I'm disgusted....I've gone through the induction phase following Atkins twice before...I can't ever seem to make it past 3 weeks.....I have done well both times until I accomplish a major screw up, like mash potatoes or something, or a slice of pizza, and then everything unravels......now I'm another ten pounds heavier....I was down to 190 the last time I completed induction....now I've added 30 pounds back to that....ughhhhhhhhh

Tomorrow I am going to begin induction for the third time...I am thinking that I may need to consider staying on it indefinitely...it just seems that when I start adding some carbs and going up from the 20-25 range, I then lose my will power or something....its very hard to explain and it is like I know I am messing everything up but can't stop it from happening

Anyhow...tomorrow will start a new beginning...and I hope one that goes beyond three weeks....I look forward to the day when the sight of my body in a mirror doesn't bring feelings of sadness, defeat, disgust and tears...I know you have to love yourself, and I do...I'm just really disappointed in me

I am going to try to be positive and FOCUS...and to take it one meal at a time

I am not asking for any pity...But any words of wisdom and/or encouragement may be helpful and definitely appreciated

Thanks

When you start adding more carbs in once you are past induction, what foods are you using? It sounds like whatever you are adding is provoking some type of carb craving.
You may be one of those who are particularly sensitive to certain things such as dairy, nuts or artificial sweeteners and the reaction that they provoke is a return of cravings. The only way to discover that is to pay careful attention to how certain foods or sweeteners affect you and if you notice that you have cravings after eating something particular, you may have to avoid it altogether.

It doesn't hurt to stay in induction for a while.

Also, I've found the new Dr Phil book to be an invaluable tool in figuring out how to stay focused and on-plan. While his food plan is not lc, the information in the book can easily be applied to any plan. I highly recommend it.

It sounds to me that some fod you're adding may be the culprit, as well. When you raise your carbs, which foods do you add first?

We're all here for you. You can do it!!!

Almonds and Macadamia nuts are something that I add as soon as induction is over...I don't know if that would trigger anything...I do love Almonds and look forward to adding them....maybe I will take a closer look at that possibility...they are somewhat addicting....thanks

I can easily eat 1,000+ calories of nuts if I don't watch out. I portion them out in 1-oz servings, and I eat only one serving at a time. You might want to check your portion sizes. And if they are "addicting" for you, you might need to avoid them altogether.

Yup... any food can be a trigger. It's very easy to overdo nuts, especially,or any "snacky" foods like that. It's easy for me to munch away two or three servings, and SWEAR I only ate one...<sigh>

Sounds like that is something I should avoid then....I can do that...and then stay aware of anything else that has that same effect too...and I'm sure I justified to myself eating more of them than I should...especially since I could subtract the fiber

Thanks guys

No problem. Make sure to add new foods slowly, and one at a time...then wait a week before adding a new one. It's a pain, but if you're sensitive to certain foods, it's really the only way to identify the culprit.

I totally understand how you feel. I have started Induction and failed eleven times in the last year and a half. I almost just gave up and said this is not for me. The thing is, when I stop eating carbs, my hands and arms feel good. Once off carbs for a few weeks, they are so painful I cannot sleep. It gets progressively worse, I go off carbs, it goes away. I have had to make the decision that my body is telling me in no uncertain terms, stay off the carbs. I am going to have to find a way to make it work this time. This is 12th time starting induction since July of last year, and that does not count the other five or six times in the years before that I have tried to do this. I have to do this time. I understand eveything you say, I am very disapointed in myself right now, and with pain involved, you would think that would be enough incentive to stay on. I have to do it this time. I wish you all the best and look forward to seeing you make it past your first three weeks, unlike you, I just lose my mind one day and just go off, no reason, it is stupid. I am going to have to fight it like crazy this time. Stephie

HI,

I have discovered through lots of trial and effort that I pretty much have to stay on or very close to induction in order to keep losing. It seems that I need to stay close to a very low carb level.

Could you try using fitday.com for a bit to monitor how many carbs you are really taking in? Just keep checking with it to notice if you stop losing at a certain number of carbs. Once you figure out the magic number it will help you. I am at a bit of a plateau so am going to return to it to help me out of this slump. I am not gaining right now but not losing either and I want to see what is going on.

The other thing I did to help myself a while back is join the ediets.com website. I am not trying to sell anything here - just sharing what helped me. It does cost money but not too much and you can go on Atkins and they provide you with a meal plan and a shopping list. It made the first weeks of induction idiot-proof for me - I didn't even have to think - and gave me some great meal ideas.

Take care,

Sally

To watch your servings divvy up serving sizes in to sandwich bags. One bag is a daily allotment. That way you will know that you have had a serving. You might even want to label each portion with the days of the week. Try to hold off snacking until it is almost time for a meal. If you are like me, you will not want to spoil the meal by over snacking and you might eat less. Whatever is left, can be eaten as an after meal snack if you want. Therefore my suggestion is plan your snack times just like you plan your meals. It was important for me to remember that tomorrow is another day.

Black57

Totally know how you feel. I've just finished week 3, lost during Induction then put on 3 lbs on the weekend. Know exactly what happened - had a carb binge. Pizza, meat pies, coke, etc. etc. The craving was enormous. After the binge, I felt so tired, it was like I'd not slept for a week. That did it for me, going to stay close to Induction from now on.
Hope things are going well for you this week
Cheers
Pam

Sallie - fitday.com is a wonderful tool....and I certainly plan on utilizing it this time around....and perhaps read the numbers more carefully too...the only thing was just like this forum, once I "screw" up, I quit using them...so this time, I hope to like I said..take it a meal at a time...and your right about that magic number, I need to figure out what it is....thanks so much for the advice, and I wish you much success,..I'm sure with your will power your plateau won't last much longer....thanks Sallie

Black57 - that sounds like a great idea, a more disciplined way of making sure not to over do it....and remembering that tomorrow is another day is wonderful advice!!! Thanks

Stephie-Thanks for sharing your struggle with me, I am sorry that you have to go through this...and though I am certainly not glad that you are, I do find comfort that I am not alone, and that there are people willing to share with others their own personal trials, they are just as important as the success stories that are shared, because I know that behind every success story, were most definitely some hard times....drop me a line if you feel the need to talk, and thank you. Lets both make this time around a success!!!