Discussion Board

As I read the forum, I notice several are on their "second time around". We have all been there before, in one manner or another. So what is your internal dialogue this time to prevent you from backsliding? Do you have any tips, tactical strategies, etc. to make you feel like it will be different this time?

I know EXACTLY what happened last time: I lost weight doing MWL and then, once I had lost it, I let non-MWL stuff slip in. Just regular plan. I put a little weight back on, and then got an attitude: Why should I suffer?? Why should I not be able to follow the REGULAR plan?? So I kept on. Then I added back in some non-plan stuff. After all, I still ate better than most people--why should I suffer?? Pretty soon I was eating vegan cheese and sour cream, picking up vegan burritos, using cooking spray, etc. etc.

This time around I am STAYING WITH THE ONE WHO BRUNG ME! MWL all the way. Regular plan for feast days. PERIOD!

This wasn't my second time around with McDougalling itself, but as far as a serious, organized, planned weight loss attempt, it was probably my ninth.

In my middle years, I found myself so embarrassed by my previous attempts, successes, and rebounds that I often gave up before I started, resigning myself to being overweight, out of shape, and generally unhealthy, as if it were my fate. I had tried so many motivational techniques, visualizations, group support, food diaries, etc., that I had read about, but they had not had long-term success.

So when I approached this way of eating, I stayed very small and quiet. I told only the one closest to me (my husband) that I was making a change. I tracked my weight and other data on a tiny note pad in pencil. I vowed that I would not say a word about it until I had gotten past a certain mark (33 pounds), because it seemed to be as far as I could go and I always regained weight from that place.

I got up half an hour earlier to allow myself time for a little workout indoors (I hate gyms and classes), and time to come on this website and read the newsletter articles and other information. I did it earlier so I wasn't imposing on anyone else's time.

This might not work for everyone, but it worked for me. I kept it as quiet and private as I could, for two reasons: one, to spare myself the humiliation of yet another relapse, and two, to not bother anyone with my efforts.

Once people started to notice, it became a different story and motivation. I now had people asking questions (at work, friends, etc.), and I also kept my answers very brief and succinct. "I avoid all animals products and processed oils." I don't preach, and I don't often share about the whole way of eating. But now that I've told people about it, I also have the pride factor, that I am certainly not going to eat the brownies or whatever at the luncheon!

[Mostly when folks ask how I did it, I tell them truly, "You don't want to know!" because they don't. They are usually slapping their too-ample belly with one hand while lifting the burger with the other.]

So I don't know if this is of any help--it is just what one older lady who had dieted off and on for 50 years did, and it has worked this time.

Yup. I used to tell them, give them the website, etc. But now I don't bother, b/c they'll always say, "Oh, I just COULDN'T give up ______." <sigh>

My problem was that the life I had built up to support myself mentally and physically crumbled around me in a terrible four year period. I lost my job, my sister, my dogs and my father in that order. When my sister developed breast cancer she couldn't help care for my father anymore and I started making a 300 mile drive every weekend to clean his house, buy his groceries, cook his Sunday dinner and see his bills got paid. I had to see to my sister and make sure she had food and medication. And when I found a new job it came with a 150 mile commute every day. On the night shift. I began to do something I promised myself I wouldn't do - eat in the car. It was either that or crash into an embankment. Then came the fast food, the gas station food, whatever it took to keep going. And going. And going. By the time it was all over but the crying, I had gained 60 pounds. I didn't have to start from scratch, but topping 200 pounds again was a real wake up call. Thank goodness for this board. When I was ready to start over, there were plenty of people to give me the support I needed and a virtual shoulder to cry on.
Kate

Thanks everyone for your testimony. I too have been guilty of saying things such as "I eat better than 99% of the people, I deserve this", etc. As a coach for our community healthy eating events, I want to arm the participants with all the tools that I can. I feel that maintenance, in particular, is difficult because you don't see the numbers on the scale dropping anymore, so you must pull from your inner resources.

What would you say are the biggest factors that help in your journey to stay on track... health, self-worth, family, community, forums, vegan potlucks, etc.?

This forum. It is INVALUABLE IMO and that's why it's important to keep coming back even once one gets to goal weight. It's too easy to fall back into that "I eat better than 99% of Americans" thing otherwise--posting and reading here keeps me honest!

I totally agree--this forum and website are inspiration, education, an appeal to my vanity, and an appeal to my honesty. It helps immensely in keeping me on track, to come here and read and post. I consider the forum members as the best support group I've ever had!