I have decided to mark the occasion of my 2 year anniversary of following the Atkins approach for eating with this retrospective. I have not maintained a journal because I am a terrible hunt and peck typist. However, I will use this retrospective as an abridged version of my journal for this period.



By August of 2003 I was basically resigned to being overweight, a nice way of saying obese or just plain fat. For over thirty years I had been able to ?control? my weight by periodically changing my low-fat diet to a low fat - low calorie diet. ?Control? is obviously a misnomer. If I could control my weight there would have been no need for me to periodically lose the weight I had regained.



In that thirty year period I estimate that I lost 500 pounds. However, I also gained 550 pounds. I was not worried as I was always able to lose the weight. After I was diagnosed with high blood pressure in early 2002 and at the insistence of my Doctor, I attempted to lose 30 pounds. However, this time not only was I not able to lose any weight, I could not keep from gaining weight.



A friend had started the Atkins ?diet? and had success with it. When I asked him about it, he suggested that I read Dr. Atkin?s New Diet Revolution. After reading the book, the approach seemed to make sense. I also noted that the Atkins Diet was the first diet I had seen that had what I characterize as a ?seamless transition? from weight loss to weight maintenance built into the diet. I did not know if it would work for me but low fat/ low calorie clearly wasn?t.



I decided to begin the Atkins Diet on September 1, 2003. From my research, it was apparent that if the low/controlled carb approach worked for me, it would have to truly be a lifestyle change. In other words, my eating habits would have to change to accommodate this new lifestyle in order for me to avoid regaining any weight I would lose.



About 2 weeks after I started, I had a scheduled appointment with my doctor. I had originally intended discussing the diet with him before I started. However, I could not wait to get started. He was not in favor of the low carb approach but when he saw that I had lost weight and I told him I had lost 17 pounds in 2 weeks, he decided to go along with me on this and to periodically monitor my lipids.



A recent company health screening showed that my total cholesterol has declined to 157 and HDL has increased to 56. In addition, both LDL and tri-glycerides were so low they were outside the measuring parameters of the testing machine.



In order to monitor my progress, I maintained a notebook with certain periodic measurements. I decided to measure 3 areas on each arm and leg as well as the areas shown below. My height is 6?5?. My progress can be measured, in pertinent part, by the following key measurements:



September 1, 2003September 1, 2004September 1,2005



Weight 335 225 211

Chest 53 44 44

Upper Paunch 55 43 42

Lower Paunch 52 43 & ? 43

Neck 19 & ? 16 & ? 16



My first year was an unqualified success. I remained at Induction level of carbs for 9 months and lost 90 pounds. I then started OWL but only increased my daily carbs every 3-4 weeks. For the first year I lost 110 pounds and a total of 71 inches. I went from size 52 pants to size 40 and from XXXLT to XLT for shirts.



With my weight loss, my doctor began reducing my blood pressure medication. Thirteen months after starting this WOE, I stopped taking any blood pressure medication. My current blood pressure is 118/65 and my doctor is pleased. He said that ?You have made a believer out of me about Atkins?.



One of the things I found from the beginning was that I had to plan all of my meals to help in staying on plan. Each week I review the grocery ads and plan my menus for the week around what is on sale for a good price. I think the fact that I did plan all meals helped keep me from cheating. The other thing that helped keep me from cheating was that I found/developed great tasting recipes that provided me with variety and substitutes for old favorites. I like to cook and learning low carb cooking techniques, converting old high carb favorites to low carb, and finding new foods that I liked all assisted in providing stimulation and satisfaction with this WOE.



During the first year I either lost weight or remained the same for each weekly measurement. The longest I went without losing weight was 5 weeks. That occurred 6 months after starting this WOE. My second year however has been a learning experience/struggle.



One week after reaching my low of 115 pounds lost, and without any increase in my daily carbs or change that I could attribute to eating, my weight increased 5 pounds. A couple of weeks after that I had another 5 pound spike that I could not attribute to diet. Then began a period of upward and downward fluctuations of 2-5 pounds with no variance that I could attribute to what I was eating or change in exercise. As my clothes were still fitting and I could not account for the fluctuations because of eating habits, I decided to continue eating on plan and stop weekly weighing. I also decided that I would not count a weight gain or loss until I got a second confirming measurement. As a result of this methodology, the weight fluctuations were minimized, at least in my mind, and I did not dwell on them as they basically showed a stall, except for the first two 5 pound weight spikes.



The approach of remaining on plan seems to have finally paid off. 6 months after my first weight spike and subsequent stall, and by making only one change in eating pattern (eliminating a nightly treat of ? or ? cup of peanuts, depending on how much of my daily carb allowance was left) I began losing weight again. For the last 3 months I have been losing an average of 5 pounds a month. I have had peanuts since I began losing again, just not regularly, so I do not know if they were a triggering mechanism. However, I am treating them cautiously.



In any event, after 2 years, I have lost 124 pounds and 78 inches. The losses were ?across the board? ranging from a low of ?? lost from my left wrist to 13? lost from my ?upper paunch?. In addition, I am now transitioning my wardrobe into size 38 pants, a size that I have not worn since I started buying my own clothes at least 40 years ago.



I do not ?know? what a ?good? weight for me will be as I never weighed myself until about 30 years ago when I first began my trip on the weight roller coaster. My current weight is the lowest weight that I have any knowledge of ever being, even though I know I was not born weighing 211 pounds.



I have already reduced my goal weight 3 times because as I was approaching each goal, it was readily apparent to me that I could lose more weight without looking emaciated. That is the empirical subjective standard I am using. In other words, I will recognize my final goal weight when I see it.



My current goal weight is now 195. However, that is nothing more than a number that may or may not have any relation to reality. In any event, I do know that regardless of where the final goal weight is, the true long term goal I have is not to regain any of the weight I have lost. As the Atkins approach seems to work for me as outlined in Dr. Atkin?s New Diet Revolution, I am optimistic that as I continue on my journey, the controlled carb lifestyle does, in fact, provide me with both the tools and methodology to achieve that goal.

Outstanding story!! I understand some of what you've gone thru. As I was reading, I was noting "that sounds like me" Similar to you, I started the Atkins WOE without the doctors approval. At that time they were ALL against it. But when you go in and the numbers speak for themselves, they have no choice but to support you. It sure does feel good to look back and say I've never weighed this little in 20,30 or more years. In my case haven't been this small since 12 years old (36 years). Another similarity, as I got close to my original goal. I set a new lower one. Don't know if I will ever "finally" reach my goal.
I commend you for sharing the last 2 years with us! What you have shown us is quite an accomplishment. Keep it up.

__________________
To think is to create!
So What? Now What?
Tom
Restart LC 7/05/08

What an inspiring story! Henry, you've put a lot of thought and brain power into achieving such wonderful success - finding tracking methods, learning to count carbs, controlling cravings, learning to tweak the eating plan to suit your evolving metabolism, and discovering how to convert recipes and learn new cooking techniques. Wow! Well done indeed!

Your lipid profile is just simply fantastic! May you enjoy many more years of your healthy lifestyle.

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

Henry!
Terrific story! Thanks so much for sharing with us! You are a one-man band...er, or should I say...INSPIRATION :jumpgreen

Well done!

__________________
~~~~
Shelley
~~~~

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!

thanks for sharing your story with us. very encouraging!

__________________

I really enjoyed this. I was just curious how tall you are hdyhouse. You are doing so well and are definately an inspiration. Thanks

__________________

heather...this is what i read....

QUOTE:
In order to monitor my progress, I maintained a notebook with certain periodic measurements. I decided to measure 3 areas on each arm and leg as well as the areas shown below. My height is 6?5?. My progress can be measured, in pertinent part, by the following key measurements:

__________________
kims SECOND journal is HERE
kims new blog
KIMS BLOG !!
SUGARFREE BLOG

Wow, Henry! Way to go. You should send your story to Atkins and maybe they will add it to their site, or put your story in the next version of Dr.Atkins book. You have done a great job learning about and sticking to this WOE. I applaud you.

__________________

Henry, thanks for sharing. You are, indeed, an inspiration! It is always encouraging to see people who have lost the weight and maintained it for years. Even after 9 months of this WOL, I still carry my DANDR book with me in my briefcase daily. Kind of like a the Bible to me...... well, it is! Thanks again for sharing your inspirational story!

__________________
196/135-135

Henry - well done! What an achievement! You should be very very proud of yourself!

__________________
The fox is wild!



5'3" Maintaining 121-125
Original weight 198 +

Thank you, Henry, for celebrating your anniversary with this comprehensive history. You did/do everything exactly right, and you've earned your success.

I'm especially impressed by the way you handled attitude adjustments (quit weighing!) as well as diet adjustments along the way. As Goddess would affirm, getting your brain in the right place is the real key to getting your body back to health.

Also, your decision to determine your goal weight according to how you look and feel to yourself, rather than a statistic, seems like an excellent model.

From other posts, I know you are a talented cook, too. Thanks for the recipes and techniques you've given us.

Very best wishes on your Atkinsversary!

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


My Fitday Journal

Thank you, Henry, for sharing your journey with us all.

Your story is a wonderful example of how to truly make this a way of life ... while having a tasty and diverse menu. I love your cooking posts!

Congratulations on your atkinsversary!

__________________

:jumpgreen Outstanding!!!!:jumpgreen

__________________

tks for sharing, inspired an old timer to do better, work harder and get a little closer to my goals... thanks again for your story.
carolyn

__________________
http://www.youravon.com/cnorulak
carolyn in texas
started 8/11/03 327/268/177
5/20/08/ - 348
onward thru the fog

Thank you for sharing.

My father is 6'6" and always kept his weight right around 200. He was extremely active and played hockey and skied (both downhill and cross country). That always sounded so thin to me but I know it was a healthy place for him to be. It sounds as if it promises to be a healthy place for you as well.

You have done a terrific job losing and finding what works for you. I'm sure you'll do well reaching whatever goal you decide is rigth for you.

__________________
Noël


Worry doesn't empty tomorrow of its sorrows, it empties today of its strengths.