Honestly, what's going to happen...

[Jenkampy]

I've been on induction since Monday and as of now I've lost 7 pounds. Tomorrow we're going to the movies and I wanna splurge. I realize this will screw up ketosis. But if I start back on induction Sunday won't I just go back to what happened this week? I know it's starting over but does that work?

[not2late]

Re: Honestly, what's giong to happen...

I've been on induction since Monday and as of now I've lost 7 pounds. Tomorrow we're going to the movies and I wanna splurge. I realize this will screw up ketosis. But if I start back on induction Sunday won't I just go back to what happened this week? I know it's starting over but does that work?

Over the years, I've seen people cheat for one meal, and wind up back here after cheating for several months and gaining more weight. And I'm sure you will get responses here or through the PMs that will tell you "I cheat all the time and I'm happy with my weight loss." When you do receive that advise, ask the person if they made it to goal or how long they've been trying to lose weight.

You've lost 7 pounds. So you know Atkins Induction works for you. Why do you want to set yourself back? Why do you want to sabotage your weight loss? The more you set yourself back the longer it will take for you to reach your goal. And I don't know about you, I wanted this weight off as soon as possible!

[kibskix]

Re: Honestly, what's giong to happen...

i ask myself this...what do you want more, to be thinner or to eat junk. thats what got us here in the first place. a cheat can stall you for a day or a week,depends on the cheat and the person. then you waste all that time trying to get back to where you were before you decided "just one wont hurt". too many people plan just one cheat, then end up binging for a week. it isnt worth it.

you've only been on induction 5 days! why sabotage yourself so early? 7lbs in 5 days may seem like a lot, but i lost 10lbs week 1 then gained 5lbs after that just from post induction stall syndrome, without any cheats at all. you have no idea at what rate you're going to lose. i've worked my butt off for 51 days and just got to 18lbs. when you're fighting for every single ounce, you have a better perspective of what that cheat will do to you, and theres no snack in the friggin world that is worth gaining any of that 18lbs back to me.

[Sherri]

Re: Honestly, what's giong to happen...

I agree with the ladies.
First though, CONGRATULATIONS on your success so far.
You're setting new patterns for a healthier you. If you decide to cheat, then this will be a new pattern in your weightloss journey.
Atkins is a lifestyle for life that will help you make healthier lifestyle changes and set healthier pattern. This is a good time to put those changes in action.
Induction is a very important stage of Atkins. This is where you find out what your Degree of Metabolic Resistance is, (page 158 DANDR 2002). To see if you're resistance to weightloss is High, Average or Low. You won't get an accurate result if you cheat at the movies.
My advice is to take the snack with you as in pork rinds, bottled water, cheese stick, celery sticks. Something to crunch on while others eat mico toxin pop corn and evil addictive sugar. slurping down liquid sugar (soda). You'll be happier and healthier for it.
Popcorn is my all time weakness. I was just at the movies when someone sat next to me with a big 'ol bucket of the evil popcorn. I just got up and moved to get away from the slurping of soda and sounds of munching popcorn.
As I walked out of the movies I was so happy that I got through it with my healthy snack and still on plan. My Atkins pride still intact, Whew! Dodged that bullet!
This is where you ask yourself, "how serious am I about my health and weightloss?" I supose you'll be answering this when you walk out of the movies this weekend.
Be strong, believe in yourself and that you can do this!
Sincerely, Sherri

[momtomany1]

Re: Honestly, what's giong to happen...

At least splurge on legal foods like pepperoni chips or jerky, or string cheese or something!

Please no sugar or empty carbs... every time you have to detox from sugar you will have some symptoms, why suffer?

[Jenkampy]

Re: Honestly, what's giong to happen...

But I want popcorn (insert temper tantrum here)
Seriously though guys thanks for the words of encouragement! It really does help, maybe I'll skip the movie all together...

[Elizellen]

Re: Honestly, what's giong to happen...

Seriously though guys thanks for the words of encouragement! It really does help, maybe I'll skip the movie all together...

Good choice -avoiding the temptation is a good strategy this early in your Atkins journey

[Slapshot]

Re: Honestly, what's going to happen...

I tell myself that if I cheat and gain 2-3 lbs, it's really like gaining 4-6 lbs because not only did I gain those 2-3 lbs, I was off plan and wasn't losing 2-3 more. That "multiplier effect" is enough for me to turn the other way...

[msanjelpie]

Re: Honestly, what's going to happen...

"I want to splurge..." Knowing that's how you feel is the best indication that you should NOT go to that movie! It's a trigger for how you got to where you were when you started the diet...

On a low cal diet you can have a piece of cake and the very next day be good again and carry along your merry way. Low carb diets DO NOT work like that... When you splurge (cheat) you risk knocking yourself out of ketosis which halts the fat burning process dead in it's tracks... then you have to start it up all over again which can take days depending on how bad the cheat was...

You could stop the diet, have your splurge, get out of ketosis, gain back some weight and then hop back on the diet, start induction again, get back into ketosis again and re-lose the weight again... finally get back to the weight you were when you went off the diet - yes that's a possibility... BUT, gosh darn, what a total waste of time!

And, what happens the next time? The next movie? The next birthday party? There comes a time when you have to decide which is more important to you...

[MsUnderstood0000]

Re: Honestly, what's going to happen...

And, what happens the next time? The next movie? The next birthday party? There comes a time when you have to decide which is more important to you... Well said Msanjelpie...............i was thinking the same thing. First movie i went to , i went to trader joes and stocked up. jerkey, cheese sticks, veggies sticks and a water. You have to learn how to deal with the "events" that are geared towards food. Low carb is a way of life, you jump off you just gain it back and guess what you dont gain back what you lost..........nope, it brings friends and you gain more.
Carbs are like crack , the only way to fight them is to just say no. The last movie I went to, I just took water, did not even need the "food" part of it and was not afraid of cheating, i just knew i wouldnt. You will get there if you keep on keeping on. Congrats on the 7 pounds and good luck with your future endevours.

[chinadoll]

Re: Honestly, what's going to happen...

I have to agree with msanjelpie. There are going to be lots of occasions that mean temptations involving food. Weddings, holidays, barbeques with old friends, birthdays, football games...so are you going to make an exception for each one? Is one night of popcorn and candy worth detoxing again? Is it worth risking the possibility that you won't be able to get back on program tomorrow (because that can happen)? Do you really want to lose and be successful or is one night at the movies more important? You might say "its just one night" but if you are willing to cave now, chances are you will cave again. You will like yourself better if you remain strong. I promise.

One last thing-- you have had a terrific start but it is highly likely that your losses will slow down after that initial quick start. So you can't plan on picking up and continuing along with rapid losses. How disappointing it would be to put a couple back on after such a cheat and have it take a month to get it off again. I speak from experience---my Induction loss for two weeks was 6 pounds and I have only lost a pound a week since then.

We all want you to succeed and are speaking from experience and a desire to see you make a long term success of the WOE. The best way to do that is stay firmly committed until you are well under way to your goal.

[JoanOH]

Re: Honestly, what's going to happen...

This post brought back memories... I lost 135 lbs on Atkins back in '04 and '05. My son got married in late '05. At his wedding, I decided I would have a piece of his wedding cake. One small piece of cake -- what can it hurt? Here I am, four years later returning to ADBB because that one bite of cake (and the mindset that came after it) has caused me to gain back 125 of those 135 pounds. No one (including ME) will ever convince me again that "just one bite won't hurt"...

[SarahUK]

Re: Honestly, what's going to happen...

We are addicted to carbs and like it or not it's like any other addiction, you can't just have a little without falling off the wagon.

I too lost weight several years ago on Atkins (70 lbs) then went on holiday. That holiday and in the 3 years that followed my weight increased by 111 lbs to nearly 320 lbs. So I'm back here again but the difference this time is that I know that I can't cheat ever or it will all go back on and more. Yes of course I'd like to be able to go out and stuff my face with pizza, cake and wine everyday and not put on a pound but that's not going to happen. I know that to become and stay slim, healthy, active and live longer I have to go without those bad carbs forever.

Many years ago I quit smoking for 3 1/2 years. I thought one cigarette wouldn't hurt but one cigarette and I was back to 60-80 a day After a few more years I did give up again and I'm pleased to say it will be 10 years this year, but although sometime I might still fancy one I know I can never have one. Making the decision to have one cigarette would be making the decision to got back to an 80 a day habit and everything that goes along with it.

Don't underestimate the power that bad carbs have over us. As JoanOH said there is no "just one bite won't hurt".

Good luck and stick with it.

Sarah