just some thoughts

sherry <[email hidden]> wrote:
|| I've been lurking/learning for several weeks, and reading
|| what I could for probably the last 2 years. I'm what my
|| doctor calls morbidly obese, and he suggests a drug (with
|| horrendous side effects!) and surgery which I don't want.
|| The majority of the people I've seen have great success over
|| the long haul in losing large amounts of weight without
|| surgery seem to have adopted a low-carb lifestyle so, as a
|| last resort, I'm finally trying it. I learned that I didn't
|| lose weight just reading about low carb eating any more than
|| I did by watching exercise shows on TV 🙂.

Welcome, hope you have an enjoyable and successful stay.
Most of us have tried the watching exercise show at one time
or another with about the same degree of success.

|| Just a few ramblings, open to comments and/or suggestions.

Ramble on....

|| First, I can't weigh myself because my scale doesn't go high
|| enough. My doctor's does, but I'm not going to obsess about
|| the scale. The goal is to change my eating habits, increase
|| my activity levels to what I can tolerate and do more each
|| week, and let the weight take care of itself. Knowing myself
|| as well as I do, if I don't lose continually I will give up.
|| So the number of pounds can't be my focus; the healthier
|| lifestyle has to be.

Some people need the spur of the scale, some find it
disconserning
since weight loss does not appear to be a constant thing. It
seems
to have spurts and stalls for most of us. Sounds like you have a
good
plan. You must do what works for you. I weigh once a week while
my wife finds it necessary to weigh daily. YMMV

|| Second, I'm only on day 4. But already my shape is changing,
|| the sides of my tummy are narrowing. Already I've got more
|| energy so am already finding I need more activity and so am
|| exercising for the first time in years. I've not yet craved
|| carbs to the point I can't handle it. I craved crunch so I
|| bought some pork rinds; don't like them much, but eating one
|| anyway takes away the crunch craving. I've never been a
|| breakfast eater; in fact I can't stand to eat until I've been
|| up and around for hours even though I know all of the
|| benefits of breakfast. Now I wake up and want a few bites of
|| something. This morning I blew half of today's allotment of
|| carbs on a low carb hot cereal recipe I found; I love and
|| miss oatmeal but this really did the trick and was very good
|| and totally worth it.

It is important the first couple of weeks to keep a tight rein
on
your diet. It sounds like you are getting results.

|| Third, a question - I did the Carbohydrate Addicts test and
|| every one of my answers was YES - so when is my huge carb
|| craving going to happen? Does it usually take more time?
|| Does it ever NOT happen?

For some the carb cravings are very overt, for others the
cravings
are sneaky and attempt to subvert you quietly. I am the later
group.

|| So far I'm thrilled with what I can eat and how good I'm
|| starting to feel, and don't believe this lifestyle change
|| (which I anticipate to be permanent) will be all that
|| difficult for me. I love the foods I'm eating, I measure and
|| weigh and check charts which is kind of a pain, but I'm sure
|| as time goes on I will get a better feel for it and won't
|| have to spend as much time on the details...meanwhile this
|| seems to be a good thing for me.

Success is the best thing to keep one going on the needed
changes.

|| Thanks for listening 🙂.
||
|| Sherry
|| 360/?/195

"sherry" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I've been lurking/learning for several weeks, and reading what I could for
probably the last 2 years. I'm what my doctor calls morbidly obese, and

he

Quoted message said:

suggests a drug (with horrendous side effects!) and surgery which I don't
want. The majority of the people I've seen have great success over the
long haul in losing large amounts of weight without surgery seem to have
adopted a low-carb lifestyle so, as a last resort, I'm finally trying it.
I learned that I didn't lose weight just reading about low carb eating any
more than I did by watching exercise shows on TV 🙂.

Hi Sherry.

Quoted message said:

Just a few ramblings, open to comments and/or suggestions.

First, I can't weigh myself because my scale doesn't go high enough. My
doctor's does, but I'm not going to obsess about the scale. The goal is

to

Quoted message said:

change my eating habits, increase my activity levels to what I can

tolerate

Quoted message said:

and do more each week, and let the weight take care of itself. Knowing
myself as well as I do, if I don't lose continually I will give up. So

the

Quoted message said:

number of pounds can't be my focus; the healthier lifestyle has to be.

You can buy another scale and put one foot on each, and add up the 2
readings.

Quoted message said:

Second, I'm only on day 4. But already my shape is changing, the sides of
my tummy are narrowing. Already I've got more energy so am already

finding

Quoted message said:

I need more activity and so am exercising for the first time in years.

That's good. Activity is important.

Quoted message said:

I've not yet craved carbs to the point I can't handle it. I craved crunch
so I bought some pork rinds; don't like them much, but eating one anyway
takes away the crunch craving. I've never been a breakfast eater; in fact
I can't stand to eat until I've been up and around for hours even though I
know all of the benefits of breakfast. Now I wake up and want a few bites
of something. This morning I blew half of today's allotment of carbs on a
low carb hot cereal recipe I found; I love and miss oatmeal but this

really

Quoted message said:

did the trick and was very good and totally worth it.

Third, a question - I did the Carbohydrate Addicts test and every one of

my

Quoted message said:

answers was YES - so when is my huge carb craving going to happen? Does

it

Quoted message said:

usually take more time? Does it ever NOT happen?

Didn't it happen this morning with the cereal? :o)

Actually, I find that a lot of the people I know can stick with the diet
short term and lose weight, but have trouble in the long term and end up
gaining again. Peer pressure, boredom, social gatherings, cravings, all play
a part that have to be dealt with long term. It can be bothersome to watch
other people eating high carb foods, while you can not. I found that I am
not severely hungry eating low-carb, but even I have problems with peer
pressure. It is difficult to justify why you can't have the item, when you
are at normal weight.
As for cravings. I did miss bread for a long time. Some items can not be
replaced by copy foods. I just worked around it by eating different things,
rather than try to replicate my former diet with substitutes. I'm not into
lo-carb packaged products. I do just fine without them. Others like the
variety. Different people, different methods. If it doesn't work for you,
then avoid them.
Losing weight is difficult. Just because you haven't had a craving yet,
doesn't ensure success. You will eventually find something that will cause
you to eat high carb stuff. You'll have to identify these early and deal
with them to prevent a frustrating backslide. Think positive that you can
get along fine without high carb foods.
Also, try to avoid doing lo-fat at the same time as lo-carb. You have to
get your energy from one of the two. Protein only, does not make a good
energy source. Eat your salad veggies for added nutrients and fiber.

Quoted message said:

So far I'm thrilled with what I can eat and how good I'm starting to feel,
and don't believe this lifestyle change (which I anticipate to be
permanent) will be all that difficult for me. I love the foods I'm

eating,

Quoted message said:

I measure and weigh and check charts which is kind of a pain, but I'm sure
as time goes on I will get a better feel for it and won't have to spend as
much time on the details...meanwhile this seems to be a good thing for me.

After a few weeks, you'll get a feel for it, and won't have to spend as
much time calculating. Some people though, like to track everything to make
sure they are still doing it properly and not overeating. Goodluck.

Tom
210/180/180

Quoted message said:

Thanks for listening 🙂.

Sherry
360/?/195

Ignoramus21451 said:

On Wed, 06 Apr 2005 16:47:03 -0000, sherry <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I've been lurking/learning for several weeks, and reading what I

could for

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

probably the last 2 years. I'm what my doctor calls morbidly

obese, and he

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

suggests a drug (with horrendous side effects!) and surgery which I

don't

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

want. The majority of the people I've seen have great success over

the

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

long haul in losing large amounts of weight without surgery seem to

have

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

adopted a low-carb lifestyle so, as a last resort, I'm finally

trying it.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I learned that I didn't lose weight just reading about low carb

eating any

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

more than I did by watching exercise shows on TV 🙂.

Just a few ramblings, open to comments and/or suggestions.

First, I can't weigh myself because my scale doesn't go high

enough. My

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

doctor's does, but I'm not going to obsess about the scale. The

goal is to

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

change my eating habits, increase my activity levels to what I can

tolerate

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

and do more each week, and let the weight take care of itself.

Knowing

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

myself as well as I do, if I don't lose continually I will give up.

So the

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

number of pounds can't be my focus; the healthier lifestyle has to

be.

Quoted message said:

buy two scales, put a 2x6 or 2x8 board between them and stand in the
middle of the board. If you do not have a board, you can stand with
one leg on one scale and another leg, on another scale. Add up
readings from two scales.

Quoted message said:

Second, I'm only on day 4. But already my shape is changing, the
sides of my tummy are narrowing. Already I've got more energy so

am

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

already finding I need more activity and so am exercising for the
first time in years. I've not yet craved carbs to the point I

can't

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

handle it. I craved crunch so I bought some pork rinds; don't like
them much, but eating one anyway takes away the crunch craving.
I've never been a breakfast eater; in fact I can't stand to eat
until I've been up and around for hours even though I know all of
the benefits of breakfast. Now I wake up and want a few bites of
something. This morning I blew half of today's allotment of carbs
on a low carb hot cereal recipe I found; I love and miss oatmeal

but

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

this really did the trick and was very good and totally worth it.

try not to eat any fake low carb food.

Quoted message said:

Third, a question - I did the Carbohydrate Addicts test and every
one of my answers was YES - so when is my huge carb craving going

to

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

happen? Does it usually take more time? Does it ever NOT happen?

the test does not have any scientific basis to it.

Quoted message said:

So far I'm thrilled with what I can eat and how good I'm starting

to

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

feel, and don't believe this lifestyle change (which I anticipate

to

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

be permanent) will be all that difficult for me. I love the foods
I'm eating, I measure and weigh and check charts which is kind of a
pain, but I'm sure as time goes on I will get a better feel for it
and won't have to spend as much time on the details...meanwhile

this

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

seems to be a good thing for me.

ti is a long and difficult road, there is no reason for rosy

optimism.

Quoted message said:

--
223/176.2/180

Save the money on the second scale and place a lever on the floor
several feet to the side of the scale. Place the board on the lever
and on the scale top equally spacing the edge of the board. Mark the
top of the center of the board. Stand on the board with both feet
straddling the marked center. Note the weight displayed on the scale
and multiply by two. That is your weight. Remember when you get
hungry NOT to eat the board or the levers as they are NOT low-carb.

Borborygmus is your friend.

Ignoramus21451 <[email hidden]> wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

try not to eat any fake low carb food.

This is one thing I'm not doing. Only using "real" food.

Quoted message said:

ti is a long and difficult road, there is no reason for rosy optimism.

Other things I've tried have been difficult. As with everything else in
life, I can choose optimism or I can choose pessimism.

Thank you for your support.

Sherry
360/?/195

"sherry" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Third, a question - I did the Carbohydrate Addicts test and every one of

my

Quoted message said:

answers was YES - so when is my huge carb craving going to happen? Does

it

Quoted message said:

usually take more time? Does it ever NOT happen?

As long as I stay 100% *away* from rice/pasta/bread/sugar I don't ever get
even the first hint of a craving for anything. The hardest part for me is
remembering to eat frequently enough to keep my metabolism cooking.
But the second I eat a high starch or sugar food no matter what the
quantity, I am craving more as soon as I put the fork down. I could
literally eat a pound of pasta and feel hungry 5 minutes after the meal.
Low carb eating does my system a world of good.

--
Toni
http://www.irish-wolfhounds.com

"BJ in Texas" <[email hidden]> wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

It is important the first couple of weeks to keep a tight rein
on
your diet. It sounds like you are getting results.

I'm glad to hear that I'm not being too severe. I'm keeping my carb count
at right around 20 gm/day (less yesterday), most of that from vegetables.
I'm counting everything that goes past my teeth <G>.

Quoted message said:

For some the carb cravings are very overt, for others the
cravings
are sneaky and attempt to subvert you quietly. I am the later
group.

Oooh, I didn't realize there was a sneaky subversive side. Thanks, I can
watch for that 🙂.

Quoted message said:

Success is the best thing to keep one going on the needed
changes.

Thank you very much for your reply! 🙂

Sherry
360/?/195

"Tom G" <[email hidden]> wrote in
news:C4V4e.913227$Xk.441915@pd7tw3no:

Quoted message said:

You can buy another scale and put one foot on each, and add up the
2
readings.

Thanks for the suggestion, when I feel ready to know the answer, I'll try
that 🙂.

Quoted message said:

Didn't it happen this morning with the cereal? :o)

Maybe! I got into the habit of my daily oatmeal before this - but using
only a small amount of actual oatmeal and adding the oat bran, wheat germ,
and flax seeds really cut the carbs down and it still tasted good.
Different than when I put raisins and apples in it - lol - but good 🙂.

Quoted message said:

Actually, I find that a lot of the people I know can stick with the
diet
short term and lose weight, but have trouble in the long term and end
up gaining again. Peer pressure, boredom, social gatherings, cravings,
all play a part that have to be dealt with long term. It can be
bothersome to watch other people eating high carb foods, while you can
not. I found that I am not severely hungry eating low-carb, but even I
have problems with peer pressure. It is difficult to justify why you
can't have the item, when you are at normal weight.

We have a favorite Chinese buffet restaurant where we eat after church on
Sundays and have for several years. How I will manage that is something
I've pondered on, I will probably have to forego that. My family is very
supportive and would be willing to change venues if I find one that's more
amenable to my diet. We're not overly social because my husband works
nights and I work days and we never even have the same days off...but I can
definitely see your point. Hopefully I will be able to glean info on how
others handle that from various posts.

Quoted message said:

As for cravings. I did miss bread for a long time. Some items can
not be
replaced by copy foods. I just worked around it by eating different
things, rather than try to replicate my former diet with substitutes.
I'm not into lo-carb packaged products. I do just fine without them.
Others like the variety. Different people, different methods. If it
doesn't work for you, then avoid them.

There is a plethora of recipes - using "real" ingredients - out there for
low carb versions of various dishes. Are these considered copy foods? Or
just good foods for LCers to incorporate?

Quoted message said:

Losing weight is difficult. Just because you haven't had a craving
yet,
doesn't ensure success. You will eventually find something that will
cause you to eat high carb stuff. You'll have to identify these early
and deal with them to prevent a frustrating backslide. Think positive
that you can get along fine without high carb foods.

It is difficult. I've tried so many other things in the last decade, as I
know that many have. And I've failed, hated myself, cried myself to sleep,
thrown things, and screamed at my inability to be successful (either
because of no weight loss, or because of no "will power"😉. I haven't had a
sense that - even if difficult - an eating plan would be do-able for me.
Even my doctor tells me that I have too much weight to lose to consider "a
diet". I think what's giving me hope for the first time in years is not
that I think it will be an easy road, just that I have a sense that I can
do this that I never had with counting calories or watching fat or
whatever.

It wasn't so long ago I was thin. Although the weight has been an issue my
whole adult life (I'm 47 now), I've been able to manage it. It's only
gotten this far out of hand in the last 10 years or so, and gone too far to
manage as I've done in the past when it was just 10-20 lbs at a time.

Quoted message said:

Also, try to avoid doing lo-fat at the same time as lo-carb. You
have to
get your energy from one of the two. Protein only, does not make a
good energy source. Eat your salad veggies for added nutrients and
fiber.

Thanks for that advice 🙂. I hope I'm eating enough fat, it's hard to get
the idea that it's actually ok to have cheese sprinkled over my cauliflower
or that I can put a pat of butter on my asparagus, so I may be shorting
myself in that dept yet.

Quoted message said:

Goodluck.

Thank you for your input and advice, Tom 🙂.

Sherry
360/?/195

"Toni" <[email hidden]> wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

As long as I stay 100% *away* from rice/pasta/bread/sugar I don't ever
get even the first hint of a craving for anything. The hardest part
for me is remembering to eat frequently enough to keep my metabolism
cooking. But the second I eat a high starch or sugar food no matter
what the quantity, I am craving more as soon as I put the fork down. I
could literally eat a pound of pasta and feel hungry 5 minutes after
the meal. Low carb eating does my system a world of good.

I hope that my system is more like yours 🙂. I've not been "blessed" with
a sweet tooth or a love of pasta and am actually surprised that I'm not
wanting bread or rice which I really thought I loved - lol.

Sherry
360/?/195

sherry said:

"Tom G" <[email hidden]> wrote in
news:C4V4e.913227$Xk.441915@pd7tw3no:

Quoted message said:

You can buy another scale and put one foot on each, and add up

the

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

2
readings.

Thanks for the suggestion, when I feel ready to know the answer, I'll

try

Quoted message said:

that 🙂.

Quoted message said:

Didn't it happen this morning with the cereal? :o)

Maybe! I got into the habit of my daily oatmeal before this - but

using

Quoted message said:

only a small amount of actual oatmeal and adding the oat bran, wheat

germ,

Quoted message said:

and flax seeds really cut the carbs down and it still tasted good.
Different than when I put raisins and apples in it - lol - but good

🙂.

How many grams of each ingredient did you use in this preparation to
net 20 g/day total carbohydrates (+ vegetables)? If you miscount this
much on Day 4, you'll end up like Wynsong ~*

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Actually, I find that a lot of the people I know can stick with the
diet
short term and lose weight, but have trouble in the long term and

end

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

up gaining again. Peer pressure, boredom, social gatherings,

cravings,

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

all play a part that have to be dealt with long term. It can be
bothersome to watch other people eating high carb foods, while you

can

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

not. I found that I am not severely hungry eating low-carb, but

even I

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

have problems with peer pressure. It is difficult to justify why

you

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

can't have the item, when you are at normal weight.

We have a favorite Chinese buffet restaurant where we eat after

church on

Quoted message said:

Sundays and have for several years. How I will manage that is

something

Quoted message said:

I've pondered on, I will probably have to forego that. My family is

very

Quoted message said:

supportive and would be willing to change venues if I find one that's

more

Quoted message said:

amenable to my diet. We're not overly social because my husband

works

Quoted message said:

nights and I work days and we never even have the same days off...but

I can

Quoted message said:

definitely see your point. Hopefully I will be able to glean info on

how

Quoted message said:

others handle that from various posts.

Quoted message said:

As for cravings. I did miss bread for a long time. Some items can
not be
replaced by copy foods. I just worked around it by eating different
things, rather than try to replicate my former diet with

substitutes.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I'm not into lo-carb packaged products. I do just fine without

them.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Others like the variety. Different people, different methods. If it
doesn't work for you, then avoid them.

There is a plethora of recipes - using "real" ingredients - out there

for

Quoted message said:

low carb versions of various dishes. Are these considered copy

foods? Or

Quoted message said:

just good foods for LCers to incorporate?

Quoted message said:

Losing weight is difficult. Just because you haven't had a

craving

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

yet,
doesn't ensure success. You will eventually find something that

will

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

cause you to eat high carb stuff. You'll have to identify these

early

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

and deal with them to prevent a frustrating backslide. Think

positive

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

that you can get along fine without high carb foods.

It is difficult. I've tried so many other things in the last decade,

as I

Quoted message said:

know that many have. And I've failed, hated myself, cried myself to

sleep,

Quoted message said:

thrown things, and screamed at my inability to be successful (either
because of no weight loss, or because of no "will power"😉. I haven't

had a

Quoted message said:

sense that - even if difficult - an eating plan would be do-able for

me.

Quoted message said:

Even my doctor tells me that I have too much weight to lose to

consider "a

Quoted message said:

diet". I think what's giving me hope for the first time in years is

not

Quoted message said:

that I think it will be an easy road, just that I have a sense that I

can

Quoted message said:

do this that I never had with counting calories or watching fat or
whatever.

It wasn't so long ago I was thin. Although the weight has been an

issue my

Quoted message said:

whole adult life (I'm 47 now), I've been able to manage it. It's

only

Quoted message said:

gotten this far out of hand in the last 10 years or so, and gone too

far to

Quoted message said:

manage as I've done in the past when it was just 10-20 lbs at a time.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Also, try to avoid doing lo-fat at the same time as lo-carb. You
have to
get your energy from one of the two. Protein only, does not make a
good energy source. Eat your salad veggies for added nutrients and
fiber.

Thanks for that advice 🙂. I hope I'm eating enough fat, it's hard

to get

Quoted message said:

the idea that it's actually ok to have cheese sprinkled over my

cauliflower

Quoted message said:

or that I can put a pat of butter on my asparagus, so I may be

shorting

Quoted message said:

myself in that dept yet.

Quoted message said:

Goodluck.

Thank you for your input and advice, Tom 🙂.

Sherry
360/?/195

In article <[email hidden]>,
[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

I've been lurking/learning for several weeks, and reading what I could for
probably the last 2 years. I'm what my doctor calls morbidly obese, and he

Hi Sherry, welcome to the group!

Quoted message said:

First, I can't weigh myself because my scale doesn't go high enough. My
doctor's does, but I'm not going to obsess about the scale. The goal is to
change my eating habits, increase my activity levels to what I can tolerate
and do more each week, and let the weight take care of itself. Knowing
myself as well as I do, if I don't lose continually I will give up. So the
number of pounds can't be my focus; the healthier lifestyle has to be.

I hear you! I started out just wanting to lose weight, but my
focus quickly turned to my health when I realized how much better
I FELT. ENORMOUSLY better -- LIFESAVINGLY better! THAT is what
keeps me on the low-carb track. The weight loss and consequent
body image improvement is great, but it is NOT the main
motivation. My confidence and self-esteem is also vastly
improved, but I attribute that to a *combination* of looking
better and feeling better.

Quoted message said:

Second, I'm only on day 4. But already my shape is changing, the sides of
my tummy are narrowing. Already I've got more energy so am already finding
I need more activity and so am exercising for the first time in years.

Sounds like you're on the right track! Noticing the little things
is delightful AND great feedback to keep you wanting do to more.
I love it when I do something like reach around to scratch my
upper back and suddenly realize that my shoulders are smaller. My
neck is smaller. My feet are smaller. My fingers are smaller --
these are things that you don't traditionally measure, so it's a
delight when you suddenly discover that they have shrunk!

Quoted message said:

So far I'm thrilled with what I can eat and how good I'm starting to feel,
and don't believe this lifestyle change (which I anticipate to be
permanent) will be all that difficult for me. I love the foods I'm eating,
I measure and weigh and check charts which is kind of a pain, but I'm sure
as time goes on I will get a better feel for it and won't have to spend as
much time on the details...meanwhile this seems to be a good thing for me.

It becomes a way of life after a while. I think it's important to
keep weighing and measuring food and keeping track of it. It
makes you AWARE of what you are eating. I know that I turned a
blind eye to what I ate before -- by being aware of it, you have
CONTROL over it and make better choices. I've also found that the
QUALITY of food I eat is much better now. When your carbs are
limited, you aren't as likely to waste them on things you don't
REALLY like/want.

--
Saffire
205/142/125 - 5'1.5"
Atkins since 6/14/03
Progress photo: http://photos.yahoo.com/saffire333

"sherry" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

There is a plethora of recipes - using "real" ingredients - out there for
low carb versions of various dishes. Are these considered copy foods? Or
just good foods for LCers to incorporate?

I think fauxtatoes and spaghetti squash are real, Atkins bars are not. I
don't know if recipes with whey or soy protein are considered real or not,
I'm not really low carbing so much as low spiking.

Quoted message said:

know that many have. And I've failed, hated myself, cried myself to

sleep,

Quoted message said:

thrown things, and screamed at my inability to be successful (either
because of no weight loss, or because of no "will power"😉. I haven't had

a

Quoted message said:

sense that - even if difficult - an eating plan would be do-able for me.

I think being successful often involves climbing back on the wagon if you
fall off. Instead of saying, "Well, I've blown that, may as well have that
baked potato and bag of chocolate chips now," you have to say, "I made a
mistake because I'm human, now I need to learn from it and not let it get me
farther off track."

--
No Husband Has Ever Been Shot While Doing The Dishes

In article <[email hidden]>,
[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

We have a favorite Chinese buffet restaurant where we eat after church on
Sundays and have for several years. How I will manage that is something
I've pondered on, I will probably have to forego that. My family is very
supportive and would be willing to change venues if I find one that's more
amenable to my diet.

If you have a Fresh Choice (or similar) restaurant in your area,
it can be a good compromise. It's mainly a salad buffet, but they
also have LOTS of other stuff, including pasta, soup, muffins,
breads, fruit, ice cream, etc., so there's something for everyone.
That way you can stick to the salad (with an amazingly large
selection of salad stuff) and your family can choose whatever THEY
want. If they learn to choose salad components, so much the
better :-)

--
Saffire
205/142/125 - 5'1.5"
Atkins since 6/14/03
Progress photo: http://photos.yahoo.com/saffire333

"wombn" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I learned that I didn't lose weight just reading about low carb eating

any

Quoted message said:

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more than I did by watching exercise shows on TV 🙂.

There's' something wrong with that. We oughta pass a petition around.
Cuz I LOVE watching exercise on TV. :-)

How much do those game systems cost, anyway? I read about a study they are
doing to try to reduce healthcare costs by giving the DDR/game system to
couch spudlets.

http://tinyurl.com/62m2f
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&ncid=1437&e=10&u=/ap/20050405/ap_on_he_me/fit_dancing_away_obesity&sid=95864958

--
No Husband Has Ever Been Shot While Doing The Dishes

"warehouse" <[email hidden]> wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

How many grams of each ingredient did you use in this preparation to
net 20 g/day total carbohydrates (+ vegetables)? If you miscount this
much on Day 4, you'll end up like Wynsong ~*

LOL, understood 🙂. 11 grams total for that dish (probably about 1/2 cup
by the time it was cooked, I only measured the raw ingredients) of hot
cereal. I'm up to just about 15 gms for the day right now (with the 2
scrambled eggs I had for lunch) and am about to have a my fish and cup of
cooked asparagus for supper (3.68 gm) and that will be it for me today.
Usually I have more vegetables but that breakfast took care of most of
those for me today...I don't think I'll do that every day.

Sherry
360/?/195

On 6/4/05 9:47 pm, in article [email hidden],

Saffire said:

I hear you! I started out just wanting to lose weight, but my
focus quickly turned to my health when I realized how much better
I FELT. ENORMOUSLY better -- LIFESAVINGLY better! THAT is what
keeps me on the low-carb track. The weight loss and consequent
body image improvement is great, but it is NOT the main
motivation. My confidence and self-esteem is also vastly
improved, but I attribute that to a *combination* of looking
better and feeling better.

I can second that! I've never felt this good in my life! Strange how the
food obsession has shifted from when and how much I want to eat to learning
more about food and exploring new ingredients!

sherry wrote:
..........

Quoted message said:

Third, a question - I did the Carbohydrate Addicts test and every one
of my answers was YES - so when is my huge carb craving going to
happen? Does it usually take more time? Does it ever NOT happen?

Hi Sherry,
Speaking as a carb addict myself, I didn't get any major cravings at the
beginning unless I was stressed, bored or pms'ing. As long as I eat enough
to feel full and get lots of fat, then and still I don't get huge cravings
for carbs like when I was actually eating alot of carbs. Stress and PMS are
still major triggers for me though.

.................

Quoted message said:

Thanks for listening 🙂.

Quoted message said:

Sherry
360/?/195

No problem Sherry, that what most people are here for. Best of luck on your
journey and congrats for getting started. You WILL feel even better down
the road.
Monica
--
Started Jan. 20, 2004
362/193.6/Goal: Till my thighs don't rub together anymore.
http://ca.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/tavligirl/my_photos
________________________________________________________
"I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear."
- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Quoted message said:

Maybe! I got into the habit of my daily oatmeal before this - but using
only a small amount of actual oatmeal and adding the oat bran, wheat germ,
and flax seeds really cut the carbs down and it still tasted good.
Different than when I put raisins and apples in it - lol - but good 🙂.

Whole grains are not the worst things to eat, but if you really want this
to work, you may have to go further in reducing the foods that you consider
allowable. I know that it seems like you are eliminating important food
groups, but really, as long as you are getting adequate proteins, fats, and
nutrients, you'll be fine. Unless you are doing a lot of vigorous exercise,
your body can run on ketones easily. Part of the diet is breaking the
"addiction" of carbs, and also the blood sugar spiking that makes it easier
to deposit fat.

Quoted message said:

We have a favorite Chinese buffet restaurant where we eat after church on
Sundays and have for several years. How I will manage that is something
I've pondered on, I will probably have to forego that. My family is very
supportive and would be willing to change venues if I find one that's more
amenable to my diet. We're not overly social because my husband works
nights and I work days and we never even have the same days off...but I

can

Quoted message said:

definitely see your point. Hopefully I will be able to glean info on how
others handle that from various posts.

That's something you'll have to decide on whether it's worth it or not.
There are alternatives like, going to a different restaurant, or just
ordering a separate meal for you, or carrying your own snacks. I avoided all
outings in the beginning. Either there were people bugging me about what I
was eating, or the choices were too limited to high carb foods. There are
many situations that require adjustments to how and when you eat to stay on
track.

Quoted message said:

There is a plethora of recipes - using "real" ingredients - out there for
low carb versions of various dishes. Are these considered copy foods? Or
just good foods for LCers to incorporate?

I avoided and still do not eat items like; lo-carb bread, lo-carb pastas,
lo-carb bars, or any other packaged product claiming to be lo-carb.
Cauliflower rice or fauxtatoes are okay. Spaghetti squash is great.
I think sugar alcohols and net carbs are a scam. Some people do eat these
and say they do not get cravings. Others say that lo-carb is difficult to do
long term unless some of these are incorporated to limit the boredom of
eating similar foods every day. I don't eat them mainly because they're not
real foods. Just like margarine. There are probably just as many folks here
that include them as there are that don't and still are successful. Just
beware that they may thwart your diet efforts, when another person may have
no ill affects.

Quoted message said:

It is difficult. I've tried so many other things in the last decade, as I
know that many have. And I've failed, hated myself, cried myself to

sleep,

Quoted message said:

thrown things, and screamed at my inability to be successful (either
because of no weight loss, or because of no "will power"😉. I haven't had

a

Quoted message said:

sense that - even if difficult - an eating plan would be do-able for me.
Even my doctor tells me that I have too much weight to lose to consider "a
diet". I think what's giving me hope for the first time in years is not
that I think it will be an easy road, just that I have a sense that I can
do this that I never had with counting calories or watching fat or
whatever.

It's a way to eat for life. Not a temporary diet to shed a few lbs.
Think "new lifestyle". In my own mind, I have decided that health and being
slim are more important than chocolate or bread. You may come to that same
realization in regards to your own favorite foods. You may have to remove
them totally from your menu. To give up important things to you can be hard
to do.
If your main diet fault is hunger, then this diet will be easy, as it
gives good control over that. If you can not live without junk food, it will
be that much tougher. I found that limiting calories didn't work for me, as
I always ended up being too hungry. But changing my food choices works
really well.

Quoted message said:

It wasn't so long ago I was thin. Although the weight has been an issue

my

Quoted message said:

whole adult life (I'm 47 now), I've been able to manage it. It's only
gotten this far out of hand in the last 10 years or so, and gone too far

to

Quoted message said:

manage as I've done in the past when it was just 10-20 lbs at a time.

Quoted message said:

Thanks for that advice 🙂. I hope I'm eating enough fat, it's hard to get
the idea that it's actually ok to have cheese sprinkled over my

cauliflower

Quoted message said:

or that I can put a pat of butter on my asparagus, so I may be shorting
myself in that dept yet.

Quoted message said:

Goodluck.

Thank you for your input and advice, Tom 🙂.

Sherry
360/?/195

In article <[email hidden]>,

sherry said:

Third, a question - I did the Carbohydrate Addicts test and every one of my
answers was YES - so when is my huge carb craving going to happen? Does it
usually take more time? Does it ever NOT happen?

First welcome and congratulations on making a major positive lifestyle
change! Second, to answer that question, of course cravings can vary
from person to person. Most of us who've had them have specific
triggers that set them off. Stress, PMS, drinking, or sometimes just
being around carby foods are frequent culprits. Eating something high
carb can also trigger cravings for more, which is why plans like CAD, or
"cheats," don't work for some people.

"sherry" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

First, I can't weigh myself because my scale doesn't go high enough. My
doctor's does, but I'm not going to obsess about the scale.

I think it's a good idea not to obsess about the scale. It is nice to see
progress, though. Seeing continuous progress it what made me stick through
the tough times.
I would highly recommend taking measurements with a cloth ruler. Measure
everything! Bust, waist, hips are the main things... but you can also
measure neck, upper arms, thighs, calves. Personally, my progress looked
faster when I took measurements. Even though I did weigh myself about once
a week, there were many weeks when I wouldn't lose any pounds but I'd still
lose inches and know from that feedback that I was on the right path.
How high does your scale go? 300? 350?
If I were you, I'd just find out each time I went to the doctor and in the
meantime just wait until I was light enough for my scale to measure me.
Also, some bed/bath stores have display model scales that you can use for
free to "try out". 🙂

Quoted message said:

Second, I'm only on day 4. But already my shape is changing, the sides of
my tummy are narrowing.

I believe it! I lost about 20 lbs in my first month! I didn't have quite
as much to lose as you, but I started with 90 lbs to lose. I think those of
us who have that much to lose can often get some sort of kickstart in the
beginning. So take that momentum and run with it!

Quoted message said:

Already I've got more energy so am already finding
I need more activity and so am exercising for the first time in years.

Energy, weight, and activity are so closely tied... I've noticed that when I
eat better, I have more energy. If I apply that energy to being active, then
I have MORE energy... and it just gets better. However, if I let myself be
lazy and inactive, then I have LESS energy, which makes me even less likely
to be active because I'm not feeling energetic. Just stick to it. The
payoffs are so huge.

Quoted message said:

Third, a question - I did the Carbohydrate Addicts test and every one of
my
answers was YES - so when is my huge carb craving going to happen? Does
it
usually take more time? Does it ever NOT happen?

By day 4 my carb cravings were over. I only get them now when I eat
something I shouldn't, or if I eat too much of anything (stuffing yourself
is never good, doesn't even matter if it's on lettuce or cabbage)
I still MISSED carb foods because I missed the textures and the habits of
what I used to eat. As more time passed, the less I missed them. The way I
eat now seems so normal. I remember in the beginning my plate would always
seem bare because of the missing bread/pasta/potato/whatever. I used to
always try to prepare two different veggies with each meal so that my plate
looked a little fuller and had more variety and color to try and trick my
eyes. Eventually I just got used to it and now my old way seems foreign.

Good luck on your journey, Sherry. When I'd be tempted or feeling
discouraged, or if something emotionally set me off where I was going to
eat... I'd come here to this group and read people's success stories and see
their before & afters. It was more motivating to me than anything. I don't
think I'd have been able to stick to this way of eating past the hard part
if it weren't for the posters on here.

--
Spring
LC since 1/1/04
260/197/170

"Before" & "current" pics at link below:
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/sprgsnow/my_photos