Ok, so I have a confession to make. I've been cheating pretty bad lately. I don't know what's wrong with me. I mean, when I first went on Atkins everything was good. I cried and had withdraw symptoms from the carbs, but I made it through all of that. Now, I'm having trouble getting back on the low carb thing again. Any advice? I mean, I have every intention of being good, but something happens and I give up. I mean, eating carbs seems so much simpler at the time, so I do it, then I feel guilty because I know I'm hurting myself. (I have reactive hypoglycemia). So, any type of motivation for this would be awesome!

Do you all ever get tired of eating just meat and veggies? I mean, I miss fruit! Isn't it strange...I always thought I was doing good by having a banana or an apple and peanut butter (yum) for a snack. Help!

Pearbear, BEEN THERE, DONE THAT, HAVE THE T-SHIRT TO PROVE IT!! I know exactly where you are coming from and the only advice I have for you in just get back on the program and work it like there is no tomorrow. I really believe I have lost no-doubt a totle of about 500 tons inmy life time only to go back and do the stupid stuff all over again. Yes, we will fall, but we will also be able to get back up again. Just do the best you can and knowing you have done well before lets me know you can do well again. We are in this together, so just hang in there. Joan

You do know once you get past induction you can start having fruits in your diet again?

All you have to do it get through 2 weeks without them, and then you can start adding berries back in. After a bit you can add more in if your carb allowance lets you I had canolope one morning It was very tasty!

I'd suggest two strategies for coping.

One, for why you do it...for the emotional component, do journal (privately--you needn't do this on this site) about your emotional state. Try to see the patterns emerging--when are you driven to eat carbs versus when can you resist them. There will be situations, people, and emotions that are difficult for you, and being forewarned about them can help you develop strategies and consciously implement them when the trigger situations arises

For food variety, also work at that. When I got to the bored stage (and believe me, I was as bored as anyone!) I made a commitment to try one new meat recipe and one new vegetable per week. I tried mushrooms I never had, turnips for the first time, kale and chard and all sorts of greens that I'd never tried (yummy quick-fried in bacon grease and so very nutritious!), and more. This simple strategy really helped allay my boredom.

Apart from emotions, the problem of continual cheating is physiological--once you're in the carb loop, there's nothing for it but to break the addiction again, go through the withdrawals, and come out at the end of a week better off. But this time, at the end of that week, you should have some additional coping tools to help you stay on plan.

HTH!