Tips on trying to get back here
solska
Posts: 348 Member
Hi,
I've been traveling for the greater part of the summer and now just relocated. Didn't put on that much (don't have my stuff yet so haven't weighed, but clothes and rings tell a little). BUT didn't lose any either.
I try everyday to put back on a ketogenic diet, but something also happens everyday... I know I need to get back here and get back to the system... but having a really hard time. This place really helped me get motivated last fall and I lost over 30. Need to lose at least another 30, maybe more. So open to any and all suggestions and advice and new friends, feel free to add me. Thanks!
I've been traveling for the greater part of the summer and now just relocated. Didn't put on that much (don't have my stuff yet so haven't weighed, but clothes and rings tell a little). BUT didn't lose any either.
I try everyday to put back on a ketogenic diet, but something also happens everyday... I know I need to get back here and get back to the system... but having a really hard time. This place really helped me get motivated last fall and I lost over 30. Need to lose at least another 30, maybe more. So open to any and all suggestions and advice and new friends, feel free to add me. Thanks!
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Replies
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You need to get back on that horse that threw you. I think it is instructive to think of carbs as an addiction. You just have to give them up. With keto, I seem to have lost the cravings...6
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Tough love coming up, honey:
Ain't nobody gonna do this for you.
You KNOW already what you have to do. We can support and suggest, but you're the one opening your mouth and eating.
Nobody's holding a gun to your head and making you do it.
You either LCHP/F - or you don't.
It's that simple.
So:
Loads of protein.
Ditch the carbs.
Use fat as required.
Treats? once a month - if that. The less you 'treat' yourself, the less you'll want to.
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Can you skip breakfast and IF till after 1pm? that helps me burn off carbage and feel better. Watch your salt and magnesium intake too. kcko!3
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Forgive me if I've got the wrong end of the stick here, but it sounds as if you're going about it in a pretty half hearted way. If I were you, I'd take a week off from "trying to start" and instead spend that time clearing out your cupboards of the high carb foods, stocking up on low carb foods (including snacks) and looking up recipes/planning lunches for work. Then jump right on in. With no high carb foods available and plenty of snacks and recipes to hand it'll be harder to cheat. Track what you're eating to get back into the habit of logging but only concern yourself with your macros - ignore your calories for now. Then after a couple of weeks see if you need to lower your calories in order to lose weight. Good luck, you can do this!!!12
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I find it easiest to start changes slowly...so for me I might start with a week of just logging everything...then a week of keeping carbs under 150g/day...then a week under 100g/day...then finally getting under 50g/day...taking a month to get back on track is way better than never starting because jumping into it all at once is too overwhelming.4
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Here are the basic steps:
- Get rid of the crap in the cupboards.
- Only buy real food - if it is in a box or a bag or has more than just a couple ingredients, it is not real food.
- Avoid eating out if at all possible.
- Meal prep - make good meals in bulk and pack them up immediately. This works especially well for work lunches.
I have found after evolving to the place where I am now that quite honestly, the pre-packaged food is just not appealing. For the most part, I don't want to go to restaurants because what I make tastes better in addition to being healthier. I know it is not just me saying that about the taste because my daughter doesn't like steak, pulled pork and other really delicious foods at restaurants because it doesn't taste as good as what I cook.
The restaurant exception is that a good Brazilian steakhouse is ALWAYS a treat. In fact, we are going to one Saturday. If you have never been to one, they are heaven on earth. This is the one we are going to - http://www.texasdebrazil.com/locations/texas/addison/
If you stick to real food, you will find your taste buds will become more sensitive to the sweetness and flavorful nature of all foods. If you give it a few months, you will find if you do stray, that pre-packaged food won't taste as good as you remembered.5 -
In addition to all of the suggestions here, figure out one or two of the high carb things you always eat and find an alternative immediately. For me it was beer which I used to drink every day; and pizza which my husband makes every week. I substituted beer with no-carb vodka/Fresca. And when my husband makes pizza, I scrape the toppings off onto a salad.4
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cstehansen wrote: »
The restaurant exception is that a good Brazilian steakhouse is ALWAYS a treat. In fact, we are going to one Saturday. If you have never been to one, they are heaven on earth. This is the one we are going to - http://www.texasdebrazil.com/locations/texas/addison/
@cstehansen - I second this.....OMG we treated ourselves here on a trip to Denver last month.....best treat ever for a LCHF diet.....2 -
@SaleenGirl305 LaCroix has always helped me have a "special" drink in the evenings when I realized I needed to let go of my beer.
@solska I've worked hard to make LCHF a part of my lifestyle which means there are times my carb intake fluctuates. Currently, I'm sitting on about 5lbs of water weight etc that joined me as I added in a few more carbs. I've decided it's time to get back on the weight loss path, as I still have about 20 overall lbs I need to divest myself of. The thing that helps me get back into the swing of things is tracking. TRACK. IT. ALL. sometimes it's validation you're doing well, sometimes it's the 2x4 upside the head you needed to really see what you're putting in your body. I don't cut myself any slack in my log. If it goes in my mouth it goes in my log. Over time I'll back off that but when I need to re-energize, or re-prioritize or re-anything really, it's a good tool.4 -
cstehansen wrote: »
The restaurant exception is that a good Brazilian steakhouse is ALWAYS a treat. In fact, we are going to one Saturday. If you have never been to one, they are heaven on earth. This is the one we are going to - http://www.texasdebrazil.com/locations/texas/addison/
@cstehansen - I second this.....OMG we treated ourselves here on a trip to Denver last month.....best treat ever for a LCHF diet.....
I get to go there this Saturday! WOO HOO!!!!!!1 -
It's no more complicated than "don't eat *kitten*". I don't know why it took me 3 months of eating *kitten* to figure that out.4
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@SaleenGirl305 LaCroix has always helped me have a "special" drink in the evenings when I realized I needed to let go of my beer.
@mmultanen Thanks, I've been wanting to try those. I'll buy them next after I use up all the Fresca.
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@SaleenGirl305 - I found that I had a sinus response to them LaCroix carbonation, even without adding any sweetener or cream, which is/was my preferred consumption method... So just be aware that even though they are beyond awesome, they may cause a problem. I'm sure I have that reaction to all artificial carbonation (natural, like in Kombucha, didn't give me the same response) and just never noticed before...1
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Thanks @KnitOrMiss , I'll watch out for that.0
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La Croix puts more than just CO2 in their water, so it may not be the actual carbonation causing the problem, but rather the "essence"
You'd have to find an actual 100% plain seltzer water and try it to know for sure - good luck finding one, they used to be everywhere in my area, but I haven't been able to find one lately, the flavored ones have taken over.1 -
I always got it with soft drinks/sodas, too...but that could be the sugar or additives, too. All I know is it made me sad enough that I gave it up. If I buckle back down to hard numbers, I might add it back in, too.0
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What about plain Perrier or San Pellegrino? I love them both! Every Sat. our local grocery store has the 1L bottles on for 97 cents (limit of 4). Hubby & I go in separately and buy 4 each, lol.2
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Thank you all. It took me a bit longer to focus a bit more. Moving and living in temporary places not being able to cook etc. it's all hard. But I'm mostly getting back to it. It really matters to me to be able to make my coffee in the morning and to have bread substitutes at hand, low carb wraps do that though I think they aren't as innocent as they claim, and I try to have fat head pizza crust at hand. Life is more than complicated and busy at the moment so if I can avoid finding myself I have nothing to eat so will have to eat whatever situation it works well. Now I need to start eating less so I can start losing again. I have had back and forth with a few pounds though I haven't weighed myself in a while, clothes tell, but I haven't put on any. It's also more than weight loss. I just feel a lot better when I eat low carb. In every way. It's really hard to live with someone who eats junk snacks all the time and will never try to tell me not to get tempted though. Working on it. It helped me a lot to be here daily before. SO that's the first goal now.2
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It really matters to me to be able to make my coffee in the morning and to have bread substitutes at hand, low carb wraps do that though I think they aren't as innocent as they claim
Yeah watch out for the low carb wraps. I have them from time to time but don't make them a staple because they tend to stall my weight loss. Maybe when I hit my goal weight I will introduce them a bit more. I seem to tolerate the carb chopper brand and one that Trader Joes used to carry (haven't seen them in months). I don't mind the Paleo wraps but they are expensive. Someone shared picture with enchiladas using deli sliced turkey as the tortilla and I've been using that method which is pretty tasty. As far as eating out it can be done just interrogate the menu and substitute if possible. Salads with chicken are my go to at most restaurants but even places like Red Robin offer low carb options (wedgie burgers, salad, etc.) and most recently Genghis Grill added cabbage instead of a starch add-in. Fast food is a little more limited but most places carry a salad and you can ditch the buns for lettuce on most sandwiches. I try to keep it pretty basic when eating out so I don't get added sugar or some other filler (like IHOP adding pancake batter to their omelets)
I totally understand living with someone who eats junk food. My wife is the biggest vegan junk food junkie. The only thing I can say their is just have will power and it's OK to say no when offered crap food. My wife doesn't even offer any more which is nice and I remind myself how crappy I feel when I used to eat just like her. I focus on the more positive aspects of losing weight and getting in shape and would rather not go back to being winded going up a flight of stairs.
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@solska
Congrats on mustering the fortitude to ask for help. That's a huge step!
OK...
If you can walk by your broom closet and not drink Drano - - - > you can walk by your food closet and not eat chocolates (Candy corn, Twinkies, etc.)
Tips:
1. Tell your brain every hour that Chocolate (Candy corn, Twinkies, etc.) = Drano.
2. As @cstehansen suggests, get it out of your house!
You'll still have some tough sledding ahead (my sympathies!), but it will be easier if you do things with your conscious brain to fool your prehistoric subconscious self.
Good luck & keep us posted.0 -
Maybe a less restrictive diet would be better for your lifestyle? I couldn't keto, because it was impossible for me to restrict to that level - I also get catered lunches a lot at work, travel often (for work and pleasure), and have an active social life. It just didn't work for me. But I'm doing great on LCHF keeping carbs at 15% of my intake (usually <50-60 per day). I have lots of energy, no sugar cravings, can skip meals, BUT I'm a bit more flexible in social situations. I also don't have an "it's all or nothing" approach, because I'm not worried about knocking out of keto or anything. If I fall off the wagon, I just get back on the train the next day.4
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Maybe a less restrictive diet would be better for your lifestyle? I couldn't keto, because it was impossible for me to restrict to that level - I also get catered lunches a lot at work, travel often (for work and pleasure), and have an active social life. It just didn't work for me. But I'm doing great on LCHF keeping carbs at 15% of my intake (usually <50-60 per day). I have lots of energy, no sugar cravings, can skip meals, BUT I'm a bit more flexible in social situations. I also don't have an "it's all or nothing" approach, because I'm not worried about knocking out of keto or anything. If I fall off the wagon, I just get back on the train the next day.
I totally agree with this. I ate <20 carb grams for a year as an experiment unrelated to weight management. After 52 weeks (beginning April 2017) I upped my carbs to 50 total. No cravings, no hunger. I too can skip meals and have plenty of energy. It has been a dream!
In social situations, I don't go over on calories but I am flexible on carbs. Frankly, I think allowing myself the flexibility away from home or on very special occasions helps to keep me on track when at home which is at least 90% of my meals. 7 months, so far so good.2 -
I have the hardest time getting back on the Keto wagon when I fall off but once I am in the mode I find no trouble staying there. I try to remind myself of how much better I feel. What helped me this time was moderating my lapses. 1.) If I lapsed I immediately get back on it the next meal by having a variety of salads and meats standing by. 2.) Picking a lapse food that is healthy like plain yogurt with oats, dates and raw cacao nibs.
The final thing that really helped was watching my electrolyte intake. That tired cranky feeling I had was simply lack of potassium and sodium. I now make a salty bone broth once a week and drink a cup a day. It halts my cravings right in their tracks.
Good Luck!1
