Intro and 3 questions from a newbie

[mygarden]

Hello Everyone!
First I want to thank everyone here on the boards. I have found so many helpful answers during my first two week.

I am a young 44 year old working wife and mother. I have been putting on weight like crazy in the past few years. My highest was about 212 but I usually hoover around 206 or 207 for the past 2 years or so.

My appearance has really changed. I hardly recognize myself. I finally realize why I am not turning heads the way that I once did. My face is puffy, my arms and my waist are swollen. My breasts..well..I hate to discuss them but they are so big and heavy. I have shoulder, neck and back pain. I always had big thighs so I don't even worry about those anymore.The worse part of this is 10 years ago when I had my third baby, a son, I weighed 207 the week before he was born and he weighed 9 pounds. So technically, I am bigger now than I was when I was pregnant. Sigh...

I weighed 134 when I got married 20 years ago, 140 when I came back from honeymoon cruise. 174 after first child, 165 after second child, 179 after third child. Now 195 after 12 days induction.

Anyway, I have been follwing Atkins Induction religiously for 12 days. I weight and measure everything carefully. My diet consists of :
Breakfast: 1/4 -1/2 cup of egg substitute + 1 tbsp of olive oil
am snack: flax seed muffin + butter
lunch: 1 1/2 cup cabbage + 1 to 2 tbsp mayonaise + a little vinegar to make a coleslaw + 4-6 oz meat from dinner (chicken, pork, beef)
pm snack:Psyllium husk w/ water
dinner: 1 1/2 lettuce + 1tbs mayonaise + 4-6 oz meat

Try to a walk in the evening and or at lunch time.

I drink a lot of water. I have an herbal flavored tea (caffeine free) when I get to work instead of the coffee.

I have to avoid cheese and bacon. I can't stop eating them

Sometimes instead of the coleslaw, I use a hot sauce mixed with the mayo to make a spicy mayo. This is good with chicken.

My 3 questions
1) Where do you get those awards posted in your signatures?

2) Do you think I will keep losing 1 pound a day, if I continue induction for another two weeks?
3) How do you post a picture? I put a couple on photobucket but I can't figure out which url to use?

[barrnone]

Re: Intro and 3 questions from a newbie

Welcome! I know how you feel, I weighed 199 when I gave birth to my 2nd child ... got back down to a size 8 in two years...then...20 years later, I hit 250. And wondered...how the he** did that happen ?? I'm not thinking about the 'upward' journey - I'm concentrating on going down. Just keep following the plan, the weight will come off.

I know some of the awards are given for completing 'challenges' - you will find them out in the forum. I'm currently in three challenges - water, ab and squat. I just joined a 'climbing' challenge' where I will be climbing a mountain - one flight of stairs at a time very excited about that one! These challenges have really helped motivate me and I've taken off some stubborn weight recently.

I haven't posted a picture yet, but I'm sure you will get lots of advice from others.

Good luck!

[barrnone]

Re: Intro and 3 questions from a newbie

Sorry, about the pictures - I thought you were talking about your avatar. You can post a picture using the 'advanced button' below the message box, there's a button for managing pictures [I believe].

[imagood1]

Re: Intro and 3 questions from a newbie

Hi and welcome ---

Congrats on your loss this far. I notice you are eating a flax muffin in the morning as a snack and having phyllium husk in the evening. During induction you can have 1 tablespoon of either flax or phyllium husk daily. The recipe for a flax muffin I have is made with 1/4 c of flax seed -- too much for induction. If you are finding yourself constipated you should use flax or the husk with additional water to help keep it from making the situation worse - no more.

I also notice you are only eating lettuce and cabbage -- you should try to get other vegetables in your daily meals, there are so many different things to choose from, don't burn yourself out on only 2 things. You should be eating 2 cup of veggies of the first list and 1 cup from the 2nd list daily. (What foods can be eaten on Induction?)http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.com/forums/atkins-low-carb-dieting-faqs/6781-what-foods-can-eaten-induction.html check this list for all the different vegetables you can choose from.

As far as you will continue to loose the way you have by staying on induction, there is no real way to say, some people continue to loose, others don't. Here is a great link you should read about weight loss....http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.c...ot-linear.html (Weight loss is not linear.

Continued good luck to you.

[mizski]

Re: Intro and 3 questions from a newbie

3) How do you post a picture? I put a couple on photobucket but I can't figure out which url to use?

Welcome to ADBB!

To answer your picture posting question, use the IMG Code from Photobucket. Copy the entire code and paste it in your post (or signature).

[liv]

Re: Intro and 3 questions from a newbie

Hallo my Garden
You're younger than me. I am envious. But welcome to the 40s

Sounds like you are doing fine

You get the awards by participating in Challenges. We have challenges in the exercise forum and in the Challenge forum. Quite a few challenges will start now at the end of the month

I don't think you will lose one pound every day by continuing induction. What will likely happen is that after the first two weeks or so you will see a bit of a pause in loss. It is a common thing.

Welcome to ADBB

[mygarden]

Re: Intro and 3 questions from a newbie

Thanks Everyone for your response.
Thanks Imagood1 for the recommendations about the fiber. Some days I have skipped the tablespoon psyllium husks and eaten pork rinds for an afternoon snack to replace the chips that I used to have at lunch.

I am thinking about adding a bit of tomatoe , which I love. I am afraid that it might have too much carbs and push me over the edge to overeat. I am very fragile that way. I have a spaghetti squash that I loved to eat prior to Atkins, which I am intending to prepare.

I joined the stay off the scale challenge because I have been weighing myself twice a day. My goal is to stay off the scale for a week and this scares me more than not eating carbs.

Liv, Barrnone, Mizkie thanks for the replys.

Still working on getting my signature designed as well as some pictures.

[barrnone]

Re: Intro and 3 questions from a newbie

It took me about a week to get familiar with the forum, signature, etc. Just come out and chat and read and you will figure it all out in time! Good luck!

[DarlingBri]

Re: Intro and 3 questions from a newbie

Congrats on your weight loss. Be aware that lettuce has zero nutritional value, and you eat so few veggies on Induction anyway, that you should probably replace that with some other allowed veggies you like. Don't worry about the carbs, there's no way you're even approaching 20. In fact, I know the weight loss is great but I don't think you're eating enough.

Are you using FitDay? It would be good to see your pie charts.

[mygarden]

Re: Intro and 3 questions from a newbie

Hi, I am trying out my new signature. I tried to add a picture but it isn't posting. Fat woman picture taken August 16, 2009 at LegoLand in San Diego, CA. I had to be weiging between 209-212 lbs.

[chinadoll]

Re: Intro and 3 questions from a newbie

Carole gave you some great advice. For your nutrition there are lots of choices better than lettuce or cabbage alone. Broccoli, green beans, summer squash, zucchini, eggplant, spinach, escarole, pak choi, cauliflower... You will burn out on coleslaw and lettuce quickly. Watch the tomatoes and onions--they are higher in carbs so use a little at a time.

Don't get frustrated if your body takes a pause from losing for a couple of weeks. It does happen a lot. Hang in there and it will start to drop again. Probably not at Induction pace. Half that pace is more likely. But hey, you are still going in the right direction.

[liv]

Re: Intro and 3 questions from a newbie

Hi, I am trying out my new signature. I tried to add a picture but it isn't posting. Fat woman picture taken August 16, 2009 at LegoLand in San Diego, CA. I had to be weiging between 209-212 lbs.

Signature looks good.
Where is your pic? have you uploaded it to Photobucket or something similar?

[memekellye]

Re: Intro and 3 questions from a newbie

I had trouble posting pics too, till I saw someone's suggested TinyPic - Free Image Hosting, Photo Sharing & Video Hosting. It's user-friendly, and very easy to upload & resize the pics. You get the code right away (you'll want to use the IMG Code for Forums & Message Boards) and you just paste it directly into your message or signature.

i.e.

[Georgiana]

Re: Intro and 3 questions from a newbie

I am thinking about adding a bit of tomatoe , which I love. I am afraid that it might have too much carbs and push me over the edge to overeat.

You can track your foods in FitDay or check their carb count in the USDA database (links below). Remember it's net carbs we are counting on Atkins, not total carbs. You need to eat a lot of cabbage and lettuce to go over 20 net carbs per day!

Don't be afraid to eat carbs. Veggies are packed with micronutrients and fiber, which are not only good for your health, but also good for weight loss. Not eating enough, either calories or carbs, can interfere with weight loss. Aim for 20 net carbs per day, with more than 11 coming from vegetables. And make sure you are spreading your vegetable carbs throughout the day, to prevent blood sugar spikes.

USDA database: http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/
FitDay: http://www.fitday.com

[imagood1]

Re: Intro and 3 questions from a newbie

How are you doing? It's been awhile since you posted.