Stuck Stuck Stuck

[bruss29]

Okay. This is my second time seeking assistance with these forums and I find them helpful. I think that i also fear the utter truth that you all speak.

It was January 2009 that i began my atkins journey. By June 2009 i had lost 55 pounds and I have remaind at this weight until now. I have yo-yo lost and and gained/lost the same 5 pounds over and over again the last 5 months and feel super frustrated. I will do induction and then binge.

I am super busy holding a full time job and finishing my masters degree and since school started have had little time to exercise.

3 things i know-
1) This lifestyle of low carb/ atkins works
2) I feel better all the way around when i follow the diet
3) I have supportive people in my life

3 things i dont know-
1) How to not look at just my weight as the primary reason for changing my eating habits?
2) How to not fall off the wagon and feel like it's unfair and that i am deprived (especially with holidays, special occasions ect ect)
3) How to curve sugar cravings?


I feel like i always need something. sugar free jello, low carb ice cream, low carb tortillas, diet soda, ect ect. Please help. I just went on a 5 day eating spree, I need to stop but i feel like maybe atkins is not for me.....

[Georgiana]

Originally Posted by bruss29

I think that i also fear the utter truth that you all speak.

I have yo-yo lost and and gained/lost the same 5 pounds over and over again the last 5 months and feel super frustrated. I will do induction and then binge.

What causes you to binge?

And why do you keep doing Induction? Did you consider moving to OWL?

I am super busy holding a full time job and finishing my masters degree and since school started have had little time to exercise.

Can you walk to school maybe?

Or pick up some exercise videos and exercise at home. Some are only 20 minutes long. Anything is better than nothing... and 20 min, depending what you're doing, can be quite intense.

1) How to not look at just my weight as the primary reason for changing my eating habits?

This is something only you can answer. You need to find your reasons, beyond weight loss, that motivate you to make Atkins your WoE. Maybe re-reading DANDR would help. It nicely explains all the benefits of doing Atkins. You probably know them already... but seeing them written down might "look" more convincing.

2) How to not fall off the wagon and feel like it's unfair and that i am deprived (especially with holidays, special occasions ect ect)

What is more "unfair" --- fattening yourself or choosing not to eat <insert sugary food>?

It is only "unfair" if you see food as a treat. Which it should not be.

As for feeling deprived... Did you ever move out of Induction? In OWL you can have more veggies, fresh cheese, yogurt, milk, nuts, berries and other fruits, legumes, starchy vegetables, grains... and, if you drink, alcohol.

3) How to curve sugar cravings?

Cravings should not dictate what goes into your mouth.

Also... some people are helped by L-glutamine. I never tried it though.

I feel like i always need something. sugar free jello, low carb ice cream, low carb tortillas, diet soda, ect ect.

You don't need them... you just want them. There's a difference. Just because you want a food, it does not mean you need to have it.

but i feel like maybe atkins is not for me.....

Why not? And what diet plan would be for you then?

[bruss29]

I feel like i have to start over after i fall off the wagon. So i do induction and then next thing you know i cant hang and binge again. Then I start over. Not sure what to add and when to add it.

Also, I feel like I cant successfully find out what my optimal weight loss range is. I feel like the ketone strips are not accurate as i drink lots of water and i feel like i am one of those people who cannot get a good read from them. I also get super obsessed with those dang strips and with weighing myself. Not sure if i should ditch the strips, but i dont want to be obsesssed with the scale either.

What is book is Dandar?

I know that everything involves a choice......just feel like i look at food as a comfort and a treat. Many of my life activities have always involved food. This makes me feel like such a weirdo.....it shouldn't be that way...I seriously have been messed up just thinking about thanksgiving!!!!!

[mission to lose]

Originally Posted by bruss29

I feel like the ketone strips are not accurate as i drink lots of water and i feel like i am one of those people who cannot get a good read from them. I also get super obsessed with those dang strips and with weighing myself. Not sure if i should ditch the strips, but i dont want to be obsesssed with the scale either.

Hello friend, I am not an expert, and I am sure someone better informed than I will also comment, but I do not think the color of the ketone strips has anything to do with your weight loss. If it is too dark, it usually means you need to drink more water. So I do not think there is such thing as a "good read". Georgiana addressed this just the other day in a post in great detail.
So don't get hung up on the sticks.

[Georgiana]

Originally Posted by bruss29

So i do induction and then next thing you know i cant hang and binge again.

You should do Induction... and then move to OWL. In OWL, the first thing you will be adding is more vegetables. You will be following the Carbohydrate Ladder: http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.c...te-ladder.html (The OWL Carbohydrate Ladder).

And if you "fall of the wagon" you don't need to start over. You get back and just continue.

Also, I feel like I cant successfully find out what my optimal weight loss range is.

There is no "optimal weight loss range". Sometimes we lose 2 lbs per week... sometimes we lose 0 lbs per month.

I feel like the ketone strips are not accurate as i drink lots of water and i feel like i am one of those people who cannot get a good read from them. I also get super obsessed with those dang strips and with weighing myself. Not sure if i should ditch the strips, but i dont want to be obsesssed with the scale either.

I don't use the strips... exactly because I know they are not reliable. Showing pink or whatever color on the strip does not guarantee weight loss... nor does it guarantee that you are following the plan correctly.

Are you seeing Atkins as a quick fix? If you aren't, then you shouldn't be "obsessed" with the scale. Once Atkins becomes your WoE, not just another diet, what the scale says is not the most important thing anymore.

What is book is Dandar?

Sorry... I assumed you read it... It's Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution (2002).

I seriously have been messed up just thinking about thanksgiving!!!!!

You could plan Atkins-friendly recipes for Thanksgiving, you know?

You can find some ideas here: Low Carb Luxury: Thanksgiving Recipe Recommendations

And holidays should not be focused on food. But you know that already...

[imagood1]

you should be drinking a minimum of 64 ounces of pure water daily -- how much are you drinking? The color doesn't mean a thing on the strips - if you have any color you are in keotsis BUT dark purple can show you are dehydrated. As far as the strips I never had any color whatsoever - even when I was loosing at the very beginning, so I don't waste money on them.

If you are obsessed with the scales put them away and join the scale free challenge. Many of us think of food as "comfort"....it's hard to change your way of thinking but food should be fuel for your body - eating only what you need to keep your body going -- not comfort.

When you fall off all you have to do is induction until you get back into keotsis -- then move on to OWL ..... Rung 1 is 5 additional net carbs of vegetables -- nothing to be afraid of and once you get into OWL you can start adding foods back.

As far as "needing" sweets, it's best to kill the sweet tooth as soon as possible - once you do you will feel so much better.

Good luck -- you are the only person who can make the plan succeed or fail for you - we can't do it for you!

[Georgiana]

Talking about strips... this is an FAQ J. (atkinsgal08) posted: http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.c...tix-color.html (Article on Ketostix Color)

[bruss29]

I completely understand what you say. I dont look at this as a quick fix but I think it is my weight that i concentrate on instead of my overall health. This being the problem because if weight is the only issue then i feel like i can pick and choose when i feel like my weight is an issue and start and stop my eating changes.

Okay starting induction right now.....

What is WoE?

[Georgiana]

Originally Posted by bruss29

I completely understand what you say. I dont look at this as a quick fix but I think it is my weight that i concentrate on instead of my overall health. This being the problem because if weight is the only issue then i feel like i can pick and choose when i feel like my weight is an issue and start and stop my eating changes.

Something to work on...

What is WoE?

Way of eating.

[EveWasFramed]

Bruss, I know how you feel. Sometimes I feel panicky about moving past the "safety" of induction and into OWL. Something that is helping me keep my eye on the prize is a mini-goal. In my case, I have my high school reunion on the 27th of this month. I really would like to lose another 10 pounds by that date. Whenever I see a plate of french fries or a bag of M&M's, I think about how much I want to look good for that event and it keeps me on track. I also have set an ultimate goal for myself, which is getting to my goal weight by August because I am a bridesmaid in a very good friends wedding. My ultimate goal is completely attainable and I have given myself a fair amount of time to reach it, so I won't be unable to reach my goal if I hit a plateau or two. Do you have an event coming up relatively soon that you'd like to look and feel good for that you could set as a mini-goal? Do you have an ultimate goal in mind? A mental image in your mind of you being at a special event looking the way you want to will go a long way towards helping you attain that goal!

It might help you to keep in mind that it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks about your reasons for losing weight. If your ultimate reason for doing Atkins is weight loss then there is no reason to feel badly about that. I enjoy this diet because I'm never hungry, I sleep better, my energy levels are more consistent AND I lose weight too, but I'd be a liar if I said that if I could eat whatever I wanted and be thin that I would low-carb. That being said, if you have other reasons beyond weight loss for wanting to be on this plan then you should write them down somewhere. Refer to them when your resolve is weak. Feeling good is just as great as looking good!

I know that many people on this board think it is very important to break the sweet habit by not allowing yourself anything sweet during induction. While I can definitely see their point, if being able to have something sweet is going to be the difference between you staying on the plan or falling off the wagon and into a pile of cokies, then I say find a dessert recipe that appeals to you that is Induction friendly. I know I have seen a mock cheesecake somewhere around here (or maybe at Linda's Low carb) that is safe for Induction.

It definitely seems like you're not as familiar with the plan as you could be - DANDR 2002 will tell you what you can add to your diet and when you can add it. As far as the strips go, they help some of us, and others find them to be useful. I find it reassuring to know I am in ketosis, but I don't test everyday. There was an article posted on this site earlier today that indicates that the amount of water you drink does not affect the color of the strips. The strips just indicate how many ketones your body has dumped into your urine at any given time. I have seen many people say that being in ketosis is like being pregnant - you either are or you aren't - and that a darker color of the strip doesn't indicate more weight loss. I have found that when my strips are dark I seem to lose weight more rapidly. That may just be in my head, but I am always pleased to see a darker strip. I am always sure to drink enough water every day, so I know that it's not a lack of water causing the strips to be dark. If you find them to be encouraging then use them! You seem to be concerned about being obsessed with the strips... is that because you're not getting a positive reading consistently? If you're not staying on plan then you are going to get negative readings. If you're following the plan then most likely the strips will be a friendly reminder that you are in fact burning fat for fuel!

I wish you all the best!