Dateline NBC: Diet Psychology

[Betty]

Interesting thread. I did catch the program and found it interesting. I did tell my DH that I would not have made a good test subject because I would have told them those foods did not fit my WOE and therefore I would not test the foods. Not that I couldn't, but that I would not by personal choice.
Also told my DH that it sure made me proud of the boot camp program we have here on ADBB. In case you have not heard of or do not know what the boot camp is, there is forum here that is entitled FAQ about Boot Camp or something like that. I mention it because there will be a new boot camp application/enrollment period during May. There will be an announcement when that happens, and the next boot camp I believe is going to be the first 2 weeks in June. One of the things that is part of boot camp is getting the recruits to look at when/why they eat, triggers etc.

Here is a link to one of the threads in the FAQ boot camp forum.

http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.com/viewtopic.php?t=59835

Oh, yes, in case you wonder why you don't see the "boot camp" forum in the list of forums, that is because the forum is hidden unless you are one of the boot camp staff or a recruit in boot camp.

[maribelle]

Well, I can attest to the "what the ****" attitude. I went 6 months last year, and lost 70 pounds. I blew it over Thanksgiving, and since then it was: start induction, slip "what the ****" binge....repeat. Over and over. I'm finally on induction to stay again. Now I just got to get up and exercise! For me that is ****! :no

[Betty]

Maribelle, nice to see you on the board. Now you glue your butt to the wagon with some of 2Big's glue, or I will just have to come kick your butt. LOL Just kidding and you know it. However it is good to see you on the board. You know you can do this WOE, so just come here for support when you need it, and stick tight to the Atkins wagon. :hug

[Nutri_Nut]

I was able to stick with Atkins for about nine months because I thought of it as a way of life I could live with. But there are restrictions, and anytime someone feels like there are things they can NEVER eat again, they feel deprived. That feeling, of course, leads to falling off the wagon - perhaps permanently.

The more deprived I feel, the more I want the things I cannot have. If I tell myself it's OK to eat something "not on the list" every now and then, the "diet" seems do-able.

[cleochatra]

Nutri, I look at it this way-- those cravings are not your intellectual self talking, but your badly behaving blood sugars and old addictions cropping back up.

Giving in to things which know no logic nor common sense is not logical or pragmatic.

So, the "I can have a little" thought patterns are the extension of emotion and chemical imbalance brought about by some things which do not stem from reason so much as errant blood sugars still hoping to score some 'food/drugs' for the system.

We'll always be carb junkies, and justifications keep us there, not reason.

[Alienore]

I have to agree with Cleochatra there about us always being 'carb junkies' because I've had cravings coming back for things that I know are not good for me at all but I still can imagine how it feels to eat them and I've had to give myself a good talking to over the weekend when I REALLY wanted chocolate and said 'NO' to myself because yes I could have had it but then I'd have been mad at myself looking at the scales this morning.

I want to lose at least seven to ten pounds this month if I can because it's time to start LOSING and being a bit healthier. Having finally seen that 'Supersize Me' program on tv last week it really made me think about what you find yourself eating and how easy it has become to eat crap that others think is okay. People at my office keep on telling me how bad Atkins is for me so I say what's wrong with a salad for lunch?!? So what if I choose not to eat crisps and chocolate and drink diet coke all day long?


Deborah

[Nutri_Nut]

Do you know of any article(s) that discuss carb addictions? Is this a REAL thing?

Also, what do you think about programs such as WW that advocate an occasional "cheat," and dieters still lose weight? I remember seeing a commercial not long ago about WW "flex points" that allows dieters to eat foods they like - only in moderation. Is this type of eating plan fine for some or basically harmful to everyone?

[not2late]

Do you know of any article(s) that discuss carb addictions? Is this a REAL thing?

Also, what do you think about programs such as WW that advocate an occasional "cheat," and dieters still lose weight? I remember seeing a commercial not long ago about WW "flex points" that allows dieters to eat foods they like - only in moderation. Is this type of eating plan fine for some or basically harmful to everyone?

I think that depends on the person. Some people can take "one bite" and walk away. For others that "one bite", leads to another "one bite" and another until they've bitten themselves off their weight loss wagon.

So you really have to do some honest soul searching. If you think you'll fall off with one or two bites, you might be better off not biting. If you can bite, then you have to take the consequences of biting, like slower weight loss or longer time to goal.

But seeing those dieters on Dateline reaching for cookie after cookie or eating more ice cream than they, themselves, admitted they wanted, you can see why for some folks, flex points don't work....

[cleochatra]

{{{Alienore}}} You go, girl! That's right! That momentary high from the blood sugar rush doesn't even make up for the resulting crash that takes place afterwards. It really is physiologically detrimental to put that stuff into our systems. It really is like drugs.

As for a program like WW, I followed Weight Watchers and was hungry the entire time on that WOE. The cheats on that diet were different, because you were still eating carbs, so you were introducing more carbs on the cheat day. I actually ate little to no vegetables on that way of eating, and the inability to get enough fats always made me hungry and craving more foods. In short, I was saving up all my points for Happy Meals.

Conversely, on this WOE, adding carbohydrates is incremental, slow, and allows a person to get to know which foods will adversely react to your physiology and well being.

[TryingToStayHappy]

For the past 15 months, I have viewed this "diet" as a lifestyle change. I will eat this way for the rest of my life. I am not deprived. I can still eat what I want, although I've always been more of a "quantity" vs "quality" person when it comes to food.

So long as my stomach is happy, I'm happy, :joy

I still need to be better at incorporating excercise... I lost my first 77 pounds withour hardly excercising at all.

I feel like this is an enjoyable way to live. A realistic way to live. A better way for me to live.

[Piasabird]

As for a program like WW, I followed Weight Watchers and was hungry the entire time on that WOE. The cheats on that diet were different, because you were still eating carbs, so you were introducing more carbs on the cheat day. I actually ate little to no vegetables on that way of eating, and the inability to get enough fats always made me hungry and craving more foods. In short, I was saving up all my points for Happy Meals.

{{{Cleo}}}

It doesn't sound like you were doing Weight Watchers correctly. The plan they have now has plenty of free foods, mostly vegetables, that you can eat so that you don't have to be hungry all of the time.

I think perhaps you're just better suited to the Atkins WOE. There are misconceptions about the Atkins WOL out there. I don't think we need to be spreading misconceptions about other weight loss plans. Many, many people have lost weight by following W.W. and have kept it off.

It's all in what you prefer and what works for you. Just my 2 cents.

[Nutri_Nut]

I have seen sample WW menus, and I know I would starve eating like that. With the low-carb way of eating, you don't have to starve. When I allow myself to get really hungry, I get shakey and will eat ANYTHING in sight just to feel better.

I don't think I could handle the WW way.