Day 20: Embrace Cabin Fever

Snow happened and kept me from going anywhere for quite a while. For the past couple of days and today, I have expressed my freedom from cabin fever by grocery shopping and trying to eat carefully at restaurants. Nigiri sushi (body didn't like), Sonny's BBQ (I ate no sauce, but too many yummy veggies), and McDonald's (the throw-away-the-bun thing doesn't work if the sandwiches are loaded with ketchup, onions and cheese, but I did it anyway!) are going to be the downfall of my diet. It's happened before.

I'm sure that Mom's dogs are very thankful for the buns, though.

I'm okay with some cabin fever again. My self-imposed exile will keep me focused on work and diet for a while. At least until I can stop looking longingly when someone carts several banana splits and hot fudge sundaes past my nose...

I've heard that many dieters set up a "cheat day" so they can eat one or two meals (or three meals) that are a departure from the proposed diet, once a week or once a month. I'll think about that one, perhaps every thirty days. But I'm afraid of a relapse.

I'm also interested in trying the Weight Watchers Point System as my "Plateau Breaker Diet." It works well and is relatively easy. I failed that one because I let the variety get out of hand and didn't keep good records-- which is why it's harder for me to mess up the Atkins diet. (Suppressed appetite and no low blood sugar are good Atkins diet attributes. My body doesn't crash!)

Just a gross note: I ended my evening with snacks of cheddar pork rinds and sugar-free strawberry Jell-O.

PROGRESS:
1. Still chugging along on the Atkins diet. I may have indulged in too many carbs today, given the cheese on my hamburgers-- and unknown additives. But I'm hanging in there!
2. I've decided that ketosis kicks in better using lean meats that I prepare at home. There're no surprises!
3. I want to make it through the Induction diet with next to no vegetables for a higher initial ketosis rate.
3. I'm not touching a scale until I take a few days to realign my metabolism and purge some adipose tissue! Self-imposed exile, initiated!