Please share....such winners!!!!

[quotidianlight]

Re: Please share....such winners!!!!

I just wanted to say that this is a wonderful thread and all of you are so inspiring. This board is such a huge suport system for me. I honestly am not sure I could make it through the hard times.

[Adena]

Re: Please share....such winners!!!!

Nancy -- great thread... thanks for sharing it.

Someone once said something early on here, and it has stuck with me: There are other ways to do low carb successfully, but they aren't Atkins. If you say you are doing Atkins, then do it by the book. If you have a better way, write your own book!

I sometimes found myself changing the rules a little to suit me. Doesn't work. I still struggle with that at times. I've stuggled with my losses the past few months, and you know why? Because I haven't been doing it by the book. I've made exceptions to the rules, and they might work for a while, but long term, they don't. Not for me, anyway. About 10 days ago, after bouncing around within a 10 pound range for months, I recommited myself to Atkins by the book. I can't tell you what a difference it makes in how I feel... like night and day.

On to success.... I've lost almost 90 pounds with Atkins and exercise. When I'm following it to the letter, it's almost TOO easy. No hunger, no cravings, decadent, satisfying food. Sometimes, it feels too good to be true. Occasionally, I do something stupid and mess up this harmony, but then I come here, and my ADBB friends listen, give me a hug, or slap me around a little -- or sometimes both -- and get me back on track. This place is truly amazing, and I have no doubt I wouldn't have been as successful as I have without it and the great folks here.

I've tried many, many diets, and lost a little weight here and there, but NEVER this much. That's because I've never found a diet I could live with long term. Atkins, while the most restrictive way of eating I've ever done, in some ways, it's also the most lenient and decadent. I DON'T FEEL DEPRIVED. Most days, anyway. This is the smallest I've been in my adult life. Since I was a teenager, actually. I was always the fat kid, the chunky teenager with the "pretty face" -- oh, how I hated that "compliment." And I just got bigger and bigger from college on. I didn't gain much weight during my pregnancies; I gained after I had the kids, as the stress and responsibilities piled on. Finally, when I was pushing almost 300 pounds, I decided enough was enough. While I still have about 30 pounds to lose, this is the first time in my life I've ever felt "normal." And it's an amazing feeling. I can shop in normal stores. I am rarely the largest person in the room. I can sit comfortably in airplane seats. I have Atkins, exercise, and ADBB to thank. In case I haven't told you guys lately..... thank you.

Best of luck, Nancy. This can be an incredible turning point for you. Seize it -- you'll be so glad you did.

[SunnySmile501]

Re: Please share....such winners!!!!

I lost over 120 pounds--all Atkins--BY THE BOOK! I love it. I have never eaten so well. I try new healthy foods all the time and I love this WOE. I suffered from severe asthma my whole life, and within two weeks of starting Atkins and getting rid of wheat, the asthma was gone. No more asthma meds; no more inhalers all over my house, purse and car.

I went from this....


To this.....


Sunny!

[Brook]

Re: Please share....such winners!!!!

Those of you who have lost lots and lots of weight........did you really do it ALL by following the Atkins program?????????

Did you make it a lifelone way of eating?

Thank you! I want to hear all about your success story!

Nancy

It's nice to meet you, Nancy

In answer to your first question...yes. I did it all by following Atkins. Yes. I've made it a lifestyle.

My story is written out on my Melting Page (link in my signature), but the long and the short of it is that I went from a size 22 to a current size 6 and dropped over 100lbs of fat. It took me 2 years to call goal and I've had a couple of slip ups since then (15-20lbs) that I've had to dig in and remove again - but I've done it. I'll have been an Atkineer for 6 years in May.

to (I'm actually 8lbs lighter and a size smaller than I was in this picture now.)

I've gone from not being able to walk the length of a city block without needing to rest to training to be a Jazzercise instructor.

Life is good.

[johnnysmom]

Re: Please share....such winners!!!!

All of you who shared your success story...I must tell you...when I look at your before and after photos...I begin to cry. Tears of joy for you, sincerely; and I have such admiration and respect for your tenacity and determination. It breaks my heart to see "what you used to look like....(and I look like now)...and then your transformations...truly into beautiful butterflies...who were hidden in their cacoon for so so so long. It was and is really really hard hard unrelentless work to break out of that cacoon. We get "miserably" comfortable there...giving up...thinking we will never be a butterfly. But oh.....how we want so badly to be a butterfly.

To all my new butterfly friends....keep on flying around with you new beautiful wings and enjoy every minute of it. You worked soooooo hard all by yourself to become who you are today. No one helped you or did it for you. You HAD to do it all by yourself...and you did.

Nancy

[mitzimarie]

Re: Please share....such winners!!!!

All of you who shared your success story...I must tell you...when I look at your before and after photos...I begin to cry. Tears of joy for you, sincerely; and I have such admiration and respect for your tenacity and determination. It breaks my heart to see "what you used to look like....(and I look like now)...and then your transformations...truly into beautiful butterflies...who were hidden in their cacoon for so so so long. It was and is really really hard hard unrelentless work to break out of that cacoon. We get "miserably" comfortable there...giving up...thinking we will never be a butterfly. But oh.....how we want so badly to be a butterfly.

To all my new butterfly friends....keep on flying around with you new beautiful wings and enjoy every minute of it. You worked soooooo hard all by yourself to become who you are today. No one helped you or did it for you. You HAD to do it all by yourself...and you did.

Nancy

Nancy

Reading your words stirs emotion in me, as well. It is my sincere hope that you can find the faith in yourself, to be successful with Atkins. I think maybe one of the reasons I didn't complete the task with Atkins on my first time around, was that deep down, I didn't believe that I could do it... I didn't think I had it in me. But I did. And you definitely do, to. I know it!

We are here for you, anytime you need us.

[SunnySmile501]

Re: Please share....such winners!!!!

All of you who shared your success story...I must tell you...when I look at your before and after photos...I begin to cry. Tears of joy for you, sincerely; and I have such admiration and respect for your tenacity and determination. It breaks my heart to see "what you used to look like....(and I look like now)...and then your transformations...truly into beautiful butterflies...who were hidden in their cacoon for so so so long. It was and is really really hard hard unrelentless work to break out of that cacoon. We get "miserably" comfortable there...giving up...thinking we will never be a butterfly. But oh.....how we want so badly to be a butterfly.

To all my new butterfly friends....keep on flying around with you new beautiful wings and enjoy every minute of it. You worked soooooo hard all by yourself to become who you are today. No one helped you or did it for you. You HAD to do it all by yourself...and you did.

Nancy

Thank you! I agree with most everything that you wrote EXCEPT:

No one helped you or did it for you. You HAD to do it all by yourself...and you did.

True, no one did it for us, but I had lots of help and I wasn't by myself. This BB and one other helped me immeasurably and I was never less alone. We are like family and family is there when you need them. We either hold your hand or kick your butt--whichever you need at the time. The sense of community helps keep us strong when the going gets hard. We support without enabling. I did Atkins once before, on my own, and didn't stay with it. This time it's for life. The moderators and admins on this site are beyond compare.

Check out the Kentucky Derby thread in the STAC (second time around club) forum if you want to see support and family in action.


Sunny!