I'm i on extended induction or on OWL? HELP!

[mumu]

Hello again, need some advice!

I'm 5.8" (173)
SW66,5 kilos(146), CW64.2-65(142-143), GW62(136), DREAM-W60(132)
I work out at least twice a week.

I started on May 26.
It wasn't exactly induction because:
a. I ate about 25-30 carbs (i wasn't counting my-too many-veggies and ever raw carrots some times)
b. I ate a little bit too much cheese! Maybe 150-180gr!
c. On day 11, i ate an ice cream cone and some cookies, then continued like nothing had happened.
d. On day 18, before TOM, i struggled with myself, and came out of it victorious, just with a handful of almonds. then continued like nothing had happened.

On DAY 20-21 i read the book. Before that i learned as much as i could from about.com, atkinscenter, and over here!

e. I eat about 4 sugar free chewing gums a day.
f. I drink my 2 lt of water + 1 espresso cup totally black + 1 decaf espresso cup, everyday. Coffee doesn't give me craves.
g. I love snacking on slices of ham, pork or turkey, but i checked the labels and every thing's full of nitrates and stuff.
h. No fruits at all.
i. I take a vit-C 1000mg, a calcium+ vit-D, psillium, and a magnesium a day

I can't find low carb food, i cannot even find plain foods without maltodextrine, starches, maltitole, glucoze syrop.....etc etc.
Here in Greece, the last couple of years, it's the low fat- sugar free revolution. But we've made some progress with whole grains, if we believe labels! Of course it will be long for me till i get to reintroduce whole cereals, rice, pasta into my life!

And here is the question:
Do you think I could go on like this, at my pace?
Will i lose the weight, even slowly, as if i was doing OWL?
For the moment i can see the scale going 2 pounds up and down everyday!
(I know i shouldn't weight myself everyday but it's helping me monitoring myself)
I plan on leaving on vacation for about a month going to Holland and then Bali (Indonesian food - Fruits - Coctails' paradise).What should i do?
Continue this way, loosely and restart a strict induction when i get back?
Please advise! I'm getting discouraged when the scale goes up!

Muriel

[Elizellen]

With no more than 10 pounds to go I think you should start on up the carb ladder now as you need to find your CCLL and any problem foods before you reach goal. Dr Atkins suggested we should be into the 3rd phase of Atkins (premaintenance) by the time we have 5-10 pounds to go.

This would mean you will have more 'legal' choice when you are on your trip too.

[mumu]

Thank you Elizellen,
Now it's Sunday night (almost Monday morning), and i feel really guilty AND I ONLY HAVE ICE CREAM AND CHOCOLATE ON MY MIND! On Friday night i had a Bacardi diet-coke, and then ate cookies like crazy, and yesterday had a glass of champagne with 2-3 strawberries! It seems like i keep on sabotaging myself all the time.
I admire all people who lost many many pounds or are close to achieving their goal.....
why is it so hard for someone like me to just say no and lose those stupid 8 pounds?
No need to answer!

[sallyseachange]

I'm with Elizellen... move to OWL... try to follow it to the letter. You'll find your cravings diminish and you'll have more choices for when you travel.

Do always keep a high fat snack to hand. It can be a real saviour when you get into a tempting situation and the cravings hit.

[mumu]

thanks Sally,
you look great by the way, both of you!
What a transformation! Bravo!
It's so much easier on the weekdays, but on weekends i really have to "apologize" for not eating and drinking like everybody else!
And i hate it when they give me that look... when i say i want to lose 3-4 kilos!
I constantly have to explain myself!
Anyway, thanks again!

[TheDogAteMyName]

I vote for OWL

[TheDogAteMyName]

Mumu - Hello there! If you continue to give into cravings, you'll never stop craving those foods. Once I did a clean induction my cravings were G-O-N-E. However, every month when TOM come around my cravings rear their ugly little heads. I stay strong or make something that will satisfy me that is Atkins-friendly.

I wish you well on this lowcarb journey

[mumu]

Thanx for the cheering, Nichole!
No, the truth is that 99% of all my cravings are long gone!
I'm surely not hungry, i can eat now foods that were forbidden by the "low fat" law!!
Cheese that i simply adore, bacon, butter, mayo, cream.
It's this memory of taste and smell of "bad foods" that is really graven on my brain!
And it's hard because my sweetheart is an ice cream and chocolate lover... i could kill him when he eats it under my nose! lollll
Well, I'm following your advice, i' m on OWL with more veggies for this week and today I'll have 1/2 a cup of cottage cheese with 1 1/2 cups of eggplant-zucchini-green pepper- a little tomato cooked all together.
I think it's a little too much though! But i was having meat every 5 last days so today i need something else!
Anyway sorry for the long story!