Yay! Glad to be starting this along with you! Yippee!!

I actually don't own a scale anymore. (And I really do subscribe to that theory of the measurements and clothing-fit counting way more than any numbers on the scale. What was that old thread about the scale being a CHEAT and a LIAR? I still remember that as a great one!) So, I won't be stepping on the scale with you, but I'll be sending you good vibes and toasting you with water!

Right on! Yippee! Having a blast. Thanks again, everyone!

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Bon (AKA Hopeful in Hollywood, circa 2002)
size 22/24 (don't know my weight)... first goal: size 18... ultimate goal: size 12
Atkins again 10/30/06

Hi, Bon. Love your enthusiasm, and will join with everyone here to help keep you good and PUMPED. It's great that your husband will be doing this with you. Mine is our cook, and even though he isn't LC, he's totally supportive, and I appreciate that every day.

My LC success toolbox includes Fitday.com (tracking), a handy copy of DANDR (one in every location where I usually sit), daily exercise, and this site. When I'm in weight loss mode, I try not to weigh myself. But when I'm in maintenance mode, I weigh every day. I know how sneaky the Weight Creep is--and you do, too.

Best wishes on resuming your LC lifestyle.

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Barb L.
Atkins since Jan 2003
Maintenance as of 4/05


My Fitday Journal

Thanks!!! I'm an avid FitDay.com user. I just LOVE it!

Very excited to have been doing so well for eight days now. Woo hoo! Jeans are looser! Woo!

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Bon (AKA Hopeful in Hollywood, circa 2002)
size 22/24 (don't know my weight)... first goal: size 18... ultimate goal: size 12
Atkins again 10/30/06

Bon,
You don't have to sheepish - you're totally not the only one .

I'm in a similar boat. I started LCing for the first time in 2002 and on and off for three years but lost 35 pounds. Then I went off for a more GI-type maintenance diet (and in the process became a vegetarian) and managed to maintain most of my weight with occassional jumps of 5 pounds which I lost by doing different "diets" for short periods of time.

Then I moved to South Dakota for grad school and since Sept I've been mizerable and hate it here something awful. That of course has gotten me back on the diet/binge cycle. I did gain weight but didn't weigh myself (so I'm guessing it's about 10-15 pounds). I've been back on lowcarbing (the vegetarian way) for less than a week now and already I feel fantastic. I'm mainly on it to control my binges, since it's the only thing that's ever allowed me to curb them, so I'm not weighing in and I'm counting carbs in everything but veggies, sort of doing my own plan. It's working great so far.

Like you, I wonder now why I left. I think part of it had to do with the negative attitude of people around me towards lowcarbing so I got discouraged.

Tam

I think that's such a big part of it. My doctor really pooh-poohed the whole low carb thing and that was a big part of why I stopped. I'd been doing really well with it, but my numbers were bad, when I had a blood test with my GP. So, when I told her I'd been LC-ing, she was not thrilled... told me to stop... and well, when given "permission" to have bread again for the first time in a year, you KNOW I was gonna do it!

Still, the fact remains: I do well on LC WOE. So... I continue on. So far, so good! Yay!

__________________
Bon (AKA Hopeful in Hollywood, circa 2002)
size 22/24 (don't know my weight)... first goal: size 18... ultimate goal: size 12
Atkins again 10/30/06

Bon, when you say your "numbers were bad," what numbers do you mean? Sometimes total cholesterol takes a bit of a jump in the early stages of induction, but after that, most people see several favorable changes: lower total cholesterol, lower LDL, higher HDL (especially if you exercise) and a significant reduction in triglycerides.

Of course, weight and fat reduction are always a good thing for heart health and other considerations.

There's nothing unhealthy about cutting out sugar, white flour, starchy vegetables, and sugary fruits. Eventually, low-carb incorporates virtually every nutritious food group (and nutrient) in wholesome quantities. No doctor can quarrel with that.

Best wishes.

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Barb L.
Atkins since Jan 2003
Maintenance as of 4/05


My Fitday Journal

Hey all, I'm hitting a low these days, and have decided to come back to my LC family too.

Over the last 10 years, I've gotten really good at supressing the negatives that are going on in my life. I've used food, alcohol and whatever else I wanted to do to hide my pain, numb my pain, distract me from what is bothering me, etc.

Just this month, I've committed to cleaning out my system by not using alcohol or any other substance to avoid dealing with my feelings. Instead, the bad habits of food have been coming back in. Its a bitter sweet experience, because I am proud of myself for taking that one step in getting real with what's going on in my life, but as an exchange, I'm dealing with all my realities that are bothering me - my unhappy marriage, my money problems, my weight issues. So, my best friend has come back to support me - that being bread, chocolate, muffins, etc.

I've gained 10 pounds in November. It scares me a lot, because I have been at 182-185 for 1.5 years now, and constantly thinking I am "on a diet" but never losing. Now, actually gaining 10 pounds makes me very scared that if I couldn't lose a pound for the last year and a half, I'm going to hold on to this extra 10 pounds forever.

So, I've come back to the "family" and the first lesson learned tonight is that I have to stop dieting and get back to my old way of life, which is low carb. I've spent money online for the "18 in 4" diet, I bought illegal steroids from Czech Republic because they are supposed to be the hottest Hollywood diet pill out there, I've tried to starve all day and then binged at night because I'm so hungry - all these desperate attempts to lose five pounds have blown up in my face! How about just getting back to the basics? Stop dieting, start living life as a glucose-intolerant person that can still have an awesome life without depriving myself of good food and feeling starved?

So, I've come back to this forum, for inspiration and leadership and role models. You know what they say - when the student is ready, the teacher will appear, so thanks to all of you that have posted their trials, tribulations and triumphs, because they all serve as a source of encouragement to someone at some point. it is quite likely that something one of you have written here - even if it was two years ago - could be the catalyst to my success.

Just wanted to vent.... I look forward to being active on these forums again.

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Niki
235/206.0/139
LCing since 8/21/04; Restart 1/28/08

Welcome back, Niki. You can start a new thread of your own, so you'll be discovered by old and new friends.

Best wishes.

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Barb L.
Atkins since Jan 2003
Maintenance as of 4/05


My Fitday Journal

Bonnie, I remember you - it's great to see you hanging out hear again!

And, welcome back to Niki, too!

So, here's to wellness .... for One and All!

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~~~Teelbee
Back to GOAL!!!
start weight: 176/goal range: 137-134/now: 138
Reached goal in Aug. 2003 - 4rd year of maintenance.

Thanks! And I'm totally glad to be back. Had a few high carb days with all of the holiday meals and such (and waaaaaay too much wine), but I'm back on track, doing induction again starting today. As expected, the response everyone had to "how great" I'm looking was wonderful validation that the LC WOE I started up on October 31st has been worth it. And I'll only look better the next time I see them. Yay!

Glad to have this support group here. I think cutting alcohol out almost entirely will be the next step for me. While I do enjoy my vodka cocktail, I think to fast-track my weight loss in the new year, I'm going to have to make those occasions VERY occasional. It's just the best choice!

Thanks everyone!

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Bon (AKA Hopeful in Hollywood, circa 2002)
size 22/24 (don't know my weight)... first goal: size 18... ultimate goal: size 12
Atkins again 10/30/06

Hey Bon! I remember you as Hopeful in Hollywood, from the very beginning! I'm back too! See ya around the boards!!

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Heather
182-2/27/08

Yay, us!!

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Bon (AKA Hopeful in Hollywood, circa 2002)
size 22/24 (don't know my weight)... first goal: size 18... ultimate goal: size 12
Atkins again 10/30/06