What's it going to take

[kellymch2006]

for me to get up in the morning and do a CLEAN two-week induction? What's it going to take for me to get serious about this ten pounds? I know how easily ten turns into twenty and twenty turns into thirty etc. What's to going to take to motivate me?

What's it going to take for me to leave the diet drinks, and the sugar free candy and the almonds and peanutes alone?

What in the world is it going to take????

[guekjian]

Have you written down WHY you want to do this? The real reason...deep down...Do you know why you want to do this? Once you know, you need to ask yourself how important that reason is to you...Once you decide that it is important enough, you will do it clean...But only once that truly clicks...You can steal the motto I stole from another member here... DO OR DO NOT, THERE IS NO TRY ...If you're not ready to fully commit, sorry but you are wasting your precious time...Good luck

[Georgiana]

I found out that exercising helps me stay on track. After spending a few hours daily at the gym, I really don't want to screw things up by eating some bad stuff.

Find a buddy. It will help you stay on track.

Are you living alone? If you're living with someone else, you can tell those people you're doing Atkins. Then you will probably not cheat, at least not in front of them.

[Miss Phode]

Me too with the exercise. I exercise regularly, which was not an easy habit to start, let me tell you. But now I crave exercise, and it really helps me keep on track. I haven't cheated on my diet since August 2008. Before I could hardly make it a week without cheating.

[kellymch2006]

Thanks for the helpful advice. My chiropractor had me buy a treadmill because of my bad back so I walk thirty minutes five times a week.

I like the idea of WHY. Hmmm. Mainly because I don't want ten to turn into fifty. If it happened overnight, I'd get serious. But since it only adds on a few ounces at a time...

[chicamarun]

WHY is a big motivator. Sometimes we forget WHY as well. My 1st WHY was because I don't want my knees replaced..... I'm too young for that IMHO. So I lost the weight. Got lazy gained some back.... now I want a tubal reversal - so I have to keep reminding myself I want the weight off so I am healthy when I get preg.

Think about it seriously. Does your weight have anything to do with your back problems? Even if the Dr says No - what about in YOUR mind??

Things like that can make you think a LOT

[kellymch2006]

My weight has to do with my EATING problems. I love food. I love to cook and I love to eat. And I love food that someone else has cooked. I quit drinking booze and quit smoking cigarettes and sometimes I feel like food is all I have left!!!!

Why do I want to be a healthy 175 pounds at 5'10" instead of 185 and inching upwards out of my 12s and into 14s?????????

Why? Because 175 feels great! I can wear ANYTHING. Bikini, shorts, sundresses, jeans, dresses, skirts, and I feel great. 185, hmm. Not so great.

Thanks for the reply!!

[steady as she goes]

here's a reason to stay away from the sugar-free candy! most of it is made with maltitol, which has a 38 on the glycemic index. 38!!!! I can't get over it. it's like one notch less bad than sugar. on a related note, it can totally impact your blood sugar in a bad way, which will make every other aspect of the diet more difficult.

good luck! I'm looking to do a squeaky-clean induction this time around too.

[peacefuljourney]

Hi Kellymch,

I so hear you. It is so so hard to start. Once I'm in the swing of things then it rolls, but getting there is the hard part for me. And then I'm in the swing of things and I think well I just want one peanut butter cookie. And really, in my mind there is nothing wrong with that. BUT the problem is I can't leave it at that and move on - I have to turn it into an all out - weeks long - failure. The 'all or nothing' approach really doesn't work for me. I need to get right back on when I fall off. So many people say it here. And it's just a few letters typed on a screen but it is deeply true for me. Anyhow, I hear your frustration - yeah, what will it take?

Committments: For me, it takes support and committments to others (unfortunately, I seem to keep those the best). So, I've committed financially to a trainer, and morally to him - he looks really bad if his clients don't progress. I've committed to others here by saying I'll join their STAC challenge. I've committed to a mani-pedi for a clean induction i.e. the appointment is booked BUT if I don't do a clean induction then I will cancel the appointment which isn't too fair to the people on the other end. And I've committed to signing on here daily. So, for me - that's what it takes. Committments.

Plans: And I would add one other thing - it takes plans. There is so much advice here. Sometimes a piece of advice sticks - I mean we read the same things over and over but one day, the advice hits us - it becomes relevant or we are ready to really 'receive' it. Regardless, someone here said plan. And I read it but I didn't absorb what that meant. Then I 'got' it one day. It means thinking through different situations and coming up with how you are going to handle it.

I'm in a household where meals are prepared for me. The food is, for the most part, very healthy and there are always veggies and salads. But sometimes the main course is pasta or gnocci or knocerle (potatoe-based pasta). And I never know until I walk through the door what dinner will be. So, I went out and bought a package of sausages. I can cook one in 2 or 3 minutes when pasta is being offered. Snacks are hard for me. So, I picked 1 or 2 'instant' snack ideas and always have those ingredients on hand. What will I do when x happens? Or y happens? I need to know how I will handle it in advance. Then, when it happens, I don't have to struggle to deal with it, I just go by the plan.

Anyhow, there are a lot of knowledgable people here who are very generous with their time and expertise. Stay with us and you will see great results.

S-