An easy guide for a friend?

[chellybobs]

Hi all, I have an old friend who is impressed at how im doing and she needs to lose weight for an operation. She has bought and read the book, but is a little daunted by it, and thinks she doesnt understand exactly know what she can eat, especially with alot of the 'americanisms'.
I think its getting here down, and making here feel a bit ' thick' bless her. I know we need to understand the basic science etc, but when someone can be so desperate sometimes they look to deep and get confused.
Can anyone point me to any stickies they feel could help or anything, even if i need to amend them to UK terms for her.
I really want to help her, especially now its helping me so well.
I KNOW we all need to read DANDR and she has tried, but not everyone 'gets' it do they bless xx
Chelle xx

[chellybobs]

Re: An easy guide for a friend?

its ok, found some stickies to help xxx and to translate for her lol!! xx

[Sarina D]

Re: An easy guide for a friend?

Hi Chelle?

Just curious...does your friend have access to a computer? If so, perhaps if you could give her the web address to this board, it might help her out a bit.

There is a link I have provided below that Georgiana put together that has some fabulous pointers and step by step approaches for one first starting out that your friend might find quite helpful.

http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.com/forums/atkins-diet-14-day-induction/77558-atkins-diet-induction-faqs.html

Just thought I would throw that possibility out there for you to share with her.

Hugs,
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.
5th major goal met - My 1 yr. Atkins anniversary - Weighing 184 lbs. this day
Current weight – 183 lbs.
Goal weight - 150 – 160

[chellybobs]

Re: An easy guide for a friend?

Thanks Sarina, thats the one ive sent her. She has registered on here, but i think shes a bit downhearted. I hope you dont mind but i have sent her the link to your 'story' with your pics. It was such an inspiration to me i thought if anything could help her that would lol!!
Chelle xx

[Sarina D]

Re: An easy guide for a friend?

Thanks Sarina, thats the one ive sent her. She has registered on here, but i think shes a bit downhearted. I hope you dont mind but i have sent her the link to your 'story' with your pics. It was such an inspiration to me i thought if anything could help her that would lol!!
Chelle xx

Thank you for the lovely compliment Chelle

I'm absolutely fine with you sharing my story and pics with her and feel free to share my post and pics with anyone else you may think they might be helpful to....that's the only reason I posted them. Also, feel free to have her pm me or send me a visitor's message, I would be happy to help in whatever way I can if I can be of assistance. I truly know and understand what it feels like to be downhearted due to a weight problem...I remember when I was over 400 lbs and the thought of losing even 5 -10 lbs was overwhelming and hard to fathom. I didn't think I would be able to accomplish a loss of 5 - 10 lbs based on all the other times I had tried so desperately to lose weight and become healthy but failed.

Give your friend and message for me. Tell her that she is actually the one that is truly in control...not the food and there is a new world, a new freedom and new life just waiting out there for her to claim. If I can accomplish what I have, I know she can as well. Tell her she deserves happiness and great health..it's all here just waiting for her to believe in herself, invest in herself and claim it! I'm here for her if she would like to contact 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.
5th major goal met - My 1 yr. Atkins anniversary - Weighing 184 lbs. this day
Current weight – 183 lbs.
Goal weight - 150 – 160

[mizski]

Re: An easy guide for a friend?

Chelle, You can mention to your friend that I also found the book to be overwhelming after first read. I got lost with all the examples of different people and the book seems to start out OK (start with Induction, move to OWL, etc.) and then we're talking about Induction again. (I think ) Then there are the parts about the different health problems and the parts about health problems that you didn't think you had but now after reading, maybe you do. And then there's the recipes but most of them aren't allowed for a long time (Rung 9) because of the baking mix.

Thankfully I found this site. I read the 14-day Induction section a LOT especially the foods to eat list. I printed that out (along with the handy little wallet card) and that's what I went by...if it was not on the list, I didn't eat it. Logged everything into FitDay to mainly keep track of my carbs. Easy peasy. Got me through the first 14 days.

Today I'm starting OWL Rung 1. A little more veggies. There's a chart for that. It's the same veggies I've been having only I can now have a little more. I can do that. That's all I'm going to do this week and not read in the book about the zillion other things that are down the road. I have a LOT of weight to lose...I have a loooong road. I figure the book will make sense by the time I get to Maintenance!

Please tell your friend not to be downhearted. And tell her she is not "thick." She has you for a friend to help her and answer questions. And mention not to be afraid to post on here...this group was so very helpful to me during my first 14 days and very friendly too.

p.s. I re-read thru the book at the end of my first week. It made a lot more sense...probably because I now know what parts to skip over (for now at least).

p.p.s. I can help a little bit with the Americanisms but only to the extent that I watch Gordon Ramsay a LOT and BBC America.

[chellybobs]

Re: An easy guide for a friend?

Aww thats lovely both of you thank you xx
Sarina I will gladly pass the message on from you xx
Mizski, thats great love thanks xxx Shell really appreciate all the helpx im pming her soon to see how shes got on with the links i sent her xx

[Sarina D]

Re: An easy guide for a friend?

Aww thats lovely both of you thank you xx
Sarina I will gladly pass the message on from you xx
Mizski, thats great love thanks xxx Shell really appreciate all the helpx im pming her soon to see how shes got on with the links i sent her xx

Hi Chelle,

Terrific thank you, I will keep my eyes open for her in case she pm's me, posts on my thread or sends me a vm.

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.
5th major goal met - My 1 yr. Atkins anniversary - Weighing 184 lbs. this day
Current weight – 183 lbs.
Goal weight - 150 – 160

[imagood1]

Re: An easy guide for a friend?

Tell your friend not to read the examples in the book, just read the actual book....I got lost the first couple chapters also --- so I would read the actual chapters then go back and read the examples Dr. Atkins gave. It made much more sense. I also used a highlighter to make things I wanted to remember stand out so I could go back and find them easily.

She shouldn't have any trouble if she comes on the site and gets help here.

[Elizellen]

Re: An easy guide for a friend?

You have been given some great suggestions here, chelle, so all I shall add is a big hug for you for being so caring about your friend

I hope she soon feels able to join us here and help encourage all our members along their Atkins journies towards better health and slimmer figures

[chellybobs]

Re: An easy guide for a friend?

awww thanks lizellen, that hug was nice xxxx