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So here's my story....
I'm a 28yr old male, 6'2" in height with an average sized frame.
As a kid I never had a problem with weight. I was always active outside playing with the other kids and that kept me in good shape. As I turned into a teenager and started high school, that's when activity levels went downward. I didn't play any sports in high school, and gym class was only twice a week for half an hour or so of activity. I started gaining weight little by little throughout high school. As a starting freshman, I was maybe 5'9" and about 165lbs... but when I graduated in '97 I was 6'2" 230lbs. I was pretty overweight even for someone my height.
After high school I was working part time and going to community college part time, and hanging out with friends for the rest of the time. Physical activity basically declined to zero and the weight really began to pile on. I found myself looking for bigger and bigger sizes every time I went shopping. I just figured I was doomed to be fat.
My all time high was 287lbs, and this was when I was about 22, can't remember for sure. I joined a gym, started a low fat/low calorie diet and lost maybe 25lbs in two months. Even though I didn't like it, I was very dedicated to it, going to the gym and spending about two hours there 3 or 4 times a week. Then one day, I just didn't feel like going, and for some reason, I never set foot back into the place. Old eating habits creeped back and brought the pounds back with it.
Fast forward to 2004, at 24 years old, a girl I knew from church just happened to tell me about Atkins and how she had done it before and lost a ton of weight on it. I didn't know much about Atkins except for all the negative publicity it had gotten, and I allowed that to shape my thinking. I was very skeptical (and mind you I hadn't read a single thing about Atkins or low carbing) and told her that it sounded ridiculous because you can't eat fat and lose fat... it just didn't make sense to me at the time. But she insisted that she had done it before and that I would need to read the book for myself.
So, I went out and got the book and read it from cover to cover in two days. I felt very enlightened and very ready to get started on Atkins. I called up the girl who told me about it because she had gained some weight from being off of it for a while, and we decided to partner up and keep each other in check and on track. I'm so glad I did that. I started Atkins in last week of February of 2004 at 262lbs. I began following the book to the "T", working out, drinking tons of water, taking vitamins, taking fiber and all.... I was completely obsessed with this new WOL. By the fourth of July I was down to 205lbs. My coworkers all thought I had some kind of illness. I went to visit some family back east, and my aunt came to pick me up from the airport. She walked right past me without even recognizing me, I had to stop her and tell her who I was! Overall I was pleased with my new body, and I felt like Superman!
My goal weight had been 220lbs, but when I reached that weight, I realized that I still had a good ways to go, so I kept on going. It's funny how I always thought I had a large frame and partially blamed that for being able to carry so much extra weight. In August after I had gotten down to 189lbs, I realized that my frame is NOT large, it's normal sized. I had gone from a size 44" waist down to a 34". I was able to buy pants in the "normal" section instead of big and tall, and that was a phenomenal feeling for me.
Now, why am I starting all over again??? That's a good question! I felt so great after losing the weight in 2004 that I thought I'd never let myself put it back on.... it seemed impossible that I would be fat again. I guess I got too overconfident in the maintenance phase and let myself become too lax about working out, and let myself have too many treats.... and over the past couple years I just spiraled downward while my weight spiraled upwards.... and that's where I find myself today.
I tried a few times to get back on the bandwagon last year and this year (I know this is getting long, but I have a lot to tell!), but never got back on track until now. I re-inducted a few weeks ago on September 16th, and have been holding strong ever since. I'm not sure how much I weighed when I started back up, or even how much I weigh now.... but I would estimate that I've lost about 20-25lbs since Sept 16th judging by the way my clothes fit (or DON'T fit) and by my appearance. I really need to go out and get a scale. Because I've successfully lost tremendous weight in the past, I know that I can do this again, so I'm feeling really encouraged. I know that it's just a matter of time, and my efforts will pay off again. I'm working on preparing myself for a lifetime of healthy eating, and ways to keep myself in check and to get back on track if I should fall off for any reason.
I'm sooo dedicated to this WOE right now... here's proof: Last night a coworker came in to work and was walking around sharing this package of soft-baked, chocolate chip cookies that he had bought on his way in. He stopped at my desk and offered me some. When I refused, he insisted, so just to make him leave, I took one. Then he told me to take a couple more... so I took two more. Finally he walked away and I let the cookies just sit there on my desk. When it was time for me to leave, I walked through the kitchen, dropped the cookies into the trash, and walked out the door and went home. They smelled good and even FELT good in my hand, but I wasn't the least bit tempted to put them past my lips.
I've been reading a lot of the posts on this board and I've found it to be very informative. I like how everyone keeps each other encouraged and motivated... that really goes a LONG way.
Happy losing to all, let's put a hurting on this fat!!
I'm a 28yr old male, 6'2" in height with an average sized frame.
As a kid I never had a problem with weight. I was always active outside playing with the other kids and that kept me in good shape. As I turned into a teenager and started high school, that's when activity levels went downward. I didn't play any sports in high school, and gym class was only twice a week for half an hour or so of activity. I started gaining weight little by little throughout high school. As a starting freshman, I was maybe 5'9" and about 165lbs... but when I graduated in '97 I was 6'2" 230lbs. I was pretty overweight even for someone my height.
After high school I was working part time and going to community college part time, and hanging out with friends for the rest of the time. Physical activity basically declined to zero and the weight really began to pile on. I found myself looking for bigger and bigger sizes every time I went shopping. I just figured I was doomed to be fat.
My all time high was 287lbs, and this was when I was about 22, can't remember for sure. I joined a gym, started a low fat/low calorie diet and lost maybe 25lbs in two months. Even though I didn't like it, I was very dedicated to it, going to the gym and spending about two hours there 3 or 4 times a week. Then one day, I just didn't feel like going, and for some reason, I never set foot back into the place. Old eating habits creeped back and brought the pounds back with it.
Fast forward to 2004, at 24 years old, a girl I knew from church just happened to tell me about Atkins and how she had done it before and lost a ton of weight on it. I didn't know much about Atkins except for all the negative publicity it had gotten, and I allowed that to shape my thinking. I was very skeptical (and mind you I hadn't read a single thing about Atkins or low carbing) and told her that it sounded ridiculous because you can't eat fat and lose fat... it just didn't make sense to me at the time. But she insisted that she had done it before and that I would need to read the book for myself.
So, I went out and got the book and read it from cover to cover in two days. I felt very enlightened and very ready to get started on Atkins. I called up the girl who told me about it because she had gained some weight from being off of it for a while, and we decided to partner up and keep each other in check and on track. I'm so glad I did that. I started Atkins in last week of February of 2004 at 262lbs. I began following the book to the "T", working out, drinking tons of water, taking vitamins, taking fiber and all.... I was completely obsessed with this new WOL. By the fourth of July I was down to 205lbs. My coworkers all thought I had some kind of illness. I went to visit some family back east, and my aunt came to pick me up from the airport. She walked right past me without even recognizing me, I had to stop her and tell her who I was! Overall I was pleased with my new body, and I felt like Superman!
My goal weight had been 220lbs, but when I reached that weight, I realized that I still had a good ways to go, so I kept on going. It's funny how I always thought I had a large frame and partially blamed that for being able to carry so much extra weight. In August after I had gotten down to 189lbs, I realized that my frame is NOT large, it's normal sized. I had gone from a size 44" waist down to a 34". I was able to buy pants in the "normal" section instead of big and tall, and that was a phenomenal feeling for me.
Now, why am I starting all over again??? That's a good question! I felt so great after losing the weight in 2004 that I thought I'd never let myself put it back on.... it seemed impossible that I would be fat again. I guess I got too overconfident in the maintenance phase and let myself become too lax about working out, and let myself have too many treats.... and over the past couple years I just spiraled downward while my weight spiraled upwards.... and that's where I find myself today.
I tried a few times to get back on the bandwagon last year and this year (I know this is getting long, but I have a lot to tell!), but never got back on track until now. I re-inducted a few weeks ago on September 16th, and have been holding strong ever since. I'm not sure how much I weighed when I started back up, or even how much I weigh now.... but I would estimate that I've lost about 20-25lbs since Sept 16th judging by the way my clothes fit (or DON'T fit) and by my appearance. I really need to go out and get a scale. Because I've successfully lost tremendous weight in the past, I know that I can do this again, so I'm feeling really encouraged. I know that it's just a matter of time, and my efforts will pay off again. I'm working on preparing myself for a lifetime of healthy eating, and ways to keep myself in check and to get back on track if I should fall off for any reason.
I'm sooo dedicated to this WOE right now... here's proof: Last night a coworker came in to work and was walking around sharing this package of soft-baked, chocolate chip cookies that he had bought on his way in. He stopped at my desk and offered me some. When I refused, he insisted, so just to make him leave, I took one. Then he told me to take a couple more... so I took two more. Finally he walked away and I let the cookies just sit there on my desk. When it was time for me to leave, I walked through the kitchen, dropped the cookies into the trash, and walked out the door and went home. They smelled good and even FELT good in my hand, but I wasn't the least bit tempted to put them past my lips.
I've been reading a lot of the posts on this board and I've found it to be very informative. I like how everyone keeps each other encouraged and motivated... that really goes a LONG way.
Happy losing to all, let's put a hurting on this fat!!
Well done for doing it so well the first time and aiming to do it again 
on fat. Good luck to you. Linda
. I want to be in the Christmas Chanlenge and hope to meet my goal head on
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