Bacon-Flavoured Coffee

[LC Sponge]

Every time I tell this story, it's a bit different - factual, but different. Depends on my mood.

I was in the midst of quitting smoking 6 years ago and in the same fresh-air breath, met my husband, an aspiring chef. We both met our goals - me a butt-free-novice and him, the most amazing cook I'd ever met. Everthing he touched turned to food-fantasia. I weighed a mere 139 pounds when we met, and being a low-carb eater by nature, I probably would have stayed slim... except...

Between the lack of fags (can you say that here?) and the new good food (PS he was also a low-fat advocate, in retrospect I must have been sucking back an extra cup of sugar a day) he transformed me into a non-smoking, low-fat follower.

The result was enormous - some day I'll post a *before* Atkins pic of myself.

I stayed off the cigarettes, but rose to 184 pounds (I am small boned and 5'8" tall). I could bend down, but I couldn't get back up. My back hurt like never before. I kept a bottle of TUMS next in the car, in my office desk and an extra bottle replaced the KY on the nightstand :), I was a digestive mess. I looked AWFUL in my mind, - no - not just my mind - I LOOKED AWFUL - and I hated myself for being so weak.

Tried WW -what a joke - I'm sure it works for some, don't get me wrong - but I was gulping chocolate cake and pizza and then going hungry for the rest of the day.... That diet has structure but not the right kind.

I examined Richard Simmons and all his little cards. And decided it was too "Vegas". My luck was crappy.

I tried exercise only, but I'm basically lazy, so that was a washout.

Then a neighbour one day jogged past my house yelling something about eating 10 ounce T-Bones and losing 14 pounds. Wow - now THAT really appealed to the cavewoman in me.

Bought the book (DANDR) at noon that day. Had it 1/2 read by 3:00. Was eating low carb that night - never looked back. I can recognize a *sign* when I see one. Put my foot down with dh the low-fat chef. He'd need to learn some new skills to keep me... he did.

I had 40 pounds to lose. It took me 1 year 8 months and 15 days to do it. I was supposed to hit goal in October 2000 according to my calculations. It took a full year more. Though I might envy the people on boards like this who were virtually MELTING, it did me no good. My body was going to hang on to every pound it could. It wasn't *easy* but then again, it was.

I busied myself giving others lots of support and congratulations. I lost hair - handfuls of it. I finally had to cut it short until the phase passed - I learned all the right vitamins to help it grow back even better than before.

I made sure everybody on the message board I was on always got a friendly word and a hug if they needed it. Meanwhile, I suffered constipation, and learned how to deal with it. I learned how to get on the scale and deal with the letdown every single day - my longest "stall" was 5 months. The people on the boards were losing pounds and pounds every week.

I gave advice to those who were scared and defensive about Atkins-bashers. I tried to get them to feel great pity for those people who were still looking for a *cure*, while they refused (and bashed) low carb.

I dealt with my slow loss by celebrating with the succesful losers. People with more to lose than me, met their goals in less time than me. I adored them, they were my idols. I learned from every low carber I met - and I continue to do so.

Now?: I exercise - I love hiking and running. I plan my meals daily, based on the morning scale result. I hover between induction some days and up to 60 carbs other days- it's controlled believe me, not erratic or fanatical. I still take all my vitamins and try to drink all my water. I don't feel deprived, I feel lucky. Even today at work, someone called to me 'hey skinny!'.

My back doesn't hurt, my knees don't hurt, I have energy and enthusiasm. I look maaahhhhvelllous... :) And I will never, never, NEVER go back.

[Natrushka]

What a wonderful story, LC :) I am so looking forward to hearing more over some broiled meat next month. Your are truly an inspiration.

Nat

[Ruth]

Thank you for sharing your story... you are maahhvelous!

Do you think you could have reached your goal this past week without an on-line support group? The reason I ask is that any time I don't have access to the internet for a week or more, I seem to struggle and sometimes even feel discouraged. Having on-line buddies who are walking, running, even trudging *LOL* the same road as me helps more than I ever thought it would. All my previous attempts to lose weight foundered due to hunger, boredom, hunger and the feeling of being alone in what I was trying to change in my life. Can you (or anyone else reading this) relate to that? Have you been there, emotionally?

That's enough pondering for now, I'm so pleased you have reached your goal. :yay: :clap:

Ruth

[Ka3n]

LC Sponge,
I'm so happy that you stuck with it and reached your goal! :thup: Thank you for sharing your story, you ARE an inspiration. :cool:

[Holly]

Your story gives me hope. Thank you for sharing it with me. I think that without support we all lose (and not in a good way)

Holly

[Homegirl]

Thanx for sharing your story.

I have been paying attention to everything you've written since I first "noticed" you on the board.

I am especially glad that you are still here even though you have reached goal. I am looking forward to hearing how you work out your maintainence plan.

Can't wait to see the before and after pic. Hee hee :) .

[LC Sponge]

Do you think you could have reached your goal this past week without an on-line support group?

Ruth - probably, but the journey would have been riddled with longer moments of sheer terror.

The internet was a way for someone I hardly knew living in Melbourne, or in Glasgow to tell me that my hair falling out was totally normal - oddly enough - I was reassured. :)

And the other thing is, I can't eat while I'm typing.

Homegirl, K and Holly - If I can stick with anything this long, and have it still be a success, YOU can all do it.

And if you laugh as much as you can, and make an occasional difference in other people's journeys as they walk along beside you for a bit, it won't matter how long it takes :)

I'll take the *before* pic under serious consideration.

Nat - *over some broiled meat*- you are WAY cool.

[doreen T]

What an inspiration you are, thankyou so much for sharing. And I look forward to sharing your continued success as your journey continues. Maintenance isn't the end of the road, it's a brand new beginning, and new challenges I'm sure. Just remember that as much as you give here to us, we're always here to give back to you. Yer a treasure

:rheart:

Doreen

[LC Sponge]

thanks Doreen -I get gobs from this board - your tips for one - about where to buy all these isolates and whey things.

I went to Bulk Barn the other day and had a FIELD DAY - my first visit there if you can believe it. Got all the ingredients for your flax revolution rolls and made a batch - excellent.

They even have the higher dosage Biotin - which is SO hard to find. I take about 1000 units a day of the stuff, and swallowing 20 - 50 unit pills is NOT something I ever wanted to do.

I do have a question:

What is the difference between soy protein and whey protein?

And What is the difference between the *proteins* and the *isolates*?

This is one thing I have NOT been good at.

[Natrushka]

Originally posted by LC Sponge
And What is the difference between the *proteins* and the *isolates*?


This one I think I can help with: soy isolate is made from soyabeans that have been processed to remove the fat, carbohydrates, fiber and some of the minerals. What remains is the protein. The protein composition of soy isolate is similiar to that of full-fat soy flour but since the other constituents have been removed and the protein content is more than 90% (as opposed to 40% for soy flour). Kinda like they've isolated the proteins ;)

To my knowledge, whey protein is a high-quality protein that is derived from milk.

LC, did I imagine it or did you post somewhere that you noticed a pattern to weekly weight loss similar to what I mentioned in the "when do you weight" thread?

Nat

[LC Sponge]

Thanks Nat - I'm going to have to start taking notes on these things so I appreciate the information - I'm keen to try some of the recipes that call for these ingredients, up until now I have managed to use only soy flour in a few choice recipes - I'm getting more daring now.

Yes - I have a weekly pattern. My high days are Mon & Tues and by Friday I'm low again.

It's all a change in activity and menu I think - I exercise more on weekends but I also deviate from my regular boring menu and enjoy more elaborate breakfasts - pancakes, etc. Sometimes I make a small loaf of 7 grain bread. It's water retention is what it is.

If need to REALLLY regroup. I will eat on the weekends, exactly the same way I eat during the week, and it won't happen. That's what I was doing when I was focused on losing.

Now with maintenance, I figure it's just one way to maintain.

[Homegirl]

LC,

You mentioned that you were 135 lbs when you met DH.

You have lost the excess weight you gained after that and are now at goal after locarbing for well over a year.

What I wanted to ask: Can you wear the same size clothes as you did when at 135 lbs? Or, I guess I am trying to ask if you think (or know for sure) your body composition has changed so that you can be a higher weight but still fit into a particular size clothes?

I have noticed that as I have come back down the scale, clothes that fit me at the same weight last time around (in between having babies) are much bigger because this time I am losing fat instead of fat and muscle.

Spill the beans (the coffee beans), lady!

[LC Sponge]

Hi Homegirl

Yes I am in the same size (size 10) now as I was before. I was about 139 when I met dh - and that's a bit of an estimate - because I never had to weigh myself regularly.... never paid all that much attention.

I like to THINK that my un-flat belly area is *new*. However, that could be just gravity taking it's toll.

A range of weight will still fit into a particular size, especially if you gain weight without gaining inches.

I also think that if you are exercising more now than on other WOE's you are building muscle tone.... and since that's heavier than fat...

[Natrushka]

Originally posted by LC Sponge
and since that's heavier than fat...

;) Same weight, different volume; franklly I'll settle for weighing more if I still fit into the same size.

N

[LC Sponge]

Same weight, different volume

you mean like feathers and lead? ;)

[LC Sponge]

I'm sticking this before and after pic in here too - it's in my journal as well.

This is to serve as an inspiration to everybody who visits here. All you newbies, and die-hard low carbers :) this WOE works (AND it's healthy!!!)

[Ka3n]

LC,
You just look like an entirely different person! You're a peach to stay on the boards and continue to encourge us like this. I'm so happy for you! You've got to be feeling so great each time you see those before and after shots! WTG :wave:

[grrlpwer]

LC i love reading your stories :D

I'll be so glad when i'm feathers and not lead butt :rolleyes:

[Ka3n]

Lead Butt :p Your too funny!! Your on your way to the new you, Linda. :thup:

[filmnoir]

Hi LC Sponge:

I am dying to know how you grew your hair back. I've been on the LC diet for over a year now recently had ulcers that bled and became very anemic and lost 10 lbs. Then most of my hair fell out. I never really associated it with the diet but now I'm wondering. Can you please tell me which supplements you used to help grow back your hair. I'm desperate and depressed about this.

you can e-mail me privately too:

soulmining2001~yahoo.com

thanks in advance

[LC Sponge]

Hi - Biotin was my number one choice for hair help.

.A certain amount of hair loss on a daily basis is normal even if you have NOT changed your diet. Hair loss that occurs from a drastic change in diet, is normal hair loss that is happening at an excellerated rate. That is, hair that was destined to fall out ANYWAY, is just falling out EARLY.

When a hair falls out, there is a period of dormancy in the hair follicle before regrowth begins. Regrowth as it starts, is very fine hair and so your overall volume feels like less. Pull your hair back tightly with your hand from your hairline - you will see short, fine hairs that are new hairs coming in.

The fact is that Biotin (a B vitamin -water soluble so you can't overdose on it) is a nutrient for hair, skin and nails. I started taking it when I began freaking out about my hair loss. At a dose of about 1000 units a day. (Now I take about 300) I didn't notice that it STOPPED the hair loss. The fact was that process was going to happen regardless, because of the drastic change from low-fat eating.

But as my hair began growing back, it grew back better than before. I also cut it to a short style to *weather* the storm, and actually have never grown it long again. It's as nice as it was before and probably healthier. My nails are amazing too.

[filmnoir]

Hi LC:

Thanks so much for replying.

I feel more hopeful now.

I have a few more questions if you don't mind.

A friend of mine said she also lost hair when on the Atkins diet. Is it due to the lack of carbs and B vitamins? do we know why low carb causes hair loss?

I believe my extreme loss was due to a severe blood loss over a couple of weeks. I was transfused 3 weeks ago and hope the hair loss will stop soon. I am going to try the biotin tomorrow. I was also eating a very low fat version of Atkins and maybe 30 carbs a day. I'm an Atkins bar addict too. I was eating up to 8 a day (yikes, I know) and as soon as I cut back to 2 a day my hair started falling out.

I see that eggs contain biotin but I only eat egg whites. do you know if the biotin is in the yolk or the white?

thanks for your help!

[lagwagon]

LCSponge,

You said you stalled for 5 months in your story. How much did you lose prior to the stall? Did you lose at all during the stall? Did you go back to induction?

Thanks,
Lagwagon

[LC Sponge]

Hey lagwagon - the reason we are told to write our daily/weekly weight down is so that we can produce a graph - like the one I have posted below.

This graph covers from my beginning weight at 184 (Feb 2000) to January 1 of 2001. You can see where the wooshes are and where there are times of bouncing back up. Notice at induction the dramatic weight loss and then the tapering off. Then a series of whooshes and plateaus...

I have roughly circled an area that represents the time frame August 2000 - December 2000. Throughout that time period I was sure I was not losing - I would lose and then gain it back. It looks a bit more dramatic on the graph... which shows an overall loss of 3 pounds during that 5 month period. (Start 155 - end 152)

It's only thru graphing that this reveals itself. Living it was horrible. Yes I went back to induction several times, tried the fat fast and reversal diet.

At Dec 31 2000 I weighted 152 . This morning I was 142 .

[lagwagon]

Thanks for the info.

[John2001]

Just happened by your posts LC. All I can say is WTG!!!!!! Can't say it loud enough!

You look great! What a motivation builder you are, seeing the before and after pic's.

Again, just a fantasic job!

John

[donnaj]

Thank for sharing your story. It has given me hope. I went to goal once before and gain some back. But after reading these success stories. I know I can make it.
Thanks.
Donna :wave:

[Victoria]

LC Sponge,
I just found these success stories today. I had not noticed them before. So when I saw your name up there, I had to read your story. You are truly inspirational. Thank you for sharing your before and after shots. I look forward to wearing shorts once again. You look so healthy and fit!!! And thank you for sharing your graph. It's so easy to get discouraged during slow losing times. But you kept plugging away and you did it! And continue to keep it off. That's just as important. I appreciate all your posts on the forum and your fun sense of humor. You are truly an asset here. ;) Victoria

[j. mcadams]

LC just wanted to let you kown what an inspiring story you have. The before and after pics are great. Thanks for all the information especially about the hair loss, I never even thought about that. Thanks Again.... Joan :wave: