Success vs Failure

[RedsSkinnyJeans]

I ran into a friend the other day who had just finished her first round 1-3.

I asked her if she loved eating Phase 3. (I sure do!) She mentioned that she was tired of it and couldn't wait to move on. Earlier she had mentioned that she did realize she was addicted to carbs and sugar. I probably took it wrong, but I thought, "move on to what?"

Coming away from that conversation, I felt worried for her. And maybe I'm wrong. But Phase 4, when I had, one single time, a tamale dish with rice, and a couple of other carbs, it netted me a 3 pound gain.

I learned real fast that I can never go back to bread, or sugar. And now that it's been a year, I have embraced eating tons of fruits, veggies, meat and dairy. There is PLENTY of great food out there without white flour, white sugar, high fructose corn syrup, and all the other crud that is the typical American diet!

I felt worried because I feel like if my thinking didn't change, I would go right back to gaining the 30 pounds back, and I don't want that to happen to this sweet wonderful woman.

I guess I'm talking about acceptance, and being happy and content with our new life. Now, I'm proud of my eating habits. Not only are we eating a mostly plant based diet, but we love to juice after watching "Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead," - an incredibly popular movie that won tons of awards and which I highly recommend.

Bottom line: I truly believe success vs failure long term is about changing how we think about food, and loving how we eat.

[Nicole T]

I agree 100%! I'm just like you--just a few carbs and sugar and I can easily gain 3-5lbs. That's why I eat Paleo now and love it. The one thing I liked and found true about doing the HCG diet is that it gave me such a HUGE appreciation for real food after having to eat all that fat free crap for so long! LOL I didn't miss the bread but I sure did miss the blue cheese dressing on my salad or the butter on my broccoli.

And honestly, with using almond and/or coconut flour I can make just about anything that I used to make with regular wheat flour and even my kids can't tell the difference (and it fills me up so much more since there's protein in them).

I'm sure there are some people here who can add a certain level of carbs and sugar back in and still maintain but that's certainly NOT me!

[IThinkICan]

Red, I really hope your friend is more fortunate than us. I do know people who can go ahead and eat much more carbs without gaining the weight back. I hope she monitors carefully.

Honestly, it does take a while to get used to no white flour, no white sugar, no processed foods with HFCS, etc... I used to think of low carb as a means to an end. I'd lose weight, and then I could be a "normal" American again. The problem is that eating like "normal" is what got me to the point that I needed to lose weight in the first place! I now see low carb as a lifestyle, and one that I can embrace. I'm discovering new realms of fruits and vegetables... nuts and nut flours... and I've always loved all types of meats and cheeses, butter, cream, etc. I feel like I'm consuming real food and it feels more natural, more like the way things are supposed to be.

In a sense, I feel sorry for people who can get away with eating more carbs... that can easily lead into more processed foods, and if they don't see the scale going up (which is only one indicator), who knows what else is going on inside the body? Perhaps these people will find themselves on a path to diabetes or heart disease or something else bad. Those diseases can affect anyone, not just overweight people.

[MagieDen]

Originally Posted by RedsSkinnyJeans

I ran into a friend the other day who had just finished her first round 1-3.

I asked her if she loved eating Phase 3. (I sure do!) She mentioned that she was tired of it and couldn't wait to move on. Earlier she had mentioned that she did realize she was addicted to carbs and sugar. I probably took it wrong, but I thought, "move on to what?"

Coming away from that conversation, I felt worried for her. And maybe I'm wrong. But Phase 4, when I had, one single time, a tamale dish with rice, and a couple of other carbs, it netted me a 3 pound gain.

I learned real fast that I can never go back to bread, or sugar. And now that it's been a year, I have embraced eating tons of fruits, veggies, meat and dairy. There is PLENTY of great food out there without white flour, white sugar, high fructose corn syrup, and all the other crud that is the typical American diet!

I felt worried because I feel like if my thinking didn't change, I would go right back to gaining the 30 pounds back, and I don't want that to happen to this sweet wonderful woman.

I guess I'm talking about acceptance, and being happy and content with our new life. Now, I'm proud of my eating habits. Not only are we eating a mostly plant based diet, but we love to juice after watching "Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead," - an incredibly popular movie that won tons of awards and which I highly recommend.

Bottom line: I truly believe success vs failure long term is about changing how we think about food, and loving how we eat.

I will be doing a round of Hhcg at the end of the month. I have been reading and gearing up in my mind about exactly this. I do not want to go back to eating anything I want on P4 just because my mind says it tastes good. I too can gain just from thinking about these sugar laden foods. I want my round to be something that I truly learn from. Thank you for posting this.

[katiesmemaw]

So frustrating. I just typed in a long response to this forum only to be told to refresh and "sign in again" Course everything I had typed was gone.
Suffice to say....I agree with everything you all have said. For me I know that carbs and flour are gone from my diet. I have lost and maintained for several weeks now but I will always have to monitor.
Wishing everyone great success!!
Betty

[shirleychef]

Originally Posted by RedsSkinnyJeans

I felt worried because I feel like if my thinking didn't change, I would go right back to gaining the 30 pounds back, and I don't want that to happen to this sweet wonderful woman.

Bottom line: I truly believe success vs failure long term is about changing how we think about food, and loving how we eat.

Your entire post was RIGHT ON!!! I am constantly cautioning people to be careful about thinking that they can return back to "normal" eating.... "like Dr. S says". Normal in Dr. S day did NOT look like the "normal" of today. Junk food was just coming into the scene in his day. Folks ate mainly fresh, whole, REAL foods. THAT is why they could return to "normal" eating. Every "normal" food was not laced with the "whites", preservatives and empty calories.

It may take a while before your friend learns how important these changes are. I have gone to suggesting that EVERY person I coach along the way read Gary Taubes Book, Why We get Fat and what to do about it, Sally Fallon's book, Nourishing Traditions, Dr. Mary Eings book: Eat Fat Lose Fat, and Rob Wolf's book The Paleo Solution. These books IMO really open our eyes to the importance of a diet filled with REAL, WHOLE foods!

I hate to say this... but when she starts to gain quickly maybe she will reach out to you again... then you can suggest some good reading materials that will help to re-educate her.

[goddesslynne]

Shirley, such great book suggestions! I need to take a look at Nourishing Traditions.

I know, for me, I will never add grain products back into my diet. I'm also very wary of sugar, in any form, even most fruits. I released 95lbs. from 5/09 to 5/10...and kept more than 1/2 of it off through these "rules". Unfortunately, at almost 50, I also need to be more conscious of my portion sizes, thus my current (and possibly future) rounds with hhcg.

I've realized that watching what I eat and making the right choices for me is not a "punishment" for being fat, but rather a gift I can give myself day after day. Maybe it's because I was obese for so many years...I don't see it as a temporary problem, but sort-of a default if I don't take care of myself. I've noticed that sometimes people gain weight due to a crisis or temporary state such as pregnancy, and then lose it and return to "normal eating". These are people for whom "normal eating" kept them thin! For me (and maybe some others here) "normal eating" keeps us fat! So, we create a new normal for ourselves.

I love Paleo, and I hope to do something close to that in P4.

[RedsSkinnyJeans]

Great replies - I agree! I'd like to read those books too.

I suppose it's sort of goes to what we long for. I no longer feel like I'm dying to have those malomars or chocolate cake. I'm okay, because I feel so much better now. I have accepted on a deep level that everything is a trade off and I'm in love with the idea of a healthy body, and ENERGY. And, I'll always be able to have a fork-full of something if I really want it. That's okay with me too.

I've gone from: "I really want it, I crave it, and I think about it, but I can't have it." To: "I don't want it because it's not good for me, I'll feel tired, and I'll give up all this hard work; plus I feel like a million bucks now, and I never want to go back to that old way of life."

My brain now associates cookies, fast food, fries, ice cream, (sorry to say I cannot include nachos...they will be the last to go), with discomfort, instead of comfort. YEAH!!

[shirleychef]

Originally Posted by goddesslynne

Shirley, such great book suggestions! I need to take a look at Nourishing Traditions.

I know, for me, I will never add grain products back into my diet. I'm also very wary of sugar, in any form, even most fruits. I released 95lbs. from 5/09 to 5/10...and kept more than 1/2 of it off through these "rules". Unfortunately, at almost 50, I also need to be more conscious of my portion sizes, thus my current (and possibly future) rounds with hhcg.

I've realized that watching what I eat and making the right choices for me is not a "punishment" for being fat, but rather a gift I can give myself day after day. Maybe it's because I was obese for so many years...I don't see it as a temporary problem, but sort-of a default if I don't take care of myself. I've noticed that sometimes people gain weight due to a crisis or temporary state such as pregnancy, and then lose it and return to "normal eating". These are people for whom "normal eating" kept them thin! For me (and maybe some others here) "normal eating" keeps us fat! So, we create a new normal for ourselves.

I love Paleo, and I hope to do something close to that in P4.

I love the sentence I bolded! What a GREAT way to view your choices... as a GIFT!!

Originally Posted by RedsSkinnyJeans

Great replies - I agree! I'd like to read those books too.

I suppose it's sort of goes to what we long for. I no longer feel like I'm dying to have those malomars or chocolate cake. I'm okay, because I feel so much better now. I have accepted on a deep level that everything is a trade off and I'm in love with the idea of a healthy body, and ENERGY. And, I'll always be able to have a fork-full of something if I really want it. That's okay with me too.

I've gone from: "I really want it, I crave it, and I think about it, but I can't have it." To: "I don't want it because it's not good for me, I'll feel tired, and I'll give up all this hard work; plus I feel like a million bucks now, and I never want to go back to that old way of life."

My brain now associates cookies, fast food, fries, ice cream, (sorry to say I cannot include nachos...they will be the last to go), with discomfort, instead of comfort. YEAH!!

Another great post. You guys "get it"... but like we discussed we all seem to process it and reach a point of understanding at different times and different extents. Meaning, some folks it takes a lot of yo yoing with weight before they realize what foods are their trigger foods for gains, cravings, and all those yucky feelings. I think sometimes we really ARE our worst enemies!

One of you mentioned grains.... another GREAT book is by my cardiologist Dr. William Davis, Wheat Belly. I've only read parts of the book but his research is very compelling about the changes that have taken place in WHEAT and why it might be really damaging to our bodies.

I find myself changing, growing, and constantly learning... and honestly I hope I am never so "proud" as to not be willing to learn more from those who have walked the path before me and learned various lessons along the way. It is impossible to say or think that what works for one person will work exactly the same for another... yet we have much we can share with others and learn from others along the way.

[belfrybat]

Originally Posted by RedsSkinnyJeans

I ran into a friend the other day who had just finished her first round 1-3.

I asked her if she loved eating Phase 3. (I sure do!) She mentioned that she was tired of it and couldn't wait to move on. Earlier she had mentioned that she did realize she was addicted to carbs and sugar. I probably took it wrong, but I thought, "move on to what?"

Coming away from that conversation, I felt worried for her. And maybe I'm wrong. But Phase 4, when I had, one single time, a tamale dish with rice, and a couple of other carbs, it netted me a 3 pound gain.

I learned real fast that I can never go back to bread, or sugar.

Whereas I understand where you are coming from, I am going to be a bit of a dissenting voice here. I grew up in the 60s and 70s, and "normal eating" back then consisted of plenty of carby white stuff. Very little fast food and most of us ate meals at home, but in most families the meals consisted of a couple of white carbs along with meat and veggies. Dessert was usually reserved for special occasions or weekends.

If Dr. S. had intended people to eat low carb the rest of their lives, I think he would have stated that. I can't eat high carb because I'm diabetic, but most people without insulin resistance can have carbs and not gain just fine. One needs to make a decision to either eat lowish carb or lowish fat. Combing high carb and high fat is a recipe for disaster.

I too hope none of us regain the weight lost, but I also hope we have learned good eating habits and have truly reset the hypothalmus. That way we will be able to enjoy all foods in moderation.

[Twirl]

This is a great thread.

Thank you for the book suggestions.

I'm one of the one's where I really don't think...even if my body and behaviors shift from being so subject to the negative effects of carbs...with everythng, I don't think I ever want to include carbs like white flour, sugar, rice, in my life. I'm good with the carbs from fruits and vegies.

But what I want to do and what I do can be two diffrnt things. I've been eating carbs, out of control for a month now. And I feel it. I'm stiff and puffy and I ache. Going back on P2 tomorrow, although I want to keep an open mind about it, I may be in for a struggle.

I low carbed for eight months without a cheat last year. I'm looking to low carb for the rest of my life. It just feels better. That's my intention.

[Tricialy]

Originally Posted by RedsSkinnyJeans

Coming away from that conversation, I felt worried for her. And maybe I'm wrong. But Phase 4, when I had, one single time, a tamale dish with rice, and a couple of other carbs, it netted me a 3 pound gain.

I learned real fast that I can never go back to bread, or sugar. And now that it's been a year, I have embraced eating tons of fruits, veggies, meat and dairy. There is PLENTY of great food out there without white flour, white sugar, high fructose corn syrup, and all the other crud that is the typical American diet

Bottom line: I truly believe success vs failure long term is about changing how we think about food, and loving how we eat.

I think you are totally right here - after 5 rounds (over 15 months) -I think people go into HCG without all the facts - the girl who got me started - told me that after doing a round my hypothalmus would be re-set and I'd have this awesome metabolism - where I "knew" I couldn't go back to eating what I did before, I didn't realize how restrictive I was going to have to be to maintain. Here I was sure my metabolism was broken - not sure if it was or not, but now I realize how much junk and processed food I was eating and how my portion sizes were outrageous.

I don't know if my metabolism is better or not, but weighing 60 lbs. less - It takes a lot less food to keep my body running - and wrapping one's mind around that can be difficult.

I have realized I can go out to eat with friends and have just as good of a time if I eat a grilled chicken salad as I would have had if I ordered chicken fried steak.

I keep reminding myself of something I read on Pinterest: Exercising is Hard, Dieting is Hard, Being Fat is hard - pick your hard.

I started JUDDD today - hoping to find something to maintain and maybe lose a few more pounds. I think most people are going to have to have a permanent lifestyle change to maintain the losses we have from HCG (or anything else)

[Arctic_Mama]

I agree with everyone else, you're wise, ladies! Reframing what 'normal' and 'healthy' eating is has been crucial in my ability to maintain and be content with my body and diet. I can't go back to the way I was eating a few years ago without LOOKING like I did a few years go. A little starch or sugar on occasion is fine and my body can handle it without gains, but as for my daily fare? It has to be whole and nourishing, and my new requirement is that it is satisfying and tasty, too. I have both raised my palatability standard (become a bit of a food snob) and embraced that eating is primarily for my health, with the pleasure aspect needing to not supersede the health aspect most of the time.

That has really helped me embrace maintenance, and I do hope your friend ends up there, too. It would be heartbreaking for her to regain

[RedsSkinnyJeans]

Originally Posted by Arctic_Mama

..... and embraced that eating is primarily for my health, with the pleasure aspect needing to not supersede the health aspect most of the time.

That has really helped me embrace maintenance, (

Wow!

I really like how you put this!

I feel unsure how to describe the change that has had to take place within me during the past year. Gone are the days when I eat to satisfy an impulse, or craving, unless it's within the circle of healthy food choices.

It's like I've gone from 80/20, (eating what I'm in the mood for, vs eating mindfully), to 90/10, (eating with my logical, food-educated self, vs emotional eating). And, because our brains are somewhat like a computer, USUALLY now when I have a craving, it's for one of the allowable foods.

A big part of this, I'll admit, is keeping my head in the game. My family scoffs at the idea of eating healthy. (yeah..don't get me started...). I am proud that I watch movies like: "Ingredients", and "Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead." My body is the vehicle that I plan to use to take me 50 more years down the road. We usually don't think that we are buying trouble when we order the big plate of onion rings or take out a dozen donuts, but in fact, we are if it's anything that we do with any regularity.

Here is the other thing I notice. Human beings are notoriously all or nothing thinkers. Captains of denial, or micro-managing and micro-analyzing every gram we put in our mouths. Utter refusal to face nutrition/health facts, or obsessing about a .2 gain. I want balance going forward. "How do I get that?"

My most immediate conclusion, (perhaps until I smarten up some more), is that for me, right now, in my last 5 pounds and on P2, I sort of HAVE to obsess in order to obtain success. The degree of focus for me to get some success is enormous. This is similar to a science experiment, and it's vital that I notice every cause and affect taking place. I have nine days to go. I will probably be here a LOT.
But after that, what's my plan?

Still thinking on that.