cheating and TOM seem to help me lose!

[gracie-poo]

I'm not posting this to ENCOURAGE anyone to cheat, I'm just letting everyone know what has been helping my plateaus (I wouldn't call them stalls, they don't last long enough). I've discovered that I am very "not-allergic" and nuts, AS and dairy really don't affect me. I can even eat the hidden carbs (maltitol, etc) and seem okay. I was loosing about 2 pounds a week initially, then dropped to 1 pound a week.....and then I discovered a pattern to the random whooshes that happened to me. Around TOM, I would gain 3 pounds or so of water weight, and then, like clockwork, on the last day of TOM the water weight would leave, and take a few "friends" with them :) One month, I lost a total of 8 pounds in two days. I felt really shaky and weird (I call it the whoosh feeling; I can FEEL when I am losing weight, it's really strange!)

Also, when I cheat (which is NOT very often, and generally only for special occasions, like birthday parties and such) I always get a whoosh. BUT, then again, it may be because I try to counteract my cheating by drinking gallons of water and that may be the real cause of my weight loss......All I know is that here I sit fitting into size 8's from a tight 14 in 4 months and lovin' it.

What has helped everyone else whoosh? I'm really curious :D

[Welshnag]

So I'm not QUITE as crazy as I thought AND I can take off the sack cloth and ashes for the guilt I feel at TOM for....cheating. :( Pretty much the same here, but not quite with your drastic results. Lots and Lots of water help make me feel a bit less like a failure. Thanks for the posting! :D

[Twiggy]

What a relief! I am 6 days from my TOM, and when I weighed in the other day, I was up 3 lbs! No change in diet or exercise, so this was utterly annoying and shocking. Will let you know if these 3 lbs. of bloat leave and take some more of their 'friends' with them next week when all is said and done. Your post gives me hope. How crazy and wonderful it must have been for you to see 8 lbs. leave forever in two short days!

[gracie-poo]

Twiggy, I will try to send the whoosh fairy your way!

It WAS incredibly exciting to see a whole 8 pounds leave so soon. I kept jumping on the scale again and again, I didn't believe it! I was at my gym too, so I think everyone in the ladies room thought I was crazy :daze: !

This whole journey has been incredible for me. I've never been able to lose weight like this. I was always a slow gainer and loser (well, then again, this was the first serious diet I've ever been on, I had never tried the starvation route, thank God). And Twiggy, I'm like you, I'm on the last ten pound road to goal (maybe 15, haven't decided yet whether I want to push my tall, medium framed self to 140), and as I am adding more and more carbs, I am watching my weight like a hawk to see how my body responds.

I saw your other post (in general low carb?) and just wanted to say, don't worry! My first few TOM's, I didn't gain any water weight, but now I think my body has adjusted, and just like you, I gain about 3 or 4 pounds every month now. I freaked out the first time, but I'm glad I waited it out!

Good luck Twiggy (and thanks Welshnag!)

[melanie 27]

I just had to reply the samething happens to me during TOM or after upping my carbs then dropping them back down seams to break up stalls to My hubby looses better if he cheats a few days a week then goes to induction.In Atkins first book he mentions the reversal diet the purpose was some peoples bodys adapt to this WOE where loosing can slow down or stall completly so he says a reversal diet or upping your carb intake for 3 days to a week then going back to induction can give you induction results again I think thats what happens to me I stall out get my TOM & naturally up my carbs to 50 a day because of cravings for LC deserts The day before TOM leaves I drop down lower then before TOM then experience 2 weeeks of loosing again until the cyle repeats itself.He also says the Hellers idea of a 1 hr cheat may help break up a stall but make sure its healthy food not junk food you cheat on.I havnt tried that infact Ive only really cheated once in 4 months :D But now I got this mentality that even upping my carbs on healthy food is cheating. LOL but around TOM cant help upping them a bit.Welp its GREAT to here Im not the only one!!!! Happy Loosing :wave:

[kimberlina]

ok, its getting really close to that TOM and i am not weighing again till next week. and i will definitely UP my water intake. i have lost 5 of the 10 pounds i gained from taking a few weeks off. i really wasnt off totally, just became slack in my choices. :(

anyhow....back in full swing and feeling GREAT!!!!!!

[In_Control]

I have experienced the whosh feeling as well. It's always at that TOM!

In the past when I was on other diets, I always lost weight when I cheated "slightly" as well. It must be a way of tricking your body or SOMETHING? Now this might be a little TOO much information, but if I cheat I find I get Diarrehea. Usually If I eat just a little sugar, it's like a BIG deal for my body to adjust and that is the end result. Therefore...weightloss!

I'm too scared to cheat on Atkins. Isn't that funny? But I've thought about my past experiences soooo often during my tough stalls.

I think after reading this post I'm going to go for it and cheat tomorrow! But what do I cheat on? I still have a couple weeks before my TOM and I am in the middle of a two week stall. I'm going nuts!

Any ideas as to what I should eat for my cheat?

[lesleyc]

hi Everyone.

Most people seem to be afected by water retention at TOM...then staright after, especially after dringking lots of water it will disappear.

A word of caution though on the cheating then getting a mini whoosh...it starts out that way, but in time that approach stops working...it's like your body has figured out the trick ;)

...and there's is always the risk that those cheats will start happening a bit too often :D

Lesley

[gracie-poo]

You are right Lesley......cheating as a permanent stall buster probably is a bad idea.

I do think that "shocking" your body in some way, however, works the best for people like me who do not have food intolerances and severe metabolic problems with losing. I should have stated that when I wrote this original post--I am extremely lucky in that regard (I am also young at 23, and I have never been on a calorie-restricted/starvation diet in the past).

There are other ways of shocking your body besides cheating, like sessions of intense exercise (for someone who doesn't exercise much), a day-long meat fast, the infamous fat fast, various vitamins perhaps?, and my personal favorite, the water cure.

In Control: Personally, I would only recommend cheating for shock value if you are (pardon the pun :)) in control. I 've been kind of a control freak about this diet, and I have had no problem cheating for a few seperate occasions, but I always planned them methodically, so that I knew that I wouldn't feel tempted to deviate from the plan. If you think it will set you off, don't do it!!

However, I would recommend cheating just once at some point, so that you can re-remember how crappy carbs make you feel (and if you do cheat, you will feel like he$$, and will be asking yourself for hours afterward why you bothered to do it)

Anyway, I am now on TOM, and in a few days will see if my post-TOM whoosh pattern holds true! I have held steady at 154 since my last TOM and have decided to crack down this month---no more daily lattes for me!! I want to be in maintenance so bad!

Good luck everyone! :D

PS: I really need to stop calling it cheating, because cheating implies that I am cheating on SOMEBODY, when I am only cheating on MYSELF! :(

[In_Control]

Thanks for the input graciepoo. I haven't "cheated" yet. I finally went down 1 1/2 pounds after 18 days. But, I still think I should be losing faster than I am. Next stall, I'll probably cheat by upping my "good" carbs (probably with fruit...like blueberries or strawberries) to 30 or 40 for a day. Or an hour as Atkins put it.

Thanks for the reminder that I have to be sure I'm in control! I know that's the BIGGEST thing for me to keep in my mind if I am to be successful on this WOE.

[gracie-poo]

YAAAAAYYYYYYYY!!!!! Tom and the whoosh fairy have co-conspired again!!! After three weeks of no loss, I have come back from my Memorial Day weekend excursion (in which TOM left halfway thru) a whole 4.5 pounds lighter!!!!! Talk about a whoosh, baby! I am now in the 140's (barely :D), a "decade" I haven't hit since I was 15. Those size 8's are fitting like a a glove.

Since I am only now technically 4.5 pounds away from goal, I am seeing a little more than 4.5 pounds of weight that *could* come off. So......I'm thinking of changing my goal to 140, which I don't think is unreasonable for someone of my height (5'8.5") age (23) and build (medium). I think I will go to 145 and then let those last 5 pounds come off at their own pace.

InControl, Kimberlina and Melanie: How are YOU guys doing :) I made a long, personal thank you phone call to the fabulous W.F. and she swore up and down that she's got you in her sights......:)

[In_Control]

Congratulations Gracie-Poo!!!! :clap:

That is so GREAT! A size 8 --- I'd be clapping and jumping up and down and who knows, I'd go to a size 7 in no time with all the carrying on I'd be doing! I bet you feel soooooo goood! And I bet you look good too.

Next week sometime I'll find out if the whosh fairy comes for a visit. Last month she took 4.5 pounds with her! I"m hoping for a repeat performance!

Congrats again. Very inspiring.

[kimberlina]

Gracie-poo,

CONGRATS!!!!! and thanks for asking about the rest of us. my TOM left me where i was at originally, and thats ok, but i have been struggling the last couple days. i took lots of legal stuff with us boating for the holiday weekend and didnt even cheat and was still the same, boo hoo!!!!!!

went shopping today, and am wearing a size smaller shorts than last year , but had a planned cheat for lunch, diet coke and a snickers bar. OMG!!!! this can not become a habit, lol

not giving up the ship though, cause i still feel great! just would like to get back into the 40's again SOON!!!!!!

[TeriDoodle]

Oh GRACIE!!! That is SO great!!! I am so incredibly jealous!! Do yourself a favor: STICK to this WOL and don't ever gain another pound back....because when you hit your forties it is very hard to get it off. Stay healty, stay lean and be beautiful!! :D

Way to go, girl!!! :thup:

[mbschlgr]

Hi All,

I've just been reading all of the above and am in a bit of a stall myself! Last week before the holiday I was at what my weight shows in my stats, the next day I gained 7 lbs!!! I know it is only water weight but TOM passed now and I am still swollen. Still can't get my rings on... I have a feeling that I am in for a huge WOOSH. I am only holding on to 3 of those lbs. as of this morning but I refuse to change my stats. I can feel the bloat. OUr humidity is hugely high here right now and it started to rain last night. I always suffer from cold hands and feet (even in the summer) but as of late my hands and feet are so hot and puffy I just want to stick them in cold water! :lol:

I refuse to cheat...

[Twiggy]

Gracie-poo this is great news!! Congratulations! I haven't lost an ounce since April 1, but I have lost inches, so I am really thrilled about that. Clothes are fitting better because I have started light weight lifting and doing the weights is firming up my flabby areas. TeriDoodle is right about this becoming so, so, soooo much harder in once you are in your 40s. This is a 4th or 5th major weight loss for me in 30 years and this time it is even slower and harder than the last one I unsuccessfully went through in my late 30s, only 5 years ago. I wish I would have known about low carb back in the Stone Age when I was in my 20s!!! Anyhow, I love hearing about your great progress and I KNOW you are enjoying wearing those size 8s! :cheer:

[gracie-poo]

Thank you all!!!!! You guys all ROCK!

I love being in the single digit sizes, I've never been there since I can remember....it feels weird :daze: From 190 (my highest) to the 140's!!!!!

I'm never going to give up this WOL, I feel great

Hugs,
Gracie

[mbschlgr]

Oh Gracie Poo!!!! How great, I can't wait to get to where you are! Wayto go :cheer: :cheer: :cheer:

[moremad13]

I also WHOOSH!

And it is definitely related to TOM. I have to say, it is great to see the weight go, but I know when a WHOOSH is happening, and it doesn't feel too good to me. It makes me a little bit nervous. I wake up, I put my hands on my stomach, and I say, "Where did it GO?" I know I want it to go - obviously - but there is something shaky and weird about the feeling. I find it to be a little drastic.

I have mixed feeling about it. But I have almost never lost a pound a day. When it goes, it goes in 2 or 3 or 4 pounds at a time. So I guess I am kind of used to it.

[melanie 27]

Graciepoo Thanks for asking about me no wooshes in about 2 weeks for me but I did cheat 2 weekends in a row on Monday I was up 9 pounds!!!!!! :eek: But after going back on induction 7 of those pounds are gone I feel by morning the other two will be gone & Yes I too can feel a swoosh coming.I also get my swooshes in 3-4 pound swooshes I wish it was 1 pnd a day bur hey I'll take what I can get.TOM is due so hopfully like always she will take some weight with her. Thats Great about a size 8 WOW girl you go.Im also 5"8 but am large boned.I will change my goal once I get there to 140 I was that 4 1/2 years ago & it looked & felt great. Im now in a size 12 was a size 20-22.I can't wait to get there we can do it Girls!!!!!!!:cheer: :cheer: You can check out my web page for my updated photos...See ya have a GREAT WEEKEND!!!!!!!! :wave:

[ptjody]

I can see that no one has posted here in several weeks, however I find the urge to post my 2 cents.

I too have experienced the whoosh and the cheating. I don't intentionally cheat to lose weight, I have found that if I have a strong urge now and then, I do allow myself to endulge on something that I love, but only a small, small portion. I have found that doing this keeps me strong, gets me past the cravings and fullfills the drive in me that I have control of this NWE. I love it.

As for everyone dropping the pounds and clothes sizes...fantastic. I have been wearing a size 20 for so many years that I can't remember. I was in a size 16 when I met my husband in 1984 and with getting married and having 3 kids 3 years in a row I quickly ballooned to well over 200 pounds (260 at my highest) and have not seen sub-200 in a long, long time. My goal is to get to a 165 pound woman...that may not seem small, but I'm built very solid and can outlift many men that I know through my strength. I do not body build, I always say I was raised on a farm and inherited my father's strength.

Anyway...my first goal is to break past 200 pounds. I am so excited because I am only 6 pounds away. I have to stay focused here because I have seen such a fantastic change in my appearance in such a short time that I find myself getting comfortable here. I don't want that. I want to keep that fire in my belly and continue on the steady course.

My husband and 2 of my children are also on this WOE. We have lost a total of 129 pounds now since May 6th. This will help me stay on course because we only prepare the "good" meals and help each other remain strong and remember our water and vitamins.

Good luck to all of you.

[paul_poco]

What is TOM?

[moremad13]

TOM is time of the month. It's a chick thing!

[JCinKS]

So now I want to know how this works? When do you do it, on what day? Is it just one day? What do you eat to cheat or splurge on? and then what do you do in regards to water and carb counts? I am still on induction but keep bouncing back and forth on two lousy pounds. I could really use all the help I can get to get over this hill. I would like sorta of a timeline so I know what days to do what on. TIA
Jacque

[bblondie]

Wow, what a relief to see these post. My TOM started 2 days ago and I am on the induction. I cheated so bad yesterday w/ oreo cookies and crackers and grapes that I was ready to give up. I feel some hope now that I may be ok. As I am writing this I am guzzling my water. I have never had a whoosh but I am hoping for one after tom is over!

When does it usually happen??

[TeriDoodle]

I think that weight loss often occurs when TOM leaves not BECAUSE of the "cheats" but IN SPITE of them. I definitely don't think it's being promoted as a method to lose weight here.... so there really is no "plan" for using it as such.

[JCinKS]

THERE HAS TO BE A PLAN...! IT CANT BE! :p
Just joking I didn't really mean bad cheat just about what good foods we could use.

[edandmill]

Everyone is talking about TOM and WOE. WHAT DO THEY STAND FOR? Just started 3 weeks ago and last week lost nothing so am checking it out. I am having no problem staying under 20 carbs but consumed more aspartame in the last week and started having white wine. Thought I would stay at 20 and cut out aspartame. Still planning on eating other sugar subs. What do you think?

[suze_c]

TOM=time of month... it''s a gal thing,men need not apply :lol: and WOE=way of eating, or WOL=way of life...What exactly are you checking out?... aspartame will cause problems in Dr. Atkins opinion... and so will alcohol, these are both covered on his web site http://www.atkinscenter.com... If you are planning on staying at 20 grams of carbs...why not continue with induction? I done it for a month... now have tweaked the plan, to where I am doing a combination Stillman/Atkins plan. As far as other sugar substitutes... Atkins suggests Splenda or Stevia.... why do you think you need all the sugar subs? Got a sweet tooth or something?IMHO-in my humble opinion...., everyone has to find out what is right for them... if you are not losing tho.,.. I wouldn't go too far from induction though... there are reasons for stalls... use a tape measure instead... go by it... I lost 14# in a week, then lost 6 in the last 3 weeks...am I upset? No way... a 20 lb. loss in a month is nothing to dislike! THere are so many reasons for stalls... doa search here, and read some of the posts... you will see what I am talking about.

[TeriDoodle]

Edandmill - A little "stall" is quite common in weeks 3-5.... it happened to me, too. If it weren't for this board, where I learned that it happens to almost everyone, I probably would have bailed out of the plan.

We'd all like to lose at a steady 2# a week, but it just doesn't happen that way usually. Just hang in there and stay on the plan.

Yes, I agree that you should switch to Splenda and cut out the aspartame. What are you using it for....? Coffee? How much?

And the wine..... well, Protein Power allows 1 glass a day of dry white, but don't neglect to count the carbs!! They add up quickly!

[nedsed]

Thank goodness! I'm currently in the middle of week 4 -- and I lost under a pound last week. I said goodbye to 12 lbs. the first 2 weeks, and then it came to a crashing halt. I thought I was doing something wrong -- even though I'm being pretty strict -- but I'm glad to hear that this is a common thing!

I just added nuts, while still staying around 20 g, for the variety. I'm also starting to exercise, too, which should help. Thanks for giving me the needed lift to feel like I can make it through this.

-- Nancy