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  #1   ^
Old Wed, Nov-05-14, 07:09
Marcilonia Marcilonia is offline
New Member
Posts: 2
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 230/230/160 Female 68"
BF:
Progress:
Default Newbie sort of

Hello all, I am new to this thread but definitely not new to low carb. I lost about 60 lbs and kept it off for years. Unfortunately life took over and I lost my focus and I have gained 50 of it back. I want to get back on track but now live with my fiancé and his 10 year old who insist on keeping crap in the house and I can't seem to get past the first 2 weeks without nibbling something illegal. how have you all dealt with starting low carb while surrounded by junk food?
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  #2   ^
Old Wed, Nov-05-14, 07:41
bkloots's Avatar
bkloots bkloots is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 10,147
 
Plan: LC--Atkins
Stats: 195/162/150 Female 62in
BF:
Progress: 73%
Location: Kansas City, MO
Default

Hi, Marcilonia. Welcome back. A lot of us have "been there, done that."

Congratulations on your new family life. Yes, family relationships can be a challenge. But you can't really expect all the other people in your life--whether living with you or around you--to be responsible for your food choices. You will always have to make that decision for yourself. At home. In restaurants. At parties. When you're out with friends. Food you choose not to eat will always be readily available.

Clearly my unhelpful advice is "just say no." If you are eating a pleasurable, appetite-satisfying low-carb menu, that will get easier over time. There are also suggestions all over this forum for convenient low-carb snacks when you simply have to have something to nibble when everyone else is making a face plant into the tortilla chips.

Best wishes.
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  #3   ^
Old Wed, Nov-05-14, 07:57
Kristine's Avatar
Kristine Kristine is offline
Forum Moderator
Posts: 25,585
 
Plan: Primal/P:E
Stats: 171/146/150 Female 5'7"
BF:
Progress: 119%
Location: Southern Ontario, Canada
Default

Hi and welcome.

It depends on the dynamic between the three of you how you want to deal with the junk food situation... Do you do all or most of the shopping? How about the cooking?

I deal with it by basically making it my SO's responsibility to buy his own junk snacks, and then accepting that it's simply not mine to eat. Would you steal money out of the ten-year-old's piggy bank, or your fiance's wallet? That might sound like a harsh analogy, and honestly he wouldn't care if I ate some of his chips, but that's how I think of it and it generally works. It really does keep it off my radar. I don't even bother looking in his snack cabinet.

...so that's where I would start. Maybe have a rule that all of the junk food stays in one cabinet, and you'll stay away from it. You deserve their support - treat it as a serious medical situation, not just vanity. I'd eventually take charge of the kitchen and meal-planning, too.

Another important trick is to make your food as appealing as you possibly can, just as good as theirs. It's well worth the extra bit of time and money. Your success will probably depend on this.

Then, you just have to Sam Malone it. You're an alcoholic running a bar. It's hard, but you have to train yourself to accept that even one bite - one taste - one little lick of the knife - is "the kiss of death", as Dr Atkins put it.

For the record, I "get" how difficult this is. I had nine years of 'bliss' in which I had total control of my kitchen and no food at work, but I just celebrated my third anniversary at my current job - making donuts, muffins, cookies and danishes for a donut store in which we're all allowed to have as much as we want (and all of my coworkers do.) I have not once eaten any of my products. Yay me. But - I've had some of the ingredients like donut fillings that are gluten-free, and it's led to a binge every time. It starts with one little taste, and I tell myself "that's all I'll have" or "I'll skip dinner to make up for this." It's a huge mistake.

Good luck.
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  #4   ^
Old Wed, Nov-05-14, 09:30
NoWhammies's Avatar
NoWhammies NoWhammies is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 5,936
 
Plan: keto ancestral/IF
Stats: 330/189/140 Female 5'4"
BF:
Progress: 74%
Location: Southwestern Washington
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I have cupboards for their foods and cupboards for mine. I never open their cupboards. Out of sight, out of mind.

Plus, for me, it is a matter of knowing just how much better I feel physically when I don't eat crap. I want to feel well, so it's an easy choice to make.
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  #5   ^
Old Wed, Nov-05-14, 10:43
jmh6251's Avatar
jmh6251 jmh6251 is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 906
 
Plan: Keto
Stats: 190/155/145 Female 5ft 3.5 in
BF:
Progress: 78%
Location: Kitsap County in Wa
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My hardest time is when my grandson is home. He likes his popcorn and chips, and candy, and ice cream sandwiches. So I have to say no thanks when he offers them and leave the room. It's hard,but worth it
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  #6   ^
Old Wed, Nov-05-14, 16:15
Netletten's Avatar
Netletten Netletten is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 177
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 250/244/160 Female 5'9''
BF:
Progress: 7%
Location: Minnesota
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Same thing here--a "snack" cupboard for them--and everything they have that's illegal goes in there. I make sure I eat something that I enjoy periodically & try new yummy recipes. There is a lot of info on LC snacks on the web and I know there's a thread here.
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  #7   ^
Old Sat, Nov-08-14, 15:57
khrussva's Avatar
khrussva khrussva is offline
Say NO to Diabetes!
Posts: 8,671
 
Plan: My own - < 30 net carbs
Stats: 440/228/210 Male 5' 11"
BF:Energy Unleashed
Progress: 92%
Location: Central Virginia - USA
Default

I didn't deal with it well for over 26 years. My wife has always bought what she likes and she likes sweets and processed junk food. She wouldn't stop buying it and I couldn't stay out of it. I let that be a reason to cheat time and time and time again.

When I started this current stint at LC last February I was determined not to cheat. That was rule number 1 and rule number 2 was to follow rule number 1 at all times. It was time for me to stop blaming my wife for my problems and just deal with it. It occurred to me that this was just an excuse anyway, since I'm surrounded by temptation everywhere I go. Junk in the house is not the problem. Giving yourself permission to eat it is the problem.

It was hard to do at first - but I actually did manage to follow my "no cheats" rule this time. When temptation was there in front of me, I just didn't play the mind game with myself anymore. I don't cheat; I can't have that. I move on. I don't cheat on holidays, birthdays, or any days. No reward days, no days off. I just stick to plan food. That is the only thing I give myself permission to eat. Do you know what? It worked. Not cheating gets easier to do with each passing day. Within a few weeks - the temptations all around me started being non-issues. Within a few months, that junk didn't bother me in the least. Now, I've morphed out of the "diet" mentality and accepted that this how I eat now. This is the only way I can eat if I want to reach my goal and not gain it all back. I don't need cake, bread, candy or pizza -- and I don't even miss it anymore.

You are strong enough to do it, too. But it is you giving yourself permission to cheat. If you want to get this done, you are going to have to change that. The first few days is the hardest. If it helps having the temptations hidden away out of site, then see if you can get your family to help you out. But in the past, that never really worked for me. We did the "hide it" thing many times and when (not if) I found it - I would often cave in and cheat. This time around, the junk didn't get hidden. I just told myself that I needed to face this demon head on. I did. I've lost 125 pounds and for the first time in decades, I am confident I will reach my goals. You may not have the same carb craving issues that I do. But cheating is a universal problem and the solution lies within.

I forgot to say welcome. You've come to a great place to learn and find the support you need to succeed. I know I would not be where I am today if I had not gotten involved with this forum. I wish you the best in getting back where you want to be.

Last edited by khrussva : Sat, Nov-08-14 at 16:23.
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  #8   ^
Old Sun, Nov-09-14, 09:32
Marcilonia Marcilonia is offline
New Member
Posts: 2
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 230/230/160 Female 68"
BF:
Progress:
Default

Thank you everyone for the guide nice and feedback. To be honest I have been holding them accountable ands making them the excuse. The last part made that clear. I was getting mad that they didn't change what they were doing to catering to me and my needs. Although it would be nice it isn't realistic or fair to require this. When we moved I put all of the crap food on the bottom shelf so it isn't at eye level. I still nibble, but I am talking my part back. Today I go nibble free. Wish me luck.
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  #9   ^
Old Sun, Nov-09-14, 11:03
khrussva's Avatar
khrussva khrussva is offline
Say NO to Diabetes!
Posts: 8,671
 
Plan: My own - < 30 net carbs
Stats: 440/228/210 Male 5' 11"
BF:Energy Unleashed
Progress: 92%
Location: Central Virginia - USA
Default

I know exactly how you feel. Before I got married, I didn't keep junk food in the house. I'd lost a lot of weight a few years earlier and was trying to keep it off. When I got married, all of a sudden my kitchen was like a 7-Eleven -- filled with chips and sugary junk. My wife was all about convenience foods and this spelled bad news for me. It didn't take long to show up on the scale. I tried to get my wife to buy healthier stuff. She did, but she refused to stop buying the sugary treats. This was not a sacrifice she was willing to make. That really disappointed me for a long time. I've been struggling and losing the battle with my weight ever since. For most of my marriage, I put a lot of the blame for this on my wife.

I wish I'd have figured things out a long time ago. My kids grew up eating junk and 2 out of the 3 now have a weight problem. I'm doing something about it now, and that is what counts. I don't really blame my wife anymore. I've come to realize that she is just as addiced to the stuff as I was. She just didn't get fat from it so she saw no reason to give it up. She didn't want to give it up.
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