If you haven't done it yet, I would suggest reading the article by Kate Street about living a carb conscious lifestyle...this might help in some areas with your cravings...I'm doing a week on Induction right now so I am not having higher starch foods - however, most of the time, when I am not doing induction, once a week - I will have something at a place called Zips called the Little Zipper - it's equal to probably a McDonald's happy meal - a hamburger, small fries, small drink...and it doesn't affect my weight loss efforts, either - 'cuz tecnically, that is the correct portion you're suppose to be eating - not all that supersize stuff.

I don't believe anyone should deprive themselves, though, either. For me, if I am really craving something, I give it a day and if I'm still craving it the next day, then I'll give in and have a little of something i was craving - which is usually dark chocolate - but I don't go overboard and eat a whole bag of dark chocolate, either. I'll just have one small piece and that's enough for me to be satisfied. But there are times when I find myself making it pass the first day, and then the next day, the craving just totally disappears.

Sheyla

kinda scary that when you finally get to maintanence and not in ketosis that the CRAVING monster will be unleashed... thats my one fear.. that. okay.. this woe works as long as you are losing weight.. but when you are out of ketosis and in maintanence that you will be yo yo-ing just like any OTHER weight control plan...*sigh*... i ESPECIALLY fear this when i read sooooooooooo many peoples stories of going off plan.. sometimes for extended periods of time.. losing and gaining alot of weight..
i DO read the stories of the others who have done this for a long period of time.. that is motivating as well.. but still.... i think this goes under the heading of fear of MAINTAINING weight loss not OWL.. cause as long as youre OWL i dont fear the upswing...
atkins did mention that it IS a harder thing to do when not in ketosis anymore... and like i have mentioned before the less i weigh the less i can eat to keep that lower weight.... so its NOT just like suddenly hip hip hooray i have done it and now back to bigger portions .. it will ALWAYS be a juggling act i think..:-(
i havent touched a fry in 15 weeks and one day...*L*.. would i give into a craving if i get one for them? i dunno... i was used to one large portion with water EVERYNITE... it was a drivethroughonthewayhomeritual...i havent caved yet... nor on the coke... i drank TONS of coke everyday... not diet.. REGULAR.. every once in a while i crave one.. i try to fool myself that i could do about 4 oz and be good.. but the SENSIBLE side of my brains says.. YEAH RIGHT! dont even go there kim!.. so far i have listened to my sensible side..
i wish you luck in whatever you end up doing...

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OK well I still have the craving.....ordered some L-glutamine last night online for far cheaper than I found arouond town. It arrives next week.

Yes I've tried turnip fries...ewww nasty things to me so I know that won't satisfy it. I've also had the Atkins Crunchers and is definitely not appealing (gave rest of bag to dog in fact only time I tried them).

I'm still battling the "should I/shouldn't I" demon in all of this. My hubby says I should, I say I can't. He keeps commenting that at my weight and so far from goal that I can't make this a mental match with these cravings. That I know it will take me a long time to lose this weight and I also need to enjoy life instead of spending five days festering over cravings.

Uggggg the rational part of me says bear with it....it'll pass. The hungry part of me screams to get to a McDonald's fast.

As for my carb count....I'm still pretty much between 25-30 daily. The perpetual fear of adding too many carbs still haunts me.

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Currently Pregnant and expecting bundle of joy the week before Christmas

Taxgirl, I am a person that just CRAVES bread-y stuff around PMS time, I can have cravings for that just as much as for sweets. So, I think it's entirely possible that the LC tortillas can spark some cravings for you. I really, really, REALLY have to limit any of the 'processed' and non-whole foods, or I do notice an upswing of cravings.

Sheyla, I know for myself...I can't eat off-plan without going off on a several day carb-binge, as well as feeling physically horrible during that time (bloated, fatigued, indigestion, achy, etc). Can I have a *bite* of someone's ice cream or one french fry without going nuts? Sure. But I have to limit it to just that, a very occasional bite. Very occasional. Good for you that you can handle an off-plan meal here and there.

HeyKim, Yeah, the maintenance/out of ketosis part kinda scares me too. But, that's why we're supposed to be increasing our carbs weekly to find out the amount we can handle daily and still lose weight. Yes, the weight loss may be slower that way, but the WOE should be second nature by the time we're in maintenance. And also, by the time we're in maintenance, hopefully we're at a carb level at which there's a much greater variety of good carbs to choose. (If you do Weight Watchers for a year, then stop eating off THAT plan...guess what, you'll gain weight -- just like any 'diet') Just my opinion, of course.

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"Live strong." ~ Lance Armstrong
SLEEP BE DAMNED! GET THY BUTT TO THE GYM!
Start Atkins 9.1.03
225/198/130ish

Fran McCullough, in her book Living Low Carb, recommends French frying zucchini is a wok with olive oil and salt to help with French fry cravings. She also talks about a way to soak new potatoes so some of the carbs leach out of them and then frying them if you CAN'T say no to French fries. Don't have her book here with me...I will try to remember to look that up and tell you what she says.

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KD,

The only other piece of advice I can give you is advice that Rob has given others in the past: If you're gonna go over your carb limit, do it with on-plan foods. (Hope I conveyed that correctly, Rob!)

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"Live strong." ~ Lance Armstrong
SLEEP BE DAMNED! GET THY BUTT TO THE GYM!
Start Atkins 9.1.03
225/198/130ish

This is what worked for me: If you're craving it (whatever), tell yourself you can have some on "stretch-day". For me, that was Sundays. Maybe it would be a REAL Thomas's english muffin. Sunday morning with my breakfast, I'd toast up 1/2 an english muffin, cut it in half, and give half to my doggy. I'd have it with eggs and bacon, and make sure that the last bite of breakfast was english muffin - so I could savor the taste. For about 7 gms of carbs (if I remember correctly) I got the thing I was craving and didn't really go far from my usual parameters. For several weeks, I did the "english muffin thingy" every Sunday morning. Then, it sort of tapered off to every so often. Then ... Last year I (finally LOL!) cleaned out my downstairs freezer and, there, in the back, were a couple of lonely, freezer burned, english muffins.

Ya see, once it's no longer "forbidden fruit," there was no reason to have unreasonable cravings anymore. I "learned" that I CAN have it. It's no longer an issue with me and I haven't had one in years. I might have another toasted piece of english muffin sometime. No big deal.

My only rules were generally : 1. under 10 gms per stretch, 2. stretch happens only one meal a week and 3. only on the chosen day, 4. only as part of an otherwise legal meal and 5. don't forget to make it the last bite.

I've done the same thing with baked potatoes (when they're done, scoop out the insides and fill the skins with sour cream, bacon, cheese - whatever your favorite fixins are), cherries, corn, etc.

This might explain it better: When "can't" becomes "don't"

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In the end, I gave in last night. Do I feel guilty? No....and that's ok with me.

I see it this way....I made the conscious choice to have a SMALL FRY instead of a super size as I would before this WOL. I also had a cheeseburger, no bun, and a salad with it. While yes I ate the fries....I'm proud of the fact that I didn't go overboard and kept it at only that much.

I look at my numbers and for the first time in my life I can not only acknowledge but accept that I have to make a lifetime change that will take years to see the results I am shooting for. In those years, I do not want to feel deprived or that this is a "diet". Therefore, I have to be okay with accepting the consequences of my choices and I'm okay with that also.

I don't feel it makes me want my goals any less...I just feel I'm realistic with what I can and cannot handle. Heck, I'm proud of me for not going overboard and finding a piece of German Chocolate gooooeyyy cake!!

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Currently Pregnant and expecting bundle of joy the week before Christmas

Knowles!

Good for you in limiting yourself. Sometimes, I find that can be the hardest temptation!!

GREAT JOB!!

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ty shannon....I actually winced typing that waiting for the stone throwing to begin LOL

But I am truly proud of myself as it could have been A LOT worse!!! I can't believe how much food I used to eat and the portions *shakes head*

But I'm on track today!! Had celery/cream cheese for breakfast and a huge glass of water. Just finished making a macaroni salad (dreamfields pasta) and egg salad to stock fridge. BBQ chicken (carb options) is in crockpot for t'nite and a double batch for snackin in fridge. Also been reading up on ACV and contemplating adding that but also just ordered 2 new supplements so dunno yet.

All in all, I'm proud of how I handled it and have gotten on with this WOL.

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Currently Pregnant and expecting bundle of joy the week before Christmas

You did great, and you have a wonderful attitude. When I first started this woe, someone on this web site told me that it isn't going to happen over night, it is going to take a while for you to re-educate your body and brain to this new way of eating. I have taken that and realized that if I need to eat something that isn't part of this woe, it is ok, so long as i don't make a habit of it, or over do it. Every now and then, I find that I just have to have something - I think I told you already pasta is usually the thing I miss the most - and I think I have had it 3-4 times in the past 8 months so I think I have done ok. I like what maggie wrote about stretch meals.
Keep up the great work you have been doing.

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http://www.youravon.com/cnorulak
carolyn in texas
started 8/11/03 327/268/177
5/20/08/ - 348
onward thru the fog

um.... no stone throwing here...

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kims SECOND journal is HERE
kims new blog
KIMS BLOG !!
SUGARFREE BLOG

KD

I think you did great in that you:
Had a plan and stuck to it
Did not go overboard
Got right back on track today

Good for you!

__________________
"Live strong." ~ Lance Armstrong
SLEEP BE DAMNED! GET THY BUTT TO THE GYM!
Start Atkins 9.1.03
225/198/130ish

Great job Knowles, its really hard passing up those foods that u spent a lifetime feeling comfortable with, but i truly believe you can eat whatever as long as you know your limitations and use portion controls. Now me, i work in the most horrible place imaginable while trying to make this woe work, Mcdonalds, omg you have no idea how hard it is to pass the fry station without picking up a couple on your to the back, or those beautiful and delicious fresh baked choc chip cookies that sit on that counter and the aroma is always in the air. 4 months ago i could down a half dozen of those cookies and not think twice, now i refuse to touch even one, why, i know that is my greatest weakness at work and im not mentally ready to take on the cookies right now. In a way i guess working in Mcdonalds has helped me mentally deal with food issues, hmmmm could be my blessing in disguise.

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Started LC 1-10-04

302/199/160, 103lbs down, 39 to go, simply remarkable.

Restart- 8-19-07
242/226/160


405 points to date ( HOLIDAY CHALLENGE )

hello knowles. i'm new here but thought i'd throw in my thoughts anywho...

i've been doing this since november, and how i handle cravings i believe has been a pretty big part of why i've been able to stay lc when i couldn't deal with other weightloss stuff before (besides all the other benefics of lc, but we all know that...)

i don't think i can have a lifestyle, for the rest of my life, where i feel deprived and frustrated. so when i'm craving something and it doesn't just go away, i will often have a very small amount of what i'm craving.

i find one of two things happens: it takes care of the craving and i'm cool, which i like. or it starts up some more cravings and i feel driven to eat more of it or similar items. i can eat a little bread stuff or potatoes and be ok. but if i eat cookies or brownies, i get a big drive to eat more more more!

so i learn what my body will let me eat without that crave monster coming back, and when i want something that i know will cause problems for me, then i look for a low-carb substitue. chocolate lc ice cream has saved me from many a chocloate binge! plus the nice thing about lc chocolate, the sugar alcohols mean there is a built-in limit to how much you'll eat.

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