how do you keep focused?

[Jes]

Re: how do you keep focused?

Thanks!!! those are all really good tips. I'll let you all know how it goes.

[sallyseachange]

Re: how do you keep focused?

I stay focused by coming to ADBB... also, remembering how I looked and how I felt 'before'.

As for the wedding... you've had great advice... especially the old Girl Guide (do you call them that in the States?) motto: "Be Prepared!" Make sure you have something legal in your handbag.

Love Miss Phode's suggestion...though it doesn't seem to be doing much for her marriage!!!

[abstractillusions]

Re: how do you keep focused?

There is a lot of good advice here, but i seriously would use Saturday before the wedding to really sit down and have a "talk" with yourself. Remember a couple of things as someone said, write down a list of why you want to lose weight. Drill this into you all day before the wedding. Make sure you not only go physically prepared ie with a snack in your purse and eating before hand, but also mentally prepared with your determination firmly in hand.

Also there will be a photographer there more than likely, when temptation gets to be too much stop, breath, find the photographer and concentrate on him and visualize what your picture will look like or even take one a long of yourself now and you can pull it out and look at it.

This is going to be a mental battle so you have to prepare yourself mentally.

Stay strong, stay tough and Sunday won't have you upset with yourself instead you will have a success story to share with everyone!!.

[Katlambert]

Re: how do you keep focused?

I agree with Abstract...it's more of a mental battle than anything else (at least for me). Definately eat a legal meal and take something along with you but also you have to really decide that you are not going to go off plan. Your reason's have to be your very own.

I think it's even easier to go off plan when you are at the beginning because it can be rationalized much easier (I've only been on Atkins three days...I'll start again tomorrow). During my induction, I had to go to a employee meeting complete with potluck, a trade show (think HUGE bagels and fruit set out for breakfast, and turkey on croissants, chips, an apple, and an enormous cookie for lunch...all in bags so when you grab one, you get it all), dinner at my moms, and eating out with friends. I decided before each event what I was going to do and how I was going to handle it. It wasn't easy when everyone was eating spaghetti at my mom's house (and I forgot to ask her to keep me out some meat before she added the sauce), but I think because I made the decision beforehand, it was easier to stick to. And trust me...instead of feeling full, bloated, and disappointed in myself on the way home, I felt proud and liberated.

I remember at the conference I had to go to, I wanted to eat that cookie so bad...at dinner with friends, I really wanted dessert, you get the picture...but days later I only feel proud that I didn't give in to that temptation.

You can do it. Make that decision for the reasons that are most important to you and then stick to them. Trust me, trust me...it might be hard at the time, but when you leave that reception and haven't cheated, you won't feel sad about missing cake. You will feel like dancing all the way to the car because you'll be soooo proud about resisting the temptation! I promise you.

[Momtofour]

Re: how do you keep focused?

Eat something really high in fat before you go. The fat will make you feel so full that you won't be tempted as much. I do this when I go the fair or an amusement park. It really works. My favorite meal for this type of thing is Sausage cooked with green peppers and onions with tons of oil and butter on it. I don't eat this all the time, but when I know I'm going to be around very tempting foods it sure helps me.