Jimmy Moore's '30-In-30' Challenge

Hey everybody and welcome to weigh-in day on the "30-In-30" Low-Carb Weight Loss Challenge. Have you had a good week? I sure hope so and encourage you to share how you are feeling this week about your progress. YOU'RE DOING GREAT! Keep at it and NEVER give up. :)

I came across this USA Today story that features a brand new survey about what we think about diet and weight loss. There are lessons we can learn from each other to bring about the highly-coveted success we all desire so much we can taste it. And yet only a few ever attain it.

What the survey found is something I blogged about last week. We lose a little weight, start feeling great, think things will be different this time, but then the stall comes along ruins it all. Self-sabotage and unfulfilled expectations will drive your diet crazy!

The Opinion Research Corporation survey of 2,058 adults that appeared in Consumer Reports magazine on Monday found that four in ten people are trying to lose an average of 40 pounds. If they join my "30-In-30" challenge, then they'll get there by the end of the year and well on their way to their eventual goal.

Three-fourths believe they can do it and should keep that positive attitude even when the going gets tough. Almost everyone (85 perrcent) have been able to lose weight before, but they somehow gave up on the plan despite their success.

Interestingly, close to half of all women (47 percent) and over one-third of men (34 percent) are trying to get fit. Two-thirds are doing it on their own by watching what goes into their mouth while getting ample amount of physical activity. But the weight loss is right in line with what we encourage here at "30-In-30"--5 pounds a month over three months.

That's MORE than a pound-a-week average.

So, where does the disconnect come into play that causes people to diet, get discouraged, and fail, diet, get discouraged, and fail...UGH! A Pew Research study noted in the story from last April may explain.

That survey of 2,250 adults indicated that people are wanting to lose 29 pounds on average. And many lose as much as 10 percent of their starting weight within 3-6 months. When I started the Atkins diet in 2004, I lost 10 percent of my weight that year (180 pounds total) in less than three weeks!

Of course, I lost over 100 pounds by the end of four months, which was more than half of my total weight loss. All was going along so well, but then that weight loss just wouldn't budge for TEN WEEKS IN A ROW!!! Did I pitch a fit and give up? Most people do, as this survey indicates. But that's why people get stuck in dieting Hell!

Here's my advice to you: keep at it, don't quit, and you'll soon be fit!

That's it! It's really no harder than that. A friend of mine from church is livin' la vida low-carb right now and has hit a stall. She asked me on Sunday what to do and I told her not to change a thing. Just act like everything is going fine, put the scale away for a month or so, and smile your way to success!

Yes, the power of positivity is not a myth, it can indeed help you. Although the story claims "it's difficult to lose weight and keep it off because all the factors that made you heavy to begin with are still there," I'm just not buying that. If you make permanent lifestyle changes in your diet and habits, then you CAN lose weight and keep it off forever.

That's exactly what I've been doing since I lost my weight in 2004 and I'm still successful in 2007. How have I done it? I found the plan for me and I've stuck with it. Endurance when everyone else is quitting will set you apart, too. NEVER give up, baby, just NEVER EVER give up! I'm here to root you on to success, so make me proud. :D

Share your comments about perseverance and what keeps you going when you feel like quitting. Let me know what you think and don't forget to check in with your weight loss update.

Labels: 30-in-30, challenge, diet, encouragement, inspiration, low-carb, motivation, success, weight loss