What goes wrong?

Sensitive issue....I've tried a lot of diets, well I guess more like I've attempted many times to diet. I've done Weight Watchers, Atkins, South Beach, and kind of a calorie counting thing. I did the best on WW. I lost 30 pounds when I did it in high school. I lost weight with Atkins too, but that whole no sugar thing? not MY thing. And of course just like 90% of people who go on a diet, I gained it all back and then some. So this time, I'm really trying to get 'er done! It's not like I want to have all this extra baggage around my middle. I guess I just like food, which has been a weakness. So here I am spilling my guts, so that hopefully this time I can go all the way!! Maybe I'll write updates every so often to keep myself exposed. But I would like to jot down some ideas I think might help me this time, that I've learned.



1. A lot of people don't diet for themselves. What I mean is that there's something else that's urging you to diet. It may be a friend or family member, in my case it's the "flavor of the month" aka my current crush, that I feel don't notice me because I'm a bit rotund. I've read and I believe it's true, that you have to diet for yourself and because YOU want to. My whole deal was that when I didn't see my crush anymore (moved away or had a different class schedule), or maybe he got a girlfriend, my diet-esteem went down the drain. I felt like, well if this person isn't even going to notice now, why bother? It seems silly, but to me (whose never had an official boyfriend) it was hard to deal with. That's why I've decided right now, to do this for myself. Because I want to be healthy, and strong.



2. Another thing that's helped me along is one simple question, "Would I rather have this cookie, or be thin?". Almost always the answer is, "yea I'd rather be thin" and I put the temptation out of my mind. Yes there were the occasional times when I'd be so down-in-the-dumps or rebellious that I'd tell myself I would rather have the cookie. Which isn't so bad, but then one cookie would turn into two, three, etc. I guess the focus here is that maybe it's ok to have one cookie, but to limit it to only one.



3. Along with that comes the whole, "Oh I totally fell off the band wagon, I've failed my diet forever!". Believe me, I've totally thought this! It's a horrible feeling, and when it happens I usually binge more, doing more damage. As hard as it is for me, it's better to say, "ok so I had more than I should, but tomorrow will be better." I think one big key to dieting is to be optimistic! It's hard not to beat yourself up, but realize that everyone makes mistakes and it's ok.



And while I am not a perfect result of these tips, I've come to see that these are ones that do help! One thing that's hard to face is that the times I started a diet and then thought to myself "ugh, I really don't want to have to do this for 6 months. It's such a long time!", a year later I think, if I had stayed on the diet I would have lost the weight and it would be over and I would be happy. So I don't mean to turn this into a weight loss chronicle, but I'm putting myself out there so I can finally lose weight!!