Rationalizing in this diet....

[sugarfreeone]

Please all who read my post, please know this; I say this with all due respect to all people who are coming here to get support and learn more about Atkins.....sometimes the truth is not fun though.... OK....

I must say first that I am really very impressed with the patience of the moderators and admins here. Their responses to questions are always top notch as far as I have seen in my very short membership here..........I mean it must get REALLY tiresome getting asked over and over if a certain "forbidden" food is allowed on induction when it is CLEARLY spelled out in the book what IS permitted and what is NOT permitted on the induction phase of Atkins.

IN FACT...it is even clearly provided HERE in some of the posts that have obviously been flagged for newbies to read when first visiting. Everyone is very helpful here and I see the tremendous network of support and am thankful for it!

I am pretty new to Atkins so I am even speaking from a newbie's shoes...(Tomorrow is the end of my induction phase)....To other newbies: When you ask a question and you have not even picked up the book or browsed the topics designed for newbies to read aren't you being a bit slack? Maybe a little lazy? This is your body and it deserves for you to take the time to learn all about the program that can change it for the better for the rest of your life! ha

I'll be honest about my view on this because my own life habits and background have given me alot of insight and experience on the behaviors of dieting and eating habits. I have a "conventional" degree in nutrition (I taught people the pyramid for years!) and now I am chucking all of my schooling out of the window because I KNOW high carb diets and the pyramid are wrong. I really believe that!!!

I think the reason this board gets so many of these "permission granting" questions is probably due to the presence of a very human (and very common) behavior called rationalizing.

People ask hoping that it will give them "permission" to have foods they want on the diet exactly WHEN they want them......even when it is clearly NOT allowed within that phase of the diet.

This is the Atkins Board not Burger King...In other words, if you want it to work for you and you want to know about the Atkins way, you can not "Have it your way"....

Sure some people might see some successes doing it differently, but then alot of us folks who have had eating disorders or have yo yo dieted etc... have lost weight......and gained it...and lost it etc... We lost weight, but it was not neccesarily the best way. We formed unhealthy habits, bad habits. I see Atkins as a way to break free from all of those unhealthy habits and patterns in our lives.

I don't say this to be mean spirited toward those who keep asking, but I think when you start deviating from the guidelines set by Dr. Atkins, what you really are doing is trying to see if you can make the Atkins program work YOUR way not the way it is meant to be worked...If you tweak it like that, it is not Atkins at all is it? It's "your way"....did your way work before? Mine didn't....This is the first time I have ever lost 7 lbs in just under 2 weeks following any plan. I am extremely resistant to weight loss. My body just seems to hold on to the weight....7 pounds is 12% of my total 60 pound loss goal......It blows me away. Atkins works. I'm a believer! I feel great! I know my losses will slow or stall at times, but as long as I keep working this the Atkins way I believe it WILL work!

To be truthful and blunt...Isn't rationalization a component of the way MANY of us got/get to be overweight in the first place? Rationalizing so we get to eat more or eat the sugar and highly refined carbs....In other words, eating the way we feel WE want to even if it is killing us?

Seriously, to those who are asking those questions, please look at this program(and the induction phase) as a way of freeing yourself from a lifetime of bad eating habits so you can become the person you want to be....looking and feeling better is the great reward. A lifetime of good eating and good health! You are worth it!

Eating three meals a day composed of sweet "treat-like" or dessert foods (even if they are made with splenda and only have 6 "net" carbs) is NOT a healthy pattern.....It will not help anyone learn to eat better or break free of poor eating habits.

I wish you all the best! I can't wait to see more of your inspiring success stories and photos! I am excited to have found something that works and to be here to share in your successes!

Kathleen

Starting wt: 199 Weight today: 192 Goal: 150

Never give up!

[floydgirl]

I agree that rationalizing your eating habits can get you into trouble. However, when I was a newbie and learning, I had to ask questions. Yes I have the book, and I read it all the time. Sometimes I would misinterpret what the book was saying, or I would need a clearer definition of what the book was saying. Who better than to ask than people who have been successful? Heck, I've been on Atkins since April, and I still am learning things, and I make mistake sometimes. This board is here for our support, and people are utilizing the board for that purpose. In my case, sometimes it helps to ask somebody and get a personal, one-on-one answer.

I agree the mods an administrators do a wonderful job, and they are so patient, and have been very patient with me, and have helped me tremendously. I would not have been this successful if it wasn't for this board. Everybody has always been here to answer my questions, and have cheered me on during my successes.

[Luvschweetheart]

but then alot of us folks who have had eating disorders or have yo yo dieted etc... have lost weight......and gained it...and lost it etc... We lost weight, but it was not neccesarily the best way. We formed unhealthy habits, bad habits. I see Atkins as a way to break free from all of those unhealthy habits and patterns in our lives.

I couldn't agree with this statement more. Coming from a variety of ED's, this way of eating has helped me start to work on overcoming some of those bad habits and ways of "dieting". I almost feel "normal" on this life plan, the first time I can say that in a long time, and I've only been following it for almost 2 weeks.

[AmyTheobald]

Amen!

[Isabeau]

Good post. :yes

[loonatika]

Great post Kathleen - I know I get in trouble when I let my brain do the thinking for me. It sees no harm in eating junk food for an entire days meals Thanks to Atkins I know better, and feel better so that keeps me on track.

This is also the only plan that works for me with regard to weightloss. I just can't do low fat - I get far too hungry and grumpy. I much prefer eating til I'm full and satisfied.

Best of luck with the rest of your Atkins journey - I look forward to your "I'm at Goal!" post

[IrishIrish]

I didn't just read the book, I studied it. After all, this was a big change in my life. The mods on this board are gratified to "Pay It Forward" and answer the questions that newbies ask. From this mods perspective, though, and I speak only for myself as a person who has had some success, but continues my journey, I seldom will post with members who show absolutely no effort to help themselves.

Thankfully, there are a lot more members and moderators who are generous with their time and the effort they will put forward. But as you've all found, the answers are between the covers of Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution. Since I don't pay membership fees or the cost of bars and shakes, the $10 for the book was a real bargain for me!!!

I think some people will always look at Atkins as a quick fix ... it is not !!! It's a finely developed plan of eating based on the many observations of Dr. Atkins in treating his patients in his cardiovascular practice. So, when a member argues to do it "their way" by planned cheats, no veggies, all cheesecake or low carb breads during induction, we can't help them much except to say read the book.

We'll have an influx of new members here over the next few weeks. New Years Resolutions always bring out people looking for ways to lose weight or get healthy. The people who will be most successful will have read the book and realize that it is backed by science. In my year on Atkins, that has been my observation.

My best wishes to all of you! Great discussion!

[Dawn]

Wow... this is one of those posts you want to tuck away and save for a bad day. Tons of wisdom and advice given here. Awesome, awesome post!!!

With a post like that, I think you've graduated from your newbie status. Excellently done! Thank you!

Dawn

[Betty]

gotta be one of those most memorable posts.
Very good post.
As a former mod and now an admin. it is my pleasure to pay it forward, and it is a very nice pleasure when we see posts like the one that Kathleen wrote.

[lostandfound]

Kathleen,

Thank you for such a wonderful post. You really summed up the reality of this way of life. Well done!!!
You are definitely going to be an 'Atkin's Success Story'!!
I ditto Betty! This should be a sticky in the 'Most memorable post's'!!

Hugs,Tammy