I have found the magic weight loss pill...

[keriann_forgoodthistime]

And thy name is ATKINS!!!!!

Seriously you guys...wow. This morning when I woke up I got on the scale (I check every other day or so...) and holy - I couldn't believe my eyes...175!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am 15 freakin' pounds away from my goal!!! NOT 36 like I was on January 1st!

I have battled my weight for so long I've lost count of the amount of times I've lost weight only to gain it back. But that's what low-fat DIETS do to ya...I have NEVER EVER found a way of eating that makes me HAPPY and I don't feel deprived on.

So after I saw 175 on the scale - I got dressed and put on a skirt that I usually wear and it looked really good...so I thought to myself "hmmm I wonder"...so I pulled out one of the 3 pieces of clothing I have had sitting in my closet for that time of "just in case it ever fits again"...I've got 1 pair of slacks (size 11 juniors yet to get into) and 2 skirts all of which I LOVE too much to throw out even though for the LONGEST time they've not fit because I kept gaining weight back.

Well, I put on one of the skirts - and i'm here at work, typing this WEARING THAT SKIRT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I can seriously TASTE the 160's!!!!! I WILL be 160 pounds (if not lower) for my wedding! I just honest to god can NOT believe that!!!!

It still seriously blows my mind how EASY this way of life is - and it honest to god HAS become my "way of eating"...I don't even have to think about it. Do I want sugar? Yes - I fullheartedly admit that my brain still tells me, "ooooh that cake looks good. ooooh that cereal, poptarts, ice cream, starbucks frappuccino, etc...looks awesome!!!" yes - I absolutely still think about eating those things...however I've finally realized that I want to be healthy and thin so much more and I know that if I were to give in and eat those things #1 I'll get sick and #2 I'll gain weight plain and simple.

If I really want to lose weight and feel good in my skin and my clothes, I HAVE to eat low-carb / low-sugar and continue following the rules of atkins. No ifs ands or butts.

And have I cheated in the 4 months that I've lost 21 pounds? Barely...admittedly I had some REAL ice cream at Kings Island last weekend - and I can't tell you how incredibly it tasted...BUT that was saturday night around 9 p.m. (and btw, I shared a SMALL bowl of it with Dan)...but sunday afternoon omg did I pay for it (and i'll leave it at that).

But I LOVE LOVE LOVE this way of eating because I NEVER feel deprived! And when I do think about wanting something sugary - I always remember how literally sick it makes me because my body can NOT metabolize sugar. And when it does, I either get sick or gain weight.

Since I lost a bulk amount of weight back in 2003/2004 (on weight watchers) I thought that THAT was the only way to lose weight (205 to 160)...but no matter HOW hard I tried I just couldn't get back into it because low-fat/high-carb (including candy/sugar) just always made me depressed and I'd always end up going back to eating junk...

But the FAT and whole foods I eat - I don't WANT to eat junk food anymore (well, I want to but I know why NOT to)...it seriously blows my mind...and to think that in a few months I WILL be back down to 160 almost makes me want to cry because I was beginning to think it'd NEVER happen again.
And not only have I finally found what to do to get skinny - I'm also HEALTHY. All my blood levels are NORMAL and I just feel incredible!

And, no I haven't lost NEARLY as fast as some people and some weeks I don't lose anything - but that's ok because I know that in continuing to eat this way I WILL GET TO MY GOAL and I don't even have to "try"...

And the DIFFERENCE this time - how I KNOW I'm NOT going to gain this weight back that I've gotten rid of?...I don't feel guilty anymore. Food doesn't have that emotion over me that "oops - I screwed up - might as well completely ruin it". Not ONCE in the past 4 months have I felt like that - when that's how I've felt for sooooo long while on low-fat diets.

Ok - off my soapbox now

To any newbies out there who are struggling because you just "CAN'T" give up your bread or sugary filled foods - just do it. all or nothing. THIS PLAN WORKS!

(sorry this was long)

[kibskix]

yay keriann!!! i'm so glad you haven't got discouraged by being a turtle! every other time i've done atkins i've lost rather quickly but this time i'm going much slower than before and you're a great inspiration on days that I feel stuck! I actually had a mini wooshy yesterday of 1.8lbs and that was just absolutely HUGE to me, I NEVER lose that much at a time, if anything I'm fighting all week to get rid of .2 or .4 and thats after my weight randomly goes back up 3lbs and I spend 2 weeks getting back to where I was!
It gets frustrating and patience is not a virtue I have a lot of. But the wonderful thing about atkins is it teaches me patience, which makes me a better friend, which makes me a better girlfriend, which reduces my stress, which helps me to stick to all of this! And if YOU ever start getting down on yourself remember that 21lbs in 12 weeks Is almost 2 pounds a week average. It may seem slower than some people but I always hear the slower it comes off the easier it is to keep off. Plus less of a chance of skin that doesnt shrink back the slower you go. So yay turtles!!!

today is day 50, and the start of my 8th week, and i'm down 17.4lbs so i'm right there behind ya!

p.s update your blog woman!

[JulieB]

That's awesome - congratulations on finding that magic pill & making it work for you. I'm really happy for you.

[imagood1]

Keri -- another reason this works for you and you'll be able to stick with it for life is because you did this for your health .... for Y O U -- that's the best reason in the world.

I've said this to Sunny_One and others, when you loose slowly you really appreciate every pound that leaves your body because we work so hard to get them to leave...I swear my weight is worse that my in-laws...they never wanted to leave either...LOL!!!

Continued good luck to you

[Sunny_0ne]

Kerianne, you are my heroine. For real.

[keriann_forgoodthistime]

Originally Posted by Sunny_0ne

Kerianne, you are my heroine. For real.

awwww thank you sunny! but i have to say - without the support of you, imagood1, everlosing and absolutely everybody else on these boards I don't know if I'd be where I'm at. I love sharing my thoughts with all of you because you all understand what's in this brain of mine when it comes to weight loss (and that's scary!).

But seriously - you guys are one aspect of this that truly keeps me going.

[Elizellen]

What a great uplifting post
I tried to 'rep' you for it but was told I need to spread the love around before it will let me, Keriann, so take this post as a virtual rep point instead

[planetclaire]

What a great post! Go you!!!

[keriann_forgoodthistime]

Originally Posted by Elizellen

What a great uplifting post
I tried to 'rep' you for it but was told I need to spread the love around before it will let me, Keriann, so take this post as a virtual rep point instead

it's all good eliza.

I know I post like this alot - but somedays I wake up and I look in the mirror and it's like "woah. this is really happening!" It's almost like a dream sometimes that I've FINALLY found what works.
And I always hope that a newbie reads what I have going on in my own brain and they realize that this truly honestly IS the right way to live.

[JulieB]

I love it when people post like this - that's when I'm really sure I'm in the right place, that people here understand and have been thru similar things that I have. I can tell you I've never heard anything like it in a WW meeting!! I'm really glad you're here! You're going to be an amazing bride!