Greetings, lc'ers!

I have been a dedicated low-carber, and even had my "success story" used in an on-line magazine during the low-carb heyday in 2003. After years of not being able to lose in ANY way at all, I lost 60 pounds in 7 months on Atkins (from 228 to 168)--yay, me.

Nobody told me that low-carbing can increase your fertility, but I found out anyway. With 3 kids already, ages 13, 10, and 6, I became pregnant with surprise baby number 4.

Determined and happy with my low-carb success, I did not use pregnancy as an excuse for losing my focus. I changed my eating somewhat (more fruits, some potatoes, for example), but essentially remained low-carb (about 100g per day) during my pregancy. Baby was born April 2004, and within four months, I had lost all the pregnancy weight. AND, just to put the icing on the cake, I lost an additional 10 pounds, hitting my all-time low of 158 and making my total lost 70 pounds from my start weight.

Sigh. This is where is starts to get sad. Major life events disrupted my focus in 2005. I held on for about 4 months, then gradually began eating the old way (ie--all the carbs I could lay my hands on). I gained back about 40 pounds, but when things settled down again in 2006, I thought--"now I can get back to low-carbing."

That was fully 2-1/2 years ago, and it has never happened. Not only did I not lose the weight I gained, but I gained back, slowly, every single pound I had ever lost. Every. Single. One.

I've been struggling with depression lately, and finally, last week, made the determination to start over again. I really would like the support of an online community to make the journey easier, and I'm hoping this will be an active supporting community.

I would love to hear from anyone who has been where I am and has had successfully lost weight the second time around.

I'm about a week into this...gritting my teeth and holding on tight.

Karen. You have made the important first step to recommit to a l/c WOE. Some people have found that it is tougher to lose the weight the second time around. However, everyone is different. Weight loss is truly a journey that each person must adjust to fit their own circumstances. However, weight loss is not a sprint and regardless of how much we might wish otherwise, it does not occur on our schedule. From your success the first time, I expect that you will also have success this time, though because of a lot of factors it may not be on the same schedule as your previous experience. Just stay with it and it will work. Good luck.

__________________
Henry

Karen- Glad to have you with us!

Now, since you've done this before, you know you can do it. And you know it's not as hard as you would have thought before you started. So the trick-the hardest part in my mind, at least-is adjusting your thinking to get your focus back and keep it.

I would venture that many (if not most of us) have had periods where we've gone up and down with the weight. I know I have. It comes and it goes. To me, for many people that's just part of it. The tough part isn't learning LC, it's not eating LC, or even losing the weight (although some would disagree with me on that). The challenge is integrating it into your life, so that stressful times or not, you don't completely lose the way.

At any rate, I think you'll find this a friendly, supportive community and I know I've found info and encouragement here that make a huge difference on how my lc'ing goes.

__________________

Welcome back Karen! I am back to low carbing after gaining more than I lost! I am two weeks in and have lost 10lbs and I feel great. You can do it! You did it before so you already know what to do. Getting past that first week is usually the hardest. Glad to see you back and best of luck!

Karen, a lot of us can relate to your situation. I'm glad you're back, and have come here for support. You'll find a lot of info, some very friendly people, and more encouragement than you ever thought possible.

BTW, you gained all the weight back slowly, expect to lose it slowly, too. But that's ok! It's not a race, it's a journey.

__________________
Nita

Welcome, Karen.

I hope you'll make yourself at home here. I think you'll find lots of earnest support from this community.

__________________

Thanks for the welcome. Right now, I'm focusing mostly on getting my head back in the "right place," so I don't wander back into my erring ways.

When I was going strongly in my LC lifestyle before, I gave credit to three things for helping me lose weight:

1. I excercised regularly.

2. I always, always drank my water.

3. I never cheated--not once.

Guess what I'm not doing now? #1 and 2 are not going so well, and since I've only been at this for a week and a half, it's too soon to say about #3.

However, I have stuck to low-carb eating for that much time. I was so faithful for over two years--I thought it really was a way of life, and I would never return to eating the old way. But, I have learned that if I lose my focus, I not only can, but WILL eat carbs--bad carbs (anyone know what an Oram's donut is?) and I deeply regret it.

Coming here and deciding to be part of an online low-carb community again is part of my plan to recapture the old focus. So much of weight loss involves those "mind games" we play with ourselves--how often we weigh, what kinds of goals we set, joining challenges, etc...--and I haven't figured out what is going to work for me right now. I'm just taking things one day at a time.

I'm down 5 or 6 pounds (actually, I saw 9 pounds down at one point, but it might have been a scale fluke), and I know that is mostly water.

I'm not in a hurry. Time is going to pass, no matter what, and if I weigh less next year than I do right now, that is good for me. I already know I can't stress about every little pound. I tend to weigh pretty frequently, but with an eye to trends. I have learned not to fret about the little bounces and fluctuations. For me, it's a bad thing to avoid the scale, because it is a sign that I don't want to see what it says because I haven't been eating right. I need to face it every day, because it serves as a reminder to me that I must continue to FOCUS and THINK about what I eat.

Thanks for letting me ramble. I look forward to getting to know you all better.

Hi LCKaren, I'm on the same road as you are, maybe just a little further along. I also have regained after a sucessful diet and am now trying to get back where I need to be. Its slower going this time around, but it is going! This time I seem to hit plateaus where nothing I do helps. After 2-3 weeks of going up 1 down 2 or up 2 and down 1 my body finally seems to agree to let go of a few lbs again. This has been happening again and again but the overall trend is downward, so don't get discouraged. Hang in there!

Karen, I think you are right on target with the idea that it's the thinking to address, and finding ways to approach it that keep you focused and support your goals. One step a time is exactly how it's done.

Tayna-That up and down thing is exactly how it works for most of us. But I have to disagree a touch with you - for plateaus, there is help available: patience and faith that consistently making healthy choices pay off long term.

Y'all keep on going. You're doing great!

__________________

Karen - I am so glad you posted. I was pretty much in the same situation. I lost when I was doing lc years ago then little by little things, life etc muddied up the waters and I was at my heaviest.

I recommitted to LC on 6/3/08 and I haven't looked back. The key is your thought process. Everyday is a choice. We choose to succeed and to maintain a LC lifestyle. It is not a diet for me. People will probably be tired of hearing me say this but think about vegetarians. They CHOOSE to eat only certain foods. That thought process is so much better than believing you are deprived because you can't have <insert inappropriate carb-laden food here> Check out the quote at the bottom of Newme2be's posts. That says it all. I say blah on whining about what we can't have and let's celebrate the healthy lifestyle we are living!!!

Get you mind in the game and you will be surprised at the success you will find and how much better you feel. Come over and join the LC Diva gang ~ we are living and loving our low carb!!!!

Glad to see you here and keep posting!

Blessings to you!
~gb

__________________
Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass ...it is about learning to dance in the rain!





Visit my shop at: http://glorybe1024.etsy.com

Wow, this looks like a really active board (4 pages of new posts since yesterday?). That's great--now that "low carb" is not the diet fad du jour, I was afraid I might not find the same level of support that there was years ago. In fact, I know anyone who is here is probably serious about a LC lifestyle and NOT just following fad, so that's even better. I'll take you up on the Low Carb Diva's thread and find my way over there. I wish I could, but I can't, read all the posts on this board. I need to find a little corner where I can post regularly and find support, and, I hope, be an encouragement to others as well.

We've definitely got some LC Lifers here, Karen! Poke around and find where you're comfortable; I've no doubt you'll find the kind of support and encouargmet that will go a long way toward making it easier for you. I know I sure do.

__________________

Similarly, after a lot of turmoil and setbacks in my life (and the resulting weight gain from eating carbs), I am back on board the LC WOE again too!!!
I am going to read these boards again and actually start posting myself. I haven't been logged on since 2005 it said!! YIKES!! A lot has happened in my life since then!!!
Well, I'm on my way to Sam's Club to load up on some good LOW CARB stuff!!!! Catch y'all later!!!!

Good luck on your shopping trip, Peach.

Glad to see you back here.

__________________

You and I have much in common. I too was a great success about 2 years ago and somehow veered off of this WOE. I'm right back where I started!!! It's sooooo difficult the second time around. I was told this many many times the first time around and never ever saw myself a victim.

I'm struggling with some depression, but for the most part i'm determined to get myself back on track. I have joined a gym, started to read the Atkins book again, joined this forum to get motivation, cleaned out my cabinets and trying to remember how great I felt the first time around. How great it was to lose all that weight and fit back into all of my clothes again. I also had this unbelievable energy, glow and overall confidence that I want back again.

You can do it!!! I know I can. This web-site is a great inspiration.

Feel free to email/contact me personally as well. We can motivate each other!!! Good luck!!!

Remember, you're not alone!!!