Hello everyone, My name is Jacque and I am 19. I am trying the Adkins diet again. When I was 16 I went on this diet and lost 80 lbs in about 9 months, it was the best time of my life. I was down to 170 and then after I met my husband I just lost all self-control and ate foods that I wanted. I think I gained because I actually had a life for the first time and was going out and doing things. Now, I have a 10 month old and want to try for number two a year from this Aug. During my pregnancy I gained 60 lbs! I don't know why, I was immature about the whole thing and felt I could eat what I wanted when I wanted. I now weigh 305 lbs! I feel awful, and buying clothes have never been so expensive. My husband only weighs 180 and is constantly eating and gaining 0...No fair. Anyways I am really excited about doing this again, but don't want to lose control again. I need food tips so I CAN DO THIS. I want it so much. I want to feel attractive again, and have the energy my child deserves from me. Thank you so much for your support. Everyone here seems very friendly and I look foward to talking with you.

TIA
Jacque

I am so glad to meet you....this place is wonderful for support and information. Some of us have re-started our Low Carbing again on July 1/02. Please feel free to stop by. The thread is under Count Down Club and the Thread is call July 1/02 Are you in.

Please stop by and let us know how things are going.

Happy

You may be new here, but you don't have to be scared

You will find people here who will help you

You ask for food tips. What do you generally have problems with when dieting? Do you crave sweets, or bread, or pasta? Do you tend to eat too much at night, do you not exercise? See where I'm going with this..........let us know a little more about you so we all can chip in..........oops, my doctor says I shouldn't even say the word chip, like in chocolate......Mmmmmm........damn, I did it again

Thanks for your welcomes. I seems to eat alot of pasta and mexican foods and then want sweets afterwardsl. I just bought a treadmill but haven't used it much; my mind says get on but then I just walk by it again. I guess my problem with getting started is I want someone to do it for me. Weird. Like I have no idea what to buy at the grocery store, and how do you go about dinner routines? my husband and I always eat dinner together and usually make something that we can eat again the next day. Do I make two meals or should sorta fend for ourselves and make our own meals?

TIA
Jacque

Jacque,
Check out the recipe section. I've found lasagne recipes and others that my family will eat. I tend to make the same things as before but alter my portion. Such as tacos...I just leave out the tortilla for me and make it a taco salad. Spaghetti...I use bottled spaghetti sauce, but check for ones with no added sugar and the least amount of carbs. Then I make a salad for me, and eat the meat and sauce with my salad. The family has the pasta. Chicken is great...I just don't eat the potatoes or rice that I fix for the rest of the familia. Tonight we had chicken, corn, green beans and canteloupe. The only thing I couldn't eat was the corn on the cob. I never make two different meals, unless I'm making macaroni and cheese for the kiddos. Then all I do is open up a can of tuna and plop it on top of a great salad. With mayo.... and a bit of dressing. It gets to be habit after a while.

Well, good to see you here and hope all goes well with low carbing. Oh, and check out the newbie section. There's stickies there to help with lots of questions you might have. Lots of good info. And don't forget to drink LOTS of water. Victoria

Howdy Neighbor...and welcome!!!

JC...reading your introduction made me think back to February when I started the low carb lifestyle and how scared and unsure I was. Your story of losing weight before getting married and then losing control after also hits home for me. You already know that Atkins works. I encourage you to reread the book and understand why it is that we tend to overeat. If you concentrate on reducing your desire to eat, the weight loss will just happen.

HANG TOUGH. You can do this. The first couple of weeks will be really hard. But if you will just keep going, it will get easier and will provide you with a way of being healthy from now on.

God Bless,

Hi Jacque!

I'm so glad you've joined our little "family".... you'll do so well here, I promise!! We all care about each other and really celebrate little successes together. Just take it one day at a time, one challenge at a time, asking for support all along the way whenever you need it and we'll come runnin'!!

When you're ready (and you will be!) you'll get on the treadmill and you'll soon be addicted to it. It doesn't take long either.... by the 3rd day you'll start craving that energy boost it gives you and you'll even start to enjoy the sweat!! Nothing like a good workout to get your day started!!

Anyway, I just wanted to welcome you and say hi and congratulate you on choosing a healthier life for yourself. You'll do just great!!

I'm so happy that you've found the forum and the Triple Digits Club, JC!

I also vivdly remember how I felt when I started Atkins in January. I was scared, ashamed, exhausted...but things are so much better now!

I also live with someone who can eat all kinds of food with no weight gain. I hope in my next life I will be one of those people! But until then, I have to limit my carbs and sugar.

Preparing meals that we can share has not been a problem for us becasue we both really enjoy meat. So there's always at least once common denominator--MEAT! Add to that a salad with fresh veggies (as much as you're allowed for the first 2 weeks) and other forms of veggie side dishes and before you know it you're sharing (and enjoying) meals that are healthy for both you and your family.

I strongly encourage you to read the latest edition of the Atkins book, and also to check out other LC programs until you find the one that's just right for you. And don't forget the recipes section of the forum for inspiration.

Please be sure to make the forum an essential element in your program as well. There are lots of other people here who have so much support and experience to share. Can you tell I like it here?

Good luck and good health!

Donald

Yeah, the carb overload from the pasta definately leads to craving sweets. Me and my wife tend to cook seprately. Maybe that will be the best solution if your husband doesn't need to diet. I think you could have a couple common meals a week doing what others have suggested with tacos, etc.

Speaking of taco salad, one of the things I like best about them is eating those fried tortilla bowls. Suzanne Somers (my wife is on that) showed us a way to make those bowls using fried parmesan cheese, which is just awesome If you want to know how, let me know. I am also about to use these as a pizza crust so I can have pizza again (pretty much the food I miss most ). I think this would also work as a chip for salsa

If you love mexican food, concentrate on eating fajitas which I love , with lots of grilled onions and peppers.

Once you get really into the diet, you will probably want to exercise in order to increase the weight loss.