Inspiration from another blog

SO, yesterday I replaced one of my meals with a VHP (Very High Protein) shake from Slimgenics. This was easier than the last time because, since I am in Balance, I can have an extra dairy serving. So, I used Greek Yogurt as my extra serving. Therefore, I basically still got 3 full meals of protein. It was nice to say the least! Yesterday, I also transitioned from 3 "supergenic" snacks to 1 "supergenic" snack and 1 "regular" snack. A protein bar has never tasted so great! I was so sick of pudding, chili, and smoothies! I also got my milk serving back! Anyways, I felt great last night and even made a kick ass chicken enchilada soup! Then, this morning when I weighed, I saw the lowest number I have ever seen on my scale! YAY! Now, I don't report those numbers and I don't count them, because I want my results to be "official" on the Slimgenics scale. That awesome result gave me the kick in the ass I needed to push through though! Today is/will be a perfectly on plan day! My food?:

Breakfast: 1oz. Light Swiss Cheese, Strawberry Smoothie Protein Mix, 12 frozen strawberries, Orange Extract

Morning Snack: Wasa Cracker with 1oz. light swiss cheese

Lunch: Mixed Greens Salad, 2 hard boiled eggs, mushrooms, FF Sundried Tomato Dressing, Sugar-Free Vanilla Skim Milk Latte

Afternoon Snack: Slimgenics Crunch Os

Dinner: Whiting Fish Fillet with homemade salsa

Dessert: Apple with cinnamon and sugar

YAY! Another thing that I have noticed is that my tastes have changed dramatically! Foods that I NEVER liked before this diet are some of my favorites now! For example, apples baked with cinnamon and sugar. Baked apples used to give me nightmares; however, now I make them myself and love them (the idea of restaurant baked apples and fruit pies still give me the heeby jeebies). I also now like Eggplant, Squash, Zucchini, and CHOCOLATE. Yes you read that right, I used to not be a huge chocolate fan, but it is growing on me now!

Anyways, now for the real purpose of this post, as promised by the title. I was reading a fellow Slimgenic blogger's blog yesterday and came upon a post that really got me thinking. I have had this conversation with my mom and my sister both and this blogger put it really well. Diet's only work if you are ready for them to work! Here, I'll let her explain:

"One thing that has become abundantly clear to me in the last week: wanting to change is the majority of the battle with weight loss. It doesn’t matter which diet you choose if you aren’t ready to make the changes!

     I’ve had moderate success with other diets in the past, but SlimGenics has truly been something amazing for me. I mean, 60 lbs in less than 5 months? That’s INSANE. The difference? I think I finally got fed up enough with being overweight and prayed enough about it that I was ready to do what needed to be done to see these changes in my life.

     Does that mean that I didn’t want to be thin and healthy in the past? No, of course not. But wanting to be thin and wanting it bad enough to be willing to do the work, (I mean REALLY willing to do the work) are definitely two separate things.

     I’ve seen so many other people have major success on the SlimGenics diet, but then when I went to the SG message boards I also saw so many people really struggling. After reading some of their posts and what they were struggling with, I realized it sounded like me when I was doing weight watchers a year ago. Yeah, I wanted to lose weight, but it wasn’t a priority, I wasn’t ready like I was when I shelled out the money for SG, etc. etc. And I knew it then, but I would never have admitted it. I didn’t want to stop eating bacon. I didn’t want to stop eating cheese. And those things were overriding the fact that I wanted to be healthier and thinner.

     By late summer, I realized that I was ready, because I knew I wouldn’t have to give up those things forever, but it was worth it to give them up for the time it took to lose the weight.

     And it’s been worth every sacrifice because I WANT THIS!! I know now that I can finish strong and be where I want to be before it’s time for summer clothes again! "

I think that Angie hit the nail on the head! To that I want to add that everyone has to want it in their own way. For me it was the looming summer, knowing that I was living alone, knowing I had the means, and finally just DOING it. I had also "dieted" while living on my own; however, I never put my whole heart in to it. I tried the special K diet, but I didn't measure that 3/4 cup of cereal (so I probably ate 2 cups). I tried Slimfast; however, my "regular well balanced dinner" consisted of fast food (why not, all I had all day was a freaking shake!). I was never ready to fully commit. Once I was ready I took a deep look inside myself and asked what I really wanted out of this. I decided that I wanted encouragement, guidance, and support as well as the tools to make it on my own once I hit my goal weight. That wasn't too much to ask right? One morning I saw an ad on TV for Slimgenics, I looked it up online and booked a consultation. Now, some people may call me impulsive; however, I just rationalize things very differently and VERY quickly in my head. I don't like to "stop and think" about something because I have already thought about it and if I "stop and think" I will move on to other things. I must commit in the moment. This, to me, is different from being impulsive and just wanting something right then. I met with the center's manager and instantly clicked. I knew that this would be the program for me and that I was ready! And I was right! Have I spent more money than I should have? YES!, but I am happy with my decision.

I am not saying, by any stretch, that Slimgenics is a one size fits all. I think that a lifestyle and habit changing plan needs to be right for each person. For some that may be a plan where pre-portioned food is delivered to your door, for others it may be the ability to splurge or cheat every now and then, for me it was a rigorous training and counseling tool to teach me and reprogram my cravings. Whatever your goal or prescribed change, you must be ready for it. You must have reached that point in saying that "You know what? I deserve this! I deserve to look the way I want to look and I am ready to do whatever it takes to get there." Yes, losing weight may feel and can be restrictive, but it is about reprogramming your relationship with food as well as your thoughts about what you deserve. Do you deserve that pint of ice cream because of your promotion, or do you deserve to be healthy and achieve your dreams? The answer to that question is the start to many many more!