Are you continuing this in January?

[Phoenyx]

I think I've fairly much decided I'm not continuing this in January, or at least not to this extent. I want to use packs, particularly on working days, but am not going to do simplicity. I may try lifestyle but using ALL the extras. Three reasons - I'm in no hurry to lose the weight after my skiing holiday (although I do want to lose it), secondly, I've entered the Bath half marathon in March and will want to resume training and thirdly this is taking up too much of my mental energy as is.

I may of course change my mind between now and then, but if I don't I need to find another weight loss path, perhaps one the uses the packs (so convenient!) but isn't so extreme. Any suggestions?

Thank you!

 

[KBQueen]

You could follow Slimming World red days as they are low carb, not really sure what I'm going to do when I get to goal yet but I have a while to go before refeed to think about it. I am only having Xmas day off and then doing 100% S&S again until I get to goal x

 

[Phoenyx]

I think you are amazing! I'm finding this hard and I don't really know why - I'm not hungry as such, although I'm definitely lacking in energy at times! Maybe I ought to do a little more head analysis before I quit!

SW is not for me - I like the convenience of the packs. Although I was paleo for much of last year, and felt great, but struggled when I increased my running distance. I think calorie counting may be the way forward for me...

 

[Tracyx]

I have about 6 planned days off between 20th December and the 6th January the rest of the time I will be on plan, and I definately plan to be back on plan 100% from 5th January until I get to my goal .

I do know what you mean about it being mentally stressful as I started the diet thinking it was the easy option to stop me thinking about what I was eating as my partner was always complaining that dieting was taking over my life but my losses have been so low all I'm doing now is constantly analysing what I'm eating which is why I think I'll change from lifestyle to simplicity to take the food element away, but I know I couldn't loss more on any other diet so I'm sticking with it x

 

[Phoenyx]

I so admire you! It's a tough diet! I'm not sleeping well on it either, hence posting at 3am, but I do love the flat (ish) empty stomach feeling on this diet, and the losses of course!

Its easy to see the upside of other diets when doing this, and forget how crappy I felt, and out of control, before doing this. So I might change my mind yet. But one of the things keeping me goingv is the thought that I don't have to do it in Jan - at the moment I feel I let myself get into a position where I have to do it .... Hence resenting it a bit.... Ooh *lightbulb moment*...

 

[Phoenyx]

I have definitely noticed that there are two kinds of people who do the crazy diet of a VLCD


The first kind are those that see the diet as a prison, they aren't allowed to eat, they aren't allowed to drink, they aren't allowed to go out and socialise on the diet, they aren't allowed to do things they want to do.


The second kind are those that see the diet as a choice, at anytime they can go and eat what they want, they can go and drink what they want but they choose not to because they want to lose weight and be slim more than they want to eat or drink.


The people who see the diet as a prison sentence tend to hate the diet all the way through, they generally feel unhappy while losing weight and from my experience tend to "escape" from the prison at some point and eat and drink and then the diet becomes even tougher.


For those that make a choice to just not eat or drink I find they tend to enjoy the diet!! They have made a good choice as they can feel the results and with the right mindset it is just a matter of keeping yourself focussed for a few months while you get to where you really want to get to.


All of us who start a VLCD desperately want to lose weight for many reasons and we all know the diet is in our own heads. If you drink the packs and drink the water and avoid food then you will lose weight as it is impossible not to, the only problem is whether your mind makes you falter along the way.


So please please see the diet as a choice, and a very good choice as it will change your life for the better.


GO FOR IT!!

this was posted on the Cambridge forums some time ago, but I definitely feel I started viewing this as a choice but increasingly as a prison. And I'm definitely looking for my out... Interesting! So in Jan, if I do continue, I better make sure it's my choice and keep that in mind.

 

[Slinkyson]

I think I've fairly much decided I'm not continuing this in January, or at least not to this extent. I want to use packs, particularly on working days, but am not going to do simplicity. I may try lifestyle but using ALL the extras. Three reasons - I'm in no hurry to lose the weight after my skiing holiday (although I do want to lose it), secondly, I've entered the Bath half marathon in March and will want to resume training and thirdly this is taking up too much of my mental energy as is. I may of course change my mind between now and then, but if I don't I need to find another weight loss path, perhaps one the uses the packs (so convenient!) but isn't so extreme. Any suggestions? Thank you!

I did terriAnn 123 it's on Facebook for the weed leading upto starting s&s I lost 6lbs it's like Sw red days but with no bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, no fruit and limited veg but it works it's a good plan I intend to do it between Xmas and new year! then get back on packs in jan xx

 

[Tracyx]

That's spot on Phoenyx, I have to remind myself all the time that I'm doing this diet by choice because I have 2 kids so i told my partner when i started the diet that I didn't want it affecting them and they should still eat what they want but that doesn't stop me feeling angry when they're sitting at the weekend with a big KFC.

A few weeks back we had family visiting who all new about my diet but that didn't stop them from saying "oh let's all get Chinese" (which is my favourite) so they all sat and stuffed there faces with a big Chinese which admittedly made me feel very angry but I had to stop and remind myself that they where not stopping me from eating it that was my choice so I couldn't be angry with them.

That is why I'm taking 6 days off over Xmas and new year as it is 6 occasions I know we are eating out with family and I don't want to ruin mine or anyone else's day because I know as much as i try not to id probably just sit with my pack in a huff watching them eat dinner then they'd all feel guilty .

This way it works out I've got approx 2 days off a week over xmas and new year so that's plenty to keep me on track, as I find it easier to stay 100% when I know I've got a day off coming up xx

 

[size12wannabe]

Hi everyone,
I'm definitely continuing into January, as due to xmas and new years I've got about 7 days where I'm not going to be able to stick to plan 100%, these are pretty much unavoidable unfortunately. In jan I hope to stick to plan completely, then depending on how I feel at end of January and what I weigh, will probably do feb and march too, but I do have a lot of weight to lose.
Phoenyx- have you tried slim fast, the weight loss isn't quite as fast but the bars and shakes are tasty, you can have a meal a day and you're on approx. 1,200 cal a day.You can buy the products loads of places so its very easy and convenient.

 

[KBQueen]

I am very much the second person this time round and see this as a choice and I'm happy doing it. I'm really enjoying the easiness of it this time round and I really believe that you have to be firmly in the right head space when you start this diet to be able to stick it out. Other times I've done a VLCD I've started it half hearted and moaned about how hungry I was etc, feel totally different this time xx

 

[Slinkyson]

I am very much the second person this time round and see this as a choice and I'm happy doing it. I'm really enjoying the easiness of it this time round and I really believe that you have to be firmly in the right head space when you start this diet to be able to stick it out. Other times I've done a VLCD I've started it half hearted and moaned about how hungry I was etc, feel totally different this time xx

Me too here here!!! Well said I always end up being in the right mindset right before Xmas I really need a good plan of action! What's your plans for Xmas?? X

 

[KBQueen]

Me too here here!!! Well said I always end up being in the right mindset right before Xmas I really need a good plan of action! What's your plans for Xmas?? X

I'm 100% until Xmas Eve then will be having Xmas Day off and back on S&S on Boxing Day x

 

[Slinkyson]

I'm 100% until Xmas Eve then will be having Xmas Day off and back on S&S on Boxing Day x

Gosh that's hard core! Good for you I can't I have so many family meals and I'm happy to eat low carb as Much as poss but Xmas only comes once a year my lot like to celebrate a lot!!! Eeeek x

 

[Clinquant]

I agree wholeheartedly with that post. When I read it, it reminded me of a guest post I wrote on another blog. When I went back to look for it I realised that the blog belonged to icemoose, who wrote your post. How spooky. My post is here

Choose Life?
When you think about starting a diet, does the thought fill you with dread? Do you want to stamp your feet like a toddler and shout about how unfair it all is? Do you immediately start thinking about what you can’t have?
In 2008, I made a decision that I didn’t want to be big any longer. I went on a very low calorie diet for 8 months and went from morbidly obese to a healthy weight. I was 44 and had a long history of unsuccessful dieting attempts but I knew this time would be different. I think seeing quick results and dealing with the emotional issues all helped. That and planning the whole exercise like a work project. I started in April and soon decided that I would reach my target weight 23 November and that is exactly the day that I did. I never doubted I could do it. People would constantly say how marvellous I was, what great willpower I must have and how hard it must be. The truth is it was actually quite easy.

Yes of course there were days when I was so angry with someone and I felt as if the feelings would overwhelm me without food to resort to. But that was a great opportunity to learn about my behaviour and decide to respond to those feelings in a different way.
The main difference this time was in the deciding. It sounds so simple but it really is. You can make the decision. It is your choice. When I was dieting people would hand round all manner of food which wasn’t in my plan. They would stop at me and say ‘Oh sorry, you can’t, can you’. My reply was always ‘No I can have some if I want to but I am choosing not to now because I value my health more’. Sometimes it felt a bit hollow but it got me through eight months of successful losses. It is also a powerful and positive statement that made me feel good about myself.
Since then I have sometimes made the wrong choices. I started a new job and reverted to some of my old behaviours to deal with the stresses but I was more aware of it. I have been kind to myself and acknowledged I spent a long time dealing with my emotions with food and I won’t overturn those in a few months.
I am old enough to remember the 80’s ‘Choose Life’ T-shirts and I feel confident that by making the good small choices day by day I am choosing life. I am choosing great healthy food, the joy of clothes shopping, running really fast for a bus and only taking up one seat on it, chasing after my nephews and niece, entering a 10k, confidently making presentations at work and knowing that I’ll be doing all this for a long time.
What are you going to choose?

 

[Phoenyx]

That is an amazing post! Thank you for sharing. I swing between one mindset and another at the moment. At times, like now, I'm fine and want to continue, but at other times I definitely resent this diet. I think the latter are becoming less frequent, which is interesting. I went to mcdonalds with the kids earlier and was convinced I was going to break the diet, but when I got to the counter I made a deliberate choice - and ordered chicken salad. I know it sounds silly, but nobody was watching, nobody cared what I ordered, so I was there doing, and choosing to do the diet just for me, in that moment. One of my more powerful moments, I think. Tonight, I'm happy to make no decisions about after Christmas and see where this takes me. Tomorrow may be a different story!

 

[Clinquant]

Thanks. It would be very easy to beat myself up about how far away from that original goal I was but it does remind me that I maintained happily for a couple of years and it's good to reconsider all the reasons I'm doing this and I'm already running for the bus and considering starting running over the holidays when I'm eating.

And great learning with the McDonald's situation - all those small decisions are what will win the battle but it's hard to see that in the moment.

 

[Tracyx]

I got to the counter I made a deliberate choice - and ordered chicken salad. I know it sounds silly, but nobody was watching, nobody cared what I ordered, so I was there doing, and choosing to do the diet just for me

Phoenyx well done on resisting temptation you should be proud of yourself especially as you where on your own with the kids because that would have been the best opportunity for you to cheat with no-one watching but you stayed strong, well done!! x

 

[KBQueen]

I know a few people are saying I'm hardcore but the truth is, I have no family anywhere near me and I'm not seeing them over the Xmas period so it is very easy for me to continue the diet as I have no planned meals apart from Xmas Day. If I was back home I would probably have the whole Xmas period off xx

 

[Tracyx]

I know what you mean Jewel as if I was on my own I'd happily follow the diet 100% over Xmas, even if it was just me and the kids because i normally cook different meals for them anyway, it's my partner thats the problem as he won't have a takeaway or have a drink without me even though I've told him a million times it's ok. I feel its ok for me to miss out on treats over xmas because im reeping the benefit of the weight loss but me being 100% would be unfair to him as it would definitely spoil his xmas.

I'm taking Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Years Day off cause were eating out with family those days, and In our house Saturdays were our treat night so I told my o/h that I'll take the 3 Saturdays off over Xmas and New Year so we can have something nice to eat together and little drink, but those 6 days are my only days off then I'm right back to being 100% x