My name is Sherry, and I'm new. Not to Atkins. I started Atkins in 2000 and lost 50 pounds within 8 months. Then I struggled to lose more and managed to maintain that loss over the next 2 or 3 years, even lost an additional 12 pounds at one point. But that last 10 to 12 was hard to keep off and it kept creeping back and falling off again.

I got very perfectionistic with myself and got discouraged because I couldn't seem to take off any more weight. Maybe I really was just tired of dieting and had stopped trying very hard. I'm not really sure what was going on, but for some reason I just couldn't lose any more even with heavy exercise.

And I gave up. Started gaining it back. On Dec 12th I weighed and had managed to gain back about 36.5 pounds of the original 50 I lost. (plus the additional 10 to 12).

Now I'm back on Atkins. I've lost 11.5 pounds and have another 25 to lose to be back where I was at the end of that first 8 months.

I feel good about this decision. I haven't really been having any problem taking the weight off, but of course, it doesn't seem to come off as fast as it did the first time I started doing this.

I just wanted to say hi. I have my own site at MSN, but although I have 200 members, not many of them post often and I need some people to talk to about this journey. I hope to make some friends here.

Welcome aboard Sherry!! Glad you have decided to join us This is a wonderful group who are very supportive. Congrats on your loss so far and getting back on track!

They say the first time is your "golden time", where it seems like the weight just melts off super fast. Each time you start and stop, things go a lil slower, but as long as we are going, that's whats matter! Besides, those who lose it slow, keep it off longer

Look forward to chatting with you and getting to know you.

Welcome sherri

you probably just hit a stuborn plateu and could not get off. there are tricks that many have here that can jump that. and some one will come up with it shen you get there. welcome to the site!!!
(my story is similar but when I hit my plateu it was when my life started to spiral out of control I was down 65 lbs and a delicious size 12 (squeezed) now I gained it all back and more. and still have no control in my life but have to deal with it. I need control over some thing.
Good luck we are here.

Sherry!!

Come join us on the weekly chat so we can get to know you better

Sherry: Sounds like you went through a common problem. Discouragement. I've been there--done that. I've also realised THIS time around isn't going to be as easy. But it's worth it if you think how you FEEL while eating healthy. Keep up the great work and welcome

Thanks for the welcome everyone. I'm loving the process this time. I think part of my problem when I did this before is that I found that I could never be happy with myself. I either wouldn't be doing the diet, but expecting of myself that I should be or feeling like others expected it of me, or I would be doing it with all my might (for a very short period) and would be complaining because it wasn't working as quickly as I wanted. Or I would look at the big picture. How much weight I had to lose, and I would get discouraged.

Now I'm taking very tiny baby steps. I'm setting monthly goals for myself that are small small small. Then if I reach that monthly goal early, I set another one.

I've already reached my first monthly goal for this month, and I am one pound away from my second goal. When I reach that one, I will set a third, which will be only about 3 pounds lower. I know I can reach a 3 pound weight loss goal. 3 pounds is nothing.

But if I keep on setting my little 3 pound losses as the "goal" and reaching them the feeling of success will be SO high that I can gradually lead myself lower and lower and lower. Like a rat in a maze being given little treats just a small way ahead of where he is. He can smell the reward, he can reach the reward, and then he can search for and smell and reach the next one.

That's me. Little steps, a little at a time and I will BE there eventually.

Anyone as big as me has to work very hard on "mind games". When you think of having 100 or more pounds to lose it is too overwhelming. No one can lose that much. But everyone could lose 3 pounds 33 times. If they keep on trying.