I have NO WILLPOWER

[DuskaLynn]

I have been trying to do Atkins for the past 4 to 5 months UNSUCCESSFULLY. I can't even get my sorry self through induction without cheating. I want this more than anything... I don't mind the food on atkins... I have read the book... And here I am... Still struggling. I honestly have not made it past 7 days on induction. And I can't understand it, why can't I have willpower? I am 22 years old. 5ft 5, 180 pounds, Mommy of 2. Wife to husband that lives on Mountain dew and Junk food and he looks fabulous. Now here I am, a few days before Easter. I love the holidays and look forward to them. But the food and the alcohol involved with my family Holidays is staring my in the face. So now I am back on induction....(day 2) and I already know that I am going to want to cheat. And I probably will. So I say to myself, thats ok... You will just start again Monday after easter. But what will my next excuse be? All of you are so inspiring. Reading your stories makes me keep getting back on the wagon. I am just completely disgusted with myself. And my poor family has to deal with me constantly complaining about my problems. Someone please tell me that there is hope for me? Can I do this!?? Help.. I need inspiration....oh so badly........

struggling in minnesota...........

[kibskix]

1. stop making excuses. it isn't going to magically happen on its own, you have to make yourself do it.
2. losing weight is hard work. you won't succeed if you give up at every challenging moment.
3. there is no secret to willpower. i don't even believe in willpower. everyone falters, and everyone has thoughts of faltering. every person who's succeeded on atkins has had days where they've messed up, or felt like cheating, or wanted to give up. the only thing that seperates the successful people from the ones who give up is that they keep going. so the fact that you keep trying after 4-5 months even though you've messed up a bit is still a victory. the bad part is it sounds half hearted, and it doesnt seem you've learned from any mistakes.
4. you have to do some soul searching and make a conscious decision for being healthier to be the #1 priority in your life, because you are worth the time to do it.
my boyfriend lives off cherry dr pepper and reese's cups. that doesn't mean i eat them. he never works out, and likes a lot of attention. that doesn't mean i don't get my 1-2 hour workouts just because he's around. when we go out, he eats fried chicken and french fries and beer. i eat steak, broccoli and tea. it has to be a conscious decision every single day!
5. just because you -want- to cheat, doesn't mean you should. i've wanted to cheat before, but i dont even let the idea of actually doing it enter my brain. you have to recognize that its a craving. you dont -need- it.
6. think about how long it would take on a treadmill to burn off all the bad things you eat. i'd rather have my workouts go toward burning the fat i've got, not burning the crap i eat.
7. if you tell yourself 'im probably going to cheat, and thats ok', you will never lose weight. i dont mean to be a jerk, but thats just how it works. you HAVE to change the way you think. repeat this with me! FOOD DOES NOT CONTROL MY LIFE. why should we feel so deprived and left out if you dont eat crap on a holiday? what kind of messed up tradition is that? its the reason we're overweight to begin with, and we just reinforce it and take a step backwards every time you think 'well one is ok' then the next one is easier, and before you know it its months since you ate something good for you.

you CAN do this! every one of us has struggled. the first time i did atkins i lost about 30lbs to 180, then life got in the way, and i cheated more and more, and 2 years later i was 250. and -all- of that started with one day of me saying 'well 1 cheat is ok'.
trust me, the first week is the hardest. do not give in. why would you keep yourself from being healthy for 5 minutes of tasting something? its insane. you have to get tough with yourself. i find if i work out every day, i'm less likely to cheat because i dont want all that sweating i just did to go toward nothing. i put all bad foods in a cabinet i dont have to look at.
it won't happen on its own. make meals ahead of time. get used to the fact that other people will eat junk you aren't, and remind yourself that you might like how it tastes, but its bad for you. think of that chocolate and fried stuff etc clogging your arteries. it serves no purpose to fuel your body, and thats really what its all about. would you pour old nasty oil into your car and expect it to work correctly?
once you lose a little weight, and feel how much energy you have, you'll be so proud of yourself to sticking to it!

[tfek70]

Pull yourself together! Here comes the willpower and wisdom.

If you "want this more than anything." as you say, let's break this down. If you live to be 77, that is average, that's 4004 weeks. Two of those weeks are the induction that you can't find the willpower to pull off. We are talking about 0.04995% of your life here. If you can't find the willpower to suck it up for 0.04995% of your life to achieve what you "want more than anything", you need to reevaluate what you want out of life.

The problem is that you are trying to do this for you. As a parent and a spouse, your wants, needs, desires, and aspirations take a back seat to those of your children and spouse. You need to realize that you are doing it not for you, but for them. Read this quote from Men's Health and if this doesn't motivate you, check your pulse: "...Health and fitness are more than just personal goals - they're gifts we give to the people around us. Being fit and feeling on top of our game will ensure that we're there for the people who rely on us. It will make us better fathers, husbands, friends, lovers... and yes, even better sons." -David Zinczenko.

Stop trying to do this for you, you are too selfless. Do it for them.

T. J.

[kibskix]

i love weird statistics like that lol. i told myself that in the beginning too tfek. a few months of strict food rules ain't nothing to waking up a year from now heavier than I am today. and you -do- add in foods later, you certainly arent deprived of fruits and grains forever, etc

[AlaskaGirl]

Good stuff guys.

I look at induction like this. Eat, eat and eat some more. You can get over your cravings by eating legal just eat until you are no longer hungry. Be prepared with things that work for you.

Don't look at it as "induction" but a way of life. Once you get through the first few days you should be fine. Look up recipes and make some food that will help you get through those first few days or weeks.

My daughter and husband eat what I eat, they just add some bread or tortillas. I will admit that they have ice cream and stuff, but I don't care any more. That food is just garbage now. I think of that crap just like I think of cigarettes.... Gross and disgusting.

[DuskaLynn]

Thanks, All of you! I have needed someone to just grab me and say... Hey! Enough with your excuses lady! Now put down the fork!

Since reading your posts I have sat myself down and wrote a list of the things I can do to help myself succeed.
- Start my journal ...In past down times of my life my journal kept me going and helped me face each and every day. And I can keep track of the food I am eating so I can know where I need to improve.
- Make a menu! I find myself doing great on induction for the first 3 to 4 days then I will run iout of ideas? And I will need a quick snack and a legal one is no-where to be found... NEVER AGAIN MY FRIENDS!
-GET MOVING! I do work long days and my sleep is limited as it is.. BUt... I have been using that as an excuse. I just need to tell my hubby that instead of a movie tonight on the couch... I will be downstairs on my treadmil We can snuggle after I am done working out. Because after all... I AM DOING THIS FOR MY FAMILY just as much as I am doing it for myself.
And I need to keep SUPPORT close ..for when I am feeling down... and risking all of my hard work..... Thanks Guys.. I really truly believe that I can do this! I am not going to quit until I acheive success! I am going to give it my all.

Thanks for your support... I am going to work hard. I'll be in touch.




Feeling inspired in Minnesota....

[kibskix]

yay! look at you all excited! if you have a husband and kids and a job there's little time for working out, I know. i work from home so i have the time to do it, but you dont have to work out hours a day, any movement is good movement! some days i do a little in the morning and a little at night. or i do push ups before bed, or while watching tv, just whenever i can fit it in. it gets easier, but the want always has to be there!

[SandyL2002]

Well I am going to be the nice one...lol I never would have started a couple of days before a family function.. I always make sure I have at least 2 weeks of nothing planned.. So that I can get through induction with out having to resist everything

[kibskix]

That would probably definately help. I'm sure its easier to resist things like that after you already have good results, and past the initial detox from sugar. I happen to start the day before TOM last month. i should pay more attention to the calendar! I didn't cheat but thats probably because 1. I work from home, I'm not around co-workers wanting to go to lunch, or other temptations and 2. I had just gone shopping for good food the day before, so there wasnt much to cheat with in the house. I probably overdid the cheese though!

[chinadoll]

I have done Atkins successfully before and lost 70 pounds. I gained some back and am now at the second go round with DANDR (I did the 70s version as a teen). It took me more than a dozen tries to finally get through a clean induction. Why did the last time work? I have no idea, but one day I woke up ready to recommit fully without any wiggle room for cheating. It is a mindset. Keep at it. But as TJ said if you really wanted this more than anything, you wouldn't be sabotaging yourself.

One thing that helps me is this: When I look at something tempting to eat I ask myself if it is the last cookie or baklava or piece of chocolate I will ever have the opportunity to have in my whole life? The bottom line is those things will still be around after I am thin. If, at that time, once I have reached goal, I have enough carbs in my CCM to allow a bite here and there, then this stuff will still be around (although I am betting I wont want it by then). In the meantime I can choose to not have it this time, and get myself closer to where I want to be.