From: Tamara Shaffer <SASTLS@mvs.sas.com>
Subject: Re: Amazed...
Date: Tue, 8 Sep 1992 14:34:00 GMT
Organization: SAS Institute Inc.

>From: ospahic@ddsw1.mcs.com (Olga Spahic)
>Subject: Amazed...
>
>After spending the past few months getting familiar with Usenet and
>reading all sorts of newsgroups, I happened to stumble upon this one
>a few weeks ago and I am truly amazed at the caliber of people
>that participate...
>
>There are no insults or flames... EVERYone is so supportive and
>so incredibly nice!!!! =)
 
Well, I guess we've been behaving. :)  Welcome to the group!
 
>I'm obviously reading the group for a reason...
>My family is supposedly on a diet... we have eliminated excessive
>sweets and snacks, and... our BIG problem - bread.
 
Bread?  It's really not that bad -- it's the butter and margarine
and whatever else (cheese, mayo) you might put on it that makes it
so bad.  Get some good whole grains and cut out the fats that you
might usually add, and enjoy!  Deprivation is an ugly thing.
 
>For me, however, it's been difficult to get motivated and actually
>think positively about this whole thing.... I've been on diets before,
>but it was always much easier because I was usually leading a more
>structured life.  Right now I am in the transition between college
>and a permanent job... and I keep hoping that once I get a job and
>get going, the diet and fitness regime will fall in place.
 
I don't think any one thing (getting a job) will change your lifestyle
so much, from the mental angle anyway.  You are doing well to think
positively -- that'll make a big difference.  Maybe you could try
to think of this as a "better lifestyle" (for your health as well
as your appearance/weight) rather than a "diet".  I think "diet"
is a temporary thing.  As for the motivation, think how you want to
feel and how you want to look, and then as you make progress (take
your own measurements and keep a log of them) reward yourself! (NOT
with sweets and other fatty foods, but with videos, or a piece of
clothing, or a new CD, etc.)  This works for me.  And those days
that I really don't feel like exercising (it's been happening a
LOT lately), I ask myself if I will feel better if I DO, or if I
DON'T -- I know I'll feel better if I do.  The same goes for those
sweet/fat cravings -- "It's okay, I can have it some OTHER time."
"Will I feel better (about me) if I eat it, or if I don't?"  If
I ask myself these questions and answer them honestly, I usually
end up doing what is better for me.  (exercising and eating well)
Sometimes not. :)  I am struggling to ask myself these questions --
for me, the hardest part is recognizing when I'm just eating for
the sake of eating (no hunger).  It is definitely a change in
my lifestyle, rather than a diet.
 
>After the recent economic news, this may not happen for a while...
>so I'm afraid that if I don't get motivated soon... I'll really
>become a blimp!
 
Take it day by day.  That seems to help so much.  Otherwise, you
are looking at a mountainous task!  Day by day...
 
>Does anyone have any suggestions on how to motivate oneself?
>Personal stories will do fine... I guess I need some sort
>of encouragement... or something to help me get going...
 
Hope this helped.
 
>Thanks for being such a wonderful group of people!  =)
 
:)  Welcome.
 
>os
 
TAMARA
Newsgroups: alt.support.diet