Freaking out.

[chelledotcom]

Hi again everyone.

So, Im freaking out a little. I'm afraid that, even though I have counted my carbs, and stayed under 20g a day, Im afraid that I've been doing things to sabotage myself.

Ex: The other day, a friend of mine had Lemonhead candies. I checked the carb count, and it was 10 pieces to a serving, and 14 g of carb. I had 5 pieces, making 7 carbs, then I went to the gym and worked out.

Also, sugar free candies. I know they are allowed, but I dont know if they are allowed on Induction.

Im afraid that even though I have been counting the amount of carbs, I've still been eating the wrong things. But, in my defense, I'm surrounded by people who eat carbs and sugar like its going out of style.

When I got the sugar free candy, it was because my aunt and cousin had gone to the grocery store with me, and gotten white chocolate macadamia nut cookes, turtle cheesecake and chocolate mousse. It was either watch them, seethe with anger, and want sugar, or have some sugar free candies.

I just don't know what to do. I want to try the low carb tortillas on low carb luxury, it has 1 gram of carbs, but I dont know if its okay.

Constant meat, cheese, lettuce, and eggs are making me feel sick, like I have been drinking grease. I feel miserable, especially sitting here, full on hamburger steak with cheese, and 1 cup (I have the carb counter book, and it said 1 cup was only like 6 grams) of broccoli. I feel heavier, and I have no energy.

What am I doing wrong? Why am I freaking out?

Oh! And I love those mix-ins for water, and I wont drink it without. Not that I just refuse, but when I try, it just never seems to get drank. I've heard that the ingredients dont get metabolized, and they pass through like water, and are essentially flavored water, but still.

I've lost weight, thats not the problem. Its all in my head. Advice? Im begging.

[cincywbbw]

Re: Freaking out.

I've only been on Atkins 6 weeks, but in my opinion I would stop all sugar, except the 3 packets of splenda per day, in two weeks during induction no "real sugar" is not allowed.

Good luck on your journey!!!

[cocobelle]

Re: Freaking out.

When you get to that 'drinking grease' feeling, it's time to look at your diet. You really need to include variety. Vegetables are your friend. You're allowed 3 cups a day - not just lettuce. I would actually recommend AGAINST lettuce - there's too many other things that you can have. If you're going to have a tossed salad, make it spinach - at least you get the other nutrients. Broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, spaghetti squash...mmmm!! Check out the recipes for mashed cauliflower....spaghetti squash tossed with garlic and butter (I also add shrimp! mmmm)

I'm with you on the Crystal light thing... I couldn't begin to drink down all the water without it. What I've done - tho - is slowly thin it down. Now, I drink 1/2 strength. Start with a 3/4 glass with 1/4 water. Slowly increase the amount of water.... you'll get there, and eventually... the full strength will seem like syrup.

The New Atkins Revolution isn't about 20 g TOTAL of carbs... it's about 20g total of the RIGHT carbs. When you ate 7 g of sugar, you could have (should have) had 7 g of vegetables.

If you're wanting sweet - look at sugar free Jello with the sugar free whipped cream (mmmm). There are recipes for cheesecakes that are induction friendly. Atkins has shakes (I like the vanilla ones).... but only use one per day.

Cut back on the high fat meats for a while... until your body is happy again - you can have fish, shrimp, chicken, tuna, pork chops.... these are palatable when you get into that 'fatty, fatty' feeling from the diet.

Definately stay away from the sugar. What you have is an addiction - no different than an alcoholic with alcohol. Would you expect an alcoholic in the early stages to spend time with his drinking buddies at the bar? No.

Explain to your family how important this is to you. Keep legal snacks with you. Be wary of the so-called 'frankenfoods'.

You CAN do this!!!

[ValidRouge]

Re: Freaking out.

Chelle,

That's the carbohydrate (sugar) JUNKIE talking. No, not talking...SCREAMING. It's time to put a stop to the madness.

The only way to stop it and control it is to QUIT. It's no different than smokers quitting, alcoholics quitting, drug addicts quitting. In fact, I look at myself AS AN ADDICT. Sugar/simple carbohydrates are my drug of choice. I quit them cold turkey a year ago. I also quit cigarettes a little over 6 months ago. Quitting carbs was a lot harder than quitting the cigarettes. I freely admit it. Just like ANY other addict, I still have cravings for my drug. But, I cannot give in, just as a heroin addict or a cocaine addict, or an alcoholic can't give in.

Some of the things you are doing trying to calm the cravings are ONLY DOING YOURSELF MORE HARM. Would you offer a teensie bit of drug to a drug addict? No. So, don't offer sugar to yourself.

Generally, by the end of two weeks the detox is completely over. You'll be in control again. You can do anything for two weeks, right? Give the plan a fair shot for JUST TWO WEEKS and then reassess things. Don't eat ANYTHING that's not on the induction acceptable food list. You'll be much, much better off and feel much more in control if you do.

[ValidRouge]

Re: Freaking out.

Oh, and one more thing.

Cocobelle addressed it once, but I want to reinforce it. Lettuce is probably the worst vegetable choice you can make. Most people hear/read salad and automatically think lettuce, but it's just a poor choice. Some vegetables on the "salad" list that I would much rather eat are:
1. Jicama
2. Sweet peppers (green/red/yellow)
3. Cucumber
4. bok choy
5. Celery
6. Radishes
7. daikon

[cincywbbw]

Re: Freaking out.

Thank goodness for the pro's at this..lol..they could explai it alot better than me. Joy loves to tease me with the jicama, I just cant seem to find it here no where.

[chelledotcom]

Re: Freaking out.

Thank you guys I had planned to extend my induction further than the two weeks anyway, and Im going to sincerely try to cut out everything bad. Its terribly hard to do when your pantry is stocked with starch and sugar, and I feel like a child throwing a temper tantrum.

I just hate that Ive been on a week, and I still managed to make it seem like I didnt do anything at all.

[Nixgirl]

Re: Freaking out.

Hi Chelle,
The first thing you have to do is believe in yourself...YOU CAN DO THIS AND YOU WILL DO THIS!! Tell yourself this every time you feel tempted, what is more important? the taste of sugar or YOU!! I guess it's you!!
I too was an addict...I could drink upwards of 2 L of full sugar coke a day...I craved it...I had to have it and I honestly believed I couldn't go without it...but I did, cos I'm more important than that sugary drink! And you know what? after almost 15 years of drinking 2L every day I quit cold turkey and have honestly NEVER had a craving for it!!

Believe in yourself Chelle and value yourself and your health...YOU and only you are important here...not your friends and family with their carb laden foods!

Good luck I'm sure you will get through this and come out the other side feeling so much better!
Keep us posted!

Janet
x

[Alexa]

Re: Freaking out.

[QUOTE=chelledotcom]Its terribly hard to do when your pantry is stocked with starch and sugar, and I feel like a child throwing a temper tantrum.
QUOTE]

If you can, get rid of this stuff - if it's not there then you can't eat it! Give to a friend or a homeless shelter or something. Or chuck it if no-one wants it.

If you can't get rid because you live with other people ask them if you can put carby foods in a carb zone - I put aside one cupboard (low down where I can't easily see in) where the pasta, potatoes, cous cous and lentils go that my BF still eats. This helps draw a line - the foods are in there, you can't eat them, that's it.

Takes a while to get used to - but once you've done a clean induction like everyone said the sugar cravings monster will have left the building and it'll be easy

[Lyssie]

Re: Freaking out.

Exactly what Joy and Baarb and Nixgirl are saying.

There's not too much that's more valuable on this WoL than a *CLEAN* induction, and while you've been doing your version of induction for a week... ok, so instead of having those lemonheads, you could have made induction-friendly lemon cheesecake. I know it takes a little more time, but while you're making it, you get the chance to think about whether you actually *WANT* it, or whether it's just a craving that will pass..

I think I only ate lettuce a few times on induction, and that's when the spinach thing was going around. I tend to not eat eggs unless there's pretty much nothing else to eat since I egged myself out a while ago... Dr. Atkins wrote the book with the rungs so you can clean your body completely out on induction, then find what you react to, and what you don't on the way up the rungs. If you cut out all the sugary stuff, the cravings will stop... if you don't, it's like a huge emotional rollercoaster.

Also, the Atkins shakes are not friendly. In some people they cause stalls, in some people they don't. Is it really worth taking the chance that you could be losing more if you didn't eat them? Sugar-free jello can cause a cephalic insulin response as well and you could stall, or have cravings. Same with the mix-ins for the water. Nothing is better than water. Yeah, it's hard to get in the habit of drinking, but once you do, your body will <3 you for it. I *NEVER* drank water before this WoL. It was either soda, juice, coffee, crystal light, whatever. Now I crave the water if I drink too little, and don't really care about the others (especially the soda that makes me retain water). Try it with some lemon, I know it might be forcing the first couple days, but it's worth it, and it'll really make a difference.

Good luck, and if you need anything, feel free to PM me... You should come visit us in Journal Chats - Everyone's very supportive and helpful, they've saved me a bunch of times.

[Proudest Monkey]

Re: Freaking out.

Off topic - Lyssie, you look 20 years younger in your before and after pic in your siggy! Congratulations!

[Lyssie]

Re: Freaking out.

Thanks. I actually *feel* about 20 years younger too!

[julirama723]

Re: Freaking out.

I just want to say ditto Lyssie's advice! AWesome advice!

[tkdhabidah]

Re: Freaking out.

Chelle,

I think it's very easy to make up good excuses for cheating, but before you know it, it becomes a habit. Then you weight loss slows or stops, you get bored, and give up. Where there is a will there's a way...I know it sounds cliche, but talk about carb addicts...My hubby only weighs 130 lbs and he eats carbs CONSTANTLY! I also have young kids, and they eat healthy carbs, so they are in the house at all times...I have things that are better than________tastes...Like playing with my kids, being comfortable in shorts, not hiding when cameras come out...etc.

Hope the tough love doesn't upset you, but I have been there, and as far as I am concerned, the cleaner you eat, the better you will feel -- inside and out!

Hugs,
Kristi

[chelledotcom]

Re: Freaking out.

Hey Kristi,

Nah, tough love is a good thing And youre right, there is no excuse for cheating, but the way I look at it is: Dont eat sugar again, and at least when I did eat sugar, I kept it waaaaay down instead of eating a whole bag.

But, no sugar since that day, I've been living on protein and veggies.