So Who Here Has Fallen HARD and Gotten Back On? Please Share Your Stories!

[BekkiH]

I have wanted to post about this for a while, but I have been so incredibly ashamed...

I started my Atkins journey on January 31, 2011. In about 5 months time, I had lost 60 lbs. Best of all, I was finally in ONEDERLAND!!! I was loving my food, working out religiously, and feeling SUPER great about myself. No cheating - no problem!

On July 4th, we went to a BBQ at a friend's house. That was the fateful day that I decided to reward myself for all of my hard work with a cheat day. My weight loss was stalling, and I felt like my body "deserved" a break (as much as anyone deserves a shot of arsenic, right???)

I didn't go completely crazy, but I did have some fruit, grains and ribs cooked in BBQ sauce. I tried some ice cream but that huge amount of sugar made me sick to my stomach.

That one cheat day broke my stall, and I lost 7 lbs that week. I did some reading on the internet and found lots of posts about people on Atkins taking occasional cheat days to break out of stalls. It seemed like great advice at the time...

In August, I took a whole week off. It was fair week, and our anniversary trip to NYC. Just imagine what kind of garbage I allowed myself to eat.

Taking a whole week off was really, really hard to come back from. I flip-flopped for a while. Gain a few lbs, lost a few lbs, so on and so forth.

In November, a bunch of moms in our playgroup decided to get together and do a weight loss challenge. Each of us put in $10 and the person who loses the highest % at the end of 3 months takes all the cash. This was AWESOME motivation for me! Until the holidays... I'm sure I don't even have to explain that one.

Fast forward to a few weeks ago. Back on track - eating well, working out, losing weight - feeling AWESOME! Then I fell and dislocated the big toe on my right foot. Everything went out the window again, since I was off my feet for a couple of weeks. My husband had to do the cooking for a while, which really meant take-out most nights.

So here I am, almost 3 weeks after my fall. I'm in physical therapy twice a week and corrective exercise therapy once a week because the injury and subsequent abnormal walking has caused severe hip and back pain. And that hip pain is now causing neck spasms. I'm in pain, and stuck on the couch most of the time (not because I can't walk but because I have to keep my foot elevated a lot). I can't workout, and it's starting to get depressing. Plus, two doctors and my PT have all confirmed that my big toe will likely stay this swollen permanently. Now my BRAND NEW running shoes don't even fit on that one foot anymore.

On top of all of this, work (I work from home) has gone from being manageable to completely and utterly insane. I am raising two toddlers and running a business at the same time and it's really taking a toll.

All of this depression and self-pity has led to worse and worse eating. I still cook healthy meals (it's just what I'm used to now), but I still have sweet snacks that are a no-no. I am PETRIFIED of stepping on the scale right now.

Anyway, I've decided that it's time for me to stop feeling sorry for myself. I'm getting back on plan as soon as I can get to the grocery store this weekend.

So, I'm looking for stories from other members who have fallen off, and gotten back on for real. I'm still feeling down about this and I could use some encouragement. The success stories that I read from the fabulous people on here have been awesome fuel for me! I would LOVE to hear stories about overcoming a huge crash like this.

[GoalWeight]

Some times life gets in the way. We slip and fall, cheat, take a break but the important thing is to get right back on the right path and restart induction again. I have been on extended induction for 8 weeks: To be honest I have been on a "kinda" off the program for the last 4 days, I am not proud of it, I hate it . What I mean "kinda" is I eat any kind of sugar free choclate, sugar free candy, nuts, seeds, and roasted green peas, but I know that its way too much sugar alco. and carbs are way more than 20 grams the daily limit. I have not gained alot I think maybe 1lb... The thing is I am tring to get right back on with restarting induction again. So dont be hard on your self your not alone. Restart.........

[Cool Hand Luke]

You don't need encouragement, you know what to do, so just do it.

This type of story is why Atkins followers are basically of the total abstinence mindset when it comes to breaking the deal, even for a short period. It's because it can be so difficult to get back on track, but that is a discipline issue. The absolute truth is, your body becomes acclimated to routines of exercise and nourishment, and it is very effective to occasionally go astray and shock your system. This is the same principle used in serious body building and demonstrated in that P 90X regiment. It works because you confuse the body, breaking the routine and reestablishing positive momentum. Not everyone has the fortitude to get back on track, which is why Dr A and many people will never condone it. But it does work, if you take the off plan indulgences as a serious method within the plan itself, you don't do it very often, and you don't kid yourself when you are actually cheating, which is totally different than a planned diversion. I just wouldn't do it if you have a very weak will.

[zoewmu]

I took a 10 pound sabbatical between thanksgiving and Christmas. I was battling a medical problem and knew that from Thanksgiving to Christmas would be tough. On Christmas day, I hit my 10 pound limit and got back on track the day after. It took about a month for me to really commit to doing a clean induction, partially medically related and partially bad habit. I've really only been back on track for about 2 weeks. I learned that it takes longer to lose 10 pounds than it does to gain it. I don't think it was worth it. Maybe if it had only been the week of Christmas I wouldn't be backtracking quite so much. One of the things that helped was looking at my own self sabotaging thoughts and behavior. Our heads play games with us. We believe every thought in our head as if it was Gospel truth, but honestly our thoughts can be lies. I've discovered that being a little more introspective and thinking about the "why" has helped me stay on track.

[chinadoll]

For some of us, not all of us, taking that first bite of something off plan is like the beginning of an avalanche. You have learned that the hard way. Two years ago I gained about 35 pounds while trying to rebuild my house. The stress of living with in-laws, being away from DH (he works in China), and acting as a general contracter with no experience or knowledge, was a huge stressburger and I coped by eating. A year ago I decided to fix this. The key for me is to not take that first bite and to learn to live with the stalls--they do eventually break. I lose slowly. About a pound a week on average. But I lose 5, gain 3, lose 1 , gain 4, hold, gain two, etc.

It is not a nice even pattern. But sticking to the WOE, exercising, and having faith has brought me a 47 pound loss in the past 12 months. Part of the reason I have been able to stick to it is because I no longer have the illusion of control of my weight. I do not control my weight. My body decides when it will let go. I DO control what I put in my mouth and how I work my body. I now focus on that and no longer worry about the scale. I weigh daily but have learned over the past 6 months not to let it rule my day. Why? Because liking or not liking what it says often leads to bad choices.

[Whatsername]

I first did Atkins in 2003. To make a long story short, after losing almost 50 lbs, I crashed and burned (gradually though). Gained most of my weight back. It took me SIX YEARS to get serious and do this again. For me, it was a big psychological bump and until I got over it, I couldn't do this and succede. For six years, I just didn't care and didn't have it in me. Then I got to that turning point where I WANTED it. Plain old determination.
Please...reread chapter 21 in the book...the Psychology of Weight Loss.
Good luck and do keep us updated (it is nice to see you posting again).

[SarahWants2BSkinny]

Oh boy was I glad to see this post. It makes me feel so much less alone. I started Atkins back in 2009 and from August-December I lost 43 lbs. Then promptly stopped and didn't look back. I gained everything back. Flash-forward to August 2011 when I restarted...up until January I was down to 289 and feeling amazing. I had some pretty strong hormonal related cravings coupled with some winter blues come end of January and have since fallen off one week, gotten back on for 3-4 days, fallen off another 3 days, back on a week, fall off another 2 days, back on...over and over...currently I am off the wagon, but going grocery shopping tonight and stocking my house. I'm resolving to walking 30 minutes a day from here on out as well to help boost my mood. I've gone from 289 to back up at 302 this morning...SO depressing to be back in the 3's...I just want to cry. I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who is struggling. I'm just having to learn the hard way for a carb addict like me, there is NO such thing as moderation, ever. I won't ever have control over that and I need to acknowledge and accept that. Let's just get back on and encourage one another. We can do this. We've done it before. It's not how we fall, it's how we pick ourselves back up. Now let's do it.

[cskristin]

I won't ever have control over that ...

Now, now, no more negative self-talk. This is the start of a grand new adventure to find out what works for You. As you progress up the carbohydrate rungs, you'll be testing different types of carbs within that rung for several weeks, to see which ones cause a gain, a stall, or continued weight loss. For me, it was a total eye opener to find out I am gluten-intolerant, so rung 9 - grains, is going to be different for me because I won't be able to go to my local grocery store and get a bag of regular flour, but it won't be uncontrollable. There are grains out there that don't have gluten, such as quinoa, so that rung is going to be a new adventure for me.

I look forward to hearing about your new food adventures.

[chinadoll]

Oh boy was I glad to see this post. It makes me feel so much less alone. I started Atkins back in 2009 and from August-December I lost 43 lbs. Then promptly stopped and didn't look back. I gained everything back. Flash-forward to August 2011 when I restarted...up until January I was down to 289 and feeling amazing. I had some pretty strong hormonal related cravings coupled with some winter blues come end of January and have since fallen off one week, gotten back on for 3-4 days, fallen off another 3 days, back on a week, fall off another 2 days, back on...over and over...currently I am off the wagon, but going grocery shopping tonight and stocking my house. I'm resolving to walking 30 minutes a day from here on out as well to help boost my mood. I've gone from 289 to back up at 302 this morning...SO depressing to be back in the 3's...I just want to cry. I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who is struggling. I'm just having to learn the hard way for a carb addict like me, there is NO such thing as moderation, ever. I won't ever have control over that and I need to acknowledge and accept that. Let's just get back on and encourage one another. We can do this. We've done it before. It's not how we fall, it's how we pick ourselves back up. Now let's do it.

Sarah,
I have been in your shoes several times. Just keep at it. Eventually you will wake up one day disgusted enough with this pattern that you finally decide you have had enough! Just ENOUGH OF THIS!!!! And then your head will be ready. But in the meantime, keep trying because in keeping trying, you are not continuing to gain and make this an even steeper hill to climb.

Whatsername struck a chord with her post. One day you decide what you really want and stop allowing the day to day distractions and temptations from getting in your way. It is a matter of wanting this badly enough. It is not something that you can turn on and off. And the failures are, I think, essential for some of us to get to this place.

[jsj0305]

This has been the story of my life, and after reading this post, I'm stopping it now. I've really been struggling with Valentine's Day being tomorrow (it's also my wedding anniversary) and it's not worth it. I have done this to myself SO many times and all of this start and stop nonsense has only brought me more heartache and more depression. I went from 198 to 155 after my son was born, fast forward 6 years later after numerous attempts, I have gone from 208 to 155. I decided since I was stalled and going on vacation to see my family before the holidays that I would allow myself a cheat weekend. And I came home, went right back on and then it was Christmas, then New Years, then my daughters birthday. I always find a way to talk myself out of sticking to this and I don't want to be fat anymore. I am SICK of not looking great in shorts and having to wear jeans in the summer and sweat b/c I don't want my legs to show. I'm tired of being jealous of every other girl who walks by, not because she's skinny...but b/c she has the will power to stay that way and I don't and I know I do! I have the tools, I have the eating plan, I have the support and there is no reason I can't do this.

I am so grateful I came across this post tonight. I needed this more then you know and you have just talked me out of that (millionth) first bite that ruins all of my hard work. I am back down to 159 and WILL reach my goal by this summer. Don't give up on yourself. You just inspired me to make myself better, you deserve this and can do this. I can tell you, every time I have fallen off and got back on...it was a little harder every time to lose the weight.

Remember you are not at ALL alone, and you can do this!