“The second day of a diet is always the easiest…because you’re off of it by then!”
Don’t we all know those words all too well? Most of us who struggle with our weight have been on more diets than we can recount and lost enough pounds that we should be totally gone from the planet by now. Well, the good news is that I whizzed past day two like it never existed when I restarted my low-carb nutritional lifestyle again. So I thought I’d post an update after completing the first week.
What I’ve typically found is that if I can eat clean for three days straight it gives me the momentum to keep on going. All us dieters have all have multiple starts and restarts and that’s not necessarily a bad thing and I’ll tell you why just a little later. Some restarts lasted and some bit the dust so quick it was pathetic. I’ve found that the times I’ve started or restarted a diet and been successful at it, I’ve had a really solid motivational factor behind it. In July ’07 I got serious about the low-carb nutritional lifestyle because…I was tired of hurting! I knew I needed to drop some pounds but that hadn’t been enough to motivate me. It was when my feet and ankles hurt so bad I could hardly bear to walk that I said, “enough is enough”. Pain can indeed be a great motivator! So I stuck with low-carb until I dropped 60 pounds.
But as I stated in an earlier post the last six to nine months have been a struggle for me to stay on plan. You know the drill. You begin to allow a bite or two of things that aren’t really that bad, then you allow more and more off-plan foods until you begin to put a few pounds back on. Recently I could feel the pain start to return to my feet and ankles so once again I decided enough was enough! And so I cleaned up my act and started induction all over one more time. I’ve had several false-starts in the last nine months but I feel really good about this one.
So, how am I doing with my first week behind me? I’m glad you asked! I had a very, very good first week back on plan. I’ve eaten very clean. Induction foods. And I was handsomely rewarded for it when I stepped on the scale this past Sunday morning. Down 6 pounds in the first seven days! Now as everyone knows that rate of weight loss can’t be sustained for the long term, but it’s a great motivator to keep on the straight and narrow right on into week two. That’s my story and I’m stickin’ to it!
There Really is Life Without Donuts!
Ron, aka The Former Donut Junkie
Life Without Donuts 
Nov 16, 2009 @ 20:34:38
Glad you found your motivation again Ron! Congrats on 6 lbs too! That will certainly help keep you focused!
Nov 16, 2009 @ 20:47:54
Amy, thanks for dropping in. I’ve started some of the protein shakes this week as well and really like their efficacy. They seem to keep me satiated for a long while and are good for a body at the same time!
Nov 17, 2009 @ 20:52:41
w00t on the loss Ron! Keep up the trend! And welcome back!
Nov 23, 2009 @ 23:15:25
Hey Ron. I don’t understand those big words you used in that last comment, but I heard Dr. Oz use the word satiety. The spelling doesn’t really go with the pronunciation does it? I’ve been keeping what I’ve lost off for the most part, but haven’t been losing much lately. I think the stress of the move has me eating more than I’d like…plus I’ve been drinking a lot of soda which is detrimental!
But I was thinking about what my Dr. said…well, it was a long time ago, so I can’t remember exactly what he said, but after blood work and all, he said that he thought a low-carb lifestyle would be best for me and suggested the book, “Protein Power.” I learned a lot about the science of why protein is good for you and think that it is what my body needs.
I haven’t bought a loaf of bread in about a month and really don’t miss it when it’s not around. My problem is feeling like the things I’m eating are weird when I do low carb, and it gets to me after a few days. I mean, lunch meat without white bread? Weird. Eggs and bacon with out toast and butter and a big glass of orange juice? Strange. A burger with no bun? Freaky. That’s where I get hung up on low carb. I need help getting past the “weirdness” of it.
But after my b-day and Thanksgiving (Wed. and Thurs) I’m leaving the stuffing and the mashed pot. in the fridge and am going for the leftover turkey, green beans and ham. Is it silly to try to do low carb during the month of December? Am I setting myself up for failure? I’m not sure. But I’d like to get a head start on Jan. 1st. Wow…it’ll be the first time in 12 years we’ll be away from the fast! Bobby may still do it, but it will be that much harder if you’re not surrounded by others who are fasting with you, so I’m not sure if he will or not. I probably won’t do a long fast…maybe a small one. We’ll see how the Lord leads.
Anyway…that was quite a comment, but I just wanted to run a few things by you. Tell Judy that I truly am “payin for my raisin'”! She’s right!
Talk to you soon! Happy Thanksgiving!
Nov 24, 2009 @ 06:02:01
Angie, I remember when my co-worker friend first told me about low-carb in 2003. I looked at him like he was from another planet when he said he ate bacon and eggs without toast! And no potato with that juicy ribeye! Heresy of heresies I thought to myself! But he had me seriously interested because he’d just dropped 25 pounds and was talking about how it was the first time he’d ever lost weight without going hungry all the time.
The foods I eat on the low-carb nutritional lifestyle ‘just work for me’. They’re all foods I’ve always loved. It’s been 2-1/2 years since I got serious about LC and I’ve not missed bread, potatoes, rice and pasta in the least. Donuts, cakes and pies….well, I do occasionally get a hankering for something so I just make me a LC version and eat that and everything is OK. The big plus is that after 7-10 days those nasty, evil sugar cravings are gone!
Anytime is a good time to start low-carb, but I’d agree it adds a certain element of difficulty to navigate the holiday food landmine. However, with the right strategies it can be done. I’m thinking that between now and the 1st of the year would be a good time to ‘read the book’. Don’t try to do low-carb using what knowledge you’ve ‘heard from others’! Strategy number one is to arm yourself with the knowlede of why it works and how it’s done successfully. I started off reading reading Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution (DANDR as it’s referred to in LC circles), then Protein Power. I’ve read a dozen or more LC related books since then. I must say one of the most powerful books I’ve read is not really a low-carb book but has helped me as much or more than all my LC books combined. It is ‘The Thin Commandments’ by Dr. Stephen Gullo. I highly recommend it! It’ll arm you with the strategies to make any diet work, but especially LC.
I’m working on a post about the strategies to help us navigate the holidays and eat right. You’ve also given me some good ideas for future posts. Thanks for stopping by and posting comments and thanks for your blogging support. I’m believing the best for you!
Ron, aka The Former Donut Junkie
Nov 27, 2009 @ 17:12:53
Great to have you back, Ron! It happens to the best of us, but the main thing is, you know what works for you – and you’ll always return to this WOE as a result. All the best. God bless.