Poll: Controlled Cheats On Xmas Day

[CarbaholicJoe]

Re: Poll: Controlled Cheats On Xmas Day

um...hoping I am not sounding like we are in church here but...

AMEN!!!!!!!!!

New new testament published 2002 :P

[Richt]

Re: Poll: Controlled Cheats On Xmas Day

Helena, I honestly can and actually do sit down when others are eating desserts. I honestly don't crave them any more. It will happen to you also, but you need to be strong in the inital stages.

But I do empathise with you. The start of the diet is the hardest and you do have my heart felt empathy. Stay with it and it will become much easier, honestly.

[CarbaholicJoe]

Re: Poll: Controlled Cheats On Xmas Day

I'm finding it a little hard to believe that you all sit there in restaurants during people's birthdays and Christmas etc and don't have the slightest inclination to have some dessert to be part of the party.

If it is true that you all do, then I take great courage from that. Maybe I can do it too, and maybe in 9 weeks time, at Xmas, when I am 13 weeks cheat free (a quarter of a year!) instead of my present 26 days, I too will feel that it is simply not worth cheating because of all the misery, self-hate and guilt this will entail.

At the moment, I would be soooo, sooo ashamed to have to tell you folks that I have come off the wagon and am starting again, one day cheat-free, two days cheat free. It would feel like I was playing snakes and ladders, and had slid all the way down a snake! Then you have to throw a 6 to re-start, and I am not sure how long that would take me.

I have 26 cheat-free days to protect and to build on. I must keep reminding myself of that!

Helena

We really don't know how lucky we have it on Atkins; sure, any diet is hard, during the fad people thought it was eat all you can and lose but it isn't! it takes time and effort to do this WOE properly.

It is tough at restaurants, anytime in life when you have to deny yourself things you want, its tough, but try 1200 calories a day! at least we can eat out, enjoy a big steak with mushrooms, and a nice cheese salad... if you do cheat, do it for the one thing you want and then get back on Atkins - your biggest enemy is 'well I have already cheated it wont hurt'

[not2late]

Re: Poll: Controlled Cheats On Xmas Day

I'm finding it a little hard to believe that you all sit there in restaurants during people's birthdays and Christmas etc and don't have the slightest inclination to have some dessert to be part of the party.

If it is true that you all do, then I take great courage from that. Maybe I can do it too, and maybe in 9 weeks time, at Xmas, when I am 13 weeks cheat free (a quarter of a year!) instead of my present 26 days, I too will feel that it is simply not worth cheating because of all the misery, self-hate and guilt this will entail.

Helena, when I started this WOE, I didn't trust in myself. I lost about 9 pounds during the first 2 weeks, so I was super determined to stick with this WOE no matter what!

I couldn't even walk past the potatoes in the supermarket or look at pictures of carby foods because I was too scared that I would fall off this WOE. I didn't trust myself enough to go out to dinner with friends because I thought I wouldn't be able to stay on.

But you know what? One day I was walking through my grocery store. It was in the evening when they put out the freshly baked bread. The aroma wafted over to me (all the way on the other side of the store). I smelled it. It smelled nice. It reminded me of a cozy, warm kitchen and alot of nice childhood memories. But I didn't want any. My stomach didn't growl. I didn't find myself running over to the bakery. I didn't want any. That was my "A-ha!" moment.

After that, walking past potatoes or seeing pictures of carby food or even watching my friends eat carby things, didn't bother me at all. The weight was coming off my body and my health was improving. And that was more important than a piece of cake or pie.

You'll have your "A-ha!" moment too. And when you feel the freedom of not being controlled by food, you won't feel deprived or resentful.

[ladyinred]

Re: Poll: Controlled Cheats On Xmas Day

And when you feel the freedom of not being controlled by food, you won't feel deprived or resentful.

I think that's it, Megs. Knowing that those evil little carbs, disguised as frosted donuts or whatever your passion was, will get their killer talons into you and latch on and shake you around like a rag doll and just torture you relentlessly so that you obsess about not only the donuts but every other bad carb that was ever made, well, that's enough to make me realize that I'm much better off where I am. Nice and safe.

[2big4mysize]

Re: Poll: Controlled Cheats On Xmas Day

did all my holidays cheat free since the beginning. you can move to OWl and by Christmas have all the rungs back and do a very nicer traditonal Christmas low carb. Check out our holiday cooking tiopic in the low carb cooking scholl; hidden in the lessons section of ADBB. I hope the mods will move it back to the cooking section even if it is a lesson so more folk can find it.

[ValidRouge]

Re: Poll: Controlled Cheats On Xmas Day

Helena,

Oh, trust me....there are times that I do wish for those things that others are eating around me during celebrations. Not every time...sometimes it doesn't bother me AT ALL! When it bothers me is when I haven't taken the time to make sure that I have had Atkins-legal food that SATISFIES me. Satisfaction does not always mean your stomach is filled with something...anything. Satisfaction to me means that I have eaten something that looked good (sight) and smelled good (scent) and tasted DECADENT (taste) and had wonderful texture (touch). Heck sometimes it even SOUNDS good (think fajitas sizzling in a pan). If I make sure that what I eat satisfies me...or that I will be satisfied with a meal later in the day...it sure does make it a whole lot easier to pass up on stuff.

For a holiday like Christmas or New Years I think it's vitally important for us to feel that we are having a celebration. And what better "Diet" to be on than Atkins in order to celebrate?

We can have beef tenderloin and lobster in drawn butter.
Veggies that are colorful and flavorful
Squash or green bean casserole.
Creamy sauces
Cheesecake with berries and cream for dessert.

All of this is possible moving through the Ongoing Weight Loss phases. In fact, I don't have to go any higher than rung 3.

[Chris]

Re: Poll: Controlled Cheats On Xmas Day

did all my holidays cheat free since the beginning. you can move to OWl and by Christmas have all the rungs back and do a very nicer traditonal Christmas low carb. Check out our holiday cooking tiopic in the low carb cooking scholl; hidden in the lessons section of ADBB. I hope the mods will move it back to the cooking section even if it is a lesson so more folk can find it.

As always, this lady knows of what she speaks. I'll never forget last holiday season when she talked about all the legal goodies she was planning on making. It sounded like anything but deprivation!

For myself, last Thanksgiving and Christmas, I was as good as gold. I made a beautiful legal cheesecake (I think I managed to get one slice!), and that was about the "worst" thing I did.

Sadly, it was events that happened well after the holidays that were my undoing. And, because of them, I know that, like Bren, even a small cheat can soon bring on uncontrolled bingeing, and the return of all those pounds that I thought I'd lost forever.

[2big4mysize]

Re: Poll: Controlled Cheats On Xmas Day

I'm finding it a little hard to believe that you all sit there in restaurants during people's birthdays and Christmas etc and don't have the slightest inclination to have some dessert to be part of the party.

If it is true that you all do, then I take great courage from that. Maybe I can do it too, and maybe in 9 weeks time, at Xmas, when I am 13 weeks cheat free (a quarter of a year!) instead of my present 26 days, I too will feel that it is simply not worth cheating because of all the misery, self-hate and guilt this will entail.

At the moment, I would be soooo, sooo ashamed to have to tell you folks that I have come off the wagon and am starting again, one day cheat-free, two days cheat free. It would feel like I was playing snakes and ladders, and had slid all the way down a snake! Then you have to throw a 6 to re-start, and I am not sure how long that would take me.

I have 26 cheat-free days to protect and to build on. I must keep reminding myself of that!

Helena

remember why you are having that party with the meal. you are shaving your love and freindship with family friends and coworkers celebrate that and not the food being served cause afterall it would be just as greay a party if y'all were alll drinking clean water and nibiling induction foods. Ficus is what gets us through it.

ANd oplease do as Dr Atkins says and invite your friends fanily and coworkers to be a part of your support network. WHo that truely loves you and cares for you would not throw themselves on that high carb food bomb ticking on your plate? I can't express how loved I felt when my little nephew announced he was going to have to eat all my fries a couple of yrs ago cause I was not allowed to eat them. That us an atkins support network at its best. When my plate at the fish resturant arrived I very happoly handed over all the fries to him.

[ValidRouge]

Re: Poll: Controlled Cheats On Xmas Day

ANd please do as Dr Atkins says and invite your friends family and coworkers to be a part of your support network. WHo that truely loves you and cares for you would not throw themselves on that high carb food bomb ticking on your plate? I can't express how loved I felt when my little nephew announced he was going to have to eat all my fries a couple of yrs ago cause I was not allowed to eat them. That is an atkins support network at its best. When my plate at the fish resturant arrived I very happily handed over all the fries to him.

2big, I never thought of it that way, but YES I do feel loved when my husband and stepson make it a point to make sure that I'm eating on my plan. They know it's important to me. It lets me know they are PROUD of me. I certainly don't want to let them down either.

[angelstar]

Re: Poll: Controlled Cheats On Xmas Day

*silently waits for my 'Aha' moment*

Great post tho Megs *hugs*

Helena, when I started this WOE, I didn't trust in myself. I lost about 9 pounds during the first 2 weeks, so I was super determined to stick with this WOE no matter what!

I couldn't even walk past the potatoes in the supermarket or look at pictures of carby foods because I was too scared that I would fall off this WOE. I didn't trust myself enough to go out to dinner with friends because I thought I wouldn't be able to stay on.

But you know what? One day I was walking through my grocery store. It was in the evening when they put out the freshly baked bread. The aroma wafted over to me (all the way on the other side of the store). I smelled it. It smelled nice. It reminded me of a cozy, warm kitchen and alot of nice childhood memories. But I didn't want any. My stomach didn't growl. I didn't find myself running over to the bakery. I didn't want any. That was my "A-ha!" moment.

After that, walking past potatoes or seeing pictures of carby food or even watching my friends eat carby things, didn't bother me at all. The weight was coming off my body and my health was improving. And that was more important than a piece of cake or pie.

You'll have your "A-ha!" moment too. And when you feel the freedom of not being controlled by food, you won't feel deprived or resentful.

[angelstar]

Re: Poll: Controlled Cheats On Xmas Day

MY god that is all so true.

*feels ashamed* I do feel that food = all of those things below, esp the last one. Stuffing my face full of food that I loved eating did make me happy. Until I went shopping with my skinny mates and tried on something in the fitting room and saw my rolls of fat bulging over the clothes I was trying to squeeze into. Inside I'd be crying tears, but on the outside I just smiled and went to McDonalds and stuffed my face with burgers.
I'm slowly coming around to this way of thinking, its just getting there and finding my 'Aha' moment. This thread is giving me things to think about, nearly everyone has said something worthwhile and some things have been hard hitting realisation.

I wrote this a long time ago.
The Vicious Cycle
In January, all the news is talking about is which DIET works. Well in my opinion, no DIET works, if it is just a DIET.

What works is when you decide to make it a permanent LIFETIME lifestyle change.

Of course, when I first started, this certainly was just a DIET to me... to get the dumb weight off and see if it would work.

Well not only did it work, it worked well. And I ate REAL FOOD, very often (sometimes as often as every 2 hours if hungry).

After seeing how well my body responded to this way of eating, then the mindset changed to 'this is my LIFE', not a dumb DIET.

Anything worth having is worth working for, for life.

The media doesn't talk about DIETs during pig out time between Thanksgiving and New Year's Eve. All we get 'fed' during that time is all the crap we are 'supposed' to be pigging out on because it's the 'holidays'.

Then all of a sudden when it's January, it's DIET time. Only for the same foul cycle to be repeated next year.

We don't have to feed into that mess. I never will again. 2003 was my first year not ever feeding into it and it was the most amazing thing. To actually face a January being THIN. Then to repeat it again January 2004 and 2005 and be smaller than I ever have! I have not been this weight since around 6th grade.

In November and December, the BUZZWORDS (you know, the 'in' things to say):
*Have you finished your holiday baking yet?
*What all are you baking?

HUH???????? Who said anyone HAD to bake for the holidays??

In January and February, the BUZZWORDS:
*I need to lose some weight
*What DIET are you on?
*What GYM do you go to?

HUH? You weren't sayin that 2 months ago! Why put yourself through the drama?

In November and December:
FOOD DOES NOT EQUAL family
FOOD DOES NOT EQUAL friends
FOOD DOES NOT EQUAL love
FOOD DOES NOT EQUAL giving
FOOD DOES NOT EQUAL peace
FOOD DOES NOT EQUAL happiness

In November and December, FOOD DOES EQUAL FUEL

In January and February (till Valentines Day pig out time):
FOOD DOES NOT EQUAL punishment
FOOD DOES NOT EQUAL starving so I can get this weight off

ALL YEAR ROUND, food equals fuel.
ANDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD..................DRUMROLL PLEASE...

ALL YEAR ROUND, our low carb food fuel is delicious, satisfying, AND lets us lose weight or maintain, ALL YEAR ROUND, for life.

So if this is your first January facing the daunting task ahead (it is not daunting-- take mini steps, one day at a time), let it be the last January you do this to yourself. Let it be YEAR ROUND, including November and December.

[Chris]

Re: Poll: Controlled Cheats On Xmas Day

If you're interested in how people generally feel after the holidays, just try signing up for Weight Watchers, or a membership in Gold's Gym during January. I remember the WW line snakeing out the door and down the block!

[Mothercooter]

Re: Poll: Controlled Cheats On Xmas Day

Its amazing but I really cn just sit there and watch as friends put away the carbs. My friend lastnight came into our living room ready to play a board game with a giant bowl with about 5 slices of chocolate cake with choc icing and choc chips on top. I think I was more phased by the fact that he had such a huge amount than I was about not being able to eat it myself. I did look at it about 3 times. Once thinking...hmmm I remember that used to taste good, 2nd time thinking, wow, hes destroying his body!!! and 3rd time thinking....I dont miss that crap at all!!!!!

NOTHING TASTES AS GOOD AS LOOSING WEIGHT FEELS! and this is sooooo true!

The longer I am on this WOL the easier passing up things becomes. I have lost almost 30 lbs now and I have so much more riding on my consistancy than when i had only lost 5 lbs. I couldnt imagine undoing this. I feel better than I have in a long time...well, my whole life! No food is worth loosing that. I wont let some dessert or whatever it may be, take away the most important thing I have that im slowly starting to get for the first time ever...love and respect for myself. I didnt realize i didnt have it until starting to get it. Nothing, especially food, will take that away from me again.

The moment I give in to that one cheat is the moment I gave control back to "FOOD" and start loosing my self love and respct all over again.

NOT GONNA HAPPEN! for once in my life I am coming first. I am doing this for me.

[Maerow]

Re: Poll: Controlled Cheats On Xmas Day

I think I had a piece of fudge last year. I know I was a bad goomba during works christmas party. Pray for me, I am gonna be good this year or die trying!!