i like to focus on behavioral goals more than loss numbers, just because i have control over my behavior. but either way, having goals helps. good luck!!

oh, another of my favorite repsonse to the naysayers- "gee, all the protien and veggies i'm eating CANT be any worse for me than the poptart and dr. pepper diet i used to be on, huh?"

snort.

people can tell when you wear more fitted clothes. give it a few months and i will lay good money that you won't be hearing any crap about heart attacks, either. they'll be asking you for advice.

congrats!!

WTG! I loved your response!

You can make a big dent in that 30 lb goal.

What plan do you follow? It's great that you are preparing ahead of time. It'll get you on a good footing.

hey thanks for all the encouragement. What is the september challenge? im new to this and having a hard time figuring out where to post and how to correspond with people!

isn't it funny how quickly our body adjusts? i've read that when you dramatically cut carbs, the body doesn't make the same number of enzymes for processing them, which i assume explains how totally crummy we feel after a carb-binge. And now you know: that totally does NOT make you feel better, 'eh?

Hope you're feeling better today!

Insofar as noticing losses (either others or yourself), it's very helpful to make sure you're wearing clothes that fit well. Try wearing something a little smaller than you normally do, and both you and others will more likely be able to see the difference.

Glad you're feeling better today!

Yes, I will hang in there! I feel much better this morning, especially after reading your inspiring words. I think I absolutely got triggered by the month thing. I guess I thought my pants should be falling off by now and that everyone was supposed to be noticing how great I look. But the important thing is that I am proud of myself for choosing a healthy lifestyle! I am going to stay positive today and focus on doing things to nurture myself!
Thanks so much!

Sorry to hear you're having a rough day, Cinnamin. We've ALL had them. And for me, I've found that my mood and my thinking is probably the single biggest factor influencing how I do.

I also find it very interesting that, after a while on plan while things are going well, that fear monster rears it's head and starts whispering in our ear things that make NO sense whatsoever. After all, if it didn't work, you'd try something different, but the idea it MIGHT quit working is enough to secondguess yourself. It's totally illogical, but I know the feeling myself. I suspect it crops up sometimes when you're reaching a point of getting to the next level. It's like all the stuff that's kept us fat for so long inside starts to get stirred up or something, because your fat has been threatened! Does that make any sense? You ARE shaking up the status quo, removing yourself from your comfort zone, and your psyche is getting a little worried, it seems.

To me, I think these days can be turning points. Because how many times have we had them (on diets, of course) and used them as justification for throwing in the towel, you know?

You're at a crossroads. This is the point where you can do what (pretty much all of us) have done so many times before and disappear into a mass of sugar-consumption declaring the whole thing a bad idea, or you can say, "Enough! I matter enough to take good care of myself, regardless of what happens with my weight and when." Working on improving your lifestlye and health is never a waste, and learning more about how your body runs is never a waste. And if you're feeling strong and healthy, then what you're putting into your body is serving you, regardless of what the scale says the last time you looked.

Honestly, I think the one month point is throwing you some psychological triggers. I like to say that weightloss is like sex in that way- the most important stuff happens in your head!

Be kind to yourself. Realize that you are not "on a diet" but have selected a new lifestyle essentially...a lifestyle you cannot "blow" by making an ill-advised food choice. That you can only blow by abandoning it completely and forever.

These are the kind of things that you weather to get to the next place. Now, you've got a good attitude and you've been doing well so far. I'd encourage you to be kind to yourself today, spending time indulging yourself in activities you enjoy, listen to music that uplifts you, talk to supportive friends and family, anything at all that you find encouraging on any level. Because this is what is going to get you to the other side. Distract yourself from any negative thoughts and replace them with positive emotions from any source on any topic, and it will get easier...

Hang in there, Hon. I've been watching people do this a while now, and I absolutely believe you have what it takes. Now, it's up to you to decide that.

you might want to try this question in the forums instead of in the blog area. you might get more responses...

once you've learned what there is to learn from the past, then always look forward.

good luck with the work situation. your doc is right-it's just a job, it's not YOU. you can be in the eye of that hurricane if you take yourself there. when i'm surrounded by chaos, i like to envision myself high up on a moutain, seeing the storms and turbulence with others down below, far away, too far to hear or impact me. and i mentally wish them well and feel thankful i can rise out of it.

but then again, i like that kind of thing. maybe xanax works easier.... LOL

make mental notes, dear, and take whatever you can from the experience.

whenever i've been there, i ask myself: did this make me happy? did i get what i was looking for? what put me there, and how can i make different choices next time that i'll be happier with? if you can do that, get somethign out of it, then it can contribute to your long-term success and is not a failure in any sense. consider it "binge insurance."

Connie, we've all been there, and know exactly what you are feeling.

Just jump back on your plan, forget those goodies, they're in the past, it's over, now get on with you low carb life!

Keep it up! You can do it!