Ok I've read through the articles and I've read that others have been living the Atkins way for a year and others 6 months. I have been living the Atkins way for since Oct 26, 2003. I have had several big cheats Thanksgiving, Christmas. Easter and some little cheats I'll say 3 all together. I wieghed in at 203 and at one time 207 when I started now I'm 158 so thats what 48 lbs that I've lost in about 5 months.

So my question is why does the amount of weight lost vary so much from person to person. My Atkins partner who has had a few more cheats than I have has lost 40lbs and we started the same day. I read on another thread that a person has been on it for a year and that persons only lost 33 lbs. I am not writing this to criticize I just want to know am I losing to fast. Am I headed down a road to be sick. Cause at 158 lbs and 5'6 inches tall I can fit into a size 8 pants there tight but I can wear them and breath ya know. Thats another question of mine how is it that I'm still so heavey and can fit into clothes that I wore when I was 127-135 lbs. Ok thats it for now hope I don't hurt anyones feelings I'm just making sure I'm doing the right thing.

PS i've also heard several people losing weigh more than I have in my time frame.

Stacy
158/48lbs lost

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Stacy I hope to lose 56 lbs

Yes I lost 8 lbs already

First off, congrats on your great work, Stacy! You should be really happy with what you've done so far!

To answer your question, there are SO MANY factors that go into how different people lose weight: body type, genetics, past diet history, relationship with food...I could go on and on. But I think the more important thing to realize is that it DOESN'T MATTER how much/how fast others lose - it's all about you and your body! Comparing yourself to others will do nothing for your own WOL. You only need to be responsible for your own body - it's the only one you have and it will do its own thing no matter what other people's bodies are doing!

I think the most important thing is to try not to compare yourself to others, or a thinner version of yourself from the past. You're YOU NOW and you have to honor the needs your body has right at this moment. Obviously, you care about your health and taking care of yourself by doing such a great job so far on your weight loss journey, so keep up the good work and try to focus on your own body rather than others.

Good luck!

What she said.

Caroline, I couldn't have said it better myself.

Stacy, there really is no concrete answer to your question. Caroline outlined some of the reasons in her post. Example: Sunday morning I weighed 222. This morning, I weighed 216.5. Now, is it possible that I have lost 5.5 pounds in just 2 days? I think not. I know from experience that what I have lost is water weight, which I was retaining from Easter crap I had eaten. I do know for a fact, however, that I was losing weight at an average of 12 pounds per month when I first started low carbing back in 1998, and I kept up that average weight loss consistently because I was so strict with my eating regimen.

I also know from nearly 6 years' experience with low carbing what my body will react to by way of losing weight. It's just a matter of doing it and sticking to it.

Also, I know that I cannot fall into the trap of comparing myself to anyone else -- either weight-wise or any other arena in life -- else I'll find myself envious and unhappy and then I'll have an "I don't care" attitude all because I compared myself to another and found that I didn't measure up.

I'm not saying that you are doing that. I'm just telling you that when I compare myself to others as a measure of my success or failure, then I fail.

Every body and everbody are different. My two cents..........

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April

The face of a child can say a lot -- especially the mouth part of the face.

My Blog

Wow, congratulations Stacy, great weight loss so far. You go girl. and i dont think you are losing too slow. Ive been lce since jan. and ive lost 40lbs.

once again great job.

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Started LC 1-10-04

302/199/160, 103lbs down, 39 to go, simply remarkable.

Restart- 8-19-07
242/226/160


405 points to date ( HOLIDAY CHALLENGE )

Those were great replies you got.... It's hard not to look at others and wonder how, why and why not me? I do it a LOT... I am a slow loser, I've come to except it... You have done VERY WELL! There is always someone who will lose it faster or slower, so lets chin up and see how we've done so far, hell you are already more than half way there!!!!


CONGRATS

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185/157/130

I want a normal BP, healthy weight and good Cholesterol

"Cause at 158 lbs and 5'6 inches tall I can fit into a size 8 pants there tight but I can wear them and breath ya know. Thats another question of mine how is it that I'm still so heavey and can fit into clothes that I wore when I was 127-135 lbs."

I agree with what the others have said, but to answer your question- most likely you have more muscle now than you did when you were at the 127-135 weight. This WOE retains lean body mass, which weighs more, but takes up much less space than fat. Therefore, you might weigh more but fit into smaller clothes and look less than you weigh. No one can ever guess my weight and are shocked when I tell them. I just explain the whole muscle mass thing!

Most likely, you are far more muscular than you were at 135 therefore you fit into far smaller clothing than you would expect. Muscle weighs more than fat--5 lbs of fat is equivalent in size to about 3 large ruby red grapefruits where 5 lbs of muscle is equivalent in size to 3 tangerines therefore you can pack that 5 lbs into a much samller package (read pants) than the 3 grapefruit. This is why toning and weight training are so effective at making hte body appear smaller even though they make it heavier. As a Physical Education/Sports Medicine major I know this and still weigh well over what I should! Anyway, there is no hard fast answer to your question except that what you are losing and the pace is right for your body or it would not be happening. I have lost 40 lbs in about 15 weeks, I feel good and haven 't been nearly as sick as I was before this WOE in the allergy season so I know it is working for me!

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Lori

232/190/130
My other journal http://www.lowcarbeating.com/bb/showthread.php?t=1130

I'm in the same boat too, and getting mighty discouraged...I've been doing Atkins since October 27 of last year, and have lost a grand total of 18 pounds. I also joined Curves then, and have only lost a total of 6 inches in all that time! I don't cheat, drink all my water, and even Curves main office can't tell me what is wrong. I find myself not even posting here, and starting to not really worry about carbs....about ready to give it up...

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227.5/210.5 helloooooo 180!
Gertie

Gertie don't give up........Reevaluate what you're doing and try another angle. Like my diet partner can eat all the Atkins candies, bars and ice cream however I can't they mess up my pee strip things so I stay away from them and use them as weekly rewards. I can't eat beef cause it bloats me like 5- 10 lbs and causes painful constipation so I eat more chicken pork and fish. So please don't give up.

Thanks to all the wonderful replies I will keep in touch

Stacy

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Stacy I hope to lose 56 lbs

Yes I lost 8 lbs already

Gertie. could you be staying too low? I know I didn't start losing again until I upped the carbs and calories from where I had been.
Can you post a day menu or 2 so we can help, if possible?

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Mary Kay 1/1/04 - 232
5/19/08 (5/23/08) - sw226/(cw222)/mg210/fg160

Laurensmommy, thanks for the pep talk...but I've been doing this woe one day less than you...you've lost 40 pounds more in the same time....which is wonderful for you! and I've tweaked until my tweaker is busted...but I'm gonna tweak again...I'm trying to stay away from the red meat, and eat some skinless chick and turkey and pork and fish...I rarely eat any Atkins things, although in a fit of feeling sorry for myself this morning I bought a pint of his ice cream....but I'll probably have a spoonful a week...lucky for me I'm not a sweet eater. Mary Kay, thanks for your kind note also...but I've posted menus before and all say they're great! But you're right...I may be too low on carbs. I read your post about switching to South Beach, and I've read the book too, but can't see how a change would benefit...maybe down the road. The strange thing is the Curves people...when I took their "test" to see which food program I'd lose weight on, they came back and said definitely low carb...but if you're not losing, do low carb but stick to 1200 calories a day. Now I'm thinking...I'd rather go low fat than low carb if I only get 1200 a day...so I'm not going to count calories...I think 1200 is way to little for me...I"m 5'10" and 209....NO WAY...I'D BE STARVING!!! So on I will plod...but I smell a Saturday night cheat coming on...

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227.5/210.5 helloooooo 180!
Gertie

Plan on that Saturday night cheat--make it part of your life--a ritual avhe something you really love--enjoy it! Then Sunday morning get back into the swing of things--Increase your carbs--you are subtracting your fiber right??? Maybe only increase them for a few days see what happens--if youa re at 40 try 50 or even ~gasp~60 for 3 or four days see how you feel, add a favorite fruit, add a half a bagel, do what you gotta do--back to tweaking!!!!

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Lori

232/190/130
My other journal http://www.lowcarbeating.com/bb/showthread.php?t=1130

Here's another illustration of just how different our bodies are. . .
Laurynsmommy is at 158, 5'6", and wears a size 8. I am also 5'6", and at 148 wear a 12 or 14. Well, to put a point on it, 13 or 15 as the Junior cut fits my shape better. (No waist, no buns)
My first reaction to reading that was total outrage, but then I got to the post where it was pointed out we should only look at the ME that exists NOW which is an excellent point. I don't have the body I had ten years ago, nor do I have the body that anyone else has.
Be all YOU can be today!

Stacie
222/148/140ish

Hey SDA and our intials are the same I'm Stacy Deloris A but I'm from the South lol.

It also depend on how you like to wear your clothes do you like lose fitting clothes when I wear 12 they are baggy. 10's are nice and 8 are tight (sexy fitting) but I can breath bend and dance in them with no pain. And again the size 8's are stretch. I'm actually 5'6 3/4 as well. I have a small waist and a big ole booty lol. My problem with clothes is the waist doesn't fit but the butt does or vise versa. I have the typical black womans problem with clothes.

Stacy

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Stacy I hope to lose 56 lbs

Yes I lost 8 lbs already