Helpful tips

[sadie147]

Re: Helpful tips

OH MY GOSH! I thought I was the only one that did this! My money is being saved for a new wardrobe. I'm wearing the clothes I grew out of while I lose weight (mostly because I don't want to buy "intermediate" clothes, unless I REALLY have to). Of course, I'm wearing clothes from 10-15 years ago. (I really don't mind wearing high-waisted, tapered jeans -- yukk! )

I also really studied the mechanisms behind low carb diets (and Atkins in particular). I wanted to make sure I understood what certain carbs and sugar do to insulin, and how fat is stored. I believe that human beings (myself included) will buy into/support a program more readily if they understand the reasons of why and how behind it.

Finally -- EXERCISE. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. And you know what...it's really not that bad. I've done consistant cardio since June and have now incorporated weight training. It all works, so who am I to complain.

I love shopping at thrift stores, I've got 11 pairs of jeans, and didn't pay more then $8 for any of them! Some are like new...

You'd really be amazed at what you can find there...I've even found designer clothes, crystal wine glasses, fabulous fabrics for sewing. You just really have to be in the mood for searching through the stuff.

I didn't wanna buy new clothes until i was at goal, so i shopped there at least twice a month. it became a habit and even at goal i kept going!

[jimmie 48]

Re: Helpful tips

good thread, becky!

i don't travel too very often but something that we do and have always done, is when
jack and i are on the road, we take our own food. we bought a refrigerator/cooler that plugs right into the cig. lighter of the truck. we bag up cauliflower, broccoli, olives, lunchmeats and cheeses, nuts, bananas and apples for jack, grapes and strawberries for me. we take bottled water and keep it on ice in a 5 gallon cooler. with the frig, everything stays cold and we can take mayo, salsa, mustard, whatever. we stop at the rest/welcome areas and just eat there. we get away from the high price of restaurants, we're outdoors, and the food is so easy and atkins friendly. after we eat i take short walks back and forth on the sidewalks. it isn't much but it's enough to keep things from getting stiff and keeps joints from hurting from sitting in the truck so long.

when we are on the road and i'm away from the board, i have a journal that i keep. i log my food, exercise and anything that might have a bearing on a loss or gain during our trip.

i take my weights! they don't take up much room and you can use them in the hotel rooms to get in some weight work. usually there is a piece of furniture that my feet can hook under nicely so i do crunches.

[CroweKitty]

Re: Helpful tips

I love shopping at thrift stores, I've got 11 pairs of jeans, and didn't pay more then $8 for any of them! Some are like new...

You'd really be amazed at what you can find there...I've even found designer clothes, crystal wine glasses, fabulous fabrics for sewing. You just really have to be in the mood for searching through the stuff.

I didn't wanna buy new clothes until i was at goal, so i shopped there at least twice a month. it became a habit and even at goal i kept going!

Quick threadjack...

Jen, what a great idea! And I would shop there, because I've certainly given thrift shops many of the clothes that are too big on me now. Unfortunately, I'm stuck in Japan for the next year. And the lovely Japanese women are really small and skinny! It's really hard to find clothes here. And mail order is really difficult because, well, let's face it, I've been 13 different sizes over the last 13 some years. And with vanity sizing, I have NO CLUE what size I am...or what size I'll be by the time the clothes get here through the mail. So, unless they are men's 501 Levis, I'm going to try to tough it out until I settle down in size. Thanks again for the great idea!

End threadjack. Thank you for your patience.

[Analog6]

Re: Helpful tips

I give away anything I 'grow' out of straight away - then I have nothing to fit if anything creeps back on. This works for me.

I patronise thrift shops (we call the opportunity (op) shops here). I have beautiful designer clothes in current and smaller sizes. I also buy shoes there - I cannot wear anything but leather, my feet get really painful. So I trawl the op shops and buy gorgeous shoes that some kind soul has already broken in for me!

[Rubysugar]

Re: Helpful tips

Doing Atkins on the cheap has always been very important to me. Making the decision to stay home with my son lefts us with one income and it isn't even a moderate one!! LOL So any money saving tips always stand out in my head. One that I read recently but wish I had seen it when I started was the one about cutting your ketostix in half long ways. Brilliant!!! Doubles the life of my bottle!!

*offtopic* I love thrift stores too! and the smaller I get the more variety I have to choose from! Big girls are much harder on their pants and so less bigger sizes seem to show up on the racks! Probably blew out the innner thighs in them like I have always done!! My local thrift was running women's jeans at a buck a pair for a few weeks this summer. I was able to buy quite a few pairs of varying sizes!! Currently I have a pair of sweet Old Navy overalls that I am using for mini goal pants. I *KNOW* I will look so cool in them!! *struts her stuff*

[G-Mom]

Re: Helpful tips

Quick threadjack...

Jen, what a great idea! And I would shop there, because I've certainly given thrift shops many of the clothes that are too big on me now. Unfortunately, I'm stuck in Japan for the next year. And the lovely Japanese women are really small and skinny! It's really hard to find clothes here. And mail order is really difficult because, well, let's face it, I've been 13 different sizes over the last 13 some years. And with vanity sizing, I have NO CLUE what size I am...or what size I'll be by the time the clothes get here through the mail. So, unless they are men's 501 Levis, I'm going to try to tough it out until I settle down in size. Thanks again for the great idea!

End threadjack. Thank you for your patience.

About mail order, have you tried going to the sizing charts on the websites or catalogs and seeing what size would fit you according to the measurements? Every online store is different, some are more vanity sizing than others, but you might want to try that.

I often wondered what it would be like to live in Japan. I am 5'10" and boy would I stick out like a sore thumb! Also, I wonder what it is like for a Japanese girl who is chunky? I bet she has a really hard time, since most Japanese girls are a size 0.

Can I also ask if you have any personal consequences of living in such a male-dominated society, or is that mostly a myth?

I also am sorry for the threadjack!!!

[Outback Jess]

Re: Helpful tips

I do two things that really help me, I get up one hour eariler so I can come here, and I can focus. I then exercise...because I will never get it done, otherwise. I always do these two things, they are the big rocks, if you get them in first, you can add so many other things to the day...
Planning to succede is a key factor, focus, building structures and routines and then sticking to the plans make for a good bit of success...it's the only things I can control, the scales have their own "weird world"...my body controls when it lets the weight drop...I do the planning part and working it out part.

[Tired of Chub]

Re: Helpful tips

My tip has to do with naysayers. I have a woman in my office who called me out early on (in May, I started in January). I heard all about how I was killing myself with fat and that Id gain it all back(mind you this was in front of ALL our coworkers). The best thing Ive found to reply to those folks "I will let my physician and nutritionist know that you have issue with my diet. Where is your medical degree from again?". and not another word has been spoken about MY choice by her.


Carry food where ever you go. Tuna packets are gods gift to Atkiners. I have safe food stashed everywhere. beef jerky, tuna packets, cans of chicken, nuts (for your rung kids!). my personal vehicle, my work vehicle, my office, my suitcases. I have no excuses now to eat something I shouldnt. (and remember to have plastic forks as well! lol)

[dreamof145]

Re: Helpful tips

WOW, can't believe all the great tips we are getting. Now I have to re-do my plans for October and incorporate some into it.