Recommitting Myself to Reach GOAL! (Long Post)

Hi Gang! I commend those of you who don't EVER "cheat." This post is NOT for you! I have been having a problem with "cheating" for the last several months. Fortunately 98 percent of the time I make great food choices, count my protein and carb grams and calories, drink lots of liquids, take my vitamins, and exercise vigorously. I've lost 109 pounds in 8 onths and I'm ecstatic about that. HOWEVER . . . lately, everyone in my life tells me constantly how great I look and I think I'm starting to listen a little too closely and it's going to my head, do you know what I mean? I look great and I feel great even though I am still 23 pounds away from my goal which I desperately want to reach. And at this point, I will have to fight for each of those 23 pounds! This weekend alone I ate crab dip and chips, several glasses of wine, french fries, baked beans, a chocolate chip cookie, Mike and Ike candy, an onion ring . . . and I'm the one who's doctor says "no bread, rice, pasta, potatoes, beans, or fruit" til goal! I have definitely slacked off because I'm listening to everyone tell me how great I look and because eating is fun, especially at parties and get togethers. But I am reminding myself that if I don't focus on meeting my goal NOW I probably never will. And while it would not be an awful thing to weigh 159 for the rest of my life, I have come too far and worked too hard NOT to reach MY GOAL. So I literally "woke up" this morning. Enough is enough. Done with the nonsense. I should be able to reach my goal in 12 weeks. I went on Oprah.com and downloaded her boot camp contract. I modified it to meet my needs and signed it. I am recommitting myself to MY HEALTH and MY SUCCESS. I deserve it. I'm including a copy of my contract below. Feel free to modify it to meet your needs and join me in a quest for success and good health: Sandy's Self-Improvement Contract I, Sandy K. hereby commit to 12 weeks of focused self-improvement. I hereby commit to regular vigorous exercise--at least five workouts a week. I will be focused on challenging my abilities in the pursuit of elevating my physical performance. I hereby commit to self-control with respect to eating in general and food choices in particular. I will make every effort to limit my calories to 800 a day and to eat protein first. I will make every effort to take all my vitamins daily. My goal is to consume at least 70 grams of protein each day and to limit my carbs to 30. Unless there are compelling extenuating cir****tances I will terminate my consumption of all food at 8 pm each evening. I will endeavor to be conscious of when and why I eat and will, to the best of my ability, eat simply to satisfy my nutritional needs as opposed to my emotional needs. I will also do my best to make healthful food choices. I realize that this contract is solely with myself and that it carries no rewards, penalties, or punishments other than those associated with the reflection of the strength of my character. ______________________________________________ Signature Date

Hey Sandy, I sure am glad you did his post. I have a lost 101lbs since surgery for a total of 153lbs. I have 31 pounds to go ( according to my MD) I feel good and exercise a lot. I am having the same kind of munchy issue. I think my problem is not enough calories for how much I am exercising but I am terrified to bump up my caloric intake for fear of not losing and regaining. My weight loss has slowed way down and I find myself on a plateau every 2 lbs lost. But when I don't bump up I find my self snacking (what seems like constantly). I too need to regroup and figure out how to bump up (if that's what I need to do) and in a healthy way. I think when I do that the weight loss will speed up a little. I will join you in this personal quest. If you need a buddy you can always email me. I will download the contract and sign one myself. Take Care and God Bless you. You are doing a GREAT job... Keep it up. Sonja Lima San Diego, CA (RNY 9/9/04 - 334/282/236/199/181 ~goal 150)

Hey Sonja! You're on! 12 weeks from now we will officially be hot babes (well . . . hot sharpei babes anyway!). That would be awesome if you could increase your calories and jump start your weight loss again, what a win-win situation! Although your weight loss so far has been amazing! Why don't you just try adding in an extra 100 calories of protein and see what happens? My surgeon has told me to stick to 800 for now, I'm short, 5'2". What meals/snacks do you eat? I do tea in the morning, then breakfast around 9:30, then, lunch, then a protein drink mid-afternoon, sometimes a small snack around 3:30 or 4, then dinner around 6 and a little "dessert" just before 8. This usually works for me. It's the weekends that have become a big PROBLEM because I'm out of my usual routine. Feel free to email me at sandy_r._krems @ hud.gov or we can talk on this board. Have a great week! Hugs, Sandy

Sandy, Your commitment is inspiring! I know you will reach your goal. That's one thing that I've really tried to focus on, we are still the masters of our behavior and we can make or break this experience. I like what you said about elevating your physical performance and not just committing to exercise. One of the most motivating results of exercise is when you can see your strength and endurance increase over time and keep challenging yourself further. I love that. The night eating thing is hugely important as well. I don't know if i told you this, but a couple years before surgery I sort of made a vow not to eat anything for any reason after 7pm. It was kind of a personal sacrifice I made because I was asking a family member to try and get off of a prescription drug addiction and I wanted to give something up too as a show of support. I didn't eat anything after 7pm for over a year. Not even at a wedding, or holiday banquet, etc. It taught me a lot about discipline and that I wouldn't die of hunger, and I could eat again in the morning. It was truly enlightening, and I did lose weight from just that change in my life. I gained when I stopped living by that. It amazes me that all the past or "failed" attempts we made in the past each hold important lessons to help us succeed now that we have this amazing tool. It makes me believe that everything happens for a reason, and i can rely on all those past experiences to guide me now. Good luck to you and everyone else as we enter this new phase of learning to eat and live healthfully for the rest of our lives. Love, Sue