still cant believe it!!
 

Two years ago I was bumbling along, weighing in at 210lbs and growing, I loved my food and had a very sweet tooth. I would spend my days eating chocolate, cakes, biscuits, crisps and then have three big meals a day. At night I'd feel quite sick, laying in bed with heartburn, indigestion, wishing I hadnt been such a pig and vowing to start my diet tomorrow!!! But the next morning I'd be up eating all over again.

At the end of May 2003 my cousin came to stay with us for the weekend, he was raving on about the Atkins diet and had lost 28lbs. I though it sounded total rubbish and had heard through the media that it was dangerous, but my cousin kept on and on, I have to say I couldnt believe what he was eating and still claimed he was losing weight!! Anyway before he left he bought me "Dr Atkins New Diet Revolution" and told me to try it - just for two weeks...

I didnt read the book, just glanced at the "allowed" foods on the induction page.

The first few days, I exchanged my usual high carb foods with low carb snacks, everytime I wanted chocolate or crisps I'd have a piece of cheese or meat. Meals would be roughly the same as I'd always had but without the fries, pasta, potatoes etc.

Day 3 I remember thinking I was going down with flu or something cos I felt "headachey" I didnt put it down to low carbing, but by the end of the first week I felt absdolutely great, more energy, my IBS had vanished, my aching joints had gone and I FELT THINNER!!

Two weeks in and (I remember this vivdly) I was sitting in the garden enjoying the sun and I looked at my watch 2.15pm, I suddenly realised I hadnt eaten anything since breakfast! This was a major breakthrough. Never before had I ever forgotten to eat!

It was at that point I went and got the Atkins book out and read it. I realised that it was all true!

I was a carboholic - totally addicted to them and without realising it, I'd broken free from my addiction.

I lost 10lbs in the first two weeks! After a while I realised the weight loss formed a pattern, I'd lose about 5lbs in two weeks which would be followed by two weeks where I didnt lose weight but lost inches.

I then decided on a target, I'd never got far enough into a diet before to think about that one!! I went for 140lb - 10stones in English, which seemed like a nice sensible weight for my height 5ft 7in. As I neared it by the November I started to wonder how to actually stop "dieting". I talked it over with another low carber who just said "why stop?" Well, I was enjoying my food, I wasnt feeling deprived. So I didnt stop and to this day I'm still eating near enough induction (occasionally I may add a few low carb bits and pieces - Nuts in particular).

My weight went down to 126lbs and then just stopped going down anymore! I'm fine with that!

I'm so much happier today than I ever have been, I love going out with family and friends, I love clothes shopping and I have so much more energy and confindence. My life has been transformed


My biggest sorrow is that I waited til I was 40 years old to do this, and I blame the media and all the scare stories - When you think of the rubbish people eat today it amazes me that something as natural and unprocessed as Atkins can be deemed bad for you!

Some mornings I wake up and have to look in the mirror to make sure its all true, It really was so easy

jo

Thanks for posting this. It is so inspirational.

What a great story. Congrats to you and thanks for sharing! :D

Jo- just be thankful that you found this WOL now- and not when you were older! I, too, wish I had done CALP before I was 46, but I'm thrilled I'm doing it now.
Thanks for the story-
E

That is soooo AWESOME! WTG!! :thup: This does give me hope that I will reach my goal!...Thank you! :)

I think you nailed it on the head. Nutritionists and the media spend more time bashing low carbing than they do bashing junk food. It's incredible when you think about it.


Congratulations on your success, and you look to be quite the beauty in your pictures!

You look sooo fabulous!!! What you said in your story is so true. I was scared off a low carb diet in the early 90's by all the bad press and doctors advice. I feel I have lost 10 or more years in a body that just didn't have to be because I listed to the so called "experts". Thanks for the inspiration.

How long did it take you to get to 126?

Hi Jo!

You have no journal, and you can't receive private messages yet, so I must say here that I'm glad you found us. I dig your attitude.

Welcome!

Well I started ist June 2003 and hit my first target of 140 by the end of the year Dec 2003, I just kept going and hit 126 by around feb/march 2004.

I WAS LUCKY, I didnt seem to have any major stalls.

Jo

Life begins at 40!!!...and you're living proof!
You look great!...And I must say..you don't look your age now!
Well done!

Congratulations, Jo. :clap: I'm 30 and if I look half as good as you at 40, I'll be thrilled. :)

congrats on all the hard work

thanx for all your messages. I hope I can inspire anyone and everyone who is maybe struggling or feeling its a slow, uphill battle.

I never ever thought I'd be slim, I had resigned myself to being a "fatty" who loved eating. The more I gained, the more impossible the thought of losing it became, so the more I ate! - its a vicious circle isnt it - BREAK THE CYCLE, START TODAY!

Jo

You look amazing! Did you have a problem with excess skin hanging? Congrats again!

What a fantastic story.. You just reminded me that if I just stick with it, I can do it to.

Congratulations!!

You look fantastic! Thanks for posting your story!

Not really, well my arms and legs are fine, my butt is perhaps a bit saggy but it could be worse. My tummy though, (bear in mind I've had 4 children who all gave me stretch marks) is a bit of a mess, its ok covered, but I do have a ring of lose skin that sits on top of my trousers/jeans and its squidgy to the touch. I'm toying with the idea of surgery, my doctor says that its the only way it will go.

As I say it doesnt really show when I'm dressed and I dont wear any tight or short tops!

jo

After all you have been through, loose skin is nothing compared to weighing in at 125lbs. You are truly an inspiraton, congratulations on your success! And keep it up, we need people like you on the message board!

Hi from the Midlands :wave: ...Wow fantastic job. You look awesome. Congrats to you :cheer:

Such an inspiration
 

:wave: Hi Jo, you are such an inspiration. I am going to be 49 in August, and I am going to do this the rest of my life also. My husband and I just get back to the states from a visit to London and Paris, very nice over there, but a tad too cold at the time, still beautiful. I also am sorry that it took so long for me to start this way of eating. Best of luck, Deb

Good for you, you look Fantastic! :thup:

Thank you for sharing your story. It's very inspriational!

You look fab! Congratulations & wishing you all the best!

-Laila
Sultanate of Oman

Thank you so much for this! For the millionth time I'm going to focus on protein and good stuff and avoid french fries, bagels, pasteries and pasta. I know it's the only thing that has worked I just have to find a way to not feel like I'm missing out. Your story was very inspirational.

You really do look good too! I wish I would not have waited so long also, but at least I started somewhere.

help
 

It was so inspirational, but I am at a standstill. Could you give a sample day of what you would eat?

Thanks-
Susan

Jo, you're my new hero! In the past I always had the most success when I followed Dr. Atkins' plan. I've wandered around trying other things, but maybe it's time to "go back home."

I remember before starting Atkins (long, long ago) I read the book from cover to cover and one thing jumped out at me. He was discussing the 2-week Induction phase. I've never been able to find the actual quotation in the book again, but it was something to the effect of, "It's only 2 weeks. Don't go into this thinking you'll give it a try. Totally dedicate yourself to it, no exceptions, for 2 full weeks and THEN decide whether to continue."

I think that's what got me going. I had "tried" so many diets and exercise programs before. I'd never really dedicated myself to anything, no excuses, for any length of time. I could do 2 weeks. What's 2 weeks? You can do anything for 2 weeks. Well, I was hooked. I'd only lost 6 pounds, but I felt so much better and for the first time in my life, food didn't control me.

Jo, you've inspired me to go back to my roots, so to speak. I'll re-read the book again (the one from 1999, not the newer one, which I think is more lenient). I'm starting again today.

Thanks, Jo, for visiting me in my menopause haze!

You look fantastic!!! I can so relate to you. I felt the same way... your story could be mine but I'm still working on getting the weight off. Thanks for the motivation! I am going to get there!!!!!!

ohh, so happy for you! Good it worked out for you :)

Yes Really OJOJ you DO look amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

you story helped me today not eat that donut my son was eating- he was much happier too.

I just saw a new study about low/no carbing DOES NOT lead to bone loss later in life. but still I have "people" around me who don't have anything good to say about Atkins- Of coarse these are size 3 people and never had a weight problem