stuck in a mental rut
 

hey guys! i think i may have posted something like this earlier, but we've had so many posts since i can't find it!! to all of you who did reply to that one--thanks so much...anyway, i'm just having a mental block. what do you guys do? i've just got twenty pounds left to lose ( i've already lost 40) and i've hit the worst mental road block. i'm not binging by any means, because i know how hard it was to lose the weight in the first place, but i'm in a mental rut and can't seem, for the life of me, to get back on track. i've just got carb creep. i went back on induction for a few days and i know i can break the stall...just--what have ya'll done to get back on track?? what have you done to break your mental rut when the road gets tough? thanks so much for your replies -- i'll be looking forward to reading them!!

I haven't had this problem this time, but then again I've only been doing Atkins for 6-1/2 weeks. In the past I've encountered this with other diets. Usually when you hit a mental block like that, it's psychological. There must be some reason you don't want to lose weight. Now I know consciously you want, it's probably something unconscious. A lot of people have suggested reading the Dr. Phil book. I have it and have read some of it, and he has a lot of good ideas to help break down the mental barriers to weight loss. I'd check it out.

Good luck!!
Bonnie

I think I have actually stalled more than I have lost but I have been able to break the stalls. I think, firstly, that the body has to rely on the fact that you are going to be consistant. That way when you do something right, like exercise, it will be easier to break the stall. It is also important to understand that a stall is not a stall if you are losing inches. Those last few pounds are frustrating but just keep on this WOE, you will get there.

Dr. Atkins mentioned something like that, where the goal is in sight and for some reason the person gets stuck there mentally.
Perhaps you are adjusting to the new body? It's like when you want a new job, and get the new job...you are still nervous the first day!
Perhaps this should be an evaluation time for you. You've come a long way, and you know the pounds left will come off slower and slower. Perhaps this is a time to remember that you aren't doing this just for the thrill of pounds lost every week, but for smaller clothes sizes, better health & mood, and control over your eating.
Someone offered me a treat last week, because our office is crawling with goodies this time of year. She said, "Go ahead, it will make you feel good."
I said, "Yes, for about three minutes. While this," and I slapped my new butt, "lasts twenty four hours a day!"
That's the way you need to think. So you make sure you stay on that wonderful wagon that is carrying you to a better life.

I think this may be the other thread you were referring to which you posted yesterday.

As an aside you can find out all the posts made by yourself using the search facility at the top of the forum.

It is quite common, unfortunately, to stall from time to time and whilst some of it may be your body adjusting and waiting to lose the next few pounds sometimes it is because you mentally lose focus and it is easy then to stay the same.

As you near your goal it will take longer and longer to lose those pounds. You will also have to make more effort to encourage your body to give them up. You need to decide if you want to lose more pounds and if so what you are going to do about it. One way is to increase your exercise level so that you stress your body more. After a time it accepts and uses your current level of exercise. The second is to slightly reduce your calories. As you get smaller you need less to eat to do the same job, so your portions do need to get smaller. Have you reduced your calories at all? On the other hand don't go to low, but just enough to stimulate your body.

Keep drinking the water and start fantasising about the new you to keep you on track. Losing those final pounds to some extent will depend upon how much you want them gone.

Having been on this way of life for over 2 years now I have to refocus every so often to keep losing those pounds.

you guys are great. thanks so much. i guess i simply overlooked the other thread the other day--i'm sorry for taking up space!i'm still relativly new to actually posting on this board.

adkpam, you know what you say, that's true. come to think of it, my mind is having a very hard time adjusting to the new size. when i think of my body i always imagine it at the 200 pounds it once was. and maybe i'm scared, too, to get to my lower size. as a matter of fact, i'm now a size twelve but i'm still reaching for my size sixteen jeans, and much to my shock when i put them on there's all sorts of material bunching up in the back. i'll probably be re reading all of ya'lls emails tonight...and i'll probably have to bite the bullet and buy dr. phil's new book; i've heard wonderful things about it...

i can't thank you guys enough for answering my post and next time i'll be careful to not post the same thing! i know it can be an annoyance...i wish ya'll the best of luck as well...