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  #1   ^
Old Sat, Jul-13-19, 21:18
k8ty k8ty is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 333
 
Plan: keto <50 net carbs
Stats: 183/163/140 Female 65 in
BF:
Progress: 47%
Location: California
Default I've almost made it 6 weeks and need support to stay on track

Tomorrow will mark 6 weeks straight of a healthy lifestyle including <50 net carbs per day, lots of water drinking, tons of veggies, and 4-5 days per week of strenuous exercise (I play and coach beach volleyball). I've lost 10 lbs in the process, definitely built some muscle, and I look and feel better in numerous ways. My skin is better, my energy levels are great, my face and upper body is a lot slimmer, I sleep well, and I am making responsible choices regarding food.

I've been on the ketogenic diet many times over the past few years, and it seems like the 6-8 week mark is where I derail myself. There is a potluck, BBQ, birthday party, or celebration where I tell myself "just one bite of cake would be okay". And one bite of cake would be okay, except I don't know how to stop at just one. I tell myself that "this time will be different, I'll just have a taste nothing more, and everything will be fine". Except that's never been true in the past. So, although my brain knows one bite always leads to more, my emotional side is good at convincing myself that I should indulge. I deserve it. I've been good for so long that I should reward myself.

Tomorrow also happens to be my 2 year sobriety anniversary.

So, kind of like I turn to my sponsor when I feel squirrely regarding alcohol, I am turning to this forum since I'm feeling squirrely about consuming carby deserts. I have a lot of celebrations coming up this week (including a BBQ at my house right now as I am writing this) and I would like to stay on-plan. The restaurants we go to always have good meat and/or salad options that I love, but I am feeling tempted by desert options even though I know I'd rather be thin, fit, and healthy rather than have the brief rush of dopamine a tasty treat will bring me. My friends are generally quite supportive, some of them are even doing keto themselves, but they go on and off without as much gusto as I'd like to bring to my eating habits right now.

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  #2   ^
Old Sat, Jul-13-19, 21:57
Ms Arielle's Avatar
Ms Arielle Ms Arielle is online now
Senior Member
Posts: 19,176
 
Plan: atkins, carnivore 2023
Stats: 200/211/163 Female 5'8"
BF:
Progress: -30%
Location: Massachusetts
Default

You know the answer.

Can you eat just one bite??? Most of us cant. That one bite derails the program. Carb cravings rule, again.

Can you bring a substitute LC alternative?? Or skip the event? ( I have stayed home for Thanksgiving, and Christmas, to stay on plan and avoid temptatons, certain I will cave.)

Carbs are more addictive than cocaine!! And You have kicked the carb habit. Why start again?

Temptation pops up time and again. Often dealing with temptations is one day at a time, one hour at a time. Can u find a solution that keeps you on plan??
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  #3   ^
Old Sun, Jul-14-19, 00:12
k8ty k8ty is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 333
 
Plan: keto <50 net carbs
Stats: 183/163/140 Female 65 in
BF:
Progress: 47%
Location: California
Default

I've had "just one bite" before, and while physiologically it doesn't do much harm, psychologically it is maddening. So no.

I'm not going to skip any events, being social is part of a healthy lifestyle and it's not like people push carby food on me or tease me about eating the way I do. I guess the point of my post was not that I have trouble in general saying no to sweets (it's been no problem at all the past 6 weeks), but that this time period specifically has caused me trouble in the past and I feel it coming on again.

What generally works for me is to not allow myself to obsess over the food I want but won't have. I'll see pie or cupcakes, acknowledge their presence, and then move on to think or talk about something else. But that strategy just doesn't seem to be working right now, and from past experiences, 6 weeks in is about when this same thing has happened before.

Wondering if anybody else has been in the same situation, having a seeming predetermined period of success then giving in/giving up for some reason.
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  #4   ^
Old Sun, Jul-14-19, 07:32
Ms Arielle's Avatar
Ms Arielle Ms Arielle is online now
Senior Member
Posts: 19,176
 
Plan: atkins, carnivore 2023
Stats: 200/211/163 Female 5'8"
BF:
Progress: -30%
Location: Massachusetts
Default

This is common. We need to be ever diligent. With success we slack off that diligence. And thoughts of one bite wont hurt" creeps in. From experience, I know it does.

Sometimes I can eat off plan and get back on plan the next day. Usually NOT.

Be vigilant, and true to plan.

I use the 90 -day -change -your- habit thread to conquor issues that need commitment and accountability. For me, writing out my goal behavior increases focus as I dont want to trip up and lose my self-challenge.

Dr Atkins writes extensively about how easy it is to loose that initial diligence and beware, as it is too easy to not maintain enough effort to keep in control.

Perhaps write out 3-4-5 reasons this way of life is beneficial to YOU. Then post in prominant place. Perhaps in bathroom if that is your first morning stop and on the refridgerator as we are all programmed to open that when wanting a bite to eat.

Reasons might include , you feel better, skin is clearer, headaches are gone, arthritis pain under control, think clearly.....pick reasons that are personal to you.

Hope this is more helpful..
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  #5   ^
Old Sun, Jul-14-19, 10:24
CityGirl8 CityGirl8 is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 856
 
Plan: Protein Power, IF
Stats: 238/204/145 Female 5'8"
BF:53.75%/46.6%/25%
Progress: 37%
Location: PNW
Default

I think the six-to-eight week mark is a big turning point. You're in the groove of how you're supposed to eat and your head starts telling you this is a long term change and you can't be rigidly strict for the rest of your life, that's no way to live. That's absolutely true, but 2 months in is just too early in your adaption to low carb; it's too easy to slip back into old habits.

Right now, when you're tempted to have just one bite, tell yourself that it's not time. It will be time in four months or six months. Or tell yourself, you're not eating that right now, but maybe next week or next month. I'm not big on denial. It just makes me want something more. I'm very contrarian that way. But I can work with postponing something--often repeatedly.
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  #6   ^
Old Sun, Jul-14-19, 22:05
k8ty k8ty is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 333
 
Plan: keto <50 net carbs
Stats: 183/163/140 Female 65 in
BF:
Progress: 47%
Location: California
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ms Arielle
Perhaps write out 3-4-5 reasons this way of life is beneficial to YOU. Then post in prominant place. Perhaps in bathroom if that is your first morning stop and on the refridgerator as we are all programmed to open that when wanting a bite to eat.


This is a good idea! I have printed out a bunch of pictures of myself when I was previously at my goal weight to use as motivation when I feel weak, but I know it's about how I feel not just about how I look so I think I'll do this! Thanks
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  #7   ^
Old Sun, Jul-14-19, 22:08
k8ty k8ty is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 333
 
Plan: keto <50 net carbs
Stats: 183/163/140 Female 65 in
BF:
Progress: 47%
Location: California
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by CityGirl8
Right now, when you're tempted to have just one bite, tell yourself that it's not time. It will be time in four months or six months. Or tell yourself, you're not eating that right now, but maybe next week or next month. I'm not big on denial. It just makes me want something more. I'm very contrarian that way. But I can work with postponing something--often repeatedly.


Yeah, I try to tell myself "this is not the last opportunity you'll ever have to eat this ever" so I won't feel that deprivation. I remember eating like that in college, like I'd never have the chance to have a cinnamon roll again. So I'd get one every morning. Last night at our BBQ there were cupcakes, but my neighbor makes them all the time so I just told myself I'd have one on a more special occasion. And then I ate bacon wrapped jalapeno poppers that I made instead!
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  #8   ^
Old Mon, Jul-15-19, 05:33
WereBear's Avatar
WereBear WereBear is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 14,605
 
Plan: EpiPaleo/Primal/LowOx
Stats: 220/125/150 Female 67
BF:
Progress: 136%
Location: USA
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by k8ty
Last night at our BBQ there were cupcakes, but my neighbor makes them all the time so I just told myself I'd have one on a more special occasion. And then I ate bacon wrapped jalapeno poppers that I made instead!


Excellent strategy!

I love Dana Carpender’s take on “deprivation.”

Quote:
I tell myself that I ate Oreos in Girl Scouts because I felt I would never get another chance, and here we are and they are still making Oreos.


The 6-8 weeks mark is when your brain says, “Okay, are you serious? Because you weren’t before, and I want a commitment before I make major changes to the body. Are you serious about me making major changes?”

And this is when you cry out, “ YES YES YES.”

Because whatever it is, they won’t stop making it, will they?
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  #9   ^
Old Mon, Jul-15-19, 07:12
LCer4Life's Avatar
LCer4Life LCer4Life is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 692
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 155/143/125 Female 63
BF:33.2/28.7%/24%
Progress: 40%
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by CityGirl8
Right now, when you're tempted to have just one bite, tell yourself that it's not time. It will be time in four months or six months. Or tell yourself, you're not eating that right now, but maybe next week or next month. I'm not big on denial. It just makes me want something more. I'm very contrarian that way. But I can work with postponing something--often repeatedly.

I agree w/ CityGirl8, denial is hard to handle and we all have experienced that when we tried all the ‘diets’ previously. LC is a WOE and we don’t deny ourselves food, we just choose to have it later and then get past the craving or or want. It is a mind process and like we ‘choose’ to eat or drink we can also choose to eat a low carb food. The craving or want will pass. Don’t think of denial but think positive of a healthy choice and what you have gained in these last 6 weeks. Be proud and move forward. 💪🏼
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  #10   ^
Old Mon, Jul-15-19, 15:01
k8ty k8ty is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 333
 
Plan: keto <50 net carbs
Stats: 183/163/140 Female 65 in
BF:
Progress: 47%
Location: California
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by WereBear

The 6-8 weeks mark is when your brain says, “Okay, are you serious? Because you weren’t before, and I want a commitment before I make major changes to the body. Are you serious about me making major changes?”

And this is when you cry out, “ YES YES YES.”


This! In the past I've had no trouble losing the first 10ish lbs, then would hover at the 160 mark for a while as if my body didn't want to move on through the next hurdle unless I really meant business! This is when I would convince myself that I needed a "leptin refeed" or to "shock my body with carbs to kickstart weightloss again"...and subsequently go on a carb bender for months, regain what I had lost, and tell myself I could be just as happy as a bigger, out of shape girl because it's just easier that way.

This time I'm not letting psychology get the better of me, and am thoroughly grateful for the assistance resisting temptation.
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  #11   ^
Old Mon, Jul-15-19, 19:18
Ms Arielle's Avatar
Ms Arielle Ms Arielle is online now
Senior Member
Posts: 19,176
 
Plan: atkins, carnivore 2023
Stats: 200/211/163 Female 5'8"
BF:
Progress: -30%
Location: Massachusetts
Default

Well worth tracking down an old copy of Dr Atkins New Diet Revolution, he covers almost every issue that we experience on this journey.
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  #12   ^
Old Tue, Jul-16-19, 03:01
JEY100's Avatar
JEY100 JEY100 is online now
Posts: 13,368
 
Plan: P:E/DDF
Stats: 225/150/169 Female 5' 9"
BF:45%/28%/25%
Progress: 134%
Location: NC
Default

Kristie Sullivan has a form for the idea above, write out your reasons for "Know Your Why" https://cookingketowithkristie.com/...-know-your-why/. My reason for doing this nine years is long term and unproven (prevent a cancer recurrence) so it is pretty easy to say one sugary dessert won’t hurt...so I need reminders of short and long term goals...many whys.

Last edited by JEY100 : Tue, Jul-16-19 at 03:06.
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