Still trying but I need some help

**Katie_1985** · February 23, 2008, 02:38 PM

Re: Still trying but I need some help

Hi Christine!

First off start off by loving who you are now! That's the best way to start. I am a weight fluctuator myself and have been on Atkins before, having lots of success. Then I gained the weight back in university. So I am a Second Time Arounder and have lost four and a half pounds in just the last five days! I am so impressed!!!

You can do it and yes I have found just in the last couple of days, the support here has been wonderful!! It will really help you in your journey!!!

This is a new way of life and you start today. Isn't it wonderful and exciting to think that it only gets better from here?

We're all here for you!

**RachelnLa** · February 23, 2008, 02:52 PM

Re: Still trying but I need some help

Welcome! Glad you joined us

Sorry to hear your knees are giving you such problems. Hopefully as you lose weight it will get easier on them

**Smallerizing** · February 23, 2008, 06:29 PM

Re: Still trying but I need some help

Thanks for the welcome! Yes, I did find I was much less handicapped after losing the weight originally. It was SSOOOOO sad a couple weeks ago when I got another handicapped placard for my car. I felt so bad knowing it is mostly my weight that is causing so much problem. It's hard not to feel guilty and stupid for "letting myself" get like this, although I've been dieting WAY more than I've been off plan. Katie, I agree it's important to love me the way I am, that is so true. I probably need to forgive myself for the weight gain, and just get on with my life. You sound like such a positive, upbeat person, and I'm so excited and happy for you for your initial success!!

Wish me luck that I can accept a much slower weight loss than the first time around. I absolutely HAVE to do this for my health. Wish me luck!

**dreamof145** · February 23, 2008, 06:39 PM

Re: Still trying but I need some help

Hi. Welcome. Yes you can do it. We are here to help you find ways to cope with anything that causes you to lose hope. First of all, have you read the book? Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution, edition 2002. If you have read it, re-read it and write out why you need to lose the weight and devise a unique plan around your life so that you will succeed. Write out the foods that cause you to lose control. Find substitutes instead of eating the things you normally eat. If you can't find one in the substitution forum, ask. Anyone here will be glad to help you low-carb a meal. Secondly get active. Walk, exercise or whatever you feel comfortable doing as long as you are moving. Join some of the challenges so you will have others to talk to about your plan and keep you motivated. Think good thoughts...you are worth the effort. Do it for yourself, your health and your future.

Follow a clean induction and it will help your cravings and get your body burning fat. You are among friends here who want to see you succeed. Post often so we can support you and help you stay motivated. Best wishes.

**Adena** · February 23, 2008, 07:31 PM

Re: Still trying but I need some help

Christine, rather than going back and forth between Atkins and something more drastic, I hope you've decided to just give Atkins a go. I bet you don't need something "more" drastic to shock your body. Most people find Atkins to be enough of a shock.

But you know that, because you've done this before -- successfully. If you found that a supportive board/peer group made a difference, then you've come to the right place. ADBB has made such a difference for so many. I have never stuck with a "diet" this long, nor been this successful. Even with recent struggles (for the last 6 months), it's this board and the great people here who have kept me from completely throwing in the towel. I've done a little damage, but not NEARLY what I might have done if left to my own devices.

You know Atkins works, and you probably remember how good you felt and how easy it was, once you got over that inital hump. You're already in ketosis, so you know you are already on your way. Set a couple of mini-goals... small steps add up... which will seem a lot less overwhelming.

Best of luck to you!

Edited to add: If good recipes are what you want, check out one of our favorite sites around here: http://www.genaw.com/lowcarb/recipes.html. Lots of terrific options!

**Katie_1985** · February 23, 2008, 07:40 PM

Re: Still trying but I need some help

Christine,

You're very sweet for your kind comments! I wish you the best of luck!!! You'll do great! Just think how awesome you'll feel two weeks from now, a month or a year.

My friend told me this really funny trick. I feel like it works more on the subconscious mind. She said thatonce a day when I get out of the shower I say outloud "I love my thighs or *insert problem area here*" and when you say it out loud...it just feels good! Giving yourself that positive recognition.

Absolutely forgive yourself for a weight gain!! Why beat yourself up about it? It gets you no where and makes your life better in no way. The best solution to a problem is only action and guess what??? You're taking it!!!!!!!!! CONGRATS! Now pat yourself on the back!!!

Good luck!!!

**Smallerizing** · February 23, 2008, 07:49 PM

Re: Still trying but I need some help

Originally posted by dreamof145

Hi. Welcome. Yes you can do it. We are here to help you find ways to cope with anything that causes you to lose hope. First of all, have you read the book? Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution, edition 2002. If you have read it, re-read it and write out why you need to lose the weight and devise a unique plan around your life so that you will succeed. Write out the foods that cause you to lose control. Find substitutes instead of eating the things you normally eat. If you can't find one in the substitution forum, ask. Anyone here will be glad to help you low-carb a meal. Secondly get active. Walk, exercise or whatever you feel comfortable doing as long as you are moving. Join some of the challenges so you will have others to talk to about your plan and keep you motivated. Think good thoughts...you are worth the effort. Do it for yourself, your health and your future.

Follow a clean induction and it will help your cravings and get your body burning fat. You are among friends here who want to see you succeed. Post often so we can support you and help you stay motivated. Best wishes.

I have TWO books, 2002 and 1999 - and read them a few times. I guess it would be a good idea to start them over..... It's not that my technique is wrong so much as the problem of hormones etc. slowing down the weight loss to almost imperceptable. The first time around I didn't cheat by even a mouthful for 6 months, but I was motivated by a visible weight loss - something that eluded me on low-fat, low calorie diets. I was ecstatic! I even made a Black Forest Cherry Cake for my son, from scratch, and didn't cheat.

Now my life is more like, low-carb and exercise for 2 months, drop a pound, watch my family and co-workers indulge in the carby things I love, cheat, get back on the wagon, take a round of steroids for whatever (last time it was bronchitis), give up since I'm not in ketosis anyway, get back on plan for another 2 or three months, a holiday comes up and I'm not losing anyway, binge, gain 15 pounds in two weeks --- the cycle goes on.

The sad fact is that I'm doing what I should be doing for about 80 - 90% of the time, but the other 10% allows me to gain more weight that I then can't lose. And to top it off, my hormonal issues right now are telling my body to deposit most of the new fat right on my belly! I look like Santa! None of my shirts button all the way to the bottom!!!

Here is what I see as my choices:
1. Eat "normally" and become a beached whale
2. Rob a bank so I can afford Lipo
3. Do a sensible low-carb lifestyle and feel better but put up with losing a half pound a month. It should take me only 6 years to get to goal.

Sorry I sound depresssed. Maybe I'm looking at this WOE as too bleak, there might be a way to tweak the slow loss. I'm really willing to try. I don't like the other two choices.....

**partytrouble** · February 24, 2008, 12:38 AM

Re: Still trying but I need some help

so glad you shared and had the courage to post here. you will find the support here to be comforting and motivating. YOU CAN DO THIS!!!

**Sheepie** · February 24, 2008, 06:30 AM

Re: Still trying but I need some help

I think you are looking at this woe as too bleak. It's not a jail sentence. You don't have to do it. It's your choice. You have to want to do it. If you really stick to it and lose a little each month, isn't that better than gaining each month? It might take longer than you want, but it won't change the fact that it only gets better. I'm not losing terribly fast, but I can see that over time it really adds up. I wouldn't try to mix up diets and come up with your own creation. You've done this before, so you know it works just the way it is. You've started so you're already over the biggest hurdle. Now read some recipes, here and elsewhere, and make sure your kitchen is ready. And there's no reason the rest of the family can't eat lower carb too. They don't need all the junk anymore than you do!! Welcome.

**jersey** · February 24, 2008, 07:51 AM

Re: Still trying but I need some help

Smallerizing, I wish we were neighbors. I struggle with the same 'non-linear' slow weight loss and some days are bleaker than others. This time around I'm trying two new ideas: 1) recognizing and being grateful for the 'side' benefits of Atkins (no IBS symptoms, bloating, heartburn, reflux etc.) and 2). adding CLA/GLA to my supplement menu in the hopes that the combo will even out my erratic hormones and address my jelly belly. (Just started the cla/gla but hopeful).

Its one day at a time so all you and I have to do is get through ONE day...as you point out, the alternatives to Atkins are unacceptable. Hang in with us.

Catherine

**Evermind** · February 24, 2008, 08:33 AM

Re: Still trying but I need some help

I had about 100 lbs to lose when I started on July 29. Between that date and sometime in mid-November, I lost 35 lbs. Then I hit a stall and lost nothing. Nothing. Nothing. I was eating just the same, exercising just the same, etc.

What kept me going was that I felt good. I wasn't bloated, I had energy, my digestive system was doing well, and my hair, nails and skin were in terrific condition. I also knew that I wasn't in a race and that giving up wouldn't make the scale go down - quite the contrary.

At the beginning of January, I started working with a personal trainer and went back 2 rungs to induction for a week and a half. I GAINED weight. Then, I suddenly started losing. I've lost 9 lbs since then and 16 inches.

So my suggestions are:

1. Make this about feeling good and eating right.
2. Invest the money in a gym and a personal trainer for 8 weeks. Seriously. It is worth the money.
3. Do 2 weeks of induction and move up to Rung 1 of OWL.
4. Use fitday to record every thing you put in your mouth. That way, people can scrutinize your menu to see if anything should be tweaked.

We're here for you. But you are going to need to make the commitment. To Atkins and this woe, not a mixture of Atkins and something else.

**spazzyhilo** · February 24, 2008, 09:29 AM

Re: Still trying but I need some help

Initially starting atkins imo is the hardest part and then it all seems to get easier from there. At least it did for me. You have already done the hardest part and you've even made it past the induction flu! Don't stop now when you are already doing so great!

Excercise can definitely be a challenge. Keep in mind all you need to do is move! You aren't expected to immediately be able to run a marathon, or lift 300 lbs, or any of that. It can be as simple as taking a walk around the block, then try to go a little bit further the next day, and then a little bit further the day after that. Find a friend or family member to go along with you - to help motivate you. I haven't met anyone yet who didn't need to excercise no matter what body type they are.

The more you move the better your results are gonna be. make sure you are also drinking plenty of water and taking those vitamins!

If you ever ever EVER need any extra support ADBB is always here for you. You can try posting a daily journal in the journal forum, or if you just need a "I need motivation" pick me up feel free to post. We are always willing to shell out a couple hugs if need be

**Smallerizing** · February 24, 2008, 08:19 PM

Re: Still trying but I need some help

Wow, that's ENCOURAGEMENT!!! Two more posts while I was writing one - I have to sneak in here because my DD who is old enough to know better kept on bugging me and wants to read my posts......I wish I could get in here from work but the security is so tight it's probably blocked. I will definitely try to sneak a post in every night if I can.

DreamingOf, I did my list of "why". I'm going to see if I can get the book on audio so I won't have the "no time" excuse not to review the fundamentals again.

Evermind and Jersey, you are right on target about focusing on the other benefits besides weight loss. I can't figure out why I'm so "all or nothing" since I know that lower carb FEELS so much better even after, say, an accidental carb poisoning. Instead, I use it to go on a binge. I'll keep the list handy. One of the first reasons I even started was to regulate blood sugar.

About the personal trainer (I have one as a customer and she has been begging me to get one) Do you think it would be worth it with my bad knees?

Oh, yeah, Sheepie, my kitchen is ready! I even have some frozen baked salmon, LOTS of celery, cucumber, and lettuce, and the horrid hated EGGS.

I haven't done Induction in forever, maybe it IS time to do it by the book. Because of my migraines, I know I can't start with it from ground zero. Aside from the cheese today and about 3 triscuits, I ate almost Induction today. We have a meal at church every Sunday night and I brought the cheese in case the "soups" there were not Atkins-friendly. They weren't. I shouldn't have had the crackers but at least they were whole wheat, I know they won't come near throwing me out of ketosis. I've lost 3 pounds already but I know that's just the initial water weight, but at least I feel better. I turned down a sugar based cough drop today while I was starting an asthma attack from the lingering bronchitis, and made sure my purse is stocked with sugar free ones.

Thank you SOOOOOO much for your encouraging words ((((((((((((all)))))))))). I think this is going to work out just fine, and I changed my mind, I'll just do the straight Atkins for a while and see if I can get some weight loss started before I add Stillman's.

**Smallerizing** · February 24, 2008, 08:21 PM

Re: Still trying but I need some help

Jersey -- what is cla/gla? Is it specifically for beach ball bellies?

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