TOUGH LOVE-APPLY WITHIN

[Rod the Bass]

One of my worries about this diet is whether I'll come off it and slip back to the old ways.

thats a very valid fear. one thing I've done and continue to do is plan/research and constantly think about that day. The day I reach goal. What will change?

not much I dont think. My habits are now formed.

I think it is easier for me than you Smiley, you are currently on a Spartan trip of "God says no" to everything. I face the fruits of temptation every day. This means that I can test myself every day. Most tests I pass, 99% of the time. Cheesecake is toughie!

I haven't had curries, bowls of pasta, unlimited roast potatoes, piles of chocolate, wotsits, pizza and all those things I used to eat constantly for so long. I've forgotten.

I've stared down the menu in a curry house and gone for the Tandoori and salad. I've negociated some fine dining and got out ok. I can shop hungry and not cheat. I eat a bag of cherries as I shop.

you WILL change. because otherwise what is the point? what is the point of doing what you're doing, then failing the minute you finish your last shake?

this thread has yet to come into it's own. Within 2-4 months we'll have at least 5 people that have been through the pain of the journey PART ONE and will be negociating PART TWO. Which is the rest of our lives

these people will be me, Lou, Emma, Bonnie and Sparty. And anyone else with the drive to suck up some tough love and get it done. Forgive me if I've forgotten you.

Sue, Exi and GF are pretty much there, but they were there before the TL thread kicked off.

But see what they contribute. A lot.

They must get something in return, it can't be my sparkling personality or the anticipation of my six-pack emerging....

Goal is the end of one journey and the beginning of a longer and much harder one IMO.

personally I am looking forward to taking the time to test myself, experiment with food and the mindset and with the help thats on offer here, I don't feel I have much to fear.

the worst thing I can imagine is to reach goal, stare into a black space and see the monster that was once you staring back.

As we go we need to learn.

and the time is right now

 

[lisajade]

You're both doing great ladies, so give yourselves a pat on the back.

One of my worries about this diet is whether I'll come off it and slip back to the old ways. In many ways, a VLCD is easy, because the answer to the question of 'can I eat/drink this?' is always 'No!' so you can avoid making bad food choices because you never make a choice.

Once those choices are back in my life, I'm terrified that I won't have beaten my food addiction. You two sound like you are able to plan your way through a fun and foody weekend, but get straight back on the strict stuff the minute you finish. That's not an excuse, that's being in control - a million miles different. I hope I'm as strong as you when I need to be.

In a way, this is why I am a firm believer in moving back to a food-based plan before you reach target. We need to train ourselves to make better choices and become educated about our weak spots and how to balance a healthy weight with enjoying life (and food!).

VLCDs are great for dropping most of the weight, just leave yourself enough time to get used to normal eating a stone or 2 before target.

I think with your mindset and determination, you will be absolutely fine

 

[conlou1]

You're both doing great ladies, so give yourselves a pat on the back.

One of my worries about this diet is whether I'll come off it and slip back to the old ways. In many ways, a VLCD is easy, because the answer to the question of 'can I eat/drink this?' is always 'No!' so you can avoid making bad food choices because you never make a choice.

Once those choices are back in my life, I'm terrified that I won't have beaten my food addiction. You two sound like you are able to plan your way through a fun and foody weekend, but get straight back on the strict stuff the minute you finish. That's not an excuse, that's being in control - a million miles different. I hope I'm as strong as you when I need to be.

Thanks a lot smiler you'll do it bud, you just can't imagine doing it yet, but your new to it all and I don't mean that patronising AT ALL, but I've done this on a d off up and down for 14 years and only just get it. Some people have been at it longer and still don't get it. Your breaking your food addiction and when you do return to food you'll no longer crave all the stuff you once did, it will be a clean slate for you to choose which foods you want to live on and THOSE will become your new comfort foods and habits that will stick. There'll always be temptation but you'll get used to it, like an ex smoker does, except unlike an ex smoker you will be able to have a taste of your vice and stop and know that your not getting on a slippery slope. I really think your amazing, your determination and will power is greater than what you realise.

Just want to add will everyone please take progress pics, it is the one thing that's boosts me when I'm feeling like its too hard. We don't always see how far we've come when we look in the mirror it's only when we see pics of ourselves that it sinks in. It's not a vanity thing, it's a sanity thing.....once you get there you need to do everything you can to realise how far you've come and give yourselves the credit you will deserve

 

[SmileyMan]

Oh yeah, Goal II went green

 

[loolahoop]

so , sorry me again...
ive had what i would usually call a "100% on plan day" (minus the snacks - which btw is usually fruit) but i just wondered if this could be where im going wrong??
ive done what i usually do today, but just counted how many calories ive had using MFP just so i make sure im not having too many and ive had just 695! - this incluses my 7 syns too!
ive had bigger n better losses when ive "cheated" and im wondering if its because when im being good and sticking to plan im not actually having enough? like i said before also walk 3 n half miles everyday....

 

[sparty]

Nice one smiley. Keep it going xx

 

[conlou1]

so , sorry me again...
ive had what i would usually call a "100% on plan day" (minus the snacks - which btw is usually fruit) but i just wondered if this could be where im going wrong??
ive done what i usually do today, but just counted how many calories ive had using MFP just so i make sure im not having too many and ive had just 695! - this incluses my 7 syns too!
ive had bigger n better losses when ive "cheated" and im wondering if its because when im being good and sticking to plan im not actually having enough? like i said before also walk 3 n half miles everyday....

See this is something I don't understand. I know your metabolism can slow to accommodate a drop in cals but if your eating less than your losing you would lose weight, look at people who
Suffer with anorexia.....they eat very few cals and continue to lose weight until they are severely
Underweight, they don't reach a point where they plateau and stay over weight or in healthy range, extreme example I know but that's where my train of thought goes on this subject. As far as I'm aware if you consume less cals than you burn you'll lose weight, if all your having is 600 cals every day and walking 3 miles every day then you either have some medical
Condition or your in serious denial about what your eating

 

[conlou1]

See this is something I don't understand. I know your metabolism can slow to accommodate a drop in cals but if your eating less than your losing you would lose weight, look at people who
Suffer with anorexia.....they eat very few cals and continue to lose weight until they are severely
Underweight, they don't reach a point where they plateau and stay over weight or in healthy range, extreme example I know but that's where my train of thought goes on this subject. As far as I'm aware if you consume less cals than you burn you'll lose weight, if all your having is 600 cals every day and walking 3 miles every day then you either have some medical
Condition or your in serious denial about what your eating

Typo....eating less than your USING not losing

 

[loolahoop]

well having suffered with an eating disorder myself this is also what i was thinking but mine was bulimia, not anorexia... but i was told (by a ED specialist) that ur body goes into starvation mode, and stores more fat or something (which is why ppl with bulimia are rarely as skeletal thin as anorexia, as they do consume a HUGE amount of cals in a binge, and its difficult to rid r body of them all, so ur body holds on to what it can, whereas anorexia will have minimal calories, sometimes even as little as a can of coke and a pickled onion for the day, so theres still nothing for the bidy to store...sorry waffled n a bit there... again... just trying to make sense to myself!

i write down everything i eat..and today as i was wanting to know the calories i weighed it all out too so i know what i ate to the gram!
but that really doesnt seem like much even though i am very full! (drank a pt of water every time i wasnted to snack!)
i would usually, like i said would have had snacks through the day so that would have been a bit more, but not 500 cals more!
well im gonna carry on with it for the week, couting how many cals id have with SW and see how i go...mayhave been subconsciously "really good" knowing i was counting if that makes sense?

 

[slimmersally]

I've posted this before, but thought I'd share it again since people are asking for these pics. I've lost another 4lb since getting to target and the plaster coming off (every little helps!!) . . . Re-assessment at the gym tomorrow and I'm looking forward to seeing the inch and fat loss results. My last assessment was end March, so it's been four months.

The maintaining part is a challenge, but logging on to Tough Love every day helps me to keep focused. I've increased my exercise and laid off alcohol for July, but have not been so strict on what I eat. I'm really hoping that this will work for me. I plan to have a few drinks in August, but gone are the days of a bottle of red on a Friday night - I have far more important things to do on a Saturday morning these days

 

[conlou1]

well having suffered with an eating disorder myself this is also what i was thinking but mine was bulimia, not anorexia... but i was told (by a ED specialist) that ur body goes into starvation mode, and stores more fat or something (which is why ppl with bulimia are rarely as skeletal thin as anorexia, as they do consume a HUGE amount of cals in a binge, and its difficult to rid r body of them all, so ur body holds on to what it can, whereas anorexia will have minimal calories, sometimes even as little as a can of coke and a pickled onion for the day, so theres still nothing for the bidy to store...sorry waffled n a bit there... again... just trying to make sense to myself!

i write down everything i eat..and today as i was wanting to know the calories i weighed it all out too so i know what i ate to the gram!
but that really doesnt seem like much even though i am very full! (drank a pt of water every time i wasnted to snack!)
i would usually, like i said would have had snacks through the day so that would have been a bit more, but not 500 cals more!
well im gonna carry on with it for the week, couting how many cals id have with SW and see how i go...mayhave been subconsciously "really good" knowing i was counting if that makes sense?

i dont know? tbh i try not to think of the science of it all as there seems to be conflicting advice and i dont know which is right so i just try to cut back and move more...you certainly should be eating more than 700 cals a day in any case.....why dont you aim for 1400 a day in light of the fact you walk a lot and see how you get on? see it as an experiment....in view of the fact you have had an eating disorder perhaps not being so rigid on the weighing every morsel of food? looking at your ticker your losing between 0.5-1.5 pound in the last few weeks, your bmi is just over 25, so your almost in the healthy range, is say its pretty normal amount to be losing....i expect anything from a sts to a 2 pound loss each week, and on weeks like this week (totm and had a bit of a relax off plan at weekend) i expect a bit of a gain...but its ok, its not a race, id love to be at target by next week, but sometimes slowly is the best way, especially near the end, as its more likely to stay off apparently. dont get obsessed...thats dangerous territory for you, chill with it and i personally think your being too strict with yourself if your weighing to the gram and only having 700 cals a day...the reason your not hungry is probably cos youve gone into ketosis,,,apparently this curbs your appetite. if your doing sw why not just follow the sw principles for a while, like i say looking at your ticker you have been losing weight still and your only just over your healthy bmi

 

[conlou1]

View attachment 58539
I've posted this before, but thought I'd share it again since people are asking for these pics. I've lost another 4lb since getting to target and the plaster coming off (every little helps!!) . . . Re-assessment at the gym tomorrow and I'm looking forward to seeing the inch and fat loss results. My last assessment was end March, so it's been four months.

The maintaining part is a challenge, but logging on to Tough Love every day helps me to keep focused. I've increased my exercise and laid off alcohol for July, but have not been so strict on what I eat. I'm really hoping that this will work for me. I plan to have a few drinks in August, but gone are the days of a bottle of red on a Friday night - I have far more important things to do on a Saturday morning these days

you look brilliant hun...haa i used to be partial to a bottle of red on a friday too

 

[SmileyMan]

to add to the conflicting advice (sorry lou!) when you are completely starving (e.g. digestive system empty, glucose gone, glycogen gone) then your body will consume a mixture of body fat and muscle protein to make glucose to keep your brain alive. Most terminal starvation victims die from heart, liver or failure when those organs are destroyed by this process.

I've been on a VLCD for a month, and I'm completely in ketosis, and I don't feel hungry at all - some days it's a struggle to even drink the second milkshake, which sounds ridiculous to someone on the 'outside' but it's true. It's proof (to me) that 99% of 'hunger' is in the head.

 

[Boopers]

Oh yeah, Goal II went green

Woot-wooT!!!

 

[conlou1]

i started reading about ketosis the other day and it was saying that contrary to what people believe its actually not dangerous, i cant tell you the scientific reason why cos it was all a bit baffling but something to do with glycogen and fat stores etc etc, i think this is something i will be doing closer to december...some form of carb free diet to get the last few pounds off....i dont eat many carbs now anyway, but i think its the way forward.

i am really really struggling tonight guys, really bad...i am on here admitting it instead of raiding the fridge. its totally in my head i know it is, but im emotional, hormonal, not feeling too well as we all have cold and hubby is sat eating in fromt of me and all i want to do is eat, eat and eat....its complete comfort eating, i know it is, ive already had a few too many cals for the day as i had a mini fry up for tea...i didnt have loads but it soon racks the cals up, i should have had some veg and meat but tbh i couldnt be bothered to mess about doing seperate teas. im in a frigging vile mood, sorry for wittering on lol

 

[Rod the Bass]

i started reading about ketosis the other day and it was saying that contrary to what people believe its actually not dangerous, i cant tell you the scientific reason why cos it was all a bit baffling but something to do with glycogen and fat stores etc etc, i think this is something i will be doing closer to december...some form of carb free diet to get the last few pounds off....i dont eat many carbs now anyway, but i think its the way forward.

i am really really struggling tonight guys, really bad...i am on here admitting it instead of raiding the fridge. its totally in my head i know it is, but im emotional, hormonal, not feeling too well as we all have cold and hubby is sat eating in fromt of me and all i want to do is eat, eat and eat....its complete comfort eating, i know it is, ive already had a few too many cals for the day as i had a mini fry up for tea...i didnt have loads but it soon racks the cals up, i should have had some veg and meat but tbh i couldnt be bothered to mess about doing seperate teas. im in a frigging vile mood, sorry for wittering on lol

hey Lou - I'm on my stepper watching Olympics dreaming of the day I can rival you with my hand on my hip pose.....

you gotta laugh at me now?

cheers up, its just food

someone clever that helps others a lot said that once.....

 

[conlou1]

hey Lou - I'm on my stepper watching Olympics dreaming of the day I can rival you with my hand on my hip pose.....

you gotta laugh at me now?

cheers up, its just food

someone clever that helps others a lot said that once.....

Well I DID IT!!!! I didn't give in, HA. It wasn't the food tbh I'm just in a really vile mood, hubby was eating and then started taking the pee and trying to tickle me so he ended up with a fat lip which made me feel better, then britains next top model came on and watching all those skinny b1tches put me off eating lol. I'll use my cals more wisely tomorrow!!!

 

[sparty]

well done lou! i bet you felt miserable at the time but i hope you feel empowered today! good for you! (Your poor hubby lol)

I treated myself to a bit of chocolate last night as my 'pudding' because i was under my calories for the day by quite a bit. I then ended up having some sweets as well.

I was still under my daily amount according to MFP as I had worked up a lot of exercise calories but I still think I did the wrong thing. I mean isn't the point that you shouldn't use your exercise calories as these are the ones that are making you lose weight?

I feel a bit disappointed in myself really after all that blinking walking. And a bit like I let the bassers down too. I always have a sweet tooth in * week so I guess the lesson to learn is that if I am going to have chocolate to use up some calories, this week is not the week to do it as my determination is lower.

So I wont be treating myself to chocolate today. If i have any calories left I will just have fruit. Lesson learned, onwards and downwards.

 

[sparty]

i dont know? tbh i try not to think of the science of it all as there seems to be conflicting advice and i dont know which is right so i just try to cut back and move more...you certainly should be eating more than 700 cals a day in any case.....why dont you aim for 1400 a day in light of the fact you walk a lot and see how you get on? see it as an experiment....in view of the fact you have had an eating disorder perhaps not being so rigid on the weighing every morsel of food? looking at your ticker your losing between 0.5-1.5 pound in the last few weeks, your bmi is just over 25, so your almost in the healthy range, is say its pretty normal amount to be losing....i expect anything from a sts to a 2 pound loss each week, and on weeks like this week (totm and had a bit of a relax off plan at weekend) i expect a bit of a gain...but its ok, its not a race, id love to be at target by next week, but sometimes slowly is the best way, especially near the end, as its more likely to stay off apparently. dont get obsessed...thats dangerous territory for you, chill with it and i personally think your being too strict with yourself if your weighing to the gram and only having 700 cals a day...the reason your not hungry is probably cos youve gone into ketosis,,,apparently this curbs your appetite. if your doing sw why not just follow the sw principles for a while, like i say looking at your ticker you have been losing weight still and your only just over your healthy bmi

I agree with Lou - 700 calories is NOT enough! 1200 is the minimum recommended as far as I know.

 

[SmileyMan]

If you're only eating 1200 calories on a home-made diet I'd highly recommend chucking a multivitamin pill down as well.