New here!

[hipmama]

Hi all!

I have done low carb before (Carbohydrate Addict's mostly, some Atkins) but after a long horrible bout with migraine and migraine rebound, I gained back the 60 lbs I had lost and realized that I had to cut out a lot of the foods that were staples for me on that WOE. (Just wanted to interject, other WOEs didn't cause my migraine issues, I've had them since I was 15, I didn't want that to sound wrong!) I have some other health issues as well, and after reading Neanderthin and The Paleo Diet, this WOE seems like it could address them all. (PCOS/hyperinsulinemia, hypothyroid, migraine, obesity)

My whole family is starting on with me. Between dh and I and all of our health issues and the families' health legacy, it seemed prudent to get the kids on board before they had the same problems. So far so good! I'm going a lot lower carb than anyone else because of my very sensitive insulin issues, but I'm feeling great on Day 6, which is more than I can say for any other plan I've been on!

So, that's it for me! Hi everyone!

[eacoy]

Welcome to the Forum, Jen.

You've taken the first step of starting. You'll find lots of people who will be able to help you as you get comfortable living this WOL.

Post your menus on FitDay and ask any questions on the Forum that you have. We're here to help you succeed.

[toopoles]

Hi Jen, :wave:

And welcome to the paleo boards. The people here are great people to ask questions of. They have answered many of my questions.

Marty

[Hellistile]

Jen, welcome to our cave! There are many knowledgeable people here that have been very helpful and supportive for me.

[hipmama]

Thank you for all of the welcomes! I'm poking around the archives and I'm really impressed with all of the knowledge here. How exciting!

[eacoy]

Be sure to add your comments as you go through journals. Let people know you have been there and add your thoughts. It is like "shaking hands" in a group when you meet people.

Also, your own journal is there for you to record anything you want. (Probably a good idea to remember that it isn't confidential.) It is your blank slate to fill in.

Glad you are finding your way,

[hipmama]

I will do that! Except I don't know what journals are. :o I've never been on forums before that have them. I see the button at the bottom for them (now that I'm looking) but I don't know how to access anyone elses, or what they're for.

Can you give me a brief run-through, or point me to some directions. Sorry, this one is new to me.

Thanks!

[eacoy]

No problem. I'll give you some information, but ask if I leave something you want to know out.

(I don't know everything by a long shot, but I'll share what I do know.)

Journals: You are typing in your journal right now. When you sign in, near your name at the upper right under the name of the forum is a rectangular "journal" button. The easiest thing to do is click on it there. Scroll down to the "Quick Reply, message:" area and key in what you want to put in your journal. You can edit what you write in your journal at any time. (Edit button in bottom right under the message when it is posted.)

When you sign in, there is a blue/blue-green bar that runs across the screen with options: User CP ...to...Sign Out. The "New Posts" option has what has been said recently listed. Double click on New Posts and you have pages of what people have been posting lately. Double click on the journal or topic you want to enter.

At the bottom of the page is the same Quick Reply, Message: box you've seen in your journal. You can add your comments by keying it into the box and pressing Post Quick Reply.

Now here's a neat part. Everyone's journal is accessible by looking just under and to the right of their posting. If you click on their journal, you will be taken over to that person's journal to read what else they may have posted and what other people wrote in response. (If you are confused about whose journal you are in, scroll all the way to the top and read its title. That will help you recognize it by name. If you don't remember whose name goes with the journal, you would have to double click on the underlined names on the left of each posting to go to the public profile and read what the journal name is there.)

You'll gradually find people who have things in common with you and talk about topics of mutual interest. Just reading around in journals is very helpful as you are reading the record of how people have succeeded in losing weight, what they tried when stalled, and ideas for what may work well for you.

Hope this helps.

[mio1996]

Welcome to the cave, hipmama!

[mcsblues]

Welcome Hipmama,

You may well know all the issues relating to your diet and migraines, but if you haven't read it, I highly recommend the Eades book Protein Power Life Plan which talks about the role of magnesium (specifically magnesium deficiency) and its role as a calcium channel blocker. High levels of insulin are known to cause magnesium deficiency (quite apart from the lack of this mineral in modern foods) and if you don't take a chelated magnesium supplement at the moment I suggest you give it a try.

Cheers,

Malcolm

[hipmama]

mcsblues-Hi! Thanks for the information from Protein Power. The magnesium information has been going around migraine forums for a long time, but I recently read PP and they EXPLAIN why it works very well. I have been taking for a while and I never knew why. Isn't that a great book?

Thanks for the welcome, mio!

eacoy/journal-I don't have a journal button. Do I have to start it somewhere? Right now I'm typing in the forums. I'm not sure I understand. I even logged out and looked at my posts to see if things just looked different to me because of the "cookies" but I don't have a journal button like other folks do. I'm sorry, I'm not trying to be difficult.

[hipmama]

A-HA! I got my computer nerd dh to sniff it out for me. You have to go to the Journals/Bootcamp forum and start a thread there. Here's the explanation http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?t=172775

Thanks for your help! I think I got it sorted out now. :)

[eacoy]

Now that's what DHs are for. I am glad you got the answers.

It is confusing at first. You're getting the hang of it fast enough.

Have a good day,

[jun keater]

Welcome to the forum! I think it's great that your whole family is going to join you. I am the only one out of 5 that eats low carb.....

[hipmama]

Thanks, Betsy!

Hi, Melinda! I was the only one for a long time, and it was OK sometimes, not so OK others. I didn't feel confident enough about how I was eating on the other plans to have the kids join me (not that they're not good plans, I just wasn't really eating all that well on them, a lot of cutting corners, etc.) but I feel good about this one. Nice to meet you!

[Ashling]

Well I decided to dust off my membership and come say hello!

Maybe we can both find some new life here! ;)

[eacoy]

Hi,

One of my favorite things about the Forum is seeing how different ways of lc healthy eating work for different people. Some do it alone. You HipMamma, have recently developed some family participation. You described how you have gained in confidence and feel more comfortable offering these options to the rest of the family. Certainly I understand your concern about what kids should be eating as they grow.

I am one of those people who really likes a lot of support and oddly enough I don't like to depend on getting it from my family. They are great people and we love each other, but the "volume" is up so high when they say anything. A casual friend could say, "I think you might prefer to order Item #4 because it would be better low carb" and I would listen. If DH said the same thing I might have my feelings hurt. Neurotic, I know, I'm working on it. But the point, if I'll come back to it, is that the Forum is here for all kinds of support: emotional, logisitical, menu options, etc.

Have a great losing day,

[hipmama]

Hey there, Ashling!

Betsy, we have to find support where it will mean the most to us as we go. You know yourself better than anyone, and you know where to find your support, good for you!

[le muguet]

Hi!
I'm brand new here and thought to say hello!
I've been on low-carb (Atkins at first, then modified it) for several months now, all alone in the family. And it really has started to bother me, I'm tired of cooking double meals... Now I've read Neaderthin and The Paleo Diet and starting this way. Maybe I could put my family on it now, because it actually seems pretty safe and comfy WOE. Thanks for idea!

[Hellistile]

Welcome le muguet to our paleo forum. Good luck trying to get the family to eat properly but perhaps you can incorporate some of the good stuff into their daily meals. My son and his fiance live with me and eat what I make/buy when they are broke, so that they at least get some good stuff once in a while. Around my son's payday though they really carb out but it's their decision to make I suppose. But they have to cook it cause I won't.