Fuddle here.

[Fuddle]

Hi. I'm 46 and live in Ireland and my weight's become an issue. I was always a skinny kid. Only in the last few years have I grown a belly, and it's just exactly like the one my grandpop had when I was a boy. In fact it's in honour of him that I chose my user name here; they used to call him Fuddle. No one seems to know why.

Grandpop ended up with diabetes (the insulin injection kind) and now my mother's got the non-injection kind. She says she's given up "white foods" mostly (flour, pasta, potatoes I think) and she's lost a lot of weight. She lives in the US (I emigrated to Ireland 19 years ago).

Some years ago I started Atkins. The science makes sense. I like the food too. But I guess I always cheated. Not sugar or candy or anything. Beer and wine I think. (I know, just another kind of sugar.) Anyway I'm back, getting ready to start again. I've got at least 30 lbs of dense tummy fat that has to go. It feels so uncomfortable. Like it's attached to me. But it's not me.

I just ate an entire bowl of popcorn while watching QI. And I thought, well why? Because it was there? For the butter and salt? Maybe I'd better think about Atkins again.

So here I am.

I'll weigh and estimate my goals tomorrow I guess. It's a bit late and I need some shut-eye.

[Fuddle]

Re: Fuddle here.

Good morning everyone. I've edited my signature. Weighed myself this morning and since my scales give weight in kilogrammes and in stone, I figured I should put in some translation. I rounded though.

So I'm at 220 lbs, 100 kilos, or 15 stone 10 lbs (a stone is 14 lbs). I'm sure that's as heavy as I've ever been. I know that others have "bigger" challenges but each of us is unique. And I find mine hard enough! :-(

I remember when I was 18, I weighed 140 lbs (63.5kg, 10 stone) and I wanted to be 160 lbs (72.5kg, 11 stone 6). I think going for 175 might be more realistic for me at this stage—but that's losing 45 lbs (20kg, 3 stone 2).

Today. I will start TODAY. It's 09:15 and I haven't had anything to eat today. I've just poured a (very) large cup of tea, 1 teaspoon splenda, whitened with real Irish cream.

Between 10:30 and 11:00 I'll have two eggs fried in butter with some serrano peppers.

After that... hm, how can I best make use of this forum? I know I'm going to need encouragement—my partner doesn't believe in Atkins though he'll put up with me doing it, he wants his rice and his potatoes.

[neutronnorman]

Re: Fuddle here.

What's your body fat%?

[Fuddle]

Re: Fuddle here.

Hey Norman. How do I work that out?

[Fuddle]

Re: Fuddle here.

Body Fat Calculator gave me "You have a Body Fat Percentage of 31.88%."

Body Fat! Calculate Yours and Get Reduction Ideas. gave me "Using your measurements of a 39 inches waist and weight of 220 pounds your body fat percentage is estimated to be 30.20 % using the U.S. Navy body fat formula, or 30.06 % using the formula developed by the YMCA."

Lean Body Mass Calculator - Calculate your lean weight in just a few seconds! gave me "According to your measurements - weight of 220 pounds and height of 5' 11", your lean body mass is estimated to be 155.52 . Since the ideal body fat percentage for men is 15%, your ideal lean body weight is 140.98 pounds." My stars—that takes me back to when I was 18!

[sham]

Re: Fuddle here.

Hi Fuddle I must say you have made a wise choice to start this diet and hopefully you will do really well.If you stick to the plan,drink lots of pure water,add some sort of exercise then im sure you will lose the weight really fast.Good luck with the diet.If you need any sort of help then were all here for you,all the best.

[neutronnorman]

Re: Fuddle here.

Got it buddy. Fist off, welcome to the board. There is a wealth of information here. Use Fit Day to track your carbohydrate / fat macro nutrient ratios if you don't do so already.

Your body fat is a bit high, but luckily you are not morbidly obese. At first, the Atkins diet will do tremendous body compositional changes if coupled with exercise.

My suggestion is to focus on strength training and do cardio maybe 3-4 times per week, sustained at a moderate pace for 45-60 minutes each session.

The minute you start building muscle, the body fat % will drop down. By the time you reach about 20% body fat you'll look great. I measure my body fat using calipers and two different equations, the Jackson Pollock methods 3 and 4.
Ideally, the dunk tank works best, but is rather expensive.

So, good luck...well, luck has nothing to do with it...hard work is the key to success.

[Fuddle]

Re: Fuddle here.

Thanks, Sham, it means a lot to have even a little encouragement!

I enjoyed the eggs this morning. I am starting my first glass of water today. It's hand-blown Jerpoint glass... holds 350ml (about 12 fl. oz) of water. Our water rains down on Croagh Patrick and is filtered through a nice new Brita.

I need to drink 6 of these glasses per day, right? 2 litres?

[sham]

Re: Fuddle here.

2 litres a day is a must but if you can drink more than that thats a bonus.Your water sounds really fresh and nice lucky you!I drink bottled spring water or mineral water dont like the taste to tap water.

[Fuddle]

Re: Fuddle here.

Norman, I'll readily confess I'm not much of an exerciser and never have been. My work (and I work at home and live rurally) keeps me in front of the computer most of the time. I know... that's an excuse. There' a gym in town, though with weights (never lifted before and can't say I fancy it), and with treadmills and bikes. I expect the reality is I'll have to get over my "not being an exerciser" and make an effort.

Starting my third glass of water, after a bowl of yesterday's leftover lamb stew (lamb, onion, garlic, seasonings, tabasco, dollop of sour cream).

Friday night. The weekend usually brings with it DVDs and beer or wine. Perhaps I'll choose water.

[imagood1]

Re: Fuddle here.

Hi Fuddle -- you can do any exercise you like - walking work great when first starting out -- we're not all body builders like Norm!

Drink at least 64 ounces of pure water daily - that is what Dr. Atkins suggested. Glad to hear you are drinking good tasting water, that will help you want to drink more water. Personally I drink 150 ounces of pure water daily -- it helps keep the "nasties" and flushes the fat out of your system.

Make sure you are eating a variety of foods -- as far as your partner -- make what he wants to eat, I fix meat for all of us and potatoes, rice, etc. for my mother and husband every evening --- I eat veggies and a salad sitting side by side with them -- it doesn't bother me because I want to loose the weight MORE than I want the starches they are eating.

Here are links to the recipe sites we use -- you'll find some wonderful meal ideas...give them a try, your partner may even like them!! There are a few recipes everyone in my home eat. Good luck to you -- if you need anything let us know!

Make sure you use Induction Recipes to begin with.

Recipe Sites
http://www.genaw.com/lowcarb/menus.html
(Never ending induction recipes)http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.com/forums/atkins-diet-14-day-induction/58513-never-ending-induction-recipes.html
(Induction Recipe Basics--More recipes added)http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.com/forums/atkins-diet-14-day-induction/6807-induction-recipe-basics-more-recipes-added.html

[neutronnorman]

Re: Fuddle here.

Hello Fuddle:

I understand you position. I'm not suggesting you go into the gym and try to emmulate a bodybuilder's workout.

Man, you can do free squats and pushups three times per week and that will yield divideneds in changing your body composition. I know you work in front of a computer all day and so do I in a very round about way.

I'm not going to preach but do you think beer or alcohol s a good idea in the early stages of this diet? Beside derailing your fat burning process, it does supress testosterone production and aromatizes the hormone into estrogen esters, I believe.

But anyhow, take care buddy and have a great weekend.

[Fuddle]

Re: Fuddle here.

Norman,

DVD and booze is, of course, a habit. Tonight I'm enjoying an evening in with DVD and FIZZY WATER! About to have my 7th glass of the day (4 fresh Irish mountain water, 3 fizzies). The day went well; for dinner there was a madras curry (beef, onion, Patak's curry, no rice).

I'm pretty sure alcohol was my major sabotage every time I tried Atkins before. It's been 4 years at least since I tried it seriously.

Thanks for the advice about squats and pushups. 40 minutes at a go?

[Fuddle]

Re: Fuddle here.

Imagood1, tomorrow I'm making homemade Korean kimchi. Nice and spicy and made of all the veggies in Atkin's first list of veggies in his chapter on Induction.

[imagood1]

Re: Fuddle here.

Imagood1, tomorrow I'm making homemade Korean kimchi. Nice and spicy and made of all the veggies in Atkin's first list of veggies in his chapter on Induction.

kimchi sounds wonderful!!!! I'm glad you are making foods that aren't boring and have plenty of flavor....the worst thing you could do is eat bland meals, people who do rarely last long.

Keep up the great work