Scared to start

[Elsie150]

So much good advice here I am only going to address the loose skin one since that went through my mind in the beginning.

Hon..right now you probably don't look the best clothed or naked...but by the end you will look HOT clothed and the naked part could be taken care of with surgery if it was that bad. I think age and how long you have been overweight will factor in as well. For instance I have been overweight for 21 years...my skin is does not have the elastic in it to shrink back to the size it was meant to be. Oh well...I am feeling better..I will slowly be looking better and I am energized. Drink you water and exercise. That helps as well. Oh...and keep posting...for yourself and to others. You will be surprised how motivating motivating others can be. Best of luck...you are worth it.

[msanjelpie]

Originally Posted by Valinerya

• I followed the Atkins program a few years ago, with great success.
• I'm only 35. I shouldn't be having blood pressure issues.
• I hate being overweight, I hate the smoking, and I'd love to give up both.
• What if I'm ugly when I'm thin?
• What if I never get thin?
• What if I do quit smoking and follow Atkins, and I feel terrible?

How much weight did you lose on Atkins the first time around? Did you ever get to the non-obese category?

Do you feel ugly now?

What if you stay fat forever? What if you get diabetes?

Did you feel terrible when you did Atkins the first time?

[RitaCeleste]

I have a little baggy effect now, but nothing like the pics of people that go to a doc for surgery. I think it will be less when I get the last little bit of weight off. Over all, its NOTHING like I feared it would be. My belly button isn't even frowning. And you can stop loosing weight anytime you are happy with how you look. If that's at a size 16, so what? Get started, take as much time as you need to. Sometimes I went off the diet because I felt comfortable with how I looked, or I wanted to give my skin time to adjust. Sometimes I just wanted to enjoy my clothes before I got too little for them! I am suprized more people don't have stepback from the diet for emotional reasons as their looks changes. I did/do sometimes. But I am glad I did start and I'm happy here.

[Rayley]

I felt the same way you're feeling when i first started like to the T!! I would just stick out the first two weeks (induction) and i can pretty much gaurentee you'll feel ALOT better, not only that but with me i have smoked WAY less and i am on the verge of almost down to quitting! maybe 1 here and there, i know this doesn't happen with all people on atkins, but since being on this diet, it doesn't make me want to smoke at all!! its wonderful. because i also want to quit smoking. i wish you the best of luck!! i know you can do it!!

[tracyc]

good luck

[Suzanne_H]

Wow, Val it was cool to see this thread revived just to see how you've progressed since that post. I'm so thankful for ADBB because I've also been able to go back and see my past posts, see progress, spot trouble areas and really use this information to help me get back on the right path.

I'm really glad you got over being so scared to start.

[meow]

You are feeling overwhelmed and powerless. It's time to take control. If doing both is too much, then do the one that will get you some visible results sooner. One battle at a time.

I like the idea of having a friend save your weight in an envelope for a month, if that's what it takes. But I think, truly, to square off for a battle, you have to know the enemy. You have to look it square in the eye. For me, it was when I saw a picture of myself at a niece's wedding. I looked like a whale in pearls. I was horrified--I knew I was fat, but I had dressed carefully, with perfect makeup and hair, I thought I looked pretty when I walked out the door, but that picture... I was totally shocked. I kept looking at it for a few days, then got up the courage to step on the scale in the nurse's office at my school. The last time I'd weighed in was at the doctor, for an asthma attack, and I'd weighed 208. Now, I stepped up and slid those miserable little blocks around...Two hundred and thirty two pounds. I had never weighed so much in my life. I was appalled, absolutely paralyzed with disbelief.

Well the picture and the scale did me in. I was spinning inside, wondering what I could do that would work--starving at WW again was definitely out---and then my MIL rescued me. She told me she wanted to lose about 30 pounds, and would I diet with her? Her friend had done this lo-carb diet her doctor gave her, and lost 100 pounds over the past year. It wasn't as measured as Atkins--simply all the protein and green veggies you could stand. Cheese, cream and butter ok. Tons of water. That's it.
So we did. She stuck with that diet, not wanting to have to count anything, and I went to the bookstore and bought DANDR 1998. I'm a total convert. A lapsed sinner now and then, but this IS the way to go!


I'd get going on Atkins for a month before trying to quit smoking entirely. Get out for a walk every day, even if it's just 10 minutes.
See if you can cut your smoking down a little,by just a couple of cigs a day. Or wait til after lunch to smoke at all. Or no cigs til after you take a walk. Or, keep smoking til you feel confident that you can quit.

These people here will help you. Everone needs a little help sometimes. What helps me now is that same picture. It's in my wallet, and it will stay there forever as a reminder.

[atkinsgal08]

>>ought DANDR 1998>>

You really need DANDR 2002!

[IrishIrish]

I tried and failed, tried and failed, tried and failed on a multitude of programs and plans. I guess it was the right time for me and I found Atkins. I read the book ... found this website ... read the book again and dragged my family along for the ride. In my mind, if I didn't try this and if I couldn't succeed, then I might as well watch myself spiral further down than I already was.

The day I so a glimmer of hope is the day I found Atkins and other people encouraged me. I couldn't have dreamed in my wildest dreams that I would reach the point I have with Atkins.

For me, since I began not feeling like I could reach my wildest dreams, I just believed that others here believed that I could. And that pulled me through all the difficult times I encountered. This is a way of life for me now. It can be for you, too.

You'll never know that you won't fail this time if you don't try. But do yourself a huge favor and try with everything you have.

[meow]

Originally Posted by atkinsgal08

>>ought DANDR 1998>>

You really need DANDR 2002!

Oh, I got that one, but this was IN 2002, and 1998 was the latest edition.