Hi, I'm new

[Sarina D]

Hello everyone,

I stumbled across this forum just yesterday and have enjoyed going through the sections. I tried to register yesterday already but had some difficulties (my fault) however, I managed to successfully register this evening.

I would like to thank all of you who have taken the time out and posted, I have been greatly inspired and have appreciated reading countless stories and introductions as well as the support everyone gives to each other. I just started the Atkins program yesterday. I am not new to the program as I was on it about 10 years ago and experienced success at that time but sadly went off the program and have not been on it since.

Last year I lost 40 lbs and gained about 20lbs of it back. As of this year, (April) I have lost 51 lbs, however, I bounce between gaining and losing 8 lbs of the 51 lbs I've lost since April and I am now becoming very frustrated regarding this and experiencing extreme craving for things I should stay away from not to mention discouraged. I have been at this point countless times before in my life when I was trying to lose weight and at this point I always, always, always fall off the wagon and go the other way. While talking with my husband just last week about what I'm going through he suggested that I go back on the program...so here I am! I have had the determination not to give up and I've been stuborn trying to "hang in there" but I know that I am dangling by a string due to my past experience trying to lose weight. I am very excitted he reminded me about the Atkins program and have a great deal of hope again now.

I have a great deal of weight to still lose and I am excited about getting back into the swing of things with the program. I went out yesterday and purchased some Ketosticks and jumped the gun lastnight (I just had to check) and used one...but I was in the beige mode, however, this evening I checked and the colour has now jumped two other colour's so perhaps that is a promising thing.

Thank you all once again for your amazing stories and the incredible courage you have displayed on this forum. I can't begin to tell you how it has touched me.

All the best each and every one of you!
Sarina

PS. I go by Sarina although my user name is Sarina D...I tried to sign up yesterday and messed up and had to choose another user name today so I just included the initial of my lastname.

[dreamof145]

Hi Sarina. So happy to have you jump in and join us. My whole life was bouncing up/down on the scale and it wasn't until I learned the importance of planning success that I was able to actually make positive changes that caused positive results. I still plan each month and create goals to achieve in my weight and my life. Its the best way to stay focused and keep on track. When obstacles occur (as they always do) I write out solutions to get through the tough times instead of caving in. I used to give up and let negative self talk take away my dreams. You are with the best people here for helping to achieve success and enjoy your new way of life. Congratulations on the committment you've made and the friendships you are about to encounter here. ADBB is the best!

[sallyseachange]

Warm welcome aboard Sarina!

[SueSue1212]

Hi Sarina,
Tell us a little more about yourself if you would. Like how much you have to lose to reach your final goal. We have different groups for different numbers.
I am in the Century Club as I have to lose over 100lbs.
138 left to go exactly, but hey who is counting right? LOL
Welcome and let us help if you need to vent we are here, if you have Q's we will all try to help.
Best of Luck!
SueSue1212

[Sarina D]

Thank you for your warm welcomes and encouragement, I appreciated it very much! Thank you for the suggestions as well. Patience is NOT one of my virtues so losing a lot of weight has been quite daunting to say the least because it does take time. It has taken me a number of years to get in the state I am and I realize it will take a bit of time for me to reach a healthy goal.....something I am coming to terms with for the first time in 10 yrs of having this amount of weight on.

Since April I broke my weight loss goals into small steps...in other words...every 10 lbs lost I would tell myself "just 10 more and then you'll be at 20 lbs just 10 more after that and you will have lost 30 lbs" so on and so forth. It has helped me stick it through to this point but just over the last three weeks (very hard weeks) I made my goals even smaller in order hang on...so instead I keep telling myself " just 5 lbs more and when that is reached, just 5 lbs more and you'll have achieved 10 more lbs lost" and so forth. It has helped me a great deal. I can't go any lower than that at this time because I get too disappointed. I haven't lost any weight up till last Sat, I had been bouncing up and down by 8lbs. However, I got on the scales this morning and I am down 7lbs since Sat. so that made me quite pleased. Probably just some water retention but hey, I'll take it!

Regarding more about myself, I am 37 years old, married (married 16yrs now) to a wonderful, wonderful guy who I love dearly and loves me back unconditionally, is very loving and is incredibly supportive. We don't have any children but who knows, maybe one day that might happen. When I said I have a lot of weight to lose, I'm talking 180 more pounds. I carry my weight pretty well due to my height being 5'8 but carry a tremendous amount of weight around my stomach area which drives me absolutely nuts...I see myself losing weight everywhere else since April however, my stomach looks barely smaller after losing the amount of weight I have. (One of the most frustrating things for me right now) The other troubling areas are thighs and upper arms.

I have had a weight problem since I was about 9 yrs old. I sadly went the route of Anorexia as well as Bulimia starting in grade 7 and that carried on till I was about 21 yrs old. I hid it from many people. I lost a lot of weight between that time but in my adult years it crept back as well as a many, many, may more pounds. Thankfully I got better and overcame Anorexia and Bulimia with the help of husband and my mom. When I met and started to date my husband I had just turned 18yrs old, he became aware of what I was doing and helped me through it along with my mom. I got better and haven't fallen back into it since I was about 21. I'm sure my system was very taxed by what I put it through and I am tremendously thankful to have gotten through what I did and that I’m still be here. After that, the weight slowly but surely came back and then about 15 years ago it started to spin out of control at which time I started to gain a tremendous amount of weight….and her I am today needing to lose at least 180lbs.

So, here I am doing it a different way, learning patience, sticking with it and trying very hard to stay on track.

Thank you again for the kindness and support you have given to me, I appreciate the suggestions and encouragement very much. I’m looking forward to meeting people and being supportive and here for anyone who needs me.

Sarina

[Clarasassycat]

Welcome Sarina! I too started this journey with over 180 lbs to lose...189 to be exact. I'm the same height too :P I know where you are coming from saying you cant see the loss in your stomach....I look in the mirror and think, "Why is my stomach looking the same?" Our own eyes can be decieving however, and we ourselves may not notice it. It took being able to put on a pair of pants I cuoldnt wear, and then a nurse from my routes at night commenting that my tummy looked smaller for me to see it. Have you taken your measurements?

[Sarina D]

Hi Clara,

Thank you your encouragment and sharing with me about yourself, I appreciate it very much. Amazing that we started out pretty much with the same goal and we're both the same height! Congratulations on your weight loss! You've done great!

No, I haven't measured myself at all. That would have been a good thing to do earlier but I certainly can do that today, thank you for that suggestion! I can see how doing so would be useful...I know it would help me through each mini goal. It has seemed so daunting and concerning with that much weight in that area to lose as well as the rest of the areas. It has been rather frustrating and I just try to push through it, I look at myself from the waist up sometimes just to miss that part

A piece of good news today...I jumped on the scales this morning and I am now 10 lbs less than what I was on Sat. evening when I checked. I was pretty happy about that.

Thank you Clara for writting to me and giving me a different perspective on how I'm looking at what bothers me the most, I will measure myself today and start keeping track that way.

Thanks so much!
Sarina