Well - time for me to really set up shop here. I am still posting over there sharing my wins, but have realized that I have not been doing a "strict" Kimkins diet since the 2nd month. I have actually given advice to people who are very low calorie and let them know I was successful in loosing when I was closer to 1000 per day. Those who I have been building a repore with I am trying to contact off line and bring them over here.

Since Kimkins was my first low carb experience I am still trying to figure it out. I did go to my Dr on Friday (first time she has seen me since January) and I was over 50 pounds down. She had lost over 60 pounds on Adkins, but had stopped the plan and gained it all back. With both my daughter and my success, she is getting spurred on again. (She did not realize that I had started doing the diet on June 8th or I am sure I would have been given a lecture).

So here is my story - I am a 46 year old divorced woman with 4 children - 24, 22, 19 and 17. I live in sunny Southern California, my 24 year old daughter lives in FL, my 22 year old son may be moving to Washington State within the next 2 months, my 19 year old daughter is autistic and is very very overwight, and my 17 year old started doing Kimkins with me on July 4th (she has lost 35 pounds). My daughter works in "dieter's hell" according to our Dr. She works for See's Candies and is surrounded by chocolate every day (which explains why she gained 40 pounds in 5 months).

I have done low fat a long time ago. I have done Weight Watchers within the past 2 years (where I stalled around 275 and stayed there for over 8 months, paying the $11.50 per week). I gave up and gained most of my weight back.

Low Carb actually seems a good choice for me since I am not a big bread fan, and could live with out pasta and rice. I do miss my potato's though (O'brien potatoes in the morning with my eggs). My favorite food, which I can not seem to control myself when I am around it, is BBQ tri-tip roast, we had it last night and I am ashamed to say I finished half the roast by myself - with a salad. So I will only have that in the house occasionally.

Well - guess that is enough to start with other than this -

Started my Kimkin's Journey at 316. I am currently 258. I am probably switching to Atkins. I am shooting for 175 but will re-evaluate when I am around 200.

Thank you for letting me introduce myself -

Mary

Hi Mary or should I say Houdini. You will escape and you have already come a long ways towards doing so. Congrats on your losses. Pick a plan, buy the book, study it and follow it to the T until you get used to it. At that point "tweak" it and make it your own. Just remember, fat, adequete protein, and some carbs (more as you go on). Don't be afraid of the fat. Your body will need it after Kimkins and it won't make you fat. It will also help with the appetite too, just in case you've wakened the sleeping giant. That is natural after a VLCD. Best to you and we're here to help!

Thanks - I got "The Adkins Essentials" last night and sat down for a good read.

Hey Merry! Welcome to my forum and I look forward to seeing that Houdini move even more in the coming months!

So I really started reading and I saw that a lot of what I was doing was all ready on induction for Adkins. It should not be too difficult of a transition. My problem is learning how to deal with net carbs and figure them out on fitday (which has really been a godsend and does keep me accountable) and doing exercise.

Though today I did walk up the 4 flights of stairs in the parking structure and started to get winded only between the third and fourth floor. A couple of months ago, I had trouble getting up the first flight.

Yesterday I had one of the worst days at work - one of the kind of days that would have led to sitting down and eating a whole pack of cookies if i had them at work. I had actually been thinking of buying treats for my son and daughter not on the diet last weekend, but I am glad I didn't. Don't think I would have had the will power to stay away last night.

My boss did tell me he was proud of me, I am doing this the smart way. We have several people in our area who lost with weight loss surgery and they are now sarting to gain back. He told me that was so drastic and that they didn't change their lifestyle, so that is wy they are having issues now. I have changed my whole way of life and I obviously have committed to this.

Now I am wondering how realistic it is to drop another 50 or so pounds by Christmas. I don't know, so I took out my mini goals with dates. My next goal is to be 250 - originally scheduled for the end of this month which would b a little over 8 pounds in 14 days. Since I have not moved much in the past few days, I don't think it wll be by month end, but I am still going to try. Also will keep up with my schedule of measuring every other Sunday, so we will see how we are doing on that front as well.

That's all for now,

Mary

Don't put pressure on yourself to hit any self-imposed goal by a certain time. It'll happen when it happens, Mary. I'm look at your before and after pics and you have come so very far. BE PROUD of what you have ALREADY accomplished and CELEBRATE that. You're doing AWESOME and will reach your goal. KUTGW!

Merry,

I know how anxious you are to reach goal, but don't set yourself up with unrealistic expectations. If you make it great, but if you don't just know that it will come in time. Our bodies don't always obey a given timetable. Remember the weight loss is just the beginning of a new "lifestyle".

Thanks for the words of encouragement. I guess that it is kind of difficult to go from around 700 to 1000 calories a day to around 1400 to 1500. My body doesn't know what to do with it yet, since i have been fluctuating in the same pound for the past 5 days. I am going to really need to finish reading the Atkin's Essentials and figure out what I am doing.

I am now officially frustrated. I have started increasing my calories, I have increased my fat intake. My carbs are staying below 20 net carbs. I am up 3 pounds for the week. (sigh)

I am always hungry it seems. I am craving fat foods. I figured it was the weather change and that TOM is about here, but I wasn't sure. This morning I checked and I am out of ketosis. - Well that explains the hunger and the cravings. I SOOOOOO want fried potatoes right now! I am gonna fix an omlet instead.

If am out of ketosis - does this mean starting with Induction and having to go the 3 days or so to get back into ketosis? I don't know and will have to ask around (or read a bit).

It is hard, cause I have to be strong for my daughter who is eating low carb and losing. It is hard because they are all watching me at work and if I slip I hear - i didn't know that is on your diet?. It is hard because my sister is competeing against me - not with me - cause she doesn't want to be the fat sister. If she knew I gained, she would probably say something like, I knew it wouldn't last.

I am afraid I am going to go back to the 300 plus person I was before, and I can't let that happen.

Mary

If you're hungry, Mary then you need to eat. One of the beauties about Atkins is he gives you the tools to keep you on track. Eat ample fats in your diet with significantly reduced carbs and moderate protein intake and you will NOT get hungry or feel deprived. Like sjm said, follow the plan and it will work for you. YOU CAN DO THIS, so NEVER GIVE UP hope. You're doing AWESOME!!!!

Merry,

I wanted to stop in and thank you so much for sending an email for me. She contacted me by email so we are back in touch again!

I appreciate it very much!

Also as hard as it was for me to believe as I have increased my calories and fat my weight has started coming off. Today was the first day I've got my fat over 100 grams . . . . and I ate about 200 calories more than I have been and I feel pretty good. Not bloated, not stuffed . . . . . but good!

You can do this . . . . there is a lot of great support here from Jimmy and the entire forum.

Again, thank you for sending that email!

Robin

It has been so long since I have posted (several weeks). Enough to make Sue come looking for me. I have not been totally adhering to the low carb way of life. I have had many diversions in the past few weeks, and I have no one to blame but myself. Since Sept 1st I have gone from 265 down to 257 and back up - today I am at 261.4. Today is a new day and I am starting fresh. (Since this happens to be my shopping day, I can get my low carb friendly foods and restock the pantry).

This past week, my cruise was paid for, so now I should be motivated enough to get back into this way of eating.

Once more I am getting comments at work about how much I have lost. My 20 pants are loose, my 18's are too tight. My 18/20 shirts hang on me, my 14/16's are too tight. I would like to be in the tight clothes at the end of the month.

Wish me luck (and strength) to get back into the swing of things.

Merry

Okay - I am a little late in taking my measurement this time around.
I have lost 7.75 inches in the last 3 weeks (after a gain on 1.5 inches the last time)
I am feeling a little more positive with the loss of inches - - and I have had 24 hours cheat free.

When I get to work tomorrow, I am moving the treats off my desk and on to the cabinent at the end of the hall.

Merry

Hi Merry,

I noticed your pics on another thread and you are doing awesome! You can tell that you are making progress! It is so inspiring to see before, during, and after pics! Thank you for sharing yours.

For the last 2 months - I have been going at this kinda half heartedly. I would kinda follow a low carb diet, but have allowed myself to cheat and eat items not low carb (not even diet). I have been maintaining beween 257 and 262. This is still the lowest I have been in a long time so it was "ok" I have been struggling in the transition between Kimkins and Atkins. I am stuck in the low fat mindset so if I "cheat" its gonna be a good one.

This is the same thing I had gone through when I stalled in weight watchers. I recognize this and the problem I am going through is that I feel denied the treats I love. It is getting into the baking season and candy making season and this is going to be hard. Can I control myself and keep from going overboard, I would like to think so. Will I stop myself from sampling what I make? Nope.

Back to one day at a time and reminders of what I really want in life. Do I want to be a size 18 for the cruise? No. I would like to be a 14 maximum. Can I do it? I don't know. After my son was born I was 167 and wearing a size 16 - so I do not know if I can be a 14. I am going to set mini-goals. The first goal is to get below 250, which is 11 pounds from today.

When I hit 250 I get to take a new picture and post it. Measurements are taken every other Sunday (tomrrow) which will show the true story.

Merry