New to the forum and almost done losing weight.

[sugarkang]

Hi everyone,

I've been lurking for the past three weeks and the stories/photos have been inspirational. I've always been a thin person but I quit smoking in January (pack and a half a day for 18 years) and my appetite came roaring with a vengeance. I couldn't get enough of klondike bars. There are six in a pack and I ate all six in one sitting. I gained 20 lbs in just three weeks. I only had one pair of jeans that I could still wear, and even those were really uncomfortable because of my weight gain.

I figured I had a choice. Buy new pants and accept my new fatness, or decide to change my life. I chose the latter. I knew I had to nip this in the bud. I started at 185 lbs and have lost 15 lbs on the atkins plan. I'm at 170 now and plan on reaching my goal of 160 in one month.

I wish people would stop calling this the "high protein diet." It should be called low carb, high vegetable diet. Honestly, I don't think I even eat that much more meat than I did before. It's just I have a mountain of vegetables on my plate and of course, a lot of FAT.

I'm new to this WOE but I'm surprised at how easy it has been. Granted, I've only lost 15 lbs, but I feel healthier and more energetic than before (aside from ketosis of course). I'm already reintroducing carbs to my diet for maintenance and I plan to eat this way forever.

That's my story.

[imagood1]

Welcome and congratulations on your success! You are so right about this plan - it's such a great way to eat...I've never spent so much time in the produce department at the grocery store until now! I honestly feel this is the best time of my life!

I remember the time after I stopped smoking (3 pks a day for 35 years) cold turkey. I wasn't a pleasant person to live with but food seemed to be my new bad habit. I gained 20 pounds trying to find something that tasted good to me....I ate to find something I liked...but I wasnt' finding it -- nothing tasted like anything. I lived on Breath Saver mints because they reminded me of cigarettes (I smoked menthols all those years). I never did find food that made me feel good until January of this year when I started the Atkins plan.

Keep up the great work and keep eating your fat and veggies!!

[Chicklady]

Hi Sugar Glad to see this is working for you. You're right about the veggies...I've never eaten so many in my life! Once you get to the nuts rung, there's not much you can't make to satisfy your every need