help! i can't get started....

shasta-cat · 06-02-2009, 03:32 AM

I planned on starting induction yesterday but it didn't happen.

i was away this weekend and we didn't get to the supermarket, so when it came to yesterday morning there wasn't anything in the fridge for breakfast let alone lunch! i then told myself 'it doesn't matter, eat what you want for lunch just as long as you go to the gym tonight'. Then when i got home it became 'why go to the gym when you've eaten all this rubbish food today'. This has been my problem all the long - lots of good intentions but when it comes down to it i mess up. Got so down about it all last night that i couldn't even get myself to the supermarket - so guess what, this morning it was the same thing!

I don't know what to do about this. I've always been a very positive person, had loads of motivation to get things done etc. But when it comes down to doing something for me I just mess up every time.

I'm now at the point where I hate myself for how I look, my skin hurts, I don't fit in to anything and my face looks puffy. I refuse to buy new clothes as they make me look like a house, and now i'm down to about 3 items that i can wear for work. i just can't seem to find the ooomph to kickstart the change.

I lost 21lbs last year, and looked good and felt great - then promptly went on holiday and used that as an excuse to eat whatever i wanted. then this year i managed to do atkins for 2 weeks but hit a stall and then decided it wasn't working and have put it all back on again.

help me! i'm struggling with this and feel like i'm spinning out of control. i know it's a simple matter of being organised when i start induction but i can't seem to get myself to do that. any ideas people?

Wifey · 06-02-2009, 03:46 AM

I'm so the same way! What worked for me was to make out a daily menu and the night before and prepare the food. Make cheesecake muffins for breakfast keep in freezer take one out the night before ( just 1 or 2 ) make up your lunch and dinner. Cook a whole chicken or make a couple steaks mix up a salad and put it in the fridge all ready and packed up for lunch. Buy some steamer veggies that you throw in the microwave have you big salad bowl full and have your meat, salad and veggies for dinner. Have some yummy sugar free jello with whipped cream for dessert. If you need a snack have some turkey peperoni on hand or deviled eggs. The key for me is to plan, plan, plan!! Good luck!!

shasta-cat · 06-02-2009, 03:51 AM

but that's the problem - i can't seem to actually force myself to do those things. i make lists like there is no tomorrow, i've already done daily meal plans, shopping lists, files on my computer to record my weight and exercise done... you name it i've written it down! but i just can't seem to actually do it. i know part of the problem is that i'm very very very scared of failing - i want to lose the weight and get fit so bad that i'm scared it wont happen when i try. and i just don't know how to get my head in to a different place.

how did you get yourself started nikki? or wasn't that ever really a problem?

junkfoodmonkey · 06-02-2009, 03:53 AM

Pick a date and write it down. In your diary, on your calendar, or whatever. Just make sure it's on your schedule, not only in your head. It doesn't matter if it's in a couple of weeks, or tomorrow, but you need a firm date that's written down. It sounds like a small thing, I know, but the act of writing it down makes it real.

Now organise things around that. Schedule time for the days before that to make a meal plan and a shopping list, working from your Atkins book. Keep things pretty simple to start. If you're not one for elaborate recipes already, don't try to jump in with them at this stage, no sense in adding complications!

Schedule in time to clean out your kitchen of carby stuff. If you're on your own you can literally toss it all out! Put things like a toaster, breadmaker, rice cooker, breadbin or other things you might have that are used for carby foods away, out of sight. Make your kitchen a low carb zone.

Schedule time for the supermarket run - and make it longer than usual, as you'll be checking labels more! But having a good shopping list from your meal plan will help.

Schedule time when you bring the food home to do as much preperation as you can. Make up snacks ready to go. Chop cheese up into 1oz chunks for snacks and portion control. Chop up the veggies. Anything that makes it easier for you during the week, so you don't come home tired and think "oh, just order a pizza!"

The key thing is to put these in your schedule. Allocate time to do them and make them priorities. My attitude is, if it's in my diary I have to do it. That works better than "I'll try and find some time that day to do it."

Visualise! This is a powerful technique, simply picturing yourself doing these things, picturing yourself eating the low carb food. This fixes in your mind that you're going to do this. I do visualising all the time. It definitely increases the likelihood of something actually getting done.

So to recap, write it down, schedule some time for it, picture yourself doing it. You do all that, there's a much better chance of it happening.

And know that it's quite common to have a stall right after Induction, as your body adjust to this new diet and to the fact that this time it's for real, it's not a Monday to Thursday diet like the rest, you're continuing! Just hang on in there and don't let yourself get frustrated by what will almost certainly just be a pause, before the loss kicks in again. It won't be as fast as in Induction, but if you're sticking to plan, you'll start to lose again.

Wifey · 06-02-2009, 03:58 AM

And feel free to join a group on here for the arse kicking!! I need it badly that's the only way I can do this! My hubbys decided to do it with me so I don't have the carbs at home that helps also. Throw it all out. No one needs it.

shasta-cat · 06-02-2009, 04:50 AM

thanks for the advice - it's been taken on board! looking back i think i was being a little harsh on myself - pretty much everything was in place to start yesterday. cupboards were ready, meal plans were done - all i needed to do was the shopping and get my packlunch done sunday night. then we got back so late sunday that the supermarket was closed and there was absolutely nothing to eat in the house (think old mother hubbard!) so come monday morning all my plans had gone to waste and it just pushed me in to a downer and that scuppered going to the supermarket last night. It didn't help that DB came home last night having gone to the gym, gave me a real grilling for not starting my diet, saw me getting changed and kept prodding my muffin tops, and then kept asking me what i'd eaten that day. grr! I'm not doing this for him, but he seems to think i should be.

Today has been induction friendly so far by default - i skipped breakfast (not something i usually do just nothing in house to eat) and will be having salad for lunch.

And off to supermarket tonight and hopefully the gym.

i just need to not let myself get down when little obstacles get in my way

ltmeade · 06-05-2009, 07:59 AM

Hi - I understand your problem getting starting. I had a few false starts and then suddenly I commited. Starting a serious exercise plan helped me. I bought a Bikram yoga pass and I'm going everyday. After all that sweat and hard work, I am not even tempted to cheat! (Plus, it makes me feel healthy and limber).
When the time is right, you'll go for it. But I agree that planning and shopping is key. I have the hardest time with breakfast and lunch. I made a big crustless quiche that I cut into slices that can be microwaved in the morning. I also made a large container of canned salmon mixed with mayo, green onions, and fresh dill and washed a bunch of lettuce. When I walk out the door, I can toss a bunch of lettuce in a container with a big heap of salmon. It takes 30 seconds to make lunch.

On another note, I know that everyone has a different level of sensitivity, but I would be deeply hurt and offended if my boyfriend kept grabbing my fat or asked me what I'd eaten that day. Maybe you can take it in good humor and this is just part of your relationship, but that sounds pretty mean-spirited to me. I can guarantee you that I would be extremely angry and would not feel like being intimate any time soon. If this bothers you, you should tell your boyfriend that dieting is a personal choice and he is only undermining you by making these kinds of comments. (If you add in the part about how you won't feel like sex for a really really long time if he keeps this up, that might motivate him a little

) I'm sure there are many mean comments you could make about his appearance if you felt like it. Is he entirely perfect?
I think you're right to focus on the idea that you are doing this for yourself.
Good luck!

06-02-2009, 03:32 AM	#1
shasta-cat Junior LCF Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Manchester, UK Posts: 21 Gallery: shasta-cat Stats: 170/166/135 WOE: Atkins Start Date: 2nd June 2009	help! i can't get started.... I planned on starting induction yesterday but it didn't happen. i was away this weekend and we didn't get to the supermarket, so when it came to yesterday morning there wasn't anything in the fridge for breakfast let alone lunch! i then told myself 'it doesn't matter, eat what you want for lunch just as long as you go to the gym tonight'. Then when i got home it became 'why go to the gym when you've eaten all this rubbish food today'. This has been my problem all the long - lots of good intentions but when it comes down to it i mess up. Got so down about it all last night that i couldn't even get myself to the supermarket - so guess what, this morning it was the same thing! I don't know what to do about this. I've always been a very positive person, had loads of motivation to get things done etc. But when it comes down to doing something for me I just mess up every time. I'm now at the point where I hate myself for how I look, my skin hurts, I don't fit in to anything and my face looks puffy. I refuse to buy new clothes as they make me look like a house, and now i'm down to about 3 items that i can wear for work. i just can't seem to find the ooomph to kickstart the change. I lost 21lbs last year, and looked good and felt great - then promptly went on holiday and used that as an excuse to eat whatever i wanted. then this year i managed to do atkins for 2 weeks but hit a stall and then decided it wasn't working and have put it all back on again. help me! i'm struggling with this and feel like i'm spinning out of control. i know it's a simple matter of being organised when i start induction but i can't seem to get myself to do that. any ideas people?

06-02-2009, 03:46 AM	#2
Wifey Big Yapper!!!! Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Oregon Posts: 7,762 Gallery: Wifey WOE: Medifast	I'm so the same way! What worked for me was to make out a daily menu and the night before and prepare the food. Make cheesecake muffins for breakfast keep in freezer take one out the night before ( just 1 or 2 ) make up your lunch and dinner. Cook a whole chicken or make a couple steaks mix up a salad and put it in the fridge all ready and packed up for lunch. Buy some steamer veggies that you throw in the microwave have you big salad bowl full and have your meat, salad and veggies for dinner. Have some yummy sugar free jello with whipped cream for dessert. If you need a snack have some turkey peperoni on hand or deviled eggs. The key for me is to plan, plan, plan!! Good luck!! __________________ Aka: AmberNikki God bless the heroes that ran towards hell while everyone else was running from it. We will be forever greatful to you for your bravery and we will never forget.

06-02-2009, 03:53 AM	#4
junkfoodmonkey Very Gabby LCF Member!!! Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: United Kingdom Posts: 3,976 Blog Entries: 51 Gallery: junkfoodmonkey Stats: Start: 242 Now:150 WOE: Atkins Maintenance Start Date: Nov 2003	Pick a date and write it down. In your diary, on your calendar, or whatever. Just make sure it's on your schedule, not only in your head. It doesn't matter if it's in a couple of weeks, or tomorrow, but you need a firm date that's written down. It sounds like a small thing, I know, but the act of writing it down makes it real. Now organise things around that. Schedule time for the days before that to make a meal plan and a shopping list, working from your Atkins book. Keep things pretty simple to start. If you're not one for elaborate recipes already, don't try to jump in with them at this stage, no sense in adding complications! Schedule in time to clean out your kitchen of carby stuff. If you're on your own you can literally toss it all out! Put things like a toaster, breadmaker, rice cooker, breadbin or other things you might have that are used for carby foods away, out of sight. Make your kitchen a low carb zone. Schedule time for the supermarket run - and make it longer than usual, as you'll be checking labels more! But having a good shopping list from your meal plan will help. Schedule time when you bring the food home to do as much preperation as you can. Make up snacks ready to go. Chop cheese up into 1oz chunks for snacks and portion control. Chop up the veggies. Anything that makes it easier for you during the week, so you don't come home tired and think "oh, just order a pizza!" The key thing is to put these in your schedule. Allocate time to do them and make them priorities. My attitude is, if it's in my diary I have to do it. That works better than "I'll try and find some time that day to do it." Visualise! This is a powerful technique, simply picturing yourself doing these things, picturing yourself eating the low carb food. This fixes in your mind that you're going to do this. I do visualising all the time. It definitely increases the likelihood of something actually getting done. So to recap, write it down, schedule some time for it, picture yourself doing it. You do all that, there's a much better chance of it happening. And know that it's quite common to have a stall right after Induction, as your body adjust to this new diet and to the fact that this time it's for real, it's not a Monday to Thursday diet like the rest, you're continuing! Just hang on in there and don't let yourself get frustrated by what will almost certainly just be a pause, before the loss kicks in again. It won't be as fast as in Induction, but if you're sticking to plan, you'll start to lose again. __________________ My Atkins history: 2003 - 2005 242lbs - 150lbs. 2006 - 2007 Got silly, regained 30lbs. 2008 - 2009 184lbs - 150lbs. Now maintaining. Last edited by junkfoodmonkey; 06-02-2009 at 03:55 AM..

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06-02-2009, 03:51 AM	#3
shasta-cat Junior LCF Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Manchester, UK Posts: 21 Gallery: shasta-cat Stats: 170/166/135 WOE: Atkins Start Date: 2nd June 2009	but that's the problem - i can't seem to actually force myself to do those things. i make lists like there is no tomorrow, i've already done daily meal plans, shopping lists, files on my computer to record my weight and exercise done... you name it i've written it down! but i just can't seem to actually do it. i know part of the problem is that i'm very very very scared of failing - i want to lose the weight and get fit so bad that i'm scared it wont happen when i try. and i just don't know how to get my head in to a different place. how did you get yourself started nikki? or wasn't that ever really a problem?

06-02-2009, 03:58 AM	#5
Wifey Big Yapper!!!! Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Oregon Posts: 7,762 Gallery: Wifey WOE: Medifast	And feel free to join a group on here for the arse kicking!! I need it badly that's the only way I can do this! My hubbys decided to do it with me so I don't have the carbs at home that helps also. Throw it all out. No one needs it.

06-02-2009, 04:50 AM	#6
shasta-cat Junior LCF Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Manchester, UK Posts: 21 Gallery: shasta-cat Stats: 170/166/135 WOE: Atkins Start Date: 2nd June 2009	thanks for the advice - it's been taken on board! looking back i think i was being a little harsh on myself - pretty much everything was in place to start yesterday. cupboards were ready, meal plans were done - all i needed to do was the shopping and get my packlunch done sunday night. then we got back so late sunday that the supermarket was closed and there was absolutely nothing to eat in the house (think old mother hubbard!) so come monday morning all my plans had gone to waste and it just pushed me in to a downer and that scuppered going to the supermarket last night. It didn't help that DB came home last night having gone to the gym, gave me a real grilling for not starting my diet, saw me getting changed and kept prodding my muffin tops, and then kept asking me what i'd eaten that day. grr! I'm not doing this for him, but he seems to think i should be. Today has been induction friendly so far by default - i skipped breakfast (not something i usually do just nothing in house to eat) and will be having salad for lunch. And off to supermarket tonight and hopefully the gym. i just need to not let myself get down when little obstacles get in my way

06-05-2009, 07:59 AM	#7
ltmeade Junior LCF Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 5 Gallery: ltmeade Stats: 158/?/135 WOE: Atkins Start Date: June 2009	Hi - I understand your problem getting starting. I had a few false starts and then suddenly I commited. Starting a serious exercise plan helped me. I bought a Bikram yoga pass and I'm going everyday. After all that sweat and hard work, I am not even tempted to cheat! (Plus, it makes me feel healthy and limber). When the time is right, you'll go for it. But I agree that planning and shopping is key. I have the hardest time with breakfast and lunch. I made a big crustless quiche that I cut into slices that can be microwaved in the morning. I also made a large container of canned salmon mixed with mayo, green onions, and fresh dill and washed a bunch of lettuce. When I walk out the door, I can toss a bunch of lettuce in a container with a big heap of salmon. It takes 30 seconds to make lunch. On another note, I know that everyone has a different level of sensitivity, but I would be deeply hurt and offended if my boyfriend kept grabbing my fat or asked me what I'd eaten that day. Maybe you can take it in good humor and this is just part of your relationship, but that sounds pretty mean-spirited to me. I can guarantee you that I would be extremely angry and would not feel like being intimate any time soon. If this bothers you, you should tell your boyfriend that dieting is a personal choice and he is only undermining you by making these kinds of comments. (If you add in the part about how you won't feel like sex for a really really long time if he keeps this up, that might motivate him a little ) I'm sure there are many mean comments you could make about his appearance if you felt like it. Is he entirely perfect? I think you're right to focus on the idea that you are doing this for yourself. Good luck!