Hello, my name is James. I'm 34 and have gone from 335lbs to 300 since Oct. 15 (03). I lost the first 20 lbs in the first 20 days. The last 10 took some work. I'm still not eating more than 20 to 30 carbs per day and dont plan to increase until I reach my goal of around 220 to 235 (hopefully more).

The last 10lbs took several weeks and most of it came off in the last week when I doubled my walks to 2 miles and stopped eating my salsa ranch dressing and low carb choc. milk. I have stalled again right at 300/301 for the last week but thats pretty good considering all of the holiday cheer I've been puting down.

I tried the atkins diet a year ago and found it to be very difficult to follow but with all the new food options including my favorite Russell Stover low carb and sugar free chocolates and low carb La Tortilla tortillas it's been a breeze this time around. If you havent tried the tortillas they are amazing! 3 net carbs per tortilla. They are about the size of a soft taco tortilla.

Anyway I'm thrilled to have found this forum or us tripple digiters and I look forward to watching everyones progress.

One question: Am I the only one that doesnt lose without excersize? I've known others to lose 70 lbs and never excersize but my body is amazing at hanging on to flab.

Hi and Welcome James...
Your success so far looks great...keep up the good work.
On your last question, speaking for myself, I didnt start exercising til I lost about 50 lbs...then I felt like I should but I was still loosing well. Now I exercise alot more...as I loose I need to firm up now the flabby...areas..

You will find alot of GREAT advice here.....

Good luck to you on your second time around...on Atkins...

Janet

You are not alone. I have only lost 20 lbs since Oct 25 - I have been exercising really hard - over 100 miles on the Gazelle ( almost an hour per day- 6 days per week) and sticking 20 carbs. a day. I have not cheated since the start. You have done far better than me!! I know if I do not exercise I do not loose. My body quickly accepts the new calorie or carb level and just happily sits there. Merry x-mas and don't fall off Lcing during this tempting season.

ENGINEPE, congratulations on a job well done! (To you too, BJUBA!)

Congrats on your success and I hope your 2004 brings you even more success!

I lose okay without exercising but I lose a LOT more and faster if I workout regularly..not to mention the HUGE difference in my stomach if I keep up with the AB workout...ugh I need to get back to that!

welcome to the TDC einginepe.
If you are not exercising then to quote DR Atkins from DR ATKINS' NEW DIET REVOLUTION THIRD EDITION you aren't doing Atkins. He revised the program in 2002 and now exercise is a mandatory part of the program. he says both aerobic and resistance training are needed. So do what you can now and build up to doing it 5 times a week minimum.
Also go easy on those low carb candies and products. If you read the book you will see in chapter 11 Q and A he says you don't need to count calories because he uses carbs to limit your foods. However that philosophy was created before the widespread use of sugar alcohols for sweeteners and protein powders for flours. Those produces moved the vast majority of the cals out of the carb column and into the protein column which distorts the low carber into thinking they are free foods. As DR Atkins goes on to say in the same Q and A eating more calories then you use will result in weight gain. Something many new low carbers over look and fail to understand. You have a metabolic advantage because the ketogenic energy system is more inefficient then the carb energy system in the human body so you get the same effect with 30% more cals or an 1800 cal high carb diet will yield the same results as a 2340 low carb high fat Atkins diet. That is the advantage he talks about in the book so often but doesn't explain well. So even though they are low carb you still have to watch the cals you consume in your extra carbs beyond your acceptable foods lists foods even if you are under the 20 carb limit for induction or your individual carb limit whatever it is.
If you follow and work his plan it will work for you.
Happy low carbing to you.

Hello enginepe, welcome and congratulations on your great start! You certainly seem to have an easy time losing your weight. That is a good thing.

Welcome and congratuations on your success so far!

I definitely cannot lose weight without exercising. Also, exercise has added health benefits on top of losing weight -- it's good for heart, it firms you up, it makes you feel better, it's good for stabilizing moods, and there are probably other benefits I am forgetting right now.

Thanks for all the responses. I have to admit I skimmed the Atkins book and used the Atkins website for most of my induction info. Thanks "Atkins4myW" for the data but a little spooky to think I have to start counting calories. I think I'll just cut off the sugar alcohols, keep walking and see what happens.

Happy Holidays!!

I am the reverse of your numbers. Just passed 65 pounds. I started at 321 on July 13, set a goal of 220 and have 32 pounds to go. I am excited to see the scale pass under 250 (maybe by this sunday when I record my weekly results). As I have had a lot of problems with gout while doing atkins, I have had extended periods when I cant exercise. It has not kept me from losing weight but the exercise is necessary to reshape my body. I lose the weight by watching what, and how much I eat. I reshape my body by working it. Particularly annoying is the ring of fat around my abdomen which wont drop from weight loss without exercise. All that candy and the processed foods might have the right numbers on the label but I aint buying that they are good for you. You can stay on a lo fat diet by eating lo fat twinkies but they cant be good for you. I limit my portions, limit my beef even more, get as many of my carbs as I can from hi nutrition veggies instead of malitol laced processed foods and, for me anyway, most importantly by controlling portions. I eat less food more often and it seems to keep me losing. I spent 3 months on strict induction. I then added some lo carb ice cream replacing one of my two snacks a couple times a week and added 3 carb per roll sandwich rolls by O'solo,added most kinds of veggies and tried the meal replacement bars. The bars have since been dropped as I think they are just empty calories and were no more satisfying than a snack of celery and cream cheese. On Jan 13 when I pass the 6 month mark, I intend to add some berries and nuts. My real challenge will be how I handle maintenance. I frankly have no intention of going back to eating high starch and high sweet foods. But I do look forward to being able to eat more diversely and less structured.
Hope you continue your weight loss and find a safe and healthy level which gives you happiness and stay there

You probably don't have to count calories. However, most of us reach the point where, once we have lost a fair amount of weight, we need to be a little more conscious of portion size and the frequency with which we are eating.

I would definitely cut out the sugar alcohols and focus on getting the calories you need from whole, healthy foods. You mentioned you are eating the Russell Stover lowcarb candies. If you read the label, they contain transfats (partially hydrogenated oil) -- a definite "NO" from Dr. Atkins.

I think it comes down to whether you just want to lose weight or to both lose weight and improve your health. If improving your health is part of your goal, then in my opinion artificial foods (such as sugar alcohols, Splenda, etc.) should have a very small or non-existent role in your life-style, but exercise should have a big role. It's getting easier and easier to eat lowcarb junk food, and some people successfully lose weight doing so, but I personally don't think it is a good idea. Even if you are primarily interested in your appearance, you'll look better if you are healthier.

Liz,

Thanks for the word on sugar alcohols. I definately need to cut back on them. But, as long as the pounds are coming off I'm still going to have an occassional sweet. If I can keep myself convinced that I am in control and not in some torcherously restrictive diet I will do this and see success.

I love the clear boundaries of LC but they are closing in on me with each response I get on here.

But I totally see what your saying and I need to step up my veggie count. I love spinach by the way. The label says a ½ cup serving has 4 carbs and 2 fiber which = 2 carbs. I hope no one tells me I can't eat spinach. ;-)

Thanks again

Also, Congrats Inkwell on your success. I can't wait to see 250. Maybe in about 3 months or so.