looking for fla. chatters

[mary nappi]

is there anyone from florida or the jacksonville, fla. area?
i would love to find friends near-by to chat with.
i have been on the atkins plan for over a year now and have lost 94 lbs. being thinner feels so good to. nice to go buy clothes in the regular size department now instead of the plus sizes.
a born and raised in florida girl. raised on the west coast and have lived in jax now for 32 years.
some one write, i'd love to hear from some fla. friends.
a low carb dieter,
mary (fla. gal)

[Atriana]

Hi Mary!
You sound like you have had great success on Atkins! Do you have any suggestions or hints to pass on? I'm in Palm Bay, Florida - I guess about 3 hours south of you on the East Coast.

[srcmartin]

I would love to hear some of your tips on where to buy things and how you are doing on Atkins! I just started in January, and have recently gone off the bandwagon while in NYC!

[Carrot]

Hell-o Fellow Florida Crackers,

[Carrot]

Oops....hit the enter key instead of the tab...sorry.

I'm new to the LC way and anxious to learn more. Will continue to read up as much as I can find. Any suggestions are appreciated.

Different LC books seem to give confusing advice. I read and am trying to follow the Schwarzbein Principle. Have any of you tried it?

[LORI JO]

Hi! Another Floridian checks in! I'm in Clearwater - too far for daily walks...but I'd be happy to chat with you! I'm new to LC - 6 days into it and doing OK.

If anything, this sunshine should melt the pounds away!

:D

Lori Jo

[Carrot]

Hi LoriJo,

So glad to hear from another Floridian! Clearwater is one of my favorite places. I live in Orlando or rather Disney World! Went to college in Tampa and spent many happy hours in Clearwater.

How did you find the SP mathod. My doctor told be about it. I'm very happy with it.

Company coming for dinner, so must be brief. Would enjoy having a Florida pen pal if you're interested. Don't know how to do it, yet cause I'm new, too. Will look it up,.

See ya,,,,,Carrot

[LORI JO]

Hi, Carrot -

Hope your dinner went well.

I'm not doing Schwartzbein (sp?) - I'm on Atkins. Are they much different?

Week 2 of induction starts tomorrow for me. I don't dare weigh myself until it's over.

Talk to you later!


Lori Jo
:cool:

[Carrot]

LoriJo,

I wasn't thinking until I had signed off. You are following Atkins and I am following the Schwarzbein Principle. I am currently reading a great book called, "The Secret To Low Carb Success" by Laura Richard. She explains about all the popular LC methods and there differences between Atkins and SP, but they both agree that too many carbs are the problem.

Dr.S includes more carbs than Atkins and eating from all four food groups at each meal. Weight loss is much slower, but eating is very satisfying and not boring. How have you been dooing on the induction phase? Is it difficult? I would encourage you to read the book of mentioned, because it gives a thorough look at benefits, how to really tell if it is working for you, stalls and how to get past them.

My weight loss has been slow, but I've lost inches and my blood numbers are great. My cholesterol dropped 65 points! I battle with hypothyroidism which doesn't help with making weight loss easy.

Is this the first time you've been on a LC diet? What brought you here and what else have you tried?

Company dinner was 98% successful. I tried a new LC dessert I found on the internet. Sure sounded good.......but .......yeck!! The rest of the meal was superb..steaks on the grill, crustless zucchini quiche(SP cookbook), green salad with homemade blue-cheese dressing(SP,too), mushroom/onions with butter...hmmm...but the dessert..yeck,yeck,yeck.

Today, as you know, is rather hot and dreary. Have my suit on and headed to the pool....Have a great day!.....

Carrot :wave:

[CrazyCurly]

Hiya guys! I live in Winter Springs. Nice weather here today!

[lljbo]

Orlando here! It's funny when I see the workout and gym tv ads that say "get in shape for Summer" - it pretty much swimsuit and bikini weather year-round around here.

[CrazyCurly]

:lol: lljbo! So right. I love it when certain clothes go in and out of season up north. It is all the same all year long here. I was watching a show the other day where they were doing fashion do's and don't. Must say that Florida was all a don't. :D Stuff like, "People do NOT wear capri's unless it is summer!" I felt like laughing, everyone wear shorts and stuff all year!

I used to live in downtown Orlando, where about are you at?

[LORI JO]

Carrot!

I was sorry to hear that your dessert didn't come out well. Hopefully your guests were so dazzled by the rest of the mouth-watering meal that they didn't notice! That's where I have my problems, too. I can make the most scruptious meal, but when it comes to dessert, if it's low cal or carb, it comes out icky. Maybe I'll find something good on the sweets threads here.

I'll look for the Laura Richard book you recommended. It sounds interesting with help for stalls and the comparisons.

Induction is going OK. I'm on week 2. I lost 8 pounds the first week and I'm thrilled with that! My blood pressure is also down from 158/? to 126/70. Of course, my doctor had prescribed a new med the week before I started Atkins, but I like to think this WOE has something to do with it!

Induction has not been too hard - the protein keeps me satisfied and all the water keeps me from craving anything. I do miss fruits - apples, bananas, strawberries!!! Kiwis, tangerines, nectarines!! Ah, well, this too shall pass...

I've been on Weight Watchers (a few times), nothing really worked for me. I was eating mostly fruits and veggies, almost no meat and still I couldn't get the weight off or keep it off. When I was 15 I was diagnosed with hypoglycemia and put on a diet much like this one. It makes me feel good and keeps my blood sugars in check.

Well, time to stop procrastinating and put on my Nikes and hit the road. I'm trying to maintain a 4 mile a day walk.

Have you started a journal? It's really helpful.

Take care -

Lori Jo

[lljbo]

I am in Longwood. I used to live downtown on Amelia, but now I guess I am officially in the "boonies".

[julieinfla]

Hi there..
I live in Florida also.. I live in Apopka... several weeks back.. I posted asking for pen pals.. and maybe someone to go walking with or to the gym.. anything for exercise.. and support..
if interested .. please reply.. I dont have a problem with the WOE.. its not having anyone to do anything with.. hope we can meet..
Julie

[mary nappi]

Originally posted by srcmartin
I would love to hear some of your tips on where to buy things and how you are doing on Atkins! I just started in January, and have recently gone off the bandwagon while in NYC!


scrmartin, in jaxs.
could not get a private e-mail to you so i hope you get this. i live on the west side of jaxs near 295 and blanding.
i buy all my low carb foods at winn-dixie in argyle, if you go to the low carb site you can find all sort of charts and recipes on low carb foods to eat. that will help you alot, print them out and keep them in your kitchen so you can have them near when you need to check out something.
i like to shop for clothes at bealles outlet store, t-j maxs in argyle, wal- mart, burlington coat factory in argyle to. if you want to find the best bargins on clothes go to bealles in the cedar hills shopping center on the west side off blanding blvd.
what is your weight if i may ask? i started out at 310, now i am 200. i gave away all my big clothes, if you need any size 24-26 i may still have a few left in my closet....
good luck
mary, in jaxs

[Bonnie]

I guess I have the best of both worlds :) I spend my summers in Canada and my winters in Florida... most of the folks I have met who live in Florida are transplants from elsewhere so I hope you don't mind me joining in... I have a home on Melbourne Beach and really miss the great weather and sun since returning home to cool and rainy weather here in the north...hubby and I have been following Protein Power since Dec' 99 and haven't looked back..nice to meet you all :wave:

Bonnie

[Carrot]

Bonnie,


Lucky, lucky you. You're right about having the beast of both worlds. Florida in the winter is wonderful. I've visited Canada a few times a was so very impressed with every place I went. My husband and I would like to visit the Calgary area and hope to make that trip within the next few years.

How did you decide on the Protein Plan WOE verses any of the others?

I'm looking for a good low carb recipe for a shake. I make one each morning and would enjoy some variations.

Welcome and look forward to exchanging ideas.

Carrot

[Bonnie]

Hi Carrot,

Actually our story is pretty typical in the fact that we both were following high carb/low fat to the letter... I have always been very active exercising (swimming, walking etc)...but could not shed a pound... was very muscular :( but was disappointed in my overall appearance and attributed my added poundage to middle age...hubby was built typically like most middle age guys...tiny butt and nice looking legs but all his weight was in his belly...his family has a history of heart disease and diabetes so with most of the weight he was carrying around his middle he was a heart attack waiting to happen...one day a friend had mentioned he was reading a book called Protein Power and that the explanation of following a Low Carb diet made alot of sense to him...he passed it on to my hubby and he read it from cover to cover...hubby is one who does not make decisions on the spur of the moment and analyzes everything to death before acting ( Business Manager :rolleyes: :rolleyes: ) so when he came to me and expressed a desire to try LC I was amazed... first of all I was pissed off because I had high carb/low fat down to a science and for him to even suggest we eat bacon and eggs sent me ballistic.. :eek: :eek: on a whim I decided to indulge him... when I jump into something I research it diligently...if we were going to do this we were going to do it right ;) I was flabbergasted when we both started losing weight...this was just too easy :eek: :eek: after starting the plan I searched for support online and found LC Canada and other great LC sites where things have now progressed a long way since I began this WOE... such wonderful supportive info out there now :thup: I began comparing different plans ie Atkins, PP, CAP etc. and for our lifestyle found PP worked best for us...when we started small amounts of LC fruits were not allowed on Atkins and the carb levels for induction/intervention were different etc...decided if it wasn't broke don't fix it :) hubby was taking lipitor for high chlor but since losing fifty pounds and in the best shape of his life he is now meds free... we are both examples of how this WOL does work and continues to work :clap: :clap:


Bonnie

[Bonnie]

I would like to add my shopping finds... I am a person who first seeks and then grabs the bargoons :) first for food items... I am a member of Sam's Club and have found the meat selection there exceptional... yes, we buy in bulk but I just divide everything and freeze into portions... also if you are one who uses Splenda they have just introduced the large 700 count individual packets for around $13.00 US...this lasts me the whole winter.... for baking products I began shopping at a health food chain called, "Wild Oats" but have found lots of these products at regular supermarkets like Publix, Winn Dixie and Albertson's... I find it so phenomenal the availability of LC items in regular supermarkets in Florida compared to here in the north especially the east coast where I am from... you can walk into your local 7 - Eleven store and see a whole section of LC bars :yay: in Melbourne Beach where I am located there is a store called Nature's Works where the nutritionist is very pro LC and is constantly introducing new LC items... I would suspect the reason being Florida is the birthplace of LC so to speak with Dr. Atkins promoting it big time...in all honesty this mentality has slowly started to filter north and I suspect in the next few years many health food suppliers will be more receptive and we will catch up...

now to the clothing... since spending my winters in Florida I have found some neat places to buy cool clothes... the list already mentioned like Beal's TJ Maxx are great but I would like to add Marshall's, Ross' and of course my fav... Burdine's, The Florida Store...I always managed to find great bargoons when they have their additional 15 per cent off all items in the store...I have found outfits starting at 200.00 and then marked to a certain price... and thus being on the fifity per cent off rack with your handy dandy extra fifteen per cent off coupon have wound up paying as little as forty dollars for an outfit...never ceases to amaze me when these sales take place the amount of clothing folks come away with paying so little...my daughter-in-law was visiting me during the first week of March when one of these sales took place and she came away with a whole new wardrobe for just over $100.00.. while I was helping her carrrying all her new bought treasures struck up a conversation with a lady who was buying clothing for a trip to Alaska... everytime an item was rung in and she saw the low price she jumped up and down...toooo funny... and oh yes I am one of those folks who wears capris all winter ;)

Bonnie

[heather2fa]

Have been on this WOL since April and have lost 15lbs and am pretty much at target but happy to just not be hungry anymore. I definitely need to build muscle and I walk most days.

[Bonnie]

Your stats look great Heather.. :thup:


Bonnie

[wdw]

:wave: Hi
I am in Melbourne and have just found this forum. I have been doing the atkins for about 2 months and lost 30% of my goal weight. Problem is that it happened in the first month and there has been no change since.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Jerry