I hear ya' MamaSara!
I started Atkins in 8/02 and lost 56lbs over the next 10 months. I did not cheat once. Not even a bite of non-Atkins approved food. I figured once I did I would be done for. I could not have been more right. It is all my sister’s fault (notice how I deflect blame away from myself
). She came to visit me for a week this summer. She and I are both on Atkins. It was her 40th birthday so we decided to go out an celebrate, not only her birthday but our success on the plan. I splurged. I had pasta, cheesecake, wine, chicken parm, you name it. The problem was the next day we talked ourselves into having a “real” breakfast with “real” French toast and syrup. Just to cheat a little we decided then get right back on track. Then lunch came and we talked ourselves into one last cheat. That night we decided to have one last final cheat. And so on, and so on. Needless to say, that was 3 months ago and I’m still cheating one last time and have gained 23lbs back!!!!
Today, I decided to get back on track after having one final, last, super deluxe primo absolute cheat last night. To be honest, I don’t feel any different that I did the last time I had a “final cheat” but I just know I need to stop and get back on program. I don’t want Atkins to be a diet. It was not for me when I was losing – it was a way of life. I can live without donuts every day (sometimes twice a day) and I can live without Ben and Jerry’s ice cream nightly as a “cheat” for 3 weeks straight. I know I can. Lots of people do.
Ian559 makes a good point above – cheating = sabotage. I am going to become a recovering food addict like I was when I started this plan. I am going to attack my cheating like an alcoholic does booze. I just need to not cheat. Pure and simple. Others may not agree with me, but for me, I am an addict and I have to remember that, even when all I can think about is fried scallops. Some people will say that you should not deprive yourself from the food you are really craving because you will want it more. Would we tell a recovering alcoholic to just have a sip of beer? It is the same thing in my book. Cheating = sabotage. I hope this makes sense and doesn’t sound too preachy.
Good luck!
(ps…I have no idea how to do the medallion-sorry)