Hi All,

I've been around for a while. Have posted a bit. I've been away for a few months - I'm heavier than ever and feeling so awful.

Has anyone found that yo-yo-ing to and from LC to High Carb makes it SOOO much harder to get back into LC again? I feel like I am just destroying my body - because I am so sensitive to carbs and they make me puff up and pack on the weight like nothin' else. I haven't yet accepted the "way of life" piece of this - and I need to. My body has proved to me, left right forwards and backwards, that I can't take the carbs.

So I am back to induction tomorrow. Truth be told, I never really did the full-on, real deal, Atkins induction. I've always started with Atkins for a day or two, then went to the Zone or Protein Power. And I never gave up the coffee which has a lot to do with my serious appetite fluctuations.

OK, just want to put my intentions out there into cyberspace. I intend to pay attention to my body and skip the carbs. And to give Atkins the real shot and see how much better I feel - I know I will!

Thanks for reading!!

cj...

Welcome back to a great WOE...this time, don't consider it a diet to lose weight because you know what happens when we are "on a diet"! It just doesn't work, and yes, getting back to it again and again makes it even harder. Your body even becomes resistant to it.

I am one of those that never gave up my coffee in the morning...a large cup, sweet and lows and half and half. If this is a problem for you and you can give it up, fine. But if this is something that makes you really feel restricted, enjoy your coffee when you want it in moderation. If it causes you problems down the road, you can address it then.

Atkins was the scariest thing for me at first...how would I EVER live without carbs??? Well, for one thing, we don't give up carbs entirely...we just get them from a healthier source...our veggies, etc. It's the nasty sugary stuff that we don't need to be putting in our bodies anyway that we can easily do without AFTER we have completed induction and have gotten used to the plan for a few weeks after.

This is important...don't do it for a few days and get bored. There is nothing boring about this WOE, in fact your meals can be very interesting and satisfying. After your body goes through its detox and adjusts to burning FAT instead of CARBS, you will find that you don't even miss them.

I baked thousands of Christmas cookies this year and never even tasted a one! I could have allowed myself a bit of a treat, but I truthfully didn't even want it. It just wasn't worth it. You will get there...hang in here with us STRONG...check in every day, make sure you read the Atkins book and go through lots of the threads on this forum for help along the way.

GOOD LUCK

HI
I am new to the atkins diet, but have tried every other diet in the world!!!!! I loose, I gain, I loose, I gain. I feel like a broken elevator going up and down.
I was sure I would miss the bread and my beloved icecream, but after about 4 days..............wow............i don't miss it anymore.............
The meals are incredible, too, on atkins. I threw all my low cal stuff out the door and went out and bought full fat sour cream, bacon, butter, eggs...........when I went through checkout, I felt guilty......like I was a total cheat lol...........
Now I eat breakfast........never did before.......sometime eat a light lunch around 2 and then have dinner late.
Do you have the book? the recepies are easy!!!!!!!!!!!!!! love it!!!!!!!!!
WENT DOWN 2 POUNDS.....NOT A LOT, BUT BETTER THAN GAINING 2 POUNDS LOL..........AND THE FOOD IS GOOOOOOOOOD.
KEEP IT UP, IF I CAN DO IT..........SO CAN YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I started low carbing May of 2002. I went off around October after a long stall. But let me tell you what I have learned about low-carbing.

I was on induction level for over 4 months and did fine, althought I didn't loose as much as I wanted. I had, in fact, felt better than I ever felt before. People tried to talk me into eating more carbs, etc, but I hung in. My loss is not as great as others I know, but it still was loss. Mostly I was feeling much better. The biggest change, was my lack of need for sugar, flour, etc. It is really, really true, you stop craving.

So why did I go off...simple, I slipped, and it had a roller coaster effect, picking up speed as it winded downhill. Once I added a little more sugar, I added a little more sugar. This was because those sneaky little cravings came back and I didn't recongnize the little buggers.

I did not commit to the way of life thing and I gained back 10 pounds, but I had lost 38 pounds. So, I look back and say...I will do it again, but this time, I have learned from the experience.

Good luck...I too am starting today 1JAN. Stick with it for a few days and you too will see what I am talking about. Keep a journal of everything you eat. I mean everything! It helps a LOT!

You will get wonderful advice here. We are on this ride together.

-Dyna

It is so helpful to have support here. I am feeling really horrible - physically, mentally, emotionally...I know it has SO much to do with all of the sugar and refined carbs I've got in my system right now. I too have been a victim of the roller coaster effect. I can't even recall when I took the first bite of sugar - it seemed so harmless at the time, to be sure. But it has turned into a few all out sugar binges over the last few months. And the pounds have been piling on.

I feel so beat down. Like I just don't have it in me to do one more diet. I do know that I don't have any clarity with my system so bogged down with sugar. I am really looking forward to the relief. I guess I have had real trouble with accepting that I need to eat this way for a lifetime. Like I will be missing out on something if I don't have dessert at a party or a drink on a date or cake at my wedding. The funniest thing?!? I don't even have a boyfriend and I've been feeling so awful about myself, it's been forever since I've been on a date! And here I am worrying about what I'll be missing out on. Well, I'll tell you what I'm missing out on now - LIFE. Life is passing me by while I am stuffing myself with chocolate cookies and paying dearly for it physically and mentally. My son doesn't get to see the real me because I am on the binge roller coaster all the time. Also, I have been caught up in all the debate about whether Atkins is healthy or not. Well - I do know that the only time in my life that I have had relief from cravings, binges, and excess weight, is when I was free of sugar and flour and eating low carb. I was exercising, dealing with stresses without turning to food, and I was enjoying life! That's enough personal scientific evidence for me!!

OK, must go and try to recover from this sugar and flour induced stomach ache. Thanks again everyone for your thoughts and encouragement. I won't be far from the forums for a while. While I am here, I think I will post my food for tomorrow. Just to get it out there.

b - 3 eggs cooked in olive oil
l - 1 can tuna with mayo, chopped olives
s - hard boiled egg? not sure - will make it protein and fat
d - 1 portion fish, small salad, small portion low-carb veggies, olive oil

Over and out for now. Be back tomorrow...

CJ...

It's the cycle of feeling bad, then doing things that MAKE us feel bad, then feeling bad about it, etc.

We've all been there...and if you run through my journal, you can see my history of this, including recent events. Ugh!!!

First...don't look 5 years down the road at what you will be missing if you commit to doing LC. At that time, you'll be at your goal, you'll know how to maintain it, and you may indulge in whatever you like. This WOE is not prison. YOU make the decisions...but (except for your wedding cake ) when you get to that point, you may not even want the food you're dreaming about now!

Does that sound like a totally foreign concept? I lived it this Christmas with thousands of my favorite Italian cookies all over everybody's house...I bakes them all...never even licked my fingers. I made a LC cheesecake for myself and had a piece of that when I needed something for a "treat". Believe me, when I was sneaking out for a piece of Baker's Square carrot cake and eating it in the bedroom by myself, NO ONE could have told me this.

And yet, things DO change. I'm telling you this personally because I can so relate to how you are feeling. You are NOT going on one more diet...you are going to control the things you put in your body from now on. sometimes you'll do the wrong thing...that's what next days are for! Mostly, you'll begin to make the right choices, and when your body starts to change, and your outlook starts to change, your desires for the nasty stuff will change too. Also, I have desserts at a party...you know why? Because I make something and bring it!! This WOE is all about ADJUSTMENT, not deprivation.

Stay in touch with me, girlfriend...I hear you loud and clear!!

You'll be fine...stay the course!

Thank you Donna - your message is so helpful.

Hi and welcome,

You may want to start a journal. It will help keep you accountable for what you are eating and it will also give us a chance to get to know you better...

Another thing is that I think you are looking at this way of eating all wrong.

It's not what I can't eat anymore (which will keep changing during the phases of your WOL) it IS that you can eat now whenever you are hungry without guilt.

The issue for us is that usually we are emotional eaters or spontaneous. Because of this fact, planning ahead makes things so much better for us. Make some salads - chicken, egg, tuna or shrimp w/ lots of mayo and celery, have some pepperoni (I microwave and make little crispy chips for when my hubby is chowing down on popcorn), fill celery or slices of bell pepper w/ cream cheese...

Get it - you can eat now!

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Hi Im very new too ....and it is so great to see support we are all given.

The common thread is the fear of failure and the need not to.

Im almost too scared to keep on going even though this woe is working so far.....

Doesnt make sense does it

Im not sure of any other options though. I want this to work so much but , if it doesnt

I guess twenty years of dieting does it to you

Good luck all .Need to hear from you ....

CJ,

There is nothing worng with feeling down. It happens, although I'd like to point out some things to you...

You said...



It's not "one more diet" it is recognizing that your human and make bad choices every now and again. Get back up, get back on, and get back to living!!

and you said...



Of course you feel awful, we are our worst criticizers. It is easy to think of ourselves as heavy, and lazy, and disgusting, this is our out for grabbing food and getting that comfort.

and then there was...



It is not too late to jump back on the wagon, get back into it, and show him his real Mom!! Do not make your habits his habits. Go back to making the right choices. You know how hard it is, show him your strong, your willing and your empowered!!

OKAY..........so were are beginners in here. good. we can support eachother then. I don't like going to the fit page and looking up all the different foods for values and then doing a journal. soooooo how about we all support eachother on here.
today i had so far......
2 fried eggs in tsp butter
one slice cheddar
a small bit of green onion
one bottle of watter 500ml
(about 3 cups)
making a rib roast for dinner
and probably steamed, mashed cauliflower with sour cream and butter.
snack is usually cellery with creamcheese.
NOW lets hear from you and see what your plans for today are??? come out of hiding and speak up lol

Hungryone...

Your dinner sounds yummy??? Can we come to your house for supper???

The secret to this whole thing is ENJOYING the foods!! Look what we CAN have....real butter, sour cream, mayo, full fat dressings, meat, beef, pork....oy!! No more fake foods and lettuce dinners...

Bon appetite! Make it interesting and plentiful. This WOE is not boring or skimpy. It's all a matter of adjusting.

come on over......there is plenty for everyone!!!!!!!
just had to have some dessert tonight. after i eat meat, i always need something lol
so having some philadelphia cream cheese on a celery stick.......cheesecake, it ain't, but it is effective!!!
OY! will i ever get over the need for a sweet!!!!!!??????????

Hey - not good for induction but I take an oz of softened cream cheese, 1 oz of heavy cream, 1 tsp sf hershey's cocoa, 1 packet of splenda and mix. Its only a few small spoonfulls (I actually use a baby spoon) but it is my cheesecakey chocolatey treat and it's perfectly legal (3 carbs).

Hi All,

Does the after dinner sweet craving subside? I have been doing Atkins for a couple of days - feeling good, but got way too hungry before dinner tonight. I ended up having a few frozen grapes after dinner because I was still feeling hungry. BIG MISTAKE - the grapes might as well have been chocolate for the intense blood sugar spike they caused. Not going to kick myself though
(I'm really good at that!) -- I quickly had some leftover turkey from dinner to try and counterbalance the effect of the stupid grapes.

When do the cravings subside? I think the problem was that I let myself get too hungry, not that I was having a sugar craving. Though I am only two days without sugar and am probably still going through withdrawal.

Tomorrow is a new day and I plan to start again -- not giving up on me!!

G'night all...