Is this where we are encouraged to post our progress? If so, here is mine:

I have tried this diet before, a few years ago, and got frustrated because I couldn't lose any weight. I was counting carbs (or so I thought), but still nothing. After I gave it up, I was talking to my wife about it, and she theorized that all the "low-carb" products I was eating probably were not low-carb for me! I thought I could get by with the substitute foods (low carb bread, low carb cereal, low-carb choclate, Atkins bars, low carb tortillas, low carb donuts and cookies! Even though by the label I was keeping to the right carb level, I believe my body interpreted all the fake sweeteners (sugar alcohols, mostly) as much higher carb-equivalents than the label would lead one to believe. Sooo, this time I resolved to stick to the basics...meat, cheese, eggs, etc. with some veggies and low-carb nuts (slivered almonds and sunflower seeds on my slalad for my carbs) to make up my 20 grams per day. I started this on Monday, 16 Apr (last high-carb food was about 10:00 pm Sunday night). Right now is it 3:00 pm Thursday. It has been 89 hours since Sunday night's Hagen Daazs, about 4 days. I have lost 5 pounds already (almost seems like too much), and my ketone strip is showing trace amounts, but that at least means I'm entering ketosis. It was darker yesterday. I'm not sure why it is less today. Oh well. Maybe it's the caffeine. THAT I refuse to give up. The 5 pounds lost is the best metric. I have been triying to lose weight since January, exercising more, eating low-fat, etc. After 1 month, I had lost NOTHING. I thought my scale was somehow stuck at 215 lbs. I literally could not get it below about 214 at best (explainable through random variation). I weigh myself every other day or so day at the exact same time, wearing exactly the same thing, to minimize the effects of variation. That is how I know the 5 lbs is significant. Now I just hope it keeps coming off.

Starting weight: 215 lbs
Goal weight: 180 lbs
Target loss: 35 lbs
Current weight: 210 lbs
Lost so far: 5 lbs
Number of days since began: 4

Ken

Congratulations!

Yes, please, post your progress here or on the Ongoing Weighloss forum.

Your wife is a smart woman. Most of those "fake" low carb foods really don't help at all. Glad to see you came back and are losing!

Keep up the great work and remember to measure yourself - you may lose inches without losing weight, so it's another way to gauge your success.

So happy for you!!

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Mada
221.6/193.8 <--- ONEderland! /sz 8

HI Ken,
welcome to LCE!
And a BIG congrats on your 5 pounds lost. :jump:
It sure sounds like you are on the right track...especially ditching all the low carb *frankenfoods*! Good for you!
On the keto-sticks...the degree of ketosis can be a result of how much water you are drinking, or not. Still better to be well hydrated; ketosis is ketosis...light or dark on the sticks.
Post often and let us know how things are going for you....just keep on keepin' on

S

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Shelley
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Visit Kassie's Korner



Life deserves a treat now and again, but life also deserves being healthy[with required disipline] to make it worth living!

way to go on your 5lb loss! Feels great to be a loser doesn't it?? LOL I've been back to this WOE it will be a month this sunday. I am not sure the exact amount I've lost as I was too ashamed to face the scale that first week. I probably lost some that week. I dont know. But, have lost about 6 that I do know of! My ketone sticks vary in color from day to day. I try not to worry too much about it. From reading here.. as long as they turn color its all good!

Keep up the great work and keep us posted!

Linda

Good work, Ken!

I found that the frankenfoods didn't work very well for me in a weight loss phase. One or two, here and there (but not the sugar alcohol thingies) are ok for maintenance.

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Congratulations, Ken! Very encouraging to have an initial weight loss like that. Have you thought about starting a journal? A lot of folks record their journey this way plus it's a great way to make fast friends. You'll find the Journaling forum in the Special Interest section of our forum. Here's a quick link: Journaling

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Ozzie's Place

Mada,

Good point. I should take measurements today! I already took off the size 40 jeans and got into the 38s (though just a tad tight).

Ken

Thanks to everyone for your encouragement! I'll put a journal on the site today.

Ken

ken- you have discovered one of the important secrets to success for low-carbing: staying natural works better.

i know i'm just as succeptible as anybody to those shiny looking junk food packages when they have "low-carb" stamped across the front. but i also know that for me, the result is the same as any kind of junk food.

five pounds in the first four days is not unusual. it will slow as time goes on, so enjoy it now, and know it's a pretty good indication you're doing stuff right.

you talk about sticking under 20 carbs, but i don't remember if you mentioend having a specific plan? if you're looking to do atkins, make sure you get the book if you don't have it. it's a great roap map, and i've seen it make the difference between a few pounds down and a LOT of pounds down...

and do take those measurements. oddly enough, they seem to change at a different rate and time as the scale, so it's a great way to get a little shot of encouragement when that scale slows down a bit.

also sounds like that wife of yours is a keeper!

keep us posted on how things go for you.

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