Don't Be Afraid to Post Failures

I don't take it personally. I did at first, especially since several people blocked me (I got them all to unblock me), but then I realized that nobody on here knows me. The point of this is to educate and be educated, otherwise what are we doing on here. This isn't a day care center, we are not here to make fun of on another. We are here to support each other and share our experiences, both good and bad. I am not afraid to experiment and I am also not afraid to report on what works and what doesn't. Like I found that a small carb spike one day a week gives me a nice loss over the next couple of days but a bigger carb spike will put a few pounds on me that takes several more days to get off (seems to be a bit more stubborn). That getting into and staying in ketosis takes a bit of fat. I have no empirical proof, but this has been very consistent with some of my readings. May not work for everyone, but if it helps even one person to get closer to their goal then I am happy with the scoldings and the nasty PMs.

I get like you sometimes too and for the past week or so I have been really bad abou****er. I just don't feel like drinking. I came back from a 30 min run the other day soaked in sweat and didn't drink anything for like 2 hours after that. I was in a really great routine and for whatever reason it broke and that's hard to get back to. I usually get like you after I fast for a whole day. I don't feel like eating.

I think that you get to the point where you don't care about eating might indicate that any obsession or compulsions you had with food before might have been eradicated or at the very least burried for the time being.

Yeah, whatever works for one person might not for everyone too so it's kind of a crapshoot too. Yeah, I just have this weird thing that I'm trading one obsession for another sometimes. LOL... oh, how fun.

Keith, I know you're right. We do learn from our mistakes and the mistakes of others. I sort of like to work through mine and then post about them. When I think my F - up is worthy of helping people learn something I post about it. It does take some fortitude to do it the first time, but then once you let go and admit to  a "failing" or an "oops", as some call it, it really does help. I find it takes the power away from the incident and you can look at the issue and learn from it.

Good advice!

Exactly. I see where you are coming from on the thinking through it, etc. I think Elina does that as well. Sometimes I like to put it out there to see what people say while I am thinking through it. You can still benefit the new people from the raw thread of putting it out there.  When I put a posting about a screw up there is usually 3 to 5 pages of dialog to follow. Where as a wholly thought out problem/solution may just get read. I like to hear the feedback, both good and bad. I have been accused of being provocative but that is not the case, sometime it is just a raw thought, idea, or problem.

Sometimes my postings aren't to help me at all, but to help others (that is much more rare).

Excellent point. Might try that out, but my nature is to mull things over. I like how you just put it out there. I really enjoy reading your posts and anecdotes. Keep 'em coming!

I appreciate this post, because it reminds us that honesty with ourselves is what will get us to the promised land.

I am hesitant to post my failures not because I'll get scolded, but because I'm ashamed I deviated-- I managed to forget the reasons why I had surgery in the first place.

My biggest downfall has been letting carbs slip back into my diet. It seems that carbs are in everything! I've managed to let go of bread, but the occasional half cup of rice has been known to creep back in.

I also haven't figured out how to pace myself when eating. Often I eat too fast and it comes back up, which is gross. But it keeps happening.

Here's an idea: When I do something starchy like rice, I eat 2 measured Tablespoons. That's it. I also eat it after my protein and my vegetable. Leaving it for last, I find that amount completely satisfying. It's doable this way and keeps the carbs overall for the day quite low and most importantly of all, does not trigger me to want or eat more!

The thing to remember is that we are all human. We do have a problem, no matter what it is, with food. You should not be ashamed. For me sometimes writing it out helps me to realize and internalize that I have done something. When I read my post I can look at it objectively for some reason and sometimes I will even say "look what that jackass did" after I read my own posts.

Carbs are an issue only because if you let some be ok and others not be ok, then how long before they are all ok. I have eaten brown rice on a few occassions, a bit or two, because there are health benefits to it, oatmeal too, but for working out they are a slow digesting carbohydrate. But usually the day after I have a day like that I fast and I don't ever experience extra cravings. That just happens to be a pattern that works for me. The problem with doing that is that it usually takes me a while to get back into ketosis.

I still struggle with eating slower and this week I seem to have a problem with eating one bite too much, which I haven't had since like a couple weeks after full foods. Either that or I am having more restriction than normal.

The vomitting really stops me from having a repeat performance. I still have a tough time with chicken but I keep trying it periodically because that supposedly will go away. So far no good and every time I eat it I vomit.

Thank you. I needed this post. I had been doing really well these last few months and I had a slip this week and ate (ahhhh!!!!) sugar. In the past, I've always beat myself up when I slipped.

I have learned it isn't the end of the world, I just have to move on and go back to eating what I know works for me.

I have learned I need to stay away from sugar. It is something that actually causes me to feel hungry and I learned it doesn't give me a good feeling but a negative one.

If there is a birthday party or a special day at work and there are sweets, I do not have to have a piece of the cake or a fancy cookie to feel I am part of the celebration. My celebration should be a big WOO HOO for NOT eating the cake or pretty cookies!

Thank you Keith!

I had a post a while back that you should beat yourself up. But that doesn't necessarily mean it has to be a negative thing. Its about accountability. This all up to you, so if you eat sugar, you are the one that suffers the consequence. As such you have a plan to get back on plan. 

You are right it is not the end of the world. It is only the end of the world if you continue the same behavior over and over again and don't do anything about it.

You have internalized the sugar experience. That takes a lot of focus and concentration on what is going on with you. Its easy to read on here about it happening to someone else and go "Oh, I don't want that to happen to me".

The people on here that I think are going to be successful are the ones that work on a plan to figure out how to deal with those situations. You never know when you are going to snap or when something looks so good you have to taste it. What are you going to do when you cross the line? Its not game over. Its ok, that was delicious, now move on. There are a few people on here that seem to have incredible will power and I am envious. I know I don't. I am a cook and I like food. I like flavor. There are times I taste things to figure out what is in them. Sounds like an excuse but it really isn't. (I know there is some eye rolling because of that statement) Its part of who I am and I have to figure out how to stick to my path and have that be a part of it. That is what this process is about.