Mon, May-31-04, 04:37
|
New Member
Posts: 19
|
|
Plan: prev atkins, now NHE
Stats: 174/140/133
BF:
Progress: 83%
Location: London UK
|
|
I'm in a similar place, but with a different timescale. I started Atkins in summer 2002, weight 174lb, lost slowly and steadily to 145 by autumn 2003. Since then, weight has bounced around in a 5lb window. Weight today is 143. However, in that 9 month period I have lost another inch off my waist and half inch off my hips. My skin has tightened up as well. Altogether, I have lost 7" from my waist and I have changed my hip/waist ratio from 90% to 79%, ie I am finally below the risk level. At the moment my friends tell me I look great with no need to lose any more, but actually I look like a celebrity "before" picture (do you get those in the US where a soap star hits the french fries and alcohol and gains about 10 - 15lb and gets cruel bikini pictures published?). So, I feel that if I could lose another 7 - 10lb the effort would be more worth it. Why go through the misery of dieting and continually watching what you eat if you still can't quite fit into really nice clothes and you still look bulgy and soft? I am now a US size 10, only 5'3" with tiny bones but lots of muscle and would look better if I could lose the last bit.
Anyway, enough about that. I replied because I wanted to share with you the good things about having coasted for so long and maybe have a longer discussion with you about how we can move to the next stage:
My skin has really tightened up and I feel that the coasting has allowed it to do so. My stomach isn't so spongy and I don't bulge over the armpit of my bras like I used to. I fear that if I had kept losing at the same rate it would have been too tough on my skin.
I have proved that without dieting I can maintain my weight, even though I am drinking way too much alcohol and not getting enough exercise. That means that with a few small tweaks to my current lifestyle I will be able to maintain a weight that is 10lb less.
I believe that any diet is tough on the system and that I have allowed my body to regroup. If I crave a food I eat it. However, look at my cravings: blue cheese (vit B) smoked salmon (essential fatty acids) fruits (especially the red and orange ones = antioxidants) lots of red meat and liver at TOM. I've been listening to what my body is telling me it needs as I don't think you can get the same benefits from supplements.
So where am I now: ready to start back on weight loss, resisting the urge to crash off the weight because I am bored with having "diet" in the back of my brain. I have a feeling that the last part of this will be the hardest. I have read about "set point" theory and it is certainly true that I have previously been at my current weight for a very long time in the past. But I have also maintained my goal weight of 135lb for years and years when I was younger. It is also tough accepting that actually I could look really GOOD.
I didn't really plan to take a break; I just slid into it. All I have been doing is avoiding the "white" carbs. Do you think you have been trying to lose but are stalled, or like me have you slipped into a maintenance mode? Maybe your body needs to regroup before the next level. When I look back I am shocked at how long this has taken me compared to how long I htought it would take. But I make myself do the math - 1lb fat = 3,500 calories = calorie deficit of 500 per day and that is a lot.
Are you putting on muscle, losing inches?
Let me know whether you agree with any of the above - it would be nice to have some online support for this last stretch.
Fiona
Last edited by fiona508 : Mon, May-31-04 at 05:12.
|