I'm so disgusted with myself!!! I just got back from a 7-day cruise and I didn't even try to resist the hc food after the first day! They literally have food available 24 hours a day, plus I had to walk past the pizza and hamburger bar to get to my cabin. Let's just say I was on a first name basis with the servers! I made the mistake of telling myself that I was on vacation and I was going to enjoy every aspect of it, including the food. I think that's where I went wrong.

Now that I'm home, I find out that I've gained back almost all of the weight that I lost in the past 6 weeks! Has anyone else found that going back to your old way of eating packs the pounds on really quickly? I didn't gain that fast before! Any tips for getting back into the induction groove? Please help!

Just do it! Everyone screws up sometimes. Yes, eating high carb will definitely pack on the pounds. That's the reason we have to make it our way of life instead of a diet. Don't beat yourself up about it though. What's done is done. You lost it once and you will lose it again! Very best of luck to you!

just accept your loss or in this case.. gain and move on down the road! Look at it this way... you learned a lesson from it! tomorrow is a new day. Just start fresh and get back into the groove of LC'ing.

high carbs will definitely put on the weight, that is why we were there in the first place. As Lori says, its a WOE for life. if you havent read Atkins book NDR, you really should! all of this is explained as well as how you will be able to eat other things in moderation later on as you get closer to your goal. its not that you wont ever be able to have anything, but you will always have to be able to control it.

Good luck!!

I guess the part that I don't understand is why I gained it so fast. Initially, I gained 25 pounds over a period of 5 years. After LCing for 6 weeks, I gained back almost 5 pounds in one week! I guess I should just look at it as incentive to stay with this WOE!!!

Actually, I got back to my LC WOE today and it really wasn't that difficult since I was back in my own environment. I didn't have the energy to exercise like I did before, but I'm going to force myself to get back on that treadmill tomorrow morning.

Thanks for the great advice!

Unfortunately Mary, that is typical of Atkins... That is exactly the reason why most of the people switch from Atkins to other plans...because you gain the weight back so fast you must be strict... I'm currently investigating other plans....PP and Sugarbusters seem to be good ones and people say that if they cheat they don't see the weight gains that happened on Atkins...

this post has scared me
jean

Mary, not to give you any excuses but....

I think you'll find some of that "almost 5 lbs" is water weight. You have probably ingested tons of salt in the cruise food and once you get back to your own prepared food you'll see some of that extra poundage drop off pretty quickly.

Do a few days of clean induction and put it all behind you.

BTW, how WAS the cruise?

I agree with cdnbarbie. Most of it was water weight, most of it should come off in a couple of days of induction level eating. The first pounds you lose on this diet are water, and the first pounds you gain back are water. Monthly cycles affect this too so always keep that in mind. I am in this for the long haul so little fluctuations here and there are to be expected. .. especially at my weight.

Hi,

Calm down, calm down!!! At least, this is what I tell myself when I screw up! Now, think, do you really believe you DAILY ate 3,500 calories MORE than you normally would eat each day? A few days back on induction should have you on track again. And, if you ever need incentive, read your own post for help!

Good Luck.

Whammy

a week long cheat on any diet will cause you to gain weight. if you fluctuate from diet to diet it will only delay results. i have been on atkins for 6 months. i am one of the people than plans a day off twice a month. and if i gain a pound or two so what? its a way of life. as long as you are able to go back on track thats really all that matters.

i agree with the others that it is partially water weight i know even from one day off i feel really puffy. dont sweat it girlfriend! your on the right track!

skeewee as with any diet... even the old low fat ones.. we gained our weight back because we went off of it. learning to fit this WOE into our life for good is truly our ultimate goal. its the old habits that got us there, its the new ones that will keep us here!

happy low carbing mary!

This is along the lines of the questions I've had. I'm not understanding what would happen if we went back to eating the way we used to - even better - I'm wondering if the the weight PLUS MORE comes back on and quicker. Or is it just a shock to the body and after a couple weeks it would even out and the weight wouldn't pile on quickly again.
My other concern is how do you ease carbs back into your diet and not gain? I read in the book about it and it is obviously a LOT MORE gradual (I think 5g per week), but I'm looking down the road and wondering if I'm going to have to eat similar to induction to keep this weight off. Man, I HOPE not! LOL
Traci
KMary - get back on induction and let us know what happens in a few days.

Don't forget that those pesky carbs that you ate store water with them, so some of that weight is water and you need to drink lots and lots of water to help flush the excess out of your system. Another thing to think about is how confused your body is feeling, for 6 weeks it's been burning fat for energy and suddenly it goes back to being driven by carbohydrates, now it's back to fat-burning!

I'd guess that two weeks strict induction will drop most, maybe even all of those 5 pounds if you're lucky!