Well, back again. Seems to be the time of year for it.

I have been successful on Atkins twice in my life. Once when I was 28 (1997) and again in 2009. I lost 60lbs in 2009 in six months. I felt great and looked great. Then we sold our farm, moved to Nova Scotia and I gained it all right back to my old starting weight.

I started having some serious problems with eczema (on my face particularly). I've had skin issues since I was a teen, but this was way worse. After allergy testing (nothing came up) and trying every cream under the sun, I figured out that cow dairy causes my face to swell up and my skin to break out and wheat causes all kinds of gastro issues and my skin to break out. It's all a delayed reaction though (48-72 hrs). So, for 3 years I was REALLY angry that I couldn't eat what seemed like everything. Add to that a binge eating disorder and all my comfort food had been taken away, and I was in a mess.

Funny thing - no wheat, no dairy for 3 years and I didn't gain or lose a pound. My body loves 223.

Then, at the end of August, we went to Au Pied du Cochon in Montreal for a meal we have been hoping to have for, literally, years. I decide "to he** with it, I am eating what I want". So, I had bread, butter, fois gras (what the place is known for) etc. etc. And amazingly, I was fine. I thought "Wow, I'm not sensitive anymore". So, I started eating all the stuff I was deprived of for the last 3 years. Now, I weigh 239. It's the most I've ever weighed in my life, including during pregancy. AND my face is all broken out and I'm back to gastro issues. I also have depression and am trying to figure that out. Suffice to say that my motivation is challenged, but I can't stay like this.

So. Onward and downward. I've been lc-df for 4 days now and haven't weighed since day 1. I think I will try to stick to once a week. I have a habit of getting a bit OCD about this, so I'm trying to keep it a bit more casual.

I find that doing this takes up a huge amount of my brain power and I spend by far too much time fixated on how much I'm losing, what I'm going to eat next, what I ate already etc. Since this really is the only way I should eat for the rest of my life, my approach is going to have to be different. I have other things I have to think about and this can't take over everything.

Geesh, I really do feel like a mess. Two lc hero biscuits if you made it this far in the blathering.

All the best to you all!

welcome back

I could have written this (except for the Nova Scotia and excema parts)

I am intolerant of dairy and wheat. Both cause bloating and discomfort. Meat stops me up if you get my drift. I lost 60 lbs my first go-round in about as much time.

Don't know your age, but on my third go-round I had to cut the calories in order to lose, at about 59.

I wish you the best! The lighter you get, the better you'll feel!