Teri,

I remember the motivation you gave me in my journal weeks ago about taking my time, starting over etc. It was a strange summer, perhaps a bad time to take on a weight loss project, but at least I got comfy with the idea of LC. But as much as I try and try and try, I wake up again this week to my starting weight all over again. Last night I got so disgusted I completely blew out all stops and had pie and ice cream right before bed. My head has not stopped banging yet this morning. I think I did it as punishment to myself - to make myself feel sick and guilty as an attempt to start over yet again.

I am with you on the mental shift - I am surely taking my time and am sacrificing the immediate pound loss for the leisure of having my sweeteners and coffee...but now that NOTHING has worked for me, and I'm just as fat and miserable as ever deep inside - I'm wondering whether I shouldn't get off the slow leisure boat and just do Atkins as a "diet". Count and measure every damned thing I put in my mouth and stop when I get to the limit. Suffer without my coffee, no creamer, no sweetner, no soda, cheese, sausage, etc. But the very thought of even more restrictions is making me want to throw the towel in, especially when I don't really think it would make any difference.

For months I've been saying "yes, I drink enough water", "yes, I take vitamins", etc. I know the plan, I follow the basic rules as a way of life, but since April, don't you think I'd be down more than 5 pounds? This is no plateau...this thing just aint workin' for me. I'm more and more convinced of that every day that I do well and get disappointed with no results in the end. I suppose I could be 30 pounds heavier the way I've been eating on LC, and that's something I always remind myself...these are real foods, no fake spray butter, or any other junk like that...makes me feel better!

Do you think that this long of LC'ing and really no progress to speak of is in keeping with that long-term mental shift? Or is it just something that I keep telling myself (I'm on the slow boat so I can have some of the things I like) when there really is no weight loss happening for me on this WOE?

Give me your wisdom so I can stop whipping myself