my body has joined the turtle club. I had such grand ideas of losing 35 pounds in 6-8 months. Now I know better. I have fallen off and gotten back on and fallen off again and gotten back on again. Each time, I have learned something but it is a struggle. I am glad I am doing this though. I am trying to focus on more than just the weight. I have found two positive side effects so far- no hot flashes and strong nails. Everyone, hang in !!! we are all winners !!!

Yes folks you heard it here.
I gave up nuts, including Macadamian.
Shocking isn't it?
Cream cheese is my next thing coming of my plan.
That is if I can keep it out of my house!

I'm giving up my treasured macadamia nuts, too, at least for now. I'm saving them for when I know I'm not going to be somewhere I can get the things I need to eat, and really need to have a snack with me.

I'm glad to hear about the strong nails! I have a lifelong problem with weak nails. They only got better last summer when my naturopath put me on 2 T. vegetable protein/day. I haven't been taking it, 'cause I used to mix it with milk & OJ. I was hoping all the meat & seafood & dairy would suffice.

Coquina

My nails use to fold over and anything would strip them off, including my nibbling
Now my nails are long and strong. I can actually use my nails to tighten screws! (I only did this once, honest!)
I do use Vitamin E on them and I buff them 3 times a week. Thats it. The important thing is that they are too hard for me to nibble on!

I am so happy I found this link -- it's just what I needed. I got on the scale yesterday for the first time since I started this woe 7 weeks ago and was really disappointed at the numbers. I probably lost a total of 8 pounds, if that.

I get discouraged when I read of the success of most other members. Now I know there are others out there like me.
I know this woe is working because I feel so much better - don't have that awful water retention and I'm starting to look better.

I need to look at some of the things I'm doing that might be inhibiting my weight loss -- but give up?? NEVER!! This is a good way to eat.

What do you do when you have cravings? I have been eating a handful of peanuts and think this might be my problem.

hi Joanne -- Welcome! You have come to the right place. I have been on LC since 6/8/01 and have lost about 20 lbs -- I am not discouraged -- we all lose at our own rate. About the peanuts -- eating peanuts or any kind of peanut butter (natural or otherwise) makes me gain -- no matter what -- I stay clear of any peanuts.
Hang in there!
Anita

Hi Joanne,
I haven't found a good way to handle cravings. If I eat anything when I'm in that "mode" it just makes the craving worse. If I eat sweet I want salty and so on. So I try to just drink water (neutral taste)and try to ignore it. It sure isn't easy. The good thing is I only have cravings very late at night so often I just go to bed.

I think people recommend when you have cravings to eat some protein. I'm happy to say with this WOE I have not had a problem with cravings. I am SO thrilled about that. Sometimes when I see something - like Sweet Tarts candy - that I used to eat I want some but it's just habit and not really my body craving that. When that happens to me though I usually drink some water and that helps me.

Cat-Bat.... No more hot flashes. Isn't that grand?
My problem was night sweats. Haven't woke up at 3 am., soaking wet in two mos. Started LC 3 mos. ago. Heaven.

I tried all that ahem.... stuff (before LC) that said if you ate lots of soy products, like the Okinawans, you'd stop hot flashes. What a lot of hooey . All I got was gas and indigestion to go with my hot- flashes.

yb

I'm so happy to have found this place. I've been low-carbing faithfully for 4.5 months and have lost 20lbs. I was becoming very discourged when I read about people who were losing 2-3 lbs a week! or challenging themselves to lose 25 lbs. by Christmas. Whoa!?? I saw that and wondered, what the heck is wrong with me? But now I'm among peers who are facing the struggle that I am... Thanks.

I am definately a turtle. In fact, is there anything slower than a turtle? Maybe a slug? I have been on the Atkins for 17 weeks and have lost 14 lbs. I feel that is tremendously slow.

This probably isn't the right place to say this but, I see that some people call it "cheating" but I call it falling off the wagon only because I have a serious addiction to refined sugars. I took the first bite and it has been downhill from there for the last 2 weeks approximately. I gained two pounds but have lost 1. I think alot of my regression is the loss of my motivation. If anyone has seen one wandereing around lost, that would be mine. I would appreciate you sending it back. I am at the point where I am just bored with this whole thing. Thanks for letting me rant. I'm the only one around me that is on the LC diet and I find that people just don't understand it!!

Hi there Heavy2long (very cute!) I've been at this now for 5 weeks, and I have to tell you, it's very discouraging to not have the pounds melt off... One of the people I work with keeps telling me I must be cheating cuz he lost 21 pounds in 2 months. I think I've probably lost 3 or so... but when it comes to motivation, to be honest, I'm terrified to fall off the wagon in case I suddenly balloon up another 10 pounds!
Hang in there kiddo!

Thanks for the encouragement, Poobean. I was at a point where I was terified to loose my motivation because like my name says, heavy too long. I was tired of it and desperately wanted to change. I guess I am complacent at my current weight. I will get it back, I just hope it is soon!

Heavy2long, a pound a week is nothing to sneeze at. In fact, it's the healthiest rate to lose weight at, and if you keep it up long enough, your chances of keeping that weight off are much better. Don't let the "easy weight loss" people beat you down!

TURTLES UNITE!!!

Coquina

Thanks for the message, Coquina. It's hard to remain patient sometimes when the nasty part of human nature wants it yesterday!! I try to tell myself it took me 12 years to put it all on, it will take awhile to take it all back off!!