Second time around, needing support

[Sherri]

I'm new to ADBB and am looking for support. I started Atkins on 07-07-04. I reached my goal weight and maintaned my weight loss untill November 06, the holidays became an obsticle. I gained back 54 pounds. On May 10 I managed to get back on the program.Was 274, today I'm at 261.5. I could really use some help from the second time around club. Any suggestions and encouraging word welcome.

[buffy67]

Re: Second time around, needing support

Welcome back. I agree these boards are soo helpful. The thing that has helped me the greatest and I read it over and over on the forum. Plan.

To commit to this woe takes planning. I'm starting back up tomorrow and believe me, I am going to plan.

Keep in touch and way to go on choosing this lifestyle again!

[Sherri]

Re: Second time around, needing support

Thanks buffy 67! It's great to know I'm not alone.

[julirama723]

Re: Second time around, needing support

Hi Sherri! I'm a second-timer too, but hopefully I can call myself a LAST-timer...I'm in this for good! My first time was destined to be a failure; I had no idea what I was doing, I made up my own rules, and really I didn't do Atkins, because I threw all of the healthy ideas of the plan out the window. This time around I've actually READ the book, and I'm following it to the letter.

And the best part is, I'm more successful this time! So ignore that stuff about how it only works the first time. I've lost MORE weight, gained more muscle, gotten down to a smaller size, and eaten MORE varieties of food this time than I did my FIRST TIME--oh yeah, and in about 4 months less time...

So welcome to the CLUB! You're in good company--there are a lot of us out there.

[booklady]

Re: Second time around, needing support

After starting over time after time, probably thrity times total at least since 2002, my best advice is just take it one day at a time. I think the times I panic and go off plan is when I think ahead too far and I think about how long it will take and how I have to eat this way and not be able to have foods I love and I panic. I tell myself now, that all my favorate foods will still excist at goal and then IF I even want to eat them by then, I can occasionally have those foods in small amounts occasionally. Those foods are not going to disapear off the earth between today and goal. Of course I hope to lose all interest in them and I have found each time on low carb I lose some favorate foods. I no longer care for lasagna, and it was my all time favorate food my entire life, now I could not care less about it or any other pasta, and I am sure I will get that way about most of the other foods too. There are so many wonderful low carb recipes that mimic our favorate foods, learn to make things the new way, we are going to do more of that this time. No getting bored with our meals this time around. This is going to be the time that sticks for us. Good luck, you can do it !!!
Stephie

[fetch]

Re: Second time around, needing support

booklady has it right. Listen to her. To throw my small change of quitting tobacco experience into it - I'll say this:

If you focus on the future you will fail.

Period.

I don't care if you're quitting crack, tobacco, alcohol, or refined carbohydrates. You WILL cave. And cave again. And maybe throw in another cave just for fun. I've watched it happen over and over, to good people, some quit for hundreds of days, for almost a year on my "other" support site.

Why? Because they forgot to focus on only today.

Today you are eating the legal foods and carbohydrate amounts for the stage/rung you are on. Maybe tomorrow you won't. Maybe tomorrow you'll decide you WILL have that lasagna or La Bou bakery goodie or pizza or whatever is your particular poison. But for Today you are "quit" and Today is all that matters.

Make coming here and posting your promise to do exactly that to both yourself and others with similar "quit" dates you'll get to know if you stick and become part of the family. Accountability is key and we're all here to lean.

fetch

[Outback Jess]

Re: Second time around, needing support

Hey there Sherrie,
I'm in my 10th month and have lost 80lbs. I would have to agree with everyone above me, we only have today.We need to plan. I also used my future to my benefit. I plotted and planned out that I wanted to do this for a whole year, and I broke it down to small bites....1 day, 1 week, 1 month, 100 days, Jan1,2007, etc AND I CELEBRATED EACH ACHIEVEMENT ...I picked for big dates, and worked towards them. But I lived in today.
If today became too difficult and trust me I've had some pretty difficult times in the last 4 months, and if you had told me in August what would happen in these last 4 months, I wouldn't have made it...but by Christmas I was firmly settled and strong for the storms about to take over my life. If today became too difficult, it became all about surviving it!

Planning for today, I never really left home without a plan and a snack. I took all my own foods, and I never accepted an invitation i couldn't handle. I brought my own foods to birthday parties and my own family holiday meals. I didn't seek to please anyone, just sought to stay on plan so that I would be here ina year.
Lastly, I did this to FEEL GOOD again in my body. I exercised to FEEL GOOD! I ate to feel good...I do feel good! My body is under control, the sugars are no longer ruling my life, I have peace with food and exercise. I like who I am and how I act around food now and I just don't want to loose that to anything...especially a piece of food. I walk away from places and people who would pull me back into another lifestyle. No GOING BACK.
At the end of this summer, I'll have been here a whole year! I want that!

[SandyL2002]

Re: Second time around, needing support

Welcome to the board...

[futurefitbabe]

Re: Second time around, needing support

You're Not Alone! We Can Relate. Hang In There. You Can Do It, Again...

[Sherri]

Re: Second time around, needing support

I just wanted to thank all of you for your support and encouraging words. It really has helped. After doing Atkins for three years it has changed the way I Look at my life and health. I still shop the same way, the Atkins way, and for the most part, eat the same way. I have found that you can also eat to much of a good thing too. Thats where I got into trouble this last time. So I'm just gonna take one day at a time like you all said and make the healthiest choices and watch my portion size, THANK YOU ALL!

[booklady]

Re: Second time around, needing support

You are very welcome, that is what this board is for, support !!! We are all here to support each other !!
you can do it !!!
Stephie