Hi there
I am going to ask a mod to Stiky this, as this question comes up an awful lot!
I feel those who have weeks to wait before starting LL have a very good advantage to those that decide to do it on the spur and slip straight into a group.
This is a pretty hardcore way of dieting - its not for sissy's. It can be either the most difficult diet you can possibly choose to do - or, if you let it - it can be the easiest.
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It requires a great deal of committment and determination. A strong will helps but I do not feel is essential.
I had about 7 or 8 weeks to wait, and I spent that time doing more mental work then I have ever done in my life.
The things that worked for me - that allowed me to follow the diet 100% without a single lapse - and to loose nearly 10 stone in MONTHS (not years - but MONTHS!!) was to get my head wrapped three times around what I was embarking on.
IT was scary as hell thinking about giving up food!!!
I started paying attention to food more consciously then ever before and started viusualising myself on the diet. I visualized every possible situation. Home/family, work, pub nites, club nites, holidays, illness, job nites out, family gatherings, a day out shopping, being around others who eat, etc. whatever - every situation I thought about I visualised how it would be on the diet. There is NO situation you cannot do this diet on. To say there is is merely an excuse really. It can be done, as long as you are prepared for any eventuality.
I also began to visualise myself at goal. ANd for the first time ever, I
realllllly saw
me. And I began to feel I was connecting with the me that was buried under 10 stone of fat....the me who was unreachable for 25 years. The me that I thought had died. That was exciting. Words cannot express!
I then started thinking about two sayings:
1. In it, to win it.
2. Failure is not an option. Zero-Tolerance to failure.
Those became a mantra that I repeated a lot to myself.
And I also started to - no this is where you might think I am crackers - but I swear to god this was effective - I started to have conversations with myself, out loud, in the mirror staring me straight in the eye. Wow. If anyone has read my stream of consciousness thread they may remember the breakthroughs I made using that method. When I started to recognise my old self - it was all the motivation I needed to get her out. There simply was NO STOPPING ME. And thus, my determination was born. And, I rescued myself.
There are also the obvious things you can do - start cutting back on carbs as much as possible, and if you start drinking water now, you will be used to it at a more gradual pace.
Read this forum as much as you can. Read everyones experiences. Ask questions. Share Their triumphs, their defeats, their joy and sorrow. Their stories are ALL inspirational, and ever single person here has one.
Be open and honest with yourself - be sure you understand who and why you are doing this diet. If you are doing it for someone else - save your money and do a cheaper diet. You have to be doing this for YOU.
Make your family aware of all of the things you will need from them, before you start. Get a committment from them for their support. THIS IS IMPORTANT! My husbands acceptance of my need to do this, and his support was invaluable. And be sure to thank them when you get to goal, for they sacrifice things too in many different ways, and it is also a big change for them to see their loved one change so dramatically so quickly.
It's An excitinging time -the weeks leading up to your life changing event. Enjoy it - expect the unexpected! Expect tears and laughter, be prepared for some real swings. Its a ride. BUt what a GREAT ride it is. BE OPEN TO CHANGE.
Good luck all you new starters!!!!
YOU CAN DO IT!!!! IF YOU CHOOSE TO DO IT!
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