I may be middle-aged, BUT I CAN STILL LOOSE WEIGHT!!

[imagood1]

I am 2 days from being on Atkins for 4 months. In that time I have lost 30 pounds (as of this morning) and I am so happy. It was so easy to drop 15 or 20 pounds when I was younger, but the "excuse" that the older you get the harder it gets is really true.

Last year I added another ailment to my bag...Type 2 Diabetes. That on top of High Blood Pressure, High Triglicerides and High Cholesterol. My mother was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes last year while in the hospital with urinary sepsis so I learned what the new rules of eating with diabetes were - my Uncle (mom's brother) was diagnosed with diabetes when he was in his mid 50's but it was before the pills came around for people and his doctor was so strict with everything that went into his mouth -- it was hard to watch him do from a vibrant man to his death from a brain aneurysm. Mom moved in with us after she came out of the hospital so I researched and found the best way her endocrinologist wanted her to eat...because she is 80 her endo isn't real strict with her diet and she can "get away" with eating things I could never. She says it's her priviledge for being old.

When I was diagnosed they sent me to a nutritionist who put me on 15 carbs a day .... BUT she counted 15 grams as 1 carb so I was eating pretty much round the clock to get enough food in. I could eat anything and everything except fats and oils - I used a can of Pam spray in a little over 2 months! Anyway, 2 months later with very little pounds gone I needed to make a change. An online friend told me her and her husband were on Atkins...they ate strickly for 5 days and anything they wanted for the weekend...I thought that sounded great because her husband lost 70 pounds in less than a year and she lost 45. I also talked to mom's oncologist who had lost 40 pounds on Atkins...only he told me a different story, you ate on this diet 7 days a week but added new foods as he went along...he said it was restrictive the first coupe weeks but not restrictive that you were hungry. Since I had 2 different stories about Atkins I went online and found the truth. It's not 5 days a week, the idea of giving up bread, pasta, potatoes, - ARE YOU FRIGGIN NUTS???? But ya know what, after the first couple days I didn't miss them.

Now it's 4 months later - 30 pounds are gone and I can't imagine going back to my old eating habits. I enjoy food now, I have eaten out without incident, I never feel like an outcast in public because I don't care what people think of the way I'm eating. It's not their health, it's mine. I have had the worse resistance within my own home - my mother believes she knows how I can loose weight, just push myself away from the table, eat less and the pounds will go away - that's what she's always told me so she's right and I have no clue..... It's not that I don't have willpower, I abused alcohol and smoked way too many packs of cigarettes (and cigars) a day -- I stopped drinking AND stopped smoking cold turkey so I DO HAVE willpower. The last time my Internist told me I needed more willpower I told him "shut up". He's 55, tall and thin and when I ask told me he's never had a weight problem...I am happy for him!

My favorite things to eat now are fried radishes and spaghetti squash - things I would have NEVER eaten before Atkins. My plate is mostly vegetables with meat on the side...not the other way around. I am purposely staying on the rung I'm on because it is where I am comfortable for the time being. I had gone up to Rung 6 before but went too quickly and wasn't losing so I went back in induction and have slowly been adding things back - this time with some weight loss so I'm happy.

I'm not burning up the track with my weight loss but I am loosing and that is more important to me. I'm not in a hurry now I'm only in a hurry to get my health back. I feel healthier and have gone down from 3X to a Large top -- I have gone down 2 sizes in my pants (still elastic but still 2 sizes smaller).

I tell everyone I know about Atkins -- and I tell all the newbies about the benefits of drinking water. Even if I wasn't the water challenge hostess I'd be drinking my water every day. I don't miss 6 - 8 cans of Diet Rite and 2 pots of decaf coffee anymore.

If you are having trouble loosing just remember it will come off, it just may take more patience and some tweeking from time to time. If you want it badly enough you can achieve it - and I WANT IT!!

[Sherri]

Bravo!
Great post Carole!
I related to it on so many levels. As I'm sitting here eating my lunch (steamed cauli & brocolli) I am reminded that I wouldn't of been eating this 5 years ago for lunch. I'm also reminded of the many changes I have experienced during my nearly 5 years on the Atkins Lifestyle. It certainly puts alot in perspective for me. Thank you.
I sometimes become complaisant in this WOL. It was nice to be reminded, by your own success, of all the success I have had as well.
As you know, I reversed my Type-2 Diabetes 48 days into this woe and I have managed to control it with this woe alone. I find this in your near future as well. My favorite quote, "As long as you do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always gotten". So as long as we strive for optimul health that is what we will achieve. Weightloss is only one benifit to striving for optimul health.
Congratulations Carole on your success thus far. You are a true example and inspiration of how working the plan 100% that you will get 100% results.
Sincerely yours,
Sherri
P.s. I snickered about you smoking cigars. Brought back memories. LOL. Those were the days.

[Sunny_0ne]

You are one of my greatest inspirations, Carole. I am so proud and happy for you!!!

I'm past middle age, and mine is coming off even more slowly, but it is coming off. I think the veggie challenge this week will give me a major boost, because I haven't been eating nearly enough!

Congratulations on your well-earned successes!!!

[Desertthorn]

Great post Carole and boy can I relate.

[imagood1]

Thank you Sherri, Sunny & Lynne!!! There are times we have to let everyone know that just because we aren't in our 20's or 30's (or even 40's) that we are still viable and work harder to loose the pounds we have.

Oh yes Sherri, I was always "one of the guys" smoking cigars after dinner at Shrine Club or wherever we were. Sadly I could drink with the best of them and smoke their cigars. Every so often I smell a cigar and the memories flood back of great evenings.

Sunny, I'm looking forward to the veggie challenge also - I bought a chayote yesterday that I am going to try to see how I like it. I have no idea why I thought of it but I have 2 recipes I plan to try this week -- one is a Mexican dish and the other is "fried apples" using chayote in place of the apple.

Oh - the past 2 days I've forgotten to take my morning meds (been planting flowers and playing in the yard with Sadie) and have gotten some fantastic results when I check my blood at 5:00 p.m. I'm really excited to see my A1C June 2nd when I see the endo and Internist next.

The reason I keep going everyday is because of the wonderful people I have met here. Sherri you are a true inspiration to me because you have been here championing the way for others and share yourself with everyone. Sharon, your friendship is second to none for me -- I enjoy talking to you everyday and actually look forward to coming online to read your posts - you struggle with me everyday and truly appreciate an ounce lost. Lynne -- You always bring a smile to my face and have a kind word when anyone needs it. The mods are the greatest on the net - and should all be put up for sainthood - I truly have no idea how you do this day in and day out - you are a special group of people who make all Atkineers days brighter.

I hope to continue this WOE the rest of my life -- I can't imagine going back to feeling bloated, miserable and wondering which fast food place we're eating at tonight. I enjoy cooking, finding new recipes and frying radishes....LOL!!!!!

Thank you again to all of you

[sallyseachange]

Really motivating and inspiring post Carole! Thanks.

[Elizellen]

What an insightful post, Carole. You have done a great job of learning how to Atkinise your life and are an inspiration yourself to many of us here

[imagood1]

thank you Sally and Elizellen!! You are both big inspirations to me also!

[imagood1]

I figured out tonight that I'm coming up on 5 months and I'm averaging about 2 pounds a week loss....for all the meds I'm on that's pretty darn good! I'm happpy with it. I had someone appologize because they were loosing more rapidly than me -- you know what, that doesn't bother me. I am loosing and that is what matters....maybe I'm not burning up the track but slow goes the turtle to the finish line!!

It's been a long day -- time for me to turn in.

[imagood1]

It's been awhile since I've been here so that means it's time to say something again. I'm trying to see if I can get my weight moving again....for some reason if I eat around 1500-1600 calories and 30 carbs a day I still the same if I eat 1200 and 25 carbs...so I have no idea what is going on this time with me.

Monday is my weigh in day -- hopefully something will have moved since I got back to where I was on the 12th. I have a tentative mini-goal of 179 by the end of the month but unless something starts happening pretty soon I will still be sitting at the same weight then.

I'm back to riding 25 miles a day on the bike -- the ride takes me 1 hour 50 minutes. I have cut it from 2 hours 20 minutes in the beginning - that makes me happy because most of the rest of that time I was sitting on that bike "resting" -- I stopped "resting" so much and have gotten down to getting the job done...one and off - get it done.