Y'all, I need help and quick.

I haven't started low-carbing. I haven't talked myself out of it yet, but I'm awfully close, again. No "diet" has ever worked for me, and now I desperately need help.

My doctor has been jumping up and down in front of me because of my weight (300+ pounds) and lack of exercise. My back problems are getting worse (three degenerating disks, one disk ruptured, one vertebra twisted, bad case of arthritis), and it's compounded by a mean case of fibromyalgia. Now, even walking is a problem.

Life is work and home. I honestly got out this afternoon after work and did a little bit of shopping. This is something I usually avoid, except for the grocery store, and I actually enjoyed it. The last time I did something like this was well over a year ago. This is not sad ~~ it's pathetic.

I've got to get off my ample backside and do something, but my good intentions fade every time I think about it. Like I said, I''m accustomed to failure and have no past success to draw from.

Please, someone, anyone, talk to me. I need to know that low-carbing will work for me, I need a kind word, I need a swift kick ~~ I'm needy ad nauseum.

Please talk to me ~~

Mirabelle

OK I'll be the first one to give you a kick!

Get the thought about dieting out of your head, you need to change your mindset!

You are not gonna go "on and off" a diet. You are gonna EAT and I mean FEAST on foods tha you enjoy, maybe not the ones that are messing with your quality of life but the foods that will nourish your body and that will satisfy your pallette.

I think you should sit down and write some lists: food, priorities, motivations...maybe you should just find peace with yourself first.

Do not focus on failure as noone is 100% ALL the time, focus on identifying what things got in your way in the past and try to figure out how to conquer them now so that if something similiar happens, you'll know how to handle it differently. Also, if you handle things and are proud of yourself write this down too so you can repreat the success.

We understand that weoght loss is not just about food, its getting control of all the other factors, stress, family, work, self doubt...that will help you stay on the right path.

I'm here for you and so are the thousands of memebers here!

Welcome, Mirabelle.

I think you'll find lots of good ideas and inspiration if you browse around this site.

I hope you'll make yourself at home here.

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Welcome Mirabelle. A low carb Way Of Eating will not work for you, if you do not follow it. I did not know if it would work for me when I started, but I knew I had to do something. I have lost over 100 pounds and will never go back to high carb eating again. I suggest you start by reading Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution to get a handle on the science of why low carb eating works. Good luck.

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Henry

Hello, Mirabelle. I'm sorry to hear you're having a hard time.

When I started LC last time, I was approaching 300 pounds (not sure exactly because I'd pitched my scale by then), felt lousy, ached everytime I walked up and down the steps, and was told by my doc that diabetes was closing in fast. Sounds like we could have been in the same neighborhood, man.

I had tried (and failed) every diet in the book and some that I made up myself. I had given up hope that I'd find something that could work for me and I could live with. I was sick of starving, sick of obsessing over every bite of food I put in my mouth, and sick of caring about it.

What flipped the switch in my head was the diabetes, which runs in both sides of my family. I didn't want to deal with that, so I asked myself what would I tell one of my kids, friends or family in this situation? The answer was to DO something. So I sucked it up and did.

You know what? It was only about a TRILLION times easier than I could have ever imagined. At first, yeah, it was hard to start changing my habits, but within a few weeks, the weirdness had gone away and it was "just how I ate." I learned to cook LC and make substitutes for the stuff I loved. It wasn't "the same" but it was close enough I could eat stuff I enjoyed and still feel good.

And the part I didn't expect: within about a week, I had more energy than I could EVER remember having, and the constant thoughts of food and eating were gone. The obsession ended. And that, my friend, was worth more than any sugar buzz imaginable.

Spend some time looking at success stories - that will help. Get a plan book and read it - that will help. Stop thinking about DIETING and start thinking about how you want to LIVE.

Let me ask you this: is how you're living now less painful than making changes?

Give it a month, and it can give you a whole new outlook on life. To me, it was worth the risk of possibly failing again, and I'm SO glad I did it.

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Hi y'all ~~

Thank you so much for the advice and the words of wisdom~~ taking the time to respond to me means more than I can say.

I've picked up a couple of books, one of which is Jonny Bowden's, and I'll be reading a lot this weekend. I've already started making a food list and have started working on some menus. It's a good thing that I like simple food ~~ I'm thinking that might be the biggest thing I have going for me. I've also ordered theWalk Away the Pounds DVDs, and I'll start on them when I get them. I'll keep you posted as I go along.

Thanks again for emailing me ~~ it's greatly appreciated!

Mirabelle

Hi Mirabelle,

I, too, have yo-yo'd over the years so I'm really not one to give advice. But, I will say that low carb dieting is really the way to go for many of us.

Atkins was a bit restrictive and though it's a really, really GREAT diet, I could not seem to stick to it. I felt cheated and deprived.

The carbo addict diet (CAD) works better for me and I have stayed with it for almost a month so far. I get my reward meal every day, and really look forward to it. It's also nice to have the flexibility to have this reward meal any time of day. If hubby and I decide to go out for brunch, then I'll just plan to have my carbs then.

Good luck and success to you on your journey. We're all in this together!

Hi Mirabelle..How are things going?? Have you begun yet?? huggs....laura

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If I set a goal...then when I finally reach that goal..I am afraid that I will use it as a license to eat..therefore..I have no goal...only to stick to this wol FOREVER!!! laura

Hi Mirabelle,
I am sorta where you are now, I weight more, but I want and have to lose weight.
I was doing Atkins in the past and it worked. Long story why i got off of it, but I did and I gained it all back and more.
I have fibro too, and I am in pain with it, But I have found on low carb, there is less.
I hope you find that to be true too.
At some point you wont be hungry so food wont be so important and you will have to force your self to eat, Never thought I would have to force my self to eat .

But you can do it!!
Stick with it, you got alot of good advice,

Hello Mirabelle,

How are you? How are things going?

Hi Mirabelle,
Please hang in there sister, there are a lot of us pulling for you and praying for you too!
Sandi and I have started a lowcarb fibro sufferers thread, hope u'll join us. I am in less pain, have more energy, less depression on lc than ever before in my life. I wouldn't go back to my old habits now even if I knew id never lose another pound. Take small steps and try enjoy and celebrate each moment. I am not on a diet, i am living my life in a way that makes me happier, reduces a lot pf problems, and vastly reassures the people around me who were scared I'd just drop dead about a month ago! Guess what, I am REALLY ENJOYING MYSELF.
The really cute aging surfer dude in the hardward store today spent about twice as long on my key making than necessary cuz he was flirting like crazy. Hmmm, I am still 150 lbs from goal. Could it be that I was happy, sparkly, and vubratung with energy that made me someone to be flirted with?
Take the risk and go for it and we will be walking down the same road.

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Winning the carb war!

Mirabelle,
How are you doing??
How is everything going?

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One Day Starts Today!!!

Atkins and Totally Gluten free 8/1/09
355.6/324?
31 pounds gone (8/1)

Don't dig your grave with your own knife and fork. ~English Proverb

In the Middle Ages, they had guillotines, stretch racks, whips and cahins. Nowadays, we have a much more effective torture device called the bathroom scale. ~Stephen Phillips

Hi Mirabelle, looking for you on fibro thread. Praying for you daily. How is it going? Try locarbing a while and I am sure you will like it. Let us know how you are. We may seem anonymous online,but we care!!~!

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Winning the carb war!