What are your spouses/partners/friends saying?

[Eama]

I've lost a total of near 45 pounds from my highest weight in January, but no one noticed yet. I know it's because I'm so large. It's like scooping a bucket of water out of a lake as opposed to a bathtub. lol

My father doesn't believe I lost weight. I can tell, even though he didn't say it. He just asks me how much more I've lost every single day when he calls.

It will be weird when people begin noticing and saying, "Oh, wow!" kinds of things to me. I'm very introverted, so the attention is going to be uncomfortable.

[Emre Yigit]

I've done the full caboodle: Atkins + walking + swimming + weight lifting. (Don't you just love it when men past 40 start to try to reclaim their youth? ) With the help of genetics - I always had a fast metabolism and despite a very impressive pizza and massive sugar intake, gained weight only gradually - I have lost a lot of weight very quickly indeed.

My co-workers have generally been quite supportive. A few started on Atkins themselves after I had been on it for a few weeks! I have had one person at work whom I don't regularly see ask me whether I had had an illness! My girlfriend is jealous but won't admit it.

I have had quite a few negative comments about the restrictive nature of the diet, but stuff that. My carb intake now is about 80grs a day, and its all I can do to eat that without resorting to bread! Sure, I'm still eating a little more fat than I would like, but that will end soon, and then begins the hard part: proving wrong those who say I'll gain it all again.

[neutronnorman]

Originally Posted by Eama

I've lost a total of near 45 pounds from my highest weight in January, but no one noticed yet. I know it's because I'm so large. It's like scooping a bucket of water out of a lake as opposed to a bathtub. lol

My father doesn't believe I lost weight. I can tell, even though he didn't say it. He just asks me how much more I've lost every single day when he calls.

It will be weird when people begin noticing and saying, "Oh, wow!" kinds of things to me. I'm very introverted, so the attention is going to be uncomfortable.

"I'm very introverted, so the attention is going to be uncomfortable."

What are you going to do then when they start whistling at you and / or checking you out?

[Whatsername]

Nothing.

Only one of my drs has noticed/commented and been positive about me doing Atkins.

My sister lives in another state and I keep her updated and she is supportive though I also know she isn't a fan of Atkins.

Jane

[Batman]

I have a friend who is completely unsupportive and a stuck up know-it-all. I snapped at him the other day because he is one of the few people who knows about my problems with food and my Bulimic/control issues, but he continued to do things to discourage me and sat on my computer searching up things to demotivate me and always calls it the 'Fatkins' diet.
On top of all this, he's said things like "All you need to do is eat less" when he knows full well I've gone well over a week drinking nothing but diet sodas, and even worse, still purging THAT.

Thankfully I feel I'm better than that now and with myself through some inward journies, and I have support from my mother who has started with me (she only needs to lose a couple of lbs, but it helps not having the carbs in the house.) and my favourite Auntie who introduced us both to this fantastic WOL.

Oh, and my dad is great because he supports me in everything anyway. (:

Not to mention all of you who are incredibly supportive.

[Felicitas]

Originally Posted by Batman

I have a friend who is completely unsupportive and a stuck up know-it-all. I snapped at him the other day because he is one of the few people who knows about my problems with food and my Bulimic/control issues, but he continued to do things to discourage me and sat on my computer searching up things to demotivate me and always calls it the 'Fatkins' diet.
On top of all this, he's said things like "All you need to do is eat less" when he knows full well I've gone well over a week drinking nothing but diet sodas, and even worse, still purging THAT.

Wow, he doesn't sound like much of a friend. I'm sorry!

[Batman]

Originally Posted by Felicitas

Wow, he doesn't sound like much of a friend. I'm sorry!

It's okay, the more opposition I have the more determined I sometimes find myself. I take the compliments as encouragement, and I take the put downs as even more of a reason to keep on going.

[sham]

Its going to be a year on the diet for me on tuesday (my bday) all my family are saying you look good now break the diet and start healthy eating as im 177lbs but I said Im not doing this diet just to lose the weight its also a lifestyle I like it and im going to continue it.Anyway I have a major goal of being 150lbs by December and since im such a determined person I will do it (hopefully).

[Eama]

What are you going to do then when they start whistling at you and / or checking you out?

If I ever get to that point... a wrinkly-skinned, middle aged woman might not get many whistles. Ha ha! Hopefully not gain all my weight back to hide. This is an emotional journey almost more than a weight loss one.

[dthomps]

I LOVE this thread.

I'm very fortunate to have tons of support from most friends, family, co-workers and husband.

My parents and I did Atkins 3 years ago. They were wise enough to maintain their loss. I wasn't. So, they're very supportive. Even though they eat a lot more carbs than I do at this point, they've been very careful at family events -- father's day, birthdays, etc -- at making sure there's plenty of low carb food around. For Father's Day they made pork loins, crab legs and Steak!! Overkill, but I appreciated it. And my mom calls me skinny every time she sees me, and I'm only down about 10-12lbs. Haven't weighed lately.

My boss told me last week that I looked like I'd been losing weight, and that was nice to hear.

The biggest challenge with friends -- and I'm going to face that one head on today, July4 -- is they don't understand why I can't have a few drinks. Ugh. They're always trying to push booze on me. I know booze isn't absolutely forbidden, but even one or two drinks may weaken my resolve for other foods, and I just left induction a week ago. And I'm not ready to risk it.

In laws tell me this WOL is very dangerous and that I could have a heart attack. A few weeks ago at nieces birthday, I actually ate some fruit, because they scared me so bad. But then I thought about it: I'm eating protein and vegetables and drinking tons of water. On the off chance this diet is somehow "unhealthy" it's no more unhealthy than the way I ate before -- tons of diet soda, sweets and very few vegetables.

And then husband -- he's supportive of my efforts, but he doesn't understand this WOL. He's been a little brainwashed about low fat eating, so occassionally he tries to fix me something that I try to explain doesn't work on my diet. (Like rice or corn.) but he doesn't nag me about it. He truly wants me to be happy and when he brings me rice or corn, I know he's trying. They seem like such healthy foods! And maybe they are for some people, but not for me right now.

Anyway, he's one of those people who can literally eat everything on the Long John Silvers menu for lunch everyday and not gain an ounce. So, I forgive him for not "getting it."

This board is probably the most incredible support-system I've ever seen. So I thank you all for being such inspirations and I hope to return the favor one day soon as a major success story!
Sorry for the novel!