Want To Wear A Bikini...

[kmrsail]

Hi everyone. I have been reading this board for a few weeks now, but just registered so I could post. I thought I'd introduce myself. My name is Karen and I live in Maryland. I am 23 years old, 5'6", and currently 152lbs. My target weight is 128 (I've never been "skinny" but I was shapely and fit). That is what I weighed from 16-21, until other factors set in. I saw my mother eat emotionally for years when I was a child and saw her 5'2" frame eventually carry 203lbs. until she began to diet and exercize. That was years ago and she did not use Atkins, but has managed her weight since and has stayed around 120lbs. I have decided that I see myself heading down a dangerous path and want to catch it now, before the busy lifestyle and eating out effects my health. I was sold on Atkins by my boss, who also happens to be the father of 2 friends I have had my entire life. He has been a strong supporter of Atkins for years and I have seen it work for him. I was skeptical at first, but after reading the book and realizing nothing else has worked for me (diet pills, low fat diets, starvation, etc), I decided to give it a real try. This is the 4th day I have been strictly on Atkins. My boyfriend, Tom, and I live together and he is doing it with me as well. We went through the house on the first night and threw out all our no-no foods. What is left in the fridge are yummy foods we cooked to serve as lunches for the week, and nice cuts of meat ready to grill for dinner. I am feeling fine, and starting to get a little more energy. I did experience a sour stomach at first, but that seems to have passed. I haven't had too much problem with cravings yet. I think it's because I don't feel deprived...I get to eat all the things I never allowed myself while trying to eat low-fat for years! I am so excited about shrimp salad and steaks and eggs (WITH the yolk) that I don't miss the carb-ful foods. I have taken some before photos but think I'll wait for some progress to post them. I weighed myself a few days before starting (had to weigh myself before skydiving!), but Tom and I are going to buy a scale tonight to see how we are doing so far. Hope to be introduced to many of you. Congratulations to us all for choosing this new healthy lifestyle!

[pladd04]

Re: Want To Wear A Bikini...

Hello Karen and welcome aboard. Wow, it sounds like you are on the road to success. I think you and your boyfriends are doing a great job so far and wish you all the luck in the world with reaching your goal.
Off the subject but I read that you skydive? Hubby has been really bugging me about trying that but I have been so scared because of the weight issue and have been putting it off until I at least get under 200 lbs. and I wish he would do the same (hubby that is).

[Courtney]

Re: Want To Wear A Bikini...

Hi Karen and welcome! I am quite new myself and have found this board to be very helpful -- stick around, it's fun! Everyone on here treats you like they have known you for years & are so very helpful; there are exercise challenges (i just started my first) and great recipes.... ENJOY your new lifestyle. I, like you, have gotten my boyfriend to come along for the ride. It's a lot more support and fun to do together - we've gotten so much closer since he started. Glad to meet you and best wishes on your weightloss journey!

[kmrsail]

Re: Want To Wear A Bikini...

Pladd,

Thanks for the encouragement! I will admit the only difficult thing for me so far is not being able to have wine or a beer with dinner, but I keep telling myself one day I will have that glass of wine (and I'll be wearing a hot and smaller cocktail dress!). Tom and I went skydiving for the first time to celebrate our anniversary last weekend. We had been talking about it for a while, so I suprised him with it. It was one of the most incredible things I ahve ever done and I highly suggest it to everyone. Iit is quite an experience to feel like you are flying. I have a DVD of it and maybe I will try to get free web hosting so I can give you a link. Maybe you can make that a reward for you and your hubby when you reach a mini goal?? The place I went did have weight restrictions for a tandem jump (strapped to an instructer) of 240lbs (my boyfriend only made it by 10lbs.) That, infact, is when he decided to do this with me. They made him get on a scale and he was in shock! To go AFF (Free fall where you jump with 2 instructers holding onto you, but end up pulling your own shoot and doing your own landing) you have to be under 225lbs. That is what we want to do next so now he is motivated to get the weight off so he qualifies. Vry nice to meet you and thankyou for the response!

Hello Karen and welcome aboard. Wow, it sounds like you are on the road to success. I think you and your boyfriends are doing a great job so far and wish you all the luck in the world with reaching your goal.
Off the subject but I read that you skydive? Hubby has been really bugging me about trying that but I have been so scared because of the weight issue and have been putting it off until I at least get under 200 lbs. and I wish he would do the same (hubby that is).

[kmrsail]

Re: Want To Wear A Bikini...

Courtney,

I agree this forum is great! I went to another one before this one, but no one ever responded to my posts and it wasn't a very active board. I feel much better already with the energy here! It's great to do this with the one you love, isn't it? In a relationship it always helps to be on the same page, and lifestyle/eating choices are no different in my book. The support also helps. Our newfound *energy* (wink wink) doesn't hurt either I think I will take a look at the exercize challenges. How does everyone get the weight tickers, pictures, icons, and information at the bottom of their posts? Good luck to you also..Looks like you are off to a great start!

Hi Karen and welcome! I am quite new myself and have found this board to be very helpful -- stick around, it's fun! Everyone on here treats you like they have known you for years & are so very helpful; there are exercise challenges (i just started my first) and great recipes.... ENJOY your new lifestyle. I, like you, have gotten my boyfriend to come along for the ride. It's a lot more support and fun to do together - we've gotten so much closer since he started. Glad to meet you and best wishes on your weightloss journey!

[Courtney]

Re: Want To Wear A Bikini...

Courtney,

I agree this forum is great! I went to another one before this one, but no one ever responded to my posts and it wasn't a very active board. I feel much better already with the energy here! It's great to do this with the one you love, isn't it? In a relationship it always helps to be on the same page, and lifestyle/eating choices are no different in my book. The support also helps. Our newfound *energy* (wink wink) doesn't hurt either I think I will take a look at the exercize challenges. How does everyone get the weight tickers, pictures, icons, and information at the bottom of their posts? Good luck to you also..Looks like you are off to a great start!

hey, Yes, it's great here. You are right about being on thr same track with the one you love -- when i first started atkins, my boyfriend thought i was crazy for eating all the protein i was eating... he began to eat everything i was eating + carbs (and loved all the different meat choices, etc), which i am sure is not a good mix. he wanted to lose like 15 pounds (he's pretty thin already) and i just told him to do this with me for a while... its a lot easier too, because i dont have to make so many different side dishes for us at dinner, etc. he loves it now, as do i!
i am not sure of the pictures and everything -- the one for the "abs challenge" i just copied and pasted from a previous post for all who are in this challenge. The ticker thing i just clicked on from someone elses' signature (try to click on mine) and it just brought me right to that website. or try to go onto (whatever the name is, i cant see it now, .com). you may have to do some searching, but it may be worth it. the exercise challenges are fun, especially if you arent currently really active, i found it to be such a motivational tool for myself. anyways, welcome again!

[staziaw]

Re: Want To Wear A Bikini...

Karen! Welcome aboard! It sounds like you have all the right motivation and support. Going through the kitchen and getting rid of the bad food is certainly cathartic, isn't it?!?!

Skydiving! I went once in my early 20's. What a hoot and an amazing ride! I want to do that again before I'm 50!

There's another Atkins site, but no one responds to your posts?! Well, honey, you won't have that problem here! We are a chatty group!

Again, welcome!

Stacy

[kmrsail]

Re: Want To Wear A Bikini...

Stacy,

Thanks so much. It's great to be here! It was extremely liberating to carry two full trashbags out of my apartment and throw them down the trash chute. Lugging the heavy bags down the hall was a hallmark moment for me and had me thinking "I was putting all this in me body...gross!".

Skydiving is unlike anything else isn't it?! Tom and I love a thrill and get them these days through daring activities rather than destructive behavior which effects our bodies.

So glad I found this board! Everyone is great here. Congrats on your wonderful progress thus far. I am off to buy a scale and have dinner with Tom..It's wonderful to be on Atkins and still be able to find so many approved foods out. The book is a wonderful companion also to steer you in the right direction when in any food situation. Keep up the good work!

Karen

Karen! Welcome aboard! It sounds like you have all the right motivation and support. Going through the kitchen and getting rid of the bad food is certainly cathartic, isn't it?!?!

Skydiving! I went once in my early 20's. What a hoot and an amazing ride! I want to do that again before I'm 50!

There's another Atkins site, but no one responds to your posts?! Well, honey, you won't have that problem here! We are a chatty group!

Again, welcome!

Stacy

[staziaw]

Re: Want To Wear A Bikini...

Hey, don't get trapped by the scale! Remember to take your measurements as well! Sometimes those inches fly off faster than the pounds!

Stacy

[Kittie]

Re: Want To Wear A Bikini...

Hi Karen, welcome to ADBB.... I look forward to seeing you as one of the "regulars" here!

Good for you for starting Atkins! If I could give you one gem of advice, it'd be DON'T GIVE UP! This is the easiest and most effective WoE (way of eating) ever. It's the best thing you can do for yourself. As with all diet changes, you might find temptation playing a role in trying to sabotage you, but you're worth fighting for. I've never felt as satisfied or fulfilled on any other diet. The food options are incredible. Just remember to be creative and try some variety; then you'll be less likely to get bored! There are a lot of recipes you can find in the recipe forum that are great.

You're lucky that your boyfriend is so supportive too - I find it much more motivational to eat healthy things when someone's doing so along with me! Just remember that exercise is vital... anything that'll get you moving aerobically will help that weight come off even faster.

So.... good luck, and remember, we're here whenever you need us, if you have questions or whatever. Maybe you could even start a Journal in the Journal Chat? It's fun to keep track of your progress!

~Kittie

[kmrsail]

Re: Want To Wear A Bikini...

Stacy,

Valuable advice. I know I am only on Day 4, but I can already see a difference in my tummy (far less bloating) and my face seems slimmer. I will take my measurements tomorrow (tonight has been to rough too face all that). I just got over an hour long crying spell (God bless my boyfriend for being so loving and patient). I was feeling great after dinner. It was our first time going out to eat since starting, and I didn't have any cheats! THEN, we went and bought the dreaded digital scale.. Ok, so I know after you eat dinner isn't the greatest time to get on the scale, but I was convinced I had at least lost a pound or two, so I got on it tonight and could not believe my eyes. It said I had GAINED 3 lbs since last Friday! I was inconsolable for a while..going over everything I had eaten this week and what I could have done wrong. Per the book and fitday, everything checked out. I had a very hopeless moment thinking, "maybe this just won't work for me". But, my boyfriend went and tried out the scale and he weighed more than the last scale we both used a week ago, by 5 lbs. So, as discouraging as it is to think that perhaps the first scale we used wasn't accurate (it was an old analog scale at the skydiving place used to made sure you qualify to jump) and we weigh more than we thought, it's better than gaining and not knowing what you did wrong. We decided to continue and check our progress again in a week. I refuse to weigh myself any more often that that. I am feeling paranoid now though that I am just going to keep gaining weight and spiral out of control....

Hey, don't get trapped by the scale! Remember to take your measurements as well! Sometimes those inches fly off faster than the pounds!

Stacy

[kmrsail]

Re: Want To Wear A Bikini...

Kittie,

I really needed to hear that encouragement tonight..thank-you. I want this to be my WOE for the rest of my life, I guess I am just looking for that first pound to show me I'm on the right track here.

I do need to start to get more regular exercise. Right now my biggest aerobic work-out is taking my dogs for a run every day, but I could definately do more.

Perhaps I will start a journal. I have always liked writing and it definately helps me to get my thoughts out of my head and on paper...er..screen.

Don't Give Up...your "gem" shall become my mantra..

Hi Karen, welcome to ADBB.... I look forward to seeing you as one of the "regulars" here!

Good for you for starting Atkins! If I could give you one gem of advice, it'd be DON'T GIVE UP! This is the easiest and most effective WoE (way of eating) ever. It's the best thing you can do for yourself. As with all diet changes, you might find temptation playing a role in trying to sabotage you, but you're worth fighting for. I've never felt as satisfied or fulfilled on any other diet. The food options are incredible. Just remember to be creative and try some variety; then you'll be less likely to get bored! There are a lot of recipes you can find in the recipe forum that are great.

You're lucky that your boyfriend is so supportive too - I find it much more motivational to eat healthy things when someone's doing so along with me! Just remember that exercise is vital... anything that'll get you moving aerobically will help that weight come off even faster.

So.... good luck, and remember, we're here whenever you need us, if you have questions or whatever. Maybe you could even start a Journal in the Journal Chat? It's fun to keep track of your progress!

~Kittie

[kmrsail]

Re: Want To Wear A Bikini...

Ok, so I have calmed down since last night. I decided to use the SW that I know is correct (from my doctor's office last month). That leaves me at 156lbs SW. Good news...this morning I weighed 153lbs. Now I know I can't be sure of what I weighed 5 days ago since I am not trusting the scale at the skydiving place, but saying I weighed the same as a few weeks ago at the doctors, is 3 lbs. a decent amount for 5 days on STRICT induction? I am very happy with 3lbs. but I wonder if it should be more. I have learned that I will only use my scale from now on, as apparently scales differ from one another. I have also included my start measurements in my signature.

K