From Lurker to Poster

[minijun]

Hello everyone. I`m D. I have been visiting this site for about a year now. I`m living in Japan and have tried Atkins before. I was successful for about 1 month last summer, but because of the discouragement of my friends, and some self-doubt, I returned to my previous eating habits.
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Living in Japan is really hard sometimes--the women are super super skinny, and I have played sports my whole life, and have an athletic, muscular body. Even though I am super active and haven`t had a lot of body image problems before, living here has fried my brain!!!! I say I want to lose 20 kilos, but being that a lot of my weight comes from muscle, I would be well happy losing 10. After a lot of thinking, I have decided to give it another go.
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So, please give me your support, I need it, as this is the only place I feel I can talk about the Atkins WOL. My friends gave, and still give me soooo much grief about it if I bring the subject up. This board is fantastic and I hope in 6 mos to a year I`ll be able to post some before after pics!

Female 26
5`6 80kilos
I want to lose 20 kilos!!! (tho then I reckon I`d be too skinny) 10`s OK by me

[jimmie 48]

WELCOME TO THE ADBB, D!
you will gain support here and i see you have already given some hints out in the exercise forum!

it sounds like you already live an active lifestyle. thats good! it also sounds like maybe you should set a goal, not so much on the weight but a size you want to be. don't compare yourself to those around you. and don't worry or fret about the grief from friends. just show 'em and have the last best laugh!

[minijun]

Thanks, I think you are right about not focusing so much on the weight but to focus on the size. I`m not really too fussed about poundage. So long as I am looking and feeling good! I`m on day 4 and while not cheat free, I have done really really well and am exercising, whick is something I did ZERO of the 1st go-round.

Will keep you posted

D

[2big4mysize]

welcome to ADBB and back to Atkins. have you joined any of our open enrollment exercise challenges to help you keep that exercise part of your Atkins going?

[sallyseachange]

Hello and welcome! Love seeing members from all over the globe. I can imagine it must be harder over there in Japan. I have similar difficulties here in Italy where it's all so much P.P.P. i.e. Pasta; Pizza; Pane (bread). You'll get lots of support, info and inspiration here at ADBB which is a tremendous help. Also, it does get easier as you go along, and sooner or later becomes second nature. Disregard what your friends tell you and, like Jimmie said... you' really will have the last laugh.

[sofiajp]

Hi!

I too am going from lurker to poster and I too live in Japan! I have more to lose than you but am so far doing ok. Have to admit that I'm doing a modified version since,as you probably know, it can be really difficult eating out. Thank god for Yakiniku (for those outside Japan it's actually Korean bbq-you cook the beef and veggies yourself at the table)!! And thank God for costco, FBC and "the meatman"it is much more expensive to do it here then back home in Canada but at least with these companies it is possible.

I've been doing it now for 3 weeks and am doing well! My pants are looser and I feel great. I have decided not to measure or get a scale since I know from the past that I get hooked on weighing and measuring myself so I am going by size basically.

Where do you live? How long have you been here?

I live in Fukuoka ( on Kyushu) and I have been here almost 8 years!! YOu mentioned something about your brain being fried by how skinny women are here...I get it. I have accepted that no matter how small I get, I will always have curves (which I like), and will never be able to shop here. shoga nai!(that's life)
Anyway, gambatte!! (good luck)!
sofiajp

[MotherOfGizmo]

Hajimemashite! Nice to have both Minijun and Sofia join us from the land of the rising sun!

Boy can I relate to feeling large while living in Japan! Especially since I wear size 9 1/2 shoes! the men's shoes were even too small for me! And forget about bras, underwear and jeans! Thank goodness my dad took many business trips back to the states or I would have been nekkid and shoeless!

I used to live in Yokohama, graduated high school there and and went to about a year and half of college at Sophia University in Tokyo (its been a while ago LOL).

[minijun]

Wow, nice replies! Yoroshiku!

2Big-- I am gonna go check out the exercise challenge stuff. Still surfin the board!

Sallyseachange-- Im planning (oh o really hope so) so go to Milan in Dec/Jan. How the heck do you eat low carb there? I`ve been thinking lots of salads, etc. Where in Italy do you live?

Sophiajp-- I am living in Osaka and have been here for 4 years. Costco, Costco, Costco is a God-send. And there are a lot of foriegn food stores in town where I can buy various cheeses and yummy olives. Its funny because I feel exactly like you do about having curves. Thats why I say I wanna loose 20 kilos but really truely 10 is OK for me. But when I look at all the skeletors around me (I teach at a jr. high) I think hmm...maybe 30 is better! I remember watching a TV show once and a woman was saying you shouldn`t weigh over 60 kilos (132lbs.) I nearly fainted!
Anyway, if you have any suggestions about recipes, etc. lemme know! Also, if you know of any low carb/sugar free items lemme know! I`ve found low-carb chocolate! I`ve got a lot of things that are easy to prepare and I enjoy eating, but pretty much having some veg and a type of meat for lunch everyday and its getting a bit old...

Mother of Gizmo-- How was school life here? Where you in a public or private school? I`ve always been curious how it would be for a foriegner to be a student in a public(non-international) Japanese school. I know what you mean about the shoes! I`m 25 cm, right on the border. Sometimes OK, sometimes not.

Anyway, I keep on goin, I`ll keep you all posted!
D

[sofiajp]

Hi,

Wow teaching in Junior high school is something I couldn't do!!

Do you know FBC? www.fbcusa.com You can find soooo many things from the states including stevia or splenda, da vinci syrups, tons of cheeses and so many other products (you can search by brand or even just type "low carb"). I order so many things from them. Also, www.themeatman.jp is where i buy a lot of my meats from. Costco is good but doesn't have everything so I buy from them.

As for recipes...I have checked here and other low carb places on the web for recipes...if they are made from whole foods chances are better that I can make them but if they call for a lot of low carb mixes etc then I don't bother since I am trying to eat as naturally as possible (and might not be able to get them). So many recipes call for heavy cream and man...the prices here make that almost impossible if you need a lot . I suppose Osaka has more than where I live and maybe better prices(?) but still it is more expensive in this country.

How are you when it comes to eating out? Not sure how your Japanese is but in any case I have found that trying to substitute or change anything in a restaurant is a nightmare and I usually don't bother so I order as carefully as possible...like I said earlier, yakiniku restaurants are great!

You mentioned before that you got discouraged before because you mentioned you were doing atkins to people. I haven't mentioned it to anyone except 3 people who needed to know and they have been great.When students bring stuff, I just tell them I'm full and then give it to my boyfriend! You could just tell people that you have an allergy-I have done that at times. As much as I want to lose weight and be healthier I never envy Japanese women and their size.I truly like having a bust, hips and curves and maybe that makes it easier in my head cause I'm not trying to get to some unattainable goal so try not to get caught up in comparing yourself to them.Funny thing, my boyfriend is Japanese and he loves my curves!!!!That helps too!

It is strange living here though...so many things have changed in terms of my thinking, behavior etc. I bow on the phone!!! I am losing my English and that is a bit scary sometimes.
Are you planning to stay long?

sofiajp

[jimmie 48]

sofia, would you please check the second link. i get page cannot be displayed when i click it. thanks.