What have I learned so far?
 

Let’s see where we are.

Today, I weigh 278 pounds, spot-on 60 pounds lighter than my first day of low-carbing, September 5, 2003. My highest weight ever was around 345, but I was 338 that particular day. That’s a shade over 6 months of Atkins, or Atkinsesque eating, with a few bumps in the road, planned and unplanned.

My wife got me on the diet, which I had thought of as kooky before, having vaguely heard of it and having dismissed it when I saw all the fat in it. I’m cynical by nature. If it sounds too good to be true, I reasoned, it usually is. I didn’t like the tone in Atkins’ book, either. I hate to be sold, and the good doctor sounded like he was trying to sell me something. I’m guarded like that, and probably miss opportunities from time to time. When someone full-court presses me, I don’t respond by giving him what he wants.

Another friend had been on it, and had lost over 65 pounds in 5 months, so it started to gain credibility in my mind. I went ahead and jumped in on that day in September.

What have we learned so far?

• I knew nothing of food or nutrition before Atkins. Obviously by my weight, I was doing something wrong, but I had no idea what it was. I wasn’t adhering to low fat, low calorie, or low-anything. I took stuff I heard on television, so I was as zombified as the next guy that saturated fat had made me fat and would someday clog my heart up. I didn’t act on that belief too well, but I bought into it. I never ate pork. I rarely ate red meat. I had chicken by the barnyard-full (still do, I like chicken). I ate bread and pastas to fill out the menu. I used to grab a can of Ragu and spaghetti, and think because I wasn’t adding beef or pork, it was good for me. I slowly started to educate myself, mostly on these forums, since November. I’m still learning.

• Throw protein at cravings. I say that having just staved off a trip to the freezer for ice cream with a slice of roast beef & cheese.

• Sugar is the prime enemy. I count back and realize that I ate frightening amounts of sugar previously. I wasn’t even a huge sweets addict (starches were my downfall), but even so, I consumed an appalling amount of sugar.

• You have to do it for yourself. I think having Kyra last May was a catalyst, but I don’t know that I could do this strictly for her. It has to be for me. I put myself in the hole, and I can’t use others as a crutch to get out.

• That which cannot be measured cannot be corrected. I used to avoid the scale like the plague—I didn’t want to know—but now I go daily and record weekly. I know many who don’t scale to avoid stress over it. I weigh to make sure I understand the implications of what I’m doing, and to center myself. Always been goal-oriented, so this is a way to quantify the goals. The thing I haven’t done is to tape-measure. I know I’ve gone from a size 48 pants to a size 40, but I don’t know if that translates to inches.

• I hate jeans because the sizes that fit my waist feel like a skirt on my legs, they’re so big. Chelli tells me “you have no butt anymore.” I usually love em, I just need to find some that fit well.

• I can eat like this the rest of my life. I enjoy it, and have taken it to be the norm. I can shift around and have carby stuff, and if I isolate it into a single meal, I usually see no ill effects. Often, I see a whoosh.

• Introspection is vital. I say things in my journal and on these boards that I wouldn’t dare say to people in person. It helps me work out the root causes of fat, and the machinery of motivation. I’ve needed to have this conversation with myself for 20 years.

thanks for sharing your insights. this woe has really opened my eyes to so many of the same things you have stated. and this forum is the place for me to go every single day to keep myself inspired. thanks again.

I whole-heartedly agree with you on absolutely EVERYTHING you said. It is all so true. Oh, and Congratulations on your 60lb loss! That is FANTASTIC!!

Hey dreamnfae, noticed that you are a local here. I'm in Broken Arrow.

Scott

I want to thank you again (I am certain I had sense enough to thank you some time in the distant past) for always making time to share your experiences. I know your honesty and contributions have helped me. And I KNOW I do not spend enough time thanking the folx I should. (Now...you may not get another cudo from me for 6 months...but it ain't that you are not a continual inspiration. Thanks!)

thank you - you make so much sense, and I really enjoyed reading that!

Wow, Scott, that was awesome! Thanks for putting your thoughts out here for the rest of us. :D

And, congrats on your 60 pound loss thus far! Way to go!

I loved everything you said Scott - except about the jeans! Go out there - find some. Then show us the pic!!

Congrats on the 60 lbs! That's just awesome!!! :yay: :yay:

Throw protein at cravings
Sugar is the prime enemy

Truer words have rarely been spoken. And good mantras for the low-carb life. Excellent post.

Valerie

Excellent post! Thanks for sharing. :agree:



How true! Finding the tools to measure isn't always easy, and some of the tools we do find are flawed. But if you don't even try to measure, you'll never know when you need to make those adjustments!

Great insight, Scott!! You are doing so well and I commend you!! Here's hoping the next 60 will be smooth sailing for you!

Wow Scott!

Congratulation on your 60 lbs, and your post explains why you have lost that much weight. I heard an excellent quote that reminds me of what you have said here, in regards to how much you have changed your way of thinking:

"To keep doing the same things and expect different results is the definition of insanity"

Through educating yourself you realized that something needed to change for you to get to your goal - so you did something about it. That puts you well on the path to success.

For people that have a problem with change - there is an excellent book called "Who Moved My Cheese" that is a must read!!

Congratulations again - you are well on your way!

Scott, I have alway appericated your thoughts and your way of wording things. Been there with you when the ring fell off and am going to be here when you find that perfect pair of jeans. When you do post a picture for us all to see.

As a new member to this WOL I have found hours upon hours of information and inspiration on this board. I truly appreciate your contributions and insight. I constantly find interesting ideas to keep me on track and keep my goals, long and short term, in sight.

Thank you for your honesty and your willingness to become so naked :blush: before us all. It takes courage and commitment. :rheart: Thank YOU!

I also want to thank you for sharing your insight with us all. This type of venue is wonderful because we can express the things that we normally wouldn't to someones face. Bless you and this message board for allowing us all to "be naked".

Congrats on the 60 lb loss as well. I can't wait to lose that much.