Atkins

[Kevy Baby]

Wow; Two threads started in one day.

I'm fat.

Not pudgy, I don't have "love handles," I'm not carrying "a little extra"; I'm obese

About 50 pounds overweight but my own estimation (screw the doctors - I would look emaciated at 185!).

I'm not really concerned about my outward appearance - I prefer that people judge me by the butthead that I am. But I have been becoming more and more physically uncomfortable about my girth (and it's not adding any "girth" in the good place). Clothes keep getting tighter, I've had to go to yet another notch on the belt in the wrong direction, and I just don't feel good.

I've been wanting to do something about it for a long time. Problem is, I truly enjoy eating. I've tried to make efforts to limit portions, but years of NOT doing that make it a challenge. I decided I needed to do something where a definitive and significant change happened. But it needed to be something that I could actually do.

So after more than a year of thinking about it, talking about it, asking questions about it, I just decided that I would start the Atkins diet today.

(For the Atkins detractors out there: I know that this diet has significant potential health risks, but my obesity is a REAL threat to my health that I need to change NOW.)

For all the thinking about, I really haven't done any solid research into what is okay and what isn't. My co-worker (who has had excellent success with Atkins) previously told me a couple of things, such as the low-carb breakfast from Carl's Jr. (which is what I started the day with), no sugar, bread, pasta, blah, blah, blah.

So I started the day with the aforementioned Carl's, had a steak for lunch, no bread (and I LOVE the rolls they serve where I went), Ceaser salad with no croutons, no taters or rice (had vegetables instead, but only had a small amount of those) and iced tea (no sweetener). Had chicken and a salad for dinner.

(Although as I write this, I just now realized I DID slip today: I always grab one of the red swirl mints on the way out of the restaurant at lunch and that was a no-no.)

So day one was a success. I started the day saying that was all I needed to worry about: today's meals.

So now I gotta figure out what I am going to have tomorrow. Later, I will start having a list of acceptable things, but for now, I have told my co-worker that I am going to ask for her help on a regular basis.

One day at a time.

We'll see how things go.

[wendybeth]

Good luck!

[Ghoulish Delight]

Good luck. One important bit of advice...work with your doctor on this. That's the number one sure-fire way to not fall into the Atkins pitfalls that are out there.

You may also want to look into some of the variations out there. My mom, for instance, had near miraculous success with the Susan Sommers version (plus regular doctor consultation). You'll probably have better luck if you have a defined program to stick to rather than the nebulous "no carbs".

[Gn2Dlnd]

Let's talk, shall we? Sounds like you had a good day, congratulations!

[Stan4dSteph]

I agree with GD, do research and work with your doctor. You need to understand what is and isn't "allowed" on your plan and then plan out meals. Get rid of bad foods if you have to, to avoid temptation.

I'm doing Weight Watchers. It's a slower weight loss, but it's not really a diet so much as a lifestyle change.

Best of luck.

[Gemini Cricket]

Good luck, KB! I hear 30 minutes of exercise is essential to losing weight. Walking's good. I was just talking to NA yesterday about going back to the gym.

[TigerLily]

good luck....I tried that diet once, but being almost a vegitarian it was not the diet for me. I eat chicken or shell fish about once or twice a week. My father and co-worker both lost alot of weight on that diet though...

[scaeagles]

My sister was morbidly obese - around 150 lbs overweight. She started Atkins about a year ago and has lost around 90 lbs. Her blood pressure has lowered dramatically, and it has helped with her blood sugar levels, and surprisingly, cholesterol.

She does exercise daily as well.

Depending on how long you do this, be prepared for plateaus. After my sis lost 50 she didn't lose any for for several weeks despite strict adherrence and exercise. Then it just started to come off again.

I know you'll be successful.

[MickeyLumbo]

kevy, i know the struggle and challenge ahead. i just had my annual physical and together with doctors help (and cooperation at the office) i will be starting a rigourous new therapy...but, i must wait until i know for sure i can leave my desk as needed.

the key here is a doctor that cares, an understanding manager and my willingness to make this work.

i wish you great success and hope you will also have the guidance of your doctor.

[tracilicious]

Hey, we started our diets on the same day! Low carb works quickly, though I believe that South Beach is healthier than Atkins. Better fats, more veggies.

I started a diet called the Schwarzbein Principle. The premise is that you need to be healthy to lose weight, not lose weight to be healthy. When we eat badly for an extended period of time, diet a lot and over exercise, that damages our metabolism. This diet focuses on healing the metabolism which leads to weight loss. The key is balanced meals including a good fat, a complex carb, a healthy protein, and low starch veggies. The healing phase is low carb, but higher than Atkins/SB.

My meals today went something like this:

breakfast: eggs with black beans, munster cheese and fresh salsa wrapped in a corn tortilla
snack: 3 strawberries with ricotta cheese
lunch: turkey, cheese, and tomatos wrapped in leafy greens (this was technically too low carb)

Later I'll have some veggies and hummus as a snack and dinner is grilled salmon and asparagus.

The book suggests continuing to "self medicate" with the things you are addicted to while you are starting the plan. That way your body doesn't completely freak out and release a bunch of hormones. I'm addicted to sugar and caffeine, so I'm having small amounts of dark chocolate and green tea as the cravings hit (well, so far I've had one square of chocolate and no tea).

I'm starting out with a goal of losing 45 pounds, which will put me back to where I was before I had any babies. Then I'll decide how much more to lose from there. I can't even believe I have that much to lose as I type it. My how quickly the weight piles on.