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Well, March 12th will be 2 years for me on Atkins. I didn't join this site till April 2004...but I started my low-carb journey a month prior. I've been evaluating myself and what I've accomplished. Here are a few things I've learned in my two-years that I thought might be of interest to others who are just starting their journey.
1) Get to know yourself (journaling). Find out who you are and why you are overweight. How does food make you feel? What foods are your 'indulgence foods'? List your reasons for wanting to get healthy - and read them daily to reaffirm your committment to yourself.
2) Measure every two weeks. It really does keep your spirits up. It keeps you motivated.
3a) Hang out with people who are also on a quest to get healthy. (ADBB Members) Don't listen to negative people (anti-Atkins) or (Junk food junkies). Listen to your body. Is this WOE agreeing with you, giving you more energy and shedding inches, boosting your self esteem? Are the people at the ADBB giving you positive imput and encouragement? Don't you want to be around people who understand you and love to see you succeed? The negative ones don't care how you feel or what you look like.
3b) Participate. In community programs or support services to help others. Volunteer to help with a worthy cause. If you can't leave your house, at least volunteer to make phone calls or send out letters. Helping others makes us feel better about ourselves. It lets people get to know us and we are getting involved and making others happy, which stops us from feeling sorry for ourselves and stressing with doubts.
Be acitve in ADBB, not just a lurker.
4) Make exercise your best friend. Don't let one day go by that you aren't moving your body. Even if you aren't walking your two miles or going to the gym....do something that is going to burn calories and boost your mental outlook.
5) Don't think of this new WOE as a diet. Think of it as a Life-style change. Instead of feeling sad that certain foods aren't on your meal plan...try out the recipes that are most like the ones that you ate previously. Become friends with your new WOE. Try new foods. If you are tempted to cheat...read your journal and the reasons you want to lose weight. Go for a walk, then see if you still want that cheat food. Is it worth giving up your dream of becoming healthy and looking good for?
There are lots more things I've learned, but I think these are the most important on my list. I just want to share this in hopes that it might make someone else's journey a little easier. Give them a few things to think about so that they can hold on a little tighter to the wagon and not fall off. Its a bumpy ride, but OH MY GOSH...it is soooooo worth the effort. I can't tell you enough how much better I feel and how much I owe to Dr. Atkins and this WOE.
Here's to the rest of my life on Atkins. I'm a believer.
1) Get to know yourself (journaling). Find out who you are and why you are overweight. How does food make you feel? What foods are your 'indulgence foods'? List your reasons for wanting to get healthy - and read them daily to reaffirm your committment to yourself.
2) Measure every two weeks. It really does keep your spirits up. It keeps you motivated.
3a) Hang out with people who are also on a quest to get healthy. (ADBB Members) Don't listen to negative people (anti-Atkins) or (Junk food junkies). Listen to your body. Is this WOE agreeing with you, giving you more energy and shedding inches, boosting your self esteem? Are the people at the ADBB giving you positive imput and encouragement? Don't you want to be around people who understand you and love to see you succeed? The negative ones don't care how you feel or what you look like.
3b) Participate. In community programs or support services to help others. Volunteer to help with a worthy cause. If you can't leave your house, at least volunteer to make phone calls or send out letters. Helping others makes us feel better about ourselves. It lets people get to know us and we are getting involved and making others happy, which stops us from feeling sorry for ourselves and stressing with doubts.
Be acitve in ADBB, not just a lurker.
4) Make exercise your best friend. Don't let one day go by that you aren't moving your body. Even if you aren't walking your two miles or going to the gym....do something that is going to burn calories and boost your mental outlook.
5) Don't think of this new WOE as a diet. Think of it as a Life-style change. Instead of feeling sad that certain foods aren't on your meal plan...try out the recipes that are most like the ones that you ate previously. Become friends with your new WOE. Try new foods. If you are tempted to cheat...read your journal and the reasons you want to lose weight. Go for a walk, then see if you still want that cheat food. Is it worth giving up your dream of becoming healthy and looking good for?
There are lots more things I've learned, but I think these are the most important on my list. I just want to share this in hopes that it might make someone else's journey a little easier. Give them a few things to think about so that they can hold on a little tighter to the wagon and not fall off. Its a bumpy ride, but OH MY GOSH...it is soooooo worth the effort. I can't tell you enough how much better I feel and how much I owe to Dr. Atkins and this WOE.
Here's to the rest of my life on Atkins. I'm a believer.
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