I am new to this and I have to admit, the thought of sharing my personal feelings online to a million strangers makes me a little queezy.

I am just starting my LC journey. I have been struggling with my weight my whole life, particularly the past 11 years. My insecurity, low self-esteem and depression is beginning to have a negative impact on my relationships with family, friends and loved ones.

I was always outgoing and very active throughout highschool and college. These days i am happy hiding away in my house. The need to be alone, mopy and depressed is beginning to take a toll on my long term relationship. It has gotten to the point that i dont even want to be around him. I dont want him to touch me and i get nervous and defensive when he stares. i've put so many restrictions on our relationship i am afraid its not going to last yet it's the only thing that brings me joy.

I want the weight gone NOW. I hate waiting and i hate hearing that it will take so long to see any improvement. The LC approach has given me hope that i could be seeing results soon. I need encouragement, advice, hope, more information etc. what books should i read, what ones are a waist of my time, how can i regain my confidence? how do i shop? i am on a limited budget and my biggest downfall is buying pasta's, waffles, breads, CEREALS!! etc.

i am at the point where i dont even answer my cell phone or my house phone, i no longer go out with my girlfriends and i hate running into people i know. I am embarrassed and ashamed. any encouragement would be greatly appreciated.

sorry this sounds so depressing... i hope as the days go by my spirits will lift.

Dear Lucyblue, (((((Hug))))
I hear ya! I have been there... Hang in there. I am sure there will be lots of words of wisdom form the friends here at this site. I am new as well but want you to know you are not alone. One thing that has helped me the most with being down and depressed is finding a great friend and walking together. Finding peace inside, breathing.... and knowing I need to take care of me has been my journey. Getting this extra weight off will just make me a better me. Even though I am fine as I am. I am very aware that this weight is the major source of my negative self talk!

Hope that didn't sound preachy.... Good luck finding a plan and grab on to the support here. peace, Susan

Hello,

First of all, congratulations on finding us here It does feel strange at first to share stuff with "strangers," but one thing I've discovered is that everyone on here is going through essentially the same things. Look at the various forums and find one that appeals to you. Find a "buddy" and share journals - everyone needs a buddy

First of all, under the "Quick Links" bar to the right, look at the page "Which low-carb plan is right for me?" It will give you a good overview of the various plans and each encompasses. You'll also find references for the "main" book for each plan. Some plans have websites, such as http://atkins.com/ where you can find a wealth of information. I personally like Atkins because it is very easy for me to follow and only count carbs.

I've found that my confidence and my outlook on life has increased exponentially as I've realized that I am doing the best possible thing I can do for my body and my health by improving how I eat. I don't know why, but this WOE makes me feel powerful, which I never experienced on a low-fat diet. I get a lot more of a feeling that "I choose to eat this and not that" which, coupled with losing weight, is a great self-esteem booster for me.

The great thing about low-carbing is that it really isn't that expensive. I've found that my grocery bill hasn't increased at all.
* Buy the value packs of meat and freeze it for later use. I don't eat red meat, but use a lot of ground turkey - which is typically much cheaper than ground beef.
* Look for what veggies are on sale in any given week. I can usually get lettuce for under a dollar. Spinach is usually inexpensive, is versatile and is packed with nutrients. Celery, broccoli and cauliflower are all usually cheap, as well.
* Don't forget frozen veggies (avoiding mixes with corn, potatoes and carrots).
* Eggs are a staple of mine and are another inexpensive item for your shopping cart.
* Splurge on things like good butter, olive oil and dressings. These are things that you'll only be using a tablespoon or two at a time, so they'll stretch. Look for those with no added sugar.
* Cheese!
* Most cereals are $3 to $5 dollars a box. For about that same amount, you can get (AFTER induction) a loaf of low-carb bread or some yummy low-carb tortillas.
* Generally, shop the perimeter of the store where the fresh foods are and avoid the aisles with all the processed foods. However, when you first start your plan and are familiar with what you can eat, take a leisurely stroll through several different grocery stores. Read labels and familiarize yourself with what your area stores have to offer. It will make things easier on you in the long run.

I haven't been at this too long myself, but I'd be happy to provide any information and help I can

Welcome! I was a bit apprehensive when I began a month or so ago. Personally I read "Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution". And I keep on reading it over and over again. I read it repeatedly because I want to be ever mindful of the goals I've set for myself.

You mentioned that you've struggled weightwise for 11 years. Then you must realize that, just like any other long term problem, it cannot be solved overnight. The beauty of this plan ( and I'm talking about Atkins) is that it teaches you to CHANGE your eating habits. It becomes a lifestyle, not a quick fix.

It was hard to leave the potatoes, pasta, bread, etc. for the first few days or so. And quitting my sweet tea was almost as close to torture as you could get (I'm a southern boy and sweet tea is a staple down here). But I did it, and I don't regret it.

Shopping? Meats, hard cheeses, eggs, and Low Carb Veggies. Heck, a couple weeks ago I had a double whopper with cheese. I just chucked the bun, and ate away. Just remember to order it without the sugar laden ketchup!

One of the strongest motivators I've had is using the Ketostix to measure my lipolysis. Just like Atkins wrote, seeing those little things turn dark purple makes you feel REAL GOOD!

No one is gonna do anything about your self-esteem but you. That's why they call it SELF-esteem.

I've been reading this forum since day two of my journey and I've seen the tremendous support offered by the members. If it's support and encouragement you need, you will find it here!

Good Luck and God Bless!
Mark

Welcome to the forum!

We’re glad you found us and welcome your participation.

For me, participation in the forum is an essential component in my LC WOE. I find the kind of information, support and community here that I need to reach my weight loss and better health goals. I hope you will too.

One thing I've learned from sharing my story with this Internet community is that it helps so much to share openly and participate. Give and you will get.

Good luck on your LC journey!

Donald

First and foremost, i dont know how it's possible but i am already feeling better, feeling encouraged and feeling ready to start my permanent weight loss journey. I understand that it's a long road to success but your support has already done wonders.

i usually dread going to the grocery store, i am actually excited now to go and read nutrition labels!! I am excited to get information and learn more about lowcarbing and to hopefully get rid of my low fat, high carb diet for good. (something i should have done a long time ago)

thank you for your support and encouragement. I am looking forward to sharing my successes with you all and hearing yours. i actually took notes when reading the replies to my posting. Thanks for all the great tips especially the one about avoiding the center aisles in the grocery store!! just do the perimeter.

i am going to look into atkins and the zone...does anyone else have any other recomendations?

Hi Lucyblue, I have read Suzanne Sommer's book, Atkin's New diet Revolution and Carbo Addict's book. I am trying the CAD diet. On this site you can check out the different diets and how people are doing on them. Good luck. Susan

I'm replying a bit late, so I don't know if you are still following the thread, but I just wanted to say that this is the best online place for support I have ever come across. Consider yourself among friends. You might want to start a journal and write about how you are doing; it's a way to account for what you do and also to receive encouragement and support.

Get some good science behind you if you can, about what actually happens on a LC diet, but mostly pay attention to how you feel and what changes happen. If you are strict the first week or two can feel really shitty, but if you don't feel better after that then you might want to up the carbs or re-think. If you are exercising intensely (and I recommend it) you might well need more carbs.

Keep posting and take care.

Many good wishes..

Gez

Awwwww Lucyblue!

All I can say is.....Been there, done that!! I know exactly how you feel! This WOE will change your life emmensely and you'll be so excited when the pounds start melting away! It takes committment and it takes knowledge so read everything you can and start checking out all the recipes. Variety in the menu will keep you from getting bored!

Good luck! Today is the first day of the rest of your life! Take it one day at a time!!!!

Lucyblue-

I've been treated for depression and anxiety, and I hear
you. As a friend told me: being miserable is easy- being
happy takes work. It looks like you're working on
being happy, so hang in there- and patience!

I found the atkins book very reassuring, because he
understood the psychology of someone losing weight, &
the baggage (physical & otherwise) they be might be
bringing with them. He does a good job of addressing the
frustrations one might face, in the places they occur.

As far as shooping goes- I hate it myself, still having
an issue with crowds, but a few things-

-Buy in bulk when you can. Frozen chicken breasts in 4lb
bags are a staple on my list. Some places sell nuts in
1lb bags- MUCH cheaper than small cans or packages.

-Those convenient bags of prepared salads are expensive.
buy the salad stuff & clean it yourself.

- The deli sells a lot of cheeses by the pound for less
than you pay for the prepackaged, sliced stuff.

-Someone mentioned it before- stay out of all those aisles
in the middle of the store with forbidden foods, at least
for the first few weeks. I would torture myself by walking
up and down the bread aisle, until my wife rescued me.

-If the people thing's really an issue, shop late at night.

One last thing- according to Atkins, some antidepressants
may affect weight loss. You mileage may vary. I'm
a Paxil poster child myself, but it's been manageable.

Take it a day at time. You can do this.

Take care,

Mark