RobTann

There doesn't seem to be much activity here, but that's not going to keep me from writing!

I'm an American living in Germany, where carbohydrate addiction and a low-carb lifestyle are non-existent concepts.

I'm coming off a 5 month gain of around 35 lbs. after almost 2 years of a stable, healthy low-carb lifestyle maintained weight.

So what happened? The day came along in October of last year when I simply said "it won't really hurt to have just one; I can handle it." I chose to forget that I have a refined carbohydrate "allergy/addiction/biochemical sensitivity" and thought that I could eat one and forget about it. And what was the result? Within 2-3 weeks the carb cravings had taken over my life and I couldn't live without my "fix". My days on plan kept my weight stable and my days off-plan sent my weight up. The days on-plan became fewer and fewer. Even without bingeing and even with regular exercise my weight climbed and climbed. When I was 30 I could get away with occasional "carb festivals" within a basically healthy plan of eating. But now, at 51, the path is soooo much narrower. The only way I was able to maintain a slender, healthy weight between the ages of 49 and 51 was by eating no sweets and refined carbs ever.

So what's the point? I'm miserable like this. I thought that if I had to choose between very carefully watching what I eat for the rest of my life and just letting my body have what it wants, I definitely would choose giving myself permission to eat "normally" and not be slender.

The real pisser about this is that it DOES NOT WORK if you are a carbohydrate-sensitive person. There is only addiction, craving and overweight or abstinence. There is no in-between for me. It took me about 2 months to become willing to see again that I was literally enslaved to those refined carbs and sugars and that they were controlling my life.

So here's a newly sobered me, 35 lbs. heavier, sad (and a bit angry!)about the metabolism which nature bestowed on me and my family. I'm ready to start my day with a healthy, balanced, low-carb breakfast and do the right thing for my body one day/meal at a time.

Let's see where I go from here.