You know, after getting through the 4th of July with only a few minor cheats, I was thinking about how you live on this WOE. I've been doing Atkins since March and as of yesterday am only 3 pounds away from losing 40 pounds. I have a way to go, but I feel so much better about myself, my body and my health!

I was thinking that sometimes we so concentrate on our "diet change" that we forget the mental change that needs to be a part of changing our WOL and WOE forever. I guess having done this for almost 5 months, I wanted to share with you guys how I've started thinking about this WOE that I hope will keep me an LC'r for a very long time.

The first is changing the way we look at a "diet". Every other "diet" I've tried has been about denying myself - with the concomitent "oh woe is me" attitude. But I have a friend with two young boys who is committed to not using the word "no" if she can help it. Instead, she tells her boys what they "can" do rather than what they can't.

Now, applying this to our WOE, I have found telling myself about all the things I CAN eat rather than obsessing about the forbidden things has been very helpful. I CAN have steak, shrimp with garlic butter, butter on my veggies, cheese for a snack, nuts, cream on my strawberries, full fat blue cheese dressing, etc. I CAN have Endulge ice cream (which is very good, BTW). I was NEVER able to have those things on a "diet", and it is hard to feel sorry for yourself with all the good things we CAN eat. So every time you think about "I can't have _____", mentally tag onto that statement, "but I CAN have _____."

I find this mental attitude to be helpful for times, particularly in resturaunts, when the bread or tortillas get dropped in front of me. And if I CAN have the chilie rellanos smothered in cheese or the taco salad with cheese and guacamole, I can resist the pre-dinner chips. It changes the feeling of what I am doing of a diet to truly a sustainable WOE. It also helps with those annoying people who want to either make you eat something (it's just a little bite...you know that drill) or want to make you feel deprived for not eating those nice cheese muffins. I can say - back off, I'm intentionally leaving room for the good stuff!

Another thing is deciding that I am in control of what I eat, and I'm even in control when I cheat. It is hard to be perfect, and on occasion there will be cheats - in some way the little cheats are necessary so that you stay on the larger plan. But instead of letting a cheat make me feel out of control, I try to put myself in control. I DECIDE if something is worth a cheat. I make the decision to possibly knock myself out of ketosis for a day or two, and decide whether the cheat is worth it. But what I've found is if I decide that I'm going to eat that Cracker Barrel biscuit (which I did over the fourth), I can also decide that the cheat stops with one biscuit. It helps to prevent the "well, I've already cheated once, so I might as well keep cheating" attitude that is so easy to fall into (particularly when it comes to Krispy Kreme donuts). It is a conscious decision to control what is going into my body, rather than feeling that hopeless sense of a loss of control that was part of my being overweight in the first place. I have found that to be very helpful also.

I don't know if these ideas are helpful to anyone else, but so much about the changes we are trying to make is greater than simply regulating our carb intake. Its about taking control. And since we are on the journey together, I thought I'd just share some of the things that have helped me to stay on this WOE and make it a WOL.

I whole-heartedly with you. I've been on just a couple of weeks longer than you. From the very beginning, I knew that the weight problem was just a symptom of a different problem. This is a battle that must be won in the mind. When you get your head into it, the rest follows. I just came off a 4-1/2wk "stall." There is nothing in my previous history to suggest that I would continue on that long despite losing. But, when I wavered the most, I found myself re-reading Atkins. I was able to hang in there b/c I was able to stay sober about my actions. I believe I've got the "Atkins mindset" which constantly helps me strategize my day b/c this is a WOL not just a WOE. We will always have choices and we will always (ultimately) be accountable to the consequences of those choices. Yesterday, I ate a bite of mashed potatos the size of the tip of my thumb. They tasted nastily sweet to me. Before I took the bite, I had made the conscious decision to do so. My brain has now made the connection - potatos, patooey. B/c I was conscious about the decision and the reaction, I don't think I'll be desiring potatos anytime soon. That's just one example. Hopefully, that will help someone else. Just stop before you do anything and really think about it. Then if you make the choice, (I believe) it is no longer a cheat, but a conscious decision. Learn from the experience. Just think, you can burn calories just going through the thinking process.

Hope I stayed true to the original post.

Have a great day everyone!

Shari

My DH takes me out to restaruants a lot, and I constantly
leave off the carbs, while my DH has Cake,Pie, etc, in
front of me. But i'v finally got it in my head that i'm doing
this WOL for myself, and not him or anyone else. It's
taken a long time to git that into my head.
Today I copied off a before picture, to save,so when
I finally git to my goal weight, I'l post my before and after
pictures. Probably about a year from now, but i'm starting
to see big changes allready.
Bart

"Just think, you can burn calories just going through the thinking process." LOL!

Exactly! If you make a conscious decision, it isn't a cheat, it is a decision that you are in control of making!

And isn't it great when that thing that you were so craving isn't as good as you thought it would be?

I admit this started out as a diet for me, I wanted to lose weight then go back to eating whatever I wanted.....stupid plan. This is the way I eat now, for the rest of my life. I was born to eat like this, I have finally found the proper way to eat to improve my health. The weight loss is a side benefit now, not the most important benefit at all. I really think to take off the weight and to keep it off you MUST not think of this as a diet, it is truly the best way to eat, period.

maggie,

thanks for such an uplifting post. it sure came at the right time for me. i've been discouraged because no weight loss or lost inches for 4 weeks. i needed that shot in the arm to keep my attitude positive!

Hi Maggie, congrats on your weight loss! Thats terrific!

I too love this wol because I don't ever feel deprived and cravings for sugars and starch are almost non-existant. When I do hear a brownie or potatoe chip calling my name, I don't get in a panic mode, I'm able to say no and its not so bad. Its all about choices and weighing the pros and cons if we are to treat ourselves to a cheat. I find that rather then being impulsive about a cheat, its at thoughtout process. Those cravings no longer get in the way of my better judgement.

Keep up the good work Maggie, you are an inspiration. flutter

Thank you for making this post. It really is inspiring, and has helped me with ideas on how to handle the occasional desire to "cheat", and to remind my self that I do have control of what goes into my body. Thank yu!

Thank you for the fabulous post, Maggie. I was just thinking today about all of the luscious things I can eat __________ (fill in blank with personal favorite) so I do not dwell on the negative. I have found the most wonderful things to eat on Induction and when I begin OWL I get to add back in my favorites - raspberries and macadamia nuts.

I can do this for life!

Add my vote on there!!!

TRUE TRUE TRUE

Well said

I had such a challenging, frustrating time on WW. Oh, it WORKS, but it was SO hard. (And I was a WW leader) But now, I EAT ANYTIME I'm hungry!!! I do not HAVE to keep a journal. I am NEVER EVER hungry, and I can always find something totally yummy to eat!!! A dessert, a breakfast burrito, a hamburger slathered with bleu cheese, diet root beer with a splash of heavy cream, the list goes on and on!!!

I can always find something to eat wherever I go. I have learned how to manage breakfasts so I don't get bored and stay happy. I used to stall for MONTHS AND MONTHS on WW. I did stall on this, for even less than the "usual" 8 weeks; just 6, and then the scale started dropping. I read the sticky in tips and stalls, and from WW knew that plateaus are normal. (I want to mention here that I am ALSO learning patience)

To not crave a dessert my family is having, not even a BIT, is a MIRACLE. As long as I am loyal, I have NO cravings whatsoever.

I love this WOE. I tell everyone that asks. FINALLY, I can eat as much as I want, whenever I want, and still lose, and the foods are yummy. I am a VERY happy camper!!!

Maggie - you are definitely onto something here. I have been feeling totally spoiled for months on the WOE.
I think Wordlady said it all. Maybe that's where the name came from....

What an inspirational thread!

I agree about the change in attitude along with the change in weight.
I used to feel like I had no control and even if my mind said one thing I would do another. Now, this WOL has completely changed that.

My DH and I went to a restaurant with his coworker and his wife this past weekend and at the end of the meal the waiter passed out dessert menus and asked if anyone wanted anything. The desserts looked wonderful but I did not want anything, and mentally I didn't want it either. I didn't feel like I was denying myself anything. The coworker's wife is on WW and she had that look that I and I'm sure many of you have known also where you know you shouldn't have a dessert but she couldnt resist it. So she had one. It is so liberating that this plan so wonderfully lets you take control of yourself and you don't hardly miss a thing!

While they were eating their desserts and I did not have a craving for one bite then I knew 100% that I can continue with this to my goal!

It's like watching the Red Sea parting. I NEVER would have believed it could happen.

Once you learn that you only make your life difficult by "dipping in", or going off, it really makes you feel strongly about NOT cheating. I mean, I have NO desire for starches/sugars, and the few times I have had them anyway, it's a total battle for the rest of the day and sometimes the day after not to POUNCE on something starchy/sugary and DEVOUR the whole thing. I'd much rather keep my life simple :-)

I love this thread. It is great because it is the way I have tried to live my life as well. I have my "swiss cheese theory"- looking at life as a piece of swiss cheese- you can either focus on the holes in the cheese (the things that you think are lacking in your life- the things you don't have) or you can focus on the cheese holding the holes together Want what you already have. Speaking of swiss cheese- I had some for breakfast this morning- delicious!!

Tonight I am feeling like having shrimp in garlic butter- so I will!! A decadent treat? You bet!! One of the many things on this WOE that I do want AND can have!!

I wouldn't trade having this much energy, feeling great, lack of hunger cravings (most of the time) for anything- even if I WASN'T losing any weight!!

Good low-carb thoughts to all!!

Tracy