Oh man, yesterday was nuts on the eating front. Something I ate woke up long dormant cravings and it was all I could do not to eat every food item in my house. I believe it was the Atkins bar that did it. After reading about those on here, I thought it best to save them for emergencies. I put the box in my car.

I started getting faint while I was out shopping yesterday - my husband can pore over electronics for hours - and I thanked the skies above that I had something to eat in the car. By the time I got home an hour later, I was completely overcome with hunger. I had some salami and cheese to try to curb my raging appetite, but that barely made a difference. The rest of the day was relatively light on carbs, but extremely heavy on calories and mental torment.

Screw those bars! They don't even taste that good, and the reason I didn't pitch them in the first place was that they cost more than a fine cut of meat.

The awful gnawing hunger has subsided this morning, and the scale didn't move. But I am cleaning up my diet and getting back to the happy place immediately.

I came out relatively unscathed, but it's clear that my food issues are masked but not resolved. I was overconfident. I thought I had risen above bingeing after just four months of low carb. Not so. This was a humbling experience.

I've got the daybreak (is that right?) bars in my work-bag for emergencies, and have snacked on a couple with no problems, but so far I've yet to touch any of the endulgence bars because I'm still on induction. I'm now slightly fearful that the same will happen to me with those, I'm well aware of what anything remotely chocolatey does to me. I'm going to use your experience as a warning for me, thanks for sharing.

Emily....I have this same issue. When it happens to me I do 1 to 3 protein only days to get myself back to sanity. It's a good reminder that I am addicted to sugar and just can not have it anymore. Just a tiny bit of sugar and I am craving it like a wild animal in heat. Takes me days sometimes to get past that feeling. I make sure that I have other snacks on hand now like soy nuts, peanuts, and cheese.

Amen Minimee - I really have been struggling these past couple of days to not scarf down sugar and crap. The morning after, I was feeling ok, but the cravings are back, there is no doubt about it. It was all I could do not to order an onion ring tower and an ice cream sundae while I was out to dinner tonight. (After months and months of dieting, that stuff usually just seems completely ridiculous.) The grilled chicken salad I got instead was pure willpower. I can't wait to get back to the place where my body is doing the work of resisting food instead of my mind. Anyway - it is nice to hear that I am not the only one who can turn crazy with a hint of junk food, so thanks

I've been able to move forward, like I have never done before, using mayo, and eggs. Mayo is good all purpose fat, and they have little packets for sandwiches. I have been saved from binging many times by mayo. Yes, as gross as it may seem, I eat it without anything attached-- just tiny packets of mayo. It is real power-food. I can go all day without eating with a handful of mayo packets. Well worth the cost (cheap, I think 8 cents a piece).

I have the same reaction to Atkins bars. It's the polydextrose in them. It's considered a soluble fiber, but I think for many people, it is metabolized as sugar. At least that's my guess. I found it's better for me not to eat any kind of bars.

I have 3 free ones that I got. I think they are going to be given away.

I hear ya; for me, it was ONE meal of Dreamfield's pasta. I was rationalizing all over the place, it was in the midst of a lot of stress, and I gained back considerable pounds.

But I will get back to goal, because I keep reminding my brain that the longer I stay away, the less I want it.

Yeah, I've got a thread about those somewhere in Confessions (and you'll find lotsa similar ones). My fiancee loves them and wants them in the house. I wish he'd hide them or take them to work, but he won't do the latter, and he can't hide them from me 'cause he's blind and I'd just find whereever he put them. I'm just freaking stuck. I'm glad you're on the downside of the craving curve. They don't stall me but it doesn't MATTER, they cause CRAVINGS.

it was good for me to hear all of these comments. not because of the bars (i have never eaten an atkins bar or any others because there is so much junk in them that i figure if i am going to eat junk it will be something i want even if it does have carbs)

what i like is the reminder that it isn't worth it. and that i can't get over confident. i too got confident after over 4 months of problem free LCing. i ate a stupid cupcake and i having been right ever since! that was at least 3 weeks ago. i finally got back on the scale today and i am 3lbs up. that could be from weight training because that often happens, but usually i can be certain it is muscle and not fat weight gain because i know i haven't eaten anything off plan. now i am not sure.

before the cupcake i was having a few dark chocolate almonds as a treat most days without any problem. but now i think i have to cut out all sweets for a while because i can't seem to get back to that place where i am totally cravings free.

i thought i was okay after a while, but i have binged on several occasions. i too am happy to know that i am not alone. i thought i was crazy the way i wanted to eat everything with no satisfaction. the cupcake was good, i won't lie, but it was not worth it. i could be 5lbs smaller instead of 3lbs bigger right now. i was having to make myself eat when i wasn't wanting to b4 now i want donuts after a perfectly good LC meal.

i am going to fight this and get back to my no cravings mode in life. I WANT TO BE THIN! more than i want the cupcake...

This happened to me too!

Put me way out of ketosis and I ended up binging for three days.

I would have been better off eating a small piece of real chocolate - lower carbs and not so out of control afterward.

I would have been better off eating a small piece of real chocolate - lower carbs and not so out of control afterward.[/QUOTE]

i have eaten dark chocolate most everyday of my low carbing. usually i eat dark chocolate almonds like three of them they are about 1 carb a piece. a little less. or i just eat dark chocolate 70% or more. small piece of the chocolate shouldn't be more than 2 or 3 carbs.

if it is truly dark chocolate it has little sugar and it works for me. maybe some would be thrown into a binge but i am thankful that i have it. as long as i keep losing(45lbs in 5 months to far!) and it doesn't make me want more sugar i will continue to treat myself with dark chocolate

It's like hearing myself on this thread. I look at those protein bars and with they were magically made of eggs. If its more than 2% carbs I'm in trouble. It will cause me to go on a carb binge that could feed a small african village for a day. I make these mini cheesecakes that are just perfect, but yesterday I added a spoonful of peanut butter into a different batch (17% carb) and even though these are small I can feel cravings creeping in.
Antidote- a tin of sardines...

Antidote- a tin of sardines...[/QUOTE]

really? why do you think this helps? are they so gross they get your mind off of food?

Yes, I've had to conclude that those things are pure evil. No more for me, either.