Have reached a danger point
 

Last week, after reading the CAD book, I decided to give it a try. Well, it wasn't really a good idea for me as I found myself totally unable to control my carb intake after reintroducing them in the reward meal. By the 4th day I was totally off the rails and binging the whole day on chocolate, etc (and I know that is not part of the CAD plan, but my cravings sent me wild).

So, Day 5 I swtiched back to Atkins, and have really really stuggled to get back on plan. I am sooooooo nervous. This is my danger period. In any weight loss program I lose to this point and then seem to constantly sabotage my efforts and end up gaining it all back. By sabotage I mean this is a mental block and I now feel I will never be successful beyond this point.

I ended up eating chocolate, pizza and cheesecake this afternoon after feeling tired and weak all weak getting back on induction. TOM is due any second and I know that is part of the reason for my weaknes today, but I have been so incredibly strong and focussed up until I tried to change plan to CAD last week. Nothing was going to get me off course until I got a taste for the carbs again.

I need some advice / support. I MUST GET MY FOUCS BACK. Any hints from people been where I am? Does anyone else have a barrier point?

Hi Luscious,

I can completely understand what you are going though. I started LF in June 2003. By mid-August, I had lost about 25 pounds. At that point, I phutzed around with the same few pounds for another month and was very close to just going back up to 280 or a new higher weight but at that point, turned to LC instead of giving up - it was absolutely the best thing i ever did for myself.

I know if I tried to reintroduce carbs into my life in any quantity in any meal, I would be right with you.

My suggestion would be to start up again the same way you did in the beginning and the way they often counsel people to stop smoking... prepare and arm yourself.

Read the Atkins book again, particularly the motivational sections. Also, you can read some of the motivational posts on the forum.

Make sure you have gotten rid of all the non-program foods.

Set yourself a day and time you are going to get back firmly on induction.

Then, remembering all the reasons why you want to do this, start back in with the fervour of which you are capable.

It's harder once you have tasted that poison again but you are at a huge advantage to others -- many have gone away for months and come back with all their original weight and more. Save it at this point and you will be way ahead of the game.

Good luck -- we'll be rooting for you big-time!!

Louise

Luscious,
There have been quite a few times in the past when i seemed to stop losing weight after 30 pounds. At that point it seemed like I had to follow a rigorous diet just to maintain the loss, without much apparent hope of losing more, even though I was still overweight. Eventually I always gave up--it was too hard to keep going without additional reward (i.e. further loss).
On Atkins I have currently lost 63 pounds over 9 months. Somehow when the loss slowed dramatically in December I kept myself on the plan. Maybe now that I'm older it doesn't seem so bad to maintain weight. I was also curious to see what would happen if I didn't give up. Would I eventually lose more? The answer was yes. So now I see it is possible to get past the barrier point or impasse. I just had to be willing to hang out longer than I expected at the plateau.

Good luck!

Hi Luscious, Louise is right, (as usual it seems) Re-read the atkins book, the new editions have a little more info. I re-read the book before I started Atkins again and it armed me with a lot of knowledge and resolve BEFORE starting again. I know its easy to panic about foods and cravings and hunger on induction. Set yourself up for success! Get your refrigerator stocked. Try some pepperoni slices with cheese sizzled under the broiler to help the pizza cravings, a little low carb pizza sauce or even atkins "ketch a tomato" sauce helps. For my chocolate cravings I brew some decaf coffee or expresso and add cream and splenda or add chocolate soy milk to the mix. Get your eggs ready, deviled,boiled or egg salad, but most important, have it on hand. Keep some grated cheese, cooked ready to eat meats and some zero carb. beverages sweetened with splenda for the times when you " Gotta have something NOW!" You have TONS (literally) of support on these forums whenever you need it. As a last resort, when I feel like I'm headed for a high carb binge... I strip down to my skivies and jump im front of my full length mirror:eek: that usually cures my cravings for days:lol: You can do it! We're with you!

Slikk

I would suggest you look at the Atkins list of foods and at the CAD list of foods and for three days eat only those from the CAD list, without the RM. After about three days the cravings should be under control and you can start to reintroduce more Atkins foods. Try to stay away from AS for those three days too.

Good Luck!!

Dr. Atkins also suggest L-glutamine (I think this is the one) if you are dealing with sugar cravings in the beginning (which unfortunately, you are back at, if only for a while to get things back on track).

I think Louise had some great ideas. And probably Zuleika too though I don't know much about what foods are on that CAD list, but I'm assuming they are the lower glycemic foods she is referring to.

When I count all my attempts at weight loss, there were way to many to count if I tally up all the times I got to 25-30 lbs lost then quit. But the few times I passed that marker, I generally lost quite a bit of weight. Do what you have to to get past this place, it will probably (hopefully) be easier on the other side.

Valerie

One of the things that helps me is to write down all my food and post it. If I make a conscience decision to have something that's not on plan, I have to put it in my journal.
You're too smart and have WAY too much going for you to continue to backslide. You've got a proven plan, a great support system and the tools you need to succeed. Get the things out of the house that make you nuts (except for your children, they have to stay) or you know you'll binge on, go back to a strict induction and vent here until you're back under control.
You CAN do this!

-H-

Hey Lucious,
First thing I would suggest is get rid of everything you possibly can that is not on the Atkins plan. Ask someone supportive to go to the store with you and stock up on allowed foods. If part of the problem is that fixing the meals for Atkins takes so much work while you are still feeling weak, mix up HUGE batches of egg salad, pimento cheese salad, tuna salad, and chicken salad. Keep those in the fridge for when you are tempted to just grab whatever is easiest.
Also, do you think it would help you to view each meal as an independent choice...for example "Right now I CHOOSE to have some chicken and cheese rather than pizza or cheesecake." If it is on the level of individual selection, I find it helps me.
Brdgrl

I just had to force myself back into Induction after chowing too many high carb foods. It wasn't easy, but you have to do it.

For me, it meant taking things an hour at a time and building up to a day at a time. On Day 11 now, and things are just fine. I'm over the hump and my cravings are gone.

You have to search your soul and make a promise to yourself that you are worth the investment of 2 weeks of clean Induction (no slipping). Trust me, the situation will look and feel much different 14 days later.

Good luck

Wow, I am so moved by all your responses. I am feeling a bit emotional of late, combination of the lack of focus on this eating plan, and also some outside streses (work is very stressful right now). I am moved to tears by the caring and helpful posts, and i know coming back to this forum each day helps. I will reread your posts tomorrow (its 1.10am here) and will take it all on board.

Good news is that despite a lot of stresses today, I stayed on plan with eggs, smoked salmon, salad and sliced beef, and chicken and veges for dinner. My first totally clean day all week.

LOL Slikk, standing in front of a mirror in my skivies makes me forget about my cravings too. LOL

I find that I have to schedule my eating, including snacks, or I cheat, and then I sabotage myself.

maybe you have too many choices - I plan out 9 or 10 "meals" of which i have 4 or 5 a day. They are fixed content - if I'm hungry or think I am - I have a meal.
Some are just cottage cheese & celery; eggs & oatmeal; turkey sandwich on LC bread - you get the idea. I find if I get the idea "what shall I eat" it is easy to answer donuts or candy or bread or pizza - but if I just ask "what meal should I have" it is easier to stick to my plan.

Sadly, I hit a hard plateau and ended up leaving for ten months. I gained 40 pounds back and at the slow rate of one pound per week........ I think we have to remember that weight gain is a progressive thing and we CAN get larger than we are. Don't do what I did - it is SO not worth it! Keep posting and chatting as much as you need to get through this time. One day at a time!!!

Orchid

Back in the Atkins zone
 

Hi all, thank you all for your support.

Good news is that I perservered and woke up this morning feeling totally back in the Atkins zone. Cravings gone, hunger free, and loving this WOE all over again. Thank god my detour was for only 2 weeks and no great damage to the weight loss. I learned how hard it can be to get back on track once the carb devil gets a hold of you all over again.

I trust I will wake up tomorrow feeling as good about Atkins as I did today. One day at a time.

Whenever you feel like wandering away...
 

come back to the forums. All of the people here are really nice and you can usually post and have a return post shortly after.

Don't let work stress you out and make you fail at your goals. So what's going on at work? Sometimes talking about it helps. I have learned a lot about how to let work related stress roll off my shoulders and laugh to keep me motivated, happy and not take things so personally. If you ever need to have someone listen just pos and there are lots of us out here!

Are you drinking enough water and exercising a bit too?

I have faith that you can get back on track, we all wonder off occasionally and the strong ones get back on track. So don't beat yourself up for being off track! give yourself kudos for being back on track!

infiniti