What are you gonna do to keep it off THIS TIME?!?!?!?

[BethOfHearts]

I lost almost 100 lbs 2 years ago. I was 155 lbs, at 5'6", and even though I ALWAYS have plenty of booty, I know I looked great back then.

Then it slipped all away for some reason.

I've been trying to figure out why for the last year. I wonder if I should see a therapist next time I get to an awesome weight?!?

Anyway, I spend a lot of time trying to figure out why I didn't value my hard work enough?

What are you going to do to keep the weight off this time???

[rox4jc]

Re: What are you gonna do to keep it off THIS TIME?!?!?!?

Don't look at this as a diet, but as a better healthier way of eating. Stop putting junk into your body! OUr lives our so busy now, it's so easy to give in to the 'convenience foods' that are making us fat. At least that's how it was for me. I realized that I wasn't doing me or my family any favors by practicing those sloppy eating habits, so I changed.
Pretty simple, actually.

[atkins_again]

Re: What are you gonna do to keep it off THIS TIME?!?!?!?

I'm a fifth-time-around Atkineer, and I lost the most weight on my first round also. I went down from size 12 to size 8 (about 165 to 135). So imagine my horror when I found myself tipping the scales at 210 five years ago!

The first (and the other subsequent) time(s), I didn't really educate myself, nor did I keep track of my food intake and workouts. Also, this time around I joined this awesome ADBB website! From what I've seen, journalling and keeping yourself around other supportive Atkineers definitely helps with the weight loss and maintenance.

So .. welcome and since you and I both started yesterday (April 26), how about we become Atkins buddies? We could keep each other motivated, and keep each other in check? Just a thought. Either way, welcome, good luck and hope to see less and less of you!

[Kate113]

Re: What are you gonna do to keep it off THIS TIME?!?!?!?

What I'm going to do is remember how disgusted I was at myself for going off Atkins in the first place when I was doing so well. I don't want that feeling about myself ever again.

I'm going to stick to my exercise program.

I'm going to drink my water.

I'm going to remember how hard it was to carry so much weight...how it hurt my legs and how easily I got out of breath.

I'm going to keep a photo of my "fat" self on the fridge.

I'm going to tell myself how hard it was to lose the weight and how I've done a good job.

I'm going to remember induction flu. I never want to go through that again!

I'm going to remember that nothing tastes as good as thin feels. I'm nowhere near thin yet, but I will be!


Good luck to you. I know you can do this!

[cypressgirl]

Re: What are you gonna do to keep it off THIS TIME?!?!?!?

NOT think of it as a diet or achieving goal as a finish line!

[Rubysugar]

Re: What are you gonna do to keep it off THIS TIME?!?!?!?

I agree with everyone above.
I am not on a diet, I just don't eat the things that I know will make me sick. Now and when I am grey and tottering around with grandkids.

Also, I have a habit of peeking at people's grocery carts in the store. If I see a woman who is the size I used to be, I take a gander into her cart. I see why she is the size she is and I look into my cart and remind myself that I never want to be, literally, 3 x the size I should be. What goes into that cart needs to further my work, not hinder it.
It also helps that I have lost the taste for things that were bogus for my health. I loved Coke, now it has lost all appeal and tastes funky and not at all how my mind had blown it up to be. Give me a room temperature bottle of water and I am good to go!
Great thread!

[Smallerizing]

Re: What are you gonna do to keep it off THIS TIME?!?!?!?

HI, Beth!!! Yes, you DID look hot!!


Well, so did I. Good question -- why did we NOT value all the hard work? I was a cute little size 6 after being 1X for all those years. And I didn't even have an AFTER picture because I didn't intend to gain any of it back.

Okay, maybe 5 pounds. Cuz I can lose it real easy. Okay, 10, cuz my clothes still fit. Sort of. Okay, 20 pounds ain't too bad, cuz I'm stressed (yada yada) and my rings still come off okay, but NO MORE. Okay a few more cuz I can lose 5 pounds and my rings will fit again. Etc. etc. etc. etc. until I can't stand the look in the mirror, my legs scrape together again, I'm out of breath, I'm wearing elastic waist pants again.....

What I'm doing now--and I hope I can keep it up--is focusing on my health and not my weight loss. Because it sure is harder to lose this time.

I have slowed down my goals considerably.

When I'm tempted with carbs, I think of stroke, heart disease, migraines, amputated legs from diabetes... the list goes on!

In short, I know now this IS a Way of Life. NOT a diet. And it's a Way of Long Life! Not a few moments of gastronomical satisfaction surrounded by years of misery and rolls of ugly and uncomfortable fat.

Another weapon that I'm using, and need to sharpen up, is learning to cook low-carb. No, not just grilling burgers and chicken and making salads, but some real gourmet stuff. I'm collecting recipes, trying them out, so I have a list of favorites and don't get bored. Apparently it was not enough of a reward to have a great bod and everyone I know raving about how good I looked, it wasn't enough to feel so much better, I need YUMMY FOOD. The thing is, and you prolly found this out as well, the carbs really are NOT as yummy as they scream to you that they are. Atkins-friendly food is the BEST! Fresh, real cream, bacon, fresh fruits and veggies, cheesecake, nuts....

Where are we really DEPRIVED? When we are looking and feeling great and "can't have a Twinkie" or when we are stuffing our fat faces with junk and feeling and looking like fat failures?


Let's take CONTROL, people!! How many of us BAD examples does it take to see that we have to conquer our love of the stuff that's killing us?

(getting off soapbox now--- sorry, but you hit a nerve with THAT question!)

[gaelyn]

Re: What are you gonna do to keep it off THIS TIME?!?!?!?

I love all the replies here.

Gaining it back reminds me of something I hear often, even recently from my Dr. "oh, Atkins, yes, everyone loses weight at first, BUT, they always gain it back"

Sigh. I flat out told my Dr. that I knew of plenty of people that didn't gain it back, and the reason I did was my own fault, not the way of eating. I ignored what I knew I should and shouldn't eat and ate the wrong things. Mostly for emotional reasons. No one can blame Atkins for that!

AND, after 2 yrs of doing that to myself, I didn't even gain it ALL back. Too much, yes, but, I'm still not as heavy as I was when I first tried Atkins.

Why didn't I gain it all back and more? Because I DID learn a lot about eating from going on Atkins and despite a couple of food items and social situations that put the pounds back on, I often ate low carb, just not often enough

In fact, it runs in my family to have high cholesterol. It was high before I started Atkins 2 yrs ago and high after......with the BIG difference that my good HDL ? was better. I was just checked and the whole count is lower (though still too high, natch,i.e. genes) , my good HDL is still better than before Atkins 2 yrs ago. That's despite not sticking to the way of eating completely. It was obviously enough to benefit me in unseen ways.

I just can't say enough about Atkins' way of eating, and one way I plan to keep it off this time is by the simple act of remembering that, even when life throws me curves.

I think understanding WHY we don't eat what is best for us goes a long way in helping to keep it off. After that, then it's just a matter of believing in yourself, knowing you can. So, how am I going to keep it off this time?
I just think I can.

[jimenitayo]

Re: What are you gonna do to keep it off THIS TIME?!?!?!?

I think the difference for me this time, is that i stopped believing that I can control my weight without a diet.

it's like i go crazy. i pig out all day, non stop with the most awful foods and incredible amounts.

so the way it's been feeling in my head, is that I can either stay on atkins, or I'll go right back to where I started, and then some. right now, when i picture going off, i see myself gaining all the weight, but this time it would have no end, id keep ballooning non-stop. only this time I wouldnt even have the hope of doing atkins...

for me it's become pretty drastic... I'm trying to embrace this as a new way of life... i need to realize that i cannot control myself with no plan.

i'm hoping this new attitude will pull me through

[Smallerizing]

Re: What are you gonna do to keep it off THIS TIME?!?!?!?

Soo..... Beth-soon-to-be-Hot-again..... How's it going?

[BethOfHearts]

Re: What are you gonna do to keep it off THIS TIME?!?!?!?

These are some great answers! I'm back on this board because I'm looking for the strength to get started again. Always something distracting me like sushi or a Crown and Diet Coke. I'm mostly back on this board today sincde Christine (Smallerizing) was nice enough to email me to tell me to get my butt in gear!! LOL

Ignore my signature, I'll change it again tomorrow....probably w/ an even higher starting weight.

I will come to this board every day. That will help. The community I was in before totally helped me feel accountable for everything I did. It was great.....

And dammit, I WILL be hot again!!!!!! I WILL!

[jimenitayo]

Re: What are you gonna do to keep it off THIS TIME?!?!?!?

hey beth
great to have you here
I restarted a couple of months ago, and I cant believe how happy I am that I did it

[BethOfHearts]

Re: What are you gonna do to keep it off THIS TIME?!?!?!?

I was super happy when I was on too....My boyfriend and I took some gross "before" picutures tonight. I also asked him if he would log on and try to join the group. Hopefully he and I can do this....

[Carbaholic]

Re: What are you gonna do to keep it off THIS TIME?!?!?!?

good luck beth! Have just started myself and am laready glad that I am back on the wagon. In my heart of hearts I always knew I couldn't carry on the way I was, and I really want to stop the yo-yo-ing of my weight, as I feel that could be quite dangerous. I am disappointed that I didn't start up again sooner, but glad that I recognised the problem before I got all the way back up to that dreaded highest weight.


Good luck, hun - after a couple of days, you'll wonder why you waited so long!

[Smallerizing]

Re: What are you gonna do to keep it off THIS TIME?!?!?!?

Yikes!

I've been off the board for a couple of days (trying AGAIN to get a real job) and I MISSED this!!!

Beth, I know more than almost anyone how hard it is to keep focused, but you gotta do it. Yes, you WILL be hot again!!!

Arrrrr!! Were ye one o' th' mateys what were on me ship back in th' Atkins By The Book days?? If so, throw th' carby foods inta th' chumbucket an' run a couple o' laps around th' deck t' get started!! (Now, where's that pirate smiley?)

Please post your "before" (now) pictures. It will be such an inspiration to you as you begin shedding the pounds.