Hello all,

I just wanted to take the time to introduce myself before jumping into discussions.

I'm 22, and just came back from a year of studies in Durham, England. I live in Vienna, Austria, and just got myself my own (rented) place - very excited about that!!! - and am now looking for a job.

As to my dieting history... you can see that I've lost a fair amount of weight already, but I didn't do that on low-carb. I did it on a vegan ultra low-fat diet, which I kept up for about half a year. How I mastered the willpower for this I don't know, but in October - my birthday - I finally broke. Since then, I have regained more than 15 lbs. and have not been able to get back into that way of eating. And I have tried almost on a daily basis.

All that trying, for months, really showed me just how deprived I had felt on that 500-calories a day diet, and how frustrated that the weight just didn't come off at the rate it should have (in addition to eating like this, I spent two to three hours at the gym doing cardio. I shouldn't have had a single calorie in my body any more and should have lost weight rapidly... yeah right). So I've been looking around for alternatives, and seeing the success that people have on low carb - plus the fact that the food I've been depriving myself of now has an even higher appeal - I decided to go for it.

I've read two books, CAD (not a plan for me because I tend to pig out at reward meals) and Barry Groves' Eat Fat, Get Thin (a reasonable plan, except that I'm a vegetarian, but I'll work around that).

My major issues right now are to get in enough calories - I'm still somewhat calorie-phobic, and my subconscious keeps giving me guilt pangs because eating so much - and so much FAT, of all things! - just "has to" be a disaster for my weight. But I have nothing to lose, except lbs., so I'm giving it an honest try and when the lbs. start melting away, that's when I'll finally have my confirmation.

I suppose that's it... oh right, I wanted to ask, I'm now up to 1800 cals a day, with around 30 grams of carbs. Is that ok?

Nice to meet y'all,
Sunny

How do you guys get pictures of yourself to appear on the left margin? Is that a moderator privilege? Thanks!
Sunny

From the main page you will see a box on the left hand side-ish near the top that says, no avatar selected, click on that! You can put in your own pic but it needs to be 100x100 pixels max.

Your calorie/carb intake looks good. I'm not sure what plan your on, but Atkins recommends 20 carbs during induction. Again, thats depending on your plan and what stage you're in.

A great idea is to start a journal, you can post your menus and people can "critique". and offer suggestions, it also helps to track your progress.

Best of luck to ya!

Tammy

Works! Thank you!