Getting through the struggles!

So sorry for the lack of communication. I too have been struggling. Mike and I are going through some tough finacial problems right now and so I eat to ease the stress (at least I am not yelling at him right?) so I don't know if advice from me is very good. I do know that in order to keep the weight off after hcg (I am not on right now either) we need to concentrate on eating balanced meals and supplementing with shakes (like slim fast or something) is a good idea too. I know a lady that switched from hcg to eating lean cuisines and exercising and she does pretty well keeping it off. It is mainly about portion control and getting your water in (which I have not been doing). Make small goals--like "today I am going to drink all my water" or "today is going to be a sugar free day". I think we tend to make big goals like "I am going to be good all week" and then when we mess up we say "oh, well maybe next week" and the rest of the week is a wasteland of cheating. I know when I do daily goals I do way better than long term goals. I also look at it like everyday is a new day "with no mistakes in it" like Anne Shirley says. My brother-in-law also tells me (he is a personal trainer) that I need to put a piece of paper with the words "YOU CAN DO IT" on my bathroom mirror and every morning tell yourself that you can do this. The power of positive thinking is a huge thing. I hope this helps. Just writing it has inspired me.

Also, as you start your meal, first observe how much you're putting on your plate and what you're putting on your plate. Are there more vegetables, starchs (Carbs), protein? Then when you have finished your meal and are thinking of getting more ask yourself: DO I REALLY NEED TO EAT MORE? Think postive, sometimes that is hard to do (especially with sooo much going on in our lives), but a postive aspect will help. I remember in a Relief Society class the teacher mentioned something about a companion who didn't have much self esteem and didn't like how she looked. BUT every morning she would get up and she would look in the mirror and say one postive thing to herself like: "I have great teeth today! or My butt looks really well in this skirt! or I have a pretty smile!" among other thoughts. This companion would chant it over and over all through out the day, but it helped her get through the difficult parts of the day.

When doing a task be conscious of having your stomach muscles tight, good form, intensity in what it is your doing whether it be vacuuming, washing dishes, walking the aisles of a grocery store.

I'll let you into the secret. It is nothing really difficult if you only begin. Some people contemplate a task until it looks so big it seems impossible, but I just begin and it gets done somehow. --quote from dad's book. Let's just begin as mentioned earlier on the smaller goals and not contemplate the bigger ones as much.

Somebody said that it couldn't be done
But he, with a chuckle, replied
That "maybe it couldn't," but he would be one
Who wouldn't say so till he'd tried.
So he buckled right in, with a trace of grin
On his face. If he worried he hid it.
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
That couldn't be done, and HE DID IT.

Somebody scoffed: "Oh, you'll never do that;
At least no on ever has done it."
But he took off his coat and he took off his hat
And the first thing we knew he'd begun it.
With the lift of his chin, and a bit of a grin
Without any doubting or quitting
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
That couldn't be done and HE DID IT.

There are thousands to tell you it can't be done
There are thousands to prophesy failure;
There are thousands to enumerate, one by one,
The dangers that wait to assail you;
But just buckle in with a bit of a grin,
Then tack off your coat and go to it.
Just start in to sing as you tackle the thing
That cannot be done, and YOU'LL DO IT!
--------Edgar Guest

BE POSTIVE! YOU CAN DO ANYTHING YOU SET YOU'RE MIND TO! TAKE IT ONE STEP AT A TIME!