Here we go again......

[clydesgirl5]

I started Atkins on March 6, 2005. It went really good for the first week and I had actually lost 11lbs. Then it happened.....I went to a wedding and could not resist the wedding cake. I had one bite and thats all it took, after that, it was me digging into all the food that i could. I had a huge BINGE!!! It went all downhill from there. Well, I am starting back again. Hopefully this time will be better. I am going on vacation on June 7th so I am trying to lose as much as i can by then. I am going to start exercising on Monday so I can give my body some time to get used to this again. I have a question though. Is to vigorous exercise bad for you if you are just getting started? I like to use the eliptical machine, but should I just be walking at first???

[CathyR]

I say take it as you feel. If you are used to exercising vigorously, and feel up to it on your 1st few days of induction, go for it. For me I took it slow, and then as I started to feel more energized, it made my work outs harder

[tabekat]

kitten up a tree day

Your personal experience is an excellent example of why one bite can be fatal to an otherwise perfect induction.

There will always be special events like weddings and birthdays and festivals and celebrations and communions and reunions and baptisms and holiday parties and potlucks and anniversaries and kite day and arbor day and new shoelace day to attend in our lives.

We must love ourselves enough to stop using external events to rationalize insane eating behavior. :hug

With health, freedom from carbage, and peace of mind as our goal, we can be pro-active around special events and provide our own appropriate Atkins dessert. Of which there are hundreds of delicious low-carb recipes online, on cable and in the bookstore. I'm sure many of them
can be made to appear similar to a slice of wedding cake, especially
by using whipped cream.

It is a concern when a compulsive emphasis is placed on "losing all the weight you can" within an unrealistic time frame rather than embracing a lifelong journey to perfect health while allowing your body to relax, be free of carbage, and lose weight at its own pace.

There are many areas to focus on other than weight loss. Healing the carb addiction for one. Changing the palate, developing more refined taste buds is another. Learning to choose food that doesn't force your body to shuttle instantaneous globs of glut all over the place is another.

Atkins is a permanent way of life - if it is used as temporary "get on it, get off it" gimmick, it distorts Dr. Atkins good intentions and purpose.

It is, in my opinion, healthier to practice habits you can keep for a lifetime rather than burn out on extreme measures. And that applies to exercise too.