We’ve all been there: standing in front of the fridge door “accidentally” eating a slice of dessert or chugging on a cold beer after a stressful (or successful!) day.
Breaking our low carb run can send us spiralling into negative thoughts. It becomes easy to give up and slam dunk the low carb lifestyle into the too hard basket. But one small slip up doesn’t mean you’ve failed, it just means that you’re human!
We asked Defeat Diabetes members for their best advice on what to do when you fall off the low carb wagon. We reckon it may come in handy over the next few weeks!
Get to know your metabolism
Once you know about what carbs do to your metabolism you can’t ‘unknow’ it. I have found that gaining an understanding of the science of metabolism really helps me say ‘no’ to carbs/seed oils etc. But when I do fall off the carb bandwagon I try not to beat myself up (too much) and, instead, focus on jumping right back on! – Mary
It’s all about making good habits
Change my habits! Whatever I’m doing that tempts me to drop off I stop doing it and do something else. – Liz
Understand your thought systems
Going “off-plan” with anything can often lead to demoralising negative self-talk. I find it so helpful to ACCEPT that a choice I made was not in line with my values and needs, that it was a decision I should LEARN from, and to start over immediately (not the following day/week/procrastinate until forever…). These thoughts and behaviours encourage me to stay positive and motivated. – Tania
Want to read more about our experts’ advice on understanding thought systems?
It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3
Take a deep breath and start again. – Ginney
Trust the low carb experts
Go and watch a lecture on YouTube about the benefits of low carb diets. The science is indisputable. I tell myself I won’t get the amazing results and health benefits if I don’t stick with it consistently. Remind yourself of the reason(s) for choosing the low carb way of life. I have written some short phrases on study cards to remind me of my ‘why’ – it really helps. – Julia
Well there you have it
Remember, most of us experience a momentary lapse when following a low carb approach; the important thing is to acknowledge it and move on, returning to your healthier patterns of eating as soon as possible.
