So , why are we so tough at ADBB about following Atkins to the letter?

[cleochatra]

Maybe you came to ADBB and you were impressed by the before/after pictures here and you see a lot of people are doing really well, so you began reading here. All too soon you were put off by some people who seemed really stringent about this way of eating, and who seem tremulously unbending to the ways of anything other than following this way of eating with extrme prejudice.


Well, let me start by saying it's not just because we enjoy rapping your knuckles with our rulers (although, baby, we dig that action). I know that to the unwashed this board seems like a vast big spank in the ethos. “What are you doing?! Put down that bagel or I’ll smite thee down with mine evil eye of Sauron!”


So why are we so strict? I mean, come on! Why not just let people do their thing and be supportive? That’s why a support board is all about right?


Well, yes…and no.


You remember when Hamlet sent Ophelia to the nunnery? I know we all thought he was an uber schmuck in tights, but there was a method to it. As he stated, he was only “being cruel to be kind”. Sure, he might have sent a card instead and given her the "let's be friends" speech, but this isbn't the approach everyone gives when helping others. We all have different styled of helping others, and they don't always mesh with our own styles for receiving help.



Well, that’s what we’re all about here. Cruel kindness. And that almost sounds sexy if you think about it. Or not. Stick with me here.



The internet and America itself is awash in “do what feels good”. Even the Atkins company website looks like LL Bean vomited his latte mocha Frankenbar all over the site. It’s more important than ever that you have a place to come to where you know you are going to be given the best advice available based on the research, knowledge and experience of the people at ADBB. This is a vast array of people who know their stuff, who’ve lived, loved and made this way of eating their own success story.



We’re a society of people who make compromises. Compromise is great to some ends! It’s the American way!

Only look at where these compromises have brought us over the years with regards to our health We’re wearing bad polyesther slacks, and that youthful tattoo we once had of Pangea has spread with the years to show the real continental shelf drift as a testament to years of ice ages…or too many cherry Schleppies from OhmyHeavenEleven.


At ADBB we’re not here to suck the snot and joy out of your life. We’re here to give it back (well, not the snot--you know what I mean). And while we’re tough about this way of eating, we have to be. If we tell you to do your thing, it undoes any good thing we’ve ever tried to tell you to do prior to that or following that.



If we tell you that cheating on occasion is all right because eh, that’s life, we’re saying to the alcoholic that a drink on occasion is ok.

We’re telling the gambler to go ahead and place that one bet…just this time. It’ll be ok.

We’re telling the carb addict that old behavior will not beget more old behavior… just this once.


At ADBB have the grim responsibility of preaching this way of eating to you as though your life depended on it. Because it does. And we are here to see that you live to be a very old annoyed ADBB poster who thinks we’re still a little too too. Go ahead and hate us when you’re 90 years old and fit as a fiddle. We’ll gladly take the blame!



We’re here because we care about you. Eva Braun in the monacle and leather bustier we’re not, collectively. We give our time here as moderators, administrators and-- most importantly-- as members because we believe in something pretty wonderful here at ADBB when it comes to this way of eating. And we have Dr Atkins to thank for that.



If we try to adapt and change what makes this way of eating successful for better oomphies, ratings or feel-goodies, we’re wearing masks, and masks decay with time to show the true faces of lies, deceit and lack of responsibility. We can only advise, instruct, offer help, hope and happiness. You are still accountable to you in the end.



So when you feel like you are white-knuckling it and if you hear just one more person tell me to read that blasted book you’ll sound your Walt Whitman yawps across the northern hemisphere, please know that we are telling you what works, and we’re giving you the same advice we give to people we want to succeed.



You don’t have to follow the advice, but we sure hope you do.



You’re pretty special to us.



And we wouldn’t have that any other way.

[BabyDreamer]

Cleo,

I think that this post was a great idea because there are times when people do need to hear that while the advice is by the book, there are people out there who mess up and come right back. It is nice to come here for support and friendship (not to mention recipes) and the advice is good too.

I think it is important to remember that each person is ultimately responsible for his/her choices and that those choices are what he/she has to live with. I appreciate all the hard-core advice because it certainly gives me one side of the coin. I think that this board gives the "most sound" and "most responsible" advice based on the plan and for that I am grateful.

Deb

[2big4mysize]

Bravo Cleo

there are plenty of other low carb boards on the net and if you don't do Atkins by the book then you are doing your own low carb plan. I'll stack our ADBB by the book loses up against any other site and see who is the bestest losers eating the bestest tasting food without being hungry.

[k5commando]

You have an eloquent way with words Ms. Cleo. Only you can give vomit and snot a touch of humorous class. Very well writen post!

[slimndown]

All those dagnabbit DIET ****'S!!!!!! You guys are a great bunch!

So, Cleo, was this like a wild hair tangent? Somebody switch the hat you pull this stuff out of?

[soliwit]

Amen Cleo : the things you summed up there are exACTLY the reasons why I just love this place.
If you do a diet you want clarity, you want people that tell you where it's at, the hard truth, with a laugh and a tear and that's precisely what I get here!
And the biggest beauty of it all, it works !
If I was to be told sometimes this and sometimes that (which happened to me on another board) you lose track, especially when you are new to the WOE and the way of thinking (cause that's what it is too, you change your way of thinking about food) it is hard when you don't get a straight road laid out ahead of you.
The diet is hard enough as it is, so you don't need all kinds of opinions to blurr it all for you, you need clear talk and clear rules and a clear path to follow.
And yah, that sometimes hurts, and yah, it sometimes seems like it's packed with these hard b****es with whips here and they are lurking from every corner, but look at me, I am a HOTTIE and my hub falls in love with me every day and I am not even at goal !!!!
And that is all thanks to you admins and mods and fellow members.
HOORAY FOR ADBB !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOO

[Desertthorn]

Great post Cleo.
Your right, this board isn't for the faint of heart. If you want to do Atkins and do it RIGHT, this is where you come. We're even more rigid than the Atkins Corp, as we discourage low carb junk food, and go only by Dr Atkins New Diet Revolution, Published 2002. LOL, I think if the good Doctor were alive and wanted to change something, he would have to come here and convience 2big before any of us will even consider the change. (See he would explain it to her and she would explain it to us) There is rarely any gray with us, its pretty much black and white.

But the Board owner Tom, in all his wisdom, also provides for those who do their own thing, or do another low carb plan or WW and thats at LCBB. Those folks there will support and help and give advise just as freely as we, but without the restrictions that we place on ourselves.

We welcome everyone, we love new members (66 so far this month) but don't ask us to approve anything but DANDR-2002, cause it ain't gonna happen.

[iyamamaschke]

GO CLEO Great POST all has been Said THNAK YOU for saying it couldn't have done it any better myself.

Sarah

[sadie147]

But the Board owner Tom, in all his wisdom, also provides for those who do their own thing, or do another low carb plan or WW and thats at LCBB. Those folks there will support and help and give advise just as freely as we, but without the restrictions that we place on ourselves.

And here is a link to the LCBB, the ADBB board for those who are doing 'their own thing' another plan or not exactly Atkins 'by the book'. The link can also be found at the bottom ( ) of this board under the forum 'Low Carb Dieting'. Lots of good advice an tips there :

http://www.lowcarbbulletinboard.com

[ttdriver]

BRAVO, AMEN, SUPER DUPER, RIP-ROCKIN, YEAH BABE POST!!!

Before I found this special board (and the VERY SPECIAL FOLK ON IT!), I was on another Atkins board that was so totally what Cleo described .. those who took a hard core stand (me and others here) were BANNED from that board for being unkind or uncaring toward folk who continually sabotaged their efforts and wanted sympathy for doing so. They had an outright "EVERYBODY CHEATS" mentality and when I and others took issue with that, we were banned. Well, so be it. NOW, THIS BOARD IS MY HOME and I thank each one of you who has encouraged me along my life-long journey to excellent health and fitness. You guys ROCK!!

Imagine, being banned from an Atkins board for speaking out AGAINST cheating.

Thanks, Cleo!! Once again, babe, YOU SAID IT ALL!

Betty