Confession time! Need help getting back into Atkins

[Parousia]

Not sure if this is the right place to post this, but it seemed to fit the title!

I've been trying to get back into serious low-carbing for awhile now, but I don't seem to be able to get my head right. I'm so sick of the whole diet-go-round and to be honest, the idea of having to do it again stresses me out whenever I think about it. Unfortunately, I know if I want to reach my goals, I have no choice . At the moment I am eating way too many carbs.

There are a couple of specific stumbling blocks for me, food-wise. The one is that I really enjoy a soft-fried egg on toast with bacon in the morning, sometimes in the form of a toasted sandwich. I find it hard to enjoy the egg without toast or bread, because I love the yolk soaked into the toast/bread. Can't stand hard-fried eggs. Won't touch them! But yeah, that clearly pushes up my carb count.

The other thing is, I really need some crunchie foods in my diet (crisp-type crunch-it's a sensory issue). Eg. While I love cheese of all varieties, pretty much, I like to eat it with crackers. We can't afford much besides Tasty cheese in any case (Australia's answer to cheddar), unfortunately, and I really can't eat much of it on its own. I've tried just wrapping it in ham, but it just doesn't fill my need for crunch, and too often I end up having a toasted ham, cheese and tomato sandwich. Yum, lol, but more carbs! Before my surgery I frequently craved ice to the point hubby (who abhors gadgets!) bought me an ice-maker for Christmas! That was a great low-carb way to fulfil the need for crunch, but alas, I've totally lost that particular craving since my surgery.

Over the last few days my carb-craving has increased, and for the first time yesterday I had two-minute noodles made into a carbonara (with bacon, mushrooms, cream and lots of Parmesan), for breakfast! I went back to my usual mostly high protein breakfast today, but I would love, love, love to repeat my breakfast from yesterday for breakfast, lunch or dinner!

Bleh! I've been in so much pain and so tired over the last week, and along with a cold spell in the weather, that has probably all contributed to a need for comfort food . Sorry, didn't mean this post to be so long or for it to be such a big whinge, lol! I just feel like such a huge failure to be struggling so much with diet again, and tbh, losing the struggle! I know I've just got to get my head right, but sometimes that's easier said than done.

 

[Elizabeth N.]

Why do you want to go Atkins? It's really not mandatory, you know. If I try to go all-out on ANYTHING to do with food selections, it sets me up for a guaranteed binge. It's going on a diet, and I go bonkers at the mere thought.

 

[Elizabeth N.]

How about looking at *other* options instead of worrying about the one item that gives you so much pleasure at breakfast? How about making the rule that you will eat 30 grams of animal source protein before you consume your carbs of choice? In other words, how about looking at things to ADD to your life instead of things to take away?

 

[Parousia]

Thanks so much for your advice, Elizabeth . I felt my stress levels drop just reading your comment, lol!

I see so many people here and in the FB group doing so well with low-carbing, and I am losing really slowly atm, so I was hoping it would help kick-start my weight loss.

But, perhaps the desire to go back onto Atkins (and succeed) goes beyond diet for me. I'm the oldest of 4 girls (I have an older brother, but he was at boarding school for high school and then went away to university afterwards), and have always felt the need to be the strong one; to be an example to my sisters. I guess that has continued into adulthood with other people too: the need to be an example, to get things right. It's also meant frequently feeling a failure, because more often than not, I do fail. Dieting has been the worst for reinforcing that feeling of failure!

Ha! I didn't mean to get so introspective, but I think I've just learnt something about myself, lol. I've never thought much about the whys before. I tend to avoid thinking too much about these things, because it can be quite depressing, but I think this has actually been helpful!

I guess the question now is: where to from here? I still need to increase my weight-loss, but maybe I can do it more gently. I will start with your suggestion, and perhaps apply a similar approach to other meals.

 

[brooklyngirl]

Oh @Parousia ! I'm in the same boat right now! I've been struggling with bad choices and the guilt over them making me make more bad choices. I haven't seen my therapist in a few months so I have an appointment next week. Hoping that will help!

 

[robs477]

Not sure if this is the right place to post this, but it seemed to fit the title!

I've been trying to get back into serious low-carbing for awhile now, but I don't seem to be able to get my head right. I'm so sick of the whole diet-go-round and to be honest, the idea of having to do it again stresses me out whenever I think about it. Unfortunately, I know if I want to reach my goals, I have no choice . At the moment I am eating way too many carbs.

There are a couple of specific stumbling blocks for me, food-wise. The one is that I really enjoy a soft-fried egg on toast with bacon in the morning, sometimes in the form of a toasted sandwich. I find it hard to enjoy the egg without toast or bread, because I love the yolk soaked into the toast/bread. Can't stand hard-fried eggs. Won't touch them! But yeah, that clearly pushes up my carb count.

You can still do that breakfast, but just with ONE whole wheat toast?

The other thing is, I really need some crunchie foods in my diet (crisp-type crunch-it's a sensory issue). Eg. While I love cheese of all varieties, pretty much, I like to eat it with crackers. We can't afford much besides Tasty cheese in any case (Australia's answer to cheddar), unfortunately, and I really can't eat much of it on its own. I've tried just wrapping it in ham, but it just doesn't fill my need for crunch, and too often I end up having a toasted ham, cheese and tomato sandwich.

I like crunch sometimes too! You know what helps for me? I put some of that cheese on some real crunchy celery! and eat 2 or 3 CORN Tortilla chips. If you eat you protein first as E N suggested and then do this minor crunch thing, that may help. I know it helps me get rid of my "crunch" craving which I think is very real. If you ignore a craving...it wont go away, you've got to trick it
Best luck to you!!

P.S. I just went back and looked at your stats, and 90lbs in 8-9 months isn't to shabby! Don't get discouraged and look at the bright side, congratulations on your success!

.

 

[Spiky Bugger]

I buy an expensive Whole Foods version of these made with parmesan, becauseI'm lazy, but the DIY recipes usually show cheddar.

http://ginskitchen.wordpress.com/2013/06/17/cheddar-cheese-crisps/

You can make them as thick or thin as you want, dip them, and carefully spread stuff on them. If interested, google "cheese crisps."

 

[JackieOnLine]

How about looking at *other* options instead of worrying about the one item that gives you so much pleasure at breakfast? How about making the rule that you will eat 30 grams of animal source protein before you consume your carbs of choice? In other words, how about looking at things to ADD to your life instead of things to take away?

YES, this!

I read somewhere it was called "crowding out" - where you add so much you have less room for the stuff you want less of - but you deliberately don't try to do less of it because then you fight that or feel deprived.

ADD the good. ADD some more. more ! that cheese looks wonderful!

 

[southernlady]

All the others addressed the different ways to get crunch but what stuck out to me was this statement:

Before my surgery I frequently craved ice to the point hubby (who abhors gadgets!) bought me a nice-maker for Christmas! That was a great low-carb way to fulfil to get crunch, but alas, I've totally lost that particular craving since my surgery.

THAT could be a sign of low iron.

 

[Spiky Bugger]

All the others addressed the different ways to get crunch but what stuck out to me was this statement:


THAT could be a sign of low iron.

OR...pica.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pica_(disorder)


@MsJacquiiC ... what did I do to make a W show up at the link...and it isn't there until it posts.

 

[southernlady]

@MsJacquiiC ... what did I do to make a W show up at the link...and it isn't there until it posts.

It's not what you did, it's what SHE did. The W is that sites favicon just like the stylized V is Vitalady's site favicon. And ours is a butterfly!

 

[robs477]

I buy an expensive Whole Foods version of these made with parmesan, becauseI'm lazy, but the DIY recipes usually show cheddar.

http://ginskitchen.wordpress.com/2013/06/17/cheddar-cheese-crisps/

You can make them as thick or thin as you want, dip them, and carefully spread stuff on them. If interested, google "cheese crisps."

Good Lord that's a beautiful picture!!! I've read several similar recipes too, I want to try the pizza one.

 

[Parousia]

All the others addressed the different ways to get crunch but what stuck out to me was this statement:


THAT could be a sign of low iron.

Well, the first thing I noticed in your post is how badly I edited my post (also brought home to me how much I HATE autocorrect, lol!)

As to the iron, you may well be right. I had associated the loss of cravings for ice with my surgery, but in fact I had an iron infusion just a week or so prior to my surgery, so that is most likely the reason the craving disappeared!

 

[Parousia]

I buy an expensive Whole Foods version of these made with parmesan, becauseI'm lazy, but the DIY recipes usually show cheddar.

http://ginskitchen.wordpress.com/2013/06/17/cheddar-cheese-crisps/

You can make them as thick or thin as you want, dip them, and carefully spread stuff on them. If interested, google "cheese crisps."

Thank you . Those do look pretty yummy! Now I'm hungry, and it's 4:14 am here, lol!

 

[southernlady]

Well, the first thing I noticed in your post is how badly I edited my post (also brought home to me how much I HATE autocorrect, lol!)

As to the iron, you may well be right. I had associated the loss of cravings for ice with my surgery, but in fact I had an iron infusion just a week or so prior to my surgery, so that is most likely the reason the craving disappeared!

Very possible...

As to the ICE maker, you may have said NICE but my brain READ ICE...I seriously did not even notice it til I went back and read that part three times.