join me in learning more about how to maintain the weight loss. Good luck.