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Originally Posted by Brandis
Congratulations on deciding to change your health, and your hubby's too! I too have decided that I am not going to be another victim to heart disease or diabetes, so this time it's for real! I have been around here a long time, gaining and losing and gaining again. But I am like you, because this time I know it's going to be forever. I am not going to let myself stop me from having good health.
I did atkins, and I did south beach, but this time I am mostly just "doing" whole food, with the exception of protein shakes for weightlifting. I am not eating wheat any more, and I feel no more cravings. My sugar intake is very limited, only from what I get in whole fruits.
I am convinced that sugar and processed foods are, to me at least, addictive, and I don't need them. I won't say I won't ever eat them again, it will just be a long time I think. The atkins plan is very good for cutting appetite, but I had a bit of ketogenic "flu" any time my carbs dropped below 50 grams per day. Right now I eat around 120-130 without trying, most coming from some dairy and 1 or two small servings of fruit. I also really really like vegetables, so a really carb-restrictive diet isn't for me.
I hope you like the site and the support you will find here. I have reached my goals with the support and information posted by the great people here. It has been a steady source of support and information over the years. I just wish the last time had been the last time, so I didn't have to start all over. Just remember that when it gets tough. There will be some days when cupcakes are really tempting, or peanut butter calls your name. Don't give in! And if you do, don't stay in the refrigerator kicking yourself and shoveling in pudding (I have done all of this). Just get back to business, and use your husband to keep you going. Welcome to 3FC!
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Thanks so much - I agree with you totally - the processed foods and sugar are no good for me either. Prior to starting this diet I had begun to make small changes already and we ate almost nothing out of a box. I garden and grow most of our veggies, but a lot of natural products - eggs from farmers market, etc. But it was still a very carb heavy diet.
I am a bread L O V E R!! So giving up bread is really hard for me, and sweets, and milk, and ... well you get the picture lol But I can still have cheese!!!
But seriously, I normally am always craving something, I don't get that when I do Atkins which is a big help. In fact last night I could only eat about half my dinner - that's another thing I'm doing is paying attention to how much I am eating. I work a lot of hours and many meals are spent in front of my computer and I end up eating a big plate full before I mean too... or shovel it in between of meetings lol and then eat so fast I don't realize I'm actually full.
So portion control is huge for me no matter what it is. I'm a veggie lover too, even more so a fruit lover. No fruits for a bit will be tough, but worth it in the end. I am planning to stay on induction much longer than 2 weeks, I want to drop at least 50 lbs before I move to phase 2.
Atkins tells you to have 12-15 of your 18-22 carbs from veggies, so it really is actually heavy on veggies if you follow it as it says - I read the book and it does seem to be different than what I remember in the past though. Or maybe I just read what I wanted to back then haha!
Typical day for me is breakfast, veggie and egg scramble - I may add meat or cheese just depending on day/mood/meal plan or 2 boiled eggs, tomato and ham. On the weekends will probably use bacon or sausage on occasion, but we dont' eat a lot of that anyway. Lunch usually a salad of some sort or leftovers. Snacks are things like - cheese stick, or broccoli and ranch, or a couple pieces ham, etc. Dinner - meat and veggies - tonight it was chicken and onions sauted with boiled cabbage (chicken broth, pepper and butter - 3 tablespoons for the big pot which is about 10+ servings).
Main thing is finding something you can stick to and works with you and your lifestyle. For me Atkins is really easy to get my hubby on board with - you don't have to feel like you are starving, and can stay quite full without being crazy on sugar or calories.
Today though I didn't have enough carbs/calories - 15.6 net carbs and 943.8 calories. And I'm feeling it too ... all that super energy I had this morning has faded away lol But I know it's because I didn't eat enough today - that's where my job is an enemy to my waistline lol Been stuck in meetings and different things - I can see right away I am going to have to really increase my efforts around food planning, more than just dinner. I need to have veggies, meats, and cheeses cut and sliced and prepped for snacks. Lunch decided upon and readied as much as possible before hand.
And you are so right about not letting a mistake sabotage all of your progress. I have been so guilty of that in the past myself. I know not to, yet I find myself doing it.
But this time it's for life. It just hast to be. Hubby's health is not horrible, but not great and right on the edge of some major problems if he doesn't act, and same for me too. He's 10 years older than me which increases that urgency - and I'm just tired lol Tired of being fat. I was speaking to an old friend from high school today - we were laughing at how back then we thought we were just gigantic whales!!! I wore a size 14!! Now I still could have lost weight of course, that wasn't ideal, but I thought I was enormous. If i only knew! HA!
Even back when I got married, I was a size 20, still needed to loose - but what I'd give to be starting there! Oh well, I'm starting where I am, and no need to focus on coulda, woulda, shoulda - just what is now!
Best of luck to you!!
Just Starting
