How do we AVOID becoming a STAC member?

[Adena]

Happy New Year, STAC members. Please pardon the intrusion...

This is my first go-round with Atkins, and I'd like it to be my only one. Other than the obvious (eating too many carbs, going off plan), what led you astray from Atkins, and what are you doing differently this time? How can I avoid this cycle? As wonderful as you folks are, I would like to learn from you to avoid my own need for a "second-time around."

I've been thinking about this for a while, and was going to wait until I got closer to goal to ask, but then I realized -- I certainly don't have reach goal to fall off the wagon and want to come back. And Lord knows, while I'm going strong at the moment, I've had my falters -- and will again, I'm sure. It can obviously happen at any time...

Thanks for sharing.

[Sarah1341]

Re: How do we AVOID becoming a STAC member?

I think you are making a smart move. Learn before it happens.

For me, its failure to plan. I'm a convenience girl when it comes to cooking, so I need to have a plan in place for what I will eat during the work week and also at family/friend events (eat before you go or take a couple of legal dishes with you).

Best of luck! You are doing awesome so far!!

[LuckyD]

Re: How do we AVOID becoming a STAC member?

For me it was meeting my now husband. For the first month we dated I was pretty good about sticking to the plan. But we went out to dinner a lot and he would order bottles of wine, and well, one thing led to another. I was happy and loving life - still am - but the honeymoon is over as far as eat and drink what I want all the time.

[Lisa M]

Re: How do we AVOID becoming a STAC member?

You've asked a great question, Adena, one that's making me remince about the days of old. Yep, wasn't that long ago.

I have to say that becoming a STAC member is 2 fold. One hopes and prays they stick to this woe like glue on the foot of a monkey. Then there's folks, like me, who give in to the emotional tempation and basically say, "Ah, forget it. I just can't..." etc.

After a few moments (days, weeks, months, years) of stupidity and rationalizing that something different will make a person happy, the only thing that makes sense is a daily diet of low carbohydrate, daily exercise, and clean, crisp water to take care of the body.

It's a learning process, and one that I admit that I've smacked myself a time or two about, but the point is, I'm learning and very thankful there are wonderful friends in STAC that have always been here to say, "Welcome home dear prodigal daughter/son. Welcome home".

Yep, I'm very thankful for STAC

[Adena]

Re: How do we AVOID becoming a STAC member?

Sarah, Lucky, and Lisa... thanks so much for your responses. I hope not to fall off this wagon (thought I know there's a good possibility), but I'm glad to know STAC is there if I need it.

It's funny -- I was hoping there was a great "silver bullet" reason. But, of course, there isn't.

Lisa, you've found success with a focus on the basics: water, exercise and carbs. No secret codes there.

Sarah, I do appreciate your point about planning. I do find that when I let myself get hungry, my will power is much lower, and my mind wanders to non-legal foods. Otherwise, I rarely think about cheating.

Lucky, lucky for me, I don't like wine very much.

[ValidRouge]

Re: How do we AVOID becoming a STAC member?

Adena, for me its about keeping things interesting. Focusing on what we CAN have not on what we cannot have. Then, within what we CAN have finding delicious recipes and ways to eat those foods.

I suppose that's changing the way I look at food all around.

[Adena]

Re: How do we AVOID becoming a STAC member?

Joy, that makes a lot of sense for me, too. What has enabled me to follow this WOE for this long is the variety and richness of what I CAN have. If you really use the resources available to us, it's hard to feel deprived.

[Adena]

Re: How do we AVOID becoming a STAC member?

As an example, today I was tired of cheeseburgers from our cafeteria, so I had some vegetable chicken soup and added some half and half to up the fat (and make it a little creamy). Plus, 6 wonderful strawberries! Sort of a carby lunch, but I so appreciated the variety. When I started Atkins, I wouldn't have thought I could eat that way for the rest of my life. But, now that I've moved fully up the rungs (god bless the creators of low-carb tortillas!), I have enough great options that I truly believe I can!

[julirama723]

Re: How do we AVOID becoming a STAC member?

My problem is that the first time I DIDN'T read the book, I DIDN't know all the rules, I DIDN'T understand the plan and how it works.

I did induction for about 2 months, and then just started eating whatever was low-carb, in whatever order I chose. I introduced tortillas and bread right away, I'd eat low-carb ice cream all the time, and I'd eat breaded chicken tenders, because I was just counting carbs, right? So what if there's flour! That was my attitude. One of ignorance and stubbornness. And to add to this, I kept losing weight! But I never learned how to control portions, or learn when I was hungry or full. I didn't worry about hidden sugars or thickeners. Heck I remember having a horrible day (My car died, I had to walk to and from work [3+ miles each way] in 95 degree heat, and I was EXHAUSTED when I got home. So I ordered pizza, thinking I earned it. True, I could only eat 1 piece, but a couple months later I could eat 4 pieces, no problem. Sure, I drank ONLY water in the beginning, but then later I'd get a diet coke because it CAME with the meal. Or I started out eating that sugar free chocolate, and then at Christmas, didn't see anything wrong with eating 1/4 of a cherry pie for lunch.

I basically weaned myself off of atkins, but kept the intensity of my exercise. In fact, I exercised more (I loved it! And I was taking dance classes, yoga classes, etc.) and more the less I followed the Atkins way. This worked to keep my weight off until I didn't have such a luxurious schedule and I allowed myself to eat crap because I was "tired" or "stressed" or some other load of BS. I didn't realize that making a salad is actually easier than making a pizza.

So my downfall was being ignorant of what Atkins REALLY is, and being too stubborn to follow someone else's rules.

[Adena]

Re: How do we AVOID becoming a STAC member?

Thanks for sharing, Julie. Great points. I'm a big "WHY?" person -- I have to analyze everything. So, the understanding of the WHY behind Atkins (if if some of technical aspects lost me...) does a lot for keeping me on track.

About following someone else's rules... I used to think that alot... "but why can't I just do _____." And someone in a post once said (to someone else, though I was also guilty), "Those are the rules -- follow them and you'll be successful. If you have a better way, write your own book."

[Stella]

Re: How do we AVOID becoming a STAC member?

This is a great thread! Thanks everyone for sharing. Adena - thanks for bringing this up - what a wonderful question!

[zelda]

Re: How do we AVOID becoming a STAC member?

I have to add one...

Don't ever think that you are so in control of your cravings that you can cheat...not once. It was only 1 cookie that did me in for months!! I gained back 15 of the 55 or so lbs that I lost before I came to my senses and decided to give Atkins another try. Very smart of you to think ahead! Good Luck!

[schellie]

Re: How do we AVOID becoming a STAC member?

Thank you so much for starting this thread. These are my thoughts exactly when I fall off. Its good to see Im not the only one who thinks they know everything at times!

[Qjakal]

Re: How do we AVOID becoming a STAC member?

It's pretty basic...you need to pay attention. As with any other addiction all it takes is a bit of distraction. We're rationalizing creatures and can easily delude ourselves.

Weekly weigh in...no if ,ands or buts. Hang up a clipboard if necessary with all the dates on it. It'll prevent you from ignoring the problem. I've had a slow steady progression on this w.o.l but I remember the "other" times all too well across the years. I have a tendency to creep if I lose focus. Over the last 30 years I bet I've gained and lost nearly 1000 pounds and now that I'm well over 50 it's getting much more difficult. My low weight as adult was 147 (was smoking 3 packs a day) and my high was somewhere around 300-ish, not that I'd step on a scale THEN...lol.

Force yourself to face the truth once a week, before it gets to the point of despair and you convince yourself it's hopeless yet again.

Q

Time to get serious about it apparently.

[Adena]

Re: How do we AVOID becoming a STAC member?

Hi, Qjakal. I'm actually a daily scale addict... to the point of not wanting to exercise because of the weight fluctuations. So, I'm participating in the "no weigh" challenge this month. I know there are other ways to measure my progress... inches lost, how a certain pair of pants fits me, and whether or not I'm in ketosis.

So, don't worry -- my problem isn't getting ON the scale, it's getting off of it. I'm hoping that after this "no weigh" challenge is over with, I can adjust to weekly, non-obsessive weigh-ins, and kick my daily habit for good.

I do understand your point, though, about keeping yourself accountable in that way. Pre-Atkins, when I knew I was doing/eating the wrong things, I'd always stay away from the scale... which always meant I was packing on more pounds.