Easy Tips to stay LC

[Loner]

Yes what Julia says all of it ! except for bullet # 3....i live with 3 carbbies so its pretty impossible to clean the house of it. What i DO do is make sure that i have all my food available....and only think about what I can have, never about what i cannot have....you would be pleasantly surprised how this thinking would get you past the carbbie shelve !!! Like she said you would be surprised what a good mindset will do!

Originally Posted by JuliaL

Here are my favorite tips:

1) Use ****** or some other food journal to keep track of everything you eat. It's a lot easier to understand why you're losing, not losing, or even gaining if you know exactly what you're eating. Trying to lose weight without an accurate food journal is like trying to find your way around a strange city without a map. You might get there eventually but it will take you a LOT longer

2) Plan and prepare meals ahead of time. Take a day out of your weekend to shop and cook. If you always have good food choices around you, you will be much less likely to go to the drive-through or the vending machine.

3) Create a no-fail environment. Get all of the carby, crappy food out of your house. When you get a craving you probably won't actually get in your car and go to the store to buy food you shouldn't eat. If it's sitting there in your fridge or pantry it will call to you and make it harder to resist.

4) Start an exercise program. 90% of losing weight is about what you eat, but 90% of people who are able to maintain their weight loss for a year or more are regular exercisers. Exercise has many benefits besides burning calories. It helps you sleep better, elevates your mood, and makes you look good nekkid

5) Think positive. What you tell yourself about yourself is very, very important. If you tell yourself that you're missing all the good food that other people can eat you'll feel deprived and resentful. If you tell yourself that the single most controllable factor in good health and weight loss is what you eat, and that pizza, chips, or whatever it is you are craving at the moment is not good enough for your hot body, then you will feel like you're giving yourself a gift instead of punishing yourself. Mindset is everything. You can control it.

[nbaycaligirl]

I have another question reguarding carbs. I understand there are good and bad carbs. Carbs from Fiber arent digested and pass through the body, and sugar alcohols dont have any impact on raising the blood sugar levels and are burned off quickly. Does anybody have any feedback as to what would be a proper amount to be eating of either of those during the induction period? I was in induction for 2 weeks prior to Thanksgiving, and after using that day as an excuse to eat whatever I wanted, I am back on track and continuing on induction.
Also, how long can I safely be on induction? (Eating about 20 grams of net carbs per day).

[Loner]

Originally Posted by nbaycaligirl

I have another question reguarding carbs. I understand there are good and bad carbs. Carbs from Fiber arent digested and pass through the body, and sugar alcohols dont have any impact on raising the blood sugar levels and are burned off quickly. Does anybody have any feedback as to what would be a proper amount to be eating of either of those during the induction period? I was in induction for 2 weeks prior to Thanksgiving, and after using that day as an excuse to eat whatever I wanted, I am back on track and continuing on induction.
Also, how long can I safely be on induction? (Eating about 20 grams of net carbs per day).

I believe the same would apply regarding induction on Atkins, no less than two weeks, no more than a month..... i found this on the southbeach bb...and I also think that you should have 0 sugar alcohol during induction....fiber is always a good thing though....

ASK DR. AGATSTON~Phase 1 Forever?

Phase 1 Forever?

Q: How long can I stay on Phase 1 of The South Beach Diet™?
—Will


A: The South Beach Diet™ is a three-phase diet. If I wanted you to stay in Phase 1 forever, then I would have made a one-phase diet. In general, I recommend you move on to Phase 2 after two weeks of Phase 1.

Many of our subscribers think that the purpose of Phase 1 is rapid weight loss. This is not the case. I developed Phase 1 as a method to eliminate cravings, and the majority of your weight loss will actually occur in Phases 2 and 3. If you remain in Phase 1 for longer than the recommended two weeks, you run the risk of lowering your metabolism and setting yourself up for yo-yo dieting. Instead of shedding the pounds and keeping them off, you may end up making it that much easier to put the weight back on.

That's not to say that there aren't some cases where dieters can stay in Phase 1 longer than the recommended two weeks. If you have a large amount of weight to lose, or if cravings persist past the two-week mark, then you can extend the first phase for up to one month. In rare cases of morbid obesity, you may be able to extend this even further to two months.

Still, the average person should complete Phase 1 and move on. While it can be tempting to stick with the restrictive and easy-to-follow guidelines of Phase 1, continuing with the diet as recommended will improve your overall health and promote continued and sustainable weight loss.



Arthur Agatston, M.D

[JuliaL]

sugar alcohols dont have any impact on raising the blood sugar levels and are burned off quickly.

Sorry, but that's not exactly true. Sugar alcohols should be avoided. Here's an article that explains more:
http://www.geocities.com/jenny_the_bean/products.htm

Dr. Atkins says that you can stay on induction for up to 6 months if you have more than 30 lbs. to lose and if you're not tired of your food choices. I stayed on induction for about 5 weeks. It is important to add good carbs and move up the carb ladder, as the book instructs, but you can stay on induction longer than 2 weeks.

[Tazcat]

Originally Posted by BuckeyeLori

Missing crunchy snacks was an issue for me til I started making pepperoni chips and cheese crisps.

could someone please tell me how to make these?

TIA

[LibertyJen]

Tazcat: Pepperoni chips can be made either in the microwave or in the oven. Microwave is my pref. I lay three sheets of papertowel on a good nuke plate, spread out pepperoni slices (as in for pizza) on the towels, in a single layer, cover and cook on HIGH for about 30 seconds. Watch it because it may take less time in order to get them crispy. They are of a more intense flavor ... and great with french onion dip!

I make cheese crisps with shredded cheese. I put it in little piles on a wax paper lined baking sheet. I sprinkle garlic salt (or another flavoring) on top. Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes ... until melted. Let cool ... kills my craving for garlic bread!

[wonderinif]

thanks so much for this post! I have been off plan since I went to an event on 10-22 :blush: , and I had pancakes with syrup+whipped cream this morning. It made me feel so sick
My thinking goes like this: "don't even try to diet during the holidays" "I won't be able to resist what people bring to work" "I look fine" and the killer is "tomorrow." the fact is I am still overweight for my height. I am on induction starting NOW.

[sbarr]

wonderinif - your weight isn't terrible for your height - a lot of it depends on your build. I'm a few pounds less and 3 inches shorter and lately I've been at the mall, car dealership, stores and finally realizing - hey, I'm smaller than most of these people. I'm not where I want to be, but I'm within about 15# and will keep pushing until I get there.

Don't let the holidays be an excuse to GAIN WEIGHT. Maybe you can set a conservative goal to stay even if the induction doesn't work.

Are you in a living situation where you can keep your house clean of carby foods? That's my key tactic - if it's not in the house, I won't leave the house to buy something.

[Angie66]

During busy times at work, there used to be days that I couldn't get away from my desk to eat lunch. I would be starving by the end of the day and more likely to binge as a result. My lifesaver was a small, portable refrigerator that I found at WalMart for less than $40. It fits under my desk and I keep it stocked with boiled eggs, cheese, sliced lunchmeat or a 6 oz. container of chicken salad. Even on days that I'm not so busy, having a convenient food source nearby keeps me away from the evil vending machines.

[sugarless4life]

Originally Posted by SugarFreeSheila

When making your decisions right now, always keep tomorrow in mind. Will eating this make you look forward to wearing something body-conscious? If not, skip it.

I LOVE THAT ONE!!!

"Should I eat *that*? "Do I want to wear *that*?

Frankenfoods=Frankenstein

Exercise is NON-negotiable. We all have 24 hours in a day, so none of us can say we don't have time. MAKE THE TIME.

One bite *will* hurt.

Betty

[lori121]

What great tips..

[SugarFreeSheila]

Oh, I am glad this thread has been reinvigorated, and there are so many wise pieces of advice on here. Goldenrod, I'm so sorry I missed your post - I was trying to put that old tip a tad more delicately!

[brandi140lbs]

I say log on to Low Carb Friends and read some posts, like this one.
I wanted to quit last night and this morning, b/c i'm just not losing weight. in fact i've gained a pound. I logged on and now I'm back on track.

[sbarr]

WAY TO GO, BRANDY! Coming in, reading and posting is a GREAT TIP!

[LoriWants2Lose]

Looking at before and after pics of others always inspires me to stick with it.

[Emerald]

When I want to do mindless munching, I grab a catalogue and look at all the clothes that I want to look good in. Or surf the clothing stores online. It helps me everytime. I love clothes!

[VSL]

Originally Posted by Goldenrod

LOL...I read something great about this a while back. In fact, Sheila, I think it was on *your* website! You said something to the effect of, if you're going to cheat, do it naked, in front of a mirror -- see how much that makes you not want to cheat. I can't say I've ever actually done that, but the mere thought of it makes me not want to cheat!

Yeah, it's in the FAQ section - it stuck with me too!

[Marvelissa]

For every day eating, keep it varied, but keep it simple - and generally quick. I don't like spending a ton of time in the kitchen on the weeknights - so I either cook meats that can cook in my crock pot while I'm at work - and then simply steam or sautee veggies to go with - and I also make use of bagged salad ingredients.

For chicken - I buy chicken breast cutlets - thinner than a regular breast, so already a more appropriate serving size, and they saute on the stovetop in just minutes - I cook them while my veggies are in the microwave steaming.

Fish - bakes in the oven or pan fry's in minutes. Again, a quick meal when I add steamed veggies and a small salad.

PRE-PREPARE, PRE-PREPARE, PRE-PREPARE! Have legal food on hand at all times already portioned out in single serving sizes. This includes boiled eggs, canned chicken or tuna, pork rinds, veggies - cut up, sliced or diced cheeses.

If you always have scrambled eggs for breakfast (I do) make it new every day - serve with bacon one day, sausage the next - and scramble the eggs with cheese, use a bit of leftover taco meat to scramble into your eggs and top with salsa/sour cream for a delicious mexican egg breakfast, use leftover chicken breast - dice and season the breast and saute with a few onions and bellpepper and then scramble eggs into this - serve with a few slices of avacado - and top the eggs with salsa and sourcream (I call this California eggs - not sure why - maybe the avacado and it's a super fresh-tasting way to eat eggs.

Bored with deviled eggs? Spice it up - mix in new things to the yolk mix: bacon bits, cheese, diced jalepeno - whatever else you can think of - there must be a ton of LC ways to re-season deviled eggs so they aren't so boring.

I also keep LEGAL "sweets" around just in case I am REALLY just obsessing over having something super sweet - this is very rare, but still, I like to be prepared - Cinnamon Pork Rinds, OR half a LC tortilla warmed and filled with a pat of melting butter and a very little bit of SF/LC syrup, or a diet rootbeer w/a splash of heavy cream ----all of these will KILL a craving for sweets and keep me right in line with me new woe.

[daisyHair]

Originally Posted by wastednuffime

If you fall off plan get right back on...NOT tomorrow..but Today!! even if you have already eaten XY&Z....My thought is this...ANY time that you are not actually physically eating...then you are ALREADY back on track!!...

I LOVE that!!!!!!.. I feel exactly the same way.. I really don't "slip" much anymore.. but I do have planned indulgences.. and the very SECOND I am thru.. as soon as I am not eating anymore of that meal (and it's usually only one meal) I am back on track.. I don't use it as an excuse to throw the day, or the week, away! It works wonders..

[momov2boys]

Originally Posted by daisyHair

...I do have planned indulgences.. and the very SECOND I am thru.. as soon as I am not eating anymore of that meal (and it's usually only one meal) I am back on track.. I don't use it as an excuse to throw the day, or the week, away! It works wonders..

[sbarr]

bump....

[Darkfire]

My ideas are probably not popular but if I tried to staunch a craving with a atkins bar or use it as emergency fuel it would be the beginning of world war III in my body and mind. Same with cheese or shakes or anything really in a box, can, pouch or what have you. So what am I doing? My plan to stay on plan is more fat. Pure meat fat. I do not do dairy or eggs right now. I recently added non cured non irridated pork bellies with beef. I do not do much chicken right now. I do fish and seaford. I am scoping out a raw butter resource in PA and if I can find one I'll add butter. My plan is simple. Ditch the sauces, gravies, soups, gums, mints, crazy candies and super scary icecreams, dressings, faux foods and confusing combos. Nothing in nature is super sweet and full of fat..... Instead I use simple spices, oils, lemons, vinegars.....no sodas, though I am going to try Xevia because I do occasionally drink alcohol. No egg creams, no oppsies, no casseroles with confusing combinations to stress out my taste buds, no splenda. If I drink coffee it's black as night with coconut oil in it. I also eat more fruit than atkins. I eat veggies mostly raw. I like my meat rare and my veggies raw.

To sum up, for me, KISS is best. Keep it simple stupid. Some may say boring but I am trying to make every calorie count be real, be for something I need. Not perfect as I said I still drink coffee and occasionally alcohol....

The result? zero cravings, that will change, I am sure, but for now....total control and that is just a mind game. When I get stranded or stuck I'd rather eat a mickyd's hamburger than a slim jim but that's just me.

[jacksmixedtape]

Originally Posted by Darkfire

My plan is simple. Ditch the sauces, gravies, soups, gums, mints, crazy candies and super scary icecreams, dressings, faux foods and confusing combos. Nothing in nature is super sweet and full of fat..... Instead I use simple spices, oils, lemons, vinegars.....no sodas, though I am going to try Xevia because I do occasionally drink alcohol. No egg creams, no oppsies, no casseroles with confusing combinations to stress out my taste buds, no splenda. If I drink coffee it's black as night with coconut oil in it. I also eat more fruit than atkins. I eat veggies mostly raw. I like my meat rare and my veggies raw.

To sum up, for me, KISS is best. Keep it simple stupid. Some may say boring but I am trying to make every calorie count be real, be for something I need. Not perfect as I said I still drink coffee and occasionally alcohol....

These are wise words. If I make "fancy" LC food too often, it can lead to cravings. It's nice to mix things up once in awhile with treats, but simple unadulterated food is the easiest to deal with mentally and physically. You can never go wrong with sauteed veggies and meats. No overeating, no obsessing... just total peace of mind!

[kristina]

My tip would be to level with people about what you're doing. I'm thinking of when I'm going to be asked to dinner at someone's house. That's the reason I usually go off of Atkins. Other people and what they think...and my inability to turn down other people "forcing" food on me. I need to just say "no"

[claire26]

These are such good tips!! Here are a couple of mine...

1) After I finish dinner I brush my teeth (with my Stevia sweetened toothpaste). It stops me from wanting to snack completely.

2) I use a program on my computer that is meant to stop RSI (injury from sitting too long at your desk). There are loads (some free) so you can google it if you want it. It freezes my computer every 10 minutes for 20 seconds. I work at home so every time it freezes my computer I get up and do 20 reps of an exercise. Either sit-ups, push-ups, squats, lunges or tricep dips. Doing this I can get up to 100 reps of each exercise every day without needing to set aside time. I've been doing this for a week and it has made a massive difference. DH said my butt was much firmer (too much information - sorry) after one week!!!!!

3) Rather than food treats I buy a fashion magazine. I cut out any outfit I'd love to wear when I reach goal, bodies I aspire to etc and put them in a little scrapbook. Then I look at the book every day to remind myself why I am doing this! I also get new-agey and tell myself I will look like that soon, and visualize myself looking like them or in the outfit etc etc. It's been great for keeping excited when losses are slow.

4) I take a tiny container (about a tbsp) of peanut butter with me when I go to the movies. If everyone's passing around the chocolate/chips/popcorn (they ALWAYS do!) then I eat my peanut butter. It's so satisfying and immediately stops the cravings (but not for induction).

I think that's it for now!!

[pennylovesdarren]

I like your scrapbook idea Claire! I'm going to do that too. I think looking at it every day would definitely help keep me on track. #2 is good too. I always get up and do a chore or something every 15-20 minutes so that my back doesn't start hurting.

[1weighstreet]

Whenever I'm having those "nothing sounds good to eat" moments (and it's time for a snack or meal), I just fix the quickest and easiest LC meal/snack available (usually tuna w/ mayo eaten on pickle slices for a meal/cheese for snack) and then I'm done with it.

If I sit around waiting to think of something that sounds good and is on plan, then I just get more hungry and might not end up making the right choice.

Bottomline: When hungry - just eat something on plan and be done with it.

[GME]

Decide who or where you want to be and just do it.

I have 90% of my life where I want it to be except for one area: I have always wanted to be a fit, healthy person. Someone who exercises, eats right without thinking twice, isn't afraid to do and try new physical activities. But...... I've always felt like I had to wait until I was XXX pounds and then I could "be" that person.

One day not along ago I realized I run 3x/week, I eat very well, I'm not afraid to try things, I feel pretty good about myself. I do what fit, healthy people do. I eat how fit, healthy eat. I AM a fit, healthy person.

My body just needs to catch up with me. I'll wait.

[LJB]

Great thread! Bumping!

[KrystaLyn]

Originally Posted by JuliaL

Here are my favorite tips:

1) Use ****** or some other food journal to keep track of everything you eat. It's a lot easier to understand why you're losing, not losing, or even gaining if you know exactly what you're eating. Trying to lose weight without an accurate food journal is like trying to find your way around a strange city without a map. You might get there eventually but it will take you a LOT longer

2) Plan and prepare meals ahead of time. Take a day out of your weekend to shop and cook. If you always have good food choices around you, you will be much less likely to go to the drive-through or the vending machine.

3) Create a no-fail environment. Get all of the carby, crappy food out of your house. When you get a craving you probably won't actually get in your car and go to the store to buy food you shouldn't eat. If it's sitting there in your fridge or pantry it will call to you and make it harder to resist.

4) Start an exercise program. 90% of losing weight is about what you eat, but 90% of people who are able to maintain their weight loss for a year or more are regular exercisers. Exercise has many benefits besides burning calories. It helps you sleep better, elevates your mood, and makes you look good nekkid

5) Think positive. What you tell yourself about yourself is very, very important. If you tell yourself that you're missing all the good food that other people can eat you'll feel deprived and resentful. If you tell yourself that the single most controllable factor in good health and weight loss is what you eat, and that pizza, chips, or whatever it is you are craving at the moment is not good enough for your hot body, then you will feel like you're giving yourself a gift instead of punishing yourself. Mindset is everything. You can control it.

Dang! Julia said everything I was going to say, only much, much better!!

Even thought this is an older thread, the advice is still totally relevant! My #1 rule is to write down EVERYTHING i eat, and the carbs. Even when I feel like I "have it down," I still keep my food journal EVERY DAY.

And I also agree that planning for your meals is essential. ALWAYS have things on hand that you can eat, and plan ahead. It makes everything go better when you arent scrambling for something "legal" to eat 5 minutes before dinner!

Anyway, just do what Julia says, and you will do great!