Where I've been...

[RitaCeleste]

I was overweight all my life except for when I went on my first diet. I took it too far. I got really underweight and my dad had to get a belt to make me eat dinner. Oneday I saw how thin I really was when I looked at myself in a mirror. Well, I made myself eat and my love of food came back eventually. I got a little overweight but I was comfortable there. I went on diets as needed to maintain my plump, yet stylish, self. Then I had kids and the weight piled on. I was afraid to diet because it would take so long and I was afraid I'd get too thin and not notice. I don't always see what's staring me in the face. I went on Atkins but I would cheat once a week to prove to myself it was a diet not an eating disorder. But then I'd feel bad and try to make up for the cheating by restricting my calories too much. Take a few exlax cause chinese buffets add pounds of bloat for days. Anyway my eating got disordered and the people around me really took note. I took note. I started going by an eating disorder board, taking notes and trying to fix me. But I was my comfortably plump self again. I was having problems, I didn't see me like I was when I looked in the mirror. To me I was still fat. But I was afraid to drop below my comfort weight. I had to stay off a diet and off a diet board and just try to maintain. Its summer with my kids, so I overate at times. Mostly I learned that if I shoot for only 100g of carbs and watching out for too much cheese, my calories stay reasonable and my cravings do too. I gained 10 pounds working all that out and some is probably water from eating more carbs. Over all I was pleased by how much I could eat and still not be gaining tons. I am going to start back on Atkins tomarrow, with the promiss to myself that I will stop anytime I need to, to take of me and any old bad eating habits that try to flame up. Anyway, I have decided not to put my ticker back up this time, it messes with my head and I get too hung up on weighing constantly. I don't think I can handle being on the board as much this time, my issues not the boards. I may have to stop the diet again and take care of me. On the brightside I did lots of work on my body image and I can finally see how far I've come as well as how far I have to go.

[imagood1]

Re: Where I've been...

Hi and welcome to ADBB. Make sure you are following the plan correctly so you'll have the best results. If you have a hard time with the scale have someone hide them - put them in the trunk of your husbands car and don't get them until the end of induction. This way of eating can help with a multitude of issues you may have - I hope you are strong enough to get through induction cleanly and on to the Rungs of ongoing weight loss (OWL).

It’s a good idea to get a copy of the 2002 Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution (DANDR) the book we use for reference on this site. Until you can get a copy of the book check the stickies (information posts) at the top of the induction page - http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.com/forums/atkins-diet-14-day-induction/77558-atkins-diet-induction-faqs.html – it’s a condensed version of everything you’ll need to know. Even through the stickies are a good start they don’t detail the entire program, so that’s why we suggest you have the book to follow. The plan works if you follow it the way it is written and don’t try to do it “your way” – obviously “your way” doesn’t work or you wouldn’t be here.

Before you start:
*take your measurements and get on the scale so you have accurate numbers to start with - don't weigh again until the end of your 2 week induction.
*Eat a variety of meats, cheeses and vegetables. Also make sure you get your fats, carbs and protein in daily – www.fitday.com will help you keep track of this.
*Drink 64 ounces of pure water -nothing added daily (Legal water is considered Filtered water, Mineral water, Spring water and Tap water).
*Take your supplements and start an exercise routine today.

The Atkins shakes and bars are not legal on induction – there are non-induction ingredients in them and they are not listed on the acceptable food list. If a food isn’t listed on the acceptable food list it doesn’t belong in your mouth – no exceptions!

The recipe sites are a helpful meal planning tool – just make sure you use Induction Recipes to begin with.
Recipe Sites
http://www.genaw.com/lowcarb/menus.html (Linda’s)
http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.com/forums/atkins-diet-14-day-induction/58513-never-ending-induction-recipes.html (Induction recipes)
http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.com/forums/atkins-diet-14-day-induction/6807-induction-recipe-basics-more-recipes-added.html (Induction Recipe Basics)

If you need anything we’re here to help you!! Good luck.

[RitaCeleste]

Re: Where I've been...

I think that book is on my coffee table. I probably should get a new copy, its so battered. lol I just have to make sure to add fiber and I eat some cheese on induction now. I overeat if I buy nuts, they are addictive to me. I eat really simple on Atkins, Meat and Veggis. I do have a low-carb chocolate protein drink I can have in moderation. But everything else, meats I can buy on sale and green stuff. I'm low income so I forgo a lot of stuff made replace carby foods. It great that I LOVE hamburger and it agrees with the scales. I don't try to recreate pizza or lasagna. I thought I would be eating all that nonstop when I went off the diet. I haven't been. I've actually missed my meat. I look at all that stuff like where's the beef these days. The cheaper foods and tv dinners are lower in protein and I am craving it more. I'm good with simple foods. I don't really get bored with foods easily. I will miss beef pot pies, I should be sick to death of them. They only have 36 carbs in them so I was trying to work in one a day. I won't try to work them in until I am doing maintance again though.

[RitaCeleste]

Re: Where I've been...

At first when I went off Atkins, I had no intention of avoiding sugar and carbs. Then the hunger hit me full force. I started eating ALOT. I found out if I don't get enough grams of protein in cheap tv dinners, I'll continue to eat until I meet my protein requirement no matter how many calories it takes. Also if I eat that peice of cake, I get terribly hungery and overeat on other things. Basicly, I went back to counting carbs and about 70g to 100g a day of carbs doesn't make me eat the house. Just incase anyone is dreaming of going off Atkins. I had dreams of pizza. I ate it and was still hungery, not satisfied. I ate the desert and then cooked a box of potatos and never got full. Some people just have to learn the hard way and I am one of them. lol It took me gaining a few pounds to learn I don't want to be that hungery all the time.

[imagood1]

Re: Where I've been...

Just remember -- shakes and bars aren't allowed on induction -- they have alot of ingredients that can cause stalls in people -- check the ingredients on the ones you have and see how many are on the acceptable food list.

Also, nuts aren't allowed until Rung 3 of OWL (ongoing weight loss) so you shouldn't be eating them either. And you know that pot pies aren't allowed or TV Dinners.....

How about frying sliced radishes with a little onion (or green onion, or shallots) and they taste like fried potatoes - I love them and they don't cost much!! Chicken thighs or legs are another favorite here (again, inexpensive), minute steaks, hamburger is a staple (check Linda's taco seasoning recipe for taco night!!). On taco night I put grated cheese in the small skillet and melt it - I either fold it over like a taco shell or leave it flat and have it as a tostada with lettuce, tomato & taco meat on top.

Check those recipe sites -- you'll be amazed what you can do with an inexpensive piece of meat (thank heavens!!)

Good luck to you -- remember to get enough water in daily as well as enough veggies!! 64 ounces PURE water minimum!!! That will help flush the nasties and the fat out of your system.

[IrishIrish]

Re: Where I've been...

RitaCeleste,

Eating disorders manifests themselves in many ways. The solution is always healthy nuriishment with healthy thinking around food.

Even with Atkins, initially, I know I spent too much time thinking and planning my food, but I think it is a step that simply substituted for my thinking around "what is good in the kitchen that I can easily make and satisfy my sweet craving". Once I found Atkins, I followed the Acceptable Food List and Rules of Induction and soon it became a habit to feet my body, soul and spirit with fuel I need to live.

So, now that you have the food plan for your body to lead you to healthy eating, find a means to resolve that the soul and spirit will also follow on this healthy journey. I wish I could give it to others, but I think that it is different with each person out there.

Best wishes with your journey of discovery and your success!

[RitaCeleste]

Re: Where I've been...

Thanks Irish! I eat way better on atkins normally than I do off of it. I was just surprised to find out that limiting my carbs was so important to controling the hunger. I knew from cheating here and there it was. But nothing like living it and realising what a carb junky I really can be.
Imagood1 The only thing I have to watch out for are shakes. I use a whey protein isolate that has been refine until its lactose free, and nearly pure protein. They are so high in protein and low in everything else, I can only eat one a day or I don't loose from the excess protein. Everything else is meat and veggis. I pretty well ended up in almost a forever induction faze because I wasn't really able to add to it much and still loose. Adding nuts and stuff stalled me. Good thing I'm okay with meat and veggis. I'm so lazy, I make taco salad instead of roll the taco's up, no shells for anybody. I get a little extra lettuce that way. But nobody cracks a shell and wears it so its good for everybody. lol

[RitaCeleste]

Re: Where I've been...

Part of my eating disorder was emotional baggage and bad history with food and being overweight. The more strict I was on Atkins, the less hunger I had, until I really had to choke down the food. This caused me all kinds of stress because a little part me really didn't want to eat at all. And that scared me because I was once underweight and fear of going back to that is huge. I weighed alot and cut and cut calories. Also at the same time I got to the weight I spent most of my adult life at. The good years, I weighed this amount. Yes I am still fat at this weight, no it isn't where I ever dreamed of being. Yet its safe and comfortable for me and for loved ones who remember me too thin also. I don't mind walking for excercise but when I got too thin, I abused excercise. As an adult, I took jobs that were blue collar, hard work. So I do not want to excercise. I already messed up my knees and when excercise becomes compulsive for me, I damage myself doing more and more. I am bipolar and exercise can trip me manic too. Lots of people don't know these things about me and well meaning advice that comes from the heart is never a bad thing. Sometimes its flustrating though. lol