How long before you fell off the wagon?

[Lollypop-]

I am starting again (sigh). I would like to know how long you've followed Atkins and exercised before falling off your plan. How much of the time do you eat low carb? 6 out of 7 days? 5? 4?

For instance, I used to only be able to go 5 days without messing up. This last go around, I made better progress. I was able to go 14 days without messing up. Which, for me, a carb addict, is a big deal.

I always start out with the best of intentions. I am hoping to stay on track and avoid the scale for the next four weeks.

How about you? How long have were you able to stay on track? What's your record? Maybe we can help each with our real world experiences.

[mission to lose]

Re: How long before you fell off the wagon?

I was on Atkins for less than 2 weeks in 2004, had no idea what I was doing, just following along with a friend at work, she wanted a buddy. I Just did what she told me.

I had not even considered the ATKINS WOE until the end of this past July. I researched it, checked out this board,
and I started on August 10.

I have been on it 24/7. No days off except for the flu last fall. This includes all Holidays, all Family birthdays, eating out in restaurants, the sad day at the Hospital (all day 70 miles from home the day my Dad died), his wake and funeral, my sister's MIL's wake and funeral. You name it. I follow the plan.

So I follow 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. I haven't fallen off the wagon.
That is now how I live. I want it bad enough to work through my occasional cravings, and stick to it. Looking great again is more important to me than eating any of the stuff I ate in the past that made me TOO, TOO BIG!!!

Good Atkins eating to all of you!

[IrishIrish]

Re: How long before you fell off the wagon?

For me, consistency with Atkins was the difference between succeeding and failing as I had with other weight plans along the way. To me, I'm not willing to throw away the orderly and predictable way I fall the plan, so I stay on it. Failing isn't an option for me and I will take all precautions to avoid slippery slopes.

[chinadoll]

Re: How long before you fell off the wagon?

The first time I was on Atkins I went 6 months without cheating and lost about 45-50 pounds. Then I got off and I have never had that kind of focus again. I have also never had that kind of success again. I will lose 20 gain 10, lose 15, gain 15. I know in my heart the only way to do this is to stay on track 7 days out of 7. But it has been easier said than done. In the end that is what I will have to do to get to goal.

[Carbonator]

Re: How long before you fell off the wagon?

I started on December 15th. Not really following the book, just seeing how I would do on a low carb diet (left myself an escape clause). I cheated once on Christmas eve (Big Mistake). Never again. I reread the book and started fresh on Christmas day and will never go off plan again.

It was so difficult to go from eating low carb, which you get used to, to eating a carbolicious meal, and then back to low carb the next day. I did just that, but it definitely messed with my head. I say quit your old eating habits cold turkey and follow the diet to the "T".

I treat food like an addiction and you would not allow yourself to have a drink here or there if you were an alcoholic. So, I just think Induction is like detox and OWL is you relearning how to eat correctly. You can't learn how to eat correctly if you are falling off the wagon weekly.

**Disclaimer: Just my personal opinion and what works for me** LOL

[mizski]

Re: How long before you fell off the wagon?

I would like to know how long you've followed Atkins and exercised before falling off your plan. How much of the time do you eat low carb? 6 out of 7 days? 5? 4?

I started Atkins July 22, 2009 and eat low carb 7 days a week. I always eat low carb and try to follow my Atkins plan to the best of my understanding. After the first month or so, it just became an easy habit and I got used to this way of eating.

For me it helped to read DANDR thoroughly and even re-read parts of it over and over again to understand WHY my body needed this WOE. It also helped to read ingredient labels on everything and when I saw that most foods that might have been tempting are really chemicals and junk...well, it made it so much easier to stay away from them.

I have to add that I've been eating pretty much whole foods for a couple years now. My palate has changed. Foods that I thought I would really really miss don't interest me now. The food/restaurant commercials on TV showing gooey, breaded & fried or sugary dishes hold NO appeal whatsoever. It took time but now this is just what I do...each and every day.

p.s. I will admit that occasionally I miss something like tapioca pudding or raisins in oatmeal or one of my homemade bagettes fresh out of the oven. It passes pretty quickly though. I believe one of the greatest gifts of Atkins if you follow the plan and if you do a clean Induction is that you learn to conquer cravings and especially a sweet tooth. Then, YOU rule what you eat rather than food ruling you. And that, IMO, makes all the difference in the world.

[Summerdressgirl]

Re: How long before you fell off the wagon?

I am starting again (sigh). I would like to know how long you've followed Atkins and exercised before falling off your plan. How much of the time do you eat low carb? 6 out of 7 days? 5? 4?

For instance, I used to only be able to go 5 days without messing up. This last go around, I made better progress. I was able to go 14 days without messing up. Which, for me, a carb addict, is a big deal.

I always start out with the best of intentions. I am hoping to stay on track and avoid the scale for the next four weeks.

How about you? How long have were you able to stay on track? What's your record? Maybe we can help each with our real world experiences.

Weeks before the big holiday but after that one time cheat I never cheated again and I am still doing the extended induction.

[2big4mysize]

Re: How long before you fell off the wagon?

I did by the book atkins 7 days a week for 670 days before I jumped off the wagon. I've been back on since May of 2004 eating maintnenance

[PolarBearKing]

Re: How long before you fell off the wagon?

I was on Atkins for a couple of years after losing about fifty pounds, before an accident found me spending a week in the hospital with a long recovery.

I didn't even notice I was gaining my weight back. Then I kept putting it off Atkins plan for one reason or another. Meanwhile, I gained that fifty back and a lot more before I was finally able to get back on the wagon.

This time I am doing a number of things different (lifestyle changes) to stay healthy. I honestly feel like I don't have a choice either, because at my former weight, I was in constant agony just walking down a flight of stairs (something I have to do everyday). Hopefully, you're not in as much pain & discomfort as I was (still am, but much better) and hopefully you never will.

Best of luck!

[msanjelpie]

Re: How long before you fell off the wagon?

First time in 2004 I went 14 months and lost 100 pounds...

This time in 2009 I went 8 months and lost 50 pounds... then I got waylaid with the holidays... but I'm back on track now and losing again...I expect to stay the course until I hit goal this time...

[lannerjarv]

Re: How long before you fell off the wagon?

i have only had one slip up in 7 weeks, which was 2 glasses of red wine at a company dinner this past Monday.

its soooo mental. you have to really be able to not just see the end result that you want, but to see that this is a way you will be eating for the rest of your life and not just to lose some weight.

[Farley]

Re: How long before you fell off the wagon?

I have been doing Atkins since buying DANDR (2002). I have not cheated, or fallen off the wagon since starting in February. I have made some poor choices of foods high in sodium, or eating certain foods without realizing their carbohydrate levels. Thankfully, I started using the fitday.com free food diary. After using it for a while, I got in the groove, and I don't have to rely on measuring and counting anymore. I have a pretty good idea of what I have eaten in a day, and the fact that I am not journaling my food everyday anymore means I am not calculating in my head whether I can have a candy bar (as a cheat) instead of a couple cups of veggies!

Food journaling will make a big difference in success if you are having trouble sticking to the plan.