Howdy all!!!!!!!!!
I have been printing puppet patterns all morning!!!!
SO I haven't been here all day!

It was MINUS 4 this morning and I have to go to the post office.
ICKY YUCKY BOO HOO HOO!!!!!!!!
I hate cold weather and this is the worst!!!!!!

I was feeling a little blue yesterday MY baby boy turned 18 !!!!!!
Oh my .Not feeling old just wondering how the time went by so fast . I love my life now but feel like I didn't get to enjoy it as much when they were kids cause I was raising the three of them alone for so long. OH well I love em!!!!!!!!!!!

I went to meet my girlfriend for dinner the other night and she picked Mexican , MY absolute fav and I cheated bad, Corn chips, a wrap,some refried beans. It was a horrible cheat!!!!!!!! Oh well .
Found that everyday now I wanna cheat and I have a little each day. CORN is my trigger soooooooooooo back in the saddle again. I am not one to beat myself like I used to . I am gonna fail somedays but I feel ok so I am just moving on here.

I was actually down a pound this morning but heck that doesn't mean anything. Probably just water weight. We are taking my son out to dinner tonight for his birthday so I will behave myself .
I am back on track in my mind now and actually after really thinking about it the only thing that really tasted good was the wrap and those refried beans. I only had a little of those but they were the best..........Not trying to make anyone drool here .......Just trying to point out that if you fall down just pick yourself up again..............I am gonna and this is the first cheat since I started on Jan 7 so I am proud of myself for resisting that long. I actually didn't have any cravings until I indulged and now I am starting to think about stuff again.

My biggest hurdle is I love warm food and yet I hate cooked veggies. So I end up eating tons of cold salad and yet I love warm food. I know it isn't as good for me but that was what momma feed me when I was little and I am a superb baker so I miss baking to relax...........

I am feeling TONS better since I started back on my supplements yesterday. I was bawling my head off yesterday morning about how awful I have been feeling and my girlfriend reminded me to take my supplements cause I always feel so much better.

What I learned from cheating
First thing I learned was I am gonna cheat. Thought I was strong but my word do I really think I am so perfect that I am never gonna give in .I am not but I gotta ask myself this first before I give in..............

IS it really gonna taste that great?
Is there something else I can eat instead that is low carb WAS it really worth it? (The only thing that really tasted great was the beans)
Do I really wanna start CRAVINGS ? IT is like a domino affect.
Why dwell on it . I learned it isn't worth it so I CAN do it differently next time. SOmething more low carb or at least complex carb like the beans........

Off to brave the weather See you all soon!!!!!!

... I cheated too. There is never a day in the office when there isn't food - mostly in the form of donuts or muffins. I always bring in a healthy snack to eat mid-morning so I wasn't hungry but when my "boss" (who is soooooo nice) came over and said "I saved the chocolate one for you" - I didn't hesitate one bit! So I cheated BIG TIME too - a chocolate covered donut - sugar and damaged fats!

I was speaking with my daughter who is an avid fan of "Dr. Phil's" and he said that our willpower is tied into our emotions and some days we don't have the emotional willpower to say "no" - think rationally and make good choices - it doesn't mean we're bad or weak, it means we're human.

I am a chocoaholic and for the most part with this WOE most of my sugar/chocolate cravings have subsided - but once in a while, I slip up. The eyes see it and the tummy wants it! All logic and reasoning seems to disappear. I try and make up for the slip-up the following day by eating a little bit less and making sure everything I consume is healthy and low-carb.

Life is too short not to have a treat once in a while and I no longer beat myself up for my "human-ness".

That's right !!!!!!! I am human

but I didn't cheat tonight. I was good and had a grilled chicken ceaser salad. It was good and I wasn't craving anything. I gave the garlic bread to my son who is still a tall skinny kid.........

Well off to relax with my hubby.
debbie

Okay. I know "cheating" is something that we all used to do on a Low fat, low calorie. high carb diet.
It doesn't work that way here.
Don't think cheat.
Think learning experience on how to feed yourself better tomorrow.
Making subs for those foods at home that are more healthful for you.. :-)
Really.. don't think cheat and beat yourself up.
Read the book again.. she talks about the fact that many of us don't do it all perfectly.
But I don't want you to feel like your on the old rollercoaster.. this is a much funner ride.

Nedra

Hi Nedra,
It will probably be harder for me to break that thinking of not cheating because I have never been on a diet before .So since I am now on a "diet" I think if I am not following it I am cheating.

I never really tried to lose weight before. I was so sick after I had my kids I really never thought about weight loss. And then I raised my kids alone for 8 years and they were 7,8 and 12 and so It was not top on my priority list. I had the physical challenges with Fibromyalgia. Of course I know that is the body breaking down under stress but I have slowly been able to eliminate some of that. I have a family member who is mentally ill and that really drained a lot of my time for years. It really was pretty hard to think about my own health issues.

When I met my husband 4 years ago He loved ever inch of me then and does now.He makes me feel like a queen and showed me that men really can love us no matter what size we are. I want to lose for myself. I really never tried to lose but this year my Fibromyalgia and Fatigue seem to be a bit better under control with me finding some effective supplements. So I figured ok now it is time to find a new "DIET". Like I said something I have really never tried to do. I was a naturally thin kid.

I really agree that until my body heals more I am not going to drop the weight. I am not saying I shouldn't try to eat healthy but Im still struggling with Fatigue so much that That is my biggest thing I worry about .Is how to get enough good sleep and relaxation to get through the day and accomplish something

Honestly changing the way I eat has been the thing that has made my Fatigue flare and so that is a bit discouraging .I was actually feeling really good for the first time in years and when I switched my eating I have really been struggling with Fatigue again mostly. All I want to do after eating this morning is go back to bed. That is why I have spent so many years not eating during the day. It doesn't matter what I eat. I can eat just protein and veggies and I still feel wiped out.

It is like I can't get a balance. If I keep the cargs too low I feel really sick and awful but if I add some back in I still feel awful. I have struggled with this all my life. Ever since I was a teenager. I just don't like to eat cause I feel sick.........Of course I get hungry and do eat but I always know I am going to feel awful. It gets better as the day wears on .But Breakfast always makes me feel awful no matter what I eat.

I am sure this isn't normal and maybe a trip to the endocrinologist would shed some light on it. But then again as a single mom I have never had health insurance.

OH well, I am sure I will find the way someday.

Debbie

Puppetlady, I know what you mean about salads in the cold weather. I find I do not want as many as in warm weather. I am sure in Maine as Indiana, that we well know the comfort of warm foods . When we have days without the sun making an appearance and snow, slush and sleet .

One of the things I like about TSP is that you can incorporate beans in the menu and even a corn tortilla or ww one now and then. Also I have found I can consume more carbs than I thought (if I keep busy and make sure to exercise regularly) than when I read the first book and started TSPing about a year ago & still lose gradually & certainly feel well.

I have also found combing my recipes for hearty soups help a lot toward having a warm comforting meal. With TSP you do not have to make 'low fat' versions that will not be satisfying -- but have some real soup! One can get the benefits of vegetables with soups also. I use the crockpot and pressure cooker a lot for this.

Nedra, I like your thougts about 'cheating' , you expressed it well.

I will write a bit more when I get home from work.. as right now I have to fly .to be ontime.. LOL
But I really just want you to know that..
Getting more tired at first.. feeling sick at first.. gaining weight at first is all NORMAL!
You aren't doing a thing wrong.
even if you occassionaly eat something less good for you than other times..its all okay..
Its okay as long as you keep with us here :-)
Okay?
Hugs,
and happy valentines!
Nedra

Wow Nedra,
Thanks for encouraging me ! Sorry to be so long in getting back to you but being new I sometimes forget to check different threads I have started so just found this one this morning. I have finally started feeling a bit better lately as far as fatigue.........at least it isn't disabling again.........I have been taking my herbal sleep remedy and I have been sleeping so much better so that is helping alot. THe sun is out this morning soooooooo that is a wonderful boost .We have had so much cold and snow this year that anyone would get a little bit dragged out . February is always a hard month in Maine. We are alllllllllllll ready for spring to get here. It got up to 32 yesterday and that was an absolute heat wave. It has been in the teens and ZERO off and on for 3 weeks now.

Here is a picture of our newest family member .Her name is Sadie Angelina. This was a christmas picture of her. She loves the snow and digs tunnels in snow banks until only her bottom is sticking out. They told us that corgis don't dig but she is like a mole.

Well gotta get to work Debbie

Hi Debbie, You and I made the start to and then the shift from Atkins at about the same time. I woke up this morning feeling sooo good, for the first time in ages. (Of course the sun does help! I live in CT.) My first wakign thought was "So this is what normal serotonin levels feel like."

I tried the l/4 cup of sunflower seeds for a snack yesterday, though, and that was way too much. ugh. I felt sick afterwards. We're doing the right thing by being here. . . I just sense it. Its a loving thing for ourselves, and that is the right thing.

Also - in case you haven't figured it out yet (I just did about 5 minutes ago) there are these little envelopes on the left hand side of the list of topics -- I think they show if there is a new post you haven't read by putting mail in the open envelope. IF you've read it, its closed. That helps track the new posts.

PS Your dog is adorable! Dogs sure have the right attitude to life, don't they?!

Hi All!

I, too, started on Atkins in January 03 and just switched to SP. Since I still haven't read the book as well as I should, I find myself still eating Atkins since I am programmed to do that.

But I also have realized that I am allowing myself to have some food I shouldn't. Like the Pumpernickel bread I bought to go with the spinach dip I made (the dip's legal). Then I found a loaf of lower carb wheat bread by Wonder. Next thing you know, My DH and I were eating a pizza Friday night.

Why did I do this? I don't really know. But I have always been a person who gets ahead weight-wise, then I sabotage myself and add back in forbidden foods.

Well, I will be lurking and learning as I switch over.

cgar, welcome to the group

You may find that your "self sabotage'' will lessen while striving to stay on TSPII as all healthy whole foods are allowed in controlled portions, thus we do not really have to deal with denial . You can eat a half of potatoe, bannana, You co not have to pick carrots out of a salad etc. Maybe you could make a homemade pizza with a ww/white ww/spelt flour crust etc. ?

We all are at times "lurking and learning" to cope and learning to balance our bodies nutritional needs, so welcome to the crowd! Perhaps there is someone that does it perfectly , if so I hope they will post and tell us how!

Personally I find maintaining very easy on this plan. I think for me because it easily becomes a WOL (way of life) , not a plan you go on , lose weight , then go off. It is just healthy eating.

One thing that I have found vital is to eat the right amount of protien/fat to make sure my appetite is satisfied so that I can keep things in balance.

Also if one 'goofs' just make sure the next meal is right and go on, don't stress over it!

MOrning all,
Thought I would drop by and let you all know that I really never did make the switch to Schwarzbein. I ended up finally balancing out on Atkin's and I am feeling much better ,I had originally thought of switching only cause I was feeling so sick but that is all fine now and I am having lots of great days know.


I realize that I will never do it perfectly so I just gotta try again the next meal. and forget about it. I am doing really well now that my body has adjusted and starting to lose again.
Debbie

That's great, Debbie. I'm glad the Atkins is working for you after all! And thanks for dropping by. I was wondering what had happened to you, since we arrived here at this board at the same time.

I've stuck with the SP, and am slowly doing better. Perhaps my extreme difficulty with Atkins was due to the fact that I was a vegetarian for 30 years, until 5 years ago, and had only been eating red meat for 6 months or so. So my body was used to higher carbs, lower proteins and low fat for so many years. Also, I am only 13 pounds overweight, so I don't have a lot of reserves to draw on.

I just finished the book "Life without Bread." It is really an excellent lo carb book, and is quite similar to SP. He really cautions about switching to low carbs too quickly if you have some of the risk factors that I have. And he recommends not going below 73 grams/day. LOL - All these writers advise something different. I guess we just have to experiment around until we find somethng that works for us.

So -- I wish you well in your journey. I have a feeling I'll be on this board for a while!

Puppet Lady,
I see that you get sick when you eat, what sort of sick. I was that way too sort of, until I started taking digestive enzymes. They really help me, I could tell you how sick I was. Starting SP I don't get as sick, and i take fewer pills but I need them.
Just a thought.
It's great to see you around.
Tanya