I am sure you have all heard this one before. I tried to start but let emotions, physical ailments, you name it get in the way. Ever since I had pnuemonia the middle of June and the collapsed lung, I have been feeling even more unwell than ever and decided to stop kidding myself. I am grossly obese (I hate that word) and I don't care if I get saggy skin or look like a deflated balloon, I want to feel better so I started yesterday with a vengeance. I told my DH that I don't need bread, pasta or junk food. Although he does not have a weight problem, he does have high cholesterol so we are in it together. I gave in to all the low fat high carb mantras and the Atkins will kill you lie all these years and it didn't do me any good, so this can't hurt. In fact, just since yesterday I feel less bloated and more energetic already. I made a low carb smoothie for breakfast using tofu, soy protein isolate, flavourings (no sugar), cream and water. It was a recipe from Rose Elliott's low carb vegetarian cookbook. For lunch because I was in a hurry this morning, I have boiled ham slices, two devilled eggs and some grilled mediterranean vegetables that I made last night and a chunk of cheese. I have read Atkins book from cover to cover and brought it with me to read again on the train to and from work. Why is it that we do this to ourselves? I think of all the wasted years, but I still have quite a few left to go and I would rather be healthy than not so I am going to quit beating myself up and pull myself up and get on with it. I just have to be realistic and realise that this is going to be a way of life and not just another "diet". There is no excuse because there is not only the support of you lovely people on this board, but all the recipes out there honestly, I think I would rather have salad with real homemade full fat dressing than a chocolate brownie.

Welcome back, musicmaker.

Between us all, I suspect we've got hundreds of "wasted years" ... but maybe it's not so much wasted time as "preparation." One's head has got to be in the right place to change something so fundamental as how one eats. When you're head is ready, you can begin your journey ... one step at a time.

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Welcome back Musicmaker. I love your user name. My DH is a musician and we always ask our 21 month old granddaughter, "What does Grandpa do?"...and she says, "Grandpa makes music."

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Vickie

Musicmaker I am in here with you and making my commitment to losing my weight to with low carb.
So far I am down 10 lbs. from when I began almost three weeks ago.
I am just getting off induction and now learning how to eat low carb but am still keeping my carbs at no more than 25 a day right now, at least for awhile until I can read up and study some things to find out how many carbs I can have aday now.
How many are you eating aday?
This is all new for me thats why I am reading and studying everything I can about eating low carb. I am doing the Atkins plan because I liked what i have read about it.
I gain weight real easy so I really have to be strick with my carbs if you know what I mean. I think I can gain a pound by just looking at food.
Lets be here for each other ok.
I am looking for new low carb recips and anything else that may help me lose my weight so if you have anything tell me about them ok.
See you later.

Thanks all of you. Sorry I have not posted for awhile but it has been a hectic week at work and DH is hogging the computer every night when I get home (he is writing a novel). Sunshine, I have to stick with about 25 gms of carbs now and finally added strawberries with no problems. My beautiful mother sent me some jello because in the UK the jello, or jelly as they call it here, has sugar in it (dextrose). I still have not found a 0 carb sausage here so I have been making my own. Atkins really seems to work best for me. I will definitely be happy to be there for you as we can all support each other. That is what I love about this board. It was rather exciting because I am trying more low carb vegetarian recipes and found a gorgeous cookbook here by Rose Elliott that is her vegetarian low carb cookbook. Today I had grilled salmon and roasted courgettes for lunch. I have been experimenting with simple things like roasted asparagus with olive oil. The other night we had roasted asparagus with parmesan cheese and poached eggs. Yum! You could even put hollandaise sauce on that (homemade without sugar of course). One English cookbook suggested using smoked haddock as a base instead of an English muffin for eggs benedict. I tried it and it was super tasty. We have never eaten so many green vegetables and finally by the end of last week I noticed that my energy levels were through the roof. Not to mention, when I was running to the bus yesterday, I had to grab my trousers waistband because I was afraid they would fall down! :-) (Now that would have been a sight to see in posh Hampstead London). I might have to do some emergency sewing at the weekend.

Musicmaker, welcome. Isn't it exciting when you find somenthing that works!! It only took me almost 40 years of yo-yo weight fluctuation to find out that my body processes carbs too well. I have been following the Atkins approach for a little over 3 years now and will never go back to my former WOE. Just remember, weight loss is not a race. You will be successful if you just stay with the program.

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Henry

Musicmaker- Welcome back! And never say that time is wasted-it's all part of who you are, and when you are ready, you do what you need to do. I don't believe in the concept of wasted time.

Sunshine, get yourself a copy of the atkin's book right away! it will answer most of your questions better than anything else and will make a HUGE difference in your level of success. and besides: you're worth the six bucks!

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