A HUGE thanks for JNY and all the other BIG LOSERS that keep coming back here. I have been LCing for 15 months now and would have quit a long time ago if not for the REAL stories and encouragement offered here. Thank you to all the big losers!

I am with you on this. The last time I did Atkins, I started at 240 and couldnt get under 180. It was like my body just stopped losing and it frustrated me enough to quit LCing. I regained my weight and then some. Don't let this frustrate you. Learn to be happy with where you are now because its still way better than where you were at the start!!!! This time around, I am happy with every pound, and even if I never get under 180, its still way better than 256! Hang in there Bat Spit!

I'm not a fan of "set point" theory, but have been stuck at a size range I've been at often before in my life, probably around 300 pounds or so, this after a loss of between 200 and 250 pounds. I don't focus on weight loss per se so I haven't been all that bothered by it, but I'm now curious enough so that I'll start trying to restrict calories and do some exercise to see if I start trending down again. I know what happened (I started eating a lot more food, although it was low carb), I just don't know why for sure.

As an aside, albeit an important one, the one thing about all this I'm dead sure of after 2.5 years is that focusing on weight loss is doing it backwards, and takes more work than just focusing on changing the way you eat and letting the weight take care of itself, which it will do to a large extent, if you'll excuse the pun. I've been "maintaining" without counting calories and with no exercise, and it's quite easy, even though I'm not losing anything (and still need to, according to my mirror). I think if I was stressing about losing it would have been much harder for me than it has been just steering clear of grains and sugar. Always worrying about the number on a scale is adding a goal (losing weight), to the already difficult one of avoiding the garbage that is pushed on us by society wherever we go.

I'd lost 70# in 2005- but a whole lot of factors- I regained 50 of it- I was bound and determined to not get over 300 again! I have lost all but 13# of it, and am looking forward to being on the "other side" of that 70 pounds! I think if I hadn't gained- I would be over the 100 lbs. lost mark- BUT there's a reason for everything- and I did learn from my gain.

This thread was very encouraging for me, and RIGHT ON! for those who have lost that weight, and those who have maintained it too!

Hello, Everyone!

I just joined so I thought I'd look in over here!

I went from 280 to 180 in 2004 doing a combination of low carb then South Beach. I maintained at 180 from Sept 2004 until Sept 2006 when I got married. I adore my DH but it took some adjustment foodwise having a man around. I gained up to 204 before I said "Enough!" and got my act together. I'm back on track and have gone from 204 in April to 190 today.

I have two goals:

*Get back to 180 (I know I'll be there soon!)
*Get down to 165

So don't think if you gain some weight back that you can't take it back off again. You can do it!

I've had TWO major set points (So I am very much a believer in them!! lol) I was happily doing Atkins for 6 months before I hit my first set point - no matter what I did I just could NOT budge my weight for 6 months +
I tried EVERYTHING and I remained true to the plan, but after that long of no loss I realised that it was time to stop flogging a dead horse and I found South Beach.

I went on to lost another substantial amount on SB, but after 6 months - you guessed it, no more weight loss for another 6 months! It's SO depressing not to lose weight when you are really trying BIG TIME - so I decided that in order to move my weight down I needed to mix things up again.
I dropped dairy and have been happily losing ever since.

I think on set points you either stay true to your plan and stick with it no matter how long it takes or you realize there's a change which needs to be made, and you go for that option.

I am pleased and very proud of myself actually) that both times I have had a set point though I have managed to stay true to LC.

WOW ! i'm speechless after reading this thread.


GREAT JOB ! I'm right behind ya

I've had a good 4 years - my 4 year Atkins anniversary just passed. Here is a link to my story:

http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthre...98&page=1&pp=15

Read the first post - it pretty much sums up my story!

Happy Anniversary-
your story is fantastic!
E

WOOOOOOOOOO hoooooooooooo. you guys are awesome !

i know i'm going to make it this time !

Congrats!!! I have lost 77 pounds since April and I have 22 more to go! I also love this place. It's hard to get support from people I know who don't have a clue what living low carb is...

You did a great job!!!

thankyou all so much for your stories. i finish induction tommorow and have only lost 8 pounds so far. Thinking about the OTHER 100+ pounds I have to lose makes me want to cry-but then I come here, read an get some inpiration!!

Just do 10 lbs at a time...and before you know it...you're there!!

I couldn't think about the 100 either...too much to comprehend...10 lbs is a much easier number to deal with in our minds.

10 lbs...10 times...not so bad, right!

Thanks. ..as are you doing a great job also~!!

I hope that you are doing OWL phase of atkins now. Don't wait to get to your goal to start it....a word from the wise!!

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