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On January 4th, I will have been on Atkins for six years!
For me, it has been all about the restoration of my health.
I was overweight, I had limited mobility. My world was becoming smaller and smaller as I was becoming larger. I tried all the diets and began my dieting journey when I was around 10 years old and an aunt offered to pay me if I would lose weight. Over the course of my life, I ate the AYDS caramels and drank hot water, I did the cabbage soup diet, Weight Watchers, Diet Workshop, TOPS, OA, Nutrisystem, Cambridge Diet, Metracal, low carb, high protein, cookie diets, Slim Fast and bars, Lean Cusines, diet pills ... lets just say I tried many of them out there.
I picked up the DANDR 2002 in December 2003 and read it cover to cover. I gave the book to my husband and asked him if he thought he could follow it, too. We agreed to begin on January 4, 2004. In the meantime, we decluttered the pantry. I made lists, I planned menus. For the first few weeks, it was hard to tell we were dieting. We were eating foods we enjoyed and were never hungry. It made getting used to Atkins easier, for us. Yes, we missed the carby foods we used to have, but we knew that without a solution to our weight issues, there would never be enough carbs to fill that emptiness in us.
I had lurked on this board prior to joining in February. Mostly, I stuck to the Century Club. After all, I couldn't imagine that anyone else would understand the questions I had having to lose several hundred pounds. How long would this take? How much could I lose? How much had others lost? But my friends at Century Club and lots of others on this board, just answered my questions and encouraged me. And the weight began to come off enough so I felt differently and people around me began to notice.
My doctor was skeptical at first. He didn't discourage Atkins, but this wasn't my first rodeo and he knew that I could lose weight but then I would become bored and put on what I lost plus more. But this time, it was different. With each pound lost, I got motivation to lose more.
I have had some medical issues along the way. I had a car accident several years into Atkins and required multiple surgeries. Despite a long recovery, I'm happy to say that I persevered and stayed with Atkins while spending less time online and working harder to get back to where I could be mobile again. And then nearly two years ago, I had a serious fall while walking downstairs and not paying attention to what I was doing. I suffered multiple fractures making my rehab difficult.
Happily, I'm now active, with my doctor's guidance, I've eliminated my oral agents and insulin for diabetes, hypertension, pain for severe arthritis, asthma medications including inhalers. I have my mobility and I work out four to five times a week and once a week with a trainer.
I incorporate exercise into my life whenever I can whether that means shoveling snow, hiking, walking, swimming, walking upstairs, parking at the edge of the parking lot, doing WII Fit, whatever I can do in addition to my regular workouts.
My recommendations to anyone beginning Atkins are simple.
Last night, we rung in the New Year with friends, WII games to get us off the couch, shrimp, scallops wrapped in bacon and a healthy stir fry for dinner. In 2003/2004, 2010 seemed like a very long way off and I wasn't sure I'd still be here to enjoy it. But thanks to Dr. Atkins, I am.
Happy New Year!
For me, it has been all about the restoration of my health.
I was overweight, I had limited mobility. My world was becoming smaller and smaller as I was becoming larger. I tried all the diets and began my dieting journey when I was around 10 years old and an aunt offered to pay me if I would lose weight. Over the course of my life, I ate the AYDS caramels and drank hot water, I did the cabbage soup diet, Weight Watchers, Diet Workshop, TOPS, OA, Nutrisystem, Cambridge Diet, Metracal, low carb, high protein, cookie diets, Slim Fast and bars, Lean Cusines, diet pills ... lets just say I tried many of them out there.
I picked up the DANDR 2002 in December 2003 and read it cover to cover. I gave the book to my husband and asked him if he thought he could follow it, too. We agreed to begin on January 4, 2004. In the meantime, we decluttered the pantry. I made lists, I planned menus. For the first few weeks, it was hard to tell we were dieting. We were eating foods we enjoyed and were never hungry. It made getting used to Atkins easier, for us. Yes, we missed the carby foods we used to have, but we knew that without a solution to our weight issues, there would never be enough carbs to fill that emptiness in us.
I had lurked on this board prior to joining in February. Mostly, I stuck to the Century Club. After all, I couldn't imagine that anyone else would understand the questions I had having to lose several hundred pounds. How long would this take? How much could I lose? How much had others lost? But my friends at Century Club and lots of others on this board, just answered my questions and encouraged me. And the weight began to come off enough so I felt differently and people around me began to notice.
My doctor was skeptical at first. He didn't discourage Atkins, but this wasn't my first rodeo and he knew that I could lose weight but then I would become bored and put on what I lost plus more. But this time, it was different. With each pound lost, I got motivation to lose more.
I have had some medical issues along the way. I had a car accident several years into Atkins and required multiple surgeries. Despite a long recovery, I'm happy to say that I persevered and stayed with Atkins while spending less time online and working harder to get back to where I could be mobile again. And then nearly two years ago, I had a serious fall while walking downstairs and not paying attention to what I was doing. I suffered multiple fractures making my rehab difficult.
Happily, I'm now active, with my doctor's guidance, I've eliminated my oral agents and insulin for diabetes, hypertension, pain for severe arthritis, asthma medications including inhalers. I have my mobility and I work out four to five times a week and once a week with a trainer.
I incorporate exercise into my life whenever I can whether that means shoveling snow, hiking, walking, swimming, walking upstairs, parking at the edge of the parking lot, doing WII Fit, whatever I can do in addition to my regular workouts.
My recommendations to anyone beginning Atkins are simple.
- Educate yourself. Read DANDR 2002. Read it again, refer to it often. I have two rather tattered copies which I still read.
- Carry an Acceptable Food List for Induction with you. I had many and carried them in my purse, my briefcase, my car, my office. No excuses. Just information.
- Get your mind around the good you are doing for yourself. Attitude is critical. Understand your triggers for food. Change the people, places and things that you blame for overeating. Eat before you see someone who is your old eating buddy. If you can't eat certain carby foods, why go to those places. In summary, just try to avoid slippery slopes ... they can lead to a long slide.
- Come up with plans to deal with "emergencies". Carry snacks with you if you don't know what you will find for your next meal. I still carry a pouch of tuna fish with me and a few other snacks.
- Drink lots of water. It is good for you and it is a good habit to develop.
- Exercise is non-negotiable according to Atkins. Of course, after my success with Atkins, if he told me to walk on water, I'd try it! But honestly, the exercise let me visualize the person I wanted to become.
- Ask for help. Tell your family or people who are around you that it is important to you to try this. Be skeptical of those who doubt you or look for reasons to sabotage your goal. Ask questions in restaurants about food preparation.
- And as some of my Atkins friends told me early on ... Pay it forward. Participate with
. Support Tom's efforts ... his investment here shouldn't be overlooked. This board has reached people all over the world and made healthier people and a world with Atkins in common.
Last night, we rung in the New Year with friends, WII games to get us off the couch, shrimp, scallops wrapped in bacon and a healthy stir fry for dinner. In 2003/2004, 2010 seemed like a very long way off and I wasn't sure I'd still be here to enjoy it. But thanks to Dr. Atkins, I am.
Happy New Year!
). 
Fantastic list of recommendations!
(Next pic at 187)
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