Joy comes in the morning

[Simone]

Well it is 8:45 am in Germany and already I have taken my husband to play golf with his coworkers, walked two miles, and praised God for a new day.

I looked in the mirror this morning while bearing all. I really looked. I noticed bones around my neck and shoulder area. Of course I think I am imagining things so I yelled for my husband. "Baby does it seem like my neck is thinner? I mean would I look good in an off the shoulder top now?" He smiled at me and said, "yes you do look thinner up top." Well of course he said that. He wants me to stay with him and raise his kids, cook 3 meals a day and clean his house. What else is he going to say? ...my inner voice was talking.

So I looked at myself again...this time at my back. I had counted the rolls in it and written it down. Now it just seemed different. Like I would not be so resistent to a halter or low back shirt. I asked him again...does my back look thinner. He said your upper body looks thinner to me. He said he noticed that my bra and panties just looked nicer on me these days. Well, again...he is supposed to say all that.

Then I went to the scale. Same scale I have been using for 6 weeks now. Same scale that shows no weight loss at all. I got on it and I was at 260 down from 263. Three measly pounds in 6 weeks. I was so disappointed. I had 3 clean weeks of induction, resisted Paris indulgences and still...not losing weight. I have read the book. Dr. A says to look at inches but he also states plainly that he "expects weight reduction too." Anywhoooooo

After all the body inspections, I got that size 20, nonstretch regular denim shorts and put them on. I mean I put them on. They were tight as the dickens, but I put them on. The waist of them was too BIG!! They were tight on my hips, butt and thighs. Then I put on the jeans I had on the day my husband asked me to marry him. The last time I tried them on I couldn't get them above mid thigh. This time I got them all the way up. They were about 4-6 inches from fastening. They were cutting off the circulation in my body, but I got them up higher! Then I tried on a pair of jeans that I only wore once in 2001 called slim fit. I have round hips and bought these jeans to make them look more square....I got them up and almost fastened. I couldn't even get these far above the knees the last time I tried them. At this point I was feeling pretty darned good. so I ran to my "skinny lingerie" drawer and retrieved a pair of bikini panties and a sexy matching bra that I hvaen't worn in God knows how long. Now I didn't look like a lingerie model in them, but if not for that last roll just below my belly button and above my groin area, I looked pretty darn good in this by my standards.

Ok....so that helped me to get out and walk this morning. And no I didn't cheat last night. I cried a lot, ate some ham and red peppers, but no cheating.

NOw I am am still disappointed by the scale. I really am, but I have evidence...at least I think I do...that I am getting smaller. I wish I had taken pictures before now! Then I would not have to rely on my twisted memory warped by my emotions.

Anywhoooooo I feel a lot better today. Like I made it through a night of withdrawls (back to the crack addict analogy) and now I am ok. Like Ray Charles in that movie where I made through weeks of pain and agony and then he freed himself of the drugs. That is how I feel. My walk was faster. The morning was cold about 60 degrees adn I was sweating after about a mile.

I Feel like maybe...just maybe I will get to be normal size at some point in my life. And while that is not a roaring cheer....it sure as **** beats feeling hopeless. Hopelessness is reason to give up. I found a reason not to, and for that...I am so grateful.
Thanks.

[sidrah]

Well, take some pictures now. Don't worry about the scale. Nobody really cares how much you weigh except you. They won't know you are 260 or 256. They will know that your bones are popping out and you are wearing all these baggy clothes all of the sudden.

You do not go around telling people on the street you weigh 250 and feel great; you show them you are feeling better. And, you are doing that!!

By the way, red peppers and cucumbers are my foods, too. I just add in turkey and I am set!

You are doing so good, so don't let some little arrow on a scale mess with being happy about what you have done so far.

So, you take some pictures now and start comparing from here. It is not the end of the world and you can only figure out what you still want to do when you finally realize what you haven't done yet. Now, you know and you move on... Get some new clothes, break out the ones that used to be too tight. That is the progress you wanted and now you get to see it!

[Elizellen]

Simone - you are starting to burn body fat
I tried to find the thread that (I think) 2big4mysize wrote where she explained how it is that on Atkins we can shrink in size without dropping a pound in weight but I couldn't find it.
But a loss in inches means you are replacing fat with muscle, and as muscle takes up less room than fat (like the pound of feathers/pound of lead riddle) most Atkineers find they fit into smaller clothes than they used to at the same weight.
Have you taken photos now? If not then do so now and you will be able to compare in the future if your scale tries to upset you.

[Simone]

My husband has a digital camera so I am going to get him to take some pics when he returns. I still confuses me though that I can be no more than 25 carbs a day, exercising everyday and still no weight loss. That is just baffling. But I would be fine at 500lbs if I were a size 10!!! I am just concerned about what Dr. A said in the book...I should be losing lbs too...why aren't I? Do I need some sort of supplementation? Should I reduce my calorie intake? I am between 1500 and 2100 a day now. but I am not hungry so I can reduce if need be. I drink rivers of water a day as well.

I am happy that I can FINALLY see a difference...but boy would I like the scale to SHOW a digfference as well. It may be just psychological but it is the biggest motivator.

My husband has gone from looking like Drs are going to have to induce labor to an almost flat belly. HE has lost 30lbs and he is cheating up a storm...nuts, coolwhip, diet drinks galore and a dessert every single day, that I am preparing for him alone I might add. I am proud of him. He really needed to get that belly undercontrol...so unhealthy.

Anywhoo....I am praying for my Swoosh moment soon.!!

[not2late]

Okay, everone reading this thread (including you Simone) repeat after me:

"SCALES ARE EVIL!!!"

Loss of inches represent fat emptying from your fat cells. Scales might not show movement for a number of reasons including water retention and increased muscle mass. That's why measuring yourself is very important.

I went through a 6 month period where I lost no weight, but I lost 3 dress sizes!

So measure, measure, measure!

[Terry]

Woo Hoo Simone!!! You doing wonderful!!

It was so nice to read this post first thing this morning!

[Finelly]

Simone -

You are doing GREAT!!!!! Now, as for the pounds vs. inches thing, all I can say is this:

Last year, I went from a size 18 to a size 12. When I wore the 12 last year, I weighed 184 lbs. Previously, when I would be 184 lbs, I'd be a size 16.

Not only that, but somone in the Second Time Around forum posted yesterday that she lost one HALF of a pound.....and THREE INCHES!

I can't really explain it....but this is the way it works. The poundage slowly drops. The inches MELT quickly. Go figure!!!!

[Simone]

Well I am holding fast to all that I am hearing. Remember my comment about hope. This makes me feel hopeful. I keep glancing at myself (profile) in the mirror going..hmmmm. In my culture, having a tiny waist and round (not outrageous, but round) hips and a big ol' butt is gorgeous. I have all of that, just oo much of it. So I can see my "shape" coming back and I like that. So....I will exercise the evil scale away, but like all the other scarry movies, it it immortal and comes back one way or another....for now I will believe what my husband says, even if he is supposed to say it.

[Finelly]

Simone - you tell that inner voice of yours to stop insinuating that your husband is lying. How insulting to him (AND you) to keep insisting that he only is attracted to you because you cook and clean for him! Is he that much of a moron? Or is your inner voice the stupid one?