How did you MAKE this WOE a lifestyle?

[godsbeloved79]

I'm not sure if this question has been asked around here lately, and I know alot of you stuck with this WOE while losing weight; BUT what triggered you to make it a lifestyle change after the weight was gone?

I got down to 160 and I was VERY comfortable. BUT I made some bad food choices, thinking that I could get right back at it. BIG MISTAKE, still reaping from it. What keeps you here and eating this way?

[dreamof145]

Re: How did you MAKE this WOE a lifestyle?

This is a good question. I can only speak for me, but my whole life consisted of going on 'diets' and never losing more than 10-20 pounds and then regaining more than I'd lost. I had doubts when I began Atkins. I didn't really believe that I could do it. I didn't think it would work. But, through becoming active in this support board and educating myself about the program -- I saw it happening.

What keeps me here and eating this WOE? I learned from others the dangers of allowing myself to feel that I am cured. I know and accept the fact that I am never going to be able to 'go back' to the life-style that I lived before Atkins. Anytime I have doubts, I pull out my old journal and read about the misery that I felt when I was heavier. I have committed myself to do this for the rest of my life. In the beginning, my biggest support besides the ADBB was having a 'weight loss buddy' that I conversed with on email and on the phone. I no longer had to do this alone. I always had her support and motivation to keep me going.

I stay here now because of the people. This is home to me. This support board has supported me through all kinds of challenges and issues that I've faced over the past two+ years. I want to give that same support to others.

[cmcole]

Re: How did you MAKE this WOE a lifestyle?

Again, only speaking from personal experience:

I know what it's like to feel rotten, which I did before. The health benefits I have achieved far outweigh any perceived absence from my menu.

I think, sometimes, we are led in a specific direction in life to help others -- and this can apply to more than just menu choices. Recently, my hubby was diagnosed with very high blood sugar, and sent home with equipment to monitor his levels for two weeks, to see if there was a need to stick him on pills or insulin.

Well, in conjunction with the diabetis education class they sent him on, I helped him make better choices regarding his food intake, and we monitored the changes in his blood sugar levels when he had specific foods. Not and exact science, but gave him an idea that starches, grains, sugars were spiking his levels. He has since cut out many things almost completely, and, although not completely LC, certainly 85% better than he ever was, and his blood sugar levels are stable enough to keep him from the pills or the needles.

So, in our case, this lifestyle change is necessary, but not a "necessary evil". Yes, we could go back to being unhealthy and not exercising, but . . . why would we? He has lost nearly ten inches in pants sizes (I hate that it happened so quickly for him and not for me, but I have nearly reached the end of my weight loss phase - if I haven't already - since I've been at this weight for nearly two years - so I can't really say anything too negative - I've already had my "day in the sun" so to speak).

Anyway, making this a WOL/WOE has been such a benefit, I can't see myself going back. Perhaps it has something to do with what was my trigger foods - he is having more troubles in that area than I am - he was a chips, bars, cookie type of person, whereas I liked snacking on cheese or nuts, anyway. My downfall was bread, and since he's limiting his intake of that, now, too, there's much less of it in the house - and it's more the "fresh out of the oven" type that would tempt me, not the store-bought, pasty white crap.

A long answer, and I hope it wasn't too off-topic compared to what you wanted to hear.

[cleochatra]

Re: How did you MAKE this WOE a lifestyle?

I began by putting the scale away on Sunday.

There. Perfection hurdle #1 away and accounted for.

From here forward it's not about 'doing' low-carb, it's about being low-carb.

I'm not going to plug in effort with expected scale rewards. The day-to-day in life doesn't give necessary rewards. You pay the bills, and you don't receive a card in the mail. You're allowed to continue to use their service. You follow a weight loss plan and exercise, and maybe it's wrong to expect material huzzahs when you're still granted the use of your body for another day.

Which is more important?

I think I'd been looking at this the wrong way for a long time.

When I was a teen and our whole family low-carbed, I didn't look at Atkins as a "diet". I looked at it as how we simply ate. If I was hungry, I enjoyed a string cheese or some meat, maybe a hard-boiled egg. I didn't look for the scale every morning. I could tell my clothes were fitting more loosely, and that I'd started bumping my hips against the counters and bruising them because there was less fat there.

I exercised because I like how I felt and not because it was what I had to do. I wanted to be less sedentary when I was eating to plan.

So putting so much effort into the resulting oohs and ahs and the immediate payoffs in an MTV society when life, itself, is really so much more mundane is really what it's all about for me.

This is life. This is Atkins.

And, maybe later, when I reach my goal, I can say, "This is Atkins! This is life!"

[sallyseachange]

Re: How did you MAKE this WOE a lifestyle?

I started with the real "diet mentality" never really believing I'd live in a place like Italy and give up pasta, pizza and bruschetta for good. I never thought I could do it. This was just a temporary change to my eating habits, so I could get nearer a weight I'd be happy with.

I did have a very strong incentive though.

Well... after a few weeks, I realised that I was really quite content eating this way. I didn't crave those carbs nearly as much as I'd thought I would. The weight was melting away and I was thrilled.

Then I moved to OWL and was even happier... I started to think 'longer term'. I passed my goal weight, which I'd set because it was a weight I'd be happy to reach, but not where I'd like to be in an ideal world. I'd believed the goal I'd set to be 'realistic'. And yet, I'd slipped by it almost effortlessly! Amazed, I set my new goal at my real 'ideal' weight.

I reached it. I passed it.

And was so, so blissful at being there. How could I go back? Why should I? I was happy as anything eating the way I was (am)!!

So, making this WOE a lifestyle just sort of crept up on me. Now... I have no intention of going back to my old eating habits... at all!

It's Atkins for life, for me!

[SugarFreeSheila]

Re: How did you MAKE this WOE a lifestyle?

It is a bit like getting all A's straight across the board for the first time - you just get spoiled to the feeling of truly conquering. Anything short of maintenance of that is simply out of the question.

Once my weight was lost, I never wanted to relinquish the reigns; nothing and nobody could ever loosen my grip. Forget it!

[Hudson]

Re: How did you MAKE this WOE a lifestyle?

My health is so much better I am scared to go back.

[2big4mysize]

Re: How did you MAKE this WOE a lifestyle?

fear and practice afraid that 300+ pounder would reposses me and practice from day one on the right way to do Atkins. it was like learning to do math as a kid at first I counted on my fingers and readded and ereaased until I had it just right and memorized tables but the more i did it the easier it got and soon just as i can look at a simple calculas problem and know the answer i know how to do Atkins right and can do it just by doing it.

[godsbeloved79]

Re: How did you MAKE this WOE a lifestyle?

Thanks for all the wonderful posts. They are truly motivating!

[triplel]

Re: How did you MAKE this WOE a lifestyle?

Good Morning!

That was a really good question, and it helped me too! I just wanted to thank you for your great question! I hope you are doing well with this WOE! to all who replied, thank you for your inspirational words! I hope you all have a Great Thanksgiving!

[AllieCat0817]

Re: How did you MAKE this WOE a lifestyle?

Just do it.