Returning to Atkins after a long, long time...

[winter]

Hello, everyone.

I tried Atkins several years ago with some success. I say with only some success because I wasn't very good about doing it correctly. I gave up because "it wasn't working". That's not true at all. It worked fine. It was me that wasn't working. And I ate my way up to over 230 pounds on a 5'1" frame. I'm actually not even sure what I weigh now exactly, but I'll get the trusty old scales out before I begin this path.

There are changes going on in my life. Changes I don't want, but they have to be. So I need to put some positives changes with the bad and the perfect one is to change my body and my health. And that will in turn change my state of mind. Never in my life has there been a time I haven't been doing something for someone else. But I think it's time I do something for me.

And could I have chosen a worse week to start?? Two days until Thanksgiving. I just can't do it until after that. I'm really on the edge, stress wise, right now. And I'm doing Thanksgiving dinner at my house this year. I'll try to be careful but I'm not going to commit to start officially until Friday.

But that's my day to begin. I hope I can make some positive contributions to this board, it looks like a great place for support and motivation - two things I need very badly right now.

BTW, I chose this name - winter - because winter is coming, the seasons are changing, and I want to change along with it. Come spring there will be a new me.

[staziaw]

Re: Returning to Atkins after a long, long time...

Hello Winter and welcome to ADBB! If I may make a few suggestions . . . weigh yourself now and then put the scale away. Measure yourself now and measure again every 2 weeks. Breaking the addiction to the ol' scale is almost as important as breaking the addiction to sugar and flour!

if you are cooking Thanksgiving dinner, there are lots of low carb options. There is a fantastic faux mashed potato recipe (see below) that tastes like the real thing. Also, look at the recipes section for low carb pumpkin pie and other alternatives. Consider it a challenge to make everything low carb -- it's a great way to see how well you can eat on this way of life! Just so you know, everything I will be consuming Thursday will be low carb -- I think my entire meal will be around 14 carbs, so breakfast will be light! Add green beans, salad, some other green leafy veggie and you will be golden!

Since you are going through some changes in life, perhaps you like to start a journal in Journal Chats (if you want replies and support from fellow journalers) or Journal Stats (where only you post). It's an excellent way to pour out your feelings and stay on track.

You picked a great week to start. Any week would be a great week regardless of the holidays involved! You can and will do this . . . and be successful! Say it, girlie! Believe it!!!

How's that for support and motivation! This board is full of great people who will give you all that you need!

Good luck and see you around the board . . .

Stacy

Faux Mashed Potatoes: adjust this to however many people you are having to din-din -- this is good for about 4-6 servings.
1 head of cauliflower
4 oz cream cheese, softened
1 Tbsp butter, softened
2 Tbsp sour cream
1-2 crushed garlic cloves or pinch of garlic powder
Salt and Pper to taste
Steam cauliflower. Combine all ingredients in food processer and pulse until smooth.
If you don't have a food processor, you can do this in smaller batches in a blender!
Good eatin'!

[sillygirl]

Re: Returning to Atkins after a long, long time...

Hello, everyone.

I tried Atkins several years ago with some success. I say with only some success because I wasn't very good about doing it correctly. I gave up because "it wasn't working". That's not true at all. It worked fine. It was me that wasn't working. And I ate my way up to over 230 pounds on a 5'1" frame. I'm actually not even sure what I weigh now exactly, but I'll get the trusty old scales out before I begin this path.

There are changes going on in my life. Changes I don't want, but they have to be. So I need to put some positives changes with the bad and the perfect one is to change my body and my health. And that will in turn change my state of mind. Never in my life has there been a time I haven't been doing something for someone else. But I think it's time I do something for me.

And could I have chosen a worse week to start?? Two days until Thanksgiving. I just can't do it until after that. I'm really on the edge, stress wise, right now. And I'm doing Thanksgiving dinner at my house this year. I'll try to be careful but I'm not going to commit to start officially until Friday.

But that's my day to begin. I hope I can make some positive contributions to this board, it looks like a great place for support and motivation - two things I need very badly right now.

BTW, I chose this name - winter - because winter is coming, the seasons are changing, and I want to change along with it. Come spring there will be a new me.

Hey Winter! Welcome to the board. You said it yourself up there, you "weren't very good at doing it correctly"! Well, you're back and it sounds like you have made the committment to do it up right this time! Great! Read around the board if you haven't already, particularly the Induction forum. You will find lots of information so that you can do this correctly!

Stop by often so we can all watch your progress!

[2big4mysize]

Re: Returning to Atkins after a long, long time...

welcome to ADBB and back to Atkins. thanksgiving is very easy to low carb you got a protein source in abundance you got many veggies y9u can have and you can even low carb pumpkin pie crustly for uinduction.

[winter]

Re: Returning to Atkins after a long, long time...

Thank you for the words of encouragement, Stacy. I'm almost feeling overwhelmed right now. This is going to be a huge change for me, and I'm just not sure what to do about anything at all right now - except for this. And I WILL do it.

I've already armed myself with the correct book and I'm going to settle in later this evening and scour the board. There is a TON of information here and lots of well-informed peeps, so with all the questions I'm going to have... well, just know they will be coming!

Those faux potatoes sound great. Cauliflower is a veggie I love so I'll definitely be trying that one!

[winter]

Re: Returning to Atkins after a long, long time...

Hey Winter! Welcome to the board. You said it yourself up there, you "weren't very good at doing it correctly"! Well, you're back and it sounds like you have made the committment to do it up right this time! Great! Read around the board if you haven't already, particularly the Induction forum. You will find lots of information so that you can do this correctly!

Stop by often so we can all watch your progress!

I'll be here every day. I'm already feeling hooked on this place!

[winter]

Re: Returning to Atkins after a long, long time...

welcome to ADBB and back to Atkins. thanksgiving is very easy to low carb you got a protein source in abundance you got many veggies y9u can have and you can even low carb pumpkin pie crustly for uinduction.

I bought two turkeys. They were on sale and I want to make sure I have plenty of it. If there isn't much leftover, I'll be roasting another one. Pumpkin is a favorite too, I'll be planning a lot of that for the holidays.

Thanks for the welcome too!

[staziaw]

Re: Returning to Atkins after a long, long time...

You can do it! I know you can! Once you get your 14-day Induction under your belt, you will have so much energy, you will able to tackle anything!

Okay, enough cheerleading for the day. I'm going home to a bunless burger with the fixings and a slice of low carb cheesecake. Yep, life is good!

See you tomorrow . . .

Stacy

[imgonnagethin]

Re: Returning to Atkins after a long, long time...

Hi Winter

Welcome to the board and WOL!

Glad to hear you've got the book, and you're right, there is a ton of information on this board (and a ton of wonderful people waiting to help with any questions you have!)

If there is one piece of advice I can give you as you into this, it's plan ahead, once you get through the first few days, it will become a habit for you, but in the start it always helps to plan and have all the right foods around, as many people on this board have been known to say, failing to plan is planing to fail and they are right!

Good luck and check in to let us know how you are doing!

Kay

[winter]

Re: Returning to Atkins after a long, long time...

Ok... Thanksgiving is behind me and I'm ready to start. Hopefully I won't be in too much trouble, you did have wonderful suggestions about doing a low carb Thanksgiving, but I just wasn't able to do that. One day at a time with my stress level right now and that would have added to it! Setting faux potatoes in front of teenage nephews instead of real mashed potatoes wouldn't have been pretty. I stuck to my plan to begin the day after the holiday.

It was sort of my "last fling", but since I was planning my new way of eating, I really was conscious of every bite I took. It was MUCH less than I normally would have eaten on Thanksgiving and and I didn't have seconds of anything. All the leftovers either went home with other people, or down the garbage disposal. The only leftovers in my fridge are turkey, ham, veggies, whipped cream and cheese. All things I can have now.

So.... today is the day.

Kay... thank you for the suggestion - planning ahead is an excellent idea. Taking things to work for lunch is going to help me a lot. There are so many days they order in and it's too easy to do that and get all the wrong things. Now I can say "no thanks, I brought mine".

[winter]

Re: Returning to Atkins after a long, long time...

Since you are going through some changes in life, perhaps you like to start a journal in Journal Chats (if you want replies and support from fellow journalers) or Journal Stats (where only you post). It's an excellent way to pour out your feelings and stay on track.

The journals look like fun and a great way to help. Do you think it's best to start with the Chats or Stats? It seems like a great idea to post what I am eating to help myself and other people to make sure I'm doing it right. But I like the idea of feedback in the Chats one too. Do you guys have a journal in one or both?

And Stacy, I suggested the faux potatoes to my family and got a really weird look. But today I'm making them for myself, they sound wonderful!

[sillygirl]

Re: Returning to Atkins after a long, long time...

Hey Winter! Good luck to you starting today!

The stats journals are only for YOU. No one else can post in them. I would say start a Journal so that you can make friends, and get sound advice from others!

[winter]

Re: Returning to Atkins after a long, long time...

Thanks, sillygirl! It looks like a great idea, I think I'll do the chats and stats both. I'm really liking the board already, it feels like "home".

[emom]

Re: Returning to Atkins after a long, long time...

Hey, Winter, so how is it going? You must be be about two days into your new eating path, right??? I am back on after doing it several years ago...all for the wrong reasons. Now i think i am doing it correctly and for the right reasons...to be healthy and happy. I don't care what I look like at this point, I just physically feel so much better. Well, hang in there and hope you enjoy this bulletin board as much as i do.

[winter]

Re: Returning to Atkins after a long, long time...

Hey, Winter, so how is it going? You must be be about two days into your new eating path, right??? I am back on after doing it several years ago...all for the wrong reasons. Now i think i am doing it correctly and for the right reasons...to be healthy and happy. I don't care what I look like at this point, I just physically feel so much better. Well, hang in there and hope you enjoy this bulletin board as much as i do.

Good morning, emom! Yes... today is the start of day 3 and I swear that my jeans are not as tight already. I've not only been addicted to food, but I've been addicted to the scales in the past (even though seeing those huge numbers didn't stop me from eating). So it's really hard to stay away from them, but I'm not going to weigh until Day 15. But I already feel better. That's amazing.

And I'm loving the board. I had no idea something like this was here, it makes it so much easier to know I'm not alone.

Keep up the great work yourself. We can do this.