What to do when people cheat?

[KRemo]

What do you tell someone when they cheat really bad? My sister wanted to try Atkins, but she told me today - on her 2nd day - she ate 5 krispy kreme donuts. Should I tell her she should start Induction over? Or to just finish today continuing Induction? I have a feeling that she's gonna have a hard time with this. She is a sweet freak & chocoholic. :nono

[Elizellen]

Really unless they ask your advice you can't tell them anything :yikes

Most people will resist advice unless it agrees with what they want to do :sadblinky

But assuming she is cross with herself for eating off plan and wants advice just tell her to get back on a proper induction regime, drink plenty of water and try to rationalise what made her eat the doughnuts so she can avoid it happening again.

The worst thing she can do is decide that she has blown it and so might as well eat another plateful of doughnuts or other carby foods!

[KRemo]

She constantly asks me questions about it, so I assume she wants advice. She has the same general questions that all of us did regarding the discrepancies in DANDR, but no internet access to come here & get edumacated!

I told her to start Induction over, since she's only on Day 2, and to do a 100% CLEAN induction. She doesn't believe me that these cravings for this crap will subside, but I want her to give it a fair shot.

[Elizellen]

Good for you for being so supportive :hug

Let's hope that when she starts to see some weight or inches lost she will be able to avoid the temptations more easily. It is amazing how it kept me on track in the early days - I had never been able to resist the 'just one bite won't hurt you' siren calls of chocolate before Atkins. But I found myself saying 'I am doing so well I dont want to risk spoiling it!'

You did suggest she measure as well to make sure if she finds her weightloss faltering she can check the inches too?

[KRemo]

Yes I did! :nod

[Elizellen]

Well done - she is lucky to have a sister like you :hug

[KRemo]

Aaawwwww thanks! :hug

[not2late]

If she hasn't read the book, tell her to do so. Knowing how to do the diet and having the manual at your side is the best way to succeed at this.

As for her cheating, she should just pick up where she left off. No need to "start" over because on Day 2 she probably hasn't used up her glycogen stores. The other important thing she has to do is figure out why she downed 5 Krispy Kreme donuts---did she have acceptable foods available, is she serious about doing Atkins, etc.

[snorkelman]

I have found that it is a common misconception - a little snack won't hurt.

The problem is that unlike a low-fat diet where one bad snack can be burned off with a little extra exercise, with Atkins, it is all about being in Ketosis.

Until the body makes that massive change to burning fat, it isn't working. My experience is that I must be below 20 g of carbs for about 3 days for my body to kick into ketosis. One bad cheat is such a killer with Atkins, because it sets you back to starting over and 3 hard days to get back into ketosis.

[Desertthorn]

The old adage that you can take a horse to water but you can't make him drink, is really true with all of us. There is a point when we say to our selves, this is it, I don't want to gain another pound. I want to be healthy and I want to lose this weight and we mean it. Your sister will come to that point and she will beable to look at your progress and know that she must follow your road. Be a great role model, but beyond that, just keep quiet, because she is just not ready yet.