I started low carb three days ago. I don't know if i've lost any weight, certainly I haven't lost any fat yet. I don't really want to use a scale b/c that is not the best method for determining progress.

Anyway, I am feeling very low and anxious. I lost about 25 pounds last year due to not eating enough (sometimes as low as 200 calories) then i started eating about 600 calories and gained about 10 pounds back. Finally I realized that is not the way i want to live and so I began eating around 900-1400, trying to stay at above 1200. I ate pretty healthily, never have been a big junk food eater, and I started lifting weights with my exercise. Well, I've gained back pretty much all my weight I think (don't know for sure because I'm terrified to check). My clothes look horrible on me and I'm just mortified to see anyone.
I am very active and don't overeat but my body I think just wants to get back to where it started.


So I'm going to try a low-carb lifestyle. I don't want a quick fix. Ok yes, I do! but i know that is a stupid and impermanent route.



Does anyone have advice or words of encouragement? has anyone here gone through this? Do you think this could work for me?


Sorry for so long a post...i'm desperate right now.

Hello and welcome! You sound very down about this but if you find a low carb plan that you like you will see that it really does work. Figure out which plan you want to follow and get the book. For myself, I follow Dr. Atkins and just love it. Makes me feel so healthy! If I was you I would not worry about the scale as you already said that is not a good method anyway. I just measure myself and I use FitDay - Free Weight Loss and Diet Journal to check my loss about every month or so.

Check out the success stories on here and you will see it has worked for many of the members. They are inspirational for me! If you have concerns about your plan or trouble with anything on it, just post here and someone will help you. In fact, many members will assist you!

Hope to get to know you better soon!

kalupe

Hello, Veggies. Welcome.
I'm so sorry to hear you've had such a rough time of it.

Three days is not enough time to tell if LC is going to be helpful for you. You don't mention your starting weight/height, so I'm not sure how much you are expecting to lose overall. But be aware the "last 20" pounds are almost always slower to go, and those with less to lose overall also tend to have slower losses.

You may be interested in this article on LC & Eating Disorders. Also, please be aware that if you've been eating a very low calorie diet (under 800 calories a day) for any significant length of time, you may have a slowed metabolism and possibly other health concerns as a result. Those with extensive dieting histories also sometimes have metabolism issues.

I think everybody does. Thing is, LC isn't a quick fix - it's a permanent one, though. If you stop LC, you also lose the progress you've made. So part of this journey for most folks is making that mental switch from "diet" to "lifestyle" that helps them understand this is just the way they eat from here on out. Counting the days holds less appeal once this sinks in.

If you don't have a plan, I suggest you get one as Kat suggested. People who use an established plan to get started almost always do better.

If you continue to feel depressed and desperate, I also suggest you hook up with some counseling if you're not currently. I do NOT mean this as a criticism; I know counseling at the right times to have been a Godsend both to me and those I know. But your reported feelings, anxiety over the efficacy of your efforts after just a few days, and the history you mention of extreme dieting, puts you at considerable risk for ongoing ED problems.

I know we have people here who have done well with LC after having similar struggles. The key, I believe, is in getting the right mix of support. We can certainly help here with group support, but there are issues that are beyond our level of expertise and some folks will do much better with also getting professional support in conjunction with the peer support we can provide.

Best of luck to you. We're rooting for you!

__________________

pull up a chair and read
you will learn alot here and find alot of friendly people!!
You can do it!

__________________
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

Don't give up, you can totally do this! It is the best way for many people, I am in a place I never thought I could be, and I envision my outcome, where I know I can be, and I ask the forces of the universe to help me along my way. Ask, just say to yourself, I intend to be "______". It will happen, no obstacles stand in your way, just you. It isn't stupid, for many of us, it is the only way...there is no instant gratification, you must be patience, part of my manta is patience, the lesson is patience, you didn't get here overnight, and you won't change overnight....give it time. At three days I was ready to scream, every fiber of my being wanted to go back, and I said no, much to my dismay....develop your intention, yours might be different than mine, I have my own demons. What are yours? Is starving yourself the way? Why do you want to? Don't you deserve to treat yourself well? Start asking those questions, and formulate a plan, it is so hard to be truly honest with yourself, but once you do...it is life changing