I have been going strong on Atkins for about 8-9 months now and have lost 80+ pounds. There have been bumps in the road but I have done pretty well. I hardly EVER cheated...cheats have slowly become more frequent "(a couple of slices of pizza won't hurt, I NEVER cheat...a bite of this peanut butter cup is only like 1 carb...I don't feel like cooking so I'll just eat _____") You know the drill, I'm sure we've all done it a few times.

I feel invincible after losing so much weight but I really want to meet goal. Today I ate kinda badly...1 3/4 Atkins bars (which I try to avoid but I bought some because I was having cravings, imagine that). Broccoli salad (on-plan), mexican broccoli slaw (on-plan) and too much artificial sweetener (not really on-plan). I had a snacky hunger itch that wouldn't go away for just baked cheese crisps or veggies with ranch so I ate 1/2 a bag of movie theater butter popcorn (SO not on-plan). I feel really guilty...lately I've been eating hardly any veggies and giving in to cravings.

I am moving out of my parents house to a city across the country in 3 weeks and I am so incredibly nervous/stressed about it. I also want to lose as much weight as possible before I move and I think it might be backfiring...am I putting too much pressure on myself?

You've done great so far. It's not surprising that you're stressed out with such a large life change about to occur.

Eat more meat and try to relax.

JohnP is right, you've really done a great job so far!!

But I know how you feel, it can be really frustrating when, despite our best willpower, we give into our cravings. I've never tried Atkins, although I did do South Beach once and it's fairly low carb the initial 2 weeks... I just couldn't do it! Failed every time. Again, you deserve credit for doing so well!!

I am a binge eater. I can just eat and eat for the sake of eating, completely out of control. I've done well lately because a) I've found this site and b) I've started working out regularly. When I workout daily (or 5-6x a week) it makes it harder for me to give into the sweets and carb-loaded crap because I don't want to undo all the hard work I put in at the gym! Although for some, it might go the other way, "I worked out so it's OK to eat this". I guess it's just trial and error!

I love the quote, "Nothing tastes as good as being thin feels." Sometimes I remind myself of this when I'd really struggling.

Good luck!

I agree with JohnP. You seem to be on the right track. You are suceeding is so many ways!

I think sometimes people react funnily to stress. Let me explain, sometimes it is easier to focus on a familiar thing to stress about than what really is the true point of stress. For example, when my husband has stress at work, he complains about a sock left on the floor. It really isn't about a sock. I think that because you are stressed about your big life changes, you are picking at your diet and weightloss plan and beating yourself up about what normally wouldn't bother you, because it is the familiar and controlable thing in your life.

All I want to say is that you are being too hard on yourself and you should focus on the positive and exciting things coming to you now and in the near future.

Linsy, congratulations on a great loss ! Moving can be stressful, stay on plan, think how great you will feel and how proud of yourself you deserve to be. Stay strong !