Indulgences
 

What is interesting about this tread is that there are so many similarities, and so many varieties in the foods that cause problems. We all have some triggers that may cause problems for us. Determining what those foods are is an individual thing - then determining how we will respond to them is also an individual thing. I used to LOVE my breads and baked goods - lived for them :( Since starting my lcwol, haven't had a single piece of bread - whether low carb or not. I just don't trust myself, after going through the "withdrawal" period. And, I now realize that I probably am "sensitive" to wheat, so I am so much healthier when I just stay away from it. It is interesting though, that very small amounts don't seem to bother me, or turn on any cravings - for that I am thankful. :)
I still hate to pass a really good bakery - more for the memories of what I think they used to taste like, or do for me - but I don't let my resolve waver. I sometimes even cross to the other side of the street, to avoid the sight and smells that eminate - why test myself when I don't have to?
I have also learned in my recent research that most commercially baked goods have what is called "hydrogenated" fats in them, and these things are poison for our bodies - it also helps me to keep my resolve, cause I want to continue to feel and be healthy :D It is really wonderful at 50+ to feel better than I did when I was in my 20's - a REALLY BIG motivator for me!
I do allow myself some lc baking - that I do myself, so I know exactly what is in the item that I eat. I use splenda when I bake and find that it works for me, without any cravings or need to splurge. I just watch what I put in my mouth very carefully, and use nuts and other lc snacks to keep me going between meals.
I have started having serious doubts about all the lc bars on the market - I use them on a regular basis, but never more than one a day - still the recent research on the hidden carbs really makes me mad. And when you check the labels, they all say that because "glycerine is not a carbohydrate, it is not included in the carb count" - I don't know how they can get away with this sort of dishonesty. Ithought that the USDA was going to come down on them for the labelling - maybe it still is :exclm:
Anyway, we each have to do the best we can with our individual metablolisms, cravings and solutions. It sure does help to have a forum like this one to air our thoughts, and get such great support.
Cheers

some excellent points made in these posts! thanks, people. :)

These comments reminded me too that something I've discovered is that a tiny amount of sugar doesn't cause cravings for me. I can have a half-piece of regular gum or a mint someone offers and while it may well slow my loss, I don't wildly seek out more pieces of gum the next three days or mentally fixate on the topic. I wouldn't trust a single Hershey's kiss, tho! Similarly, soy flour coating on a piece of fried fish or chicken doesn't bother me...but I'd be reluctant to try a whole bunch of it at once, fearing real problems as a result.

My two best friends..
 

Or at least I thought they were... Dunkin Donuts cinnamon buns and Ben and Jerrys ice cream at one point where my reason for making it through the night. God how sad those days were!

Now I don't even crave them, and I smart enough to avoid them at all cost!

My Favorite
 

Lay's potato chips dipped in extra thick and extra lemony clam dip, with a little touch of Tabasco sauce. Been known to eat 2 pounds of clam dip in one sitting, all on one bag of Lay's potato chips.

Re: your danger carb food?
 

Although I've always loved sweets, I am a woman you know!

I would have to say I'm definitely a starch addict. Back in my old habit days, it was no problem eating a box of kraft dinner, a plate of spaghetti, 6-8 pieces of white bread, bagels, or a huge cooking bowl of white rice at one sitting.

I know for me, right now in my journey I can not eat "none" of these foods, absoultely NONE, it will send me off to a binge frenzy blowout! :daze:

Geeze,
 

I think that the problem here is that we all love all the naughty foods. I mean really.... think about it.

Growing up I used to eat beefsteak tomatoes right off the vine, with a little salt. Hey, this was allowed, I wasnt eating junk food eh?

We still love (okay, past tense) to have "corn fests" with world famous Taber corn. All we would do is boil up a huge vat of corn on the cobb and dig in, sans beurre, only a little salt Yum!

Also, the one dinner veggie we both love and would always have is corn.

Bread. I found a wonderful bakery, which speciallizes in artesian breads. How does a nice round loaf, still warm of white cheese and black olive bread sound? Or even for decadent folks, pear and chocolate, apple cinnamon??

Chocolate - Kit Kat Large, Girl Guide Cookies, Malt Balls

And Fruit. Just what the heck am I supposed to do with my now very large patch of raspberries that I have been cultivating and caring for the last 5 years??? We normally have a nightly run to the patch with a bowl and some half and half cream! Bananas were/are my favorite next to all melons and strawberries.

I find it very very interesting that all the foods we previously thought of as "good" for us are actually very very naughty foods - in large frequent quantities. Kind of depression when you think about it!

EAT those berries!!!
 

Actually--you'll find that berries are among the *best* choices you can make if you're adding carbs and choose to do so by eating fruit! Blueberries, strawberries, raspberries (black and red).... all good options. So are melons with the exception of watermelon: cantaloupe, honeydew are fine in controlled quantity.

I *live* for my protein shake made with heavy cream and frozen blueberries. Makes it really really thick to the point where I need a spoon to eat it!

Don't give up on that berry patch--*enjoy* them when they're ripe off the bush! :D (With heavy cream and a little AS if you choose.... MMMMMmmmmmMMMMMMmmmmmm....)

peanuts and peanut butter
 

are my downfall. i no longer crave any type of food but if i decide to have a few peanuts or a spoonful of peanut butter thats it i eat and eat, so i've learned not to keep either in the house.

yessir... danger food!
 

Without a doubt 2 things... most any fruit pie (makes me nauseous) ... all I can figure it's the combination of hi fat and sugar and flour together... find myself running to for tha Gas-X.

the other is bread... I don't find I crave too many things anymore... and have tried a few of my old time favorite carb foods once I had broken my addiction to them... rice was one... and it no longer had that "orgasmic, melt into your chair" response like they used to... (chocolate lovers... does that addiction reaction sound familiar?)

But on my first Thanksgiving on this WOL, I had a couple of spoonfuls of stuffing... and I found myself almost uncontrollably wanting to binge... it was very uncomfortable... I did manage to resist, well, I had a little more with my meal, but I found that for about three days afterward, all the cravings that were there before Atkins, were back with a vengence. After that, I was ok again...

I've tried to recreate (it is good to learn how your body works, so long as you can feel confident that you know that craving is not you but addiction... so I find it "a bit" easier to resist) with other foods, even pasta and pastries, but it is bread that triggers the response with even a small amount of it...

I've never tried it with Wonderbread though... I'm not sure if that qualifies as bread...LOL... I may need to do more research. :rolleyes:

I think flour makes me feel icky, bloated, gassy. I made a cream sauce at dinner time with milk, cream, butter and flour. I was low on my carbs today so I ate about 1/3 cup. That had less than 10 carbs in it. Now I feel a bit sick to my stomach. A while ago I lost my brain for a moment and ate a big bowl of chocolate icecream. I had the worst gas! My normally sweet husband was following me around with a lit match! OK,OK... I can take a hint! And then the next morning my hands were so swollen and hot and itchy from water gain! UGH! Will I ever learn? :rolleyes:

So I think sugar and flour are my enemies. Especially when mixed. Like cookie dough. I havent' made cookies in a very long time. I know I will eat it, and once I get started, I can't stop! I wish I didn't crave the things that make me sick!

Nellie

red wine
 

I have been in the habit for the last 20 years of having a couple of glasses of red wine before bed. On this diet this is a no-no :rolleyes: I have a very difficult time with this....I guess I'm addicted. But I do love how it relaxes me, and makes me sleepy. If I fail this diet it is because of this habit.... I find it VERY difficult to not have my wine at night....I am SO used to it! :spin:

red wine
 

Dear Susann...

yeah, addictions it seems, have two components... the chemical dependency and the psychological dependency. At least for me, the chemical dependency was broken after the two week induction, which is why it's so strict... the harder part was breaking the habits that provided the opportunities to get re-addicted. It's like trying to go to the movies and not buy the popcorn... one just belonged with the other. In talking with others who have been successful, it seems to take about 6 - 9 months of steady WOE to give the new behaviors time to get established as habits, and the old behaviors to be replaced or forgotten. After that, this WOE becomes a WOL...

Good luck.

Rich

:sunny: Thanks so much for your input Rich, It is encouraging to know there is hope for me with this WOE. I was beginning to think I was doomed to stay like this forever. It sometimes seems that everyyhhing that is enjoyable in life, will somehow cause your demise! :confused: Oh well I plan to carry on and see just what I can do! Again THanks for you help! Susann

Susanna,
Hang in there!! Take it one night at a time. I had a similiar (well actually opposite) problem with cafiene in my coffee, it does get better. Could you try a decafinated herbal or berry tea before going to bed?
My biggest carb danger food, one that almost always starts me on a binge is donuts. I used to bring donuts in to work fequently, of course they weren't really for me :rolleyes: ,they were for everyone else, but I did seem to eat the most. For a while I thought I couldn't stop because I always bought a dozen of my favorite donuts. So every time I walked by the box I would see my favorite kind. Then I tried buying only a couple of my favorites and the rest of the donuts that I didn't like. I reasoned I would then walk by the box and see the kind I don't like and keep right on walking. Well, I found, there never has been made a donut that I do not like
Donuts are definately a danger food.

BREAD! Any kind of bread, especially the hearty specialty loaves, but if they aren't available I can binge just as happily on sliced bread.

I've seldom been able to just eat a normal serving; one piece of bread and I'm ready to down the whole package/loaf. After a carb-binge I can't do anything but sleep for hours; it's like being on a drunk for me!

Great poll!

Phyllis (aka Cat Lady)