Help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

**2big4mysize** · October 18, 2005, 06:12 PM

Re: Help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

welcome to ADBB and back to Atkins

a big problem for those that been there done that lost big time oops jumped off the wagon restarters have is they unlike a new never done Atkins before person KNOW Atkins will work and so you know I can eat X and restart induction tomorrow over and ocer we have said that when we binge.

Checkout the second time around forum it is full of folk who like you did well and jumped willingly off the Atkins WOL only to realize they needed Atkins more then they needed the high carb foods.

The key to giving up an adiction is what that addiction costs you. When the cost to you in health, self esteem,social life etc of your carb addiction is higher then the pleasure you derive from eating a high carb life style you will give it up. Until that time you can practice carb harm reduction by eating Atkins maintnenance or premaintenance as you wean off carbs backing into the Atkins WOL.

Happy low carbing

**ipopup** · October 18, 2005, 06:21 PM

Re: Help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Are you hiding behind your fat? It is ok to be gay! It is ok to be you!
Women have the same problems; we hid behind our fat.

FEED THE COOKIES TO THE BIRDS!

EAT ONLY THE INSIDES OF THE SANDWICH NOT THE BREAD!

START AGAIN YOU CAN DO IT; IT IS WORTH IT.

IF YOU CAN't DO IT BECAUSE OF; DO IT IN SPITE OF!

THIS IS ME HUGGING YOU! NOW YOU HUG YOURSELF AND GO FORWARD!
BJ WEBB

**slimndown** · October 18, 2005, 06:23 PM

Re: Help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I hear you! I have felt the same way. Read my journal - you'll see. If I let myself continue on the path I was on, I would be as heavy. I have spent the last 5-6 years trying to do Atkins and failing because I always see something I wanted to eat. Or THOUGHT I wanted to eat. I didn't stay on because I never could accept the fact that I had to give up my favorite food forever (pizza & sushi). I too live in a city where I can go anywhere to have a very quality all-you-can-eat experience. I'm addicted to going out to eat or take out. I LOVE food, but Atkins is the only way I can lose weight. I've been on my current induction for 8 days and am determined to make it work this time. I know how HARD it is to go without the foods I love but I really haven't thought about it because I know, by lurking around forums and journals here, that I can never go back to eating pizza or sushi - not one bite if it's not low carb. Stick with us - we'll help you. Just be determined - wean yourself into induction if you have to - just START and NEVER go back. Once you are on Induction for a week, you'll know that you have self conrtol. It comes with realizing that you can't have what you've been eating - forever. I know firsthand because I am a conrtol freak who has been out of control of my ENTIRE life for the past 6 years when all I've needed to do was THE RIGHT THING. And keep doing it. Finish your sandwiches, try to eat less than you ordered if you can and start tomorrow. Better yet - throw the bread away and start tonight. If you need some inspiration, see cleochatra's journal. Hang in there!

**soliwit** · October 18, 2005, 08:11 PM

Re: Help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If anything, this board is really going to help you.
What I understand is that before you did Atkins 'on your own', well now you found some buddies in losing and that is really REALLY going to help a whole lot.
The knowledge of us being here and supporting you will give you the feeling there are people outthere who understand what you are going through and are on the exact same track, we're walking beside you...
I know for me this is half of the deal already, every time I feel bad or feel like almost gliding off I come to the board and even just reading the posts is getting me back on track.
You can do it hon !!!
I know for sure !

**Streetcorner Philosopher** · October 18, 2005, 08:33 PM

Re: Help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, there's nothing wrong with Subway....I've lived on Subway lunches for the past 9 months. BUT....I eat the salad only . No bread for me. Use Subway to your advantage. Also I would choose to make the salad with their fresh spinach as opposed to lettuce. Not only does it taste better but it's much better for you.

I can't help you with the gay thing. However I think straight people have just as much pressure to be thin...women more-so than men even.

The thing about losing weight is you HAVE to change your mind-set. You have to make a decision to totally change your life -- you can't do it half-way. Try setting some mini-goals to start. You'll be amazed at how much better you'll start feeling about yourself, not only physically but mentally and emotionally as well. Good luck. SCP

**NoMorePumpkin** · October 18, 2005, 09:29 PM

Re: Help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just thought I would add my two cents. All of the above is absolutely right on. For me, I also found it hard to give up my favorite food: pizza -- but I did it - sort of.

I only eat the top!! It's the best part anyway. I do the same thing for my favorite subs from my neighborhood carryout and even Jerry's Subs and Pizza: I just eat the middle. I don't miss the bread. The best part is the meat and cheese. The only thing about this is that YOU MUST limit how much you do this if you don't know the sugar content of the pizza sauce (my alternate solution - make my own, see below). ALSO, you can still have all of those good things, but YOU MUST eat your veggies. If I get a 6" steak and cheese, I tell myself that I have to have a salad too or veggies (a FULL serving).

YOU CAN DO THIS. Be patient with yourself. Give up that white bread that isn't really that good anyway. It has NO nutritional value. AND it will DEFINITELY make you hungry/crave more later.

I posted the following in the recipe forums a while ago, but thought I would cut and paste here for you. This really takes care of my pizza cravings.

```````````````

PIZZA in a BOWL (Induction Friendly)

The following will make 2 BIG servings in separate oven-safe single serve bowls (I forget what they are called - people use them for French Onion Soup and Creme Broule' (sp?)). The bowls I use will hold 2 cups of liquid from empty. They are pretty big.

NET Carb Count: approx 8 carbs - worth every one!! Once you modify the recipe to your taste, this may increase or DROP.

Ingredients:
1 cup diced petite tomatoes from a can (5 carbs, 4 net each bowl)
2 slices cheddar cheese (mine was 0 carbs, I count as 1/2 carb per bowl)
1 cup shredded mozarella cheese, divided (2 carbs per bowl)
1/2 cup sliced, canned mushrooms (1.5 net carbs per bowl)
20 slices pepperoni (approx #, 0 carbs)
1/2 lb. sausage or ground beef (I use Jimmy Dean sausage varieties, 0 carbs)

PREHEAT oven to 350 degrees.

Cook sausage. Add seasonings to taste. I use pizza seasonings. I've also tried oregano, onion powder, garlic, black pepper, etc separately. I just tried adding green onion today, only about 1 tbsp at 0 carbs.
Add 1/2 cup diced petite tomatoes (w/ juice) to each bowl.
Place a slice of cheedar cheese on top (you may decide to change your cheese here, I've also used mozzarella for the whole recipe)
Add 1/4 cup mushrooms per bowl, spread evenly
Add ground sausage or beef, 1/2 mixture per bowl
Add 1/4 cup shredded mozarella per bowl
Add pepperoni - I usually layer evenly in a circle and place one in the middle
Add last 1/4 cup shredded mozarella per bowl

Place bowls on baking sheet and bake for about 20 minutes to melt cheese through. Watch throughout and cover if necessary if you don't like your top crust too crusty. I then turn oven off and leave in for another 10 minutes.

Serve and ENJOY!!!

Remember TWO things: ADBB Support is wonderful AND this is NOT a diet that you finish when you get to your goal. This is a new way of life for us. You can make it to your goal weight AND to maintenance!

Good Luck!!

Punkin-kid

**LOWCARBINCLEVELANDOH** · October 19, 2005, 08:59 AM

Re: Help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wow. I certainly understand the gay thing, not first-hand, because I am a straight woman who does musical theatre, and most of my best friend are gay men. There is as much pressure in the gay male community to be a "twink" as there is in the teenage girl lifestyle to be a size zero. Some of my friends have scared me lately with their anorexic behavior. SO I get it!

I have been on quite a journey since June 1 and have lost (as of October 2nd) about 50 lbs. But I was at 352 that day, so I have a long road. PLease visit the Century Club in this form. It makes those of us on that long road feel better to know other folks on the same trip!

I don't usually sign on to the computer on the weekend, but feel free to PM me anytime. I usually am pretty good about checking messages during the business day.

Take care, Hang in there, Don't give up!

Sharron

**cleochatra** · October 19, 2005, 09:24 AM

Re: Help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

{{{Christopher}}}

Hey, babe! why are you trying to kill yourself with food? You know you're worth fighting for and you don't need to drug yourself with food. Even if you weighed 180 pounds right this minute, you have to ask yourself, would things be better than they are now? Would you like your job more? Your goldfish? The way you feel?

Our feelings, jobs and life circumstances follow us, no matter whether we weigh 300, 200, or 100. The thing to do is to start by analyzing why you feel the way you do. What's bothering you? Do you react by eating? If so, what are ways we can change that behavior so that you can react with exercise, a letter written that you never intend to send, or by taking some other positive action instead of drugging our blood sugars?

The food you eat won't make your life happier. For that 10 minutes you eat the sandwiches, you are like the cocaine addict doing a line... but your stresses will all return again...and again you'll find you are having to feed that blood sugar again. It's a cycle, but it's one you can break!

I know you can make a positive change in your life. Why? Because I've been where you are. I've weighed what you weighed.

Yeah, everyday is a struggle, and when you have the pressures of life making you say, "WTH! Where's that donut", you have to remember that even past that donut, the stress is still there. DEAL with the stress! Make positive changes. Reprogram your mind to NOT react to food.

Need help with that? That's what we're here for, too.

Your job is to tell us what you need.

**Chris** · October 19, 2005, 09:30 AM

Re: Help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Welcome, Christopher!

I can really empathize with your present situation. First of all, I would say that most of us here are, indeed, food addicts -- at least, carb addicts. The more of the simple, refined carbs we eat, the more we HAVE to eat. The reason is simply that the refined carbs trigger an over production of insulin, our blood sugar level drops to below normal, and we're hungry. The only way to break the cycle is to remove those simple carbs from your diet -- and Atkins induction is the carb addict's perfect "detox" program! Make a comittment for two weeks, and see, if, at the end of that time you've not lost that constant hunger (the need for a "fix") but, also, that you don't feel better and have more energy than you've had in a long while.

I empathize, secondly, because, with the help of ADBB -- and Atkins Rainbow Board (ADRB) -- I had lost an amount very similar to yours. Having been an administrator of both this board and ADRB, you'd have thought I really knew better, but I left the boards for what was supposed to be a short period in order to work through some severe problems in my personal life. It goes without saying that once I quit caring about the food that went in my mouth, that short period turned into a long one, and I had gained back about half of what I'd lost. However, I'm back, to stay this time, and I'm glad that you're here, as well

I empathize, thirdly, because I, too, am a gay man. I think it goes without saying that, with the exception of the rare "chubby chaser," the gay male culture is one that values thinness. Sadly, in our society, the overweight are often even more shunned than in society, in general. I think, perhaps, that many of us, when we think about the value that the culture puts on thinness, and just how far from that ideal we are, become even more discouraged, and feed our depression -- often literally. I know I've done that. "What the heck, I'll never lose this weight. I might as well have that coffee cake -- and wash it down with a quart of chocolate milk!"

Why am I back? I'd like to say that there are many noble reasons, but, if I'm honest, there's one that's especially close to my heart. After being alone for nearly 20 years, last July I had the great fortune of meeting someone very special. We seemed to hit it off, right away, and our relationship has grown to the point where we spend every weekend together and are constantly on the phone the remainder of the week. I seem to be the happiest I've ever been when I'm with him, and the saddest when I'm not. If things continue to progress as well as they have, I hope we'll be sharing a household in the near future.

This wonderful man's name is Michael, and he's never seen me at my proper weight; nor, has he ever made one single negative comment about how I look. Obviously, the man cares for me for who I am, not for what I look like. However, it would sadden me a great deal if I thought that others would think that Michael had chosen a fat slob for a life partner. I want to be someone with whom he isn't ashamed to be seen. Michael deserves that -- and so much more.

Sorry, Christopher, I didn't mean to relate my life story, here; I was just trying to let you know that you're not unique or alone in your situation. Please, please join me, along with all the wonderful folks at ADBB (and, do check out ADRB, as well) in our journey to thinness, happiness .... and maybe, even love!

**cleochatra** · October 19, 2005, 10:53 AM

Re: Help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

{{{{{Chris}}}}} Welcome home. You have been missed. I mean it.

**Chris** · October 19, 2005, 11:10 AM

Re: Help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Originally posted by cleochatra

{{{{{Chris}}}}} Welcome home. You have been missed. I mean it.

Oh, My God! Those two photos are NOT of the same person -- no way! You look beyond fantastic!!!

**Momtofour** · October 19, 2005, 11:34 AM

Re: Help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My advice is to get in the habbit of coming to this board every day, or several times a day. Do what it takes to detox your body....read the book,do a 2 week clean induction and start walking. You will be so happy you did it.

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