DISCOURAGEMENT

OK, yes, I've been a definite slacker lately. You've probably
been wondering where I've been. Well, I'll be honest with you --
I was wallowing in depression and low self-esteem.

TMI? Perhaps. But it kind of feels good to say (type). I
usually keep it all bottled up.

But if I've learned anything on this journey, it's that I am not
alone. I am not alone in how I feel about food or exercise, and
I am not alone in ANY of my feelings, including feeling bad when
I think I am failing.

However, I've decided by watching the world, that those who
"succeed" end up "failing" a lot along the way. The difference
between "winners" and "losers" is that the winners don't give up,
and the losers do.

Take Milton Hershey (of chocolate fame). He's earned and lost
more money than most of us dream of. He's had huge successes
and deep failures.
( http://www.ideafinder.com/history/inventors/hershey.htm )
But he kept trying and eventually succeeded...in a major, major
way!

So now I think about myself and my weight loss effort. I lost 6
pounds last month on Sensa. This month, not so good. I gained
some back, lost it, gained it back. I was sad and felt like a
horrible, weak person. But I kept trying. Now I am at -2 for
this month (with 9 more days to go). Not what I wanted, but
still negative, so I am going to take it and do my best NOT to be
discouraged.

And I am going to fully admit to myself (and you) that it has
been a lot harder this month. I feel like I am working so hard
to watch what I eat and not really getting the corresponding
benefit.

But there could be a lot of reasons for this. One being that I
do feel as if I am eating more than last month. One being that
you are always going to lose some at first because you are going
from no diet to SOME diet. One being that through the trials,
women tended to lose most of the weight later (after 3 full
months on the plan) rather than earlier in the plan.

But now we are going to start thinking more positively.
I am still eating LESS than I used to. I am still sticking with
this. And I am going to KEEP sticking with this. I made the
commitment for the full 6 months and I am going to keep it up.

In any case, it's not really worth giving up yet, is it? I'd
probably just go try another diet and it wouldn't work any
better. [How's that for reinforcement? ;-) ]