I will be leaving for Las Vegas on the 27th of this month(for about 3 days) and I have a couple of co-workers who are also on the atkins diet....
We are all going on Vacation at the same time but to diffrent places... anyways, both of my co-workers are planning to use this time as their so called "FREE DAYS" were they can eat anything ...
I'm just very sceptical about this .... I've been on the atkins diet since January and So far so good ... But they both keep on telling me that its vacation and I shouldn't have to limit myself, and I should just enjoy........I just feel that even though I'm on vacation it doesn't mean my diet does too.. another thing is that I don't realy look at this as a diet but more of a life commitment/change.... I'm confused..... If any one has any good advice ... I would gladly apreciate it!!
Thanx,
Analynn (~.~)

Hey Analynn!

It's ok to cheat while on vacation if you want to risk reversing all the progress you've seen.

You know how hard you had to work to get as far as you have, do you really want to have to do it over again?? Especially the withdrawal from carbs part with the headaches, etc.? Not a great way to come back from vacation...

There are tons of great foods that you can have on vacation that are LC. If you indulge at all I would recommend it be on fruit or something with some nutritional value, not sweets, etc.

I know when you're on vacation you probably want to be on vacation in every sense of the word, but if you gain weight from going off of LC, when the vacation is over you'll probably have more than just pictures to show for it...

If you do end up indulging, just remember...MODERATION!!

Enjoy your holiday!!

KC

Vacation is time to celebrate your new lifestyle by not cheating. I think it's really important in the first phase. Your friends seem to be looking at their "diet" as some kind of purgatory and perhaps even hell.

You on the other hand know better! And besides, you'll feel really lousy afterwards.

Where does it end?

I've been really good so I'm going to reward myself with a chocolate bar!

I'm feeling bad so I'm going to reward myself with a chocolate bar!

I'm going on vacation so I'm going to reward myself by pigging out!

It doesn't seem to make sense to reward or comfort yourself with what harms you.

Karen

Beautifully put, Karen.

It is a time to really put to the test new-found knowledge and an opportunity to put those new choices to full use. After all it is easy to be "good" when there is no temptation around.

Analynn there was a thread recently that might be worth taking a look at before you listen to what your friends say. I'd (hopefully) listen to my own heart and do what I know is best for me.

deliberate binge

Take care.

I too will be going on vacation a couple of times this summer (Vegas too) and have been thinking about this same question....wondering if I can do it, etc. But I have learned to convince myself that I'm like a diabetic or an alcoholic .... I can't EVER go back to carbs or I wll get sick again. This is a permanent lifestyle change and everytime I am challenged (holidays, vacations, etc) then it is an opportunity to reinforce that way of thinking. A huge help in the long run, as each challenge just makes me stronger and further entrenched in this WOL.

An alcoholic doesn't go back to drinkiing when he's on vacation, does he? And we don't go back to carbs. I like what's happening with my health and I work very hard to stay on track. It's just not worth the disappointment when you face the inevitable consequences of "cheating".

It sounds to me like you have a much stronger will. Be a role model for your friends and perhaps you can convince them it is the better way to go.

PS..... HAVE FUN!!!

I did the vacation thing this winter and stuck to my WOL - I'm a little militant about it, but honestly, it was easy. As far as I'm concerned, bread doesnt exist in my world. This will always be the case for me, and it's a purely personal thing. I had a little sugar - it couldnt be avoided, this was Cuba, and didnt get to cook my own food - I had a little alcohol. I ate a lot of meat and some fruit and I had a great time. The key is the "L" in WOL. LC can be flexible, Atkins induction doesnt allow for coffee or for alcohol, but they're ok on OWL.

Having a few bites of something not legal may be the only way for you to realize how much you do not miss those things. Being aware that eating bread and sugary deserts will make you feel awful might be enough for you. But as Karen pointed out, LC is hardly hell, or purgatory. You'll be in VEGAS. Think of the steak, the shell fish, the salads!

LCing while in paradise is doable, it feels good to feel good, and if you do see this as a WOL then you don't even notice it, it's habit.

Nat

I would think with all the variety that you will have in Las Vegas LCing shouldn't be a problem. Try and make the best choices in your food selections and if you do slip try not to beat yourself up too much. Enjoy your vacation, but remember this should be a WOL and not just a diet. You want to come home feeling refreshed and not have to go through withdrawls again.

Havent been on a vacation yet but have gone to family outings with everyone and had family reunions and have always found foods there that I could eat... I look at it as a permanent way of life in the way I eat now... Even though their are yummy looking treats on the end of the table I just pass by them.. Without a second thought..The first things I look for anymore is how much food can I eat thats legal... I take a look on the buffets or tables set out and say ummm and go back and and dig in... I plan on a vacation this summer to florida to visit my sister who said she would take us out and see the sights. I plan on sticking with my WOL .... You have done a great job so far keep up the good work.. If your friends say its ok to cheat then mabe they arnt as committed as you are about their new lifestyle... I woulnt want to risk my vacation time by eating something you dont need to and end up sick due to over eating sugars or carbs... You can do it We are all behind you in making the right choices... And you will have a great time ...

Good luck

Tammy

I have been on mini-vacations and did just fine. I really haven't found any restuarant I can't eat at. Vegas has alot of steak and eggs, surf and turf deals,plus alot of buffets which always has some choices as well. I think you should plan to stick to it and buy yourself some clothing article that you didn't fit into before Atkins. That may help keep you motivated. plus the weather should be good to get some good walking in. Exercising always keeps me going. Not to mention it will be warm enough to go by the pool.....Good Luck

Sonja

Karen: Vacation is time to celebrate your new lifestyle by not cheating.

I love it!! This is my time to celebrate life and enjoy what i've been working so hard on.... my new healthy lifestyle!!

Thanks Everyone a bunch for your encouragment and advice!!
It wasn't a very hard decision either... I've packed my running shoes to jog early in the morning and I've already bought 2 bags of chicharone and about 5 atkins bars to calm any sugar cravings I have while on vacation.

I'm really glad there are people like you guys to show me support and make me realize "I CAN DO IT!!" Literally everyone who replied practically brought tears to my eyes just from all the support you've given me!!


As for my co-workers who were supposably on the Atkin's diet..
1 decided to stop and states that she is going to do the Richard simmons deal a meal....reason.. She wants more Variety....

And the other.... Went off the atkins says she is going to go back on after her vacation but is curently doing "slim fast" so she could lose another 10 pounds before vacation...

What do you think about these 2?? Any suggestions??? or Advice?

Also, I had a question about my monthly period... Right before I get my monthly friend I gain about 6 pounds... but then afterwards lose it all and then some... does this happen to anyone else too??

Thanks again for all The GREAT advice!!!

Hi Analyn,

Yes, isnt this board wonderful? Great folks here.

About your co-workers....there's not much you can do to "help" them except by example, I think. In 6 months when they're 10 lbs heavier and your 25 pounds lighter they'll come back around....especially when you go to lunch with them and they see you globbing blue cheese dressing all over your chef's salad!!
Seriously though, you are just in a more committed place than they are...you are really ready to do what you need to do once and for all. It's a state of mind, a decision...not an experiment.

I wouldn't think it's all that unusual to gain 5 or 6 lbs before TOM! I gain 2-3 and it drops off pretty quick. But perhaps if you're drinking more water now than before it won't be so bad. The rule of thumb in any situation when you're retaining water is to DRINK water! It should help.

Congratulations to you on your great decisions!! Isn't it a wonderful feeling to take control again?

Hi Analyn,

Great decision! Just to add a bit from personal experience, the hardest part of taking a vacation from this WOE is getting back to it when you return. I went to France last fall, and I didn't gain any weight, which is amazing considering that by Day 3 all my good intentions had flown out the window. The trouble was that when I returned I kept making excuses for a chicken pita here or a mouthful of potato there, because I wouldn't gain. I didn't--then--but by Christmas I was making excuses every day, and in January I realized that I was back to bingeing. I've lost the 10 lb I gained back, plus another 5, and I have a better appreciation of my relationship to food.

In the beginning of May I'm going to Malta for a couple of weeks. Apart from choosing sensibly there's not much I can do about the food I eat at restaurants, but we're renting a house, and two meals a day will be totally in my control. So no bread, no potatoes, no tastes of this or that. It will be interesting because we're going with a couple who are ultra-low fat--because of the husband's cholesterol .

Susan

We have no control over people, places or things!

It's sad to see this happen, but your two friends will never enjoy the discovery, success and peace of mind that you will achieve unless they make a commitment. You have taken on a way-of-life. They are merely on DIEts and unwilling to make changes to what made tham fat in the first place!

They will probably come around when they see your great results. Or, they may get extremely jealous. Just wink and say, "way of life, and I'm so happy I did it!"

Karen

I just got back from a ladies retreat for my church. For the most part, I didn't have any trouble staying with my low carb lifestyle. I did have to be a bit assertive at breakfast when the everything had either potatoes or sugar in it. I simply explained that I was on a special diet where I could not have bread, sugar or potatoes and asked if they would be willing to scramble me a couple of eggs. They were happy to do so and the rest of the weekend was smooth sailing. For lunch I simply ate the ham off the sandwiches with some lettuce and tomatoes that they had out for sandwich toppings. Dinner I hit the salad bar hard and asked for a plate of just the turkey they were serving. If you are on vacation, order what you need instead of simply settling for what's on the menu...most restaurants are more than happy to accomodate people with special dietery needs. There are many wonderful things you can eat with this WOE so there is no need to be or feel deprived. Your friends may even be a bit jealous when they see you eating salands with gobs of bleu cheese dressing and lobster with lots of drawn butter and you can say that you ARE still on your diet. The best revenge on those who have negative things to say about this WOL is to live and eat well! Have fun on vacation!

I have the same thing every month. As long as I know that it will all go away I am fine with it. I did however discover that if I drank a lot more water during that time I didn't gain as much, and it went away faster.

As for the vacation thing. Just keep excercising. If you do that then it will be easier to stay on the right track. Just rememeber once you cheat it is hard to stop. I know... On Easter it has always been my job to make the pies and I REALLY love my coconut cream pie. I was really good with everything but thought that it would be okay to have that one piece and after that, it took me an entire week to stop cheating. You know a little here and a little there. It was horrible. I didn't gain any weight (thank God) but after all that time with not even a little cheating and then it took days to stop once I started. So try your best to keep up the good work otherwise, just don't get discouraged if you aren't as good as you plan. Just start each day with the right frame of mind and see how it goes from there. It asounds like you have a good head on your shoulders. I am sure that you will be fine.

Good Luck and have fun
Ell...