I am so scared of failing

[turkkm]

Thanks for the comments Little Princess! Good point...God knows what  I should weigh.  I guess I will shoot for about a 40 pound loss and see as I near that if that's where I want to be.  I can't really use my clothes a gauge of what size I should be because I have a range of sizes.  Time will tell.  To everyone who posted here and is feeling some fear too, we can do this!  

[Gemini the Younger]

turkkm,

I am just as guilty of this as anyone, but I swear I think we all place too much emphasis on numbers!  I mean seriously, if my clothes are fitting me and I'm feeling healthy and able to move and have all sorts of energy, I shouldn't be so concerned with a number. 

You are so clued in, Little Princess...when you write about the numbers our nemesis, The SCALE, throws in our face to undermine our progress (and how ultimately unimportant those numbers are in our journey to the skinny city.)

Too many of us worship at the altar of the SCALE.  Consider the ceremonial way that most of us weigh in. Usually in the early morning, while the earth still slumbers between moon and sun, we creep into our bathrooms after a night of fasting. We reverently and somewhat fearfully acknowledge the SCALE, ritualistically drop our robes, lighten ourselves further in the great porcelain vessel, then step up and stand just so on the back of the beast.  And then with all the calm of a martyr facing the lions we wait for the verdict that determines how our day will go.

If our weight is down we're up.  If it is up we're down. I had fallen so deeply under the spell of the SCALE that I used two scales--one electronic, the other spring--then averaged their totals!  One morning--my only excuse is that I must have been light headed and drugged from a steaming early morning shower with potent lavender soap--I actually put one foot on the electronic scale and the other on the Health-O-Meter and tried to weigh using them both simultaneously. Unhappily, the floor was damp, the scales slid apart, and I can now tell any LDLer who is interested exactly how a turkey wishbone feels after Thanksiving dinner.    (I will not, however, tell you what I wished for...)

That was it for me. Right then I issued a challenge to myself. Henceforth I would weigh once a week (and on one scale only!) I would focus on listening to my body, letting it tell me whether I was meeting my goals (and following God's plans for me,) by learning to assess my moods and emotions, my sense of inner peace and wellness, my level of energy and focus, my self-satisfaction and spirit of being, the fit of my clothes, even my shoes and rings. In other words, I would learn to rely on the way I felt and not the numbers on a SCALE to measure my progress.  I realized that if I felt great overall then my diet was a success and my weight would drop in its own good time. I finally understood that effecting a life style change (and not just a physical change) required a life time commitment, a commitment that I was now eager and able to make. (Please remind me I wrote this at some future date when I am whining and crying and slinging snot because I am hung up on a big time plateau and I want to drop more pounds NOW!)

Now whenever I am tempted to sneak too frequent peaks at my progress I remind myself that the SCALE is simply a weight loss tool and that like any tool, it is how well it is used that makes it valuable, not how often.  (I am pep talking myself, of course, but it helps me feel a smidge less crazy if I share my thoughts with you.)

[LittlePrincess]

Gemini,

*Hugs*  I threw my scale in the back of my closet and I haven't stepped on it in ages.  I go once a month to the doctors office to be weighed.  And I honestly only do that so that I have an official record of my weight loss.  One day I'm going to write a book and I will need it. 

You're completely right about how crazy the scales can make us.  Slowly but surely I'm being set free of that monster as well.  It's just a number.  I'm so much more than that. 

(In Faith)  LP

[turkkm]

Gemini, I am feeling a smidgen less crazy too just from reading your post.  Good pep talk!

Little Princess, i can't throw my scales in the back of my closet...there is no room.  I can tell I am nearing summer break from school, because every closet is jammed to the top with stuff and its time to start my summer cleaning and organizing.

[electricj1316]

Kathie could you come to my house too!!! 

Tina

[Gemini the Younger]

Kathie could you come to my house too!!! 

Tina

Hey, Tina...start a list...Kathie's house, your house, my house...

[electricj1316]

Sounds good to me, what do you think Kathie? 

Tina

[totisguy]

I also posted something similar this evening where I blamed fear of failure for keeping me from getting started on LDL.  It's clear to me from all the activity on these boards that there are lots and lots of newbies like us joining right now.  It feels like I'm part of a new class of college freshman all nervous about how hard it's going to be earn our LDL "degree."  Very corny comparison I know.  But I look forward to sharing my progress once I get rolling and hearing the same from everyone else.  Since I only learned about LDL a couple weeks ago, I was surprised to see messages on this site going back to 2003 (maybe further?).  For me, that's a pretty solid indicator that this plan has worked for lots of ordinary folks.  Now, I'm more afraid of what will happen to my health if I don't give this a chance.

[electricj1316]

Totisguy,

I love what you said in the last line of your post! That is so amazing! I am glad that you have come so far from what you posted yesterday! Your getting there!! 

Tina

[Jazmyn]

Gemini ~ What an amazing post. Thank you for your words...I can totally relate to what you said. And the way you said it? Are you a writer (well you ARE a writer!) but you should be writing for a living if you are not already. I love reading your posts.

I too fight the issue of the scale, and have not overcome it...YET. Your post made me think about it and I appreciate that.

Yes I want on the cleaning out the closet list too please! Sign me up! 

~Jazmyn  [i][color=purple][/i][/color]

[EnJae]

totisguy wrote:
"Very corny comparison I know."

Now THAT'S LDL!

[t-rock]

I have not recieved my book yet, but already I am scared to death to start a new diet and fail. I want to lose wait, but I am scared to try again. I am tired of being overweight and tired of always feeling tired and bogged down. Is this diet very hard to follow and will I learn to enjoy it? So many times when your on a diet you fell sufficated. Please tell me I can do it.  Thank You

I guess the question I would ask is, what do you have to lose ?  And so what if you make a mistake?  It sounds like you have made a decision just by ordering the book and posting on a board, that you are "all in".    I have only been on this board for a week but I feel very much like this is possible.  Nike says "just do it".  adidas says "impossible is nothing".  When you think that your ideal weight is impossible, remember that.  BELIEVE.

Peace.

Tiss

[turkkm]

I would love to come to everybody's house...but you might be dissappointed in how I clean. 

[electricj1316]

Kathie, somehow I don't think that's the truth! I'll bet your a great house cleaner!! 

Tina

[Gemini the Younger]

Thank you for your kind words...I'm not a professional writer but I love words.  Which is my polite way of admitting that I'm a bigmouth.   My family often calls me the Mouth of the South.    If you catch me climbing up on my soapbox too often,  just pelt me with a hail of over ripe veggies and there will be peace in the valley once again.  (And I'll have collected the makings for a big kettle of Stone Soup. )

[Jazmyn]

Stone soup is such a wonderful story! I hadn't thought about that in a long time. Thank you for bringing back good memories 

We are all so afraid of failing, we have all been down a thousand roads that have left us feeling miserable in the end. This WOE IS different, you can just feel the difference. When I did atkins, it worked yes..but it never felt like I was doing the right thing. And in the end, I wasn't. The kidney stones and the hospital stays made that very very clear. After almost 2 weeks of LDL I cannot express how good I feel. With the support of the wonderful people here mixed in with faith and trust how can we fail? Everyday is full of new discoveries and if we work our plans, this journey will be one we don't want to miss.

Wishing everyone strength and happiness and many personal victories 

~Jazmyn 

[julie409]

There is a great book out called "Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway".      Just thinking of the title helps me get through those moments when I feel paralyzed by Fear.  It's ok to be afraid - you don't know what to expect and have tried countless other plans. Most of us have. I know I have tried it all and have felt disgusted with myself for not being able to stick with it. Not to mention how badly I feel every day from the extra weight and more importantly - from not giving my body what it needs.

I am new as well; but only a fews day in, I can see this is different. You can see by the number of people who responded to you that the support is abundant and loving. Also on the second day, all my cravings disappeared!  They just vanished!  This is truly a miracle. I have already lost 6 lbs and a few inches off my waist and can fit into pants that didn't fit at all last week.

SO what have you got to lose? Rather I should ask  "What can you gain?" You can have a trimmer, fitter body --- meet new friends---fit better in your clothes---have more energy---make your body happy! You can come out of the shadows. I spend so much time and energy layering my clothes and trying to hide my body. It's exhausting! The time will pass anyway so commit to the plan and let it work. I think you are already there but needed a hug 

Read the success stories for inspiration and make sure you go shopping so you have the right foods on hand.

I wish you much success and will look forward to reading about your success as you continue.

Julie 

[turkkm]

Julie,

You have made some very good points in your post.  That book sounds interesting.  I believe, if you feel fear at starting something new, fear of failure, etc, but do it anyway, you will also be freed from that fear. 

I kept thinking as I started this, what do I have to lose?  However, the flip side, what do you have to gain is a better way of looking at things.  I have better health to look forward to, being comfortable in my clothes, more energy, and freedom from the fear of having the health problems my parents have had. 

Your post to help someone else, helped me.  I find thats the way it is around here.  So, I read all over these boards and reap the wise words meant for others for my own benefit as well. 

[julie409]

HI Kathie,

You have blessed my day  Thank you!

BTW, I love your ticker and it looks like you are off to a great start.

Julie

[a new me]

I have failed at every diet I have tried. This one is the best. Dont worry about failing. We really only fail when we fail to try. I finally feel like i have found a way I can eat for the rest of my life with out being in constant torture.I have a long ways to go but I feel very confident I will make it now. You will make it also. Stay conected to the people on these boards, they are priceless and we have all been in the same boat. Relax your about to become very suprised at how easy this is to follow. Try the recipies on the boards they are great. try to make something off the boards every week so you never get board. The soups are very helpful/ Keep us posted on your progress.