I've been lurking around the forum visiting and reading for a couple of months and have decided to come out of my shell to register and begin posting. I possibly had two strikes against me as I began Atkins' WOE...a potentially slower metabolic rate because of my age (I am 74 y/o) and ability to exercise is limited due to bone and joint problems. My physical therapist wanted me to lose weight in order to take pressure off hips and knees and my physician wanted me to make dietary changes because my last blood glucose reading showed I was pre-diabetic. My cholesterol has always been a little on the high side but my HDL's and LDL's have always been good so that kept me in the low risk category. My last labs showed LDL's to be high. My doctor let me select the plan to best reach my goals so I researched and decided Atkins' WOE was most likely to work for me. My primary motive for adopting Atkins is to reduce my blood glucose so I won't develop full blown diabetes, to improve my lipid profile, and get some pounds off. Of course losing inches is wonderful and is giving my ego quite a boost.
My doctor has written the order for my lab work to be repeated in late March so my current goal is to have my readings within normal range by then. Dr. Atkins said to wait at least six weeks to repeat tests but I will have almost four months to work on improving results. I initially defined 32 pounds as my weight loss goal because that would get me back to the weight I maintained throughout my adulthood until I retired. Upon retirement I discovered there is food in the world all day long and my husband and I love going out for lunch and eating lots of it. We went to our favorite Chinese buffet the other day and while my husband went to the buffet and got all his favorite stuff, I went to the Mongolian grill and got a plateful of raw shrimp and non-starchy vegetables and had it grilled with plain oil and no seasonings...yum! I thoroughly enjoyed my lunch and stayed on plan!
I started Atkins on 12/2/08 and even though we attended a number of holiday parties and meals, I stayed true to the eating plan and did not cheat. As for having a "clean" environment with no "evil" food in my home...ain't gonna happen...unless I get rid of my dear husband...but since he is a definite keeper...I just leave his candy, pies, cake, cookies, ice cream...all that carby stuff, alone! He is not responsible for my choices...I am the only one responsible for what I choose to eat. When starting the plan I weighed 162 and at this morning's weigh-in I weighed 149 so I have lost 13 pounds. I can wear clothing I have not been able to wear for several years. Before I started Atkins, I had two closets and several drawers full of clothes and could only fit into about 20% of them...I am having a great time "going shopping" in my closets and being able to wear at least 80% of what is there...and that is after only six weeks of eating the Atkins' way.
Today after church some friends were going to a cafeteria for lunch and invited us to go along. My husband looked at me and said, "What do you think?" I said "sure" so we went to lunch with them. I looked for "naked" meat and a good salad. I selected roast beef and a spinach salad. The beef was very lean so I picked up some butter as we passed the breads. When I started to eat I opened the packets of butter and spread it onto the beef. One of the women looked at me and said, "I never saw anyone spread butter on their meat before." I just laughed and said, "Gotta get my fat in!" They asked me, "Where is your pie" because in the past I always had a big piece of pecan pie, coconut pie, or some other surgary treat.
I do have the 2002 DANDR...actually two copies, a hardback copy and a paperback copy, and I have read it and continually refer to it. I also have
Atkin's for Life which was written by Dr. Atkins and published in 2003. I also have a Dr. Atkin's cookbook and
Atkin's Essentials (and I do know to disregard the misinformation in that one.)
I fully understand this is a lifetime plan and not a "diet" to be discontinued when some predetermined goal is reached, so I am in it for the long haul. Although I am perfectly satisfied with what I am eating now, I realize at some point I might want something that is not on plan. But I know the difference in a want and a need...I might want something illegal but I do not NEED it, so I am determined to choose not to eat it. I weigh everyday and for me that is okay...I have been up and down a few times and by weighing every day I can better keep track of what is happening within my body. I do not obsess over what I see on the scales. In my other life, before retirement that is, I was a college teacher and one thing I taught was Anatomy and Physiology so I understand the workings of my body and that weight loss is not linear or totally predictable.
I look forward to participating on the forum and getting encouraged along this journey that we are taking together. I hope I can offer support and encouragement to those of you who need it also.
Monita
F/74/5'6"
162/149/130
January 11th, 2009, 08:42 PM
Delurking at last... 
Re: Delurking at last... 
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