I fell off - how can I get more willpower?

[2much2luv]

I started the Atkins diet one week ago. I did not cheat for 6 days . Then I fell off I crave sweets. Why can't I keep my will power.

[Elizellen]

Re: I fell off - how can I get more willpower?

Hi 2much

I separated this post from the one it appeared in (Review my menu forum) so it would be more likely to get responded to. It is always better to post a new thread rather than add your post to another topic as it can get overlooked as yours did.

Cna you work out what tipped you into cheat-mode? Was it seeing your favourite food, or someone tempting you with it, or maybe you needed cheering up and turned to your old comfort foods?

Will-power (or won't-power as I prefer to think of it) is difficult to rely on as unexpected situations or events can throw you off-balance. So you need to have a plan in place.

I found that having an abundance of 'legal' food and snacks ready and waiting to be taken out of the fridge at moments of need were my saviour many a time on induction. Not having to think about what snacks I could make but being able to choose from some ready-made items I had prepared earlier made things much easier for me.

One of our members used to have this in her signature

Failing to plan is planning to fail

Not only do you need to plan your menus and snacks in advance but you might need to plan your venues and social life too. If you know that when you go to a certain restaurant you will not be able to resist a certain non-induction food then for a while don't go there. If certain friends are likely to try and make you partake of their 'yummy' bagels or doughnuts then don't meet them for a while.

Not for ever - just till the time you have started to lose weight and can say to yourself - no I am not eating that now as I don't want to upset my weightloss progress.

How are you doing now?

[sallyseachange]

Re: I fell off - how can I get more willpower?

It's always a good idea to have a high fat snack handy for when cravings hit. A little snack saved my bacon (!) many a time at the beginning.
The more you manage to resist temptation, the easier it gets. Hang in there... you can do it!

[Purple Crayon]

Re: I fell off - how can I get more willpower?

Next time you crave sweets, eat a dill pickle. It will kill the craving.

And as far as how to get more willpower?
Practice, practice, practice.

Just because you messed up one feeding doesn't mean you have to mess up all the rest of your meals that day or week or month.

As someone on another board put it, If you dropped one egg on the floor, you wouldn't throw the other 11 down with it would you?

You can do this. Climb back on the LC wagon.

[cruisergal]

Re: I fell off - how can I get more willpower?

For me, I find that having a "slim" picture of myself, posted on the fridge, gets my will power going strong again. When I start to feel a bit weak, I go to the fridge to stare at that picture, and I want that look and feeling back again, rather than cheat. Cheating is only a quick fix, looking and feeling good is a long term effect!

[FLdoodette]

Re: I fell off - how can I get more willpower?

Do you like devilled eggs? Keep some in the fridge for when you have a "snack attack" ... they taste so rich and yummy Or a cup of decaf with cream ... hard to feel too deprived with cream!

It takes a little while for your body to adjust to this new way of eating, especially if you normally ate a lot of carbs. Hang in there, drink a lot of water, check in here frequently if you feel yourself weakening ... always someone ready to kick your butt if need be