HI,
I tried Atkins..started it and stopped it a couple times in the last month. I did not do well because I have NEVER been much of a meat eater and really could not cope with so few veggies...gee, cut my steak in half and slap a pork chop between it and call me stuffed. I read the article in the Womans World about the SP and think that is more my style, since at LEAST you get more veggies than 1.5 cups loosely packed salad.

I was reading the posts here though and I dont see the weight loss claims as I did see on the Atkins boards, Zone areas, etc. In fact, I am a bit depressed after reading here and seeing that some people are GAINING weight.

I need to lose 70 pounds, okay 73 to be exact and DONT want to gain any.

I am starting Pilates again..hurt hip and had to be off it for two weeks, but am starting again lightly tomorrow.

I have to admit that I feel less bloated and more active watching carbs, BUT I have to have veggies...hard to eat steak with ??

I could really use some help here...I cant afford to gain...I have been slowly dragging myself out of depression about letting myself get so overweight (lost 50 pounds on WW 3 years ago and gained back 23 of it)....so to gain weight could be devastating to me.

Is it true that I will gain weight first?

I have ordered the book and will read it cover to cover ASAP, but any help is appreciated.

Cosmosis

If it helps, I have done SP 3 times and NEVER gained weight at the beginning. Weight loss is slower than on Atkins though.

My advice would be to put the scale away for a long time (like 6 weeks), pull out a measuring tape and measure all over...then put those numbers away with the scale (I had my husband hide my scale) and don't revisit it for a long time!

Try to use less mind-altering measurements...like feeling less bloated, less depressed, sleeping better, having energy etc etc as measures of healthiness. Focusing on the weight loss alone is a recipe for disaster I find.

Welcome to the board! You may want to think about starting a journal where you can log your food intake...sometimes that can help when you aren't feeling like its working. Some of us longtimers can take a look at your menus and see where you might be going wrong.

Lisa

I have been doing a food journel daily since I tried doing Atkins. I remember how well this worked when I did WW and was working out regularly...I could see when I was okay and when I was over...

I will put the scale away. I know my hubby commented on my back looking leaner than it was before...of course he said this very carefully and chose words wisely since he was not sure how I would take this.

I do feel that my "comfy" pants are falling off my waist and am now sorry I did not do the measurements BEFORE I started, but heck, gotta have a starting point somewhere.

I am psyched this time out since i have found I am not napping in the afternoon like I was, have more energy AND just feel better.

My hubby has been doing a little "modified" Atkins and losing weight just fine, but more important to ME...he is less "flatulent" at night when he is asleep. I told him this and though he was a bit embarassed by his nightly habits when he is asleep, I told him that is a good sign...the low-carb is making his internal system work better.

HE ALSO HAS MORE ENERGY. He was on vacation last week and our grandson, who lives with us, said, great, grandpa and I can sit and watch T.V....and then laughed. Well grandpa proved him wrong, finishing the room we had started for him, tearing up the complete hallway area and refinishing it, repainting the entire entrance way, cleaning out the garage...all by Friday...

So I am ready for the changes and I should know better about the scale...

I was just a bit aprehensive last night reading so much on weight gain.

I really like this site and my next thing will be "shopping" tomorrow for low carb things at the health food store...

And I think I will look for her book while I am out instead of waiting for it to come. That one can go to my sister.

Thank you for taking the time to reply.

Cosmosis.