OMG, how many times can I possibly blow it? I know I can do this, so why do I keep screwing it up? Today is the day of my daughters sleep over, and I didn't even make it until the party. I was running around this morning, picking up the cake, the ice cream, the candy, everything. I ate before I left but suddenly I'm starving. So I grab a pack of those crumb donuts. Do you know how much weaker this will make me at the party tonight? Whatever, I can't stand it. Sorry to let you all down.

Hey - I battle that everyweekend!! And that is usually starting my slip Friday night going to Sunday night! But you know just get up and brush yourself off and say ok I slipped now back to my plan of action. You know you haven't lost the battle until you give up! Hang in there we all have our "moments" just know this is a journey with a lot of bumps in the road.

Thanks Joylorene,

I really need that right now, I just feel so low, you would think I had just killed somebody. I keep asking myself, what do you want more, food or to be thin and healthy. I know the answer, I'm just not cooperating with myself LOL!!

I've had those dangerous thoughts plenty of times also and I've engaged in the very destructive attitude of well....I blew it, so the day is shot, might as well eat everything in sight and start again tomorrow. But you know what..today isn't shot, you can still get back on plan..right now and have a really great rest of day on plan. A couple of crumb doughnuts ( don't know what those are) might not hurt you much, but if you add cake, pizza, chips, etc etc to the mix...well, lets just say...you'll pay for it! Get right back on! You can do it!

I think part of my problem, which I think it was iceman who pointed it out to me when I first started, is that I still think of this as a diet, not a way of life. Its like, ok, I'll do this until I get back to normal weight then I can eat healthy but not restricted and work out a lot. But part of the problem with that is thats what I could do 10 years ago, and my body has changed. And its hard to accept I have to actually change my eating habits for good, not just for a while. I need to figure this out. In the meantime, do I do Phase I for an extra week or what?

Sublime, don't beat yourself up over it, learn from it! Go chug a couple extra glasses of water, eat some extra lean protein today and try to squeeze in a quick walk or bike ride. Maybe you could even (depending on their age and willingness) find a fun exercise activity to do with your daughter and her friends. My 10 year old had a party last weekend and we had a goofy dance contest. I burned more calories trying to keep up with sugar fueld 10 y/o girls than any old workout tape.
Keep your head up, and remember thats it's not a crime to make mistakes unless you don't learn from them.

Some stay on phase 1 till they reach goal - I really don't follow a "phase" I just limit my carbs more for about 1 month then add nuts,more cheese etc depending on how my weight loss is going. I know it's hard to not think of this as a diet but a way of life - and I have struggles with that also. I am not used to limiting my food choices and having to plan menus and plan for going out to eat it is alot of work but that is the reason I have to do this is because when I wasn't watching what I ate and ate everything Well that is how my body got so HUGE. So I have come to the realization that this is just what I have to do to have the body/health I want and yes it's work but what isn't that is worth anything? So hang in there!!

OK - I have been doing this WOE for over 2+ years so ask me how many times I have slipped up..............too many for anyone to count! The key is if you eat something that is not on your LC Plan it is NOT the end of your new WOL it is just a slip.
For me, I have found the best way to get back is to forget the slip and then make your next few meals and snacks just protein and it will kill off your desire to keep feeding the Carb monster. It just happened to me this morning and here I am back at LC Central getting my head straight while eating a hard boiled egg. I know that there are probably a lot of folks here that haven't slipped and man I wish I had their resolve. But, after doing this for so long it is STILL a struggle and probably always will but I will not quit on myself. Don't give up and know that you CAN do this.........one meal at a time! Hugs, Linda

You all are so supportive, how can I tell you how much that means. When I first started Atkins, I found a low carb group and read some of their threads and posts. There was one who was obviously as frustrated as me, and could really use some kind words. Most of the other members did just that, but one went off and told her to quit having a pity party and stop having a party in here mouth and just do what she was supposed too. Well, I didn't stay with that group. I just know theres nothing anybody can say to me thats any worse than what I'm saying to myself, and tough love will usually just make a person isolate themselves. Well, me anyway, so thank you so much for encouraging me and not telling me what a loser I am. The bad kind of loser I mean. For some reason, the weekends just kill me, party or no party.

This has happened to me so many times before, and its true, you can't think of it as a diet. When I use to slip, even if it was at like 5 pm, I would put it behind me and just move on. Many people make the mistake of saying "I'll start fresh tomorrow morning" but that's not the case. Start fresh the next minute. That way, tomorrow morning you'll have half a day under your belt already.

Well, I came by to offer tough love, but now see you only want sympathy. I hope that works for you.

Kay

Sublime, so everyone else has been very reassuring, so I'm going to come at you with a bit of tough love - sort of.

First of all, you're not letting us down. You are letting you down. If you really want this, it's not anyone else you're hurting. I've gone through so many years of lying to myself and "pretending" to lose weight for others. This is the first time in my life that I really wanted it for ME. Needless to say - I'm down 45 lbs. You have to REALLY REALLY want it. I don't mean you have to want to weigh less. We all want that. You have to want to TRY to lose weight- there's a big difference there.

The reason I quoted you above is because you said "I'm starving. so I grab a pack of donuts". You had no control over being hungry - you just were. But the donuts didn't just fall into your mouth. And even worse, it's a pack - so you consciously picked each mini donut up and ate it. Here's where your strength needs to come in:

When you slip - you pick up the back of donuts - or cake - or icecream, etc. That's where it stops. You have to take a long look at the donuts - and take a deep breath. Then ask yourself - what is this. Do you want this - for real? What are your alternatives? I guarantee - with a little effort, you could have found something you could eat. If it was a store- you could find fruit, or low sodium beef jerky, or almonds or cashews or peanuts. At home, perhaps you have yogurt or vegetables (real veggies not celery hehehe). Slipping is picking up the bad food - but at that point you are still in control.

Since I started this new WOE, I've come close to cheating numerous times. Only once have I committed the act.

New motto: THINK BEFORE YOU EAT.

I know you will do well - but you have to want to do well not just say you want to.

Best of luck - and we're all here for you.

I dont think she needed that!! she slipped and needed support, isnt this what we are all here for! Some times tough love isnt what a person needs when they are already beating their self up! over their slip!

Hi sublime!!

I've been giving thought to what I want to say to you. I would like you to know that the start is scary....I had alot of thoughts like: I'm never going to get this right....or...Its going to take me forever and I'll never make it......or.....I cant do this.

You need to remember that this whole thing is a process and it takes time for us to change our reactions to foods that we used to eat. We have to change our thinking in order to make this a way of eating for life..... not just another diet.

So you had a slip...so what? Relax!! Take a few deep breaths and forgive yourself and move on!! Its when we allow the slips to stop us dead in our tracks that we don't learn from the experience.

When we get stressed and are busy and hungry...its really easy to grab at food that we do not eat any more. This is where thoughtful planning comes into play. I have to make sure that when I go food shopping, that I don't do it on an empty stomach. So I grab a filling snack before I go. A handful of almonds, 1 oz of lite jarlsberg, 1 hard boiled egg...all work for me.

iceman has it right when he told you to "think before you eat"...stop and take some deep breaths and really give thought to what you are doing as most times its a reaction to what is going on....thats what we all have to change in ourselves.

You can do this!!!

Thanks everybody, and Judynyc, I've decided I'm not going to try to do this, I will do this, and do it well. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!