Here is the gist of it. While I feel compelled to share my Atkins experience with you, I also feel scared to share it. You see, I feel like a "cheater". (Does this sound familiar? Like when we struggled with "cheating" by getting WLS). But now I am on the complete opposite end of the spectrum. I feel like I am cheating by being on a "diet".
But to be honest with you. So far it has been an interesting experiment. And instead of looking at it like a diet, or a cheat, I think I will look at is as "trying something new". I mean, we all try to switch our game up along our journey.
So, let's discuss.
I have been on Atkins now for 10 days. I am down 9 pounds. When I first started, I thought it was probably all bulllllll-shiiiit (this is how Heather's kin say it). I thought that instead of losing weight, I might actually gain. I didnt really believe that sugar, or carbs...made much of a difference in cravings or an overwhelming urge to unhinge my jaw and run up and down the candy aisle shoveling all chocolate products in my mouth like I was on Supermarket Sweep.
Well...now I am starting to think a little differently.
It took me about 4-5 days to quit bitching, moaning, and daydreaming about sweets. And it wasn't until Tuesday, when I was reading some blogs and everyone was talking about cravings and feeling like a failure that I realized....
Holy mother of semi-sweet chocolate chips...I am not craving anything. Perhaps its because I can put tremendous amounts of fat into my body anytime I please...as long as its carb free. I dunno. And although I find myself bringing up oreos and ice cream in conversations with other humans and my imaginary friends...I don't actually want it so bad that it's hurting my brain.
And I am not even tempted to cheat the plan. This may boil down to the fact that I am so afraid if I DO even ingest a no-no, I will immediately undo my hardwork, causing me to gain and thus let down my partner and lose the competition. But it's weird. I kinda like it.
And let me tell you the big selling point that I do like about Atkins. That regardless of whether studies say it's good for you or bad for you, everything I have read does not dispute the fact that a low-carb diet changes the way your body accesses it's fat stores.
So will I be a lifetime convert? Probably not. But I think even after the final weigh in next Thursday, I will make an effort to avoid high sugar and high carb stuff more often than not. I want my body to be as efficient as possible. But only time will tell.
Happy Thursday lovies!
I was thinking about you last night. I was longing to talk to you was trying to pull your phone number out of the cosmos, but I'm sure you would have been like ...."who is this again?"
ReplyDeleteAs far as cheating goes you are not. You are doing what you need to do, to be the healthiest you can. Don't think on it for a minute. I thought about someone a while back who made a post about going into the Weight Watchers forum and being ostracized because she mentioned that she had had WLS. It's all in how you view things.
I decided to go on it because of your success. I have been craving sweets (cookies, cakes and pies of all kinds) for a few months and from what I read (Atkin's, you and others) it helps with that. I know that sweets are my downfall. You are okay and it's okay. It doesn't matter about anyone else but you.
Thank you for being an inspiration. #trailblazer ;-)
I know I am not in the majority here but I have no problem saying that even with my band I am dieting. My band, when it is behaving, allows me to eat less than I did before. That is it. I still have to decide what I am putting on the end of the fork or spoon or fingers! I limit myself to 1200 calories a day but I know that all calories are not created equal. If i ate 1200 calories of Ben & Jerrys every day compared to mostly protein and good carbs, I would definitely not be losing weight. In fact, I would gain because my body does not do well with carbs.
ReplyDeleteAtkins is great but not everyone can do it to the extreme for the long term. I want to get to a place where I can eat a diet of mainly protein and good carbs and have the occasional treat. I am not there yet!
And for what it is worth, I agree, we do need to shake it up from time to time! Keep up the greatness you have accomplished....you continue to inspire me!
I completely get the idea that you feel like you're cheating - but of course you know you're not. It's just a thing you're doing. And hell, maybe you'll keep doing it, who knows. I know that a hell of a lot of seriously well respected people and organizations, not the least of which is Johns Hopkins Hospital believe a diet low in carbs and high in protein is the way to go. Perhaps Atkins is at the very serious end of that scale, but I think we all benefit by upping our protein and lowering our carbs.
ReplyDeleteYou're doing great and we're all waiting with baited breath to see how the final weigh in goes for you and your partner! Good luck!
You're very much an inspiration. :)
ReplyDeleteI agree with all the above comments---and you are an inspiration---- and have me thinking about a little Atkins boost!
ReplyDeleteAtkins was the only "diet" that ever worked for me (though I did gain it all back and then some) and it was precisely because the whole point is to force your body into ketosis and all it took was one major splurge to ruin a couple of days work. That all or nothing approach kept me in line.
ReplyDeleteAs for cravings, watch what happens when you do finally have a piece of candy or some simple carbs - you will become RAVENOUS.
Food is a drug.
Good luck with the challenge and you are definitely not letting your partner down...holy smokes 9lbs in 10 days! I'm a VSGer who is learning all about evils carbs and how they slow my journey down. I blogged about it recently, (http://thisonebody.blogspot.com/2011/03/just-dont-start.html) and you hit the nail on the head with the idea of being afraid to "cheat" while you are low-carbing because it might undo everything. Yes, it can and does have that affect of people. Sigh.
ReplyDeleteLike Jacquie said, I am in that boat where I need to do this until I'm at that place where I can eat a good diet 95% of the time and have that 5% when I indulge and it's not a problem.
Yes! Exactly! You should look into the primal blueprint. It's a lot like what you're looking for at the end of the day I think. Only healthy natural carbs allowed. I'm still working on not indulging...it's my sweet tooth that gets me in trouble.
ReplyDeleteYou are kickin ass on the Atkins right now...just be happy for your progress so far! Awesome!
ReplyDeleteIt's so true about the cravings going away. I found the same thing doing my allergy elimination diet! You are doing awesome!
ReplyDeleteMy doctors office has stressed low carb since day one. So thats been my life the last year and a half. You are doing great miss thing!!!
ReplyDeleteI have been looking into this one since I read some of your recent posts and I think I am about to have a real try at the atkins diet!! We all know that even with the band it takes real work to ghet to goal, this is something I have been trying to ignore recently, and it has been to my detriment.
ReplyDeleteThanks for being open about this diet and for keeping us updated.
I was looking at your numbers and holy smokes...you have lost a whole YOU! Look at your journey and how many people you have inspired and you are definitely good enough. Kudos.
ReplyDeleteLow carb is the only thing that works form me and it really is easy to do. I still eat some carbs but I keep it to an occational thing.
ReplyDeleteIf I hadn't done Atkins a million times before in my pre-banded life, I would give it one more shot. For me, it messes with my brain chemicals too much - contributing to depression, and I don't have enough energy for serious workouts with no carbs. I wish it worked for me, because DH loves it and it does work! So glad you have had success. Nice work!
ReplyDeleteI'm not doing Adkins, but I'm totally dieting. The difference between now and before is that now I have success. I lose and keep it off.
ReplyDeleteWe all have different paths. There is no cheating!! Keep it up, you awesome girl!
Keep rockin' it.
ReplyDeleteI have always (both pre & post-band) found Atkins to be the most tolerable diet and I agree with you that the fact that there's not cheating a little bit on this program or you screw up your chemistry for the next several days and then you're starting over. That usually keeps me in tow.
The last piece of advice I will give you is that you will never be as successful on Atkins as you are on your very first go around at. It is absolutely the worst diet plan to get off of and then back on...I guess when you're in the middle of the "cheat", you know what's coming as soon as you stop the sugar cold turkey. For that reason those "off" periods seem to be quite prolonged.