Can someone please help a newbie

[cantakenomore]

Can someone please tell me that I can do this diet. I bought my bumper pack 3 months ago. I have started every Monday and by dinner time I would dig into a big plate of food, telling myself that I would start again on Tuesday, only to never return. It is driving me mental. How do people get through the first few days. I am not even referring to hunger just to greed. I have two weeks supply left and are looking at starting again on Sunday. How do I keep motivated to just get through the day without thinking I am wasting my time. I have read nearly every post and know it can be done. Am I just not serious enough about loosing weight?:cry:

 

[slinkybride2be]

Yes you CAN do this! The first few days are bloody tough but once you get past those you will not look back trust me. Whenever I had a craving in the first few days I would just tell myself why I am doing this and I would only be letting myself down if I fail. Also I was on here all the time during those first few days, reading posts and asking for advice/support- I really couldnt have got through them otherwise! Have you wrote a list of why your doing this? Or a list of what your looking forward to when getting to goal weight? I did and stuck it on my fridge and it's there as a constant reminder. Do you have a diary on here? That has also been a big help to me. Best of luck x

 

[cantakenomore]

Thanks so much for your reply. I really need to do that list and diary. I think most people who are successful on this diet are the ones who reach out and talk about their progress. Must say it took me a long time to come on here, because I felt a little bit vulnerable. I know there are good people out here who would spur me on whenever I need it. Diets are more of an emotional fight than anything else. We all know what we need to do to get there, but its the doing part that is the hardest. The giving up part is so easy. So as a first step I will do a diary. Well, here goes. Come on Sunday. Cant wait to get this weight off! Before you know it I will be ordering my second bumper pack.

 

[ShedMasterZero]

You can do it when your mind is in the right place.

I did a similar thing to you with the false starts. I'd planned to start on Monday, but something always got in the way, so it would be Tuesday, then Wednesday, then it's getting close to the weekend, so I'll start next Monday. It was a vicious cycle.

You really just have to realise that if you don't do something NOW, it will go on and on and you'll still be in the same situation (or worse) in 3 months, 6 months, a year.......

I know it's not easy. We all know it's not easy. But only you can take control of what you eat and change things for the better.

I'm sure that joining here and taking part is going to be a big help, I know it has been for me. It's not like Cheers - where everyone knows your name - you can be as anonymous as you like.

 

[custardtart]

Hi, i'm on wk 3 now and have lost my 1st stone I got my hubby to cook for him and kids for the first few days so I didn't have to look/smell any food, I put a photo that i hated of myself on the fridge, i stayed upstairs alot....on laptop or having a bath or just watching tv etc. you've just gotta stay busy and remeber why you are doing this. I found a glass of coke zero was enough to kerb my nibbling urge! stay strong and focused and you'll make it. there is lots of support on here. have a great day x

 

[cantakenomore]

Many Thanks all for your words of encouragement. I already feel more positive. I was really down about my weight last night. I have about 40 lbs to lose. It does have a huge effect on my self esteem. Mostly because I lost a lot of weight two years ago and has put it all back on. So I feel a bit of a fool. I will definitely start my diary on Sunday and hopefully I will not be too much of a pain.

 

[cantakenomore]

Ps: @Custardtart - 1 st- 3 weeks. That is amazing. Congrats. Thats enough reason for me to stick it out for even just three weeks.

 

[txgardenia]

Hi there, I am in a similar situation to you. I have only just now learned about Exante and am looking into that, but prior to that I had planned to start a VLCD over and over. Like others are saying here, I would always find a reason why I couldn't start (or finish) the day. I don't know if you have ever heard of a book called Addictive Thinking by Abraham Twerski. The book is geared toward understanding the alcohol or drug addict, but it's completely relevant to those of us who are food addicts. He talks about how the addictive thinking is almost like another mind altogether. Its sole purpose is to talk you into continuing your addiction. So, for example, if you have the intention of continuing your diet in your conscious mind, the 'addictive thinking' mind that got you into binge-eating in the first place will still be highly active and busy looking for excuses to bring you down and coerce you into breaking your diet plan. You can recognize the addictive thinking mind in action. Any time you think "Oh, I feel so deprived.. it's not fair that others can eat anything and still lose weight." Or "I owe it to myself to treat myself. I can always start again tomorrow."

Until I read that book, I always felt very alone and very weak willed. But now I realise that millions of people experience the same voice in their heads, undermining any positive change they try to make to break their addiction.

Change is scary for people... habits and routines are comforting and they show our subconscious mind that everything is OK. When you are used to looking forward to meals and having them be the highlight of your day, when you take that away, not only do you have the conscious thought of "I really wish I could have a nice tasty meal right now", but your subconscious mind is also going "OH no!! What's wrong?? Are we being punished?? What happened to our usual routine that makes us feel so good?"

I am struggling with this myself and I have always done. My parents used food to control me and punish me and I have always had a lot of issues surrounding food. I have been severely underweight, quite overweight and everywhere in between. So you are not alone, and you can get thru the first day... and the day after. The main thing is finding ways to comfort yourself that don't involve food. I think that is the hardest part of any weight loss journey for people who comfort-eat or binge. Hugs!!!!

 

[cantakenomore]

Wow txgardenia. Thanks that is so insightful. Will definitely get my hands on a copy. A friend of mine says it takes two weeks to unlearn a habbit. I have never put it to the test and wondered if its true. Everything you say is so true and I dont want food to rule my world anymore.

x

 

[ShedMasterZero]

Sounds interesting. I think I'm going to buy that book as well. It will probably help me with more than just my eating habits. Thanks txgardenia.

 

[padbear]

Good luck with sticking it through a first day! I tend to think that there are a few factors for the first days so here are some ramblings from me:-

1. feeling commited to it/ feeling it's a good time - if you're not in to it then it will be hard; good to muster up as much determination as possible
2. getting your head in the right space. Don't know your situation but maybe as a warm up to it take a weekend of you time to destress. If you're stressed it will be harder to stick to - maybe take a few days off work if that's relevant to hide away. Playing meditation music, having a bath with some relaxing bath foam etc

3. trying to keep yourself out of food temptation for the first few days. Nice idea re the photo on the fridge; maybe try to avoid weekly shopping runs/ coffee shops etc

4. keeping your mind occupied with something else. If you're busy with something the time will go quicker. Even to the point of getting box sets of some fave tv shows or something; just to get over the hump

5. Visualisation. This can be very powerful - try visualising each day for the first week and see yourself just taking the diet goop. Visualise youself when you feel hungry having a drink of water/ coffee. You can extend this and visualise what you look like/ feel like in one month/ two months etc

6. This one may be a little wacky but just ask for help preferably in a way that ties in with any beliefs you may have about the universe

I've rambled enough i feel. Good luck with it and as everyone says here the cravings will disappear. Didn't have them myself that much but what I have noticed in the last few days is a good pick up in energy so where I used to be feeling tired alot now I'm not.

So there are positives if you be in a place where your desire for those can overcome the sugar craving through being in the right headspace you're bound to be pleased with yourself!
cheers
P

 

[cantakenomore]

Hi Padbear. Thanks so much for your post. Absolutely love the pointers. May I add, I tried a few and they are very helpful indeed. I am in the fortunate position to be at home at the moment so can focus on the diet completely. I have an invitation from friends again for the weekend. I have decided to attend, but to inform them of the fact that I will not be eating. I am determined to get it right this time. Once again thanks for the support. xx

Btw: Got to day 2 intact

 

[MrMojo]

Well done so far, before you know it, it'll be WI day and that will give you a welcome boost

Good luck and stay strong!!

 

[txgardenia]

I love Padbear's post. Thanks Padbear!

I am wondering, how are you doing, Cantakenomore? Please update us

 

[txgardenia]

Oops, also, I forgot to mention to you, Cantakenomore-- I used to have a habit of going into Sainsburys first thing in the morning at work, and buying a "certain treat" (I just read the part in this forum about how we can't talk about food). That treat would be a total of about 500 calories at least. When I first started doing the slimfast shakes that I started out on, I found that I couldn't even go into Sainsburys for any reason at ALL, because the drive to walk my usual route and buy the "treat" was too overpowering. The first 2 days, I caved and got it. Then I learned I just couldn't go in there. I stayed away for about a week. I just went in this morning to buy some milk to make a shake, and guess what? I thought about the treat, but it was a fleeting thought that held very little sway. I thought 'oh yeah, those smell nice' and then I grabbed my milk and got out of there.

So I guess the moral of the story is... I broke my treat habit in about a week and am now able to go to Sainsburys without feeling deprived. The temptation doesn't hold any emotional or physical pull over me anymore. I could never have thought that would be the case 7 days ago. So please just know that when you are in the middle of an addiction, even the smallest things seem out of reach and you may feel you can never have the willpower to change.

But willpower is created, day by day, every time you make a good choice and move yourself in baby steps further away from the addictive patterns. I am creating my own willpower as best I can and I hope you are too It's hard to imagine becoming a person who can say 'no' to all the things that are bad for us, or 'yes' to the things that are good for us. Because, we are not that person right now. But we're working on it. We don't go from being zero on the willpower scale, to a ten. There are stages of 1 thru 9 along the way. That means that each time we feel ourselves improving, we reap the benefits of that improvement and it makes it easier to get better and better.

 

[cantakenomore]

Thanks ILurvDeCake. Well done on your loss so far. I cant wait to just get to day 7. I guess that is the main aim right now.

@txgardenia I must admit had I not come on here last Thursday I would not be on day 2, because I was at breaking point. The words of support was a huge motivator. So thanks to you all. I started day 1 yesterday and went through it ok. I could not believe I did the first day after so many attempts. Did have a bit of coke zero to help me through. Usually by now after a day on Exante I would join my hubby for "his" dinner and that would be the end of it. Needless to say the house is not safe at the moment. Hubby is cooking his dinner, but I am going to be strong. I am going to use all the tips I can get on here. Better warn my hubby that he is not to plan any get togethers with our friends without consulting with me first and the answer is NO.

Ps: I hope you are getting on well too. xx