Itโs Week 11 of the first 2018 Low Carb Challenge, so weโre nearing the end and gearing up for a FUN spring challenge starting in mid April!
Note: Youโll find the Week Ten Weigh In inside the Facebook Challenge Group, or you can comment here on this post if youโre not participating in our Facebook group.
Donโt Put Your Health, or Your Weight Loss Goals on HOLD.
Youโll just regret it!
If you find yourself saying things like: Iโll start tomorrow, thereโs always next week, Iโm almost ready, I blew it so whatโs the point, I just donโt have the willpower, etc, etc etcโฆ
Stop it, already! ๐
Stop giving up, stop starting over, stop quitting on yourself, and STOP putting off what you KNOW you want.
Every day you wait, every bad choice, and every excuse you make for yourself just makes you feel worse. It makes you have less confidence and less willpower.
Each of those things turn into a REGRETโฆ and regrets suck.
Plus it just makes it take longer to get where you want to be in your life, and to turn into WHO you want to be.
So just cut it out already, and MAKE your life awesome! It wonโt happen with one choice or in one day. Nothing does, good or bad. Itโs all the little choices we make one hour after the other that shape us into who we are โ or who we want to be.
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Youโre not just โshaping your bodyโ with every decision you make (or donโt make). Youโre also shaping your mindset. You either turn yourself into a more confident, happier person with more motivation & willpowerโฆ or you continue allowing yourself to be a less confident, unhappy and unmotivated person.
A few weeks from now you will either be SO GLAD you made the choices you did, or you will be full of REGRETS for the choices you made. The same goes for a few months from now, and a few years from now.
Take a moment to think forward, and decide how you want to look and feel 90 days from nowโฆ The same? Better? Worse? Itโs totally up to you!
Thereโs no sense waiting or dragging it out.
You arenโt doing yourself any favors at all with that.
When you do get serious about your weight loss goals, and make that a priority โ youโll look back and ask yourself: โWhy didnโt I do this sooner?!โ โฆbecause the results feel AMAZING.
I canโt even put into words what THIS feels like for ME:
Do you know how long that took me?!
Too long. ๐ (YEARS!)
I got stuck on the โdieting roller coasterโ of self-sabotage, giving in, giving up, getting mad, getting back on track, falling back off track.
It was nonstop on/off in/out and it was totally maddening. It was consuming, whether I was high or low. Itโs all I thought about โ and it got OLD.
I finally got sick of being all wrapped up in my head about it, day in and day out. It can really suck you down the rabbit hole.
So one day I just decided to QUIT. I didnโt quit eating low carb or quit on my goals, I quit making it so HARD. Because the truth is: it isnโt. We tend to make it harder than it should be, but I discovered thatโs all so unnecessary.
One day out of the blue I just let it go, took a deep breath, and decided to LIVE MY LIFE. I woke up every day and chose to eat low carb for my health, and for my mental well being. I got more active, with a focus on having FUN instead of โexercising to lose weight.โ
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Dieting sucks. Itโs consuming, and you can get seriously obsessive about it. The day I stopped doing that was SO liberating! And guess what? The days turned into weeks that turned into months โ and the results have been SO much better since then!
Plus Iโm not driving myself totally batty all day every day anymore.:)
What Do You Do When You Reach Your Goal?
I get asked this all the time. I have not actually reached my own goal yet.
I weigh less than my original โweight loss goalโ but Iโve weighed less than this (by about 5 pounds last winter). Not now or then did I ever consider myself โdoneโ โ or consider going back to my old lifestyle. Iโm enjoying the โNew Meโ way too much!!
I still track my macros consistently and I pay attention to food quality and ingredients. Itโs become second nature for me at this point. Iโm aware when Iโm being too sedentary or getting too complacent. My overall health and quality of life have become a PRIORITY, and itโs something Iโm constantly improving.
Youโll discover that your weight loss goals turn into more of a health journey in the long run. Youโll change from someone who needs to lose weight, to someone who enjoys being and feeling healthy โ and youโll DESIRE anything that contributes to that feeling!
Youโll also discover that number on the scale that you give so much power and controlโฆ is not the bottom line. You can be โskinny fatโ or lean and out of shape. You can have more muscle and less body fat and actually weigh a little more.
I still have some body fat to lose, but I also have a lot of toning and strengthening to do. Throughout my own weight loss journey Iโve lost fat, gained muscle, lost muscle tone, and seen myself at the same weight but a totally different size and body composition. Itโs quite eye opening!
I donโt think you ever really reach your goal. You simply transform into someone with a totally different mindset, and on ongoing goal of being your happiest healthiest self. ๐
Iโm not done yet!
While I can pull off a great photo (with Spanx on! lol) and I am VERY proud of myself for what I have accomplished so far โ and for sticking with it โ I am nowhere near done. I still have so much I want to accomplish, and so many ways I want to improve myself and my health โ and my overall body composition.
I feel SO good about taking control of my health & weight loss, and finally getting over the hump with tough stuff like emotional overeating and binge eating. I love the person I have becomeโฆ so far.
I wrote this for me, as much as you.
I wrote this as much FROM my personal experience so far, as I did FOR myself where I am in my own weight loss journey at the moment.
Iโm somewhere between looking back and looking forward. Iโm still working on practicing self-love and self-acceptance every single day. Iโm still working toward being my healthiest, leanest, strongest self. Iโm still working through regrets for not getting back to my workoutsโฆ
Right now Iโm coming out of a โcomfortable phaseโ where I did find myself getting a little too complacent again. I caught myself though, and decided to get seriously refocused on my overall health โ and also get back to my toning & core strength goals. (I want to feel STRONG inside and out!)
In my next post Iโll give you some things to consider (and test/try!) if you are not losing weight, or seem to be struggling with any real weight loss progress โ because thatโs MY issue lately, so Iโll share how Iโm dealing with it, and what Iโm doing about it.
Keep an eye out for that, and make sure youโre signed up by email so youโll get it right in your inbox as soon as itโs published. ๐
In the meantime, read this next: Weight Loss Motivation: Staying on Track & Sticking to Your Goals -or read it again, if you have already!;)
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How are things going with you this week?
Donโt forget to weigh-in here, or in your comment belowโฆ
Leave a comment and letโs chat!:)
I really hope something in this note spoke to you today, depending on where you are with your goals and what you need most to get to the next rung on your own ladder. Weโre all at our own place, but weโre in this togetherโฆ *cheers*
Best,
Lynn Terry,
aka @LowCarbTraveler
p.s. The Low Carb Waffle Recipe I shared a few days ago also makes DELICIOUS low carb muffins and pancakes. ๐
You can use ANY nut butter in this recipe, but the best Iโve tried so far are the delicious flavored nut butters from Legendary Foods. Specifically: Apple Pie, Blueberry Cinnamon Bun and Pecan Pie Almond Butter. See Legendary Foods and use code LOWCARBTRAVELER for our special discount. ENJOY!
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Discount Code: LOWCARBTRAVELER
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I am really stuck in a rut. Have not lot a single pound since Christmas. Actually I have gained 5 lbs. Still tracking food but I have a hard time feeling satisfied In The evening. Need help
Hi Susan,
Are you tracking fat as well as net carbs, and doing 20 net carbs max and 70% fat consistently?
Iโm happy to help! ๐
How much weight do you need to lose?
If you are using any bars or products, try cutting those out for two weeks. Limit nuts, cheese & cream cheese too and eat super simple โ just 2-3 ingredients per plate, mostly meat & greens + healthy fats.
Iโm in the process of trying to figure out MY culprits, so stay tuned for my next post too โ because Iโll be discussing that in more detail. ๐
THANK YOU for this today!! I love that you are REAL with us, and you get it. Iโve been in the same rut for a long time.I really need to work on changing my thinking. Thank you for inspiring and encouraging us every day โค
Thank you, Debbie โ Iโm so glad this spoke to you (too!). ๐ What rut have you been stuck in exactly, and WHY do you think that is? Letโs discuss!
Hi Lynn!! Thanks for responding mostly the rut is the weekend! I cheat one time every single weekend and while I know I need to get my mind changed . In having trouble changing my thinking. Iโm 59, and have already lost 50#bit have another 20 to go. How can I keep focused on the weekend??
Congrats on losing FIFTY pounds already!! ๐
So is this weekend thing something you now look forward to (and expect, and plan for) โ ?
And does this mean you have to go through keto flu all over again every single week??
HI Lynn, You look awesome. What a beautiful lady you are. You are such an inspiration. I love your information and views on everything. Thank you for being so encouraging . I think I work way to hard at it, thatโs my problem. I prepare the right foods ,count then check macros etc. It is so frustrating for 6 months no inches lost up 2-4 pound ,then down 2 then up 3. You know the drill. Check my inches and nothing and Iโm in the same clothes etc.. So now I will try to back off a little. LOL.. It would be easier if I didnโt have such a long way to go. But I will try not to stress as much and see how it goes. Thanks Again for the motivation Lynn.
Thank you so much, Maryana ๐ My body has changed SO much over the last couple of years, and I do LOVE it so much more now. It has REALLY improved my self-image and self-confidence. Itโs still a little shocking when I go to put on a favorite dress or a favorite pair of jeans โ and they just sag on me. ๐
I totally get that โ the discouragement and frustration.
I do track daily, itโs become second nature for me, but I am no longer obsessive about it all. My own weight has been fluctuating between five pounds for the last three straight months โ and Iโm ready to figure out whatโs holding me back from losing my last few pounds.
Even with more to go to reach your goal, I think youโll benefit from my next post, because Iโm going to share what Iโm testing and how Iโm exploring potential culprits โ and things to try to get out of a true stall or plateau. ๐ Stay tuned for that!
Thanks for this great article Lynn. I think we all need to have some encouragement to refocus on our goals. Especially this time of the year its winter we feel blah donโt want to exercise the weather is cold and we find we want to turn to our old habits for comfort. Well I think you know what I mean. Your a huge inspiration thanks for always keeping it real we all have our struggles and its good to know we are not alone.
I ordered the Know pancake mix when they had them buy one get one a few weeks ago. Can you offer any insight on this product. I figured it was BOGO what did I have to lose. So am waiting for it to be delivered probably sometime today. Love the product reviews you share with us:)
Have a wonderful day:)
Hi Cyndy,
I didnโt really like the KNOW Pancake Mix. I found it to be more like buckwheat pancakes vs the more traditional buttermilk pancakes. Theyโre more grainy than fluffy.
My favorite low carb pancake mix (and best mix / best value) is New Hope Mills. See: http://www.travelinglowcarb.com/14046/low-carb-pancakes/
But lately Iโve been making pancakes with nut butters, which has been FUN. ๐ See that recipe at: http://www.travelinglowcarb.com/20695/low-carb-waffle-recipe/ That recipe makes great waffles, muffins AND pancakes!
When you say โturn to our old habits for comfortโ โ I would love to hear more about what that means to you! ๐ I think I have forgotten my โold habitsโ maybe lol.
I do know I didnโt want cold shakes or cold salads as much, but warm drinks & meals. Thatโs why I started making the โhot coffee keto shakesโ (BPC style, but creamy & delicious!) and more hot dinners โ but all super low carb of course.
But yes, Iโve definitely been more sedentary with the cold weather and less daylight, so Iโm anxious to get active again now that Spring is coming! ๐
Thanks for the pep talk- I need it to stick in my brain! I am the starter and stopper on the weight loss journey. Need to keep it going
Hi Cathy! What do you feel causes you to โstopโ โ and why do you keep starting back? ๐
Oh itโs like you read my mind! On and off, stop and go, finding excuses and reasons to give up and never making myself a priority! It is encouraging to know that itโs not just me! Thank you Lynn
Hi Jeannette,
What are your โbestโ ๐ reasons and excuses? I would love to discuss this more! I have been thinking back a lot lately to when I was on that roller coaster myself, and the WHY behind each stop/start โ but would love to hear from others on it too. I think it will help us all really THINK about our reasons.
I finally decided I wanted to find out what it would FEEL like to be lean and to be happier with myself โ instead of always uncomfortable and UNhappy with myself. (it was worth it!!)
Great post. I just returned from a 3 week cruise which included unlimited food and alcohol and I didnโt gain a pound! I stuck to all the low carb foods available and never felt deprived. Love this way of eating.
Way to go, Denise! Thatโs awesome, and so powerful and encouraging. ๐ I am so glad you shared that here! There are such great low carb foods to ENJOY anywhere we go, and like you โ I never feel deprived with all the great options out & about or on the go. I love hearing someone else say that, though!!
You donโt know how much I needed to hear this today. Lately Iโve been swiping a few fries (with ketchup) off my husbandโs plate or eating the Hersheyโs minatures our manager brought us or eating pastries at the ladiesโ luncheon. My ultimate goal is 140. I hover somewhere between 147 and 153 and have been there for the last several months. I set a mini goal of 145 by Easter and had done well for a while but have been off track again. Itโs time to get serious.
I get that Stephanie, what seems like such a little thing (a bite here and there) has always been a slippery slope for me personally. Itโs too easy to say โIโve messed it up for today so I might as well eat everything in sight.โ lol ๐ ugh! I remember those days well โ thatโs exactly how I got stuck at a higher weight for so long.
I love that you have a short-term mini goal. ๐ That REALLY helps with focus, and I find it gives me a very tangible timeline and strong mindset when I do that. Hereโs to achieving that goal!! *cheers*
I needed this today! I keep saying Iโll start again tomorrow, or next week, or even next month. I think I do make it harder than it has to be so I will stop that today. Today I will commit to getting healthy physically and mentally!! Thanks for always being motivational and honest.
Thatโs awesome, Beth โ I love hearing that!! The word TODAY is so important. The moment weโre actually living in is the ONLY one that counts. The choices we make right nowโฆ are what create our next โtoday!โ ๐
Iโm really glad to hear youโre taking the reigns and pointing your life in the direction you WANT it to go. ๐ Hereโs to a GREAT year, with amazing results!! *cheers*
When does the next 90 day challenge start or should I just sign up for the one going on now
Hi Babe ๐
Itโll be a couple of weeks before the next challenge starts, so my advice: sign up now and get a head start! Itโs free to join, and I eat low carb every day โ so youโll be in good company with all of us here before the next big official challenge begins in early April. ๐ Welcome!
Lynn.. I have been on again off again with the lchf woe for a few years now. Iโve decided to jump whole heartedly back on. My life depends on it! I donโt have a ton to loose, @30lbs , but those are the toughest. I lost a lot in the past (100lbs) and kept it off but need to keep going. My question is how do you set up your macros on my fitness pal? And what % do you put in fat/protein/carb? Thanks so much.
Hi Lisa,
I agree, the last 10-30 pounds are the MOST challenging. ๐ Fortunately by the time you get to that point, you have more resolve and commitment โ and confidence and willpower!
You want to do 20 net carbs max and 70% fat minimum. You also want to limit protein to 25% max of your total daily calories, but the protein pretty much takes care of itself if you do the 20/70 and keep it that simple.
Hereโs how I have my Myfitnesspal account set up: http://www.travelinglowcarb.com/4448/myfitnesspal-hack/ I use the free version of MFP with that free plugin. Easy! ๐