Hi! my name is Nece and today is my first day on the Atkins. I signed up for the gym yesterday and just can't wait to lose weight. I weigh 180 pounds and for now my goal is 20 pounds. I really want to weigh atleast 140 pounds. So I can really use some support.

You'll do it. 20 pounds isn't difficult at all on Atkins. Of course, it kind of depends on where you start, but the guy at work who just started a short while back has already lost 17. Guys lose faster than us girls, so he has an advantage, but I remember when I first started Atkins I lost 13.5 pounds in a week and a half. Of course I was about a hundred pounds heavier than you are when I did that too! The more you have to lose the easier it is to lose large amounts at once. I think that is because you tend to lose so much water on Atkins. Most of your initial weight loss will be water weight. And so of course if you deviate from the diet, by even a little bit, that water weight comes back on pretty quickly.

That is the discouraging part. You have to tell yourself again and again "it's only water" because otherwise, when that weight comes back on you are horrified. You do lose fat on Atkins too, I'm not saying that you don't, but most of the first weight lost is water, and most of the weight that comes back rapidly is water. It is an idea you should get used to and know right from the beginning. That way you can't get too discouraged.

But because of the rapid water weight loss, you need to supplement potassium. At least a lot of us should. If you don't you can get leg cramps. It isn't something you have to keep supplementing, but at the beginning of the diet it is a good idea.

Anyway welcome! I know you are going to like it.

Welcome! We all hit our tough moments, but ifyou keep coming back here, you'll find it really helps keep your morale up! These ladies make it a little easier everyday...

I know that it's going to be hard but I have to start somewhere. Thanks so much for your support I really need it.

Thanks Falon. I will continue to come here. It's really great how you can get so much support online.

Welcome!

Thanks Susan!

Welcome. You'll do fine if you just put your mind to it.

Thank You. You know what I have a question. My friend was on the Atkins before and she lost about 50 pounds and didn't gain it back, but I keep hearing from a lot of different people that once you get off the diet that you usually gain it back double. Do you think that true?

No. I don't think it is true. Certainly not "double". If you are a terrible carb addict and you go off Atkins and start scarfing down junk carbs again, then yes you will gain it back. It takes time though and you can catch yourself before you gain it all back. I started in 2000 at 282, lost 50 pounds kept it off. Lost another 10 to 12 over the next two years, and then got to the point where I didn't want to do it any more and started scarfing down junk.

I gained back a lot of it. But not all, and I certainly didn't gain back "double".

But the thing is I knew how to get back on plan and I did, and now I'm back down 40 of it.

Yeah that's what I thought it seems that some of my "friends" just doesn't want me to be happy. They give me no support at all. So that's why I'm so happy that I found you guys. I know that I'll get the support that I need. Thanks!

Awe hon! It really is a shame they aren't supporting you like you need. I have noticed in life that there are people who need to have the 'token' fat person in their inner circle because it makes them feel better about themselves. Some people only think about themselves, but your job is to only think about you! This journey is about you, and no one else, so do what you know you have to do.. and if that means come here because it's the only support you can get, so be it.

Nydia, I lost 100 lbs doing Atkins from November 2000 to March 2003 and I have kept every one of them off. They are not ever allowed to come back.

Welcome! I've been losing- this is great! I wish you even better results!

Nece: Don't let others keep you from doing what you TRULY want to do. If you want to do Atkins to lose weight then don't let them stop you. They afraid you're going to look better than them??
Good luck and you can do this!!! Remember we're here for you
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