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Post by bbbearsmom on Nov 24, 2020 0:23:44 GMT
Tuesday, 11/24
Day 24 – Deal with Discouragement
Beck points out dieting is often easy at first because in the beginning we are inspired. As time goes on it can become harder, life gets in the way, dieting requires more effort, there are days when cravings are more intense, you think this is too hard, you don’t think you’ll keep up, you think you just don’t want to do this anymore. She goes on to say that those feelings are normal but it isn’t okay to let them overwhelm you and keep you from your goal.
You have a choice when you have these thoughts, give up, or fight the sabotaging thoughts. You can do this and dieting will get easy. (It usually goes in hard/easy cycles.)
These are her suggestions for finding encouragement:
Read your Advantages Response Card more often. Rewrite it to freshen it up thinking about each item listed. Add new advantages as you think of them.
Add up your difficult hours. There are 168 hours in a week how much of this time was actually difficult?
Focus on what you can do today. She cautions us about focusing on the long term, instead she suggest focusing on today taking care of tomorrow when it gets here. (I somewhat disagree with this because I’ve found that planning ahead is such a help.)
Have you been discouraged while doing this? How did you handle it?
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Post by bbbearsmom on Nov 24, 2020 0:27:47 GMT
I'm feeling discouraged right now because I have been gaining weight but I was thinking I'm glad it is happening during a review because of all the inspiration and support I get from the reviews. This is a harder time but I've been maintaining for almost 12 years and I've had plenty of easy times too. I will talk to myself and make a plan and see how things go. My current sabotaging thought is my body changed. This is usually my first or second thought when I start to gain weight.
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lizlor
Transcendent Member
Posts: 1,159
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Post by lizlor on Nov 24, 2020 6:22:33 GMT
bbbearsmom , your success is impressive and years long maintenance awesome. I have no doubt you’ll get back to where you want to be. Have you been discouraged while doing this? How did you handle it? Currently, I’m not discouraged by what feels like a long road ahead and instead am focusing on my wins and 5 pound losses. I agree the beginning weeks of a new Beck review are inspiring, and I’m understanding that this isn’t a diet but a change in lifestyle and habits. And a significant eating change is necessary for me. Example: we ordered TDay take out for 2 and plan on enjoying one nice meal. No leftovers, no dessert, just one holiDay, not holiweekend meal. We’ve also planned a long hike on Friday as part of our celebration. And we’re going to exercise Thursday morning. So we’re finding healthy lifestyle solutions and pre menu planning strategies to deal with, what in past years has been a food and drink blowout. And we’re trying to say “oh well” to the fact that our kids aren’t coming home and we’re not celebrating in a group of 15 as is usual and just are thankful for what we have...which is a lot.
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Post by cathygeha on Nov 24, 2020 8:17:06 GMT
Have you been discouraged while doing this?
Yes, I have been discouraged at time - especially when sitting on a plateau, following the program exactly and the scale is not moving. Other times it has happened when, even though expected, the scale is up due to what I have chosen to eat rather than sticking with the program. Exercise is also an area I get discouraged with myself over from time to time.
How did you handle it? In any of the situations I share with my sister and often in groups like this to get the positive feedback/energy I need to reinforce positive thoughts/actions that will keep me moving in the right direction reconnecting me to my goal/desire/whatever that will see me ultimately where I want to be * Plateaus are the pits...a pit kind of like the doldrums where the boat wallows waiting for the wind to fill the sails. I check in with groups and my sister, use consistent positive self-talk, check back on previous documentation to see how long it took previously to get through a plateau, remind myself that it will pass if I stay OP * When I have made food choices that see the scale up I accept it, get back on track, reaffirm what I am doing online and with my sister, suck it up, and keep thinking positive. I sometimes learn from it and sometimes find myself repeating the behavior again. * Exercise...well...I am a work in progress and also realize that exercise may make me feel better when I do it but that I don't love doing it and never really have EXCEPT perhaps long ago at goal weight watching my body get stronger...maybe I need to tap into those memories?
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lizlor
Transcendent Member
Posts: 1,159
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Post by lizlor on Nov 24, 2020 15:37:57 GMT
cathygeha, remember you’ve seen some great results, plateau aside, and you are doing a great job working with your sister. And you are eating healthy foods. re: Exercise- it doesn’t have to be this intense all or nothing thing that’s not enjoyable. I think a simple walk counts plenty and what it does for me is gives my mind a break from calorie counting & food focus and gets me out into light and observing the world other than me. And then having done it, the action becomes a credit and affirmation. Start with one walk and maybe see where it takes you? good luck.
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Post by lani on Nov 24, 2020 16:43:41 GMT
bbbearsmom, do you think your SAD is contributing? Now that I type this, I'm thinking of course it would be. Better days ahead - you've got this and you know it.
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Post by bbbearsmom on Nov 24, 2020 17:39:10 GMT
lizlor, lani, Thanks for your comments. Yes, the SAD is contributing because I don't have any fire right now but I do have a plan. lizlor, Your plan sounds great.
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Post by luvvinlife on Nov 24, 2020 18:59:22 GMT
I experience discouragement when I make a plan and I don’t follow through with it. It’s the feeling that you might get one someone you trusted betrays you. Only, this time, that someone is me.
I handle it by facing it (in my tracker), reducing my food budget for the next meal/day, continuing at that reduction until the impact is reversed. I have found that the sooner I make the adjustment the easier it is to bounce back.
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Post by bbbearsmom on Nov 24, 2020 20:13:32 GMT
I have found that the sooner I make the adjustment the easier it is to bounce back. Good point. |
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ladymajky
Transcendent Member
220/169/150
Posts: 871 
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Post by ladymajky on Nov 24, 2020 21:24:56 GMT
Discouragement is kind of a meta-THOUGHT. Discouragement is larger than just eating. I think if I am discouraged about weight control, I am also discouraged about a lot of other things. Will I ever see my family again? Will I ever travel again? Will I ever be able to go out of the house without this stupid mask again? Will I ever find zest in my life again? Will people ever stop protesting downtown? Will gun violence ever come to an end so that children can feel safe in their homes? Will children ever be able to go to school in person again?
There are a lot of things out there to be discouraged about; weightloss is only one part of it. However, weightloss is the only thing that I can fully control all by myself. Of all the things on my list of discouragements, it is the one thing I can grapple with and have a chance of defeating. And today is the only day I am guaranteed to have, so today's struggle is the only one I have a chance of winning. I won't dwell on any other day's struggle.
Discouragement is a Sabotaging THOUGHT that derails me from paying attention to anything
* I am helpless and hopeless
* Do my “whys” even matter?
* Who cares?
* Is my mind in the game? Is my mind even in the ballpark?
Interrupt the Chain
Replace “This is hard; I don’t want to do this” with a Helpful THOUGHT
~ I am NOT hopeless – I have lost weight before and I am my own best example of hope
~ I am NOT helpless – I have many skills and good advice that helps
~ I reviewed my “whys” – I remember why they are important
~ Even if no one else cares, I care about myself
~ It is only hard between 3 and 6 pm – solve that one small problem
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Post by bbbearsmom on Nov 24, 2020 21:34:53 GMT
ladymajky, Great post today. Really needed your thoughts today.
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Post by mac on Nov 25, 2020 0:37:01 GMT
I've had a lot of discouragement over the 56 years I've been in WW. Things that deal with plateaus, weight gain, quitting the program, were solved by getting back on the program, following the way it's written, journal etc.
I am discouraged over all the changes with the program right now such as closing our local studio and virtual classes. I'm very disappointed because I worked so hard to almost get to goal and now find out I may have to go to an out of town studio to weigh in which I can't do or be charged for it even though I've been LT since 1964!
I try to stay positive by following the program but don't have any control over what WW does with the program, I can't quit because I need the accountability. My only other option is to do the Mayo Clinic Diet online which is much cheaper then WW and healthier!
Tuesday - 21 days off sugar, hard but going good, not as many cravings! 👍
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