I am 35 and have tried many many things to lose wt.. I am very grateful I found this site yesterday. I got to an all time high 205lbs. with weight watchers. While my sister-in-law lost 40lbs. My every thought is about the size of everyone and how uncomfortable I am. I have 2 kids and I quit smoking on 12/5/02 However, I am not so sure I should have quit, coz' of my wt, I also have Narcolepsy and take lot of medications, including 2 anti-depressants, and I had to take two paks of steroids last month due to hives. I come from a overweight family, yes it is in the jeans, but must I accept that as truth? I was going to quit Atkins yesterday, I lost and then I gain and I am not cheating a bit, I did however have success with the CEA How program with overeaters annonymous. I lost 75 pounds!!! after my son was born 5 years ago. Now I weigh more than I ever have and just want to do what works and what is right? I have been desperately working hard since Jan and i have only dropped to 197 from 205. Did I mention, I celebrated 7 years clean and sober. I should be proud, how can I when all I think about is how and why cant I do the same with food. I feel weak and very depressed... does anyone understand? The main reason I didn't do OA (still option) I cant take it with me as easily as the Atkins, and it means weighing and measuring every morsel of food. Absolutely eating nothing in between! ...Or should I do that and get where I need to and then do atkins?? I am also doing Jazzercise 3+ times a week! since November and still nothing want to budge, especially the PUDGE!!
Hopefully I did this right. Thanks Minime

P.S. Any ideas or comments are welcome, I am so afraid of giving up and into the idea, "like mother like daughter"..

Hi,

Well, I think you should keep at it. If you read Atkin's book carefully, you will find that he has seen (in his clinical practice) folks with lots of your other symptoms. A low-carb diet might be just the thing for you.

You might consider looking up a low-carb friendly doctor in your area to advise you. I'm not sure how to go about finding one but maybe you could start by emailing the Atkin's folks (www.atkinscenter.com).

If I were you, I would read the Success Stories forum carefully. I think you'll find several great examples of folks in your situation or worse that have turned their lives around. And since you beat alcohol and nicotine, I think you should find beating carbs a breeze! Use your strengths!

Best of luck.

Hi minime!

If you aren't sure that you want to try Atkins you can read the 'Which Low Carb Plan is right for me?' under quick links on the right.

If you are sick of weighing and counting your food, Atkins works very well in that you only need to count your carbs and once you know what foods are allowed it becomes second nature and you really don't have to count any more unless you want to.

Weight fluctuates daily and you should ignore the little ups and downs. You can try weighing once a week, or weigh daily and then average the numbers to give you an average weight for yourself.

I've never done Jazzercise but we do have an exercise forum and you might get some ideas about other forms of exercising from there.


Welcome!

Beth

Regardless of which WOE you choose, the amount of time you stay with it is the best indicator of success. If you stay on low-carb, you WILL lose the PUDGE! I lost 35 lbs.! It took me about 7 months, but if I had quit after a month and a half, like I wanted to, I never would have lost anything!

Stay with it! You can do it!!!!!

I am fairly new here too! Welcome aboard. Let's give it a try what do we have to loose except weight.

Karen

I am really emotional lately, with all this new denial stuff that has been lifted and finally, I don't feel so alone. Thanks to everyone. Really...I will simply believe in all of you until I can believe in myself...BTW , what do you do during birthdays??? My very favorite food in the whole world is cake with buttercream icing I have a birthday, my son will be 5yrs old on 5/24 and my daughter 7days after me and my husband will be celebrating 7 years cleans too.... what to do, why does it seem like torture??? I use to eat everyone else's icing, could not figure out why they didn't eat it... I'd even go looking for it thrown away....see my concern?? Yes I most definately need some help!! Its no secret, most don't understand... I already take glutemain, the cakes talk to me, any suggestions for these scary festive days ahead???

MiniMe

Minime,

I just went through two family birthdays myself! I just made sure that I ate a lot of my meal so I wasn't hungry. It is easier to turn away for the bad stuff when you are full. Then I made sure I was incharge of handing out the gifts and cards, taking the pic, and cleaning as I went along so I kept busy. My DH sat there and watched, and yes could not help himself and had a small amount on both days.

Something else to keep in the back of your head should you really want some cake. It takes 3 days to get into ketosis! Now you have to dicided if that serving is with at least a three day hold on the plan.

Mary

I am so glad someone answered me. I kind of already know this stuff, but in the back of my mind maybe there was some new thing we can do??? Wishful thinking eh? That's what always gets me into trouble.
I actually have done atkins for over 2 years all together. Usually at 3-6 month intervals. Always gain it back. My denial will be the end of me. Maybe not now that I have this new support group.
I just remembered I can make sure all cakes are whipped cream icing, I hate that one and will not eat it. See the cake itself does not bother me at all, its always been the icing. I have realized that I cannot have my cake and eat it to.
3 days is toooo long. THanks for reminding me of that, I went to Mexican for Mother's Day and had tortilla soup. Of course, I had already had my 14 days of Induction, so I convinced my self with my depression that I DESERVE it. Now I cannot get into Ketosis, now I know why. THanks. Got to quit celebrating with FOOD!!! Thanks again.... bye bye

****minime****

Hi, I have been up and down the last couple of days. Just when I decide that LC isn't working, I realize and am reminded that 1 bowl of tortilla soup can put ya back 3 days.. dont want to do that anymore.

I've been reading up on colon cleanse and how that detoxes your system, I'm going to give it a try. It however suggests that you, eat more vegtables and lower fat, any suggestions, coz' i'm not going off Atkins again...I may never get back on.. I know me

Breakfast:
3 scrambled eggs
2 pcs of atkins bread with mustard

lunch:
tunafish with mayo ( nor miracle whip)

dinner???


Any??? ideas on how to not obsess on how I look and feel good about myself til the results come in?? thanks
minime

dont look at yourself in a mirror..see yourself in your mind...dwell on the accomplishments that you are achievingnow instead of what might take a while ..if you can make it thru the induction you have achieved so much as any atkins dieter can attest to..this is a worthy achievement and should give you the motivation to move in the right direction..
I didnt see any results until almost at the end of the induction but see them now I am just a late bloomer but I can tell you this much motivation tha I will conquer this weight has kept me going and at present I can now say that it is paying off..keep smiling You can do it

Hi I just wondered you say that you are depressed...are you taking anything. I have depression and i am taking Zoloft and feel so much better about myself, my life etc...

I also seem to have less appitite and better willpower...sorry for being nosy but I just thought you may want to consider talking with you doctor about it???

Bye YA

I am taking 150mg of Wellburtrin (it was 400mg) just last week. I also take Lexapro at night, I have Narcolepsy and I have to take 40mg Ritalin LA and Provigil. I was taking 120mg of Ritalin a day!! With Celexa, I had to go off the Zoloft due to lack of sexual desires. As far as not having an appitite, back when I started Ritalin in 1995.. I thought I had it made. So naturally I ate what ever I wanted and kept at my same wt. That is the only time in my life, that's where I need to remind myself.

I really appreciate you answering me and sharing your experience with me. I been on Atkins before but never got out of induction for 1year. So I am obviously going to do things different. What is CAD, and CCL?? I thought atkins was the only non carb way until I found this web site, now I don't fee so alone.

I would love to go off all of these medications but I have no choice. The Ritalin without any anti depressent will mke me psychotic. (already tried this on my own) I just had no idea that even amphetimines would put weight on you over the years... There really is no easier way, just the right way, i am learning
There was a time when I believed that, my self worth was not in my pant size! That's the state of mind I want to get in again
Minime

Know matter how busy I have been, I have been drinking my water and I am talking dividing my weight in half and and drinking that number in ounces. I do live in Las Vegas so its probably a good idea anyway. I haven't been able to exercise, however I have not wavered off my LCarbing!!

I have noticed when my life gets overwhelmed and chaotic, at least the one thing that is in control today is my food intake and my vitamins. Eventually that makes me feel really good about myself.

I have lost an inch at my waist and a half and a 1/2inch at my hips! its a start! I must say to the women out there, I started my cycle today and usually there is a lot of pain...lets just say it was a suprise because I dont have PMS!! What a blessing, no medication I have ever taken, has done that for me. I am excited and focused.

I truly am looking at where I want to go and not where I have been. I have to love me or no one else can, I also have to love this weight off!! I know this to be true, however it gets harder and harder to do! So maybe I can just keep it off with all of you. THank you...

P.s. The Gllutamine 500mg is working, don't need to eat any cake again....thanks so gratefully yours MINIME

I am very excited about this woe! i have lost 2 inches in my waist and 1 inch in my hips..,. I have a measuring chart I have my friend measure me and I measure her, no room for cheating... I had to stop exercising temporarily, i was very stalled and now i have a jump start again, I am so lc crazy and love helping others, this time I want to help others by being an example!!!!!

Mostly by sticking with it, NO MATTER WHAT!! NO MATTER WHERE I GO!! NO MATTER WHAT HOLIDAY OR VACATION OR AMOUNT OF MONEY I WILL WIN IN THE FUTURE!!!

I told my friend Sherif about this site, hope you find me! Here I am, we can do this together... so Lets Go!!!!
love minime....

Hey, I'm so happy to hear you're doing so well

Keep at it! The great thing about LC is that you really *can* stick with it for the long term...