Does anyone have any good tips for falling off the wagon and eating something thats bad. I've been on Atkins since January 2002. I weighed 265, and now I weigh I85. The sad part is I did weigh 170. I keep yo-yoing back and forth. The thing is, is that I know I can control my weight, and that's why I eat things I'm not supposed to. I know that if I stick to a semi-strict induction phase I can lose the weight again, but everytime I get to a new lower weight, Its as though I sabatoge myself, any suggestions, Please I need help!!

Elizabeth, I just want to say that you have done great with losing weight! You should be proud of yourself.

I do not really have any advise to offer as to your eating off plan and gaining weight. I know it cannot be healthy on your body to continue to eat like that. I would be afraid I would mess up my metabolism and quit losing weight.

Why are you eating nonLC? Is it boredom? You may want to try some new recipes to "spice" up your life.

Sorry, I have not been able to give you any suggestions for "staying on the wagon".

Good luck!

Susan ( AKA Northwest)
207/173.5/160/
size 16/12/8
LC since 4/03

I can totally relate to what your going through. As a matter of fact I had a real hard time last week (though that situation was a bit different from yours)! But I have had the same problems in the past!

I came to realize last summer that as I became happier with myself when I seen numbers that I have not seen in a long time I would start to become less strict with myself bouncing on and off the wagon. And even though I was/am not to the numbers/size I want to be at it becomes easy to "reward" myself with things that got me in my predicament in the first place. I start to rationalize with myself...that hay.. I look good.. so what if it takes a little bit longer to get to a size 8-10!!! I look good now!! And in reality it was the bad carbs/cravings talking, and I was sabotaging myself as I start to repeat my past mistakes. I just needed to "get a grip". I know.. easier said than done!

I don't know what will work for you, but I bet that something will snap and you will be back into full swing again. You may have to do some real soul searching for your answer, but it's there you just need to find it!

I wish you luck! Great job on the weight loss! I am proud of you! It is not an easy road to hoe, but you really are doing great job!

Tanya


Member since Jan 2002
re-started on 1-3-03
272/194/185<--(next goal)

Elizabeth,

I can also relate to what you are going through. I had reached my goal weight and thought I was in control and throught that a strick week of induction but everything back in place.

But then a next thing you know, you've put on an extra 20 some pounds.

The thing you have to do is stop yourself and ask yourself, "why am I cheating. Why am I eathing these foods that are high in carbs? Determind what is really bothering you. If you have write down your feeling when you are about to cheat and look at what is going on around you. Are you depressed?

Or maybe Susan asked the right question, are you bored with the way you're eating? Are you eating the same things day in day out? Beleive me eathing a steak with salade for 7 days straight can get awfully boring.

Maybe you need to head to the bookstore and pick up a few low carb cook books. Or you could even surf the net for some good low carb recipes.

But your need to get in control now. Look how far you've gone, do you really want to gain back all the weight that you've lost?

One of the things that I've done to help is I've placed one of my "big" picks and stuck it on the fridge!

Hope my suggestions helped.

Good luck to you and congrats on your loss.

Anik

Stats
188/127/110
"My metabolism isn't low, it's just hibernating!"

Well, you may find that it becomes a little bit harder to get back to your goal weight each time you go off your diet. Yo-yoing can take its toll and slow your metabolism.

I guess it's a good thing that you can lose weight so easily. The challenge for you is keeping it off. That's going to require a new commitment from you. You'll have to discover the reasons for that yourself.

**************
"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."

Hi Elizabeth,

I have started lowcarbing again after trying "healthier" diets for the last month or two. I can't handle all the fruit (although it was nice to be regular haha) I have had the same problem with bingeing, usually starting off with one thing and then snowballing. I recently found a book at the library called 'I Wish I Was Thin, I Wish I Was Fat' and it put some things in perspective about why I binge. This book may help you heal from the inside as well as out. Let me know how it goes. We can do it! It's really nice to have the support on this website. Take care!

Sorry, grammar check. The book is called 'I Wish I Were Thin, I Wish I Were Fat'

I have learned that for myself this road to a "new and healthier me" entails more than just what I put in my mouth.

I've learned I have to change my relationship with food. I've been reading books by Geneen Roth ("When Food is Love," "Feeding the Hungry Heart" and "Overcoming Compulsive eating"). I recommend them highly.

I have not had the challenge of really desiring to eat the high carb foods I gave up because I've been able to find Low Carb alternatives. Cheesecake is a good example. There are some very tasty LC recipes. A slice a day keeps the junk food away! (I eat it for breakfast sometimes)

I have been a rebel against having to write down what I eat. Every diet I ever went on had that as a requirement and I just HATED it. But now I bought Atkins 120 day journal and I write down EVERY single thing I eat and I am actually enjoying it! I get to the end of the day and find out I have 5 or 6 gms of carbs to "play" with and so I can have a nice treat. An Endulge bar, or some custard. Or maybe I'll just add a 1/2 cup of chopped apple to my chicken-walnut salad.

The reason I enjoy writing it this time as opposed to the others is because with LCarbing I am seeing RESULTS of weight loss and I don't have cravings for high carb junk foods so there is NO GUILT in writing down what I eat. Every day is a success.

It takes time.... you've worked hard. Reward yourself with legal rewards and you won't miss the illegal stuff.
Best of Luck!!

What helped me was to do some research on the foods I was eating. When I realized that eating bread, potato, rice, pasta, etc was just the same as eating sugar, which has no nutritional value, I had no trouble giving those things up for good. Aside from small amounts of sugar(2% or less calorically of the total amount), I just don't choose to eat any of it. The only thing that I eat is Lindt's dark chocolate bar occasionally--1 or 2 squares, if I have a chocolate fixation. That is one of the lowest chocolates available without getting any of those nasty sugar alcohols and the dark chocolate actually has some good qualities. I would also add that if you are craving those bad carbs, eat something with protein and fat. That will hopefully fill you up so that you really have no room for the junk.

Joyce

I have to say you are really doing great. I look at this way of eatting like this. We never fall off the wagon. We just ride in different spot on it. Keep up the good work and soon you will be in the front seat of the wagon.

I can relate, I also fall all the time, I stick to the diet for the work week and then here comes the weeken and it all goes to #%*^, fast. I have a husband and two boys that love to go out and eat on the weekend to the outback and I love that bread, so I need to learn self control or I will never loose the last 20 pounds that I have, so don't be so hard on yourself it happens to all of us and it is a learning process.