Hi all,
I am new here and love this website. I have only been on Atkins for 2 days and I am loving the food. I can do this forever. HOwever.... I am only 5 ft tall and need to lose about 15-20lbs and all the girls at work are telling me this diet will not work for me.. I am heavy in the hips and thighs and it is starting in my belly. I am 136 pounds that is the most I have ever weighed. I know people dont think that is much but on a 5" frame it is alot.. I would like to be down to 120. My question is WIll this diet work for me or am I wasting my time.. I am a "sugar" and carb junky.. and need to control that.. oh yeah I am 33 yrs old.. thanks to anyone who can give me some advise..

welcome here! I can say absolutely for sure this diet works! The 1st lesson--- dont treat this as a "diet" but as a way of life. In order for it to truely be effective U need to remain low-carb. Now having said that dont think that eventually U cant have "special" foods. BUT if U can try to get your mind set that U will eat this way the rest of your life the better off U will be. Eating low-carbs is a healthy choice. I have no idea why your co-workers say this diet wont work for U cause they are misinformed. Also because U dont have a lot to lose, your weight loss will be slower than some U will read on here. Dont get discouraged, base your success on how U feel. And last thing...drink WATER!!!! Good luck!

hey wendy,
i was in the same boat as you. I was definitely afraid to try the LC WOE, but I done it and i'm going to go through with it for the long run. It's only been one week, but i'm so proud of myself and actually it's not been that bad. I'm not going to lie to you, it has been a little hard avoiding temptations and those sugar and carb callings are there also, but nothing is going to get in my way of my goal. I want to lose weight so bad that carb-filled foods and sugar will not get in my way and if you think like that, you'll get through it, good luck!!

Hi Wendy. Welcome aboard!

If anything, the LC lifestyle will probably work very well for you. I wouldn't be surprised if you can have quite a few more carbs in your Maintenance Level diet than I will be able to. I say that because a high carb lifestyle has apparently only led to a creeping weight gain and not a ballooning weight gain that so many of us have experienced. This would not be true, of course, if your basic diet was already reasonably low carb or at least low sugar.

With only being on it for two days, you do need to watch out for a couple of common traps that catch a lot of people and derail them prematurely.

First, if you start feeling really bad - struggle through it. It's natural and very temporary. If you've already completed two days you may get lucky and not have any real bad ones during withdrawl - especially if your basic diet was already reasonably low carb or at least low sugar - sounds familiar - and low caffeine.

Second, you can expect pretty slow weight loss - as others have noted. This is what you want. The slower it is, the more likely you will be able to maintain it permanently. But also, don't be discouraged if you go for extended periods of time with little to no loss or even minor gains in weight. That's normal and will pass if you just stay the course.

Again, welcome to the boards and look forward to interacting with you.

Janel,
I made it thru valentines day .. no prob.. very very tempting but didnt budge a muscle.. all the chocolates and cookies that were passed around my office...damn.. and I sat there with my italian sausage stuffed mushrooms...lol.. The weekend will be my hardest..

Wabhn,
Thanks for the warning on the traps!!!!! I have been feeling real crappy real crappy not only did I start this diet but my husband decided to leave me!!! so I am dealing with that also!!! I am looking forward to staying close to all you guys for support. Good luck to all reaching there goals.. and Thank you for being here!
Wendy

I'm sorry to hear about your husband. What a jerk.

Ever thought of moving to Colorado?

You hang tough and stick close to this forum. You won't believe the support you get and how truly valuable it is.

wflow, welcome to the boards. This one is my fave. I read it everyday, although I don't post too much. I'm sorry about your husband's mistake to leave you.
YES we are here to support you. I went through pretty much the same situation.
I was 191 when my jerk left, and it was such a treat to meet him for lunch one day weighing in at 120! You shoulda seen his eyes. HIS LOSS! You can do it.
There are some great self help books out there, if interested email me. Hugs, Kelly

Wendy,
I am so sorry also to hear about your situation. If there's anything we can do here on this board, definitely let us know and we'll help you through anything you need. Everyone has their own personal trials and tribulations that they must deal with and though you have two, it's possible for you to recover in time. Become that strong person that you need yourself to be right now and though things may be tough for you, this is the best time to go through with the LC WOEing. It may make you feel alot better about yourself inside and out. If you need anything, we're all here, i'm sure of that. Take care and good luck with your battles.

Hi all,
Day 3 and all feeling pretty good.. My co-workers asked me today why I had so much energy this morning. They asked me if I got lucky last night..lol I can't beleive the burst of energy I have. My brother got me started on this WOE. He has been on atkins for over a year and lost over 60lbs.. I wont get on the scale yet I figured I would do that tomorrow morning..(just to check). I took my daughter out to eat last night and ordered a ceasar salad with chicken. I think that is ok.. I had the dressing on the side so I could control the amount I used. Stressed out with the husband and really felt like having a glass of wine to cool my nerves ..but I didnt.. this weekend will be tough...
Thanks all
Wendy :-)

Glad to hear you are doing well. And glad to hear that you are getting over the Induction Blahs before dealing with the jerk - the extra energy might come in handy.

Always remember - time heals all wounds and wounds all heals.

WOW ...

I love eating all this food.. I miss Tirimisu desert. and icecream but after I get to my goal I will reward myself with a sundae or Tirimisu..lol..

Life is very difficult right now, so Atkins is helping me in 2 ways
1. A healthier lifestyle
2. something to focus on other than my divorce :-(

I have to admit I am having a problem with alcohol... I didnt do well my first weekend. Friday night I skipped supper and had like 6 or 7 miller lights .... A friend of mine suggested while on Atkins if I really need or want to have a drink to stick to something like Vodka and flavored water... Soooo.... poured myself one to get me thru the evening ... Husband never came home again!!! :-(

Wendy, I'm (a young-looking) 49 y.o. and I was 43 when I did Atkins the first time. Like you I'm short, 5'1", and back then I was 132 lbs. more or less (don't remember too well...). My results were amazing: during induction I lost 10 lbs. and I wasn't even doing it right, having 1-2 cups of coffee with non-dairy creamer and aspartame every morning, however, I did aerobics faithfully almost everyday.

Before one month I had gone down to a size 6-7 which I had not worn for quite a few years, more amazing was how the little rolls of fat I had over my hips and back (bra over-hang!) and belly pouch disappeared. Too bad later I listened to the bad rap LC got and went "low-fat" again only to have the weight slowly creep back up on me and more, eventually hitting 145 before I decided to do Atkins again in '98. Now it's an entirely different story but that's because my thyroid slowed down and I also had to contend with diminishing female hormones and I'm on HRT now. So keep your spirits up and stay with us, I'll pray for the situation between you and your husband, so you'll have wisdom in dealing with it.

Raquel,
THanks for introducing yourself. It's nice to chat with people who are the same size. You get to compare a little (I know everyone is different)!! I got on the scale this morning and its my 5th day and the scale is reading 130. That would mean a 6lb loss in 5 days!!!! I dont feel 6 lbs lighter. However I do have a ton of energy. I am sticking to this.. I promised myself 1 month ... I will JUDGE this WOE at that point... I am really craving something sweet.. BAD.. I wont give into the temptation but I am on the look out for a recipe that might hit the spot.. alot of folks talk about Diet Rootbeer and cream or DIet Coke and cream.. have you ever done that??? I like the sugar-free jello and whipped cream but need a change!! thanks for any advice and GOOD LUCK to you my friend
Wendy

My congratulations for such a good start and for sticking to it. It's very brave on your part to attempt such a change during a stressful time in your life, most "experts" would have adviced you against it, so give yourself a double pat on the back! But perhaps you feel like I do, in control of something in your life that will also offer a reward.

I've been thinking that your sugar/alcohol cravings are probably stronger precisely because of the stress, we do need a certain amount of carbs to be able to produce serotonin, the brain chemical that keeps our moods stable and calm, the one that anti-depressants try to raise, so if you find yourself struggling too much allow yourself a few more grams of carbs as your body needs them right now. I even doubt that could slow down your weight loss and may actually save you from temptation. Do try though to make it something "legal", like extra veggies or a piece of low-glycemic fruit (you can find a list at http://www.mendosa.com/gilists.htm).

I've never had the rootbeer float so I can't give my opinion about it, sorry. I am a cheesecake fan, though, so if you want a fairly easy recipe that can be done in the microwave or a toaster oven, let me know. Every week I make it in a different flavor for variety and I'm still not tired of it, but of course I alternate with the jello and ocasionally 1/2 a protein bar or 1/2 S/F chocolate bar.

Take care!

Hi all,
Life got to me!!! stress - Divorce- Job..everything all at once.. Well I went back to old habits and I HATE it... I am starting fresh on Monday/Tuesday (I have Mondays off so its easier to start my week on a Tues). I miss this board.. Its an awesome place to be for encouragment..

Wendy