Okay, I've lc'd for 4+ years now. And every night I go to bed after eating tons of fat and protein and I think the same thought. It's too good to be true, it just can't work/keep working. Then the next day I check (I'm a checker) myself and my clothing - and everything continues positively. I feel great, great energy and I'm STILL not wearing my FAT clothes...in fact I sold them all.

But each night that little thought occurs in the back of my mind, making me feel just a little weirded out..."you're just fooling yourself - this won't work/keep working"...and even "Gosh I feel fatter right now..." and it never fails. I'm slipping into my teeny tiny jeans the next day with room to spare...

so - do other people have this little nagging problem? It's NOT that I don't understand the Atkins approach - it's NOT that I've ever even failed or stalled alot or anything. I don't even CRAVE carbs at all, haven't for a long time...so,

WHEN WILL THAT PART OF MY BRAIN STOP THINKING THAT?

My mother and I call this "negative voice" our "second self". ...the you that you might find yourself arguing with over decisions in your life etc...I know it sounds a little "out there" but I'm sure someone relates.

I have to admit, I can't relate to the feelings. I am pretty thoroughly convinced heart and soul that this way does work - at the very least for me - and is workable for the rest of my life. I have to admit that my bloodwork has opened a bit of concern but only if I can't get my uric acid levels down a bit.

I know from so many past experiences that after I lose 15 to 20 pounds that I have to watch every little thing I eat otherwise I will boomerang right back to where I was plus some and that anything past the first month became progressively harder. Here it's the opposite. I've lost 40 pounds so far and have not tracked hardly anything for the last couple of months. And, if I get on the scale and have gained three or four pounds from the day before I just sigh and get on with my day where as before it would crush me and eventually be the straw the broke my resolve.

I wish I had some advice for how to get over these lingering doubts that you have. Is it only LC that you have these naggings or is it a general theme about numerous things?

Keep the Faith!

I too have that same thought. I think it is because I have failed at so many diets that I am conditioned to think that this one won't work either. I know how the low carb diet works. I know it WILL work, I just haven't convinced the beast (inner voice) quite yet.

Tracey
... Where is that billy club??

Wbahn, YOUR STATS are proof alone that it does work (so are mine) and you have a good point, but no, I don't have a general theme of nagging doubt in my life...but it is an interesting consideration.

I think it's just due to 37 years of "programming" to believe that fat will make me fat - this is a LIE. I know. Every month I recycle my glass. There are always olive oil bottles, butter containers and other containers that I have consumed in the month - all fat products. I always stop after hearing the crash of all the glass in the recycle container, sigh and think "Well, if fat makes a person fat, I would have been fat (again) by now! It must work.".

I think overcoming something you have learned and believed all your life is very difficult. Even when you yourself prove what is the truth. I find that it is similar to the feeling when someone apologizes and you doubt that it is sincere....but you really want to believe that they are.

Sometimes I feel I know a "secret"...a "trick"...and I think, "God, I couldn't ever tell anyone this - they'd never believe me anyway - as I load on the butter, olive oils. I make it a point never to talk about my diet - I'm not a salesperson and I refuse to defend or explain myself to anyone at my age...I did WAY too much of that when I was younger. People inquire, but usually just end it in saying, "she's so lucky, look she can eat anything"....and I like it that way!

Thanks for responding. I'm sure others do relate...

I know how you feel. This is my first time on the atkins way of life, I prefer that over the word Diet. I haven't lost much, only 7 pounds, I am still in my induction period. I feel better about myself, have more energy, less back and leg aches, not so many headaches,sleep better at night. But I still get that nagging feeling when I look in the mirror when I am drying off or dressing in the morning, that I am still fat and that is never going to change and what do I think I am to try, superwoman? The last time I remeber being thin was when I was 17 right before I got married, the first time. Then of course I had kids. I just have to tell myself that I am on a good program and that I am losing, the scales say it. I try to keep myself positive. It helps that where I work a lot of people are behind me, and have done similar diets. One did body for life, and one even did the atkins diet, she lost 17 pounds, but she went back to the old way and has gained some of it back. That, I have deteremined, is not what I am going to do. I am hardly craving anymore. I went to an apt to get an application today and saw a plate of cookies, I didn't even want one. And if I did, I guess the urge wasn't very strong, because I just looked at them and said, oh, now nice, the apt provides cookies for guest. Keep your chin up, I like your little saying on your stats. That is a cool attitude to have. I'm sure you just have your ucky days like all of us do sometime.

I have done this before. One day a month or so ago I was feeling so negative and for some reason started doubting that I had lost any weight. Now I know rationally that is ridiculous, but I had it worked out in my mind that I had bought a new scale, and that I had lost a bunch of water weight and that maybe I was wearing heavier clothes before -- all that baloney. So I thought -- I know, I'll go put on my jeans that fit me when I started. I had pushed these to the back of the closet because they were too big, so I dug them out and thought they would be lose and it would calm me down. Well, they fit. Of course this confirmed that I was right and this was too good to be true!

About an hour later I was still going around berating myself and then suddenly realized -- these are not my big jeans! I ran to the bathroom and pulled them down and realized that they were another pair I had been saving that were too small!! They looked just like the others (button-fly) and here I was feeling depressed and doubting myself all day when I should have been celebrating. I put on my old jeans (the ones I thought I had on) and they almost fell off completely buttoned.

I've not done that again since then. But it does go to show how your mind can play tricks on you.

OH I RELATE to mind games. Here are a few more of mine.

Never look at self in mirror naked.
Never put on jeans during pms time.
Once I ate 22 carbs instead of 20 on induction - I actually worried!
Bargaining - Okay, I ate too much protein at lunch so I'll just have
my veggies for dinner, but not too much fat - I don't
want the fat to turn the carbs to fat on my body etc....
At restaurants - Nothing on the menu for me...Okay, I'll order the chicken sandwich and not eat the bun while sneaking butter underneath it or ranch on top of it (quite a skill) and I'll just say I'm full after that and yes, I'd like to take the french fries home with me - I'll eat them later!

I once even told a lunch pal that I didn't eat the bun because there was mold on it. (You have to do this after the meal - otherwise they just bring you a different bun!).

Why lie to people? Because what and why I eat whatever is my private business! Between my need to control my weight, my ibs and my pms - none of this is anyone elses business and too much to explain/not always appropriate luncheon/dinner guest chat either!!! Except for here in this message board, I share all here. Thanks you guys.

Mind games, too too familiar.
How about waking up feeling FATFATFAT, then you put on you SLIMMEST slacks, you have TONS of room in them MUCH TO YOUR OWN SURPRIZE - then you walk around all day feeling wonderful and thin and successful....

woe!
I know other people have tons of mindgames going on. What an interesting thread this would make!