Being Accountable

[Tired of Chub]

Let me preface this by saying- Im not posting for sympathy, to hear "its alright, climb back on" or anything else. Im accountable to myself and need to be accountable to someone else and just get it off my chest.


So here goes. This weekend was a slightly trying time. I havent cheated since I started (and was very proud of that fact thou I didnt tell any one that). Last night I was at a Pediatric cancer benefits dinner with friends. I had lunch prior to going with the mindset that dinner was to be at a certain time (had found out foods offered before hand- safe things included brauts, steak, salad). That in mind, I was prepared. Until dinner was late. I ate a lighter lunch with dinner being at 6. Dinner was served late. Centerpieces on the tables.... a giant bowl with popcorn, peanuts and pretzels. an hour before dinner and I was HUNGRY. belly growling and all. so... I ate popcorn. Not a ton. but I ate it. Then had dinner. Well.... the centerpieces of giant snack-**** were left on teh table after dinner for the duration of the evening. And guess what.... didnt matter that I had a decent salad, a piece of strip steak and a braut with mustard.... I had more popcorn despite the fact that I wasnt hungry. I felt like an a$$ last night. I had let myself down. I still feel that way today. Im fine and moving past it. There was never a thought of getting back on the wagon, I didnt fall off, I was dragging my toes in the dirt. My once favorite food has reduced me to tears today. And that... sucks. I realize that I am an ongoing project and that like most projects, things go wrong sometimes. But God this sucks big time. Im one of those people that gets infruiated with the "oops I cheated" posts that some people seem to post regularly. I always think to myself "arent you important enough to yourself to make changes. why would you do that... etc etc". So I feel like crapola mentally. Physically, Im fine. (I think the damned popcorn even helped clean me out since Id been having some issues with that lately). Im just disappointed in myself and needed to share that.

On the plus side... Since I was near Chicago I hit Trader Joes and Whole Foods on my way home. Picked up some great meats/sausages and veggies. (I FOUND JICAMA!!!! WOOOOOOOOOOOT). And some psyhillium (sp) husk caplets since the flaxseed wasnt working. New marinades and dressings as well. Then picked up two tomato plants and a rosemary plant so I can have my own fresh maters and rosemary this year!

[2big4mysize]

great rebound today.

now about last night. you forgot your Atkins emergency kit http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.c...312#post387312 which would have gotten you through that. always carry with you acceptable for your phase foods so you don't get caught in traffic behind a wreck for hours and not have something or like last night late dinner high carb foods poof.

of the 3 foods peanuts would have been a better choice OWL rung 3 instead of corn OWL rung 9 higher GI higher impact on your blood sugars and more likely to have a cheat as your dinner was still digesting your body was having a blood sugar issue from the popcorn and you wanted more and had more.

BWT the before and goal pics in the emergency kit can talk you right out of even a bit of that high carb food in the future cause you ask yourself which one of those pictured folk the action you are about to take is letting have control of your body.

[killerbombshell]

2big, I can't see the link. Is there a problem?

[sadie147]

Even though corn is a rung 9 veggie, I'd say as far as cheats go you did pretty good. at least you didn't consume half of the desert table! I wouldn't stress too much about it.

[not2late]

Also, I've been in situations where dinner was late. Best thing to do, especially if you're pretty sure the food will be minimally friendly, is to eat a small snack right before going. That way, if dinner is late, you won't be as hungry as you would if the last meal was 4 or 5 hours earlier. I find that having a drink---ice tea or even a glass or two of water when I get to these dinner parties helps too.

As 2Big said, you didn't do horribly because you choose an OWL carb ladder food over the pretzels (or something worse like a piece of chocolate cake!) Get back on the wagon. Pick up where you left off. You most likely won't need to drop to Induction or drop by 5 net carbs for this. Just continue with your carb ladder and your carb level.

I agree with Sadie and would love to say you did fine and you are doing fine and you will be fine ..and now that you found TJ's you will be addicted to that store OOOXXX

[cherrycoke]

How come it won't let me see the link?
Thanks

[2big4mysize]

sorry Killer that one is in the vol board here it is

Keep an Atkins Emergency Kit ready to jump into action for use as required; pack:

1. some bottles of water to drink at the first sign of stress. This will do several things; one, it will give you a response to the situation that is Atkins friendly; two, it will fill your tummy a bit and delay eating the bad stuff; and three, it will reprogram your "food as a drug" response memories to use water instead (hopefully).

2. a picture of you in those new smaller size ____ and a friendly note from you reminding yourself why it is important to you to be able to wear them. This may help you get a hold of the situation.

3. a written out set of exercises you can do anywhere like isometric muscle contractions or heck even those famous kegel things the ladies were doing in chat a few months ago. Any exercise you can focus your mind on and do will use up the chemicals the stress is producing in a productive manner and deactivate the situation. Just think, your friends are eating cream puffs and you are kegeling. The mental image of that should cause you to laugh out loud and laughter can release stress too.

4. a copy of your goals and reasons to do Atkins as a reminder to again think whether you really want to do what you thought you needed to do. Include a pic of you at your biggest weight and at your smallest weight to help you visualize this.

Now if you still need some food:

5. a crunchie snack food you enjoy like cheese chips, pork rinds, flax chips, nuts, seeds whatever you like. This will give you mouth texture, noise, and chewing action to satisfy several of your "mouth taster" receptors and not just the ones on your tongue.

6. something high fat you enjoy like a small package of laughing cow cheese, creamcheese, macadamia nuts, whatever you enjoy. This will boost your ketosis helping you cutoff any blood sugar driven cravings and still allow you to eat.

7. a salty food you enjoy. Sometimes this will help handle the craving for a sweet. Packaged pickles maybe?

8. a sweet snack as a last resort something you really enjoy (sugarless of course).

Pack this all up like those of us that were Scouts did when we made our survival kits. Make sure you replace what you use and refresh the supplies as needed. For instance, when you drop a size replace the pic and update the note. Keep it handy and make one to take with you or better yet store one at work, in the car, and at home so you always have one at hand.

YOU CAN PLAN YOUR WAY OUT OF A CHEAT!

Above all, hang in there. We all know that deep down inside you love the healthier smaller person that you are becoming more then whatever enjoyable feelings your brain thinks you are getting from the cheating.

[jcapulet]

Originally Posted by 2big4mysize

Keep an Atkins Emergency Kit ready to jump into action for use as required; pack: ...

WOW! What a great idea, I am so glad I found this....thanks for posting that 4mysize!

[sallyseachange]

It could've been a lot worse. I would just move on and not get too upset about it. I'm sure the experience will help you avoid a similar situation another time.

Glad you got tomato plants and rosemary. Terrific! How about also planting a couple of basil plants too? Basil and tomato are a marriage made in heaven! Oh, and if you add mozzarella, good extra virgin olive oil and salt you're all set for a marvellous Caprese salad!

Sal