Internally, there's always a "good reason" for our choices. Sometimes it
just has to do with prioritizing immediate gratification over long term
goals. It can be helpful in changing behavior to know why you held on to
the old behavior in the first place. Then you can make conscious decisions
as opposed to decisions by default (which tend to be "easiest as the
moment.")

Realizing that there is not an end to the goal is probably the key. I am the
kind of person that would rather solve a problem quick and then go relax for
awhile, rather than continue steady forever. Obviously that does not work for
eating for life.


South Beach gets into the "good carbs" and "bad carbs"
where Atkins shuns them all.

Really? I thought Atkins said you can add back in things like vegetables as
long as you stay below your threshhold.

That is true. What I think I meant to say is that Atkins does not really tell
you to limit fat at all. And if you don't limit fat then you have to be very
careful about carbs. By being more careful with fat, it should allow a bit more
on the carbs (realizing that calories still count).


Ah, I see. Well, I'm in my "somewhat low" carb stage right now. My Body Fat
% is improving, which is my goal. My appetite is great. Energy is OK too. I
don't plan to make high carb meals a regular part of my diet going forward.
I just expect to have more carbs on some days than others. I had a
rotisserie chicken recently and had mashed potatoes with it. I didn't
consider it a failure. It is built in as something I'm going to do on an
on-going basis as desired (but not regularly). I'm still staying away from
things like dressing, etc. but of course that's an individual choice.

Yeah, moderation is always the king. Glad your system works.


I do wonder what mentally stood in your way. I'm asking you these questions
because it seems (and appearances can be deceiving) that you consider
LC'ing a sacrifice and something you have to force yourself to do. I still
think I was one of the worst carb addicts known to mankind, but I find now
that I cleaned out my system a bit, I don't miss them anywhere near as much
as everyone (including me) thought I would. Maybe for you it is just the
social thing of eating differently than everyone else in your family. Food
for thought.

I actually enjoy LC. I can't point to the one "thing" that threw me off the
wagon. I guess once I got to my goal, I subconsciously thought that I was done.
In reality, I had just begun! I guess I have been in the 95% of the crowd
statistic that can't stick to a new WOL for that long. This time ... I need to
plan for maintenance much better than I did last time.
--
Dave (LC -Take II- since 2/29/04)
180/172/145

http://markson.net/lowcarb.htm (My Lowcarb Page)