Hi all! I've started this thread for a couple of us who have decided that because of some bad habits sneaking up on us, we need a reality check. Yes, even seasoned veterans of low carbing - heck, even those of us in maintenance - need to kick ourselves in the butt every now and then.

"Falling off the wagon," for many of us, means more than just an increase in carb count or weight: you might stop taking your supplements, stop drinking water, stop exercising... even if you get away with it and don't gain weight, it's still not good for you.

So feel free to join us! You can return to induction or intervention, or whatever kick in the butt you'd like to give yourself.

Let's get our good habits back into full gear!

My mission statement: to refocus my low carb efforts, as my carb creep has led to a worsening of health conditions that brought me to the low-carb world to begin with.

(Specifically, I'm popping up ovarian cysts like mad. This becomes a vicious cycle, because the cysts cause estrogen surges which cause weight gain, hunger, and carb cravings. This leads to more cheating, which leads to unstable insulin levels, which leads to more cysts. So the only way to bring it all to a screeching halt is to get strict again.)

Okay, this is what I want to accomplish:

- get at least 64 oz of water per day.
- get my supplements in
- keep up my resistance training
- stay at an 'intervention' level of carbs, which is less than 40 g per day.
- get back into my vegetable habit
- limit cheese to 3 or 4 oz per day

Specific things I want to do:

- drink a bottle of water at work before indulging in the diet coke. That will be my 'reward', if I feel like having it
- no cheating on the junk food at work. The chocolate chips that fall to the bottom of the bag DO count.
- consume at least an Atkins induction level of veggies
- measure my quantities rather than eyeball, and keep track on fitday

Other notes:

- I'm giving glutamine a try. I work out in the mornings before work, so the post-workout glutamine should not only help prevent muscle soreness, but also prevent cravings. I hope.

Hi Kristine...here we are...ready, set, go! I'm doing induction again starting with today. I haven't gained any weight, but I've been 165 for a long time, so it's time to kick into gear and start the losing again.

Today, I'm having my 2 scrambled eggs for breakfast, and will get a nice salad for lunch somewhere...have to do grocery shopping after work, so like any newbie, or start-over, I want the right things in the house.

My goals...

keep on hand good snacks and meals
drink aLL my water - 64 oz.
take my vitamins every day
exercise M,W,F, - karate
lift weights at home - arms and stretches
count every thing I eat!!
cut back on the coffee...(I never gave it up, but talk about creep!)

I hope to at least get the process going again, so even 2 or 3 pounds would be nice...When I get to 160 I'm going to have my "100" party...celebrating 100th pound lost...

So, here we go!!! Today's weight: 165

Good idea, Kristine. Very... creepy.

I've already done pretty good lately... been exercising like a regular fit person for the past two weeks! Joined the gym just about two weeks ago and have already gone 7 times, doing cardio each time, gone to 2 yoga classes, and weight trained almost every time! Well, I just think that's fantastic.

My biggest creep is now that I'm justifying some foods due to my workouts. That's okay to a point (half an apple and extra meat and veggies won't kill me) but I really don't want to get into a habit of eating Atkins bars, muffins, etc. I've also been eating pretty late at night, but I can't do much about that.

Anyway, I resolve to start planning out my meals better. I was doing great a while ago with planning and find it even more necessary now. I will drink a protein shake (40g protein, 0g carbs, 0g fat) with added glutamine and eat half an apple after weightlifting. I will bring my lunch more often. (Buying is expensive) and I will plan more snacks.

Kristine... I'd love to say I'd reduce dairy but.. but... DAIRY!

I will break these last few little unnecessary fat cells!



Angela

Hi Donna! I hear you on the "coffee creep". It's easy to think of it as a freebee, which would be fine if I drank it black - but the splenda and cream adds up. I drink it 'blonde'.

Hiya Angela! Thanks for poppin' in! Sounds like you're on a role. Heh heh - the reason I want to cut back on cheese a bit is that I can wolf down a *lot* of cheese and not really be full. So I'm trying to only have it when I really want it.

So far, I'm doing pretty well, considering I had to work a seven hour shift today. I was too busy to get into the cookies.

Gotta run, b/f and I are going out for food. I'm having wings.

Well, Day 1 is almost over, and I think I did pretty good. Too much coffee (mine is blonde too!) so that's not exactly "strict induction" I suppose...but it IS something I have always done, so I don't expect it to be a problem. But I am watching it just the same.

Didn't do any exercise today, but did get my water and vitamins, and kept control over my foods.

I forgot to list something last time: the thing I need to work on most is to NOT eat when I'm NOT hungry.

You know, the past few months this was not a problem, because the appetite portion of my brain was dealing with other emotions... Now that much of that has settled, my appetite has normalized, and bad habits can "Creep" back easily.

So, my goal is to try to see food as I did when I wasn't the least bit hungry...when I need to eat - for fuel and nutrition - I will make a sensible, portion-conscious meal.

Otherwise, water and something else to do with the hands!!

Will check in tomorrow...

Wow - busy couple o' days for me.

I've done well considering I couldn't have started at a worse time. A coworker is sick and I had to work a seven hour shift both Thursday and Friday. Thursday nights, b/f and I go out with coworkers, and this Thursday was no exception. Yesterday, b/f took me out for beer and munchies for VD.

Thursday: 32 g total carbs, but only two grams of fiber. Also didn't take all of my suppliments. Did well on water, though.

Friday: 60 g carbs, 10 g fiber. Not a bad day; could have been worse. Didn't get any chocolate for VD. The beer did me in, but it was lite and I only had two. Didn't cook any veggies, but I was too busy. I can make up for it this weekend. Didn't do too well on the water and supplements.

Hi Ya'll

I am having some issues that are causing some Carb. Creep. I believe it is a viscious circle.

I have a narrowing in my esophogus which can make swallowing some foods difficult. Acid Reflux Disease is the root cause. I have noticed higher carbs seem to cause more reflux?

Thursday night I was having a Tuscany Salad (greens, mushrooms, feta, grape tomatoes, olives etc.) and some Turnip greens. Things got stuck, backed up and I ended up in the bathroom regurgitating. Nothing even made it into my stomach...Usually when this situation occurs it is while eating some kinds of meats, roasted chicken, steak, pork chop, etc. Dry is bad! Bread, cake, etc. have been off limits for a very long time, even b4 LC.

Now it is happening while eating veggies?????

This problem seemed to go away during my stricter months of Atkins. I did have it corrected a couple of years ago via a balloon type procedure. That is expensive, cannot be done repeatedly and I hope not to repeat it if not necessary.

So, I have fallen back to eating softer/higher carb foods to compensate. :/ But I believe if I get my carbs under control this will resolve itself.

It was actually my GF (who is also LCing) that pointed out to me while I was in strict induction (from July 02 - Nov 02) that I had few occurances of this problem, dispite the meat based nature of my LCing choices.

Thanks so much for listening :/

Gosh, Renee...how awful...! I can't imagine how I'd get around that, but I bet you have some ideas to work with already. Shall we keep our minds going for some "soft" carb ideas...? That surely must affect your daily counts on foods, but what about nutrition...are you getting what you need in other ways?

I did fine yesterday until about 10:00 at night...got a visitor and watched TV for about 4 hours...snacked on turkey and cheese, peanuts, and diet sodas. Not so much bad choices, but I wasn't hungry, it was too late...and I was eating because I was bored. All very bad...

Still I think I'm leaning towards the 164...and at least have had nothing above 165 this week. Cool...

Tonight I'm making deep crust pizza quiche...and salad for me and Jan. We;re going to kick it and eat and play on the computer...she's trying to LC too, so maybe I'll lay of the munching while she's here.

Have a good one,

Hi Renee! So sorry to hear about your esophogeal woes. A friend of mine had that; he had to have the same procedure. Many a low-carber has reported their reflux disappearing. No one seems to know why. Hmmm.

So are you going to aim for LC, but softer foods? Is that what helps? Maybe you could avoid raw veggies for a while, and eat 'em cooked.

Hi Donna! Your snacking may not have been planned, but hey - at least it was 'legal'. Could have been worse.

--

At the farmers market today, I grabbed an apple pie for my b/f. I'm not even tempted. Last week at this time, I'd probably be 'evening out the uneven cut'. Y'know what I mean? Taking tiny slivers under the guise of simply trying to make it look better. Yeah, right. I 'evened out' an entire cake one time.

(checks fitday) 30 g total carbs, 11 g fiber. Woo-hoo! I did a day of induction!

Renee, I too am sorry to hear about your problems. Might I suggest some nice steamed veggies like cauliflower? That's a pretty mushy one that shouldn't be too hard to get down. Or maybe try some egg drop soup... very good to just scramble an egg into chicken broth, add some green onion, voila!


I had a pretty "creepy" Valentines myself. First I ate seafood bisque for lunch (and, being a restaurant made soup, I'm sure it had flour and/ or cornstarch in it) and then for dinner ate out at an Indian restaurant. Think I made some decent choices, Muligatawny (lentil lemon soup) and chicken breast in a kind of creamed spinach.

But here's the bad part: Since it was such a chocolate holiday I endulged in TWO carbolite bars.

Also had a couple glasses of wine and a gin & diet tonic.

Tsk, tsk day I know.

I plan to get back on serious track after a serious grocery shopping adventure.



Angela

Ok, I am way outta control here and I need to get serious. Friday and Saturday totally messed me up and this morning I weighed 158. A FAR cry from the new low I hit just a week or so ago
Confession time: Friday night we went out with friends and I had 3 or 4 glasses of wine...I honestlly can't remember because I was absolutely toasted. The bad part is that I didn't eat any dinner!! So guess what? Saturday I was hungover, of course, and was ready to eat anything and everything.
Breakfast: 2 eggs, 2 slices bacon; coffee
Breakfast #2: 2 Jack-in-the-Box tacos
Lunch: Chicken Wrap with chicken, sour cream, cheese, jalapenos, salsa....5-6 tortilla chips w/ salsa. Oh yeah, and 1/2 bowl of French Onion soup
Snack: Lg polish hot dog link w/ sauerkraut
Dinner: Baked chicken, cauliflower and broccoli w/ cheese, LC truffle

I dare not run that horror of a menu through fitday....can you IMAGINE the carbs and calories??!? It's a wonder I don't weigh 165 instead of 158. This is almost starting to feel like self-sabotage, too..... I don't like that. Getting way-lazy and self-confident at this stage.

I had a stern talk with myself this morning. I promise to be good!! Going to the store later and will plan out my menus for the week. That's my ticket to success: PLAN PLAN PLAN.... oh yeah, and COOK COOK COOK

OK...I guess I need a good a$$ whoopin'... I have been stuffing food into my face ever since I promised not to!

What is up with that?

Last night and the night before I just sat in my LR and ATE. It's the COMPANY I think...I just can't sit in a recliner and chat for hours without getting up and down from the kitchen.

I'm seriously thinking of crocheting something while I'm sitting there...I really don't like the idea, but I have to keep my hands busy.

I did eat only LC stuff, but I won't run my numbers through fitday.com either. Today, I'm on the wagon, although there are leftovers from yesterday... SO, Teri...I'm going to do the PLAN, PLAN, PLAN thing too.

I'm going to work up a menu for the week that I can just grab and go...I have enough food in the house, just have to make it up. I have a big bag of wings and drums and just found some 0 carb hotwing sauce...I'm ready for my school lunches now!

Yep...tomorrow's another day...but this week is going to start tightening up this cockiness and start paying attention to the details a little more...

Oh, and WAY too much coffee and half and half...that habit's got to stop

We're HERE....let's DO this for crying out loud!!!

hi all,
my middle name is "justification!" just been sneaking in too many treats. for VD i had shrimp cocktail at home with just a teeny bit of sauce, 2 glasses of wine, then.....oops 2 walnut brownies!

i know TOM is coming next week.....and it seems like i just had gotten it under control from LAST month. geez....sure would be nice to NOT have those cravings, bloating and weight gain.

still getting in my exercise and water though. although weekends and water drink STINK!

bye for now.....gonna go get some groceries......fresh veggies and strawberries for DH.......gosh they are good!

Hi all. Glad I'm not the only one needing a reality check. Is it the February Blahs, or what?

Today has been pretty good for me. I drank one too many rum n' diet cokes last night, but other than that, not bad. Today, I had an omelette for brekky, bunless burgers for lunch, and I'm going to make soup later. Probably some salad and pork chops after that.

The Sunday supplement report: I refill my little pill planner box every Sunday. This week, I only missed three pills. Not bad.

Hey Donna - one thing that helps me when I'm being social and trying not to munch is to brush my teeth and use some mint Listerine. Having minty-mouth seems to keep false hunger at bay, and the Listerine makes it last a little longer. I know, that's an old-fashioned diet trick for low-fatters, but hey, it works for me. (and it certainly can't harm your social life. )

Angela - sounds like even though you treated yourself, at least it was fairly low carb. Could have been worse: you could have had french fries and a Kit Kat. 'Damage control' is still a good rule of thumb.

Teri - glad you had fun on Friday. Sorry you had to pay for it Saturday.

>>"PLAN PLAN PLAN.... oh yeah, and COOK COOK COOK"

Yeah, that's where I've gone wrong lately. Too much cheese, pork rinds, and protein bars; not enough veggies and meat. The latter actually involves kitchen effort.

Kimberlina -

>>"my middle name is "justification!"

I hear you!! *L*

Hope you're all having a nice Sunday.