Hello all fellow low carbers. My name is jessie (messy jessie to be exact) and here begins my 3rd and final attempt at success! I began my first low carb "diet" (protein power) back in 1996. Lost about 40 pounds felt like amillion buck and then somehow let my brain tell me I didn't need it anymore.... WRONG!!! I have been "heavy" my whole life. Was a big kid, a bigger, teenager, and the biggest yet as a young adult. I was always active so health issues, besides the weight, were unknown to me. Last year I hit my all time highest weight at 275 and thought MY GOD WOMAN what are you doing! To that I dusted off my cover of protein power and read it again cover to cover. Then I saw PPLP in the bookstore and quickly snachetd it up and read that cover to cover too! And so began my weight loss journey #2. I was lucky that my mom & dad decided to do this with me. We were constantly sharing recipies and good days and bad days. I was going great for a long time. Started the day after Thanksgiving 2001 by my 1 year anniversary to low carb I had dropped 52 pounds and had the full attention of my doctor & medical staff. Actually her idea how cool is that?? A dr. that is actually pro low carb!!! My bloodwork has always been good. Never had any problems with bp, cholesterol, etc etc.. But we could always improve right??? Well right I did. Cholesterol went from 191 to 145 BP went down as well (sorry cant remember exactly) anyway I was in great shape. I had been working out religiously 5-6 days a week........ Then it happened. THanksgiving hit and I blew it. BAD Managed to stay off plan from Turkey day to February... gaining 20 pounds back How could this happen?? I worked a whole year loosing 52 pounds and in 2 short months I managed to put 20 back. So not far. I was mad.... But not mad enough to do anything about it... Then one of the girls in the oficve suggested I try WW with them. BIG MISTAKE!!!! In 8 weeks religiously following WW I gained another 11 pounds and my bp went up my cholesterol went up I was a mess. Went to my Doctor in a daze almost in tears asking for her help. Not to mention the bouts of hypoglycemia I was facing on WW. It was horrible... Fuzzy head, tired all the time, moody (poor hubby) I hated the way I felt and I only got worse.. Well after seeing my doc she was very concerned. She, like me, missed the peppy, eneregetic, person who she had sen the year before. "Enough is enough" she said "I am ordering you back to low carb! You body loves low carb so why not do what it likes!! You tried WW it didn't work and you didn't like it... You will never stick with something you dont enjoy... (smart doc huh?)a nd according to your blood work your body didn't like it either." The weight is not a health issues for me though believe me I have plenty!!!! But if I didn't get back to my low carb eating it was gong to become a problem..... So I left her office and vowed to go back to my lc life. I have since lost 5 of those pounds. I feel good again. I sleep MUCH better I have energy all day I'm not hungry and my brain is clear. That brings me to you.... I have lurked around this website throughout all my low carb troubles and triumph but never posted much... I have used many many of the wonderful recipies in here but never posted much else... I was a member of the bikini countdown club but that goal was soooo far away for me I just felt overwhelmed... So here I am back in the saddle and learning that I need to be around those more my speed. My goal as you see is <175... I have never been there before.. In fact I truly can't remember being under 200. When I get there I may find that I need to lose more but I'll make that decision when it comes. For now I just need the help & support of anyone willing to give it to make this my lasting & forever comittment to myself. I will be starting a journal soon too. Never did that last time and I truly think it will help. This time of year is easy for me to be in touch but I work in transportation and once the fall hits when HEAVY production & shipping I can REALLY get behind. I am vowing this year that wont happen. I need this support to keep me going all year round!!! So sorry to ramble on but this is my story and I'm sticking to it!

Thanks for listening!

Jessie

Here a HUGE HUG ((((hug))))

Whew, what a journey you have been on.

Let me be the first to encourage you towards your goal. This is not my first attempt at LC. However, it has been my longest term and the most successful. I REFUSE to give up.
I can relate to the WW fiasco and man am I glad I know what I know now. Geez, those little boxed lunches make me wanna uke:. I love the Atkins way- a big ole hunk of meat and some healthy veggies.

I have a lady in my office who is a WW fanatic and the other ladies in my office have placed us in a competition. Well guess which plan is winning. (I'm not bragging, just stating facts) I have lost 61.50 pounds on this WOL and REFUSE to give up. If I can do it then I know you can too!

I want you to know that I will be cheering in your corner.

I am looking forward to walking the journey with you!

Be blessed,
Tanya

Hi Jessie,

It was a pleasure to read your frank and honest story, I guess most of us here can relate to much your shared, I had promised and broken my promise to loose weight for years and I was simply eating myself to the grave. Is it not great that we have come to learn that this way of eating works. The journey is a long one, with many difficulties on route, but together on this forum, time after time you see people reach out and help other over the difficulties in the knowledge that someday it will be them helping you.

Great to meet you, do start a journal and soon you will have all the support you will need. I don't think you or anyone can do this alone, but together we can make it.

Well done on those pounds lost and that feeling of being back in controll, hope to see your posts and have a good weekend.

Graeme

Hello Tanya & Graeme

So nice to meet you both and thank you for your kinds words and encouragement. I was just wishing the other day that there would be support meetings.... much like the weekly weigh ins at WW. I really did enjoy my once a week meeting to discuss the past weeks troubles and triumphs.. Gave me motivation to continue. I thik it's the whle safety in numbers thing and knowing I was not alone in this battle of the bulge. But DUH! I forgot to look right in front of me. That support was here all along within this forum!!!! Who needs to go anywhere for a weekly meeting when I can have daly and sometimes even hourly support? Must be my blonde showing through. Tomorrow is my weight in for the week. I can only do it once a week or I get upset. Will let you all know IN MY JOURNAL tomorrow... I will start it up then..... hopefully on a high note.

Thanks again!

Jessie

Hi there Jessie,
So glad to meet you and look forward to seeing you meeting your goal!!!!!!!!!!!! Ditto what everyone else has said, You can do this, and you know you can!!!!!!!!!!! I can relate trying sooo many times to lose the weight and it never failed that I would gain it all back and then some. Atkins is the only way for me!!!!!!!!!!!

Take care and I look forward to talking with you some time

Stephanie

Welcome!
Glad to have you to share the journey to health with! You will meet a great group of kind and caring folx.

Thanks for sharing your story with us. I recently read PPLP too & found alot of interesting info in it. I'd be interested in hearing what you think about the differences in it & Atkins.

Good luck on your weigh-in tomorrow!!

Welcome, Jessie! Thank you so much for sharing your story...

...for many reasons. Not only so that we have the opportunity to know you better, but also because of the lessons it contained--essentially that if we stop LCing and fall back into old, familiar and unhealthy patterns of eating, WE GET FAT AGAIN REALLY, REALLY FAST!

And what's more (I speak from experience), I believe we gain additional pounds even faster than before because our bodies are so confused.

When I tried CAD 3 years ago, I lost 60-65 pounds. When I fell off the wagon, I packed it all back on plus 30+ more in the blink of an eye.

So, now when I think I'm geting ready to fall of the wagon, I remind myself of how fast pounds pile back on. It might not always keep me secure on the wagon, but it tends to snap me back into reality pretty darn quick.

Good luck to you!

Donald

Welcome! They don't call this a WOL for nothing-I am on the life plan. And don't worry if you make a mistake, we'll be here to pick you up or boot you in the behind (I guess you can pick!)

You know what you need to do and we are here to support you. You can do this.