Never focus on today....

[icemoose]

Loads of people on the diet always say that you just have to get through the day and don't think about the rest of the weight loss etc.

I have to say I disagree and my advice to people is to look to the future and ignore the weight loss bit in between.

You need to set yourself a target, a goal and make that your finish line.

Then just concentrate on the finish line and suddenly you are there and the not eaten bit inbetween was merely a way of getting there.

Now we have 2 months to Crimbo so everyone on sole source should be at least 2 stone lighter by then so concentrate on Xmas morning and getting up being 2 stone or more lighter and don't let any one weigh in in November or December get in the way.

M.

 

[KD]

Umm. Reckon I agree with you. Somehow just taking each day at a time almost gives you permission to lose the plot. After all, there's always tomorrow

 

[Gill-cdthing]

i agree mike, i always had a goal in mind, ok i set another goal when i got there, but i saw that goal and kept focused and it stopped me cheating, and now im 7lb off my 2nd goal im working towards that, and then i know my next goal will be to stay within a few pounds of the 2nd goal,

 

[Maintainer]

Very true words indeed...

When I first got to target, I woke with a sinking feeling in my stomach. "What now?"

I honestly had never considered what I would do when I reached my target so of course lost the plot and spent the first six months yoyo'ing up and down 7 to 14lbs at a time.

I always advise people to really concentrate on the "after" bit. None of us want to be on a diet for the rest of our lives, but you can't go back to old bad habits either!

Being prepared for maintenance, after whatever method you've used (I used healthy eating, but how unhealthily did I eat once it was "over"?!), is really the key to true stabilisation.

 

[debz32]

Great post Mike !

Couldn't agree with you more - I have my 'end goal' very much in mind...and have also thought about how I'm gonna tackling maintenance, Christmas etc.

This approach mightn't work for everyone...but it certainly does for me !

Debz
x

 

[owensmum]

got to say i have to agree i have my own idea of what i want all the people i haven t seen in a while i want them to be like omg you look fab and the thought of people saying that to me just spurs me on can t wait he he

 

[kazz]

I so agree....if I just focused on today & nothing else, i would have started this diet 'tomoro'....you really do need to look at the long term, have your goals, know wat you want to achieve and how your going to get there....I am so on track to reaching my 2 stone by Christmas goal that I know its the future you need to look at, not just the here & now

 

[boofaloo]

I found this really interesting. I've always been a take one day at a time kind of girl and for a while this worked really well for me. Then I started saying well - tomorrow is a new day and things started to unravel!!

So I am now cautiously making goals. My first one is to lose 7 lbs and my ultimate goal is to be 9 1/2 stones.
I am still taking one day at a time BUT i have a real end point now and i wont give up until I get there!!!!!

 

[dizzy-n-mizzy]

Hi Guys

Gonna stick my neck out here as I think for some of us it is crucial to focus on today. Have the goal as motivation, ignore the days ahead but focus on today. If I don't focus everyday the compulsiveness of my eating is not kept at bay.

I believe that this is probably the way for those of us whose eating is less controlled and more compulsive. My hubby is like all of you and focuses on the goal and just gets on with it doesn't think about how long it will take just going for it. But he is someone that has just eaten a bit too much of all the wrong things and lacked exercise for a large number of years and become 3 stone overweight. He doesn't struggle with binging, stress related compulsive eating and a psychological battle each day.

Anyone else feel the same or am I on my own here?

Dizzy x

 

[gaijingirl]

I find it very hard to imagine that I will be 2 stone lighter at Christmas so I spend a lot of time thinking about getting my hair done the week before hand, buying a really nice outfit so that people will be too busy comlimenting me on how nice I look to have time to try and make me eat.... (well that's the plan anyway).

Then I think about my longer term goal (to complete the London triathlon olympic distance - I entered once before and did a great swim but then crashed my bike... then piled on shed loads of weight - it's annoying me that I haven't finished it and I'm determined to yet... )

Mostly I don't think about just getting through the day, but there are days when I struggle when I do think to myself "It'll all be worth it in the end - just get to the end of the day, go to sleep and things will be better tomorrow".

 

[i'lldoit]

Hi Im sorry I have to just think a day at a time on this diet.........losing 3lbs a week is fab but its not loads and it will take a while to get to goal.I do in my head picture how great i'll feel at Christmas when IM 2 stone lighter and in my size 12s but at the moment getting through each day is my target and I will concentrate on the future when Im there.Great post though
XXC

 

[SpaceAngel]

I also try and think of the end goal. I know that I want to be on this diet for the least amount of time possible. By March I want to be at my goal weight and not have to come off the diet, get back etc. The only time I will be off the diet is at Crimbo, but that will be for 2 days only and I will also make it my add a meal week and not go mad!! I am going out for a meal on Saturday and I have rung ahead and made sure that I can have plain grilled chicken breat with a salad of lettace and cucumber. If I had been on any other diet, I would have said, sod it, I can get back on it tomorrow, but getting back into ketosis is a pain in the butt cos the withdrawals are horrible!

 

[Diva]

Great post Mike and certainly another perspective for approaching weight loss. I know that, for me, at my most successful when I did LL it was certainly the end goal that kept me going and not the bit in between.

However, now that I've regained some weight and have made several attempts to restart..I have found that the way that works for me now is to get through today and today only..tomorrow will look after itself!

I suppose in essence what I'm saying is that the strategy we use depends on where we are in our journey...

 

[DQ]

I think it definitely depends where your head is at. For me, I'm just concentrating on getting through the next minute, hour, day - I can't afford to think ahead to Christmas for so many reasons!!

Each day is an achievement, and the results will be what they are - in the meantime, I know that I am working towards a fitter, healthier me, and I'm doing that by taking each day as it comes!!

 

[Bellybee]

I am a mix of both.
In my head my mind is running away. I am already on WW and trying to figure out healthy meal plans but I also have to concentrate on getting through the next minute, second nanosecond etc.
There are times like today where I just want to throw in the towel and I just have to say to myself I will get through the next minute, ten minutes till I can come out the other end (if I can)

 

[bigbluefurrymonster]

I have mini goals... that's how I keep my focus! I do believe in the one day at a time theory- but who says you can't do both?! Take each day as it comes; but have one foot in the future... where you hope to be!

Visualisation is key- the stronger you can visuallise the changes the easier they will become to acheive!

Everyone is individual- we all differ!

Good luck to you all!

No matter which way works for you- the important thing is that we all make it

 

[pebbles]

Now im full steam a head ssing, i dont want to stop,

i have thought about the 2 stone + loss for christmas, and i go all warm inside.

Then i remember im going to Florida in 4 weeks, and i begin to panic, so i thought i would ss on holiday, and tell my family, you can imagin what they said to me.

So what do i do? because the closer it's getting the more im worrying about gaining weight, coming home and ssing again.

 

[DQ]

So what do i do? because the closer it's getting the more im worrying about gaining weight, coming home and ssing again.

You decide what's best for you and you ask your family to support you in your decision. They love you, they want what's best for you (I hope) so share with them how much this means to you and ask for their help

 

[pebbles]

Thanks DQ,

They just want me to have a great time, having that though, revolves around food, i am just going to have to be very carefull, i never in a million years thought i would be strong enought to ss, but hear i am nearly 9 weeks on, worrying about eating.

 

[DQ]

You could always try an AAM type thing - low car it when you do eat