hi everyone,

i really want to get started with low carb eating but i don't know where to begin. i'm always hungry and crave breads, sweets, pizza, sodas...basically anything considered "bad". currently i weigh about 250 pounds and i feel like i'm about to burst. i desperately want to get down to about 180 or so. any help would be greatly appreciated.

Hi Lason,
Well I started low carbing by gettting the updated Atkins book.
I found it super hard for the first 3 days then it was a (I want to say piece of cake but that wouldn't be good right? lol) a 10oz steak!

Just follow the book and drink your water. I find it easier not to have cheat food in the house. (Kind of hard with 3 kids but they are on a modified Atkins) My mom and my husband are both on it with me and that helps. I also find tons of info on this forum. Some of the low carb vets will give you more advice.
My suggestion is to just do it! It all boils down to how bad you want it. I finally got sick of seeing myself in pictures and on home videos and saying "OMG is that me??" I feel great now and have been doing this only 11 days.
You can do it!

Jen
140/135/115

there are always great words of advice around here and its so motivating! Just gotta say today is it...Im done with this and want to make myself feel better!! I did have trouble the first few days..but I stuck with it and the first week I lost 7lbs so I said woohoo I can do this....that was almost 4 months ago and Im down 37.5 lbs..Ive never in my life lost that much doing any kind of diet EVER! Im amazed at how I feel..... This WOL is wonderful!!!
Good Luck to you!!! You can do this!!!

Hugs, Lisa

lc since 8-8-03
298/261.5
want to be 175 at least
"Where every you go There you are"

Lason,

My husband and I started Induction last Sunday. While there is a long road ahead, all I can say is the past few days I have been full all day long! Prior to starting, I'd be thinking about the next meal, when it was time for a beer, etc...After the first week, no cravings, and we even went out to breakfast this morning. The waitress asked what type of bread, and I had NO regrets saying no toast. The "old" me would have been looking for a double order!! I also was a Diet Pepsi freak, drinking about 5-6 cans a day. The past week I've had ZERO! You can do this, and I'm thrilled with the results we've had so far - not so much from a weight perspective, but from true appetite management. I'm not a scale fan, so I'm not weighing myself as I'd get obsessed and ultimately discouraged, but the tape measure is already showing modest results.

Good luck to you!

Lason, welcome aboard! The first few days will be the hardest - after that it gets much easier. Stick with the plan and drink lots of water.

I like to use Fitday.com to track my food intake and progress. It allows you to look at weekly and monthly trends as well.

Once you're through induction you can start eating a wider variety of food, which is key to success. Don't get bored by having the same ol' thing. And yes you can even have pizza! Check out Cheftrina's LC crust!

If you fall off the wagon, don't look at it like it's the end of the world. Jump back on the plan and pick up where you left off.

I weigh myself daily, but only so that I can track longer term trends in Fitday. I don't give much credence to daily weigh-ins, rather I look at weekly and monthly results. If daily gains and losses will drive you nuts then don't weigh yourself more often than once a week.

Check LCE often! It's loaded with great information and support!

225/194/170?

“I can conscientiously assert I never lived so well as under the new plan of dietary, which I should have formerly thought a dangerous, extravagant trespass upon health.” --William Banting (Thanks Lez)

Hi Lason,

I bought Dr Atkins book and I've just finished week 2 of induction. I was like you and loved pizza, fries, bread & potatoes. I was one of those people who ate constantly, not always junk, lots of fruit & yogurts and 'good for you' food, and I always finished my plate, no matter if I was hungry or not.

The above paragraph is all in past tense 'cos I don't feel like this now. I really worried how I was going to get through the day on 3 meals and two snack but after a couple of days I found I'm not having any snacks through the day 'cos I'm not even slightly hungry. I still miss some foods but more because of habit than craving.

The first few days were really hard but the most important thing for me is planning. Every evening I make up all the food that I'm taking to work the next day. I do this after I've had my evening meal so that I'm less tempted to put in larger portions just incase I'm hungry the next day. I also make sure that I plan my next day's evening meal so that I'm not coming home from work hungry and eating the first thing that comes to me.

I've also found that I get such a high from losing weight that I really don't want to spoil it by giving into a craving for some chocolate or other high carb food that's only going to give me a few moments pleasure and a lot of guilt.

This site is invaluable for support, tips and advice & Fitday makes keeping track of what you're eating a lot easier.

Good Luck

Murron