newbie - how a business trip messed me up

[sunny068]

helllo all,
When i say I'm a newbie, i dont mean with atkins, i mean to the msg board. I did atkins in 2005 and lost 80lbs and kept it off untill 07. a death in the family sent me back to sugary foods. now in 2011 i am back to lose the"last" 50 lbs. well i was 100% on board on March 1 and actually lost 11lbs in my 2 wks of induction. i was doing great until my job sent me to memphis tennessee for a week for training. there is no such thing as ceasar salad and grilled neat there. so i went from 15 daily carbs to probably 60-70 daily carbs that week. i gained 8 of my 11 lost and now i feel screwed and hopeless. i managed to straighten up and lose another 6 lbs but i find myself wanting to cheat and crave sweet bread snacks! i turn to the msg board in hopes that your words or encouragement and similar stories will help me stay on track 100% so that i can re-light that fat burning fire i had at the beginning of march.

[Elizellen]

I am sorry you could not find plain meats and salads while away - sounds weird to me but I live in UK where if all else fails there are always cafes which will do eggs and bacon at any time of day, so I have never needed to eat offplan unless I chose to do so.

Anyway now you need to be pro-active to get through the next days on plan and kill off any leftover cravings.

Plan your menus for the next week or so and stick to it, taking food with you if you are not sure what will be offered if visiting friends and family, and preparing plenty of onplan food and snacks so you can eat whenever hungry or craving but eat only "legal" foods.

Steer clear of using much sweetener if you have a sweet tooth to try and starve out that pesky sugar monster too.

[scthgharpy]

The land OF BBQ, where even the meats have to be sweet!

im back on the wagon this week too. And fighting the mad bummer of things I just suddenly cant eat! I feel your pain. The good news is, youve not gone too far off plan, YOU CAN EASILY get back where you need to be if you take action now. Promise yourself 3 days of induction, and if youre STILL craving sugary stuff, you can have it. I guarantee you wont be. go have a chicken caesar salad NOW. Keep us posted.

[oblong]

Don't worry about a thing! Even 60-70g carbs per day is low carb compared to the standard American (and UK) diet. It is impossible to gain 8lbs of fat in such a short space of time so don't worry about the gain because it's mainly water retention.

We've all been there and come out of it relatively unscathed, so just hang in there and stick to your plan as much as possible.

Put this one down to experience and learn from it. Next time you have to go away, take some low carb friendly foods with you - tins of tuna, beef jerky, nuts, hard boiled eggs. Try and get to a supermarket while you're away and buy packs of meat and cheese.

Good luck! You can do it :)

[Kisal]

The land OF BBQ, where even the meats have to be sweet!That's exactly what I was going to say! :lol:

[JohnGibson]

Look for a KFC, their grilled Chicken is 0 carbs...

Higher in sodium than I like but it a freaking lifesaver when I am on the road.

Also when you hit a BBQ joint, talk to the pit boss, see if they have any meats that haven't been sauced yet. Sometimes they do but you need to know who to ask.

John

[Queen Jane]

I would advise you get clear with your mindset before starting again, should you get disheartened and fail. Atkins isn't easy and the only way you can do it is total commitment and belief in sustainable results. I recommend writing down why you want to do it in the first place and why it's important to you. You'll likely draw some meaningful inspiration from there.

And don't make dumb excuses like that there's no way to eat low-carb in Memphis. Own your mistakes.

[Queen Jane]

Sorry if that sounded hoity toity. I'm a complete failure btw. This is about my sixth try at Induction, hoping it will stick this time :) Good luck

[JohnGibson]

Actually your message was correct, the method of delivery was a bit blunt ;)

Planning is the key to Atkins. When I go on a road trip I make sure that I have supplies that I can use incase there is nothing for me to eat.

On business trips, if you are going to be in meetings, or training, you can get the people sending you to call down to see if they can work with you on your dietary restrictions.

I usually don't tell them that I am on Atkins (it avoids the whole bs front matter) but tell them My Dr. has me on a Ketogenic diet, and I need to make sure that I avoid sugars and carbs.

Usually they will work with me with that type of stuff, but I don't stop there. I make sure that I am traveling with things that am able to eat during long sessions.

Again, if you don't plan you will fail on this, and I have learned that planning is a major component that many people do not engage in.

Like I said, for me if I am out of food, and I need to eat KFC for their Grilled Chicken is a freaking lifesaver. Also Popeye's... tell them you want the chicken Naked, its no longer on the menu but they will do it for you.

A five guys burger joint is usually more than happy to wrap your burger in lettuce for you.

Jimmy Johns have the Unwich which is the sandwich wrapped in lettuce.

Know your emergency go to places, keep stuff with you and usually you can weather a trip.

[Queen Jane]

Sorry, I guess it's just b/c I personally know you can walk in any cheapie diner in Memphis and order plain steak and eggs...hee hee...I will concede that 12-15 net carbs of veggies might be hard to come by there :) that's great advice about the Ketogenic diet - it sure beats pretending I'm a diabetic when I don't feel like getting lectured by strangers who've learned all they know about Atkins from half-hearing an "expert" denouncing it on a morning chat show while they run the vacuum!

[JohnGibson]

Its funny, I used to tell people I was on Atkins... they would go out of their way to tell me how bad it was, and how Dr. A. Died, ect. ect. ect.

Now I just say my Doctor has me on a Ketogenic diet... and they usually say "Oh wow... Ok...what do you need.?"

Then I say a Salad, and tell them what I need on it, a steak or hamburger patty, and then list greenbeans or few other veggies, and behold they get it to me.

Man... If I said Atkins I would have to fight a war just to get the same thing.

LOL!

[kwikdriver]

Don't worry about a thing! Even 60-70g carbs per day is low carb compared to the standard American (and UK) diet. It is impossible to gain 8lbs of fat in such a short space of time so don't worry about the gain because it's mainly water retention.


This sounds correct to me. In order to gain even a pound of fat, you have to eat 3500 calories more than you burn -- that works out to about 500 extra calories a day. You can certainly do that easily enough, especially eating BBQ, but you'd have had to be a human Hoover to eat much more than that. I've seen it done, even done it myself back in the day, but that person, and me when I did it, were also eating a lot more than 60 or 70 grams of carb a day.

In your spot, I would re-start on induction, or whatever your version of induction is, with the induction mindset: the point is not to lose weight per se, but to rid yourself of cravings, reset your body into a fat burning machine, and establish good eating habits. Once you're through that period, you can go back to focusing on losing weight. The good thing is it shouldn't be hard, since 60 - 70 grams of carb aren't that many, and you only "strayed" for a short period of time.

Realistically, this episode is only as big as you make it. Staying low carb -- and 60 or 70 grams a day is reasonably low carb -- in an envornment where there is plenty of good BBQ and other temptations (I assume you had an expense account?) is actually something of a success. Many, many people would not have done nearly as well.

[CMCM]

Sometimes it's tough, but you can always resort to breakfast type places to get omlets or eggs/bacon etc. And you should be able to find burgers (get a cheeseburger for the added fat), just dump the bun and any special sauces, but keep the lettuce & tomato.

These are my "go to" meals when I'm in challenging environments.

ALSO...if you were eating more carbs suddenly that week and not really overeating calorie-wise, some of your 8 lbs. could easily be bloat/water gain from the sudden influx of carbs. Just go back to low carb and the bloat will go away.

[sunny068]

Well when they send of to Memphis they don't authroize rental cars, so I have to go where the pre-ordered bus takes me. I had a grilled chkn sandwich, no bread. Ribs, no sauce (they were uteerly dry and disgusting), I ate some baked beans to try and make my meal somewhat enjoyable. I had eggs at the hotel for breakfast, but I suspect they dont use real eggs, some type of mix, and i had sausage. I ordered chinese to my hotel and I had shrimp egg foo yung and egg drop soup. But I slipped up and got crab wontons. I packed some low carb protein shakes in my bag and sugar free reese's PB cups. I went to a mexican place and had a burrito with no beans, no rice, no wrap - just chkn and cheese. But i had some nachos ... OMG it was horrible. I think I fold in social settings. On my own I tend to be better, but when everyone else is eating tortilla chips and rolls with their sauce-slathered rib plates and baked beans I cave in
:(
I worked out at the hotel gym and felt good about that, but the hotel has "welcome home" fresh baked cookies ... I ate an oatmeal cookie thinking it was nutritionally better than a sugar cookie. I think I gained a whole 8 lbs bc I wasnt exactly "Regular" while I was away .... so food was going in, but nothing coming out.

As far as planning, I can not thank you guys enough for stressing that. In all honesty I planned poorly for the trip, even though I figured bringing my low carb snacks was great ... but it wasn't enough. Yesterday after I read the board I made meals for all day Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. Baked fish, crab cakes with no bread filler, tuna salad, fried eggs and bacon, frozen veggies with butter and low sodium salt! I feel much more prepared.
And I feel like with the help of these boards I can have somewhere to turn, other than to a tub of ice cream or a soft-baked brownie.
I've been using MYPLAN and browsing receipes and I feel like that fire from the beginning of March is back with me. No once I see some pounds coming BACK off, I will be full speed ahead!

Thank you all for being a part of my journey, and letting me be a part of yours!

[BigCat]

Just keep trying Sunny068 it does get easier.

Also a good option when you're on a business trip is Subway. They will turn any 6" sub into a salad(I went with roasted chicken)...really saved me from going off low-carb on my last business trip.

[MicheleK]

Cracker Barrels are everywhere in TN/GA. Full LC menu...it's a lifesaver!!! :-)

I know how you feel though...sometimes it's not what you can find it's what's available (due to other's wanting to eat certain places - catered food...all that stuff).

You've got to learn to say no. I've been a "yes" eater for years and years...it got me almost 200lbs of additional weight. I've learned to say NO I CAN'T EAT THAT.

It's tough.

[sunny068]

I didnt even see a cracker barrel down there ... I LOVE that place! I felt like I was doing well, logging every single thing that I ate in my journal, and another downfall of mine is when I'm doing really well and looking over my menu, I think "wow I've done so well, this one slice of pizza shouldnt hurt" and then 50 carbs later I'm sad and I feel guilty. Thanks for your support guys!

[letsdoit]

oooh when I lived near good bbq I would get moist brisket, no sauce and smoked chicken. YUMMO!

[want2Bskny]

I can really relate to this. Especially to caving in under social settings.

Often, if I travel for business, I'm in training classes or an all day session where they bring the food into a conference room. Usually platters of bagels and pastries with a coffee service. I normally am able to resist until the afternoon. Then at that point, I've tried to fight it all day and usually break down.

Bringing my own snacks usually isn't even enough to help me to resist the temptation of sitting with pastries in a room all day. I dread going to these things now.

I guess I am not giving any advice, just saying that I totally feel your pain and I've never even traveled to Memphis for business!

[sunny068]

I can really relate to this. Especially to caving in under social settings.

Often, if I travel for business, I'm in training classes or an all day session where they bring the food into a conference room. Usually platters of bagels and pastries with a coffee service. I normally am able to resist until the afternoon. Then at that point, I've tried to fight it all day and usually break down.

Bringing my own snacks usually isn't even enough to help me to resist the temptation of sitting with pastries in a room all day. I dread going to these things now.

I guess I am not giving any advice, just saying that I totally feel your pain and I've never even traveled to Memphis for business!

Thank goodness I'm not alone. Its ridiculous! They dont trap us in a room of pastries at least but it was even difficult at the hotel trying to eat their continental breakfast of cereal, muffins, waffles, bagels, etc. They had some fake eggs and sausage that was probably loaded with filler. I felt so screwed in that scenario. But I'm trying to use tips from these forums to plan better and overcome the urge to go off track - knowing that it wont help me at all in the future.

[bobiam]

I didnt even see a cracker barrel down there ... I LOVE that place! I felt like I was doing well, logging every single thing that I ate in my journal, and another downfall of mine is when I'm doing really well and looking over my menu, I think "wow I've done so well, this one slice of pizza shouldnt hurt" and then 50 carbs later I'm sad and I feel guilty. Thanks for your support guys!
I occassionally eat pizza. Just toss the crust and as much of the sauce as you can. The toppings for most pizzas are pretty LC, with a few exceptions.

I just spent some time in Hammond, IN recently. Not much to choose from except one diner type place, a McD, and a KFC. McD you can get any burger plain and throw out the bun. KFC has grilled chicken that is very LC.

I ended up eating 3 meals a day at the diner most days. Omelets or poached/fried/boiled eggs, bacon, and sausage patties. Hold the plate of hashbrowns. A couple of times they brought the hashbrowns anyway. I felt a little guilt about not eating them but not guilty enough to actually eat them. Some meals a side salad.

[RaceGirl28]

Next time you go pack a travel bag of little cans of vienna sausages, vacuum packed tuna, pouches of olives, pkts of mayo, almonds, freeze dried strawberries & blueberries, and prepared bacon in the shelf stable pkg. IDK if you can take fresh food on a plane anymore, but our local fresh air market never refrigerates heads of lettuce, cucumbers, bell peppers etc. If you drive you can also take a smallish cooler you can put a dozen boiled eggs, sliced cheese, some ranch dressing and a pkg of chicken strips.

Basically, Im saying you can take your own food. Eat in your room really well, go to the all day sit and learn and then at night get a steak, a side salad w/ranch, some green beans, or whatever and then you can still have snackie stuff in your room that requires little if any prep.

[mel92]

Also don't forget that if there is a convenience or grocery store within walking distance of your hotel, you can pick up LC food/snacks there too, to take back to your hotel room. :)

[sunny068]

There is a Target and a Walgreens not from the hotels they usually put us in. I was THISCLOSE to taking some frozen fish fillets and bags of frozen veggies on the place, but my co-worker talked me out of it. She told me that I could easily get something to eat when I got there ... I shouldnt have listened. I love her to death, but she's not dieting, she is a size 5 at best.

[cangst]

This is 2011. More and more wait staff know what low carb is. I usually ask the waitress what do you have that is low carb and good. The place I went to the other night gave me a huge bacon, cheese, burger with no bun and a double side salad with bleu cheese for the same price as a take out meal. At Mexican places get a tostada without the beans and rice, dont eat the shell. Just remember you are eating right. There is so much scientific data to prove it. We just have to wait for everyone else to wake up to this. What separates those who win at this WOL and those who dont are the people that jump back on the horse instead of conceding defeat. You can do it!!

[8229]

Hey there, the next time you are in town let me know. I work in Memphis and can help you out with some great locations with low carb items on the menu.

Once I have my parking spot in the morning I am not moving my car until after work. So a lot of the time I bring flats and walk to lunch and then slip back into heels at work. :wave:

[mel92]

OMG, one of my favorite things to eat at Chili's is the Fajita Trio sans tortillas. YUM!

[sunny068]

I got some chicken fajitas from Dave & Busters recently ... $14 for 3 chicken strips and like 2 cups of rice. I was disgusted that I spent that much money and only got to eat 3 SKINNY strips of grilled chicken with sour cream and cheese.

[hysteria]

I got some chicken fajitas from Dave & Busters recently ... $14 for 3 chicken strips and like 2 cups of rice. I was disgusted that I spent that much money and only got to eat 3 SKINNY strips of grilled chicken with sour cream and cheese.

lol - I don't think food is D&B's specialty ;)

Thanks for the heads up though. H has recently been talking about wanting to do a date night up there - guess I will need to convince him to get dinner elsewhere.

[WereBear]

I got some chicken fajitas from Dave & Busters recently ... $14 for 3 chicken strips and like 2 cups of rice. I was disgusted that I spent that much money and only got to eat 3 SKINNY strips of grilled chicken with sour cream and cheese.

I can't believe they charge $14 for that! Even with the rice, that is a rip off.

[mel92]

I've never heard of Dave & Busters.:q: Do you have a Chili's where you live?