The Losers' Lounge

[dreamof145]

DonnaJ34 has made a deal with herself to reach her goal. She’s already lost 55 pounds and is going strong. She wants to tell as many people who will listen about this WOL. It is important for her to teach her children to change (less sugar) and live in a positive way. She wants them to feel good about who they are no matter what size pants they put on everyday.


I was a chubby child. I remember the first time I actually realized that I was overweight. I was in the 6th grade. All the girls at the lunch table were discussing their weight very casually. When my turn came to give mine, I recall feeling ashamed. I was 11 and 125lbs. It was around that time in my life that my dad had a very serious discussion about my weight problem. He told my mother to take me to the pediatrician so that he could put me on a weight-loss regime. He was never satisfied with how I looked. Needless to say, my pediatrician yelled at me and said I would become an obese adult if I didn't change my ways. I was humiliated. My mother was mortified & she was quite angry at how the doctor handled the situation. I never felt the same about myself after that point.

I managed to always have a boyfriend whenever I wanted one. This practice extended into my adult life. I actually felt pretty good about who I was except for the shame of my "actual weight" hanging over my head and making me feel inferior.

I longed for someone to love me for who I was. At graduation, I weighed about 185lbs. I married my first husband on that very day. He was never satisfied with how I looked. He was abusive towards me. He used me for a punching bag. The marriage lasted 3 months. After my head was held outside the car (very near the ground) while it was moving, I knew I had to leave or I wouldn't live long. I married again at 20 to a man that I had only known a very short time. We were married 10 years and had 2 wonderful children. However, I was miserable. Food was comfort and it helped me to escape the fact that I didn't love him. I cheated and over indulged plain and simple. I also managed to gain an enormous amount of weight during that time. When my second child was born, I was up to 280lbs. My weight fluctuated. In 1996 when the Phen/Phen cocktail was popular, I joined the many women taking that drug. I lost about 60lbs and felt wonderful, then unexpectedly the drug was banned in Tennessee. I was mortified. I knew it was only a matter of time before I gained it all back without my little pills to help me. It took over 2 years but I surely gained all the weight I had lost and more.

In 1999 a woman that my husband worked with was doing Atkins. She encouraged us to both try it. My husband needed to lose about 45lbs. I needed to lose 125lbs. We started Atkins in September and both lost about 50lbs in 4 months. I remember feeling wonderful and shrinking to fit in 14's. My husband was proud of me and I felt good about myself finally.

Then the unexpected happened; he decided he wanted a divorce. It was the best thing that could have happened to me. I felt free from the day to day drudgery and misery I'd come to live with. I hadn’t realized how controlling and mentally abusive this man had been to me. He told me on many occasions that I was disgustingly fat and no one would ever touch me. He said I was lucky to have him because no other man wanted me. God works in mysterious ways because I wanted to be free but felt I needed my family in tact. I sought comfort from food and other men to make me feel better about myself.

A singleton since 2001 I've had several serious relationships. I was attracted to the same type of man over and over and didn’t understand or realize that until recently. I've been engaged for a year now to a man who is supportive and wonderful to my children. It all ties into my weight and how I feel about me.

My turning point was a car accident in Dec.2003 (rear ended). My daughter was the only passenger. The EMT technicians were unloading us from the car and I recall distinctly feeling ashamed of myself because they struggled to release me from the car and steady me on the board. (I lived in a small town and everyone was there, it seemed)

I had soft tissue damage to my lower spine and severe whiplash. I spent that Christmas depressed and in pain. I decided in Jan 2003 I'd change my life and my feelings towards myself. I decided Atkins was the way to go. I bought the Atkins Journal and weighed & measured myself weekly. I occasionally stumbled. For one, last summer on vacation. Slowly and surely I have changed my eating habits to where it’s second nature. I don't have to think about what I'm doing anymore. While I have occasional flubs, I've changed my mindset, which has made the biggest difference.

I see my parents about 3-4 times a year. I no longer live in Nashville but they are very supportive and encourage me like always. While I was visiting for Easter this past weekend, my dad looked straight at me and said, “You know, I'm very proud of you. You look wonderful.” I have to say the child in my heart ached to hear that for a long time. I know with out a doubt that he meant it.

_________________

[dreamof145]

Isabeau says, “Everything just clicked for me with Atkins. It fit me like a glove. I was ready emotionally and psychologically to do this. And I'm doing it. And I'm loving it. One day, I'll figure out how to post a damn picture!”


I looked at family photo albums the other day and saw tons of pictures of me as a baby. I was the first born! The first grandchild! There were pictures of my first birthday with cake smeared all over my chubby face. The pictures showed the procession as the chubby baby turned into the chubby toddler - then the chubby child and then the chubby adolescent. I guess it was then that 'dieting' started. I'll be 42 in May, and I’m still trying to lose weight. The difference is this time, I absolutely know I will reach my goal and maintain it.

I am one of those people that have tried almost every diet. In High School and into University I followed the Scarsdale Diet. I was successful, but would gain again, rinse and repeat. This pattern continued. Sometimes I look back and feel that I tricked my husband because I was slim when we met! Within a couple of years after we married, (we'll be celebrating our 18th wedding anniversary this June) we had a set of twins, a boy and a girl. Shortly after they were born, I went to Weight Watchers and got to goal. I maintained about a year and have had a steady climb to my highest weight ever.

A year ago, a good friend and I decided that we really had to lose weight. She had about 25 pounds to lose. I had four times that amount. I had all my Weight Watchers stuff so we decided to follow it ourselves. We had weigh ins, etc. The first week I lost four pounds. I was very happy. The next week I lost one pound. The following week I lost nothing. I couldn't believe it. I was following the low calorie, low fat plan to a tee. I kept at it and maybe lost another pound over the next month. I was obsessed with food, I was hungry, and I was miserable.

To tell you the truth, I was one of those people that shunned the Atkins Diet. I thought it was just ridiculous. Had I read the book? Of course not. By last July, I was really concerned when I got fatigued walking up stairs. The breaking point was that I was actually uncomfortable sleeping because of my obesity. My paternal grandmother died of diabetes related complications, and although I went for tests (all negative) I was sure I was heading in that direction if I didn't do something. I could deal with not liking the way I looked, but I couldn't deal with leading myself to an early death, especially one that could be so preventable.

I don't know why I bought it, but one day I ordered DANDR online. As it turned out, it was the 2002 edition! I read it cover to cover in one night. A light bulb went on. It was weird, but I just knew this would be for me. I immediately got in my car and went to the grocery store. With the book in my hand, I changed my life that very day. I haven’t looked back. I have not cheated and the weird thing is, I haven't wanted to. I haven't needed to. It still totally amazes me to this day. I started this WOE on August 18th, 2004. I’ve lost almost 70 pounds. There hasn’t been a week that I have not lost weight. (Ok, I have to insert a disclaimer here. When I first started, I used the Advantage Bars for one week and lost nothing. I think it was my fourth week doing induction. Then I found this board and have not touched any frankenfoods or anything with sugar alcohols of any kind).

That person who could barely make it up the stairs without getting out of breath is now training for a mini triathlon. It's unbelievable! I'm running for the first time in my life! I'm riding a hot shot racing bike two to three times a week! I'm learning total immersion swimming and training twice a week with that! I weight train three times a week! I do exercise all workouts, pilates and yoga! I learned to curl and joined a club last fall. After Christmas, I joined two leagues! Although I have a way to go in my weight loss journey, I have never in my entire life been as fit as I am now. I'm never hungry. I'm so happy that I ordered the Atkins book last summer and that I found this forum.

Here's to all your weight loss journeys. It might sound cliché, but if I can do this, truly, anybody can.

[dreamof145]

Labarum, at the age of 54, got a serious ‘talking to’ from the Senior Medical Officer!
“Do Atkins”, he said, “It works.”


As I child I always tended on the heavy side, though not excessively so. I had polio aged three and spent my childhood recovering from paralysis in the left leg. I was never any good at sport and consequently have no interest.

By the time I was fully grown at 6 ft 3 in I was top of the range normal and weighed about 14 stone (196 lb) – I will subsequently quote only in lbs, but they may not be round numbers. Obesity is an issue in the family. My sister struggled as a girl and is now – size 24/26. By middle age my father was over 250lb but brought his weight under control. My mother is short and a size 20. My weight crept up to around 210 when I was an undergraduate reading Theology at Durham University. I managed to get down to 198 when I went aged 27 to the Sandhurst Military Academy to train as a chaplain. When I married at the age of 32, I was 210 again. Over the years the weight crept up. Medical Officers grumbled a bit over the years, but it was no serious medical or professional concern.

When I was 53 I was over 250 lb. After spraining my ankle my mobility was badly impaired for a few months and my weight climbed to 260 lb. Time for the routine medical. At 54 I got a serious talking to from the Senior Medical Officer!
Blood Pressure March 04 147/94. Cholesterol up a little but differential very very good.

“Do Atkins”, he said, “It works.” I was on the edge of this decision anyway, but his backing made it easier at home. My wife is a biology teacher and has also taught nutrition and domestic science. Low fat was the regime at home – “Not too much meat, dear, it’s bad for you.” I am a Viking and love meat, so for me Atkins was easy and natural. I have no intention of abandoning the low carb way of life. One of the nurses in the medical centre and my wife raise a caution from time to time about “stress on your kidneys.” The Senior Medical Officer dismisses those concerns.

By the end of June 04 my weight was down to 225 and my blood pressure was121/74. By December 04 I weighed 208 lb and my blood pressure was down to 119/72. My resting pulse is in the mid to high 50s. I do not have the results of the blood tests, but I do know they were impressively healthy. On a 65% fat diet my cholesterol had fallen a little, though it was not an issue in the beginning.

What Atkins said about high glycimic index foods and the blood sugar roller-coaster was certainly true for me. If I feed on fat and protein I do not suffer from hunger or cravings and just feel generally more “steady.” I may be a strange way to put it, but quite precise – I feel steady, stable and satisfied eating the Atkins way. I have no need to rush for the sweets or for apples and oranges as I did before. I was probably heading for type two diabetes before. I hope to avoid that now.

I eat lots of meat, foul and fish with mountains of salad and green vegetables, and yes, I drink litres of water a day. I have Greek Yogurt or Low Carb Home made Ice Cream with strawberries. I am not sure to what extent these dairy products contributed to my winter stall. I have taken to flax cooking - half and half with Whey Protein Isolate, olive oil and egg, and flavoured with lemon, cinnamon, “Italian Herbs” or sun-dried tomatoes. My treat is a square or two of high cocoa content dark chocolate, sometimes by itself, and sometimes microwaved into fudge with cream and butter.

There is still more to be done. I have lost no weight since before Christmas – I put on three or four pounds but have lost those. I have had no serious cheats or binges – didn’t even have any Christmas cake, which I love.

Now summer is on the way I must exercise more and try harder to get those last few pounds off. The Base swimming pool has closed, which is a loss, but I have been enjoying cycling the country lanes. My ambition is to get below 14 stone (196 lb). I will have to work hard for these last few pound, but the 50lbs down from 260 to 210 was very easy.

_________________
Male 6 ft 3in 55 years Married 23 years.
Within sight of 200lb now, down from 260 lb since March 04
Blood Pressure Mar 04 147/94 . Jun 04 121/74 . Dec 04 119/72
All blood measurements now impressively healthy.

[dreamof145]

Iyshiaf’s family had a history of weight related problems. She decided to take control of her weight and start living a healthy lifestyle so that those same issues didn’t become a concern in her own life.

My family has been riddled with a number of health problems. My mother had 2 strokes, 3 heart attacks, 1 angioplasty, 1 triple bypass surgery, and all by age 47! Her father had quadruple bypass surgery, and heat attacks. Her sisters had diabetes and high blood pressure. Both she and her sisters had polycystic ovarian cancer, and that's just my mother's side of the family.

I decided in January of this year (2005) to do all I could to prevent all of these things from consuming me. My weight loss journey started with a serious decision and a promise to not let my health and my life slip beyond my control.

January 14, 2005--I started to reduce my portions and cut sugars, flours, and starches out of my diet. I incorporated daily exercise (no excuses) with these eating habits and the weight and inches began to melt away. I lost 26lbs in less than one month (Feb 10th)! At first I was scared that I may be losing too fast. Soon the weight loss slowed and the inches starting speeding away instead. By March 10, 2005 I had lost another 11lbs! At this time I decided to go with the Atkins WOE/WOL. This decision seemed very logical since I had already started controlling carbs and exercising. I had been around this board a few times; read a few posts, and made up my mind that this was the kind of "weight loss family" I wanted to be a part of. So, March 10, 2005 I started the Atkins WOL.

I have now been enjoying this WOL for 5 weeks, and I've lost 26 more lbs! That brings my total to 63lbs in 13 weeks and 5 days (April 20, 2005). I have been cheat free the entire time. I suppose it is a mind over matter situation. I WILL REMAIN IN CONTROL OF MY HEALTH AND MY LIFE. It was up to me to see that these things were taken care of, and everyday things just keep getting better.

The weight loss journey comes down to you making a decision. No one will take care of you like you! If you don't take care of yourself, then who will????????????????????????????????????

[dreamof145]

LCer09 and her husband share a similiar story. They were both carb addicts. Today, they still share a similiar story. They are low-carbing and loving it. Their story is very inspirational.


This was really a joint effort, and my husband and I had similar childhoods. We were both 'chubby' but not really big-big. (I look at old pictures and am shocked that I felt so fat, or was even picked on for being fat. Kids must be bigger today, my kids have friends that size, and nobody thinks of them as fat.) Both of us were typical 70s kids, our parents did the whole "I have to be happy, I have to do what's best for ME" stuff, without thinking of anybody else, like their kids. Both of us were raised by single parents, and home alone most of the time, eating too much junk, never getting homecooked meals, stuff like that.

I actually got really thin my senior year of high school. Bikinis, short-shorts, I had to starve myself, and was probably disgustingly unhealthy, but also have to admit that I (quoting 'Pretty in Pink') MISS MY ***!! It was great, I must admit. Of course, we all know what happens when you lose weight on the "nothing but diet coke" diet. It comes back, with a vengeance. A year later I was 20 pounds up, and trying desperately to get it off. You name a diet, I tried it. (anybody remember those things you carried around and smelled to supposedly kill off hunger? LOL!) Nothing worked. My husband was exactly the same. He got really thin (he did the "bowl of cheerios and an apple as your day's menu" diet) and then bounced up. We were big, but hardly huge.

Then I got pregnant. Complications put me on bedrest for part of the time. So I sat around and ate. He kept me company. We got HUGE. I now know that I have PCOS, and it has played a part in my weight struggle. I really wish I had known then that I wasn't "normal" and that everybody telling me "just eat less and exercise" was not what would work for ME. I was responsible for my weight gain, but I feel really cheated on the loss part. Nobody mentioned PCOS, or insulin resistance. Not a single doctor I talked to, none of the nutritionists, nobody. I had to do my own research, which confirmed my suspicions. Even then I got no advice, just a scrip for some metformin (and getting that was like pulling teeth) which helped my weight, but made me sick and completely exhausted 24/7, it was not refilled.

Luckily I moved, got a new doctor, and was told that Atkins would help me. I filed that information away, but didn't take it too seriously. I mean, how could the all bacon and cheese diet help? Don't I need things like vegetables? (LOL!) Our turning point was the weekend after Thanksgiving. We ate and ate and ate, just like most Americans. Realizing that we resembled beached whales, I dug the scale out of the closet, and we were both in for a shock. I never thought I was over 250, he never thought he was over 300. The next day I bought Atkins book, and we started right away. If we were going to do it, it had to be THEN, tempting holiday season be damned. After spending three days feeling as if we had been thrown into a pit of **** (induction 'flu'? How about induction DEATH, that's what it was like for us!) It was like a re-birth. I'm not exaggerating, suddenly we had more energy, slept better at night, and a handful of minor annoyances completely disappeared. Constant heartburn, headaches, etc.? Gone. And the weight FLEW off. I think the first two weeks I lost 20 and he lost 25. The carbs obviously did not belong in our diet.

A year and a half later, and we would still like to lose more. We have held the loss and are happy. And it's not the diet that's keeping us from losing these last few pounds. We have a few too many small indulgences, and know it. We have to decide these last few pounds are important enough. Now that were both 'normal' size again, it's harder, I have to admit. But not gaining it back is a real thrill! I have never, EVER lost weight and been able to keep it off. I even contacted the national weight loss registry, since I qualified as of February. (I just need to fill out all that paperwork now! LOL!)

A few things that really helped?

-Water, water and more water.
-Fat, fat and more fat.
(water and/or fat intake slipping was almost always the cause of my stalls)
-Weighing myself every day. I know this may be controversial, but you have to know yourself. Once a week won't cut it for me. I'd do too much damage in a week, thinking that I'm "just fine". I use weight commander ( www.weightcommander.com ) to track the averages. I don't freak out if I see a slight jump, it just makes me determined to stick with it even more.
-Ignoring people that think you'll die without eating flour, sugar and starch. I was really sensitive about this at first. People would ask me about my weight loss, and I'd mumble something about cutting out sugar. Now I proudly say "ATKINS!".
-Exercise! I think that says it all. I prefer elliptical machines for cardio, and personally think that tons of reps with small weights for 'toning' is silly. YMMV. (how do you 'tone' anyway? You either build the muscle or you don't!)
-Costco. Bulk meats and veggies. Yo can't beat that!
-Lite salt, an easy way to get your potassium.

Good luck everyone! You really can do it, if we can, ANYBODY can!

_________________
LCing since 12/01/03
me- 5'7" 265/159/140
& hubby- 6' 310/188/180
Check out our pics!

http://f2.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/lcer09/my_photos

[dreamof145]

Nikki_e has lost the 18 lbs that she gained when she fell off the Atkins’ wagon, plus 21 more pounds! She is down a total of 81 lbs from her starting weight of 305. She is still going strong and will reach her goal! She is committed to living a healthy life-style and doing it the Atkins way. Thank goodness she accidentally found Atkins!

I’ve been overweight all of my life. Ok, maybe not all of my life, but when I look back, I think I was a healthy weight until I was about 5 or 6. I come from an overweight family. I grew up on a farm where my mom prepared all of the meals and we all sat and ate together. Most meals consisted of lots of meat, potatoes, and bread! The only low-carb veggie we ever really ate was green beans, and that wasn’t all that often. We ate corn and baked beans. Broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus…what’s that? And to top it off, my dear mother was known for her baking. She made the best cookies, bars, cakes, etc. We never went a day in the house without a homemade sweet treat available. Most of the time, there was more than one variety available. And it was never limited to how much we could eat. I would eat cookies and bars, one after another, after another.

Being from an overweight family, we never did anything of a physical nature together. I became more interested in school, reading, and music. I was a good student, so I ran with that. I remember being picked last for teams at school. It never really bothered me. Somehow, I was an overweight kid with some pretty good self-confidence. I don’t even remember ever being picked on due to my weight. I don’t know if it was because of my confidence that kids never picked on me, or if I just never let it get to me, or if I’ve chosen to block it out. The only fat comment, I ever remember in my life was in college. I was walking with an overweight friend and some guys drove by and oinked at us.

I grew up to be an overweight adult. I went to college at about 250 lbs. Instead of putting on the freshman 15, I rapidly lost 55 lbs. It wasn’t a healthy loss. I basically didn’t eat much at all. I can remember going days without eating. My second year of college, I slowly started gaining weight again. I really don’t know how fast I gained. I was never one to obsess with weighing myself. I usually had no clue what my current weight was.

By college graduation, I was back to 250 lbs. Over the next 3 years, I slowly gained and became 305 lbs. It’s amazing I didn’t gain more. I loved eating and I loved eating anything fried and greasy. I ate fast food at least once a day if not more. I loved it! But each time I went to the drive thru, I knew it was bad. But I would eat it anyway and it would make me feel wonderful.

Overall, I have to say that my weight never really bothered me. I was happy. I accidentally found Atkins on May 30th, 2003. Two coworkers decided to start the next day. One of them had about 5 lbs. to lose and the other was about my size. So, I said, “what the heck”, and I started the next day with them. Before this, I never gave a though to dieting. I had been content. We had very little information and hadn’t read the book. Within a couple of days, I found ADBB and I bought the book. I went strict by the book and tried to educate my fellow Atkineers at work. Well, one of them quit after a few days and the other one kept saying she was doing Atkins. However, every day, she would have “just a bite.” She was eating bread, pasta, etc, but she could always rationalize it. There is no way she was ever in ketosis, as she never went more than a day without cheating. I don’t think she ever lost any weight.

So there I was left. I accidentally fell into this WOE, and the people that brought me into this and were to be my support, were gone. But I saw results fast. And I enjoyed the food. Even though I hadn’t been all that committed when I started, all of a sudden I was committed and following this WOE strictly by the book.

After about 6 months, I think the carb creep started and by summer, I was off the wagon. I had lost 60 lbs. During my time off, I gained back 18 lbs. On January 17th, 2005, I recommitted to Atkins. Shortly after restarting, my mother came down with an infection and was hospitalized. I spent many days and nights at the hospital by her bedside and sleeping in chairs in the waiting rooms. Seeing her so ill was hard. But hearing the doctors talk about her prognosis not being good and mostly because of her weight was the hardest. She was morbidly obese. Her body and organs were weak from a lifetime of the extra stress of the weight. Her body was not strong enough to heal. She fought hard, but her body just couldn’t do it and she passed away after 8 ½ weeks in the hospital on April 3rd, at the age of 60.

Through all of her hospitalization…through all of the stress…I was faithful to my Atkins way of life. I am strong and I now know that even in the toughest of times, I do not need carbs and sweets. I know mom is proud of my weight loss. It was something she was never able to conquer. I will not be morbidly obese. I will not be obese.


_________________
305/245/150 - Started May 29, 2003
Fell off the wagon and gained 18 lbs back
263/224/150 - Restarted January 17, 2005

27 year old female, Denver, CO

[dreamof145]

Selfxuntitled has shown that he is in charge of his life. He is a great performer and has strong inner discipline.

My name is Romel DeSilva and I have been big all my life. The world has always been suggesting me to try and lose weight, but no matter what i did I kept eating. It reached a climax last summer when I was in the show "The Music Man" Being a performer for many years I had finally realized that my looks as well as my ability to sing and dance without getting winded was at stake. LIfe was amazingly bad at the time as well. I had weighed at an amazing 320 pounds at the age of 16, with really bad blood pressure. My friend Corinne had suggested her diet for she was a success story herself losing 140 pounds in a year. So I tried it, for the first three weeks I did the diet wrong but when I had joined the forum and read the book I started over with a clean induction. 5 months later I am 100 pounds less. My best friend angelo had recently passed away and the last time I saw him was right before the diet.. so he never saw me this way. so for that I am going to keep trying to be healthy. I am now a better person and I am happy.

[dreamof145]

Iyamamaschke says “If I stay true to myself and true to this WOE, nothing can stop me. I LOVE MYSELF. I have never loved before loving myself. It is so important and I am proof that even when the road gets tough, I will keep going and it will soon be 7 MONTHS CHEAT FREE.”


I never became fat on my own. I was actually a normal size for a child. I was never too heavy, nor too light, but, in my mind I always believed I was fat.

I remember going to a Christmas party at the tender age of 5. I looked into the mirror and said to myself, “I can't wear this dress. I am too fat.”

This revelation didn't come on its own, my family was always obsessed with body image. My mother was always on diets. My Dad always told me don't eat that or you'll get fat. I began looking at myself in a different way - seeing myself in a different way - a way that no child should see themselves…FAT. I began gaining a little bit of weight fitting into the fat kid profile. You see this was the only way I could get my parents to acknowledge me. If I got fat they had to pay attention to that.

I began hiding food in my room and getting up in the middle of the night to eat. I tried to depend on the only person I could rely on for being there… me. As I think back now, I believe I gained weight to actually distance myself from others.

It was horrible. My teenage years came and I began to really see a change in my body. I was ashamed of myself. I didn't want to change with the girls for fear that they would ridicule me. They did. The boys tormented me with signs and mean remarks. I ate more and more until my weight actually became a big issue. I was 160 lbs in grade 8. I didn't look that big but to myself, I was huge.

I didn't want to go to school or functions. Boys never looked at me the way I wanted. I wanted to be one of the pretty girls that got attention and was googled over. So many nights, I remember I prayed to God that I could be thin or to just let me die in my sleep.

It got worse. My parents split up when I was 13. The constant fighting echoed through my house daily until one night it became silent. My mom moved out with her boyfriend.

That was the beginning of a really horrible stretch in my life. It was March 15, 1991 and a knock came to the door saying that my mother had been murdered. I remember thinking to myself GOD I want to die; I don't want to live being this sad. I was horribly unhappy. My world came crashing around me. Everything that was once normal was now a mess. I ate everything in sight. I didn't care what it was. If it was chocolate, I would eat it. I ate tons of junk - anything that I thought might fill the void in my life.

I became extremely depressed and food was my comfort. I tried to diet, but I could never get past 2 days. I tried and I tried. I thought I was doomed to be fat forever. It was too hard. I just couldn't deal with being hungry all day long. I wasn't ready to lose weight. I tried countless attempts only to fail and fail and fail. I never dealt with my mother’s horrible death and the obesity masked my true feelings of utter despair. I thought I would never be beautiful. I would never be thin.

By the time I was 18 I had never had a boyfriend. I never had a first kiss. I didn't even have a date to the prom. I was extremely obese hitting 230 lbs, but still I had not yet hit bottom.

I went up and down on the scale - sometimes through starvation. I actually got down to 180 lbs, which I still thought to be extremely fat. I became obsessed with my body image and how I looked. I wouldn't go out. I was withdrawn from the world. To everyone I seemed happy, but on the inside, I was a pile of rotting emotions waiting to explode. I did however manage to meet an extremely special man when I was 18 who I am still with today. He has been my backbone of strength. He has loved me through everything I have gone through. He has never once EVER said anything about my weight. He is like an angel here to help me heal and I love him every day for the person he is.

It was funny how I found Atkins. I actually walked into a health food store and they had a discount book rack and I saw the book Dr. Atkins Diet Revolution. I was 20 years old and more then 155 lbs. overweight. I started reading the book the next day, but I was not ready for the commitment it involved. I was not ready to lose weight. I actually got down while following it to my lowest weight ever of 165lbs. I cheated the entire time and had not learned good eating habits. I became pregnant and the rest is history. I was pregnant or breast feeding for 6 years straight with each child trying to lose with Atkins then actually getting pregnant and gaining it all back. It was so hard every time was an emotional blow to me. Every time I failed miserably and every time I failed it was because I had a little bite of this or that. That all changed when I topped 285 pounds.

I got out of bed and I could hardly walk cause my feet hurt. My back ached and the fat on my back rubbed. I couldn't walk a block without feeling like I was going to die. I was slowly killing myself and I was letting the fat win. I woke up one morning and decided this is the first day of the rest of my life. That day was November 6th 2004. I decided I was going to eat this way forever.

It wasn’t easy though. Many days I wanted treats - stuff I couldn't have and so many days I was tempted. However, I never budged my willingness to stick it out and my will was stronger then any chocolate could ever be. The first 2 weeks I lost 12 pounds I was so excited. After the first 2 weeks, I began exercising by lifting weights and walking. The scale stopped moving I was devastated. Now I know this was Post Induction Stall syndrome. I still lost inches but, no loss of weight for a full 7 weeks. It took a ton of determination to stay on track. All the other times, I had tried I had failed at this same point. I was rewarded with some huge losses. Just recently, I was hit by a bunch of mad medical news.

I had Hasimotos thyroiditis and Pernicious Anemia (this is where the body doesn't absorb B12) Up to this point 6 weeks ago I had been extremely active lifting weights and running. If you can believe it I had lost 63 pounds before I was hit with these bad medical conditions. My body became extremely fatigued and I couldn't exercise. I could hardly get out of bed. My body ached my muscles could hardly grip a pencil. Walking about the house became difficult. I began on a regime of taking 1 needle of B12 every 2 days for 2 weeks. I did this 2 times a week for 2 weeks then once a month. It took 4 weeks for me to start to feel better. At this time I have been stalled a full 6 weeks. It has been so hard on days to stay on track and stick it out but, I know inside myself I have what it takes to make it. I am no longer the hurting little girl. I am a woman of extreme importance - especially to my children.

Every day I am teaching them how to be healthy and by leading them with my example I know that their chances of being like me are less. That's what keeps me going every day that's what keeps me here. That's what gets me through the tough stuff. I know in my heart I may be stalled but it can't last forever. Sooner or later this weight is going to leave me.

[dreamof145]

Cruiser gal was not only successful in her career, she has also been successful in losing over 50 pounds and starting a whole new healthy life.

I was born almost 9 lbs, and I think that's when my weight problems started. My parents were immigrants from Europe, and they thought that having a chubby baby was the cutest and healthiest thing. My sister was always slim, and could eat anything without putting on any weight. I just looked at certain foods, and would gain weight! My mother went back to work, when I was 5, so my sister who is 7 years older than me, looked after me in the mornings for breakfast (which was usually Danish pastry), and after school snack (usually chips, and chocolate bars). Then came dinner; which was usually my Mother's job - rich Polish type foods. And of course being Jewish, there was the constant "EAT MORE" and shoving the food into me syndrome!!!

My parents having lived through the war, and being in concentration camps, never had food abundantly as they had it in Canada. So they always made sure that FOOD was the most important element in being alive! There was always an abundance of food in the house, and hence my way of life was food oriented. During public school, I was a bit chunky, as I was growing, my weight started growing too. I left high school weighing about 180 lbs. I was always very self-confident, and out-going, so the weight never really caused a psychological problem for me. I got minor ribbing about it, but in general my personality did not allow for negative reinforcements, fortunately.

I started exercise programs when I was a teenager, so that's what probably saved me a bit. I got married right after graduating from University and my first husband was as skinny as a rake! So, I started cooking, and lo and behold, ,I was the one putting on the weight, not him!!! After 2 years of marriage, I was transferred to Winnipeg for work purposes, and I was on the road a lot traveling for business. That truly messed up my eating habits, and I was gradually increasing my weight at a steady rate. This lifestyle took a real toll on my body and mind, so we moved to Calgary, and slowed down a bit. I got pregnant with a start weight of just over 200lbs, and gained 18 lbs during pregnancy, as I was trying to watch my weight! I was a stay at home Mom for 1 1/2 years, and that did me in, weight wise, and mentally. Gaining more weight again!

I loved having a baby, but needed to get back to my career. That's what I did. My eating habits were horrible, never eating breakfast, grabbing a quick lunch, and then by the time dinner came around, shoving just about anything I could find into my mouth. My dress sizes started creeping up too, and before long, my marriage was having problems. I found myself at 32 divorced with a 4 year old daughter. So, I took to indulging in food again with a new career, which blossomed! With success, seemed to come more money, more travel, and more good food!! I was a happy person, positive, successful, but I couldn't control what went into my mouth!! I was very active, outgoing, risk-taker, loved what I was doing, but the weight was still creeping up.

40 came quickly. My daughter and I who are very close traveled a lot. I was in a couple of relationships, but was not ready to settle down yet. By 45 I was in size 20 clothing, and that’s when it started to hit me, right in the eyes!!! Only BIG PEOPLE in my mind wore size 20, and here I was at that stage. I maintained for a bit, then it started creeping up again. Then I met the man of my dreams, and we got married 2 years ago. I was in a size 22 wedding dress! When I looked at the wedding pictures, I suddenly saw someone else, but still I did nothing. My DH never said anything to me about my weight, he himself being slim. After a year of marriage, he put on over 20 lbs, and I was up to 277.

I bumped into a long lost friend at a social event. She always looked wonderful. I asked her what she does to stay so fit. She told me that she and her husband, who is a radiologist, follow Atkins WOE. So, the next day I bought the DANDR and started reading. I checked in with my doctor. He is Italian, so he strongly advised me against going on Atkins. I was not convinced, so I called my buddy who is a Gastroenterologist; he gave it the thumbs up, and said if he had to lose weight, this is the way he would choose.

I have probably tried almost every diet available out there, WW, low fat diets, stewardess diet, various doctors diets, weight loss clinic, I can go on and on and on. I probably lost and gained the same 100 pounds numerous times. I never really learned a proper WOE! So this was it, with a positive re-enforcement from my doctor friend, I went with it.

That was January 26, 2005, I am now 225.5 lbs, have lost over 50 lbs in 4 months and a week. I work out 5-6 days a week. I feel great, have a ton of energy. My DH has lost 27 lbs on this WOE as well. Everyday he tells me how wonderful I look, and I always find him glancing looks at me! We have learned a wonderful WOE. One that we can continue with, without a doubt. I have been on a few trips during this time, and have still been able to follow plan, and keep the weight loss going, even on vacations. I can attend, dinners, parties, and social events, and not be afraid that I will stuff my face, because I am now in total control of what goes into my mouth. I am so happy that I found this ADBB, as this is part of me now, and the moderators, admin, & people in general are wonderful and supportive. All in all, I am one happy person, both physically and mentally. I attribute a lot of this to this WOE! I hope to be at goal 165 by the fall. Good luck to everyone and you can all do it!

[dreamof145]

Re: The Losers' Lounge

Instead of giving up when life sent her more than her share of curve~balls, Brook jumped in and took control in the one are of her life that she could change. Her health. Here is her incredible story:

Like the majority of you, I'd spent my fair share of time trying gimmicks, quick weight loss plans, low fat, low calorie diets and the same thing happened to me that happened to most of you. F. A. T.

Stress? No one here has the corner market on that little fact of life. When I started this way of eating, I was still living part time at the hospital with my daughter, and when she wasn't admitted, I was running an average of 3 specialist appts a week - some of which were 2-3 hours away from our home & included lots of over night stays. That doesn't include the time we spent in OT/PT/Speech/Feeding Therapy/Neuropsychology. Talk about stress?! Egads. I also had older 2 kids in public school and was investing lots of time learning about homeschooling - which I took on in October 2002. I have a husband who's had extensive health issues as well. We have a company that we have invested blood, sweat, and tears in to get off the ground and that's been many things, but unstressful isn't one of them. I have a mom who is a cancer survivor, but has had some major scares in the last couple of years. We've had several deaths in the family, a birth, lots of family functions, holidays, etc etc etc - all since I started this WOE.

Okay- We've removed the myth that I haven't had any life issues to deal with while taking on this WOE.

I spent 2 years having absolutely zero control of the scariest thing that I've ever encountered - the health of my youngest child. Zero control. It didn't matter how hard I concentrated, how hard I tried, how much I fought, how much I read, how much I studied - I had no control over making her more healthy and still don't. It was a realization that impacted, and continues to impact me greatly.

It dawned on me one day how unhealthy I had allowed myself to become. I was smoking 2 packs a day. I weighed 230lbs. I was beyond stressed. I hated where I had landed in my life, but unlike when I looked at my daughter, I figured out I *did* have the power and control to improve my own health.

That's how a No -Excuse-Fanatic was born.

My daughter didn't get to lean on excuses to make it through her days. She had to fight for everything - she's had to fight her own body to be healthy, she's had to fight her body to move like she wants it to, she's had to fight her mouth to speak, she's had to fight her size, and she's even had to fight to learn to eat. She faced/faces things with the most courage of anyone and anything I've ever known. If you have never known a chronically ill child and watched them as they march into the labs of hospitals and bravely stick out their little arms to be stabbed again and again and again, I both envy and pity you. I have hated to have to watch this child go through things no one should ever have to go through and yet she does so with such dignity and grace I can not and will not make miserable excuses in her presence about "how hard it is" or "how long it's going to take". I can not. I will not.

Samantha is the one who taught me all about no excuses and ll about taking advantage of the choices I have.

I've learned that it is ESSENTIAL to plan ahead. I've carried coolers with me all over the damn country side so that I can maintain my WOE and continue to make appropriate choices. I call ahead to family functions to find out what I can help with or bring so that I can do what I need to do too. I leave nothing to chance. Failing to plan is planning to fail - and I *refuse* to fail.

It used to take a *lot* of effort and planning. It doesn't anymore - so yes - this WOE *has* gotten easy. It *is* second nature to me and I have read the research and the literature and the books until I can practically recite them. It has been essential to my success.

Does all this babbling have a point? Not really. But now, hopefully, some of you know and understand where I'm coming from and that this really is all about choices and personal responsibility. We all have the ability to determine our own destiny - and it took a beautiful little girl getting really sick for me to see and learn that.

I try every day to be an example, not only to my family and community, but to this community as well. Success is something that is rarely achieved alone. I've had plenty of people to lean on along the way (thank you!!) I'm as real as they come. I have life struggles. I have stress, and I have great friends and a fantastic support community. It's out there for you too. Use it.

Success, Love, and Light

~Brook

[dreamof145]

Re: The Losers' Lounge

MJett37 debated whether Atkins was right for her. Once she gave it a try and shed 60 pounds, that is no longer an issue. She says she loves this WOE and tells everyone what Atkins has done for her.


I started Atkins 6 mon ago, and so far I have lost 59 1/2 pounds. I'm a mother of three children, raising my three neices and married for 20 yrs. I work at an elementary school as Yard Duty Supervisior. I love children, as you can tell.

I am 37 years old with a degree in Human Services. I'm overjoyed with the weight lost. I wasn't overweight as a child - instead I was always too skinny.When I was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder/Manic Depression, I started to gain weight from the side effects of the five medications I was on. I gained weight fast. I blew up to 260+ pounds. I was so uncomfortable from 1999 to 6 months ago.

A lady at church told me that she was doing Atkins, and she had lost some weight. She wanted me to try it with her, but at the time I said no. When I looked at a picture of myself when we went to the beach, I couldn't believe I was that big. I knew I had to do something. I'd never tried any diet because I didn't need to. I bought the books and read everything about Atkins. I even searched the internet, but I wasn't convinced yet -- until I saw a friend who had lost a lot of weight. She told me she was also doing Atkins.

Well my mind was made up. I set a date to start March 1st and found this message board. I introduced myself and went from there asking questions.

The day before the start of this WOE, my dh bought $30 worth of Girl Scout Cookies. He didn't know that I was starting this WOE and since I wouldn't be starting until the next day, I ate as many cookies as I could. The next day I sent those cookies to school with my daughter, so I wouldn't be tempted. I told my dh, and he was very supportive and still is.

During my first two weeks of induction I got some real bad leg cramps. I wanted some M&M's real bad, but I didn't give into the tempation. I weighed myself on the last 14 day of induction and the scale was broke so I went out brought another one. I lost 19lbs. I couldn't believe it. At first I didn't see it but the kids and dh did. Then one day I looked in the mirror and and my face was slimmer. I was motivated to keep doing Atkins. Now when people that know me see me - they are so amazed at my weight lost. One lady I know keeps calling me skinny girl , it makes me blush.

My oldest son hadn't seen me in three months. When he saw me, he was shocked. He said, "Mom I haven't seen you like this in a long time." Now when he sees me, he says I need to stop becasuse Iam getting too skinny. I don't think so. This WOE ROCKS!!

I am now wearing a size 12. I tried on a 10 and it fit, but was too tight. My goal is 160 but I'm thinking about 135. Who knows. One thing I do know is that I feel 100% better and I have more energy then ever. I just need to incorporate more exercise into my routine. I have even stopped taking my meds and so far so good ~ no episodes. I get some of my meals from the Linda website. They are tasty. Even my family likes them. Trust me this WOE AND WOL works if you work it.
__________________
mini goal:200

[dreamof145]

Re: The Losers' Lounge

Floydsgirl was winging Atkins until she stumbled onto the ADBB site, now she's doing Atkins the right way. She feels like a new person with a new lease on life.


I was always the kid that was picked last for a team in gym class. In elementary school I wasn't really heavy, but I wasn't what you would call skinny, either. I was a shy, insecure, unpopular, dorky kid. I didn't have many friends. I never felt good about myself. In 6th grade we were required to have a physical. The school physician weighed me, I weighed 100 lbs. Looking back, that was a reasonable weight for my height (I matured early). However, the Dr. made a comment about how "I don't miss too many meals". What an insensitive clod he was!

In High School I started gaining weight in my Senior Year. I was still the shy, insecure, unpopular, dorky teen. I wasn't current with the latest fashions, i.e. I dressed "weird". When I graduated from High School I was wearing a size 16.

After graduation I crash dieted and lifted weights, going down to 140 lbs. I looked great. But I couldn't sustain the weight loss. Over time I got married and had two daughters. Over the years, with trying to juggle working full-time and the demands of motherhood, I started gaining weight gradually. Yeah, I tried dieting, and even lost weight a few times, but I never could keep the weight off. I was always hungry! Plus, I just never liked how low-fat products tasted.

I guess I resigned that I was meant to be heavy and I was going to love myself as is, or so I thought. I started paying attention to fashion, hair and make-up. People were always telling me "you have such a pretty face ... " I know what they were thinking -- its a shame you can't lose weight.

The year 2001 was a horrible year for me. My oldest daughter was causing us a lot of problems, my marriage had hit a very rough patch, and my best friend was killed at the Pentagon on 9/11. Food became my comfort and solace. I was constantly feeding my emotions with food.

In 2004 my marriage was literally falling apart, which was very difficult for me. My youngest daughter was a Senior in High School. I was 40 years old at the time, and tired of doing everything for everybody else. I felt that this was time to do something for me. Something good for myself. I was also disgusted that I could only wear plus-size clothing. I think this was all a turning point for me. Plus-size clothing that was fashionable was so expensive, the lower-priced items looked like something my grandmother would wear.

I went to the Doctor for a physical. I hadn't been to the Doctor in many years. Fortunately, I don't get sick very often. I couldn't believe how much I weighed. I was tipping the scale at 220 lbs. on my 5'4" frame. She ordered bloodwork, and my sugar levels were considered prediabetic. My cholesterol was also too high. The Dr. told me I had to do something about my blood sugar levels. She told me to cut out all sweets. Well, that was easier said than done.

I know somebody who had been very successful on a low-carb diet. I thought I could never give up potatoes and bread. Don't even mention sweets! I thought I'd try this for 2 weeks, and WHEN it didn't work at least I could say I tried this avenue. Yeah, I had a bad attitude.

I started eating what I thought was low-carb. Never had picked up the book. Thank God I stumbled across this website. I spent a day or two lurking. I was so impressed with all of the wonderful results people had following Atkins. I couldn't believe my eyes at the before and after pictures. I got so much inspiration from looking at the pictures. I went out and bought the book and started a real induction.

The first 3 days were so tough. I spent more time mourning the foods I couldn't eat than focusing on what I was allowed to eat. Then a miracle happened. I lost my appetite and had a surge of energy. Ketosis!!! I lost 7 lbs. in the first week. I lost all the bloat in my stomach, it was very noticeable. This was enough to keep me going.

I lost weight at a very good rate at first. Then I added exercise. I walked a mile every evening. Then I just gradually added on from there. Now I lift weights, walking, and I am a big fan of Slim In 6 and Tae Bo. This is the girl who was never athletic and nobody ever wanted on their team in sports.

My latest bloodwork shows my sugar and cholesterol are in normal range. I don't have anymore of those prediabetic symptoms (shakes, sweats, etc).

Now the pounds are coming off very slowly, but my body is definitely shrinking. I am still losing inches. I can't stress how important it is to measure yourself! There are many months that I don't lose any weight according to the scale, but I would lose inches.

I have 22 lbs. to lose till goal. I am currently in a size 12 or 14, which by the way, before when I weighed 140 lbs. I was also in that size. Its amazing I weigh 22 lbs. more, but I am wearing that same size. Muscle does weigh more than fat!

I have more confidence now than ever before. Yes, I am still clumsy and shy, I don't think that will ever change! When people see me and my daughters together, they never believe that I am old enough to be their mother. Atkins is like the Fountain of Youth! I have so much self-confidence now that I told my husband to shape up or ship out. I guess I scared the crap out of him because he initiated marriage counseling, which is helping tremendously.

Both my daughters are grown now and I am loving my new life.

I never would have had this success if it wasn't for this board. When I would post and ask a question, the same question 1,000 people before me had asked, I always got a prompt and patient answer. I have made many friends through this board. I always get the support I need, or the butt-kicking I need, lol.

If I can do this, trust me, you can too.
__________________
Started 4/18/04
SW 220
CW 162 GW 140
female, 41 years old, 5'4"

[dreamof145]

Re: The Losers' Lounge

Jimmie 48 is now at goal. The story of her struggle is very inspirational and encouraging for those of us who are taking the same journey to health and happiness.

I was short for my weight so I had to do something. Couldn't stretch myself so losing weight was the only other option. My gosh, i had to inhale to tie my shoes! What kind of life was I going to have when I turned 70 or 80?

I had been on Atkins way back in 1975, after the birth of my second child. Man, I gained a bunch of weight with that boy! Atkins had as many nay sayers then as now, but, I was living proof that it worked. I did very well and got to a weight of 102. Talk about skinny! I had so much energy and 2 kids under the age of 3. I was a California skinny girl with a tan! What could be better! But alas, I got fat again.

My best story was when I went into the Navy Hospital for something. I don't remember what but that part doesn't matter. You know they check your b/p and it's always kept top secret. Well, the nurse took mine and her eyes glazed over. She took it again thinking something was wrong with her equipment. Glazed look again. She wrote numbers down, all the while keeping them hid from me. FBI and CIA kind of stuff, you know. Not too long after that, the doctor came in and look very concerned. He asked if I felt alright and of course, being the 102 skinny mini tan California girl, I said I felt great, then I asked why. He told me "because most people with that low of a blood pressure reading are usually comatose". All I could do was smile and say "thank you".

Oh, and one other time, while I was at that weight, I went to give blood. I couldn't give that day. Do you know why? I DIDN'T WEIGH ENOUGH!

Move forward to 2003:
I was 168 pounds at my highest with a b/p of 158/100 (at the highest reading). Not wanting to die in the prime of my life and not wanting to go on meds, I decided that I had to do something.
My journey started mid summer of 2003. I didn't change my woe at that point but I did start walking around the neighborhood with a friend. The more I walked the better I felt but she wanted to walk longer and slower and I wanted, and needed, to do the opposite. Losing only 5 pounds after 4 months of walking did me in. It was not being beneficial to me in the loss dept. So, my official change in my woe was January 1, 2004 at a weight of 165.

I used Atkins as a basis for what i did. Low carb all the way! I started out with 15 carbs or less a day. I journaled everything that went in my mouth. Everything. I found it amazing how the carbs could add up! I got real picky as to how I got my carbs. My loss was slow but very steady, just as I had predicted it to be. That was my plan from the start.

I never set any "in between" goals. I had 40 pounds to lose and I was just going to continue with the plan till I reached the goal of 130. That was my first and only goal. I reached that the beginning of august 2004. I decided to change my goal to 120, at that point. I reached the 120 mark twice and couldn't seem to stick it. The first time was right after we lived through Hurricane Ivan, Sept. 2004. Not eating right and skipping many meals along with cleaning up after a storm dropped the weight. But when the work was done and the eating started, my weight shot back up to around 126. I was able to reach 120 again by December 2004, but again, could not maintain that.

I am now at goal. I have reached 120 again and am having no problem staying a pound ot two within that mark. What made the difference? I am sure it was upping the exercise. Getting into the 6 week challenges and keeping my journal current. That's what held me accountable.

I exercise around 4 times a week. I do better at that when I am in a challenge. I am a member of the Presidential Challenge. I would recommend either of those to anyone who is wanting to get busy with exercise.

I went from being a newbie to the first ever Journals and Weigh Ins Forum Hostess (now known as Journal Chats) to being a Moderator on this Board. Who would have thought the journey that started in January 2004 would bring me to this point in December 2005.

I guess, with all that being said, I am a success story two times over!

For interested members, you can check out my Stats Journal. I have my blood pressure numbers and weight loss journey logged there.

[dreamof145]

Re: The Losers' Lounge

BikerGoddess doubted that Atkins would work for her. Her 45 pound weight loss has changed her mind and her life-style.



All my life, I've had issues with food and body image. In high school, I'd go up to a week without eating. At one point, my mom considered having me hospitalized for anorexia - I had bones sticking out everywhere and wanted to lose more weight. My perception was that I had always been chunky, since birth.

When I was 20, I started the Depo Provera birth control shot, partly to help stabilize my hormones. The doctor suspected endometriosis, but said if the shot controlled the symptoms they wouldn't have to do anything more. As a bonus, I wouldn't have any periods. Unfortunately, a side effect is weight gain. I was *always* hungry. Even when I had just finished a huge meal, I still wanted more food.

The first year on the shot brought 15 lbs. Over 50lbs joined the next several years. I couldn't seem to stop it and managed to fool myself that it wasn't so bad. I tried a couple of times to lose weight, but couldn't stick with it for long.

Then, I saw some photos of myself on vacation and couldn't believe it was me. I was huge. I joined a gym and signed up for a home delivery meal plan. I got up before 5 every morning to go work out. Ate 1500 calorie meals that always left me hungry and took a huge chunk out of my budget. Did great for about a month, then I couldn't stand the food and I was too tired to work out. I alternated eating enough to work out with cutting back fat and calories, and over the next two years, didn't lose any more weight.

I had finally decided I was just meant to be fat and that was it. I'd doubled the amount of weights I could lift; gone from 2 minutes of cardio to 45 minutes (in a row!); worked out 5 days a week; ate what I 'supposed' to, and yet, I couldn't lose weight.

Then, December 2, 2002, I saw a coworker who had been out of the office for 6 months. She'd lost 60lbs and looked fantastic. I asked her the secret, fully expecting to hear "eat right and exercise." She said she'd been doing Atkins and hadn't been to a gym in years. I started that day.

I didn't really have high hopes, though. Thought this would be like the food delivery thing or 'burning more than you consumed' - great in theory, but not practical. First week was hard. Man, I wanted coffee. And chocolate. I went through 2lbs of bacon trying to distract myself. And nearly every day I lost a pound. "Eh, water weight," I told myself, "This won't keep up." But to my surprise, it did. I lost 15lbs before Christmas and I was estatic.

It took me another year to get to goal. I wasn't very careful what I ate when I visited my boyfriend (who lived 1000 miles away) and I tapered off exercising. Even so, it was always thrilling to get on the scale and see a number I hadn't been able to attain with years of deprivation.

Even more importantly, as the plan worked for me much easier than 'conventional wisdom', I came to realize that I wasn't a lazy failure for not being able to lose weight with low-fat and exercise. The problem was that I was doing the wrong things, not that I wasn't smart enough to do those things right. It had been incredibly demoralizing to do everything the way I was supposed to and not have it work. My confidence grew as I became more successful losing weight. I don't put myself down for being stupid or lazy now.

This diet hasn't been effortless, but it has been the easiest way to lose weight that I've tried. I'm not perfect and I've made mistakes and bad choices. But I hung in there (and am still hanging) and the results came.

[dreamof145]

Re: The Losers' Lounge

Sharni is on a life-long journey. Today she is over 34 pounds lighter and only 14 more pounds to go to reach her goal. However, she admits she's reached another goal, that of making the decision to change her life forever.


Island people are supposed to be nice and healthy looking – i.e plump and robust. The rounder the better. No true married woman gets slim after marriage, it’s just not done. My weight always varied from skinny, around age 4 to plump, around age 12. I was never considered fat. Looking back now I was never fat. That part of my life came after I got married. During my first 3 years of marriage I went from 145 to 165. Still I looked and felt fine. I had a flat stomach and I was well proportioned so all was well. Then I started to look back at my 21 year old self and wondered how I had managed to reach 165 up from 130.

Here started the roller coaster ride:

I went on the 7 day Fruit Diet, the Fit for Life diet. I went vegetarian for a year. In that year I gain the most weight!!! I went on Weight Watchers, lost 2 pounds after 2 months. I went to the gym one summer morning and evening for a month and lost 1 pound!! That was enough to make me throw in the towel.

Then I got pregnant, the thrill of my life. I gained 17 pounds and at my 6 week visit I had 4 pounds to go for my pre-pregnancy weight. For a number of reasons I started to gain weight after this. I ballooned up to 194. That scared the living daylights out of me!! Something had to be done.

So when did this phase begin? I stumbled into one of my colleagues who was commenting on how loose her new size 10 pants were. I too had noticed that she was getting slimmer but just figured she was naturally losing her “post baby fat”. Then she launched into how she had lost over 40 pounds that year. I listened mesmerised as she explained that she had cut out all pasta, bread, rice. Eating meat and veggies. “Sure”, I thought. Anyway she could not remember the name of the diet but I had remembered hearing of Atkins from an aunt who had lost loads of weigh one summer. I also looked back at that Christmas when we were visiting friends in Mexico and my friend had been eating mainly meat and eggs. I actually laughed and told her how unhealthy that was.

Well I went out that same day and bought Atkins for Life. It was only after reading the first chapter that I realised that I had the wrong book. Nevertheless on Wednesday, May 1, 2003, I embarked on a journey of a lifetime. I looked up the relevant information on atkins.com and started. I weighed in at 188. My induction was not entirely clean. I had apples the first two days. I felt weak and had leg cramps but I kept going when I saw the pounds going down. I lost 6 pounds in two weeks and far from being discouraged I kept on. Hubby can on board with me.

It has been an ongoing journey. I am by no means an ideal Atkineer. I try and eat the foods available to me, because my aim is maintaining. Induction for Life is not the aim of the game. It means making smart choices. We don’t have berries so I substitute slithers of mango or pineapple. We don't have frankenfoods and I am happy about that. I try to keep on track but it is not the easiest thing sometimes. What I do have consistently done is to get back on track after slipping. There is no need to feel that all is lost because of a mistake. I try to keep focused and just keep a positive outlook. I will never go back to that unhealthy lifestyle. I am ever conscious of what I put into my mouth - Atkins friendly or not!!

So here I am today over 34 pounds lighter and only 14 to go to that weight goal but I have reached another goal, that of making the decision to change my life forever.