is anybody taking a break during the holidays. you know a bite of this a taste of that, relaxing a little??

i thought i could make it through, but it seems like i am caving.

I still have so much to lose that I'm trying not to. I just started a few weeks ago, lost 10 pounds quickly, and have had two sessions of cheating, one due to a holiday and another just because. I'm going to plan to stay on this woe throughout the holidays, and hope to succeed. If I don't, I'll go right back on it.

But those who have been on it a long time may want to take a nibble here and there!


Jill

Hi acipenser,

I think it depends on your will power. I'm having at least two days of total binge for Christmas and boxing day...but I've done this before and I know exactly what will happen. I'll put on several kilos and it'll take about a week or two back on an induction type diet to put me right again.

I would say only indulge if you're 100 per cent sure you can get back on the waggon. Also if you suffered horrific detox symptoms during induction be prepared to go through them again.

Finally it's up to you!

Robert

I can't...I'm diabetic.

I actually look on that as a good thing. God decided I was being much too wishy-washy about losing weight so he decided to give me a darn good excuse to low-carb the rest of my life! And since I became diabetic eating 'healthy' (you know, the high complex-carb/beans/tofu/veggies/lots of fruit/chicken/fish thing...) I now know I should've been low-carbing all of my life, not to mention my health is actually much better now (18 months later), with blood sugars looking better, cholesteral coming down too; then I'm obviously NOT 'ruining' my health as the AMA/ADA thinks.

I hope the New Year brings me good news in being able to come off all my meds and just manage with diet and excercise only....

I'm sure I will indulge a bit here and there, but I am REALLY going to avoid a total free-for-all.

Since I've just now started making any progress (since Nov and I've been on atkins since April!) I really can't afford for my body to change the way it's processing food and fat right now.

Actually, I'm so juiced about losing 20 pounds this month, I couldn't even care less about a Christmas cookie. Bring on the turkey for me!!

Everyone's different...a few months ago I would have taken that break...so whatever the decision, at least have a rebound plan!!

Personally I don't think that I could "take off" from my LC WOL. I had lost 50lbs about 3 years ago and decided that I could "take off" for vacation. Three years and 70lbs later I have finally gotten the will power to begin this WOL again.

I have told myself every year "I'll start after Easter, Vacation, Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc.", but I never did until now. If you have the will power then that's great, but I don't.

Hi, I'm Dennis and I'm a carb addict!


Good luck

Hi, I am tasting holiday fare at parties and I plan to make a traditional Christmas dinner. I have been doing Atkins since October 15 and its been pretty easy to stay on. But as this is a WOL, I am not going to totally deprive myself of festive foods. Holidays should be about treats - in America we get into trouble when we eat like every day is a feast. I did not get to 200 pounds by eating turkey and dressing on holidays! I understand that for some people any indulgence triggers cravings, y'all have a tougher row to hoe! I do find that I don't have much of an appetite for high carb stuff - a few forkfulls are usually enough!

I plan to stay as LC-legal as possible....if I do splurge on some treat or another, it will be in conjunction with meal and hopefully only once in a day so that I can stay withing CAD/CALP guidelines. I am definitely one who can get right back on plan after a "treat"..... but usually have to fight cravings for a couple of days afterwards. I've found that overall it's just not worth it and that's what keeps me on the straight-n-narrow.

Hi all~ *s*
Everyone is different I know. For me, I feel better and so much more "in control" when I don't eat any processed sugar, flour, etc... I find that if I go ahead and have it I have a terrible stopping and it takes me too long to get back in gear. I have "cheated" some........and if I do over the holidays I will be following CAD and having the "junk" in a one hour reward meal...........at least that way I don't gain and even if I don't lose I am not thrown out of control...........one of the best parts of CAD to me~

I'm an absolute sugar junkie so even a taste is enough to send me off the deep end and I know from experience (did this last year) that I have a hard time getting back on track again.
Some people can do it, but for me "just a little taste" spells trouble.

I have to stay on the sidelines...

...because a little of this and a little of that do me no good. I mean, if it's bad for me and it derails my program, what kind of a "treat" is it really?

But that's my story. Yours may be different. However, if you decide to live it up, keep in mind that you don't have to return to the same old familiar patterns. For starters, you can always have smaller portions than you would have in the past. Or maybe you could try your hand at a LC dessert if it's sweets you want.

You'll know best. It's all about priorities.

Happy Holidays!

Donald

I have already taken a small break for both Thanksgiving and the company Chrismas party. A small taste of everything my sister made at Thanksgiving, put ate mostly the turkey. At the party I had one bite of the dessert., and one small slice of fudge. It just did not taste all that great, so I didn't feel the need to eat more. I still lost a couple of pounds since Thanksgiving and the party was only Sat, so I have not weight in yet this week.

I have been pretty lucky to completely change my WOE and I am comfortable with it. I have to warn you I was lucky in many ways with LC eating because for the most part I could give up some things easiliy that are much more tempting to others like: Pasta, rice, white bread. Some things like most candy, most deserts, I gave up long before I did LC. With holiday meals I have little breaks like Thanksgiving, I cheated three times with stuffing on three consecutive days. But all my other meals were Atkins. I find when I do cheat like that I have smaller portions as compared to what I used to eat then eat right all other meals. Certainly like has been said everyone is different.

I'm going to be as LC as I can but I know I'll go over. Am going to try to avoid anything sweet because I've found that even a taste sends me into junk food cravings that nearly drive me mad!!!

I had planned to eat whatever on a few days over the holidays but lately I have been doing so well, without any difficulty, so I think I'll just play it by ear. I will be making some Chocolate Truffles (Atkins book) and some Coconut Macaroons (also Atkins book) so that I've got some sensible goodies around that I can have and even if I over indulge it will still be better than getting into a box of chocolates or other goodies laced with sugar, etc.

My biggest challenge will be trying to accept whatever I do over the holidays.

Best wishes to everyone for a wonderful holiday season.