Atkins and Low Carb Weight Loss
Introduce Yourself!
I had lap-band surgery in August of 2010. I have lost approximately 40lbs (I say approximately cause I fluctuate about 3lbs daily). Anyway, I have stalled on my weight loss and I know it is because I have not been following a proper eating plan. I have recently decided the try the Atkins diet, so I am beyond excited to have found this group today! I have a few friends at work that recently started this diet and they have been incredibly successful. So, I am looking forward to continuing my WLS journey, hopefully with continued weight loss!
We are really glad that you are here, too! Bandsters can continue losing for easily 2-3 years, and how great htat you're modifying your eating habits early in the game!
Lisa
Lisa
Interested in low-carb nutrition? Thinking of trying Atkins? Want to try high-fat and/or high-protein eating? Whether or not you have had (or are thinking about) WLS http://www.obesityhelp.com/group/atkins/
Hi there! I think that many of us tend to consider holidays to be our personal vacation away from healthful eating, so you have lots of company here! Glad to have you here with us!
Interested in low-carb nutrition? Thinking of trying Atkins? Want to try high-fat and/or high-protein eating? Whether or not you have had (or are thinking about) WLS http://www.obesityhelp.com/group/atkins/
HI everyone,
My Name is Nikki (Yorkiegal on the Ds board) and I had a lapband in 2006 and then a Duodenal switch on 22nd Jan 2008. I have lost 140lbs and try and maintain my weight at around 135lbs, I am currently at about 142 after some really stressful events. I am now trying to lose the 7lbs regain before it becomes any more!!
The best way for us Ds'ers to lose and maintain our weight is to avoid all simple carbs and focus on high protein and high fat meals.
I am very interested in the low carb approach and try and live a relatively low carb lifestyle most of the time.
I am excited to share tips and recipes with you all from such different weight loss surgery and non surgery backgrounds!!
Nikki xx
Had a band in 2005 at 280lbs, had band removed and DS done on Jan 22nd 08 at 220lbs in Spain, now 135lbs and a size 4!! Happy as a Clam!!
Dontcha love the DS? It's the best tool around!!
Note - this is lengthy, so read all or portions as you choose.
I've been visiting this site now for a week or two and realized I never properly introduced myself! My name is Shari, I'm 52, have one 22-year-old daughter who will be graduating from nursing school this June. I live on a small farm with a few horses, a couple of dogs, a cat, and lots of wildlife that come to visit! I work at home as a medical transcriptionist (yes people really do that!
) so I have access to food all day long... good or bad (I've been grazing at my desk for 2 years now... carbs and sweets****il March 13, 2011, when I finally put the brakes on.
I suffered some early childhood trauma and then subconciously I think I started using food to try to fill that gaping hole left by that trauma. I come from a very large, blended family, and with so many mouths to feed, meals and snacks were mostly carbohydrate-laden - the least expensive way to go supposedly. By 12 years of age I was already 50-60 pounds overweight. I remember going to a friend's house and her mom would always offer me a sandwich... bologna on white bread, of course. I'd down that in no time at all and when a second sandwich was offered (which it always was), I gladly, though ashamedly accepted... the carb monster had packed his bags and moved right on in with no plans to leave unless I forcibly evicted him! My siblings and I would sneak food when ever possible, to the point that my mom ended up putting a lock on the food cupboard! I was even so desperate for carbs and sweets, I'd steal my moms Aids (that was a chewable chocolate diet aid back in the early '60s that was more like a chocolate carmel if you used your imagination). I wouldn't take just 1, I'd pocket as many as I thought I could get away with without my mom finding out - often 10 or 20 at a time! Instead of losing weight, I just continued to gain. I had another life-changing occurence happen at the age of 12, went to live with a "foster family" and was introduced to my very first diet... Atkins! I basically ate hamburger patties, cottage cheese, and eggs for a couple of months and dropped 50 pounds... I was still not super thin, but pleased with my progress nonetheless. Then for some reason I don't recall, the Atkins way of eating stopped, carbs were reintroduced, and I was a slave to the monster once again.
The next decade was harsh for me... I learned to internalize everything and used food to comfort myself... but the pattern didn't stop when the abuse stopped, and eventually I ballooned up to 348 pounds by the time I was 49! After my sister had RNY, I petitioned my insurance company for the 2nd time, and was finally approved. I had my RNY on March 11, 2008, quickly lost a significant amount of weight, and my sister and I decided to celebrate our new bodies and my 50th birthday by going on a cruise! I allowed myself whatever I wanted on the cruise as long as it didn't make me feel sick... so a bit of bread, potatoes, ice cream, pie.... it might be 2 or 3 bites, but I felt elated that I could have any at all without dumping... I FELT NORMAL! I managed to lose more after that (although more slowly since I wasn't sticking to protein & veges) down to 202-204 range. Onederland just a tease away, but I could never get below that 202-pound point. Finances then became tight and I had to give up my membership at the gym... which led to an excuse not to exercise by walking or any other means... which led to relaxed eating habits, which of course led me right back into the arms of the carb monster! I quickly puffed up until my size 14 jeans no longer fit, then my 16's were too small (I was terrified to get back on the scale... didn't want to face how much I was gaining), started wearing my size 18's again until I could barely button them, then decided I'm done with this BS!!! Stripped down to the buff, and with trepidation, stepped on the scale... OMG... I had regained 75 pounds of the 144 I had managed to lose!!! I was talking to one of my sisters recently (she also struggles with her weight) and she was trying to motivate me to make a change. She said "you've tried this, you've tried that, and now your surgery has failed... now what are you going to do?" Suddenly out of nowhere, I wa**** over the head by the proverbial 2 x 4... and I realized that my surgery didn't fail... I failed my surgery! I stopped using my tool... that's all it ever was and all it ever will be! Still, I wasnt ready to commit to a change until a new procedure at work meant less time with hands on the keyboard means less money in your pocket. It was at this point I realized I was wasting so much of my day grazing at my desk that it was actually affecting my income! I wasn't hungry... I was addicted... to refined carbs and sugar. Another trip to the scale revealed that I was now up to 282.2 pounds... up a whopping 80 pounds in the past 2 years!!! With 300 pounds just around the corner, I knew it was time for action once and for all.... Sooooooo....
I've made an appointment with an eating disorders counselor and have began attending OA meetings. I finally logged back onto OH (which I used to hang out on faithfully 3 years ago)... most of the names and faces have changed, but I discovered this group and I feel like I've been thrown a lifeline! I have lost weight with Atkins many times over the years and always feel my best when I eat this way... but to do this in conjunction with the surgery, well it makes perfect sense since postsurgery we're supposed to be concentrating on protein anyway, then veges if we have room. This just might be the last time I have to lose what I've regained. I hope this group lasts for decades... we all need the support and encouragement from one another. I know that I won't succeed without accepting the help of others, and I'm willing to accept that help and give it in return! I will continue to be active here, and will continue with my counselor and OA the rest of my life if necessary, because I (and every one of you) deserve to be happy and healthy! We can do this... one day at at time!
I've been visiting this site now for a week or two and realized I never properly introduced myself! My name is Shari, I'm 52, have one 22-year-old daughter who will be graduating from nursing school this June. I live on a small farm with a few horses, a couple of dogs, a cat, and lots of wildlife that come to visit! I work at home as a medical transcriptionist (yes people really do that!
) so I have access to food all day long... good or bad (I've been grazing at my desk for 2 years now... carbs and sweets****il March 13, 2011, when I finally put the brakes on.I suffered some early childhood trauma and then subconciously I think I started using food to try to fill that gaping hole left by that trauma. I come from a very large, blended family, and with so many mouths to feed, meals and snacks were mostly carbohydrate-laden - the least expensive way to go supposedly. By 12 years of age I was already 50-60 pounds overweight. I remember going to a friend's house and her mom would always offer me a sandwich... bologna on white bread, of course. I'd down that in no time at all and when a second sandwich was offered (which it always was), I gladly, though ashamedly accepted... the carb monster had packed his bags and moved right on in with no plans to leave unless I forcibly evicted him! My siblings and I would sneak food when ever possible, to the point that my mom ended up putting a lock on the food cupboard! I was even so desperate for carbs and sweets, I'd steal my moms Aids (that was a chewable chocolate diet aid back in the early '60s that was more like a chocolate carmel if you used your imagination). I wouldn't take just 1, I'd pocket as many as I thought I could get away with without my mom finding out - often 10 or 20 at a time! Instead of losing weight, I just continued to gain. I had another life-changing occurence happen at the age of 12, went to live with a "foster family" and was introduced to my very first diet... Atkins! I basically ate hamburger patties, cottage cheese, and eggs for a couple of months and dropped 50 pounds... I was still not super thin, but pleased with my progress nonetheless. Then for some reason I don't recall, the Atkins way of eating stopped, carbs were reintroduced, and I was a slave to the monster once again.
The next decade was harsh for me... I learned to internalize everything and used food to comfort myself... but the pattern didn't stop when the abuse stopped, and eventually I ballooned up to 348 pounds by the time I was 49! After my sister had RNY, I petitioned my insurance company for the 2nd time, and was finally approved. I had my RNY on March 11, 2008, quickly lost a significant amount of weight, and my sister and I decided to celebrate our new bodies and my 50th birthday by going on a cruise! I allowed myself whatever I wanted on the cruise as long as it didn't make me feel sick... so a bit of bread, potatoes, ice cream, pie.... it might be 2 or 3 bites, but I felt elated that I could have any at all without dumping... I FELT NORMAL! I managed to lose more after that (although more slowly since I wasn't sticking to protein & veges) down to 202-204 range. Onederland just a tease away, but I could never get below that 202-pound point. Finances then became tight and I had to give up my membership at the gym... which led to an excuse not to exercise by walking or any other means... which led to relaxed eating habits, which of course led me right back into the arms of the carb monster! I quickly puffed up until my size 14 jeans no longer fit, then my 16's were too small (I was terrified to get back on the scale... didn't want to face how much I was gaining), started wearing my size 18's again until I could barely button them, then decided I'm done with this BS!!! Stripped down to the buff, and with trepidation, stepped on the scale... OMG... I had regained 75 pounds of the 144 I had managed to lose!!! I was talking to one of my sisters recently (she also struggles with her weight) and she was trying to motivate me to make a change. She said "you've tried this, you've tried that, and now your surgery has failed... now what are you going to do?" Suddenly out of nowhere, I wa**** over the head by the proverbial 2 x 4... and I realized that my surgery didn't fail... I failed my surgery! I stopped using my tool... that's all it ever was and all it ever will be! Still, I wasnt ready to commit to a change until a new procedure at work meant less time with hands on the keyboard means less money in your pocket. It was at this point I realized I was wasting so much of my day grazing at my desk that it was actually affecting my income! I wasn't hungry... I was addicted... to refined carbs and sugar. Another trip to the scale revealed that I was now up to 282.2 pounds... up a whopping 80 pounds in the past 2 years!!! With 300 pounds just around the corner, I knew it was time for action once and for all.... Sooooooo....
I've made an appointment with an eating disorders counselor and have began attending OA meetings. I finally logged back onto OH (which I used to hang out on faithfully 3 years ago)... most of the names and faces have changed, but I discovered this group and I feel like I've been thrown a lifeline! I have lost weight with Atkins many times over the years and always feel my best when I eat this way... but to do this in conjunction with the surgery, well it makes perfect sense since postsurgery we're supposed to be concentrating on protein anyway, then veges if we have room. This just might be the last time I have to lose what I've regained. I hope this group lasts for decades... we all need the support and encouragement from one another. I know that I won't succeed without accepting the help of others, and I'm willing to accept that help and give it in return! I will continue to be active here, and will continue with my counselor and OA the rest of my life if necessary, because I (and every one of you) deserve to be happy and healthy! We can do this... one day at at time!
Shari M.
I am so glad you posted this! It was very interesting to read!
How interesting that as a teenager, someone thought to try the low-carb way of eating. Any idea what prompted that?
We are glad to have you on board!
How interesting that as a teenager, someone thought to try the low-carb way of eating. Any idea what prompted that?
We are glad to have you on board!
Interested in low-carb nutrition? Thinking of trying Atkins? Want to try high-fat and/or high-protein eating? Whether or not you have had (or are thinking about) WLS http://www.obesityhelp.com/group/atkins/
Hi Lisa -
When I was a teenager, I believe that was was beginning of Dr. Atkins' Diet Revolution - nearly 40 years ago. Of course back then most of the "medical society" poo-pooed the idea - even thought Dr. Atkins was a quack... but he persevered and was convinced that some day people (including the medical community) would come to embrace this style of living and we'd begin to see a greater acceptance of it... including low-carb products being more readily available in stores. Boy did he have foresight!
I think I have every book of his from his very first Diet Revolution up through the newest book!
Shari
When I was a teenager, I believe that was was beginning of Dr. Atkins' Diet Revolution - nearly 40 years ago. Of course back then most of the "medical society" poo-pooed the idea - even thought Dr. Atkins was a quack... but he persevered and was convinced that some day people (including the medical community) would come to embrace this style of living and we'd begin to see a greater acceptance of it... including low-carb products being more readily available in stores. Boy did he have foresight!
I think I have every book of his from his very first Diet Revolution up through the newest book!
Shari
Shari M.
