After lurking on these forums since October, I guess it's time that I came out of the closet and shared my success. I stepped on the scale this morning and the readout was 174 from 215! I started LC in late October and thankfully found this site a few days later. I've done various forms of lc dieting in the past, and usually I'd lose about 10-15 pounds in about two weeks and then I would reward myself by going out and stuffing my face and gaining the weight back.

The difference this time is the fact that I've found this wealth of information at my fingertips, and although I haven't conversed with any of you, your support has gotten me to where I am today. What has been different this time is that I've been able to stick with it, as I now view this as a WOE rather than a diet (just ask my wife, she's starting to understand).

After about a month of LC (two weeks longer than I've ever done it in the past), I realized that I was no longer interested in all of the foods that I thought I couldn't live without in the past. I'm proud to say that in the 4 months I've been doing this, I haven't cheated once. There were many times where I planned a cheat ahead of time for special occasions, but when the time came I always found a lc alternative. I went on a trip to New York in December and had planned to pig out on all the stuff that I can't get in Denver like good New York Pizza and all the great stuff at Zabars, but when I got there I found great fish dishes that I could never get in Colorado and that was just as satisfying to me. Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years all came and went without me losing my resolve, mainly because I was reading here about other people's struggles like mine.

As for why I've never posted before, after reading all of the gentle scolding from the moderators on the newby questions that have been answered hundreds of times over, I started to use the search functions and soon was able to find answers to any question I had. Since my rule of thumb on internet forums is if you don't have something worthwhile to say, don't say it, I never posted anything until now. I have however been an avid reader of this site on a daily basis since I found it. I'd just like to say that anyone who has given their 2 cents on such topics as drinking lots of water, Yogurt, YMMV on lo-carb products (my mileage is pretty good, thankfully), cardio on an empty stomach, weightlifting for fat loss, fat vs. muscle weight, Splenda, Pure-Delite chocolate bars, and countless other topics, you were helping someone change their life and didn't even know it!

The capper for me was going out over the weekend and buying clothes in size Medium and 31" waist, then going home and emptying the closet of all the XLs and 36" waists.

I guess my point is that this remarkable WOE can really change your life, as I am living proof of it, and I have all of you to thank for it.

LOL I can relate... it's sometimes really hard to find something to write about! But I have found that just giving and receiving gentle support is invaluable, at least to me. I'm not asking questions that have been answered countless times before, but I'm sharing my successes and failures hoping to find encouragement (and never being disappointed so far) and to give encouragement as well.

As to you, man, you're a SUCCESS STORY, not a NEWBIE!! You're a star - do you have any before/after pictures to share?

I really admire you. Four months without cheating... you're my hero!

vienna

Wow!! Congratulations!!!! Feel free to write up a post for our 'Success Stories' forum!!

Now about that 'scolding' stuff... we don't scold, we help people to help themselves. "Give a man a fish..."

"Give a man a fish..........and he'll clean it, gut it, skin it, cook it and eat it, but ask him to put the toilet seat down.........!!

Just kidding, couldn't resist.

Duncan

Don't be afraid...we don't bite!!! Start a journal and have some fun with us...come visit!!!!


Sam

Welcome to the two way street of support!

Glad you have finally made yourself known and I look forward to reading about all your successes...

John.... Thanks so much for reminding us why we're here. It's always good to know that these keystrokes mean something to someone!! I'm SO glad you de-lurked and I second (or third?) the motion that you post your story in "Success Stories". After all, when you were researching, isn't that one of the 1st stops you made????

To be honest, I don't think I've ever even been to the Success Stories section. I'm probably not the best person for people to emulate, as I do alot of things that cause stalls for alot of people. I eat Frankenfoods daily, I haven't counted a carb since week 3 (just go by the "feel" method), I did Fit day for about a week, but since this is now a WOE, I don't feel I need to keep a journal of what I eat. I feel that I'm lucky because my genetic makeup seems to be wired for low-carb. I'll take a look at writing something in Success Stories.

John,

A "success story" does not mean an "LC machine" story. You've had success in spite of those frankenfoods and little carb-counting.... there are a LOT of people that can lose weight that way!! Some of us can't! If nothing else it simply demonstrates once again the YMMV* theory of weight loss.... no two people are alike. There will be many encouraged by your success, especially because you were a little less strict than we usually advise.

Thanks again for sharing your story.


*YMMV = Your Mileage May Vary