Feeling like..this is impossible

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-17-2005
Feeling like..this is impossible
8
Sun, 07-30-2006 - 5:06pm
Yesterday, I let my emotions get the best of me and went off SB. I don't even know what happened.
I haven't lost ANY weight this week, and I feel like the "25 pounds in a year goal" is never going to happen. Who was I trying to kid?
Can I ask anyone here who lost a lot of weight, how they did it?
I'm starting to think I'm never going to succeed.
Was it exercising every day, no matter what? Never cheating?
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-01-2005
Sun, 07-30-2006 - 8:05pm

Hi! I am sorry you are feeling down!


Don't worry about a slip up yesterday - this diet is designed for "real life" and we all make mistakes now and then. Just chalk it up and move on.


Having a goal can be a great motivator, but can also be discouraging too. Be careful about the goals you set. There will definately be weeks here and there where you may not see the scale move. But, it doesn't mean that the week wasn't a success for you. Other factors such as water weight and TOM can affect us every day of the month.


Here are some links I think you should read. Then check in and let us know if you need us!


Overcoming Emotional Eating -

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iVillage Member
Registered: 06-14-2006
Sun, 07-30-2006 - 8:09pm

I have not lost a great deal of weight (I'm at 18 pounds with at least 40 more to go.) I will start my confessional though. I went a bit nuts after my cousin died. (It was a violent crime)

My family is not in any way rich, so when they offer food one does not make comments about it not being in a plan. I started by trying to make the best choices. I'd look for a bread that had the assemblance of grain in it. I said no to a brownie and had an oatmeal cookie instead. Then the doughnuts came. I said no the first 3 time, but the 4th did me in. Then there was cake, and brownies... it just got a bit ugly.

What I do know... It takes a lot of willpower to say, "okay, play time's over and it's time to get back to work." It feels like trying to move a mountain, but it's so good doing something for yourself. I do feel better now that I'm eating the right foods again. (Coming off that sugar buzz was physically painful.) I'm getting back into an exercise regemin. It's keeping my weight down.

As said in the Waterboy, "You can do it!" Don't give up. Never give up. Plateaus occur when it's time to see the next challenge. Noting is impossible if you look around an enjoy the view... you might even see the mountains look beautiful from the other side. (Unplugging my PollyAnna program now.)

Kelly

Avatar for domino1
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-30-2003
Sun, 07-30-2006 - 9:07pm

I am sorry that this is so hard for you. Here is what worked for me.

I had about 30-35 pounds to loose. I have been a runner but emotional eating (in response to infertility) had made me out of control. I have always tended toward being heavy and loved food so it was easy.

I lost about 25 pounds in the first 3 months of South Beach. The last 10 took about 7 months more. So, it was a total of 10 months to take it off (I am now lighter than I was in college and I am 38).

Here were the key things for me:

Find an exercise that you can do and enjoy. I work out 4 days a week. 30-40 minutes 2 days, maybe an hour for 1 day, and then my long 1.5-2h workout. I have to wake up an hour early to get in some of the workouts and have now made the routine to go to the gym every Sunday morning (used to never set the alarm on a weekend). My workouts improved so much losing the weight that I ran my first half marathon in April.

I followed South Beach about 90% of the time. I did a few things like eat NSA ice cream for dessert, and had a cheat meal every Saturday night, but pretty much I was good. I did not have that "just one piece" of cake at work. In phase 3, I do, I am just careful to only do it a few times a month. At my work, I could probably indulge just about every day with some new treat they bring in! I recommend the "cheat meal" if your digestive system can tolerate it (some can't). For me, I always had something to look forward to. If I saw it during the week, I would not eat it but instead I would just say that I would add it to my cheat meal. Usually, by the time the cheat meal came around, I would have forgotten most of the food items because pizza was always my #1 choice (still is!).

Having a good exercise plan really has helped me balance my love of food and my weight. I approach most meals as South Beach, but I can stray now in phase 3. But when you do they key is to GET RIGHT BACK ON SBD!!!!! Don't wait and say, since I cheated I will just cheat some more. It is a slippery slope.

Good luck!

Lisa.

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-17-2005
Sun, 07-30-2006 - 9:56pm

Thank you Karen, Lisa, and everyone who has given me advice so far and encouragement.

I really appreciate it.

And Lisa, I'm so sorry about your loss:(

Avatar for domino1
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-30-2003
Sun, 07-30-2006 - 10:12pm

Thank you so much for your thoughts.

Life can be funny sometimes. You never know what it will bring.

At least I have found myself again through SB and exercise.

Keep up the good fight. You can do it. I LOVE food and I did it and have kept it off for over two years now. Here is a link to my full story and before and after pics...

http://messageboards.ivillage.com/n/mb/message.asp?webtag=iv-fbsouthbeach&msg=20146.1&ctx=2048

Take care,

Lisa.

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-23-2004
Mon, 07-31-2006 - 9:28am

"I haven't lost ANY weight this week"

I think this could be an issue...please don't look at just ONE particular week as a gauge of your success! I lost 65lbs in 11 months. But there were MANY weeks along that way that I didn't lose THAT week. That's okay and that is normal. In fact my normal pattern was to lose 2lbs one week, then none, then lose 3lbs, then none for two weeks, then one lb, then none, etc. Or some times I lost .5 or 1lb steady for each week for a month or more. It was never a linear, predictable amount. But if you looked at a period of 6 or 8 weeks, overall the trend was always down. Try not to just look at ONE week.

Did I exercise? Yes, a lot - but not EVERY day. Did I "never" cheat? Of course I "cheated" (but I called it "treating").

You just have to look at the big picture and think long term. I knew this was how I was going to eat for LIFE, so it didn't really matter if I lost the weight in 6 months, 12 months or 10 years.


















spring06sig2
Avatar for domino1
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-30-2003
Mon, 07-31-2006 - 11:06am

Your last paragraph says it all.

This is about eating for the rest of your life. It really doesn't matter how fast you loose it because eventually it will be gone and it will just be you eating rather than dieting.

Lisa.

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-19-2002
Mon, 07-31-2006 - 5:19pm

Can I ask anyone here who lost a lot of weight, how they did it?


I lost a lot of weight.