Re: Why I am following the Atkins plan

[Guest guest]

I have the same reactions to low fat diets as you. I

also had a hard time in the past when faced with

temptation. What I find that really helps me is

always having appropriate food with me.

Just like someone with asthma never leaves the house

without their inhaler, I never leave the house without

proper food. Having food around when ever I need it

really helps me.

Atkins can be a very healthy plan done properly. I

have a ton of tips and tricks that make it not only

more effective but healthier. Just basically refining

the types of veggies, meats and oils you choose, and

the ratios makes a big difference, and avoiding

certain foods. Let me know if you want to know more.

Luv,

Debby

San , CA

147 pounds lost! 95% of health issues reversed!

Find out about the diet that helped me:

Group:

curingcandida/

Website: http://www.naturallythriving.com

Studying nutrition for 12 years. Currently working

towards certification.

--- Helena <railway.woman@...> wrote:

> Most of the failed diets I have tried over the last

> 30 years (crickey

> has it relly been that long?) have been the low fat

> or calorie

> counting type, though I once became a vegetarian

> because I'd never

> met a fat vegetarian, but that caused me to gain

> another two stone.

>

> It took me 30 years to learn that my body does not

> metabolise refined

> carbohydrates properly; that I am carb-sensitive;

> that I am

> hypoglycaemic; that I am a carboholic.

>

> What I mean by carboholic is that I cannot stop

> eating carbs, that

> they make me ravenously hungry, which is a bad thing

> to be when you

> are trying to cut back, cut down, and stick to a

> small amount of

> food. I could eat any amount of bread, chocolate or

> potatoes, but now

> I am on mainly meat, fat and fish I have finally,

> FINALLY cured

> myself of habitual overeating and the constant

> snacking. I no longer

> have indigestion and my moods are more stable.

>

> Hence I realise that there is no other food plan for

> me than this one.

>

> As for sticking to it, well, I have no trouble

> whatsoever when I am

> at home ... it's really easy.

>

> But when I am outdoors, it is terrible. At an open

> air concert over

> the weekend in the sun, everyone had an ice-cream

> but me, so I felt

> really hard done by and angry at the world. The

> temptations in

> restaurants and at parties are usually too much for

> me and I end up

> weakening and eating them. I wish I could get

> control of my mind and

> not care about these things, but it is really hard

> and I need some

> help with this area of my life.

>

> Helena

>

>

>

>

> 100-Plus Files page

> 100-plus/files

> 100-Plus Links page

> 100-plus/links

>

[Guest guest]

Debby

I want to know everything that you have time to tell me!

You are my current role model (147 lb - woo woo) so come on spill the beans.

Oh no, we are not allowed beans, are we :-)

Helena

[Guest guest]

Hi Helena. I wrote you another email reply. Sorry it

took me a while to get back to you. I have limited

time on replying to email, so sometimes I put aside

things that will take me longer to respond to, but

then send off quick responses to other emails that I

can.

Don't want you to think I was ignoring your message.

I think the diet that I recommend on my website and

group can help many people. Most people do well on

low carb diets, although there are some people who do

better with different types of veggies or meats, or

different ratios, but whole foods in general, and

avoiding starches, carbs, sugars and processed foods

is always a good thing.

The diet information is pretty irrelevant if you don't

follow it because of personal challenges. Most people

have several personal challenges, like food addiction,

cravings, emotional eating, boredom with food, too

much value on food, the wrong technical information

and more.

Each person has to work on those challenges, and even

" tweaking " the diet I recommend for themselves, and

therein lies the challenge. I had mentors to guide

me, and looked to others who were successful to see

what behaviors to mimic.

I read lots of books, shared on newsgroups, did a lot

of self-reflection. Simply put, there is no magic

answer, it's just a lot of hard work and some creative

solutions. I had to figure out how to change my

values with food, to change my attitude, to put my

food as a priority, to really face how if I fell off

the wagon, how hard it would be to get back on and

more.

I had to realize that there was no " end " where I would

be able to eat pizza and ice cream and maintain my

weight. I had to accept that I have to eat the way I

do for life. The physical and emotional go hand and

hand.

If you avoid the " alcoholic foods " , the ones that just

make you want more and more completely, then you are

really able to have a physical peace with food. The

diet I recommend will likely give you that peace.

Then there is the emotional and behavioral aspect of

it. I find that if I deviate, I get cravings big

time, and I really get set back, and I lose the peace

I normally have. To avoid that, I have to always have

my food cooked and ready to go, so I always have

something appropriate to eat.

Many people hate this aspect, having to plan things

out. But when you really get that just a little

preparation makes everything easier, and puts your

mind at ease about being able to stay eating the way

you know works for you, it really helps.

Then there are lots of situations where it is really

tempting to give yourself excuses to eat off plan,

like parties, holidays, birthdays, etc. I look at

this like I am an alcoholic with certain foods. Just

like an alcoholic, I abstain from certain foods

completely.

Just like a recovered alcoholic, there are no breaks,

no holidays, no excuses. I have not cheated on my

diet in almost 3 years. Not even a taste or a bite or

a lick. Because I know, and have FULLY accepted that I

can never have just a bite.

Just a bite will always lead to a binge, I've proved

that over and over to myself. Just like an alcoholic

can't have just a drink. But many people will set

themselves up over and over again with this scenario.

Oh I'm just going to have a little chocolate. Oops, I

ate the whole bag. Well I am so ashamed of myself.

But you know it's only XX number of WW rewards points,

or I'll exercise more next week, or I didn't gain

weight, or it was my birthday, or <insert other

reasoning here>.

Then the same thing happens over and over again..

lather, rinse, repeat. I know, because I did this

dance myself for a long time. Until my mentor really

showed me, got me to take a good long hard ugly look

at my self destructive pattern, and showed me how

beautiful it was to stop that dance.

How I could make consistent good choices, see

consistent good results, and get off the emotional

roller coaster with food for good. I can still

remember my own dance with those foods. Oh I'm just

going to have one piece of chocolate.

It's low carb, it's not that bad. I am PMSing, and I

really need chocolate. Chocolate is not that bad for

me. Oops, I ate the whole box. Well, I'll just do

better next week, can't beat myself up over this.

So yes, I have never been perfect, will never be

perfect, and have danced the dance with food. I'm

just done being in denial over my issues with food.

I'm done expecting it to make me feel better when it

never does.

I'm done trying to have a party in my mouth because

I'm bored because I'm too fat to have a real life.

I'm done feeling guilty because I ate too much or I

made bad choices with my food.

So what does it take to have lasting success with this

IMO? The right diet that is going to take away your

cravings and your health issues and give you good

results.

Combined with being *done* with your expectations and

values with food, and having consistent behavior with

food that is devoid of backslides the vast majority of

the time.

When you realize and understand and accept that

chocolate is only going to be enjoyable for a few

minutes, but that the emotional and physical impact of

that choice (guilt, weight gain, etc.) are going to

last days, weeks, or longer, then making good choices

consistently is going to be a lot easier.

Food is for fuel, to make your body healthy. Not for

entertainment, soothing, socializing, etc. It does

not do the things we want it to do. Do your own cost

benefit analysis of food and you'll see what I'm

trying to say.

Hope that helps..

Luv,

Debby

San , CA

147 pounds lost! 95% of health issues reversed!

Find out about the diet that helped me:

Group:

curingcandida/

Website: http://www.naturallythriving.com

Studying nutrition for 12 years. Currently working on

a certification.

--- railway.woman@... wrote:

> Debby

>

> I want to know everything that you have time to tell

> me!

> You are my current role model (147 lb - woo woo) so

> come on spill the beans.

>

> Oh no, we are not allowed beans, are we :-)

-------------

Success, in life, is most easily measured by the number of days you are truly

happy. -- Edmeades

New group! Curing Candida:

curingcandida/

My son Hunter Hudson (10/11/04) http://debbypadilla.0catch.com/hunter/

[Guest guest]

Hi Helena. I wrote you another email reply. Sorry it

took me a while to get back to you. I have limited

time on replying to email, so sometimes I put aside

things that will take me longer to respond to, but

then send off quick responses to other emails that I

can.

Don't want you to think I was ignoring your message.

I think the diet that I recommend on my website and

group can help many people. Most people do well on

low carb diets, although there are some people who do

better with different types of veggies or meats, or

different ratios, but whole foods in general, and

avoiding starches, carbs, sugars and processed foods

is always a good thing.

The diet information is pretty irrelevant if you don't

follow it because of personal challenges. Most people

have several personal challenges, like food addiction,

cravings, emotional eating, boredom with food, too

much value on food, the wrong technical information

and more.

Each person has to work on those challenges, and even

" tweaking " the diet I recommend for themselves, and

therein lies the challenge. I had mentors to guide

me, and looked to others who were successful to see

what behaviors to mimic.

I read lots of books, shared on newsgroups, did a lot

of self-reflection. Simply put, there is no magic

answer, it's just a lot of hard work and some creative

solutions. I had to figure out how to change my

values with food, to change my attitude, to put my

food as a priority, to really face how if I fell off

the wagon, how hard it would be to get back on and

more.

I had to realize that there was no " end " where I would

be able to eat pizza and ice cream and maintain my

weight. I had to accept that I have to eat the way I

do for life. The physical and emotional go hand and

hand.

If you avoid the " alcoholic foods " , the ones that just

make you want more and more completely, then you are

really able to have a physical peace with food. The

diet I recommend will likely give you that peace.

Then there is the emotional and behavioral aspect of

it. I find that if I deviate, I get cravings big

time, and I really get set back, and I lose the peace

I normally have. To avoid that, I have to always have

my food cooked and ready to go, so I always have

something appropriate to eat.

Many people hate this aspect, having to plan things

out. But when you really get that just a little

preparation makes everything easier, and puts your

mind at ease about being able to stay eating the way

you know works for you, it really helps.

Then there are lots of situations where it is really

tempting to give yourself excuses to eat off plan,

like parties, holidays, birthdays, etc. I look at

this like I am an alcoholic with certain foods. Just

like an alcoholic, I abstain from certain foods

completely.

Just like a recovered alcoholic, there are no breaks,

no holidays, no excuses. I have not cheated on my

diet in almost 3 years. Not even a taste or a bite or

a lick. Because I know, and have FULLY accepted that I

can never have just a bite.

Just a bite will always lead to a binge, I've proved

that over and over to myself. Just like an alcoholic

can't have just a drink. But many people will set

themselves up over and over again with this scenario.

Oh I'm just going to have a little chocolate. Oops, I

ate the whole bag. Well I am so ashamed of myself.

But you know it's only XX number of WW rewards points,

or I'll exercise more next week, or I didn't gain

weight, or it was my birthday, or <insert other

reasoning here>.

Then the same thing happens over and over again..

lather, rinse, repeat. I know, because I did this

dance myself for a long time. Until my mentor really

showed me, got me to take a good long hard ugly look

at my self destructive pattern, and showed me how

beautiful it was to stop that dance.

How I could make consistent good choices, see

consistent good results, and get off the emotional

roller coaster with food for good. I can still

remember my own dance with those foods. Oh I'm just

going to have one piece of chocolate.

It's low carb, it's not that bad. I am PMSing, and I

really need chocolate. Chocolate is not that bad for

me. Oops, I ate the whole box. Well, I'll just do

better next week, can't beat myself up over this.

So yes, I have never been perfect, will never be

perfect, and have danced the dance with food. I'm

just done being in denial over my issues with food.

I'm done expecting it to make me feel better when it

never does.

I'm done trying to have a party in my mouth because

I'm bored because I'm too fat to have a real life.

I'm done feeling guilty because I ate too much or I

made bad choices with my food.

So what does it take to have lasting success with this

IMO? The right diet that is going to take away your

cravings and your health issues and give you good

results.

Combined with being *done* with your expectations and

values with food, and having consistent behavior with

food that is devoid of backslides the vast majority of

the time.

When you realize and understand and accept that

chocolate is only going to be enjoyable for a few

minutes, but that the emotional and physical impact of

that choice (guilt, weight gain, etc.) are going to

last days, weeks, or longer, then making good choices

consistently is going to be a lot easier.

Food is for fuel, to make your body healthy. Not for

entertainment, soothing, socializing, etc. It does

not do the things we want it to do. Do your own cost

benefit analysis of food and you'll see what I'm

trying to say.

Hope that helps..

Luv,

Debby

San , CA

147 pounds lost! 95% of health issues reversed!

Find out about the diet that helped me:

Group:

curingcandida/

Website: http://www.naturallythriving.com

Studying nutrition for 12 years. Currently working on

a certification.

--- railway.woman@... wrote:

> Debby

>

> I want to know everything that you have time to tell

> me!

> You are my current role model (147 lb - woo woo) so

> come on spill the beans.

>

> Oh no, we are not allowed beans, are we :-)

-------------

Success, in life, is most easily measured by the number of days you are truly

happy. -- Edmeades

New group! Curing Candida:

curingcandida/

My son Hunter Hudson (10/11/04) http://debbypadilla.0catch.com/hunter/

[Guest guest]

Debby -

This is undoubtedly the best email I have ever read on the subject and I

am extremely grateful for it. I've marked it " important " and in fact I

will paste it into a Word document to make sure I never lose it. Every

person who has food issues and embarks on a life-changing diet ought to

be allowed to read it.

I usually find one or two things I don't agree with 100% but that didn't

happen with your email. Many of the things you said sent a shiver up my

spine: they really hit the spot with me (oops I've eaten the whole bar!,

for example). You have written so many things that put my own thoughts

into words, words which I seem to have found difficult to write myself,

because you clearly have a gift for communication. I also see certain

foods as an ex-alcoholic sees booze.

Some things you say are uncannily spot-on for me; some ought to be

mantras for every massively obese person, especially, in my opinion,

this one:

" I'm done trying to have a party in my mouth because

I'm bored because I'm too fat to have a real life. "

There you have managed to sum up, in a very short sentence, what so many

fat people do. It was certainly what I did. Until recently I was eating

one huge bar of chocolate every single day. It made me feel great (apart

from the increasing weight of course). When I read that line, " a party

in my mouth " it was so accurate it almost hurt me! That is exactly what

I used chocolate for. The rest of my body felt absolutely ghastly, fat,

heavy, uncomfortable, bulky, painful, unweildy, but I could always have

" a party in my mouth " .

Thank you so much for your incredibly perceptive messages. When you get

your PhD you will be absolutely a godsend to people trying to lose vast

amounts of weight. They need you.

Helena