I normally don't introduce myself, I generally prefer to be a lurker, but the community here seems so warm and family-like how could I not 
I'm 43, married, 3 teen age kids. My daughters and I are gearing up to start Atkins. Doing the reading and fridge stocking now. This will be my 2nd time trying Atkins, the first time didn't result in significant weight-loss but I felt so much better that I stayed on it, well something close to it, for 9 months before finally loosing my way altogether. This time will be different, I know what I did wrong the first time and vow not to make the same mistakes.
I do have a question though. Last year I had a spinal stroke that has left me in a wheelchair (for the time being!) and an incomplete paraplegic. I'm fighting daily to regain the ability to walk, but this leaves me in a unique place as far as exercise goes. My upper body gets a workout all the time. Wheelchair + carpeting = constant arm workout. And I do physical therapy 2x a week for an hour each time. In therapy I am able to walk with a walker about 100' or so. Daily walking is limited to short jaunts in my walker to the bathroom a couple of time a day. However, normal walking/exercising is not an option for me unless it's upper body. My leg muscles tire easily they are like a battery that's about to run out. Is Atkins still an option for me? Exercise is crucial to success in any diet plan, but I'm worried that it won't be enough.
I also wonder how I'm going to do this without the use of a scale. I'm thinking I could just go by my clothing.
It's so important for me to get this weight off. I needed to lose 60 lbs. before my injury, but now it's even more important. I'm learning how to walk again, I need as little of myself to drag around as possible. I figure if I can walk over 100' with carrying around this much baggage imagine what I could do with 60 lbs less!
An interesting note, I thought for sure that I would balloon up once I was chair bound, but that didn't happen. I'm exactly the same size as I was 16 months ago, my body adjusted immediately and I had a much smaller appetite, so things evened out.
Well any help/advice that could be offered would be appreciated. I'm excited to get started, just need to work out this exercise thing.

I'm 43, married, 3 teen age kids. My daughters and I are gearing up to start Atkins. Doing the reading and fridge stocking now. This will be my 2nd time trying Atkins, the first time didn't result in significant weight-loss but I felt so much better that I stayed on it, well something close to it, for 9 months before finally loosing my way altogether. This time will be different, I know what I did wrong the first time and vow not to make the same mistakes.
I do have a question though. Last year I had a spinal stroke that has left me in a wheelchair (for the time being!) and an incomplete paraplegic. I'm fighting daily to regain the ability to walk, but this leaves me in a unique place as far as exercise goes. My upper body gets a workout all the time. Wheelchair + carpeting = constant arm workout. And I do physical therapy 2x a week for an hour each time. In therapy I am able to walk with a walker about 100' or so. Daily walking is limited to short jaunts in my walker to the bathroom a couple of time a day. However, normal walking/exercising is not an option for me unless it's upper body. My leg muscles tire easily they are like a battery that's about to run out. Is Atkins still an option for me? Exercise is crucial to success in any diet plan, but I'm worried that it won't be enough.
I also wonder how I'm going to do this without the use of a scale. I'm thinking I could just go by my clothing.
It's so important for me to get this weight off. I needed to lose 60 lbs. before my injury, but now it's even more important. I'm learning how to walk again, I need as little of myself to drag around as possible. I figure if I can walk over 100' with carrying around this much baggage imagine what I could do with 60 lbs less!
An interesting note, I thought for sure that I would balloon up once I was chair bound, but that didn't happen. I'm exactly the same size as I was 16 months ago, my body adjusted immediately and I had a much smaller appetite, so things evened out.
Well any help/advice that could be offered would be appreciated. I'm excited to get started, just need to work out this exercise thing.




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