I went way over my 20 carbs yesterday, and I did it with those stupid ice cream bars of Atkins. I found I wanted them all and I ate three. Then, I had a good old time drinkuing decaf coffee with cream and sweet and low. I really blew it and wonder why I do these things to myself? Is it a need to run back to the comfort of food? What have some of you done to overcome what seems a horrible impulse. I felt possessed!
I really want to succeed at this new way of life for me, but just when I am doing great, I blow myself out of the water. Does anyone have an answer or advice?
Deb

Well...think about it. You "pigged out" on 3 LC ice cream bars, and a few cups of coffee with cream and artificial sweetner.

It could have been a LOT worse you know.....

Just jump straight back on the wagon this morning like nothing happened. I have a few cups of decaf and a teaspoon of cream per day. The cream is barely enough to register in the cup but it's better tha black coffee. 1 tsp is only about 1/8 of a fl oz. Not enough carbs to register hardly...

Try to avoid all those "Atkins Friendly" and LC products if you can during induction. I know they are listed up the back of the 2002 DANDR menu suggestions, but really, it's best to stick to a clean induction from only the foods listed on 84 and 85. It's just for two weeks.

I'd in the meantimes get rid of all LC convenience foods. Put them in a neighbors fride or something till later. For some (like me...grr) the sugar alcohols act just like sugar and throw me out of ketosis. I have to count EVERY gram of carbs in them.

Also they delay getting off our addictions/dependances on sugar. Sure we no longer are physically addicted but psychologically, we remain dependant on that sweet fix.

Oh BTW...have you deducted all your fiber from yesterday from the carb count? It may make you feel a little better to do that and see that the number is lower than you thought.

I eat about 28 g gross carbs per day but I also eat about 11 gms of fiber. So I get to deduct 11 from that number at the end of each day to bring me back to about 17 gs

I absolutely agree with Toning - good advice. I have a terrible time with those sugar free popsicles. They have 3 carbs apiece so they could be a good choice. But once I start eating them I cannot stop! So, I just don't buy them or have them in the house. Same thing with nuts - it is really tough for me to stop eating them once I start so I don't keep them in the house. Now, when I really want those foods, I drive to 711 and buy one portion. That way I can enjoy it but not multiple times a day! Good luck! I have never tried the Atkins Ice cream bars and I don't plan too. Ice cream was always a binge food for me so I have to let it go . Orchid

Thank you. I am back on. It wasn't the worst I could have done, and I just need to be patient with myself I guess. I threw the damn things out because it is too much temptation for me to handle. I'M SOOOO Weak! I'll keep going and I appreciate your comments.
Thanks,
Debbie

Hey Perbain:
I've done the same thing too but ya know what? After about 3 months of this WOE I stopped altogether except for those miserable days right before my TOM (those are HARD to resist).
Yup, it is most important that you just forgive youself and move forward. Don't dwell on a mishap but congratulate yourself for doing so well and losing 12 lbs - that is no easy task lil' missy!

That's okay, you got it out of your system. Now you know what your weaknesses are. Don't put yourself in that position again. Learn from your mistakes and move on. Keep up the good work!!!!!!!

I used to do the same thing, beating myself up for slipping up and eating something I shouldn't. But now I've changed my whole way of thinking about diet and exercise. I'm choosing to eat right and exercise because it's the way I want to live, not because I want to get to some magical goal. If I were only doing this to get to a goal weight, I'd probably stop once I got there, and then go right back up. So now if I pig out or miss one day of exercise, it's no big deal, because I know that I'm doing this for the long haul. One day isn't going to make that much of a difference over the course of 50 (or more!) years.

I understand the struggle of not being able to stop at one handful of chips or one cookie or one bite of chocolate. It was this kind of eating that got me into the shape I'm in today. I've tried alot of the weight loss programs and was good until something set me off and there it went.

I had to get my head to a place where I didn't beat myself up if I slipped but got back at it the next day. Finally, after many tries I'm there. Find substitutes for the times you get into the one won't hurt me. Little sayings like "That stuff is poision, it's killing me" Or " It was a treat (as cheat implies quilt), I'll go forward from here."

Find something to do, like handicrafts or exercising to fill in the times your tempted. (for me it's the evenings). One of my biggest problems is at work when I,m doing a boring job. (if you can) I listen to a book on tape and that occupies the bored part and gets me through the day.

Don't give up. It was only one day, and you have a lifetime of them ahead of you.

Oh, how many of us have walked in your shoes!

I don't keep ice cream, whipping cream, SF jello or anything like that in the house because there is no such thing as "one serving" of them for me. They trigger a "go back for more" craving...over and over and over. But if you haven't tried it once, you don't know what your vulnerabilities are. You found out early and can move on now. It was one time, one "treat" and you aren't going to gain a ton of weight as a result. You probably won't see any affect at all.

In all probabilty you will find that the longer you are on this WOE/WOL, your desire for this stuff is going to drop. Load of people are quite surprised to find their taste has changed after several months and things they "loved"...especially sugary ones...are "too" sweet or just don't taste nearly as good as they remember. Don't give up...six months from now you will smile over your post! Most importantly...relax!

As the days go by, this WOE will come easier for you. I guess we all have to go through that "experimental stage" to see what works and what don't work for us. I know that I can't even think about sweets of any kind..........If I eat sf jello, I'll eat a huge bowl and then be craving something else sweet..........and on and on.
Forgive yourself...........turn your setbacks into comebacks!!!!!!!

Pati

Hi Everybody,

I'm just new to this site and have been doing a lot of reading. Actually I just did an essay on researching low carb diets for a communications class I'm taking and that's how I found ya all.

Anyway...I have attempted to get back at this for quite some time. I am a TOTAL chocohaulic. It's very serious, I absolutely CANNOT live without the stuff...

In the past, when I was energetic enough to work out, The Atkins bars (more so the ones from the States that have all the fibre in them) didn't seem to hurt me too much. And when I fell off the diet, I have used them as an alternative choice to eating real chocolate bars. I was diabetic in both of my pregnancies (my kids are teens now) and I know that increases my chances later in life so I am quite worried about my weight.

I havent weighed myself yet because as long as I'm not squeezing into jeans, I know I'll just get depressed if I really know what i weigh. I think I need to lose about 30 but I'm not sure.

I have a whole bunch of Atkins bars at home now and some other brand name (Genesoy I think) but am hoping to get off of them for the two weeks. I am waiting for all of the Atkins information to arrive in my lil town of Timbucktwo in the mail so I can really study up on induction. I was kind of sort of following Suzanne Somers in the past as I felt this didnt have enough veggies. I have since changed my mind and want to give it a serious go. My understanding about the first two weeks at this point is meat, poultry, eggs.... 4 oz cheese and ~3 C low carb veggies??????

Am I right in staying off these things and only eating what I listed for two weeks?

Sheesh tomorrow nights family turkey dinner is gonna be a toughy without the starchy stuff! The one thing I do use Atkins bars for is a reward when I have avoided a whole lot of other stuff. Boy am I ever in the wrong frame of mind on this. I hope I smarten up! HELPPPPPP!!!!![FONT=Arial]

Fill up on the turkey and have one dish of veggies you can eat like brussel sprouts or turnip. (or you can always start the day after if the turkey dinner is really important.

Coleslaw is another good subtitute for veggies as well 'cause cabbage is very low carb.

Yes, you are right lenni. If it's not on the induction list, don't eat it. :-)

I HAd THAT DAY TODAY!!!!!

...i woke up feeling crummy so i grabbed a atkins bar, and another...and as i sat here reading this i was in the middle of the third one...i blew my 20 carbs out of the water today...my biggest problem is eating enough, once i start counting i get obsessive and im not getting enough calories. yesterday i had 600 calories and only 16 carbs. today im way over that in carbs but not enough calories. i guess it takes a bit to figure out what works and what doesn't...fitday.com is incredible to help figure out what you've eaten and what you can. i love it.