I Need Help, I Don't Know How To Start, I Lack Motivation :(

[Doug Varrieur]

I received a note yesterday from a reader who can't get off the starting line. Each of us has been there, facing that scary thing called change. And it is scary' in my book THE CHERRY TREE I write;
 
Don't be afraid. Change is Good    

"For most people change is uncomfortable. We get used to our groove. It's like an old shoe or that really comfortable shirt. The unknown may be better but it's the unknown and the unknown naturally scares most people. To be afraid of the unknown is natural.  It's alright; don't be afraid of the fear. Change is healthy and will be good for you."  I also write;

The toughest part about getting it done is getting it started!

" It couldn't be truer! Talk, talk, talk, talk…. Quit talking about it and do something about it.  Take action, wait no more. Once you've begun, the hardest part's behind you. It makes no difference what it is. Whether it's a project, quitting smoking, losing weight, whatever it is, get it started today and before you know it…… it will be done."

My advice to anyone stuck on the starting line is to first find a reason to begin. Why do you want to lose weight and get healthy. Is it because you want to see your grandchildren grow up? Is it because you don't want to be a burden on your spouse and family as you become ill? Is it because your body is a temple and you realize you're abusing this gift?  In my case I just simply had it with being FAT and ill...I did it for me, just that simple. I made the decision to be completely selfish and do this for myself. I changed everybodies eating habits in my home. Family, friends, guests all ate what I cooked....period. If they didn't like it they could go to a restaurant. This was my time, I made a decision and I wasn't going back.

Once the decision was made the rest was easy. I cleaned out my house of all the foods and drinks that contained carbs and began fresh and you know what......IT WAS A BLAST. I felt like a kid in a candy store discovering all these new and wonderful things.

For me, doing this "for me" was the answer.

Do you have any advice for the beginner who can't put that first step forward? Share your secret of how you began so we can help this reader get started.

[katary]

  my advice....throw yourself into it!!!! become part of it!!!! participate in the forum....help yourself and everyone else...I've NEVER been so excited about losing weight...experiment.....live it>>> once you start getting your energy back,do something you haven't done for years..like ride a bike...next week we are planning on going on a canoe trip, or even just get off the couch!!!!  >>> and i made this picture of my fatness my wallpaper & screensaver on my computer so i wouldnt 4get my reason!!!>>sorry but its true .. and looking at it now has me out the door for a walk w/my partner in crime(see below)!!
****case and point!!! b4 i started the FAT TO SKINNY program on the rare occasion that i did take my big sweet pup for a walk,at most it was a block or 2,if i looked out the window and saw it was pouring down i rain, i looked at her and said "sorry no walk today">>today i looked out and saw it was pouring down rain and looked at her and said"looks like we are getting wet" and boy did we ever!!!! but it was very refreshing, and todays walk was 2.3 miles(i drove the car the route we walked and thats what it came out to be!!!!>> BABY STEPS it takes time!!

[umpa]

Ask doug about his Portesy Canoe trip.....its very funny!

[beebs]

I didn't even think about it. I just said I'm doing this and started the next day. The first couple days was hard, I kept forgetting myself. Like putting regular ketchup on my jicama, but after a little bit it got so much easier.

[travelus]

Hi, I hope this well help and make it easy for you to get started. What I did was got my army daughter involve  because she need to lose a lot of weight and she have school starting in Sept. And she need to be fit. I just won my disability case last year Sarcoid which is no cure, Fibromyalgia no cure, my blood pressure is not control since 2003. I became Diabetic after take med. I feel that this is the easiest way to lose weight and eat. I have loss 8 pounds and my daughter lose 6 so far but she told me today that she have been still eating larger serving size. So I remind her she is to eat no more then 20 carb per day. Last week I saw 4 different doctors and this week 2 different doc, that show you how ill I'm. Doug have did something that no one else have done he have put together  the right code for us to lose weight with out going to the gym, or walking. Doug have given us the secret of success in his book! Where other people leave things out. This is my first time trying to lose weight  and I'm loving it, so easy. I'm able to keep my diabetes between 85  - 120 which is great. It is easy to do when you fine someone to do it with you. My daughter has put her whole house on the diet change. I see every month 3  - 4 different doc that shows you how ill I'm. But I do anything to better my health. One of my big time heart doc told me last year to start walking he felt that nothing was wrong with me but lose a little weight. And he work at Duke ,hospital  NC.  He also stated that he did not want to see me anymore  unless I was walking.   So far doing what Doug stated in the book work. I saw my lung doc at duke in march and my stomach doc in may of this year. I was happy to see my weight had drop a lot. And the way Duke hospital work all info is in the PC so all your doc can know what the other doc did or said about you. So when I see my heart doc later in the year he well see I lost weight and not from exercising. I well tell him about Doug book and how it is helping me and many more people. The best way to do it is just jump right in and start doing it. Thanks for letting me share.

[umpa]

Travelus we are here to help,if I can please let me know.You should be very proud of yourself for taking control of your health problems!Most people give up!

[Cyndi]

Nice to meet you travelus~ Thank you for sharing your story! Very encouraging indeed! Lord bless you~~

Cyndi

[Ann]

 Hello Doug,
I first saw you on CBN and then I bought your book. I have been for the most part at 20 carbs per day. I must admit I haven't lost much. I began on March 1 on the Atkins low carb and stayed true to it but did not lose any weight. Yes my blood sugar was very good. (I check first thing in the morning and last before bed as per my doctor.) now I am checking my blood sugar 2 hours after a meal and for the most part I am 101. I really would like to get it between the 70-100 range. My energy is not so great. Last month my doctor put me on a Candida diet. I am taking Nystatin daily as well as my Thyroid Rx and progesterone. I will be 56 next month and have already gone through menopause.

I listened to a podcast with Dr Rosedale and he said that one should minimize the saturated fats like bacon, or pork chops or even butter for the first couple of weeks to get the body burning the saturated fats on ones cells.
So much information and between the Atkins and other Low Carb books I have read I have still not lost any weight.

My body feels bloated and fat.

What do you suggest?

PS. I have been checking the ketostix and sometimes I read in the Trace and sometimes nothing.

[Doug Varrieur]

Hi Ann, lets start with pencil and paper. For the next week I want you to write down EVERYTHING that passes your lips including portion sizes, except water. Then I want you to post it all so we can analyze it. We'll get to the bottom of it. I also want you to let us know the potential side effects of your meds.

[izzet]

Personally, I saw this on the 700 club and just knew it was the right program for me.   I knew it wasn't something to wait on especially after I saw Doug's demonstration about how much sugar we consume in a meal and a day. I was absolutely disgusted...that did it for me...I knew I was a sugar addict. I immediately went shopping on line for the book then cleaned out my kitchen (2 garbage bags full and 1 to donate) and then shopping for the food as soon as I knew the guidelines.  

I was sick and tired of always being sick and tired both physically, mentally as well as emotionally. I didn't want to even get up in the morning because it was too much work.  My husband is a nature lover and we hike, bike and camp except I feel I drag him down because i can't keep up at his pace.  Then he was walking a lot at his job and lost 20lbs.  I wanted to be fit and feel healthy, too, and "sexy" again which I haven't since a couple of months after we got married. I packed on over 25lbs of marriage weight on top of the weight I gained working in an office and pigging out on sugary snacks and baked goods.  I had a wicked sweet tooth.  Just a few days after getting off the sugar I had some major changes in my mood and emotional state.  I was happy for a week (still am)!  I was excited to get up and see the changes in my weight and my body...inches started coming off which is the biggest boost for me more so than the weight.  I can't wait until I really loose a chunk of that disgusting fat and get to go shopping for the "cute" clothes that smaller women wear instead of clothes that look like something my mother or grandmother would wear. lol

So, don't wait for a good reason...your health is the best and most important reason. Start today and just imagine how good you are going to feel in just a matter of days.

[umpa]

Isn't it amazing when we are honestly looking for answers they come to us.I applaud you Izzet, you will succeed!

[izzet]

Thanks Umpa...this forum is a tremendous help and support for me.  You all feel like family and so great to be able to get answers.  I am hooked and when I see food commercials especially for fast food I feel nauseated and think Yuck...I remember how yucky I use to feel after eating that junk!  I think that's a good sign. lol

God bless you and Doug for all you do to help us get healthy!

Hugs!

[nora]

Hello ! your comments have been very helpful. this is my third time trying fts and because the physical symptoms of getting off sugar I kept falling off but not this time so far its my 3rd day and im feeling good still feel a little headache and tired sometimes nausea, but also realize im not the only one so reading your post have given me hope. Thanks so much Doug for all the help I got on registering. one of the problems Im having is finding the gg bread and all the goodies that I hear about I live in Costa Mesa CA. I really want to do this I owe it to myself.

Thanks

[joagain]

Sept 20th was my 3rd time starting also & we do owe it to ourselves . Dont let the scale or the withdrawls tell you to forget it My withdrawls stoped about the 5th day & you will not believe how you feel . What I dd wrong the first 2 times was the 20 carbs I ate a day were empty carbs not healthy carbs like veggies .  I finally got it    Sometimes I am a little slow . LOL

[Doug Varrieur]

We buy our GG from the internet by the case lot....don't like to run out I believe that Whole Foods will start carrying GG in CA this month, you may want to check with them. In the meantime here's the web site- http://brancrispbread.com/