Ok, i have done this diet b4 and was very successful at it. I've been trying since Jan of 2004 to get back on track w/ atkins. I have been unsuccessful every time. I was doing good for once and had stuck to it for 2 1/2 weeks and then for this ministry team i'm on for church we ended up eating at this place called cici's pizza(my favorite place to eat) and so me and my friend who's on it decided to cheat and make that a cheat day. Well, after that i couldn't get back on it for another 1 1/2 weeks and i completely went off of it Well yestserday i finally got started again and i'm doing fine, but i need some encouragement. Am i the only person who has trouble getting started?!?!? thanks for any response!

You are not the only one having trouble! I started Atkins for the first time 3 weeks a go and I have had my ups and downs - mostly discouraged because I haven't seeing much weight loss, I have cheated ocassionally but I refuse to give in completely. I need to loose approx 20 kilos (not shure how many lbs that is). You say you have done it before and succeeded - don't give up! You are one of the lucky ones that has seeing results!

I think it is a rare person that has succeed through a diet without doubts, fears, and just plain oopses. This is the reason a support forum exists.

I suggest that you both try measuring yourselves. Weight can fluctuate for so many reasons (especially for women). I pick one day a week and measure myself. For often I don't lose numbers on the scale, but I lose them in my measurements. I know it may seem odd if you aren't actively working on strength training to gain muscle.....but you actually will. Although those results may not be as dramatic as they would with more extensive training, it is very motivating to see a half an inch disappear here and there.

With your measurements I would suggest doing several spots as sometimes the inches come off in one and not the others. I personally do:

wrist, forearm, upper arm, neck, chest, bust, waist, hip, thigh, calf, and ankle.

I think if you try this, you will find that you are indeed right on track with your diet! Don't give up! And might I also suggest that you peek in on the other diet forums on here and do some research before quitting completely. Many times, another plan might suit someone better, but they don't give them a chance. I wish you good luck and please come back for support! Surely there will always be someone who can share your experiences and aid you with a solution.

Smiley. ..You can do it!..We are all here to give encouragement and motivation.

I am doing the re-induction phase and messed up a few times this week...I feel bad about it, but have to move forward. Just remember, we all mess up, but don't be down on yourself...that definately won't help....& just keep coming back to this forum knowing you are not the only one who "caved" in.

The first time I did Atkins back in December I blew it big time with pizza becuase I slipped up and let myself get too hungry.anyway, it took me until the end of January to get back on track - after royally beating myself up about it...we are only human, and the point is that you are now back on, and we are all in the same boat

You CAN do it!

When I first began low-carbing last summer, I fell off the wagon big-time and could not move forward because I was cuddling with my guilt. It's ok, we're all human, and for many of us we are giving up addictive substances, not just comfort foods. As Karen's siggy says, "Progress Not Perfection."

Keep on keepin' on! Paris

I got really smug, comfortable with these way of eating, and then slipped off the curb and headed up the high carb highway. Funny way of saying - DON'T CHEAT! Sorry, I didn't mean to yell. All I know is, one little cheat for me spells disaster. As Dr. Atkins says, "Just one bite can be the kiss of death". I've been in some bad situations, too, but in the end you're the only one who can control what goes in and out of your mouth (OK - I'm preaching to myself here, check my journal). Every time you slip it's that much harder to go back to the straight and narrow. I'm sorry if I seem so mean, it's just that I'm struggling with the same issues.

We all have our slip ups and we all want to eat other things that are not great for us. I don't cheat very often--when I do it is very controlled. I don't keep things in my house that I know I will cheat on because it only calls out my name when I am weak and then i eat it. Don't beat yourself up just take it one hour at a time. Instead of having a slip up try and fill your time wth other things and you will find your cravings will go away. I know how to do this and I know all about cravings--but do you think I can give up smoking--not yet anyhow. So I know how you feel.
angie

I fell off the wagon twice. I tell u what. Staying on the plan is ALOT easier than getting off and getting back on. I havent cheated since the holidays and dont plan on it. It is so hard getting back on the plan but you can do it!

Looking back and seeing how hard it was, is enough to keep me moving forward

Don't give in - I am sure you will win through. I was quite down about my "stall" but had lots of encouragement and stuck it out and have just dropped 2lbs and when I checked my measurements - which i don't often do I have lost 7" in total since I started - so feeling quite good today. I know it is difficult when you are struggling but hang on in there YOU WILL SUCCEED.

best wishes

hi smiley!

don't feel so discouraged, this new WOL is hard to adapt to. you should be proud that you're starting fresh and you have your goals ahead of you. besides, that's what these forums are for...we're each other's cheerleaders in times of despair and uncertainty.

i really don't think i would be highly motivated unless i had a forum like this to come to everyday. you should look at the success stories and photos, they are quite encouraging. it reminds me of my own goals and what i want to achieve.

take one day at a time, before you know it...those little pounds will be gone.

keeping smiling

blue skies,

Kimmy

I am coming off a week long slip myself. I have just spent an hour here reading posts and journals. Every time I am tempted I pop back into the form and it has really been helping me to get through the day. I swear I will never cheat again. It is so much easier to start then it is to get back to this WOE.
Good luck and remember you are not alone.

Another trick Dr. A suggests is IMAGERY. Yesterday (Day 15 of Induction) I was feeling very peckish and wanted a Crunch Bar in the worst way. Instead of buckling--and knowing I would regret it immediately--(I was even contemplating eating the candy and then putting my finger down my throat!) I instead decided to put away my cold weather clothes and bring out the warm weather wardrobe that I haven't worn in 4 years.

Not only did this take my mind off of food, it made me wistful for the pretty clothes I once fit in to. This was the best thing I could have done because I was forcing myself to remember when I was thin enough to wear these clothes, and remember how I felt "back then": slim, attractive, sexy, energetic. Hmmm. I wasn't hungry for that candy bar anymore.

And by putting away my bulky sweaters, I am forcing myself to stay with the program so I can fit into my pretty summer clothes, and recapture those feelings I had of myself 4 years ago.

Cheers!

(After 2 weeks on induction I lost 7 pounds and 8 inches. And day 14 was the first day of TOM. I expect the whoosh fairy me in week 3.)

Thanks guys for all the support. I agree, if there wasn't a forum i could go to for support i don't know if i could do this. I am such a junk food person though..lol! It's especially hard since my mom went on atkins w/ me last year and lost a bunch of weight and has kept it off, so i am the only person in the house on the diet:-\ Yea, it's finally get warm outside here in VA so that means that summer will be here b4 ya know it, and i really wanna be thin b/c i usually HATE bathing suits and i want to be able to fit into my old summer clothes. It's so hard because i'll be doing good for 2 or 3 weeks and then all the sudden i'll want to cheat soo bad and i usually give in. Then i'll have to start induction again so i used to just stay off the diet because i was just too fustrated and didn't think i could start AGAIN. I'm hopeful that i'll be able to meet my goal and get over these cravings soon enough. My friend who lost about 100 pounds and has kept it off told me this saying always helped her : NO FOOD TASTES AS GOOD AS BEING THIN FEELS
So, everytime i want to cheat i'll say this over and over to myself and it has seemed to work so far!
Best of luck to you all!!

I cheated throught the entire month of December, and it was SO hard to get back on track. I finally did it in February and I decided that when I am dying for something sweet, I will look through the recipes on here, or other lowcarb recipe sites and make myself something. There are alot of simple recipes that can be done in the microwave. Spend some time and find some you like and keep them handy for the days when that craving stikes. Cheating is hard to recover from for some people, I am one of them. Use fitday to track what you eat, it can be a pain, but it helps you keep track. Good luck !