Hi!

This weekend I cheated. Family wedding and huge get-togethers, so I carefully considered how to stay on target but then figured...ah, well. So I did the planned cheat this weekend. Tomorrow I go back on induction and hopefully within a week I'll be back on track and lose the water weight. But here are some thoughts:

1) Even though I gave myself permission to cheat, I didn't go overboard. I didn't grossly stuff myself. I avoided sugar (with the exception of one piece of wedding cake--didn't even indulge in any of the Easter candy strewn about like...well, like Easter candy.) I just didn't feel like I was somehow making up for lost time.

2) I realized how much I DON'T miss about the old WOE: the heartburn, the mood swings and mid-afternoon exhaustion, the feeling stuffed and urpy after eating carbs...I just don't miss it.

3) The stuff in which I indulged tasted good (I had two slices of pizza and had French fries, two thing) but I can live without it. I really feel that once I reach my target weight (I'm about halfway there) I'll be able to continue LC'ing. I don't feel like it's a hardship at all.

Anyway, I feel pretty good about the weekend. It was fine. I had a good time. But I'm not tempted to return to being enslaved by food. Been there, done that, bought the oversized t-shirt.

Best wishes,
Nancy

I like you took my first "break" days, starting with Friday. Unlike you, I ate sugar! Will pay for it I know come Monday morning when I get back on plan.

Actually I will be glad to get back on plan. Today I am very tired feeling. And where I first start off thinking things were to sweet, not they taste fine to me. Kinda glad it will be a yucky rainy week, it will match my mood as I detox.

Well, TJE1219, I'm glad that you realize that cheating isn't all it's cracked up to be!! I agree with you...the side effects of eating carbs can be really miserable. For me, it's the heartburn, fatigue, moodiness, stomach aches, bloat, and headaches that keep me from indulging a lot of times.
I hope you had a nice weekend with the wedding and all. Best of luck to you getting back on track and continuing with Atkins!!

Love that one!!! I agree. I did the same thing yesterday, and although there is a little guilt going on, I know that I will be right back on my plan. I already am. Just don't let it lead to an every day or every other day thing.

Heh,

My wife and I just got back from a big family trip to DisneyWorld. This was a planned cheat for us, and to tell you the truth we felt great taking it (no guiltiness). I did notice the poor way that the carby sugary food made me feel though, and I am very happy to get back on the Bandwagon starting yesterday (that's right, no special Easter dinner for us!)

The big thing that's important to realize is that it's a PLANNED thing. If you plan for it, then it's actually not a cheat. You can't make this a WOL if you think of it as a cheat! It is just an alternative way of eating while on vacation!

Anywho, we aren't worried about stalling/getting off this WOL/having our house fall in on us/etc. , we just realize that it's the way things happen and we had a great trip and life is still groovy.

~JC

DukeMagi,

I hear you on the planned cheat thing. After doing this WOL for about 8 mos, I WILL NOT feel bad about a cheat. If I'm driven to have a couple onion rings once every few months, then so be it. I'm not going to guilt myself over a treat. When we guilt the heck out of ourselves, we set ourselves up for unnecessary mental discomfort that often goes hand-in-hand with eating disorders.

I had a planned treat this past weekend..I had chocolate and some really good Easter food..I don't feel as though I gained a lot of weight back..But like you said it should be feww occassions and try not to over indulge..
I decided to do induction again. I like the idea of knowing just what to eat and when..Since having children, my brain is fried of all creativitieness.. SO for now I will stick to it for now..

Michelle

I respectfully disagree! Why make food a reward?

Just my 2 cents!

red

Honestly, everyone is different.

I know that food is something that I love. I miss pasta although with this WOE, I no longer crave it. I think that the weight loss is an accomplishment of willpower and a testament to a true lifestyle change.

If there is something like pasta that I know I like and I am having dinner with my family for a major holiday, I am going to endulge in it that night, and move on, no taking a plate home for the next day. I like to think of it as a reward because I know when I sit down at that table, I have the willpower to get up from it, go home, and get right back to my L/C lifestyle. The reward is knowing that I can eat it, I will be fine and not go back to eating pasta everyday b/c I have worked this L/C plan and have more control.

Hope it makes better sense even though some may not agree. Remember, everyone is different and everyone has what works for them and what doesn't.