Before and during - From 400 lbs. to 247 lbs. Not done yet!!!

[Brandee]

Re: Before and during - From 400 lbs. to 247 lbs. Not done yet!!!

Wow! That's amazing. Congratulations and good luck on the rest of your journey.

[PurtySmile]

Re: Before and during - From 400 lbs. to 247 lbs. Not done yet!!!

What great strides you've made!! Thanks SO much for working through the knots in your tummy to share! Quite the inspiration, you are!!!

Congratulations on all your success thus far!

[bellafortuna]

Re: Before and during - From 400 lbs. to 247 lbs. Not done yet!!!

Sarina- You look amazing! Your results are so inspiring.

[kikiphilly]

Re: Before and during - From 400 lbs. to 247 lbs. Not done yet!!!

You go girl!

[Eama]

Re: Before and during - From 400 lbs. to 247 lbs. Not done yet!!!

Your pictures made me cry.

Starting out this big... it kinda feels like the whole thing is impossible. Like someone trying to bale out a flooded room with a teaspoon so they don't drown.

You showed me it is possible. You've given me hope, and not just a desperate knowledge that I have to try to do something before I die from being fat.

Thank you.

[frankiev]

Re: Before and during - From 400 lbs. to 247 lbs. Not done yet!!!

wow yr an inspiration ........very proud of you keep up the good work sarina .....ciao.

[Sarina D]

Re: Before and during - From 400 lbs. to 247 lbs. Not done yet!!!

WOW, thanks so much everyone!!!

I haven't really been on the board very much (compared to the time I'm on normally).

I FINALLY reached "Onederland" June 6-09 What a relief!!!!!

I have 41 lbs. left till goal....if my body feels great at 150 lbs that is...if not I'll settle for 160 lbs BUT I'm going for 150 lbs.

I have as of recent increased my cardio and workout routines. I'm back to working out in the morning before I go to work and in the evening after work. I had stopped my morning workouts and was just doing everything in the evening.

I have some pictures that have been taken of me over the last few weeks that I'm hoping to add here soon as an update.

You guys are awesome, thanks again for all your support and kind words!

Eama, I am thrilled that you are doing Atkins and can tell you....if this way of eating can work for me, I am confident that it can work for you. I am greatly restricted by food allergies...dairy, nuts, some veggies and fruits and all fish and I've made this work well for me even with such restrictions. I know you will be successful with this way of eating, just be sure to follow it by the book. Eat exactly what you're suppose to, exercise and drink lots of water and before you know it you won't just be losing weight but you'll most importantly feel better. I can totally appreciate what you mean about starting out with a lot of weight to lose and feeling that it's almost impossible.....been there done that, however, the truth is....we're the ones that are truly in control and have the power to make it happen! Once we believe in ourselves and comit to ourselves in combination with this way of eating.....it DOES happen. Feel free to pm me anytime. If you don't hear back from me right away I haven't forgotten about you or anything like that, it will be because of time restraints on my end. I have been dealing with a number of medical things lately and the time I have had to come on the board as well as keep in touch with my Atkins family hasn't been very much but I will for sure get back to you so feel free to pm me anytime. We're all in this together and we'll support each other and get to our goals together. Pat yourself on your back for making the decision to get healthy...way to go! I promise you it's not impossible.....you deserve good health and all the happiness and freedom that comes along with it.

Cookiecate - As mentioned above, I am restricted in food choices due to a number of food allergies so I'm not the greatest person to ask regarding menu ideas, however, I would be happy to give you an example of how I eat.

For breakfast, I eat 2 x eggs scrambled with brocolli or red/orange/yellow peppers, sometimes I dice chicken up and throw it in or ground turkery/chicken or beef and even black olives (I LOVE black olives). I eat only part of it before I head off to work and then about 10am I eat the rest of it.

I should add here that I don't eat 3 meals a day, I eat anywhere between 4 to 6 and sometimes even 7 depending on the day and the intensity of my workouts. However, what I do is make breakfast lunch and dinner and divide them into 2 or three more meals depending on their size. My doctor instructed me to eat these small mini meals last year and for me it has worked great.

As he mentioned to me, eating smaller portioned mini meals keeps the metabolism burrning throughout the day. Doing so has also allowed me not to feel over full and not to feel suddenly hungry. I know some people only eat 3 meals a day and that works great for them....for me, this is the way I have chosen to eat and as you can see from my results below, it has worked well for me to date. Each person has to find out what works best for them and run with it....for me this works fabulous.

As for stalls, I went through a HUGE stall just recently in May and it was horrible....I think I may have lost only 1 lbs or so...it was so bad I don't even want to look back and see what I lost! It was because I added berries (rung 4) and for some reason I had a lot of problems not to mention the fact that I tore a rectus abdominal muscle and was very limited in my exercise which was horrible.....I backed myself up and went back to rung 1 (veggies) rung 2 and 3 are foods I am alergic to so that is why I went to rung 1. I will try berries again in a couple of months. So far I am content with rung 1 and have no problems being here for the time being.

Okay so back to what I would eat....lunch....I would have salad and cut chicken up into it and drizzle my salad with a tsp of olive oil and use spices such as onion powder and other spices to make it more exciting. Or I would have a piece or two of chicken and veggies, or maybe left over steak and veggies/and salad. Perhaps some lamb and veggies and once again, I would only eat half of it and then eat the rest a couple hours later.

For dinner I would eat either chicken, turkey, beef or lamb with a veggie and maybe some salad.

For a snack...if I really wanted one I would eat olives....occasionally a hard boiled egg or two (if I really felt I wanted something to snack on). Sometimes I would have a couple of dill pickles or if I was feeling really ambitious I would make that mock cinnamon apple recipe with choyote veggies and have a bit of that....that stuff is AMAZING!!! Love it! Or I would eat half a red or yellow or orange pepper....they're nice and crispy.

Recently I experimented with some rhubarb (which is actually a veggie...go figure....I had no idea!!!) and what I did was chop a bunch of rhubarb up and put it in about 1/4 of an inch or so of water in a pan and bring it to a boil and then turn it down and cook it till it was mushy...I added cinnamon and Stevia (natural sweetener) and some agar, agar (seaweed gelatin as a thickener) and then spoon it into small containers and refrigerate it. After about 5 hours it's like a jello or pudding consitency and it's scrumptious!!!!

I wish I could eat cream cheese, I'd be making cheese cakes with pumpkin daily!!!! LOL!!! But hey, these two dishes are my choices when I feel like having a dessert and I'm happy with that.

Thanks again everyone, happy low carbing to all of you!!!

Cheers!
Sarina
-------------------

Heaviest weight - 403 lbs. (2007)
April 1, 2008 - 387 lbs. (This is when I initially started to lose weight…but was not on Atkins at this point)
Atkins start weight – 347 lbs. (July 19, 2008 – began Atkins)
1st major goal met -----100 lbs. lost as of Oct 2, 2008 - Hit 300 lbs. on this day – From April 1-08 when I initially begin to lose weight.
2nd major goal met - 151 lbs. lost as of Jan 13, 2009 - Hit 249 lbs. on this day.
3rd major goal met - Wed, May 13-09 - Reached losing 200 lbs. in just over a year and a couple of months.
4th major goal met – Reached “Onederland” June 6-09 – 198 lbs.
Current weight – 191 lbs.
Goal weight - 150 – 160

[cookiecate]

Re: Before and during - From 400 lbs. to 247 lbs. Not done yet!!!

Sarina, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to give us an insight as to how you ate. Some people would have thought that the Atkins way of eating was just too restrictive with all the foods that you cannot eat.

However you battled and that is brilliant. I believe that not eating dairy foods could infact be helpful. My husband tends to over eat on the cheese and we have had to cut back dramatically on the cream.

Your rhubarb idea sounds great. I add rhubarb to jelly which over here is made with aspertame your idea is much better and is absolutely legal. The cream cheese is also something that I have to be careful of as it is delicious and again I tend to over eat it. We have also found that nuts and berries caused us to stall so for the moment they are off the menu.

You are a great inspiration to us again thank you for your tips which I have found very helpful. The idea to eat several small meals instead of three regular ones is a brilliant idea to keep the metabolism going. The only problem is remembering to eat as hubs and I are rarely hungry even though we are eating a fraction of what we used to. I think you have hit the nail on the head little and often is the way to go.

Thanks Sarina you are our hero I wish you continued healthy and happy living.

[Sarina D]

Re: Before and during - From 400 lbs. to 247 lbs. Not done yet!!!

Sarina, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to give us an insight as to how you ate. Some people would have thought that the Atkins way of eating was just too restrictive with all the foods that you cannot eat.

However you battled and that is brilliant. I believe that not eating dairy foods could infact be helpful. My husband tends to over eat on the cheese and we have had to cut back dramatically on the cream.

Your rhubarb idea sounds great. I add rhubarb to jelly which over here is made with aspertame your idea is much better and is absolutely legal. The cream cheese is also something that I have to be careful of as it is delicious and again I tend to over eat it. We have also found that nuts and berries caused us to stall so for the moment they are off the menu.

You are a great inspiration to us again thank you for your tips which I have found very helpful. The idea to eat several small meals instead of three regular ones is a brilliant idea to keep the metabolism going. The only problem is remembering to eat as hubs and I are rarely hungry even though we are eating a fraction of what we used to. I think you have hit the nail on the head little and often is the way to go.

Thanks Sarina you are our hero I wish you continued healthy and happy living.

Awe, thanks cookiecate.....you're a darling!

I'm glad that some things I shared you find to be helpful, you're most welcome!

Good for you and your husband to be able to identify the items that are slowing things down or posing a difficulty for you and making the decision to cut them out. It doesn't mean we'll always have to cut them out, it may just be not the right time for where we're at.

I can TOTALLY relate to you regarding the cream cheese and finding something that can be easily over eaten because it's so delicious....I'm in the same boat and I get frustrated when that happens to me.

I'm excited for you and your husband, it's wonderful that you and your husband are able to do this together....what a great support you are to each other!

Keep in touch and let me know how you're both doing. Please send my warmest regards to your husband and tell him to keep up the great work, we're all here cheering the two of you on in your journey!

Once again, thank you from the bottom of my heart for your kind words and encouragement they mean a great deal to me.

Sarina
-----------------
Heaviest weight - 403 lbs. (2007)
April 1, 2008 - 387 lbs. (This is when I initially started to lose weight…but was not on Atkins at this point)
Atkins start weight – 347 lbs. (July 19, 2008 – began Atkins)
1st major goal met -----100 lbs. lost as of Oct 2, 2008 - Hit 300 lbs. on this day – From April 1-08 when I initially begin to lose weight.
2nd major goal met - 151 lbs. lost as of Jan 13, 2009 - Hit 249 lbs. on this day.
3rd major goal met - Wed, May 13-09 - Reached losing 200 lbs. in just over a year and a couple of months.
4th major goal met – Reached “Onederland” June 6-09 – 198 lbs.
Current weight – 191 lbs.
Goal weight - 150 – 160

[Emre Yigit]

Re: Before and during - From 400 lbs. to 247 lbs. Not done yet!!!

Fantastic! Inspirational! Thank you for sharing, and congratulations for sticking with the program. I know trips can be a little tricky in the first couple of stages of OWL, but if you have your scales with you, you can't go wrong.

All the best.

[cookiecate]

Re: Before and during - From 400 lbs. to 247 lbs. Not done yet!!!

That's a question I wanted to ask you Sarina and now Emre Yigit are scales important and Sarina did you weigh yourself regularly or did you just know you were losing weight? I sometimes feel the scales let you down and make you feel as if the way of eating is not working and that you are just not losing any actual poundage.

Hubs and I are now trying to only weigh once each month but the urge is amazing even if you know you are going to be disappointed.

[Sarina D]

Re: Before and during - From 400 lbs. to 247 lbs. Not done yet!!!

Fantastic! Inspirational! Thank you for sharing, and congratulations for sticking with the program. I know trips can be a little tricky in the first couple of stages of OWL, but if you have your scales with you, you can't go wrong.

All the best.

Hi Emre,

Thank you very much!!!!

As I mentioned on a different thread, last few days have been most difficult due to outrageous cravings....I've never experienced such cravings like this before. Yesterday I decided to try to nip it in the bud and started to take Chromium Picolinate....I'm relieved to say it did the trick and today was a much easier day....I can't say I have had any craving for sweet stuff at all today.....phew!

Happy low carbing!

All the best,
Sarina
----------------------
Heaviest weight - 403 lbs. (2007)
April 1, 2008 - 387 lbs. (This is when I initially started to lose weight…but was not on Atkins at this point)
Atkins start weight – 347 lbs. (July 19, 2008 – began Atkins)
1st major goal met -----100 lbs. lost as of Oct 2, 2008 - Hit 300 lbs. on this day – From April 1-08 when I initially begin to lose weight.
2nd major goal met - 151 lbs. lost as of Jan 13, 2009 - Hit 249 lbs. on this day.
3rd major goal met - Wed, May 13-09 - Reached losing 200 lbs. in just over a year and a couple of months.
4th major goal met – Reached “Onederland” June 6-09 – 198 lbs.
Current weight – 191 lbs.
Goal weight - 150 – 160

[Sarina D]

Re: Before and during - From 400 lbs. to 247 lbs. Not done yet!!!

That's a question I wanted to ask you Sarina and now Emre Yigit are scales important and Sarina did you weigh yourself regularly or did you just know you were losing weight? I sometimes feel the scales let you down and make you feel as if the way of eating is not working and that you are just not losing any actual poundage.

Hubs and I are now trying to only weigh once each month but the urge is amazing even if you know you are going to be disappointed.

Hi Cookiecate!

Well, I have to admit I am a scales junky! I weigh myself every morning. For me it has been very helpful to choose to do it this way. Some people choose to weight themselves sometimes once a week, sometimes once every other week and then others choose once a month and that works great for them. I respect and support their decision to do it the way that works best for them.

I don't think on can really say "such and such way is the way it best way it should be done". I find that it's a very individual thing. For me, weighing each day has been very helpful and I have learned some important things doing so. One small example of what I have come to learn by weighing myself each day is how terribly sensitive I am to sodium. Like last night for example my husband and I went out for dinner. I ordered a steak with fried mushrooms. The cook decided to put some salt on my mushrooms. This morning when I woke up and weighed myself I was 193 lbs.....not the normal 191 lbs. that I have been. Knowing what I have come to learn over the last year weighing myself every morning, I knew it was from what I ate lastnight. I'll probably be back to 191 lbs. or smaller either tomorrow morning or the next when I weigh myself.

Another reason I choose to weigh myself each day is sometimes I can have a weight flux over night anywhere from 3 lbs to 5 lbs....I remember when I first discovered this I just about had kittens!!! But what I learned to reckognize was that it would leave either the next morning when I weighed myself or up to 4 days later and then I would have a sudden weight loss...so I would lose the 3 to 5 lbs and then some...it was quite something. I came to realize that what if I weighed myself once a week, or twice a week or even left it for a month and just happened to hit one of those odd days that showed I was up 5 lbs and then left the scales for another month....for me that would have made me feel rather anxious thinking that I had worked really hard and was actually up 5 lbs...that wouldn't be so cool going another month with that on my mind. So for me, it has been helpful to weigh myself each morning. It has been a great tool for me in learning to understand what might be going on with my body and has kept me on track.

Once again, I can't say either way what is best for anyone else, however, weighing everyday for me works well. I don't get depressed over small fluctuations and get really excited to see them go and the weight that I lose follow.

Cookiecate, thank you for taking the time to share with me your story and updates on what works for you and what doesn't. I appreciate it very much. I have enjoyed our back and forth chit chats and look forward to continuing to do so.

I apologize for any spelling errors or gramatical mistakes...I am on my lap top writing this....I sat down a little while ago and responded already to your question and was at the very end when all of a sudden my thumb hit my curser pad and erased my first response to you! It's now just after 2:00am and I have to get bed as I have an early morning dr's appt. before I head to my office so I won't have time to re-read what I have written above....sorry for any errors that may pop up!

Have a fabulous low carb day and keep in touch, it's great talking with you and getting to know you better!

All the best,
Sarina
----------------------
Heaviest weight - 403 lbs. (2007)
April 1, 2008 - 387 lbs. (This is when I initially started to lose weight…but was not on Atkins at this point)
Atkins start weight – 347 lbs. (July 19, 2008 – began Atkins)
1st major goal met -----100 lbs. lost as of Oct 2, 2008 - Hit 300 lbs. on this day – From April 1-08 when I initially begin to lose weight.
2nd major goal met - 151 lbs. lost as of Jan 13, 2009 - Hit 249 lbs. on this day.
3rd major goal met - Wed, May 13-09 - Reached losing 200 lbs. in just over a year and a couple of months.
4th major goal met – Reached “Onederland” June 6-09 – 198 lbs.
Current weight – 191 lbs.
Goal weight - 150 – 160

[Sarina D]

Re: Before and during - From 400 lbs. to 247 lbs. Not done yet!!!

Hi Cookiecate,

I knew I forgot something else that I had originally wrote to you about in the message I erased by a mistake! After writing to you the other night I got into bed and realized the part I missed.

Taking one's measurements is very important and really helpful. If you haven't done this yet I highly recommend that you do so right away! It can be most helpful especially when the scales don't appear to be moving.

Sadly when I first started out, I tried to measure and realized there wasn't a measuring tape long enough that would wrap around my abdominal area (I looked like I was carrying 4 x babies...I had a very,very large stomach) which absolutely devastated me so I got so mad and frustrated and didn't take measurements at the beginning...I kick myself now for giving into my frustrations and feelings of disappointment and embarrassment.

I did however decide to give it a go a while after that and measured my abdominal area and then measured the area that the tape could not reach and added them together....so I do have some measurements but not right from the beginning.

Soooo, if you or anyone else that might be reading this message has not measured yet...I STRONGLY encourage you to do so....learn from my mistake of not doing so!
Measuring is a tool that is very valuable and one that we tend to not use as often as we could to track our true progress.
All the best,
Sarina
--------------------
Heaviest weight - 403 lbs. (2007)
April 1, 2008 - 387 lbs. (This is when I initially started to lose weight…but was not on Atkins at this point)
Atkins start weight – 347 lbs. (July 19, 2008 – began Atkins)
1st major goal met -----100 lbs. lost as of Oct 2, 2008 - Hit 300 lbs. on this day – From April 1-08 when I initially begin to lose weight.
2nd major goal met - 151 lbs. lost as of Jan 13, 2009 - Hit 249 lbs. on this day.
3rd major goal met - Wed, May 13-09 - Reached losing 200 lbs. in just over a year and a couple of months.
4th major goal met – Reached “Onederland” June 6-09 – 198 lbs.
Current weight – 191 lbs.
Goal weight - 150 – 160

[cookiecate]

Re: Before and during - From 400 lbs. to 247 lbs. Not done yet!!!

Thats brilliant Sarina, heck I don't worry too much about the odd spelling mistake which I wouldn't have noticed anyway.

Thanks again for taking the time to share your own experiences. I deffinitely understand about the weighing every day which before seemed a bit over the top. You are quite right the poundage that you feel that you have added over a weighing period does cause heartbreak and I can imagine weighing every day would help to keep you on track and also get to know your own body.

Again, thank you so much for taking the time out of your busy life to answer my questions. I will certainly measure myself and Mr Cookie. I think the measurements would certainly help him as I can tell that he is much smaller around the belly although the scales don't seem to want to let it go.

The weather here has been really hot. At this time you drink plenty but I find our appetite has gone and we are not eating quite enough.

Anyway my dear thank you again for your kind words.