Good to see ya back, I was wondering how you were doing

The basic rule would be to get yerself back on Induction pronto. It's only 2 weeks, a.k.a. 14 days. You can do that! .. It's the cravings and the dips and surges in blood sugar and insulin that are triggering you to cheat. It's more than just a mental thing ... these are measurable physiologic responses to changing levels of chemicals in the brain and blood -- insulin of course, as well as cortisol and adrenalin ... and others too. You can only gain control of these by (1) stopping the sugar roller-coaster .. which also includes refined starches, flour, baked things, french fries, etc ... and (2) eating lots of protein, smaller meals and snacks more frequently. The longer you go hungry between protein-containing meals, the more likely you will crave sugary, starchy carbs. Period.

The second thing I'd like to lecture to you about ... is the fact that yer still growing. How much taller are you than when you first low-carbed last spring? And I'll bet your shoulders are wider too. Even ½" will make a difference and will naturally cause you to weigh more, without a change in the amount of fat you have on your body. Your skeleton has weight, bones are dense and heavy, especially the bones of an active young man who's still got a few years of growing to do. Skeletal growth isn't complete until average age 21 for men. So, you MUST expect to gain weight over the next few years just by virtue of your skeleton growing and bones getting heavier and denser.

I remember your previous posts, and your love affair with cookies and Crispy Creme donuts!! .. and the fact that you can eat a lot more than just 20 grams of carb a day and still lose weight. But as you've learned, a carb is not a carb is not a carb. Someone else asked this question today, read about it here.

Okay, bottom line is:

• eat more protein
• smaller meals and snacks, more frequently, and make sure there's some protein EVERY time
• get back at Induction, 14 days faithfully. If you can't make a commitment to yourself, then don't expect anyone else to do it for you
• we can't make the commitment for you, but we're always, always here to encourage and support.
• take your measurements, inclucing your height .. and accurately measure the length of your arms and legs too, as these will be your best indicators of bone growth.

Good luck, and keep us posted how yer doing!

Doreen