Buff,

I agree. To me this is a change in the way I look at food. When I started on May 29th this year I didn't go on "strict" induction. I ate nuts, low carb bread, and SF chocolates on occasion. Yeah, I only lost about 5 lbs the first two weeks, but as I only wanted to lose about 18 lbs, I think that 5 lbs was an appropriate amount. I treat this WOE casually but seriously at the same time. If I was too strict with my food choices my rebellious nature would take over.

I have not given up caffeine or Nutrasweet. I am not beyond "tasting" a half-spoonful of someone's special potato salad at a picnic or some special treat if I choose to. I do all this with the knowledge that my personal choices are within this way I deal with food. I have stopped binging on high-carb junk food for two reasons: 1 - this WOE and the supplements I'm taking help me to overcome the physical urge to binge, and 2 - I realize now that I can have treats from time to time and still continue on this WOE and there is no need for me to feel deprived and then over-react by binging (the psychological urge is gone). I accept the fact that I will not lose this weight rapidly and have no problem with "guilt" when I do technically "cheat".

I know I could probably have lost the entire 18 lbs by now if I had strictly stayed on induction and OWL, but those restrictions would have caused me to continue to binge. Instead I choose a way to eat that still allows me some "forbidden" food if I want it, with the knowledge that my weight loss may be a bit slower. But strangely enough, I'm now satisfied with low carb versions of these foods instead of the "real" versions.

So, the flexibiliity of this plan is that for some people the strict adherence to Dr. Atkins' guidelines is what works best for them, and for others, myself included, the flexibility allows us to do what will make us the most successful in this WOE.

I will add that last summer (my first time eating LC) and during this past school year, I attempted to follow the plan too strictly and denied myself the little treats. As a result when stress occured in my life I tended to continue with binges (real eating disorder-type binges, not just cheats), and gained all the weight back that I had lost. I have come to the realization that this is a permanent change in my life, not just a temporary "fix" to a weight problem. I have learned from my first experience with LC.

Joan