It's nearly impossible to believe, but Atkins Gal and I have been on Round 2 of the Atkins Diet for over six weeks now.
Latest results: the lowest my scale has read is all the way down to 182.5 pounds, nearly ten pounds lower than when I started. I'm still having some problems wearing some pants (a few pairs of khakis are still cutting off circulation and causing uncontrollable trembling), but some of my once-snug tee shirts are comfortable again.
What is truly surprising, though, is the renewed enjoyment I've found in eating. Last time we did the Atkins Diet, I felt lots of resentment at the dietary restrictions. I eventually became desperate to cheat as much as possible, consuming gigantic amounts of sugar-alcohol/zero net carb chocolate bars, and grumbling every time I stopped myself from eating a hamburger bun or slice of toast.
That was my failure last time. I allowed myself to get all self-righteous and sneery over the restrictions, rather than accepting and just dealing with the limitations.
Going with that latter option has simply made eating much more FUN. Instead of bemoaning the lack of bread, gravy, ice cream, pizza, cookies, bagels ... well, instead, I've been boggle-eyed at the giant oyster mushrooms, shiitakes, new york strip and T-bone steaks, broccoli, various greens, sashimi ...
You get the idea. Some may consider it to be simple spin-doctoring, or playing head games, or even outright lying to myself. But it's really just dealing with my own choices. I chose, along with Atkins Gal, to change my diet, and genuinely agreed with myself to deal with any possible consequences.
So I can look at a box of cookies and not feel wistful, or a sack of bread and just shrug at it, or a pile of rice -- brown, white, yellow, or barely recognizable -- and just forget about them as I enjoy the rest of my meal.
The grass is just as green over here as it is over there.
