[hHwJ229h]

Thank you all for your responses. This forum is really supportive! Good to know that others can relate.
I've been doing better emotionally. Still getting myself together but I think the worse is over. I even went to a party and had some drinks. So now its time to start getting my diet under control. (I've been overeating, eating late at night, eating foods high in sugar and saturated fat- basically the typical american diet).

I've come to the conclusion on why I started binging:
-I was on a caloric deficit for too long and being overly restrictive.
-STRESS (being audited at work, working long hours, merger, mortgage, bills....)
-Huge arguement with my brother.

So my plan is to follow the diet correctly and in a healthy manner from the start. Learn how to stay rational and calm during stressful times. Anybody have any tips on combating emotional eating?

Its been almost a week since I've been off my diet. I gained a lot of my wieght/fat back. Surprisingly my muscles grew (mainly my chess and biceps) but so did my waistline, cheeks, and thighs.

I'm off the hyrdoxycut (makes no sense to take it if your binging) and I have been having bm's again thanks to psyllium husk and this natural laxative tea. I will try the st john wort next time I feel moody. I'm also looking into teas to reach my Zen.

I've got to loose the wait before the holidays. Thats when I'll see friends and family. Plus I want to start off the new year with a healthy trimmed body. I just have to remember to be patient with fat loss and stay away from extremes. And have a rational mindset when it comes to eating/ physical appearance/ and dealing with emotions.

[TeemFilla]

"I just have to remember to be patient with fat loss and stay away from extremes. And have a rational mindset when it comes to eating/ physical appearance/ and dealing with emotions."

Bingo!

Stress eating is something that I don't believe we ever get over... it's too much a part of who we have become as adults. But, it IS something we can learn to live with and it IS something we can control. But the urge will always be there. Of course, that could just be ME. I've struggled to control it for 40+ years, though. It's never gone away... I've just had better control of it at times. LOL Recognizing it is probably the best weapon against it.

Have you read the book? Found a copy?

Tril

[Green_Monkey23]

Stress eating plays an enormous role in many folks problems with food. Joe, you are not alone!

One way I have found to combat emotional/stress eating is to find a new "substitute" for the eating. Like, I now make a cup of decaf green tea with splenda and cream. Or I indulge in something like some yummy pickles and really good cheese. It is something that most people will fight for the rest of their lives so if you are going to stress eat just stay on plan.

Like Tril, I have struggled with this mainly in the last 10 years but it was really getting out of hand. And like Tril says Recognizing it is probably the best weapon against it. Take care of yourself, you sound really stressed out.

Kage

[hHwJ229h]

Thanks for the advice about stress. I totally failed this time but I'll be prepared when it comes around again. The occasional binging and carb overload has reeked havoked on me though. Total damage: gained 15lbs in one week and 6% body fat according to my tatina scale. It's been very hard to get back on track especially that I have caught the cold. I haven't been keepin up with my workout routine and feel weak and hungry all the time. Tomorrow I'm going to start recording what I eat. By the end of the week I hope to cut out fast food and switch my sugary desserts to fruits. I really want to go back to phase 1 and ketosis but I will read all about it before I do that again. Hopefully by monday i will be over this cold, going to the gym regularly, and be ready to go on phase 1. So its back to the Starting Point for me. It is what it is. I've gained all the fat back (at least I've gained muscles too) and have carb cravings from eating unhealthy. But the fat will burn off and cravings will stop with proper diet and excersice - thats what fat cells are for (storing calories to be burned off later). So I hope my body realizes that. Its time for me to get healthy again. This forum is so helpful, I genuienly feel accountable here. Thanks again all.

[hHwJ229h]

Starting up is the hardest part. I keep eating. (snacking throughout the day and eating late at night). I ate a big dinner at 9:30pm. Right now its 3am and I feel like snacking on whatever I have in my fridge. Heaven help me, I need to start eating right.

[TeemFilla]

Snacking throughout the day is ok... it's normal... it's actually good. It keeps your body fueled and keeps you from getting too hungry. Which, I suspect, is part of your problem. You're not eating enough so you get ravenously hungry. It's your body trying to survive the periodic starvation you're doing. Also, I don't want to make a judgement call based on one picture... but your avatar is not a picture of a healthy, happy, vibrant young man of your age. I've taught high school age kids and I've seen "that look" before. You also don't appear to need to lose weight. Have you talked to anyone at home or school about all of this??? Are there other things you're dealing with? I'm concerned, that's all. Not being nosey... just the mom/teacher in me is quite worried.

Tril

[hHwJ229h]

I've been snacking on bad stuff, like cookies, bread & butter, and candy around the office which causes me to be more hungry. Today I did pretty good though no cookies or candy for me and a salad for lunch. I think my body is actually starting to crave healthy foods.

My avatar is a picture that was taken of me 1 year ago (28yrs old). It was when I was attempting a modified South Beach Diet. I managed to get to 9% body fat. Yesterday, sadly I clocked in at 18%.

[hHwJ229h]

I'm a newbie. I've been on ketosis for 2 weeks now and I am starting to stall and feel hungry. My diet consists of protein shakes (only 1 carb) and herb skinless chicken breast stir fried with 1 tsp of olive oil. About 900cal a day. I do strength training 4 times a week and 15 min of interval training on the eleptical 5 days a week. So I'm following the Atkins diet very well except eating the fat. So here is my question. While on ketosis our bodies are burning fat for energy instead of carbs. So why eat fat? Our bodies would be burning the fat we eat instead of the fat that is stored in our bodies? Help me understand so I can feel comfortable adding more fat to my diet.

[thomaskkk]

Have you read the book? It explains it pretty well in there.

I've been on ketosis for 2 weeks now and I am starting to stall and feel hungry Well for one thing, not getting enough fat will make you hungry and unsatisfied.

My diet consists of protein shakes (only 1 carb) and herb skinless chicken breast stir fried with 1 tsp of olive oil. About 900cal a day Is that all you eat? First of all, 900 calories isn't nearly enough. Secondly, if that's all you're eating, you're missing out on all the vegetables you need.

Help me understand so I can feel comfortable adding more fat to my diet. Well you're eating olive oil now, that's a safe form of fat. High fat doesn't mean you have to eat a bowl of bacon covered in cheese.

[TeemFilla]

I'm a newbie. I've been on ketosis for 2 weeks now and I am starting to stall and feel hungry. My diet consists of protein shakes (only 1 carb) and herb skinless chicken breast stir fried with 1 tsp of olive oil. About 900cal a day. I do strength training 4 times a week and 15 min of interval training on the eleptical 5 days a week. So I'm following the Atkins diet very well except eating the fat. So here is my question. While on ketosis our bodies are burning fat for energy instead of carbs. So why eat fat? Our bodies would be burning the fat we eat instead of the fat that is stored in our bodies? Help me understand so I can feel comfortable adding more fat to my diet.

Okay... before I go into why you need to eat fat on a low carb diet, let me just say that what you described (protein shakes and chicken) is NOT Atkins. It's not even close to Atkins. Protein shakes aren't on the Induction list... and if you're drinking the Atkins shakes they're not intended to replace a meal. On the Atkins website they say this about their products (shakes and bars): "Whether you’re trying to lose weight, maintain weight or live a healthier life, each delicious snack is a nutritious and convenient way to help you reach your goals." Emphasis is mine. These are snacks, not meals. If you're making your own from protein powder... again... that's not Atkins. This isn't a generic low carb diet where you can anything you want so long as you stay within a certain carb limit. You can't eat 10 carbs in a mini pnb cup and consider yourself "on plan" so long as you don't eat any more carbs that day. Vegetables are an important part of the Atkins diet. If you're not eating 12 to 15 net grams of carb (in Induction... more in OWL) then you're not following Atkins.

Ok... now to answer your question regarding fat intake.

From the FAQ here on this site... "So to avoid depriving our bodies of both fats and carbohydrates at the same time, we often have to consciously add fats to our diet. Trying to eat a low-fat or reduced-fat diet along with a low-carb diet is almost a sure recipe for failure. It may appear to be effective, at least for a while. You may lose some weight, but despite cutting your carbohydrates down to almost zero you probably won't lose as much as you would if you were eating more fat. You surely won't feel nearly as good as you would if you ate more fat. And you may even end up falling by the wayside along with those people who say "Oh, I tried that, and it didn't work for me."

From the FAQ on the Atkins website:

"Can I do a low-fat version of Atkins?

Fat is the mechanism that makes controlled carbohydrate weight loss work. The Atkins Nutritional Approach teaches you how to use fat to your advantage. When you are doing Atkins, fat is your friend not only because it is satiating but because it slows down the release of glucose into the blood. By moderating blood sugar swings, fat reduces carbohydrate cravings. Dietary fat, in combination with controlled carbohydrate consumption, accelerates the burning of stored body fat. When your body uses fat, rather than glucose for fuel, the metabolic process is called lipolysis.

However, you do want to eat good fat, Natural, healthy fat is found in olives and olive oil, seeds, nuts, seed and nut oils and butters, avocado, and oily fish such as salmon, sardines and mackerel. Saturated fat, found in meats, butter and coconut oil, poses little risk in the Induction and Ongoing Weight Loss phases of the program. You will burn both dietary fat and body fat for energy. However, when you reach Pre-Maintenance and Maintenance and are no longer in a primarily fat-burning mode, it is prudent to reduce saturated fats and keep good fats in your diet.

The kinds of fat you should avoid are chemically altered, processed hydrogenated oils, such as most margarine and shortening. Look for cold-pressed or expeller-pressed oils, and store them in a dark, cool place to keep them from going rancid or oxidizing. High heat changes the molecular structure of the cell and will transform even a good fat into a trans fat so be sure not to burn oil or allow it to smoke while cooking.

People who try to do their own low-fat version of Atkins will not only find themselves hungry, they also will not achieve the weight loss results of those who consume healthy fats."

Get the book... read it... and THEN do the diet.

Tril

[hHwJ229h]

Ok so I didn't read the book. I jumped right into eliminating carbs.

I will add almond butter to my diet this week (2TBSP's a day). I also need to read the book. I'm going to stick with the protein shakes (not atkins - gold standard which has 1g carb and almost no fat just 24g of protein). I want to fuel my muscles cuz I do strength training. It might be possible my body is going into starvation mode and that is why the ketostix dont turn purple anymore. Hopefully by adding this extra fat calories to my diet my body will go out of starvation mode.

I will start adding vegetables after this week is over.

Thanks for your replies I will let you know the results.

[TeemFilla]

Nuts and seeds aren't added until the 3rd week of On Going Weightloss (OWL), Joe... you really would do better to add a tossed salad with some extra virgin olive oil vinegrette, some olives, an avocado and yes, even butter. If you're eating good lean protein at every meal and snack (that's three meals and snacks as needed) you would be fueling your body better for your workouts. The shakes are ok (the one you described) and, IMHO, GOOD when body building... they certainly won't hurt you or your diet. But your body needs real food to function... and 900 calories isn't enough, expecially for body building (and I bet you know that).

Are you preparing for a competition? Is your body fat already within a normal range and you're trying to make it lower? How much overweight are you? At the lower end of your weight loss you can't expect more than 1/2# to a pound a week (for men).

If you're still determined to do the Atkins diet, please read more about it. It's not about eliminating carbs at all... there's a lot more to it and we NEVER totally eliminate carbs.

Tril

[thomaskkk]

If you're building muscle, make a salad from raw spinach instead of lettuce. It's what I do(or I mix the two), and the spinach has a lot of nutrients and vitamins that are much more helpful than lettuce, especially to a bodybuilder. Plus it's 1 net carb for nearly 3 cups.

[hHwJ229h]

As of Sat 10/18 I weigh 125.2lbs 15.4% body fat according to my tanita inner scan body fat scale. I am 5ft 4. (3 weeks ago I wieghed 140lbs with 18.6%body fat). My goal I have in my head is 8%body fat/115lbs or until I see my ab muscles. I am not preparing for competition I just cannot stand the fat I have on my lower abdomin and thighs. I also would like more muscle but its the fat that I have that is making me miserable. I want to loose at least 3 lbs a week. (I was loosing almost a pound a day the last 2 weeks). The fact that I have stalled is making me mad but I have to stay the course. The good news is even though my wieght has stalled the scale is showing that my body fat percentage is droping. The reading may be inaccurate but it gives me hope to press on.

(I had 1tbs of almond butter today and I'm continuing to cook with olive oil). I also added hard boiled eggs to my diet. I drink 2 protein shakes inbetween my 3 meals which consists of either Ahi tuna simmered in olive oil or herb chicken breast simmered in olive oil or hard boiled eggs. I am starting to feel hungry the ketosis seems to wearing off. (I love being on ketosis where I had to force myself to eat). I still have bad breath and the stick does turn a very very light purple I'm going to stay this course and add spinach to my diet this Saturday even if the scale says I've gained wieght. My body is yearning for nutrients. I wish i had time to read the book. Today I ate a little over 1000 calories. I'm shooting for 1100 calories a day.

One more thing, I haven't done a number 2 in a week and a half. Any suggestions on that?

[thomaskkk]

Yeah, some more fiber.

[TeemFilla]

Except, for the last two weeks all he's had to eat is protein shakes (he'll pee the waste from these) and skinless chicken breasts. He hasn't been eating any veggies (so no undigestable fiber). He probably isn't consitipated... he just doesn't have any, um.. waste. No intake = no output.

Tril

[TeemFilla]

LOL... what a funny conversation! True carnivores are rare so I'm not sure what their scat is like. I know animals like foxes and coyotes are omnivores. It sounds gross but on our walks we will often stop to see what the resident female coyote has been eating. LOL And, I'd MUCH rather deal with a wild animal's scat than a farm animal or pet's. Wild has no odor in my experience. Herbivores, like cows, have the WORST smelling ____, IMO.

Tril

[hHwJ229h]

Wow, now you've got me scared. I don’t really feel toxic or sick or bloated. I feel nothing. But I am concerned. I'm going to take some psyllium husks caps right now and eat some spinach for dinner today. I just hope I dont gain weight. Fiber makes you bloat.

[thomaskkk]

No it doesn't...

[hHwJ229h]

The first time I took Psyllium Husk I bloated up like a balloon then had the runs. (I think I took to much).

Anyways I added spinach and romaine lettuce to my diet after eating strictly skinless chicken w/olive oil, eggs, ahi tuna w/olive oil, spanish sardines, and protein shakes for the past 11 days. (I accidentely had 1tbs of almond butter but found out its a no no on induction). Also started taking psyllium husk w/ water. For some reason the spinach and romaine lettuce tasted very sweet to my taste buds, it was strange. (It had no dressing on it).

I still haven't yet done a number 2 its been 12 days. Hopefully I will go by the end of the week after the spinach and pysllium husk kicks in. I want to avoid using laxatives heard bad things about it. I don't feel constipated or bloated.