Introduce Yourself!

Long term low carber foolishly turned to food pyramid and over the years went from vacillating between more fat and less fat to morbid obesity.  That's my story.  The short and quick version. 

Had I stuck with the basic Stillman Diet principles (low carb circa 1970's), and continued to weigh daily, I  likely would not have gone from a little overweight to morbidly obese. 

To think I always thought I was so very fat back then.  Now I struggle to be only this "fat". 

Oh, that stupid ADA pyramid -- messed me up something fierce.  There are many wonderful low-carb eating plans, but here is the pyramid for the Atkins plan -- a lifesaver, for me.

Its because that damned ADA pyramid was influenced by FOLKS WHO WERE LOBBYING GOVERNMENT SUBSIDIES!  And had NOTHING to do with what was healthy for us, only what the government wanted us to buy!!

I am not conspiratorial about much, but when I found out that stuff it burns me UP!

RRrarrr!!

Hi, I'm Molly and I had an RNY to DS revision in Aug. 2010.  Since I am new at this high protein, low carb eating I would love some help with ideas and meal planning.  Thanks for starting this board.

Molly

Hello, my name is Laura and I'm a crappy carb addict. . . .  after regaining 40 pounds, I need to re-focus on my "program" and go back to the high protein lifestyle. I know what I need to do, I just seem to lack the motivation to do it - don't want this to be a "New Year's Resolution" I want this to become my lifestyle.

 Hi,
I'm Kate and I just had my vsg surgery 4 weeks ago.
I was a skinny kid, and very thin all through high school, eating anything, including carby foods. However, in high school I decided I needed to go on a diet. I was 5' 8.5" tall and weighed 135 lbs., and it just blows my mind that I felt fat at that weight. That's when I think I started doing some real damage to my metabolism, since after every diet I would gain up to a higher weight than I had started at.
I gained weight with every pregnancy (5) and never lost all the weight. I still stayed in the overweight range which wasn't too bad, but after ending an abusive marriage and a very stressful divorce, I turned to carby foods, especially sweets, to calm my anxieties and get me through the day. I quickly piled on the pounds and after a few years found myself morbidly obese, suffering from hbp, arthritis, sleep apnea, and severe depression. 
I lost about 110 lbs. a year ago through very low carb dieting. It worked great for me, though I still needed to lose another 60lbs., but I hit a long stall, got frustrated and went back to eating carbs. The weight came back on incredibly fast (about 40 lbs.) and that's when I decided I needed surgery to at least help me prevent such rapid regain. I'm committed to eating low carb with my new surgery, since I know I can lose weight eating this way. I have no experience with maintenance and am looking forward to learning from all of you who are on this journey with me.

Isn't it interesting how, for so many of us, it was DIETING that first triggered our true obesity?  I clearly remember being told to eat a certain amount of fruit and bread for weigh****chers, and it set me on a horrible path.  At one point, a nutritionist told me to cut out protein and fat ... you can imagine what that did to my metabolism!  Sent me straight into Super Morbid Obesity.

As I read these stories, this same theme keeps popping up, over and over again!

Hello everyone! I recently had VSG surgery 9/15/2010 and I am hoping that a low carb diet will help speed my weight loss along. I lost about 40 lbs within a couple of months after surgery and then the scale stopped and has not moved for weeks. Because I have went through the weight loss game so many times before, I can't seem to feel the elation that I see in everyone else when they lose. Even though I am seeing changes in my body and I am losing inches I only seem to get satisfaction from the scale and the non movement is driving me insane!   I Look forward to learning and sharing as I figure out this new way of eating.

Hi, I'm Laura and I'm a carb addict. I was on my first diet at 13, WW, then did the diet pills and when I was in my 20s I went to OA where I learned to stay away from sugar and flour. Every time I decided to start eating bread or sugar again I regained weight and went out of control. I had a DS in 2002 but at that time I misunderstood and thought that I could eat whatever I wanted and lose weight, which I actually did for the first 2 years, going from 240 to 120. After 2 years I started regaining about 10 to 15 lbs a year. I got out of control with the carbs and felt terrible with gas and bloating and chronic diarrhea. I finally cut out all refined carbs and lost weight but still had the stomach issues. Two years ago we had a snow storm and we were stuck in the house and I started eating refined carbs again and I gained 70 lbs in about a year. The weight was coming on fast. In six months I gained 30 lbs. I was miserable and sick and I finally went to my surgeon and begged for a reversal. He lengthened my common channel and made my stomach into a pouch because I was scared to death of gaining even more weight. After surgery and the liquid phases I detoxed and decided that I was going to avoid refined carbs. Since then I have lost about 65 lbs with practically no malabsorption and no exercise because I am still suffering from fatigue. I have found that as long as I don't eat refined carbs I can eat pretty much whatever I want and lose weight. Of course I mainly eat protein. I average about 100 grams of protein a day. The only carbs I may eat in a day are a salad or some vegies or like today I had chili with beans because I need the fiber (I have bad constipation). I also had some rye crackers so I would have some whole grains. I have never followed Atkins persay, I just stay away from refined carbs, especially breads and sugar and eat mainly protein. I also eat things with fat like salad dressing and cheese. When I was tracking my food on Fitday I was getting about 50% protein, 30% fat and 20% carbs.
I have found that if I don't eat the refined carbs I don't want them but as soon as I allow a little back in my life I fall back into the same habit so for me I have to totally stay away from them. Eating them in moderation is like trying to be friends with an abusive ex, it just hasn't worked out for me in the past and I have no reason to think that anything has changed to make it work now.

Eating them in moderation is like trying to be friends with an abusive ex


Wow, this really hit home for me.  I've never had an abusive ex (or abusive partner of any kind) but I know what you mean.  There's a saying, "Don't invite your enemy into your home," and that's the way it is for me.  I can't have that stuff around!  I made apple pies for New Year's, and just now had to tuck them into the freezer for some other time, when there are more people home, because I will definitely find my way to them otherwise.

Well, on that happy note, Welcome Aboard!!!