How do you keep the faith?

[floss]

Hiya everyone, iv tried so many different diets and I am on a new one every morning and off it every night! Im 22 and its been this way since I was about 14...as my mum says I have "too much" knowledge about diets...so much so I always have a reason not to do it!

So im wondering...how do you keep the faith/ I think a vlcd is the type of plan you have to be 100% certain will work for you and is the right journey because it is kind of all or nothing. My problem is I ALWAYS find a reason not to succeed...usually I decide its unhealthy because its all processed products and id be much better eating foods without labels like fish, veg, fruit....the irony is once iv had this conversation with myself I usually end up binging on loads of crap to "start healthy tomorrow" and never quite get there!

So im just wondering if you could give me any advice on how you believe in the diet and yourself enough to make the journey...because I would love to make it happen for myself.

 

[MamaC]

I had tried healthy eating and dieting so many times I lost count! I stumbled across another vlcd exante and begged the OH to let me try it, he ordered me a weeks worth knowing it would go out the window by then!
After 5 days of not very nice shakes and bars I found slim an save and swapped! I have no willpower at all, never hesitate to put chocolate or a piece of the kids pizza etc in my mouth!
This diet however has changed my life after I saw I was 9lbs down my first week I knew I had to give it more of a go! Seeing the scales drop so quickly is a great motivator to keep you going as is fitting into clothes you haven't for years! The compliments off other ppl don't hurt either lol
This is an all or nothing diet and does test your willpower to the limit, but it is worth it!
I've lost 3 an a half stone since the end of January and have had a few blips along the way!
I would advise maybe purchasing the trial week pack and seeing for yourself how good it feels to see the scales at the end of that week!
Hope that's helped a little! Maybe have a read through some people's diaries too they are always great for inspiration and why they chose this diet. Xx

 

[Cherry-Blossom]

Personally the way I look at it is the VLCD gives me a break from having to think about food, time to break my bad habits, and time to sort out my love/hate relationship with food. Ok so your eating dehydrated packs but it's not forever and nor should it be. So although I want to eat healthy I need this break and this boost in losses to start me on that journey. Whilst I've been on this I've been considering how I want to eat when I come off and how I want to re-train my way of thinking when it comes to food. I'm currently planning on doing this for the first 12 weeks only, not until goal. But I know it's always here if needed. I have 4 weeks left and for me I'm looking at doing Paul McKenna's hypnoband, with Dr Becks Diet Solution, and a bit of Slimming World, once I come off to change the way I eat. Having that break has also made me realise what food I do really care about and what food I could easily live without.

It's easy to keep giving ourselves excuses however, as a quote I found online says 'The only thing standing between you and your goal is the bs story you keep telling yourself as to why you can't achieve it'.

 

[floss]

Thankyou for your replies

MamaC I actually have a whole boxful of slim and save, a box of exante and some cambridge stuff...im a nightmare!

I like the thought of this being a break from food. And im so prone to illness because all I eat is junk that I think I need to do that for my health as well as my figure! I have issues with binge eating but im going to the docs today to try and get some help so hopefully I can get on the right track.

 

[Cherry-Blossom]

Don't know if it will help but this is my pinterest weight loss motivation board. Whenever I've felt like giving in or just giving up on losing weight I go and look at it, and usually add a few more. After reading them all and looking at the pics I feel much more positive

 

[noodles1609]

I have to give full credit to Dr Judith Beck. The Beck Diet Solution book has entirely changed my life. S&S has given me the headspace to work through the book and not worry about food. First time ever in my life have I achieved anything like this, can't recommend the good doctor highly enough for her part in that

 

[Rach1001]

The only thing that works for me is taking it day by day... rather than being daunted by the whole thing and how long it's going to take etc, I just focus on getting through that day, then the same thing the next, and the next

 

[LisaxMrs2b]

This is my second attempt at this diet, last one I fell pregnant so couldn't continue.

I must say that after the first week it becomes quite addictive and you realise that you have worked so hard and been so determined you just do not want to stop. It is also the only diet I have ever tried (there have been a few) that when I do break the diet for either a planned day out, birthday etc that I can;t wait to jump right back on the wagon as I just do not like to deal with food. I am a binge eater and once i start i cannot stop!! I am buying the beck diet book to try and deal with my food issues for when I have lost my 4 stone on Slim and Save xx

 

[Minerva]

Hm.. I don't know... the faith comes slowly after about 2 weeks being on plan. The first two weeks were a MASSIVE head struggle. Won't lie - I forced myself to do it.
I literally counted first 7 days off on my wall - because it felt like a prison sentence. It was awful... but after day 7... it became more routine and wasn't such a massive struggle.

The things that keep me going now are the realisation that :
1) No one's going to do this FOR me, only I can do this.
2) This method is effective - I don't have to count calories or watch what I eat
3) I can see my goal. I know what I want. And I know that I don't want this flab on me right now. I'm sick and tired of being fat.
4) I have a big goal and mini-goals. 1st goal is at the end of May. 2nd goal is until my holiday at the end of June. 3rd goal is end of August (MASSIVE social event).

I HAVE to be thinner by then. I have to. I can't let my friends who I saw last August see me as a size 20 again. I HATE that feeling. I want to be normal.

The diet is hard. There's no way around it. My losses are PATHETICALLY LOW. I have never seen anyone lose as slowly as I am on this. BUT - I don't care. I'm doing this. I'm doing it for ME.

Once you know who you're doing this for - suddenly it becomes worth it.... but only if you find the self-respect. This may sound odd, but I had to learn to like myself and respect myself before I could even think about dieting. Food addiction/bingeing is only a symptom of a bigger problem. Weight gain and food are not the issues here. There's something else.

x

I know a lot about dieting and I know that these synthetic cardboard-tasting packs are not so good for us. I know I can lose weight by eating healthily. BUT - the packs and the distance from 'real' food which they give is beneficial. The packs are not forever. The abstinence weaned me off the heavy carbs and sugar and now I'm ABLE to look at food at a distance and make healthy decisions without my cravings calling.

 

[meoww]

I have faith in VLCDs in general as I know they work.
All my life ive struggled, been on diets since I was aged 10 !! Been fat for as long as I can remember. I mean as a child I was conscious of being fat, I shouldnt have been worrying about things like that!

And so aged 21 I joined Lighterlife and lost 3 stone and since then I have had struggles but Ive never gone back to my heaviest and when I start to slip up I try this and that but the only thing that really sees some lbs come off is a VLCD.

Reasons why it is a good and healthy diet:
You enter ketosis which means you burn fat NOT muscle
The food sachets give you your 100% RDA vitamins and minerals
The re-feeding program will help you gradually re-introduce food items and avoid weight gain
Losing weight quickly means you quickly become a more healthy weight and avoid health problems

There are surely plenty more. And I know what you mean about knowing too much about diets, theres always someone who discovered something that disputes what other people think or believe so really you have to choose what to listen to or ignore and question why you have a reason/excuse why this that and the other wont work.

 

[YukCeleriac31]

What a great little thread! I think I will find this again, when I'm feeling like I need to keep the faith!x