Hey everyone! I have been doing Atkins since 8/26. It was great at first...I lost 11 pounds the first week. Then for 2 weeks nothing, but I lost a few inches. Then I lost 4 more pounds. Then for 2 weeks nothing, not pounds or inches. So last week (monday 9/29), I started feeling discouraged, and wanting to give in to some foods, because I had been going so hard at it with only fair results. I fought hard against myself daily. But at the end of that week, I caved in and went an had 5 sugar free klondike bars. Then saturday I went and had some low carb ice cream...about 2 bowls. Then I was really good and tried to go back to induction levels Sunday until yesterday. I actually gained 2 pounds going back to induction levels- can anyone guess why????
I got frustrated and I decided I wanted some fruit. I started with that, and ended up having doritoes and reece peanut butter cups. Today I tried to be good again, but ended up having 2 Mr. GoodBars, doritoes, 2 scoops regular ice cream, and mexican food for dinner (chips and enchiladas). Here is the thing- I know what I am doing wrong. I do this on all kinds of diets. I get some success, and when the going gets tough, I give up. Or, its like I get scared and decide being fat is safer. I am not even hungry when I get these foods- its like a mental thing. I mentally want bad foods.
I am going away for the weekend (to grandma's!!) and I know there will be tons of temptation there. My plan is to eat light tommorow, and try to stay fairly low carb all weekend. Then on monday, get back to induction for a couple weeks. Thanks for listening to my vent. Please feel free to give me a slap on the hand..hehe. I deserve it! Let me know what you think. I would really appreciate some feedback.
Thanks,
MB

Wow! Was it really worth it? Sometimes I think about eating some of those same things, just haven't caved in yet. These things happen. You can do this. You have a lot of support here. Maybe April will drop in and give you some really good advice. Hang in there. Don't give up so easily. This woe/wol is very rewarding.

Shay
205/192.5/150
Atkins since 8/29/03
~Too blessed to be stressed~

Yea, when I go bad, I go all the way. HAHA. Well...no it wasn't worth it in the fact that its going to set me back quite a bit. But, what scares me is that everyone always talks about how bad they feel after carb binges...and I haven't. Thanks for the support
MB
192/178??/125

MB, I don't usually get sick after eating carb, either ... until I get on the scale! Man-o-man, 3 lbs overnight! Even though it's mostly water weight (our bodies require more water to metabolize carbohydrate), it still takes me a good week to get rid of it.

How we react to foods is so very individual. This whole LC eating thing is a process of discovery. We not only discover new things about our bodies, we discover new foods and new ways to make old foods interesting.

I wonder if you could avoid another carb blowout in the future by learning some new recipes? Try to find new things you like that keep you from being tempted by the packaged goods. There are a lot of creative LC cooks who've come up with some amazing recipes.

~~~Teelbee

174 (Mar. 2002, highest weight), 164 (Jan. 2003, begin LC)
164/133/137-134
remember, amateurs built the Ark, professionals built the Titanic

MB,

Slap.....slap. We all take a tumble now and then. Pick yourself up, dust yourself off and get back on course. YOU CAN DO IT!!!!!



Barb
Atkins-3/14/03
174/149.4/135
"A little knowledge is a dangerous thing."

Thanks for the encouragement everyone!
I am going to try harder today- you are right Teelbee- I stepped on the scale this morning...what a shock!
Half of my problem is my DH buys all that crap and puts it in the house. I resisted for the longest ever, but a blow out was bound to come. Now I know it wasn't worth it, so even when he buys stuff, I am going to ignore it...or at least die trying..HAHA
~MB

When you look at your weight loss, 11, plus 4, is 15 lbs in 4 weeks (which is 3.75 / week)
wow that was really good.... you weren't looking at the whole, and just the lose, no loss, lose, no loss.....that happens on any diet. First of all get that husband of yours to either not bring the food in the house (leave in garage so he can get himself, or find somewhere where he can lock it up and you have no access to it.) You have to do what works for you. I have really been lucky, my husband doesn't really have a sweet tooth, but when he wants something sweet, I try to muster all my will power and not have any... done good so far. Another thing you have to really commit yourself to this WOE, and realize that all those foods you ate are not part of this WOL,WOE, and go for something that is ok on the plan. I know it is hard, I have gone down the diet path many times in my 50 years, and when you finally get the point that this is the time to do it, it will get easier, and easier.... (never really easy, but a little easier). I won't say that I have "cheated", but I try not to use it as an excuse to eat everything I have been craving, infact most of the cravings are just about gone--- I can go to a mexican restaurant, eat taco salad and throw away the taco shell, and eat maybe two - five chips with hot sauce.... I used to eat the taco shell and bowls of chips and salsa.... I can pass on cakes, cookies, icecream (oh my) and most of the high carb food I used to eat cause I know I am really committed to this, this time. So have a great time at grammy's, come hoome on monday and get back on track, do induction again if you feel you need to, and don't beat yourself up with how your lbs go, inches are one other indication, and remember, that you are doing this to get healthy....and every day you succeed, it will be another day of low carbs.... got into rambling here a bit, hope some of this helps you.

carolyn in texas

First, stay away from the Klondike bars. You know that that's a trigger food for you now.

Second, the best way to stop a small binge from turning into a huge binge is not to have the small binge. Each little binge degrades your discipline. On the other hand, each day you go by without cheating improves your chances of staying on the right path, for a number of good reasons.

How do you stay clean? I'm not sure how to explain it. I just had to get so sick of the way I used to do things that I didn't care about how or why; I just wanted to quit it.

I don't calculate future binges into my way of eating. I think binge-control is more important than weight loss. If you do things right, I hope, the weight will come off in its own good time. So far it seems to work for me.

The most important way I've found to control binges is to make sure I'm satisfied with my food and never make myself go hungry. That means food variety, lots of snacks available, generous portions at meals, and a simplistic no-thinking way of doing this WOE.

**************
"Sometimes I think you have to march right in and demand your rights, even if you don't know what your rights are, or who the person is you're talking to. Then on the way out, slam the door."

Dr. I and Carolyn,
Thanks for your thoughts. You both had some good advice. I do need to look at this as a permanant WOE. Also very true about a small binge leading into a larger one. Gives me some real things to think about.
MB

Dear MB--I think you're right to say "I do need to look at this as a permanent WOE"--and I'd add, "instead of a diet." Sounds to me like you haven't yet made the commitment--the kind of commitment that resists the sabotage of situations and relationships.

Have you "dieted" before? Do you keep a food journal? Do you keep your program book handy at all times--so you can remind yourself what you must do? For a while--at least six months--dedication to the program has to be close to a religion, with the enthusiasm of a true convert!

Perhaps it would be best to let the whole thing go until after your family occasion.

Barb L.

Barb-
When I started, I didn't look at it as a diet actually. I wanted to find a better way of eating. I made a strong commitment for 5 weeks, but I have been under stress the past few weeks, plus I have ppl in my house that keep plenty of junk around to tempt me.
I have "dieted" many times before, since I was 12!
And actually I do keep a journal...I bought the 120 days journal that Atkins has, along with his book, a carb counter, and the Atkins for Life book...so I would say that I am/was pretty commited to doing this as a WOL. I just feel out of control about circumstances sometimes, and I go back to my origional comfort- food. Sorry if I sound defensive. I just feel that I have commited, even if I screw up...BIG TIME.
~MB

Losing weight is simple! You did it. It was working.


Losing weight is NOT easy! You need a commitment. No one here is going to say it's ok to just go off and on. Eventually you have to find it in yourself to live the life. The eventual rewards are wonderful, but it's ultimately up to nobody but YOU!

John

July 03, 2003
202/173/170

Not too much I can add except to say in response to your "it's a mental thing." If your eating is in any way related to the need for comfort, anger, depression, sadness, or any of ther other emotions that we have trouble articulating, I suggest that you take a look at that. Your insurance may allow you to see a therapist, or a journal of feelings may help you. I am an emotional eater, and I have had to white knuckle my way through kicking the cravings more than one time of eating "just one" of my comfort foods. I've been on this WOL 10 months and have lost 30 lbs. I would have lost more probably, but I decided going in that I would take it slow and easy....seeing this as a way of life and not a "diet."
Your binging is pretty awesome. Good luck to you.
Peg
1/1/03
205/178/165

I personally can't tell myself to commit to 6 months of this WOE, thats just to far down the road. For me it is one day at a time, each day I succeed I see that as progress to a WOL not a temporary solution. Every day that I eat like I should is an accomplishment that I am proud of and before you know it the cravings and the temptations are not an every day occurrence. It gets to the point even when you go out you don't feel you have to eat everything that is offerred, the bread, the potatoes...etc. I know I haven't been doing this WOE for very long but it's different this time...I do not feel any kind of self pity or unfairness because I don't allow myself to eat what all my friends get to eat. Even going out to eat with friends has not been a problem, they don't even realize that I'm not eating the breads, the pasta...they don't even know I've changed my WOE!!

I agree with Doc Insomonia...you have to "get sick of the way you used to do things". Once you really make that decision you will not feel the temptations to go back to your old WOL, not on a daily basis anyways. You will instead start looking at how good you do feel and how much forward progress you have made.

I think you need to sit DH down and ask him to help you. Ask him to keep the 'junk food' somewhere out of sight or not keep it on hand at all and when he wants something he can go to the store and buy it. Buy him a nice treasure chest that you can put a lock on and give him the key, if he must keep a stash of 'those' foods!!!

Mary ~
"It's never to late to be what you might have been"

312/279/145

MB:

Your scenario sounds like mine. That is, it sounds as if you need to approach this from a strict, "purest" approach (for now) or you'll get it into your head that "it won't work".

Here's what I'd do....I'd eat the same thing each day and not vary your menu much. Be very strict and don't eat anything sweet or it may set you off on another binge. Don't even eat fruit because just the "sweet taste" of it could set you off. Example:

Breakfast
eggs and perhaps a smattering of grated cheese (the real, aged stuff...nothing processed or pasturized).

Lunch
a hefty portion of protein cooked from its natural state (two hamburger patties, or two pork chops, or two chicken breasts perhaps leftover from the night before)
a can of spinach or green beans
or
a large salad of iceberg lettuce, cucumbers, and a few tablespoons of full fat Ranch

Dinner
A repeat of lunch

Drink over 100 ounces of water each day

My two cents...

April
352 / 201 / 180
5'10", large frame, size 13 shoe
www.geocities.com/aprilreinhardt
NOTE: my web site will be changing shortly...the Yahoo people deactivated my account for some silly reason