A small success, maybe....

[Al Trip]

Hi All,
After many ups and downs in the size of my body, I found myself getting bigger and bigger, and not being able to do much about it, especially having gotten sick with the flu several months ago so I stopped excercising. However I didn't stop eating and put on about 15 extra pounds over the last several months to equal my max weight of 235. I male, 5'7" tall, medium frame. Thinking about my ideal weight, I would say it is between 135 and 145 pounds. That gives me about an extra 100 pounds that I carry around with me. Startling for me to contemplate!

With the weight gain, and with age, (not far from 60 now!) my blood pressure has risen to the point where my doctor is contemplating heart pills for me. Also, my triglycerides have always been sky hi except when I am on a low carb diet. My cholesterol is also high, which I am not so worried about, but I know my HDL increases significantly on a low carb diet. So being on an Adkins diet is a no brainer for me.

The disadvantage I see with Adkins is that I see that quite a few folks here view it as an all or nothing thing, especially during the induction phase. Like it's a great diet, but don't even take a bite of the forbidden fruit! To me that feature alone knocks something out of being great. One slip and I've had it! I've done this before, so I know I'm gonna slip, or at least have a large percentage chance of slipping. In other words, I will take a bite of forbidden fruit and maybe back slide big time.

Knowing all this, I still started, because I had reached a max weight and was still spiralling out of control. Also, my wife took a two week trip, which always gives me the chance to work on my eating habits without regard to her eating habits, and without her watching minds. There is also the reward of surprising her when she comes back.

So, I started induction six days ago. A scale has not been available, but by belt length and fit I know I have at least stopped the weight gain spiral for the moment, and possibly lost a little.

I notice my deviation from the induction diet is snacking. The easiest things to snack on for me right now are cheese and olives. Unfortunately there are limits on these items that are easy for me to exceed, so I need to figure out how to snack without using these I think. I probably need to keep some cooked meat around, pieces of chicken, roast beef, pork, and maybe cans of tuna and sardines that I can eat rather than foods that are limited. I last did Atkins on a 90's version of his book, and so I used cheese a lot, but it was a downfall.

Anyway, one week is coming up tomorrow, so that is good. Like I said, I think the downfall of the diet is the "NOT ONE BITE OF FORBIDDEN FOOD!" More like, I need contingincy plans for after I take the bite, because it will happen. I acknowledge that it is actually my downfall, in being a less the perfect human, which makes me perfectly human, or imperfectly human that means I will take that forbidden bite.

Also, I appreciate this site, which is something new to me, the support of others facing similiar issues. Here I am again, with already having the support of other users of this board, which I appreciate. That is one difference this time around.

The other difference this time, it that I acknowledge my imperfection, and the imperfection of the diet. That allows me to relax a little and not worry so much. This is a different attitude than I have taken before, a change from all or nothing.

This seems like a ramble to me, just sharing some of my thoughts and trying to get some clarity on what is happening for me. I have had some great insights from reading this board, and I appreciate that.

One of those insights is looking and posting on the second time around discussion, so I think I will do that.

Meanwhile, it's time to get the trash organized for the morning pick up.

I'm laughing and shaking my head at myself, a skeptical optomist if that is possible. So much for the ramble.

Al

[liv]

Nice to meet you Al. Great post there. I think the most important thing is probably not whether you slip or not but what you do right after. And it looks like you have decided to make it through whatever happens. Then you will Your wife will likely be very happy you've decided to improve your health. Good luck.

[Al Trip]

Thanks Liv, that is a hard question isn't it? What happens next after a slip? What will I do? I guess one of the answers might be to come here and get some input from people like you..... Also, my wife will be happier this time, I think, because I am including more variety in the diet than before which makes it healthier, than the way I did it before
Thanks again,
Al