Why is it difficult to stick to this way of life?

[LC_Dave]

One of my main concerns would be to go back to my old way of life. There is no guarantees, this could easily happen to any one of us!

There are many tales of people losing weight on Atkins, then 'straying' and gaining weight.

This is such a serious problem. I lost a fair amount of weight on WW, then (because of the starving) went off and gained twice the weight back It was absolutely devastating for me!

The only reason I started Atkins this time, was because I was sure that I could keep this up (in one way or another) for the rest of my life. It took a lot out of me emotionally to 'trust' what Dr. Atkins says in his book. So many people owe him a debt of gratitude for promoting a WOE that can transform lives!

It is so very important that we continue with this WOL and maintain our weight loss!!

Why don't we do it?

How do we stray?

If we know these things, then we can be more vigilant. This knowledge can help us in the hard times.

I welcome your thoughts!

[Bren]

Re: Why is it difficult to stick to this way of life?

Honestly, for the first time in my life I have no urge or even considered going back to "what or who I was". The improvement for me has been amazing. Physically and mentally. I can say now I no longer live to eat, but eat to live. Sure, I enjoy food..... but it no longer controls me, I control it.
I have lost more weight on more diets then I can even list. Never have I kept it off this long, and no way I will ever go back to what I was . I am now living what I once thought was only a dream.
oh, and I also now teach weight loss classes and physical fitness and if that does not keep me honest.....nothing will!

[dreamof145]

Re: Why is it difficult to stick to this way of life?

I think we all have these fears of re-gaining the weight after we get to goal. I know for me it is a day-by-day promise to remind myself that this is a LIFE STYLE CHANGE, not a temperary diet to lose a few pounds. I have to constantly tell myself that the old life is gone. If I'd changed jobs, I wouldn't go to the 'old place of employment' when I went to work....I'd go to the new place. (This is how I visualize it to make sense in my mind).

There are no guarantees in life. We have to believe in ourselves -- we have to keep our new WOE in our minds and in our hearts. We've all been educated through our DANDR's and this site of the consequences if we go back to the old habits. We have to work everyday at building our new habits and being so comfortable with them that we don't want to go back. I know it is easier said than done and I can only hope and pray that we continue to utilize this site to stay strong by being a part of the ADBB team. I know the ADBB has been responsible for getting me this far (further than I've ever gone before in a weight loss attempt)...so I am going to trust that if I stay here among all of you and keep doing the program that I will be able to maintain once I hit goal.

[Bren]

Re: Why is it difficult to stick to this way of life?



Becky.... your amazing!

I am always inspired/motivated and moved by your posts.

[2big4mysize]

Re: Why is it difficult to stick to this way of life?

The biggest way to stay a goalie is to embrace this from day one as your new WOL and you will eat low carb Atkins forever. if you think yeah well after I lose the weight I will just eat sensibly and not have to do this any more you are only setting yourself up for a round trip back to the stsarting weight. If you cn't envision doing Atkins for life then don't start and find something you can do for life.

Exercise better be your life long buddy too cause if you even think you will stop this when you get to goal your stay there will be but a blink.

And if you should find yourself sliding back down that slippery slope the 5 pound rule helpsput on the brakes very fast.

And of course should you go MIA we hunt you down and drag you back

[SusanQsan]

Re: Why is it difficult to stick to this way of life?

Amen, Becky!

I love the analogy of the "old employer" - our old WOE is like our "old employer" - how silly to think of walking back in there again!

I agree too that ADBB helps a lot. I come on once a day, even if all I can afford is 10 minutes - just to catch up, get inspired, and hold myself accountable.

I would be so ashamed if I came on the boards having cheated, knowing what I know now (after having read DANDR from cover to cover multiple times).

We are STRONG.

Sure, it's a possibility that I will go back to my old ways, just like it's a possibility that I will walk out into traffic, abandon my family, start smoking, or quit my job. LOL! How silly!

[america57]

Re: Why is it difficult to stick to this way of life?

Well, from a person that went back to their old ways for a few months, here is what I learned. I was too hard on myself the first time. I'm always too hard on myself, I look at "dieting" as a punishment instead of a lifestyle change. I was on a really low fat diet, lost 82 pounds, maintained it for about 10 minutes, then gained it all back because it was just too harsh, nobody can eat that way. Then, I decided to try Atkins and instead of going through induction and then going on to OWL I stayed in extended induction for 8 months! I lost 52 pounds but the food choices were too restrictive and I never cheated once until the day I cheated completly, then continued to cheat from Halloween through New Years. This time, I finished induction with a 4 pound weight loss and immediately moved to the first rung of OWL. I am nervous as ****, it scares me to death that I am doing this, I know induction, I'm very comfortable there, OWL is scary and I'm afraid that I might not lose the weight as quickly, but I'm doing it anyway because I know that if I don't add the foods back in and have variety in my diet, I will fail. So that's what I have to say about it!

[not2late]

Re: Why is it difficult to stick to this way of life?

When I read DANDR, the one thing I really liked was Dr. Atkins' stepwise organized approach to weight loss. After Induction, he moved you into two other weight loss phases, which teaches you to learn about your body's tolerances and intolerances.

I know through my OWL experience that I have to be careful with certain foods because they either cause cravings or halt my weight loss. I'm sure I'll learn in Pre-Maintenance some more things about my body. So, I'm confident if I take my time to learn about me now, I'll be more equiped for maintaining my weight.

So, while I take my time losing weight, I think it will only help me in the long run because I know my body better.

[slimndown]

Re: Why is it difficult to stick to this way of life?

I don't find this WOE hard at all. Actually, I enjoy it. Sometimes I will eat things that are not on the plan, but I make sure to consider those special occasions and not give myself too much grief about it as long as I don't make it a habit. It really is about changing habits and sticking with good ones.

[ttdriver]

Re: Why is it difficult to stick to this way of life?

I totally agree with 2big. You have to not only change the way you eat, but also the way you THINK.

Personally, there is nothing about this WOL that is difficult for me. What's difficult is trying to understand why I ate all that crap all those years and couldn't figure out why I felt so bad (and looked like a pig).

Exercise is critical to keeping the weight off. People say 'oh I lost all my weight without exercise' .. and I think "yeah, but who wants to look like a balloon with all the air let out of it?" Not me. I want to stay slim and TONED and look darn good nekkid!

Betty

[Jasmain]

Re: Why is it difficult to stick to this way of life?

Having a lot of weight to lose is never an easy thing to come to terms with. I believe a lot of people base everything they feel and think about this diet on the induction phase which IS very limiting and daunting when food controls your life, your emotions and how you get through ever day (let's face it, you haven't spent days obsessing about and letting other things control your life like food and that horrible day you just got through). Look past induction, please. You will eventually have more to choose from, and be more satisfied with your choices. The induction stage is a radical change, meant to change your whole outlook, the way your body feels, the way it processes food, and to especially make it obvious to you how easy it can be to be successful with this WOE if you balance out the bad habits you've developed over the years. It is NOT forever. Expand your horizons! You HAVE to be eating more than the 12 "easy" foods you've picked off the acceptable list, especially if you're going to be on induction for longer than 2 weeks. I honestly believe that the success rate would go up if people just got outside the food box they've put themselves in. It's like they get stuck on a few foods for their entire induction and get bored and aggravated, just sitting around, waiting to be able to jump back on that favorite food they miss so much.

Find other favorite foods to obsess about, make them count towards your health. Get out and TRY NEW THINGS.

[cleochatra]

Re: Why is it difficult to stick to this way of life?

It's easy for me to say why people don't stick with it.

I can say it's generally because we change our physical appearance while never fully focussing on WHY we ate enough to make Michael Moore look like the anorexic Olsen twin in the first place.

It's psychological conditioning that made me the new Star Wars nemesis Pizza the Hut.

Until people get right with their heads, they can't get right with their weight loss. You can go through the motions and lose the weight, but it's a true journey within one's self that makes the trip a successful one versus a quick jaunt through the low-carb aisles of the local Qwickiemart of long-term weight loss.

Some things people need to think about?

Yes, I'm about to monologue. Run away! Run away!

1. Analyze what you're doing and why. Want to eat? Yeah, well welcome to my world. But why do you want to eat? Is it because you've never been this bored since you saw Al Gore naked? Is it because Oprah is wearing the Jimmie Choo shoes you were promised were one of a kind? Analyze the WHY's of temptation to put that Little Debbie into your mouth.

2. Get real. Losing weight might make you happier about your appearance, but it doesn't fix all that is wrong in the world. Even when you look so hot in your bathing suit that even Brad Pitt has pictures of YOU on his wall, your boss still is a rotten stinkerhead. You still owe backtaxes on your property. You and your spouse might still fight about money. There will still be Al Queda missions trying to blow up stuff. Weight loss can solve many of our personal health issues, but we don't wake up to a Snow White world where even the butterflies fart rainbows.

3. Take Action to turn the mood around. Doing what we always did gets us what we always got. So yeah, let's shake things up a little bit. Instead of eating when Oprah wore your Choo shoes, write her a letter. she needs to know the James Frey of shoedom done probably told her she's wearing the same shoes you're wearing. If you're mad at someone, work it out. Write a letter you never intend to send. Kick a pillow. Let them know they hurt your feelings. Do something. Don't internalize and medicate these very real and natural emotions with the Hostess Twinkie of inanity. Do something. Don't just be. Do. Unless you're Bing Crosby...then you can dobedobedoooooooooo.

4. Be accountable. There's a very pertinent part of the TOPS pledge that says, "even though I overeat in private, my excess poundage is there for all the world to see". Amen. It's true. We can fool ourselves all we want. Order the Big Whoppymeal with large Diet Coke. It's still a bunch od baddy badness. Eat the poptart with the lights off. Darkness is slimming, but that pop-tart isn't. You can do what you want, but nothing has memory like your body. And if you treat it like a bad car, it'll react like one. And in life you don't get a bus pass when your body breaks down.

5. Celebrate the successes. Sure, 50 pounds might not seem like a major loss when you have 150 more to go. Go to the store and push a cart around with 50 pounds of dog food in it. You've lost that much weight. That's something.

6. Know this is a way of eating-- for life. So you stalled this week. OMG! Call the news! No. Don't. It happens. Don't call Maury Povich just yet. Losing weight, speaking in percentages, is only a small percentage of the rest of your life. What's the big dealio if it takes you 2 years to lose the weight? You're going to spend the other 80 years in utter boredom looking at your attractive visage in the mirrors sporting those geriatric Jimmy Choos (it's all about the shoes). Weight loss, as frustrating as it is, is a lifelong change, not a quick fix. The journey is worth the fighting for, as much as the changes, themselves, are. Are you a new person with new and improved (as seen on tv) habits at goal, or just a ticking time bomb ready to chase the next pizza delivery truck down the street the next time you and your senator don't see eye to eye?

How don't I stray? I do stray, occasionally, and it's life. What's life, if not the sum parts of evidence, both anecdotal and empirical? How I handle straying is what makes me a success story in the making. When it happens, it happens. I just get right back on plan. I know I'm fighting for something more than perfection. I'm not perfect. No one is. Even George Bush makes armpit noises. And (hold the presses) Arnold Schwartznegger picks his nose.

I look at the long term goal. Changing the way I do what I always did. I apply the techniques I've discussed in this post. Atkins is a way of life, but it is also the means by which a human can be occasionally a base creature of flesh and floppybits and still lose weight and feel wonderful.

And in the long run, that's worth more than money can buy. And even more than a monologuing queen of de west nile virus on a low-carb bulletin board can sell you in print for free.

[ladyinred]

Re: Why is it difficult to stick to this way of life?

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaand She's Back!!! Thanks Cleo. And welcome back.

[I lost it]

Re: Why is it difficult to stick to this way of life?

ttdriver, you hit that right on the head! Being thin does not always equate with being in shape.

[sallyseachange]

Re: Why is it difficult to stick to this way of life?

Great thread! And... you all said it all so very well!! Thank you.

Welcome back Cleo!

Sal