Congratulations! That's amazing!

Thanks gina!! It's been an interesting journey!! And I have no plans to ever let "Fat Jo" back into my life... she made me so miserable!!

FANTASTIC JOB, Jo!!! INCREDIBLE!!! (But totally believable!)

You are an INSPIRATION!!! :) You have made the whole process very transparent and straightforward. Thanks for sharing!

BRAVO!!! :cheer: :cheer: :cheer: :cheer: :cheer:

Congrats! That's an amazing accomplishment!!! How are you doing on loose skin? That's what I'm dreading most about reaching my goal weight.

Congratulations, a little late
 

How are you liking maintenance? Do you feel in control? How do you manage not having the delayed gratification of aiming for new lows to motivate you? When I hit my goal in '99, I got bored being at a size and not being "on a mission". And btw, your profile pic looks great.

Hi Jo! :wave:

***Question for you... Atkins '72 doesn't mention Kcals...and your protein choices seem on the very lean side (canned chick=no skin, fish...) plus salad and coffee..

I get that LC allows our appetites to be suppressed, so maybe you are just not that hungry... but... and I say this with all due respect for someone who has totally kicked A$$! , but it SEEMS (and I could be totally wrong), but it seems from the outside, like more of a low cal/starvation diet combined with almost, dare I say manic :hyper: exercise... I mean- on the one hand I think it's brilliant that you rigged your computer to a stationary bike- maybe ALL computers should come that way!! :) but, on the other hand--- 2 -2 1/2 hours before school and after? that's a lot of exercise.

Anyway, everyone is of course free to eat and move and live the way they want, but as a couple other posters have said, I too have done the extreme low cal/low fat/ Low everything! (basically) Diet, combined with extreme exercise and FOR ME it was just not sustainable. I absolutely reached my goal weight in record time (about 28 pounds in 3 months), but had no clue what to do once there and I'm pretty sure I lost muscle too...
I applaud your next goal of finding your CCL for maintenance. And of course, wish you the very best in health and life. I was just curious if you would agree with the observation that you aren't really doing Atkins '72 exactly...more of a low fat/lowcal/low carb diet? Dr A devotes no less than 17 pages to the discussion of "low calorie" dieting (which, I would def say 750 calls is) ... so... would you agree that you are doing a VERY restricted version of Atkins? May I ask why you chose to do this, instead of what , I think. many of us are doing (higher fat levels =, more butter, cheese, fatty meats..)?

I am really just curious (and kind of worried about a complete stranger- now, that's strange... :rheart: ) and I hope you don't feel attacked by me. I admire your efforts and your results... just trying to figure it all out. Also, (and I am admittedly still very new to HFLC) I feel a bit worried that some people will read your story and think that drastic calorie cutting or restriction, and hours and hours of exercise each day are required to see success. Obviously, that's one way to go.. just not sure it is what most here are doing...or should do...or need to do to be successful and healthy...

Thanks so much for sharing your experience with all of us!

ALL the BEST of luck, Jo, as you head to maintenance!!!

Jammie

Wow didn't know anyone was posting here... so lemme answer the posts! I don't check this thread at all... but was just surfing the site and realized I started my journal here originally.

So in the future, if you want my response to your post in a timely fashion (I'm on this site at least once a day) you can post in my journal or send me a pm... :)

Thanks for you kind words, Jammie! As for being transparent and straightforward, I wanted to share how I got to where I am today ~ it's no secret it's just pure A '72 100% to plan with only ONE cheat in 17 months (that dreaded infamous Thanksgiving Fiasco of 2013).

When I wrote this I had lost 120 lbs... now I am down 146 pounds! So I'm very pleased with the results to say the least! :D

Thanks again for your post and your kindness! Onward and DOWNWARD!

:rheart: Jo

:wave: Hey CaliRocker! Loose skin... is an issue but I only have it around my mid section and what use to be my saddle bags... I'd say "ewwwwwwwwww" is how I feel about it.

BUT, I'm 55 and too cheap to get the surgery to "fix" it, now if I were 20 yrs younger... and I'm scared about getting something like that done for purely cosmetic reasons. So I buy support t shirts and undies that do a good job of holding things "together". :lol: My arms/legs aren't that bad at all, did you see my pic with Marilyn in my gallery? So I don't have a lot of flabby/loose skin there and I suffer from varicose veins real bad in my legs so there's no hope for them anyways, IMHO :lol:

All joking aside, cause this really is a serious topic, but I'd rather fit in a size 2 with my loose skin, then in my previous size 26 with my fat skin... know what I mean? What are you going to do when you get to your goal weight?

Thanks for posting, Cali!

Wishing you much success in your personal journey!

Onward and DOWNWARD!

:rheart: Jo

Hey just Jo. I've been taking collagen pills for about a month now and I'm hoping that will help a little bit. I'd like to think that I'm young enough where it won't be a problem but I've been overweight for about 12 years and my tummy definitely looks like a deflated ballon. I don't want to have surgery just because I don't think it will be personally worth it to me. I'm thinking that some time in the future I'll start strength training to tone everything so even if there is loose skin, maybe it will look better. Thanks for the response and encouragement!!

:wave: Hey Jammie, First off, let me say, I don’t/didn’t feel the least bit offended or attacked by what you said, I guess you just said it in a very caring way to a complete stranger...  So, I am going to answer each one of your points individually... just makes it easier for me...
I don’t personally feel that my exercising is “manic” in the sense that I would still be at my computer doing my school stuff (lesson plans, etc), I just found a healthier way to do all that computer stuff... In all honesty I am not sweating bullets when I’m peddling my stationary bike, but I am peddling... I do it mainly because I suffer from varicose veins real bad and the movement seems to relieve the pain. I’ve lost tons of weight before doing A ’72 without literally breaking a sweat... :lol:

As for the “low cal/starvation diet” comment, I also suffer from what I like to call “I’m only hunger when I put food in my mouth” syndrome. I also have portion and self-control issues... boy I got so many ISSUES related to my old self-destructive way of eating... :cry: The only explanation I have for why my low cal ultra-low carb WOE works for me is because I need very little “extra” to sustain me and any extra I have turns into fat...Time will tell if what I am doing is sustainable for me. So far so good. My biggest fear is regaining the weight, so this may seem extreme to some or most, it’s what’s working for me.Right off the bat, I wanted to know how many kcals I could have a day so that when it came to the most important step in this journey, I would have the data. And I have lost weight and plenty (100s of lbs over the decades) on A ’72 without a worry in the world about kcals... but I wanted to do something a little more scientific especially since this time around I was going to go all the way and not pretend I was a carb eater like I did with all my other failed-mock attempts at maintenance...anyways

I did a little research on weight loss surgery when I first started A ’72 again this time around for the ga-zillionth time. Did you know wls patients are put on a low carb diet 6-8 months before surgery? I could NEVER find out how many carbs and I am still trying to find that one out. After surgery they are still low carbing with no more than 600-800 kcals a day for the duration of their “diet” (i.e., when they reach their goal weight).

I talked to my doctor about that and since I was in perfect health (all medical/blood 100% textbook) except for being morbidly obese, she gave the green light for me to do A ’72 with the low kcal twist. I know I’m a recovering morbidly obese carb addict, I know I have portion control issues, but I also like to be FULL when I eat or I am not sated. That’s why a regular low kcal diet does not work for me and why A ’72 is brilliant and eating only once a day works for me too. It’s not like I was eating 3 squares a day whilst I was “Fat Jo” (my self-destructive carb loving alter ego). I haven’t eaten breakfast since elementary school. So I was only giving up lunch which was those addictive, insidiously toxic, poisonous killer carbs ~ I wouldn’t be morbidly obese if I ate healthy food, right? So I gave up the toxic foods at lunch. So is this A ’72? Not in it’s purest form, but I’m doing it my way and with the results I can live with. I never advocate for people to do it my way, I was just sharing what I did to get where I am. I know others on here who are doing the exact same thing with their LC WOE by adding the low kcal side to it and they don’t advertise it because they are afraid of the backlash and criticism they will get. Obviously, I don’t suffer from that problem! :lol:

I hope this answered your questions...

Onward and DOWNARD, Jammie!!

:rheart: Jo

:wave: Hey Ann, Wow maintenance is nothing like I though it would be...since I am basically doing exactly what I have been doing for the past 17 months. It's hardly work... The motivation comes from still having a "Fat Head". I don't see myself as thinner Jo, I still see "Fat Jo" in my mind's eye since I've been her most of my life. I don't really need to be "motivated" since carbs are no longer on my radar. I treat them like I do choc'late, I'm probably one of the few females that HATES choc'late! :lol: Thanks for kind words about my profile pic... I'm shocked to realize that's really me...

Thanks for you post and wishing you much success on your personal journey!

:rheart: Jo

Thanks Jo. :) I really appreciate you taking the time to answer my questions. Again, congrats on your impressive losses, your dedication and commitment to the best you you can be. You are on a major mission of self-discovery and self-awareness! :thup:

All the VERY BEST to you!

Sincerely,
Jammie

You are so correct, Jammie, this really has been a journey of self-discovery and self-awareness.

But you know what? If it wasn't for people like you and this site, I would not be as aware because you all make me think about so many aspects of this journey. I probably would never have discovered or acknowledged many of them if I were left to my own devices.

It's wonderful having a sounding board about my thoughts, feelings, etc and having people come in and share their thoughts and ideas... works way better than the old school paper and pen journalizing where one was faced with only one's point of view.

I am truly thankful and grateful to all of you for helping me understand myself in so many ways.

A big ole heartfelt :rheart: THANK you, Jammie and all!!

amazing
 

this is about how much i need to lose. Thanks for the inspiration and congrats

Jo, you are such an inspiration to me. I just read your success story above and it is just amazing. I will be re-reading this post a few times. Thanks for sharing your journey and success. (((hugs))) Lili

I'm at where you started Jo... I hope to be writing my own success story... some day! Congratulations to you and keep up the good fight in maintenance!


It was funny to read this -- I have often said I am twice the woman I used to be... I want to be saying "I'm half the woman I once was!" :)

Wow!
 

Amazing job! This is exactly where I am starting...and this is so motivating. I am looking at your beginning dates and hoping to follow in your footsteps! Thanks for posting this! :thup:

This is a great journal. Thanks for sharing Jo and congratulations on the amazing weight loss and maintenance! Tessie

Wow, what an inspiration for this three week newbie! Thank you for sharing! :cheer:

Wow, just got a chance to read through this entire thread (I'm supposed to be prepping for Fall Semester, so of course I'm here). I have to say that you are a great inspiration to me, and I can't wait to be where you are.

I especially liked your Atkins quotes in your original post -- it's very important to understand that we don't become "normal" once we lose the extra weight, and that we can never, ever, eat a SAD, or stop being vigilant every single day. Ever.

Lately people have noticed my weight loss (not as quick as yours, but still averaging 9-10 pounds per month), and ask me how long I can eat this way. My reply is forever -- I plan on eating this way forever. Even when people get seriously interested, I continue to caution them that it only works as a permanent way of life.

I think that some of the pushback I read here about your calorie count is because it's scary to some people -- they like low carb because they're afraid they'll get hungry, or afraid their metabolism will slow down, or just don't think it's sustainable long term. I think that is natural, and I don't blame people for being concerned.

But what I've discovered is that staying in the very low carb range, in ketosis, and "accidental" (and now purposeful) intermittent fasting makes you "accidentally" a low calorie eater. I don't count calories, but when I put my choices in a calculator, I'm typically in the 800-1200 calorie range (sometimes higher) -- and that is eating to satiety, when I'm eating. I don't add too much extra fat because I'm trying to get my body to use it's own, so that also lowers the calories. I'm definitely not trying -- it just happens naturally.

I actually like that we can maintain our bodies healthfully on much less food. The planet could sustain more of us if we just ate less.

Anyway, congratulations again, and I hope to see you on the other side of maintenance land. Kat

You have renewed my faith in Atkin's as a cure for my obesity. Thanks so much for sharing your journey.

Wow.. so inspiring!!

Thanks Jo for sharing this inspirational information and advice! It is all about making a change in your mind, and not comparing yourself to others that are more metabolically fortunate! I am searching for ways to maintain my goal weight once I reach it, as I want to succeed and maintain the gains this time around!

Stories are always a great resource of inspiration and help me get going

Remarkable.

Wow you really did your homework for this one. Congratulations that's no small feat!

Thanks everyone for you kind words! :)

Wishing all of you continued success on your own journeys to better HEALTH! :thup:

Congrats- I need a mentor!

This is SO inspirational, Jo. What an accomplishment...and that is a huge understatement, really. I'm hoping I can get even half of your results.