Tips for managing negative feelings (frustration, discouragement, etc.)

[Nepenthe33]

Hello, fellow "Cohenites" -- my fellow Cohen "enrollees" and the already successful "graduates," as well as those of you not actually on the Program but wholeheartedly support those of us who are!

Although I have been faithfully abiding by my Personalized Eating Plan to the best of my ability for the past four months and three weeks now (my Week 20 weigh-in is in less than a week), as well as occasionally lurking around the forum and reading your countless inspiring and encouraging posts in the silent safety of anonymity, this is my first-ever time to finally emerge from the shadows and join all of you in posting messages.

After having read of your experiences, your tried-and-tested tips and tricks for "staying alive" in the Cohen program and, best of all, your incredible and truly inspirational success stories and transformations all throughout your respective Cohen journeys, I realized that as my fellow Cohenites, you must also somehow understand what I myself have been experiencing for the past four, almost five, months on the Program.

On my first day on the Program, I was at the absolute heaviest weight I have ever been in my life: at 216.5 lbs. (98.2 kgs.). At that time, it came as a huge, shocking blow to me that according to Dr. Cohen's formula, my goal weight is EXACTLY HALF of my starting weight: 108 lbs. (49 kgs.). Given just how FAR AWAY my start weight was from my goal weight, I was initially... well, intimidated... by the idea of eventually shedding all those pounds. (After all, the last time that I weighed 108 lbs. or 49 kgs. was when I was in the fourth grade -- at age ten!) I simply could not shake off the idea of just how CHALLENGING my goal weight is. (Half my start weight! I have to lose "half of me"! )

Still, as time passed, I grew less and less "intimidated" by how much I had to lose, and instead more and more HOPEFUL for the future. Now that I've been modifying my entire (formerly sedentary -- exercise-less, sleepless) lifestyle to follow the Program as best I can -- in fact, I am very happy to share with you that I have committed a grand total of zero deviations (that I know of, anyway) throughout my run so far -- according to my consultant, I am now more than halfway "done" with the Program. (But of course, there are still the Refeeding Program and Maintenance Guidelines to keep in mind...)

As I type this, I (still) look forward to finally reaching my goal weight, and am very determined to reach it in due time. However, I must confess: I still sometimes fall prey to "vulnerable" moments. There have been times when I feared that I may be "losing my excess weight too slowly" -- or that "the Program is taking nigh forever to work for me" -- or I may be "deviating from the Program without even knowing it," which may be why "it's taking so long" -- and other negative thoughts along those lines. (Fortunately, my negativity never grows so overwhelming that I feel like giving up altogether. Still, I am aware that I need to adjust my attitude for the better.)

Do YOU entertain such discouraging, less-than-motivating thoughts at times, too? If you do, then what do you do -- what do you tell or remind yourself -- to encourage yourself to go on?

I would truly appreciate hearing your perspectives on this. Being and participating in this forum -- reaching out to all of you -- feels... comforting... to me. All of your posts and threads remind me that I am not alone in my struggle.

Thank you very much -- in advance!

Oh, and it's my pleasure to meet you, too -- in advance!

P.S. All the best to YOUR Cohen efforts and endeavors!

[Soleil]

Hi

First of all a huge congrats on doing so so well on your journey!! You are an inspiration to so many reading your post!!!!

What I do is to try not to think how long it will take me to get there, although I ofcourse have a time-line in my head As this is my second time here, I'm trying to more and more focus on learning and respecting my body. The weight will come off when it comes off, when following the program 100% there really is not much else you can do. And every day I think just how much better I am than what I was yesterday. I don't need the weight to go down or loose centimetres every day, I just need to know that every day I've given it everything I can. Every day I'm healthier than what I was yesterday. The biggest challenge will be keeping it off once you've reached your goal, use this time now to learn about yourself and your attitude towards food, make it a lifetime commitment rather than just focusing on the goal weight

[AudreeS]

That is great advice Soliel ! I am going to have to remind myself of those words.

[S_lilstar]

I agree this is great advice and something to remind myself of.

[samsandy]

that was very interesting post, thanks for the information.

[Audrie]

I agree! I like the this post.! great advise

[sara gillani]

Nice sharing.very useful informartion.

[justakiwig]

I think that’s the beauty of a ticker is you can see how far you have come - that’s what keeps me going I want to go forward not backwards. There have been times when I watch my friends having mochas and wish I could have ‘just one’ but then I realise it’s not worth stopping the weight loss and increasing the time I have just for one coffee?!!! Not worth it - adding a week for a coffee - no thank you

Just